Wait, do we have Amazon Prime? : A Math Update

In math, the girls continue to work with manipulating numbers with decimals and percentages.

To practice their skills with calculating sales tax, the girls got to go on a little "shopping spree" this morning!

The spreadsheet they were using to track their purchases had columns for item description, price, sales tax, shipping fees, and total cost.  

When asked if there were any questions before starting the spree, the girls quickly inquired, "Do we still have to calculate shipping costs if we have Amazon Prime?" 

From the Library

Fifth graders read Sharon Creech's Granny Torelli Makes Soup over several library classes. Ask your daughter about Pardo and Violetta and the haircut and Marco, about Bailey, and Janine, and learning braille, and double Marco and beloved Granny herself and her pauses, about cavatelli (little dough canoes) and how Tutto Va Bene. This semester's library project is to read a book that's written in the form of diary entries or letters and then to write and present another entry. They have until spring break to complete this project. So far we've heard from Tovah, a Jewish Russian girl traveling to the US with her family in 1920, Mary, Queen of Scots about to marry a French prince in 1553, Lady of Ch'iao Kuo who lives in Southern China in 531, and a sneaky dog able to escape the most elaborate baby gate and chair barricades. Girls are taking elements of the original story and using their imaginations to create an entry that happens before, during or after the story.

Your homework is to study. Wait. What does that mean?

An inside look at study skills practice in fifth grade.

In fifth grade, we often ask our students to study.  Study for your math test.  Study for your science test.  Study your spelling or vocabulary words.  But what are we really asking?  Do we know?  Do our students know?

We have talked about certain study skills throughout the year, but as the 100th day of school came and went, and we inch closer to middle school, reinforcing these skills will become more and more vital to our students' success after lower school life.

Take a moment to review the same tips and tricks the girls reviewed this morning.  After all, a decent amount of "study" time often takes place outside of the classroom.

https://collegesuccessformoms.wordpress.com/2013/08/23/studyhabits/

Using class time to practice our study skills.

Typing/Keyboarding Resources

As the computer science curriculum continues to expand in the Lower School, we have decided to remove the keyboarding unit from classroom instructional time.  Below are recommended resources that your daughter can use at home to practice and improve her keyboarding skills.

Typing.com offers free lessons for your child.  You have the option of creating user name and password or completing the lessons without an account.  The benefit to having an account it tracking progress.

Typing Club offers touch typing for free.  Again, you can create an account or completing the lessons without one.  This site has good reviews from Common Sense Media.

The most important thing when learning how to type is repeated practice.  There are many other resources available online if you daughter is ready to go beyond these suggestions!

Award Season!

Roll out the red carpet!

No, I am not talking about the Golden Globes, SAG Awards, Grammys, or the Oscars.  In the world of children's literature it is Newbery Award season.

As stated by the Association of Library Service to Children, "The Newbery Medal is awarded annually by the American Library Association for the most distinguished American children's book published the previous year."

The award was named for the eighteenth-century English bookseller John Newbery.   

And the winner is...

Tune in January 23rd to find out 2017's big winner!

Guest of Honor

The Fifth Grade Annual Newbery Luncheon is almost here!  All parents should have received a packet of preliminary information regarding this fabulous affair.  

Our speaker this year is Clare Vanderpool.  She is a Newbery Award winner (wow!) and a Michael Printz Award winner.  She has a long list of other literary awards.  

Coming to a classroom near you!

 The excitement up the hill is palpable and we cannot wait to get started!

Art_Gift Exchange

The girls saw a reference to R-Mode in the story, The Art of Ms. Chew by Patricia Polacco, a wonderful book about a gift exchange between a girl and her teachers. Look at the picture below and ask your daughter why the fact that the girl has trouble reading is the same thing that makes her a great artist. It is all how you see it! 

They began a unit to practice "seeing" differently. They drew with paper: black, white and gray paper, only! They "drew" these gifts (see below) while thinking about a gift exchange they had with an important grow-up in their lives.  Reflections to follow. 

Fabulous Fifth Grade Winter Happenings!

Fabulous Fifth Grade Winter Happenings!

As winter break approaches,  the fifth grade continues to work hard up the 

hill in language arts, math, and history!

What we are reading: 

        

       

Ask your daughter her opinion of the main characters in her assigned novel. 

What we are calculating:

Fractions!

Prime and composite numbers, GCF, equivalent fractions, adding and subtracting, and... COMING SOON: multiplying and dividing! 

What we are researching:

Native American Cultural Regions

Amazing diorama pictures coming soon!

(all images in this post courtesy of Google Images)