WOW! Time is flying by. . . .I can't believe that it is December already. I hope that everyone had a wonderful and RESTFUL Thanksgiving Break!
November Service Learning
My homeroom partnered with Mrs. Igleheart's first grade class to write encouraging notes to the homeless in Gainesville. (Mrs. Thompson's 5th graders partnered with Mrs. Hicks's first graders as well.)
CAA's Total Donations for November: 213 pairs of socks, 26 coats, 6 sweaters, 2 blankets, and 30 sack lunches. THANK YOU!!!!
Book Fair is this Wednesday - we will visit at 12:30 (as soon as we finish lunch). You can send in cash or a check, or you may plan to visit with us! There are lots of great books on the fair this year. You may want to check out the "Teacher Wish List" board! I've listed some titles the class seemed excited about and would like to have in our classroom library.
Field Trip! We are going on a field trip THIS FRIDAY, 12/5, to see the Nutcracker at Brenau! We have several 5th graders performing this year, so all classes are going to see this production and support our wonderful Gainesville Ballet. Tickets are normally $6, but we have discounted ticket prices of $2!
What's Going on This Week:
Mon, 12/1 Back to school!
Tues, 12/2 Red Folders come home
Wed, 12/3 Return Red Folders; Book fair visit at 12:30
Thurs, 12/4 Permission slips due; Skate Country 6-8pm
Fri, 12/5 Science test; math homework due; field trip to see the Nutcracker
Upcoming Events:
Sun, 12/7 Family day at the Northeast GA History Center! Victorian Christmas
Math
We start working with fractions this week! This is another three-week unit. We will start by identifying the least common denominator of two fractions (also known as least common multiple), then we'll start adding and subtracting them for these three weeks. In 4th grade, your child added and subtracted fractions with LIKE denominators (the number on the bottom is the same). However, in 5th grade, we are adding and subtracting fractions with UNLIKE denominators (the number on the bottom is different; for example, 1/3 + 2/5). We will also be adding and subtracting whole numbers and fractions, mixed numbers, and improper fractions. Whew! We will also test for this unit the week before we get out for winter break.
Reading
This week, we start a three-week unit on organizational structures. Students will read a text and try to decide how it's organized: description, cause-effect, compare-contrast, problem-solution, or chronological-sequence. We will start off by identifying a text's organizational structure, and next week, we'll begin to compare the organizational structures of one text with a different text. We will test the week before we get out for winter break.
November Book It Reading Logs
A special congratulations goes to--Nigel, Iqui, Eddie, Da'Niya, Xochilth, and Adriana. They have completed their required November reading. They have received a FREE Pizza from Pizza Hut!
We have increased our goal for December. . .our goal is to read 375 minutes this month! That is just over 12 minutes each day! I know you can do it.
Language Arts
We are beginning to work on conjunctions and informational writing. Students will be working on the differences between coordinating, subordinating, and correlative conjunctions. We will also begin how-to writing.
Science
Students are finishing a science unit with Ms. Creel. They are studying physical and chemical changes. The science test will be this Friday.
