5C News January 8-12

I hope you all enjoyed the holiday break as much as I did!
I am so excited to start a new year with your kind, funny, talented, and social
5th graders!

Winter Reading Challenge: Check out these cozy readers enjoying their choice books!

#Highcroftreads #Winterreadingchallenge

Band Night: 7:00 Band Parent Information Night Parkway Central Middle School

Late Start Wednesday: We have a late start this Wednesday, December 6.

School will start 2 hours later than usual and buses will pick up 2 hours later.

Late Start Days are designed to allow teachers to collaborate in Professional Learning

Communities and commit to helping every child be more successful in school.

PJ Day: Wear Pajamas to school on Late Start Wednesday!

Family Groups: Family Groups will meet on January 10th from 3:15-3:45. The fifth graders will be presenting their information about hurricanes to each group.

Granting Dreams: Each year, the Parkway Alumni Association sponsors the Granting Dreams program.  This opportunity is designed to turn dreams into realities for students eager to further their learning or explore new opportunities. Grant requests have covered a wide range of interests, including Japanese lessons for a grade school youngster to a medical mission trip to Honduras and a student wanting to take a robotics class. Students can be awarded up to $250 to finance their dream, or they may be awarded community resources and/or alumni support. Students are encouraged to submit requests that demonstrate a commitment to developing a skill, acquiring knowledge or experience, or participating in activities related to school or the community.

Click here to download a Granting Dreams Application

January

1-3: No School, Winter Break4: School Resumes

10: Late Start, School begins at 11:05 am, Spirit Day - PJ Day

11: All Read, 3:25 pm

15: No School, Martin Luther King, Jr., Birthday

16-19: Abilities Awareness Week

17: Parkway Board of Education Meeting, 7:00 pm, Central Middle

22: Spelling Bee, 2:30 pm, MPR

23: Kindergarten Registration, 7:30 am - 6:00 pm, MPR

     West Middle Parent Orientation, 7:00 pm, West Middle

24: Choice Informational Meeting, 6:00 pm, South High

25: Snow Date for Spelling Bee, 2:30 pm, MPR

     Snow Date for West Middle Parent Orientation, 7:00 pm, West Middle

  PSO Meeting, 7:00 pm, MPR

29: Land of Smiles Dental Presentation, Grades K-3, 2:00 pm, MPR

January 29 - February 2: Stuffed Animal Drive

Reading: This week in reading, we will begin our new unit, Argument and Advocacy: Researching Debatable Issues. This is a unit that supports students in reading more complex, challenging nonfiction. It is also a unit that aims to support your fifth graders in becoming more activ

e and critical citizens. In today’s world, we need people who think for themselves. The world needs people who read to be informed, who try to truly understand an issue before having an opinion, and who do not just accept what they read, but who think deeply enough to question what they read. Above all, the world needs people who can work for change when it is needed.

In session one, students will learn that readers recognize that a good argument is supported by reasons backed up by evidence, so when readers analyze an argument, they ask themselves questions about the claim being made, the reasons supporting that claim, and the evidence backing up those reasons. In session two, students will learn that when readers research an argument, they learn to grasp both sides of that argument by focusing initially on texts that lay out the argument clearly, and then reading for both sides. Mid-week, we will pause to reflect and set goals based on our pre-assessments. In session three, we will learn that researchers read deeply about an issue, developing information that allows them to become authorities on that issue. Finally, Friday, we will work to grow our conversation with our clubs. Students will investigate the question, “What moves can people make that help a conversation to deepen and grow richer?

Writing:  This week in writing, we will begin our new unit, The Research-Based Argument Essay. Yes, your 5th grader is going to learn how to write a five paragraph essay! This skill is one that will be important for the rest of their academic careers. But, not only will they learn how to structure an essay, more importantly, they will learn to argue with logic as well as passion (and to listen to and read the arguments of others, testing them for their logic and credibility), your 5th grader will learn  to become discriminating and credible, influential and engaged.

During session one, students will learn that when argument writers begin to research a topic, they investigate and collect information about both sides of the issue. In session two, I will remind your child that writers often use what they know about structuring an essay to help them quickly write a full, rough draft of their argument. In session three, students will understand that argument writes conduct research and provide evidence that supports their claim.

Math: This week in math, we will begin our new unit, Adding and Subtracting Fractions.  We will begin this unit by reviewing fraction terms such as denominator, numerator, unit fraction, mixed number, benchmark fraction, equivalent fractions, and common denominator.  Throughout this week, we will learn about estimating fractions by rounding fractions to 0, 1/2, or 1.  This will help recognize if the answer if reasonable or not.  We will practice finding common denominators by listing out multiples of numbers and by drawing models.  Spending time practicing how to find common denominators will make it a smooth transition to adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators.  I encourage you to discuss fractions in the real-world!

Important Fraction Vocabulary: benchmark fraction, equivalent fractions, common denominator

Social Studies: This week we will be starting a new unit in Social Studies called Discovery, Exploration and Early Settlement.  Within this unit, we will focus on the motives and impacts of the early explorers who settled in America.  Throughout this unit, students will realize that exploration and colonization played a huge role in the history of America.  Our new vocabulary words include New World, Age of Exploration, explorers, and archaeologist.

Science: Remember: Students will rotate every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday for science. Our class is currently studying Mixtures and Solutions with Ms. Epstein.

Hi, families!

Happy New Year! I hope you all enjoyed the holiday break as much as I did! I am so excited to start a new year with your kind, funny, talented, and social 5th graders!