5th Grade Survival Guide

We hope that this “Fifth Grade Guide” provides you with all the information you need to help make this year successful for your child. Our ears are always open to hear what you want us to know, so feel free to ask! Our goal is to work together with parents to make this a wonderful, and final, elementary school year!

Our Team Goals:

Having multiple teachers is a big adjustment for students AND parents; therefore one of the main goals is to help your child adjust to a whole new set of expectations as well as get ready to enter the sixth grade next year. All of our policies and procedures are designed to make this transition a smooth one. For these reasons, fifth grade teachers will continually stress personal responsibility and problem-solving strategies. “Did you lose your pencil? What should you do to be ready to work?” We are here to help problem-solve, but we also need the student’s most valuable study buddy (you, the parent) to work along side us toward this end.

We hope that this Fifth Grade Survival Guide provides you with all the information you need to help make this year successful for your child. Please know that your input is valuable to us; we aim to keep the doors of communication open at all times.

There are 5 teachers on our team, in addition to resource teachers. Here we are:

Mrs. Valerie Harris (Science)

Mrs. Lynda Silvey (Social Studies)

Ms. Briana Valone (Enrichment)

Mrs. Judy Emanuel (Mathematics)

Ms. Kim Cherry (Reading)

You might also be interested to know that the 4 home base teachers also teach Reading, Word Wisdom (Vocabulary and Spelling) and Writing to their students.

In order to keep 75+ children accountable, we rely heavily on parent signatures on items like tests, Friday Recess sheets, the Student Planer/Agenda, and parent notes. Your signature lets us know that you have been informed about the contents of that sheet. When you have finished reading this document, please sign, detach and return the signature slip on the last page. Thank your for your cooperation in this.

Upcoming events from now until the end of the year….

Contests and Special Awards:

  • Presidential Academic Award (all year)
  • Science Fair (county, regional and state) January
  • Young Authors Contest (February)
  • Continental Math League: a five part Math contest which 5th graders all across the US participate in each year.
  • Geography Bee and Spelling Bee, both of which take place in the winter months.
  • Reflections contest : write, draw, paint, photograph, write music, etc. (FALL SEMESTER)
  • National Current Events contest: (Ms. Valone’s students only) watch the news, weather, listen to radio, read the newspaper and win a contest for knowing what is happening in the world. (National news only)
  • Habitat for Humanity (save those soda cans!)
  • Virginia Choice Readers’ Picnic (Contest ends in April)

Parties:

  • AR parties at the end of the first three terms (students must meet the goal in order to attend, as indicated by completed and signed Reading Logs each month)
  • Christmas/Chanukah and end of year party
  • Virginia Choice Readers Book Club (formerly Virginia Young Readers) Cookout & Party
  • AR Club parties (point club awards, Hot Chocolate party, Popcorn Party, dinner at Vinny’s Pizza, Lunch in the Library, Principal for the Day)

A Note From the Social Studies Teacher, Mrs. Silvey

The Big Red Social Studies Textbook:

We are fortunate enough to have enough books for students to keep one copy at home the entire year. We have a class set that we will use at school as needed.

The red folder: Our Class Text

Since our SOLs are very specific, we have put together an “SOL version” of a social studies textbook. Your child will keep this “textbook” in the red 3-pronged folder.

In the Social Studies Section of the Binder:

Each time we start a new unit, I will be giving the students a packet. This packet acts as their “notebook” for the unit. It includes all activity pages, questions, and projects that we will be doing during that unit. These MUST be kept in the red Social Studies folder or in the binder on the rings.

What to sign and return:

Please sign and return tests and quizzes with a score of D or F. There will be a stamp that says “Sign and Return” on any materials that need to sent back to school.

A Note From the Math Teacher, Mrs. Emanuel

Our main classroom lessons come from a curriculum called, Investigations. The lessons stress critical thinking, reasoning and justification, and informal proving of answers. Most lessons involve students in creating a model or diagram to demonstrate their understanding.

Math Homework is assigned Monday – Thursday, and only occasionally on Fridays.

The BIG IDEAS of 5th grade math are understanding the concepts of, and seeing the connections between decimals, fractions and percents. Then the next step will be learning to compute (+, --, X and divide) with decimals, fractions and percents. Interspersed will be measurement, pre-algebra, probability, patterns, and graphing, again, using fractions, decimals and percents within those frameworks.

Parents: Our math SOL’s are very specific, and are not necessarily in order of the textbook; therefore, if you are having trouble finding text pages to help your child, use the index and the table of contents. Another great source is Google on the internet. Or mathforum.com In addition, the Math Interactive Notebook/Journal (composition NB) may be of help, if your child has kept adequate notes.

The Math Journal/ INB (Interactive Note Book): This is where we will do most of our classwork. It is a composition Notebook where we will write, work out problems, keep a daily journal about our strategies, difficulties and questions, and glue in pages, tables, charts, etc. In other words, we will interact within its pages.Students are required to bring their Math Journals and soft-covered workbooks to class each day, as that is where most homework will be found. STUDENTS: DO NOT TEAR OUT THE PAGES from the journal!

Again, as in Social Studies, please sign and return all tests and quizzes after reviewing them with your child. If you would like to keep them, just send me a note; otherwise, once I have received your signature, I will return all tests and quizzes the following week in the Tuesday folder. Please have your child file these tests and quizzes in the binder, for future studying.

About Math help: Sometimes students feel ‘fuzzy’ after a day’s lesson and just need a few minutes of help. I offer lunch time help, called a Power Lunch, for any child. If you find there is a problem with the homework, or an upcoming test, shoot me an email and I will catch up with your child during my lunch time.

