5th Grade Weekly Update for Week of December 11th
Photo Highlight of the Week: “Let it Snow!”
Math: We are wrapping up our current unit of study, and students will take the unit test on Wednesday. It will include adding and subtracting fractions and mixed numbers and applying this knowledge in word problems.
On Thursday, students plan to bring in dishes from the American Civil War time period to share with others as part of an assignment for history. Many recipes include fractions and mixed numbers, so this is a perfect opportunity for students to see a real-world application of our math lessons. Students will learn how to read and adjust recipes. Then, they will practice by using their own recipe from the history project!
Science: We will complete Investigation Two in our Earth’s Forces Cell. Investigation Two allows students to explore the effects of gravity in the context of unbalanced forces. Students make a small and a large object, find the mass of each object, then conduct trials to establish the time that it takes for these objects to fall to the ground. In analyzing these trials, students are introduced to the formula for calculating acceleration. Through collating and presenting their data, students come to understand that while the force of gravity is dependent on the mass of the object, acceleration due to gravity is a constant 9.8 m/s2.
ELA: In grammar this week, we will check Lesson 25 and 26 on Monday, which students should have completed independently. We are finishing up the last two lessons and then will end the week with an open book classwork assignment. We will start a winter writing assignment this week that uses the story elements we talked about last week when finishing up our Shades of Gray novel study. Students will use brainstorming pages that have an exposition, rising action, a climax, falling action, and a resolution. Students will create their own story based off of winter scenes, or they can even bring in their own from their own snow day adventures!
History: We are finishing up our last lesson this week, women in the Civil War. We will practice outlining using this lesson, specifically, the information about Clara Barton, the founder of the Red Cross. I will conference with each student about their outlines, so they feel confident using this method of organizing information. On Wednesday, students will be given their study guide for Lessons 1-17. Their test for the first half of the Civil War unit will take place on Monday, December 18th. Thursday is our Civil War food feast! We will feast right after our day band concerts. Students will need to turn in their recipe (with the source listed), their paragraph about their food/Civil war food history, and bring in their food with a serving utensil on Thursday. Please let Mrs. Armstrong know if you have any questions regarding this assignment.
Other: Winter Wishes favorites sheets went home in Friday Folders! Happy shopping! On Thursday, the Winter Band Concert will have two day concerts: 9:30 and 10:30, and the evening concert will take place at 6:30.