Weekly Update - May 2-6

Hi parents!

I hope you've enjoyed your weekend. The weather has been great!

Quick reminder - please don't forget to return EOG testing forms to school by Friday. These were left out of Monday folders, but they were sent home today in your child's agenda. Please ask about the forms. Your fifth grader definitely received one. Thanks!

This week, my focus is on wrapping up important material in each subject. In science, we will be finishing up the last unit. Your fifth grader will be learning about clouds. Students will take the Weather Blue Diamond on Friday, so remind your fifth grader to study throughout the week.

In math, we will focus on multiplication. We will also start on division. Students have learned three different strategies to use when multiplying two and three digit numbers together.

• Rectangle Rows
• Area Model of Multiplication
• Lattice Method
  

Multiplication can be a challenge for some, so students should practice the method that works best for them. Ask your fifth grader about method they have been using. Make sure they are working to prevent careless mistakes. They should be able to explain the model they are using to you.

Students will begin learning new test-taking strategies on Wednesday. The method students will start learning tomorrow is called UNRAAVEL. The Math and Language Arts' versions of the strategy are a little bit different. Find the Language Arts version below.

Underline the title.
Now predict the passage.
Run through and number the paragraphs.
Are you reading the questions?
Are the important words circled?
Venture (read) through the passage.
Eliminate wrong answers.
Let the questions be answered.

We will continue to work with poetry in Language Arts. Students have been really excited to write poems, which has been great to see. The creativity I see in each of them when writing poems is amazing! I'm proud of the work they're doing and can't wait to share it with each of you, the parents.

List of poems we've written so far...

• Haiku
• Cinquain
• Diamante
• Acrostic
• Concrete/Shape
• Free Verse
• Alliteration
• Metaphor/Simile

*We will continue adding new poems to the list. Ask your fifth grader about the poems he/she is writing in class (:

EOG Testing Schedule

• Wednesday, May 11 - Science EOG
• Monday, May 16 - Reading EOG
• Tuesday, May 17 - Math Part I
  
• Wednesday, May 18 - Math Part II

Feel free to contact me with questions or concerns. I'm here to offer support to your child, but also to you. I'm confident that my students are going to do a great job on their EOG Tests!

Thanks and have a great week (: