Welcome to my 5th Grade class.  I hope that this page will assist in making every student in my class a more successful student. My classroom procedures are online.


*Preparing for Success
I believe that all of my students have the ability to be successful in my classes.  In order to ensure this, I give them a criteria sheet (study guide) at the beginning of each unit in Language, Social Studies, and Science.  Language Criteria sheets are green, Social Studies are blue, and Science are yellow. Students will complete questions from the criteria sheets (study guides) for homework.

To improve success, each student will need to have the binder and pockets dividers requested on the supply list.  The notebook will be divided into sections to assist students in staying organized and prepared for class at all times. I will help the students set up their notebooks at the beginning of the school year so that each one can maintain it throughout the the year.  Also, each student needs to have an agenda to write down the nightly homework and news.  For the first grading period, when I come to each student's seat to grade homework, each student is required to have written down the homework for that night.  I will initial it so that it will be easier at home to keep up with your child's success in my class.

Here are some specifics for each subject:

Reading        Language        Social Studies        Mathematics        Science

*Blogging

This year, each student will be blogging using KidBlog.org. The students will be setting the criteria for the weekly blogs. Blogs are a powerful way for students to reflect upon what they have learned and find the relevance of what they are learning to their individual lives. The blogs are also an excellent tool for me to assess the actual learning that each individual student is gaining within our class lessons and activities.  Through our blogs, students will be able to continue the conversations from our class, tie them into their lives, and safely connect with students from all over the world.

 

Here is the criteria that the students created:

  1. Use proper capitalization, organization, punctuation, and spelling.
  2. Be safe with all of your choices.
  3. Create posts that show what we've learned.
  4. Always use appropriate and kind words.
  5. Think about the audience.
  6. Explain and give great details in your posts.
  7. Compose three or more blog posts a week. 
  8. At least one of your blog posts will be about what you are reading. 
  9. Create comments that are thoughtful, relevant, and continue the conversation.
  10. Practice using characteristics of great writing in every post.

 

 

*Homework
For homework, the student is to complete the questions on the the criteria sheet.  I expect for the students to have well thought out complete answers using correct grammar usage and language mechanics.  

Below are some routine additions to homework:

-Language: Grammar practice and writing activities a couple of times a week

-Reading: Learners should be reading daily. In lieu of Reading Logs, students will be including what they are reading in one of their blog posts each week. The students will be creating the criteria for blog posts the first week of school. Once those are created, I'll post that information.

-Mathematics: Nightly practice

I grade the homework at the beginning of class the following day.  I go to each student's seat to grade his/her homework. This is a time that I can give extra help to students who had trouble on their homework.

*Tests
When I make out the test, I use the criteria sheet (study guide).    Since the students have the criteria sheet, they have the answers to the test.  I announce tests several days before they are given.  I urge all of my students to spend a little bit of time every night studying for the upcoming test.  The exception to this is Reading as all reading assessment is provided through the Scott-Foresman Reading Street program. 

*5th Grade Business

  1. Please send lunch money on Monday. Checks need to have your student's name and lunch number on it.

  2. Weekly folders are sent home on Monday. Please sign the back of the folder and return it and all of the school work on Tuesday morning.

  3. The state mandates that students if fifth grade can have up to 50 minutes of homework a night. However, most night, students will only need to take home their binder, math workbook, and Social Studies or Science book. 

 

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