We will be spending the next few weeks digging into reading Informational Texts and recognizing all sorts of text features (i.e. headings, glossary, index, maps, and graphs) and structures (compare and contrast, comparing, chronology, descriptive, etc.)
Next week we will begin our Persuasive Writing Unit. We've discussed talked about how they all probably have lots of experience trying to persuade others (parents); now they will be learning how to structure persuasive arguments in written form.
The next few weeks in Bible will focus on Jesus' parables. Discussions are always rich as we consider: What does this mean for us?
Our new Bible Memory passage is Psalm 1. It can be recited (or a fill-in-the-blank completed) anytime before Thursday. January 31.
In Science, the fifth graders are learning all about Force and Motion exploring how things move and participating in activities that help them explore time, speed, distance, balanced and unbalanced forces, contact and non-contact forces. They are also learning to collect data and describe force and motion in both qualitative and quantitative terms as well as illustrate how motion can be measured and represented on graphs.
You can about imagine how "excited" the class was to learn that our new math unit focuses on division. Students will be dividing using two-digit divisors for the first time, and will then be dividing using decimal numbers as well. The fifth graders also continue to do daily math fact practice as having mastery of those facts makes more difficult math operations much easier.
Looking Ahead:
*The end of the marking period is Friday, January 18. Report cards will be sent home the following Friday, January 25.
*We will not have school on Monday, January 21, due to Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
*MAP Testing will take place over the course of next week.
*If students would like to bring in valentines for Valentine's Day on February 14, they may choose to bring them for everyone (26), for just the boys (13), or just the girls (13).
*Parent Chaperones are invited to accompany us to Central Wesleyan Church on Tuesday, February 19, from 10:40-11:55am as we go to listen to the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra perform. Send me an email if you would like to attend with us!