Parents:

Since more than 70% of the 5th grade math curriculum will be very new, please encourage your child weekly to seek me out if they are having difficulty. Waiting for help until the day before a test is not recommended. If your child is expressing confusion to you about math assignments, and you feel you are not able to help, let’s meet to talk about how to best bridge gaps. I will help any way I can, and it is best to catch problems early in the year.

A Note from the Science Teacher, Mrs. Harris:

The Orange Textbook:

The science textbook should be covered and kept in their locker at school. Some assignments will require that this book be taken home for homework assignments.

Orange Workbook:

I will tell the students when to bring the orange workbook to class. Most homework will be found in this workbook.

Marbled Notebook:

  • A marbled notebook (composition notebook) will be needed daily as Interactive Notebook.

What to sign and return:

All tests need to be signed and returned to me. The will be will be a stamp that says “sign and return” or “parent signature” on any materials that need to be sent back to me.

Science Fair Info:

Look for more information to come in January. Please read all information about the Science Fair Project when it first comes home to you; I have many resources available to give your child ideas.

Reading:Your student will be participating in fun, interactive ways of sharing books they have read instead of the traditional book report. One presentation is required for each nine weeks.

Reading logs: in fifth grade, we encourage reading for education as well as reading for pleasure. To help establish good reading habits, your child will complete a reading log each month, which is collected on the last school day of the month, and will be graded. For homework, students are expected to read and then list the name of the book, time spent reading, page numbers read, and have their parents sign, indicating that the information is accurate. We encourage the students to complete the Reading Log on a daily basis. The Reading Log is a part of Reading homework, but will also count toward AR points. Students are required to read for at least 100 minutes per week (averaging 20 minutes/5 days), and this can include reading assigned from textbooks.

Word Wisdom: Word Wisdom is the word study curriculum for the year. Each unit of study lasts three weeks. Students receive ten words each of the first three weeks, which connect to the unit. The fourth week is a review week of all 30 words. A workbook is provided.

A Note From Ms. Valone:

Students who come to me for Math and Reading will receive a folder on the first day of class containing important information, which will be thoroughly reviewed during class. Please ask your child to share this information with you.

Students use the Everyday math series. Textbooks and workbooks are provided. Students participate in several contests including: Word Master; Continental MathLeague; National Current Events League; Young Authors; Spelling Bee; and Geography Bee.

Word Wisdom is the word study curriculum for the year. Each unit of study lasts four weeks. Students receive ten words each of the first three weeks, which connect to the unit. The fourth week is a review week of all 30 words. A workbook is provided.

Students take part in comprehensive cross-curriculum novel studies. The novels are extended with projects, research, and presentations.

Students are expected to earn a minimum of 20 Accelerated Reader points during each nine weeks. This counts as a reading grade. AR points earned on novels studied in class may count toward this goal.

Homework assignments are posted on the blackboard by 8:00 each morning and on your child’s homebase teacher’s website, usually no later than 5:30 each afternoon. Homework for this class is assigned only Monday – Thursday, with the possible exception of studying for a test or completing a project.

The grading scale is modified in this class, due to the pace and challenge of the material. 90-100 = A; 80-89 = B; 70-79 = C; 60-69 = D. This scale does not apply to social studies and science. NOTE: The interim reports will NOT reflect this scale, but the report cards will.

Writing

For all students,writing instruction takes place within the home base.

All of our writing practice in school is intended to create well-rounded, creative and informative writers. The Writing Predictor test will be administered in September, which will help us plan specific focus areas with the spring SOL writing test in mind. Parents will receive notice during the November Parent-Teacher conference of their student’s test results.

It is expected in every classroom that students will practice good writing form in their daily work, whether in Math, Science, Social Studies or Reading. This means that finished products should be routinely checked for spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and content.

What to sign and return:

Periodically, written work will be sent home that has been graded using a BedfordCounty rubric. It will have a stamp on it indicating that it needs to be signed and returned. We ask that you send them back to us so that we can keep a collection of your child’s work to add to his/her portfolio that the school has kept since Kindergarten. This portfolio will be presented to your child at Portfolio night in May.

SOL Writing Test:

This year, your child will be taking the writing SOL test in March. This test is made up of two parts. Part 1 (multiple choice) will be given on one day, while Part 2 (essay) will be given another day. The test focuses on Composition, Mechanics and Style. Students receive a score in each area, which comprises the total score. Teachers will, throughout the year, focus lessons on these three areas as well.

Friday Recess:

This year your child has the chance to earn an EXTRA recess with the whole 5th grade every Friday afternoon. This has become the highlight of each week for most 5th graders! Every Wednesday night, the old FRIDAY RECESS sheet will come home to you to be reviewed and signed, and the new one will be handed out on Thursday morning, and should be stapled into the planner.

How the Friday Recess Sheet works….

Students are rewarded with a prize for keeping all their letters for the entire week (Usually 2 pieces of candy!)

When a student misbehaves, is missing homework, or comes unprepared for class, the teacher will ask him/her to ‘take a letter.’ *** As you can see above, the student crosses out a letter, writes the date, the class that they are currently in, and the behavior that caused the lost letter.

For every letter of the word RECESS that is lost, 5 minutes is taken from the Friday recess. (This allows the word FRIDAY to be ‘warnings’ throughout the week, with no other consequence.)Please read and review the FRIDAY RECESS sheet with your child before you sign and return it on Wednesdays.

Wednesday’s homework assignment is to get that week’s FRIDAY RECESS sheet signed by a parent. This is our way of giving you a weekly update on your child’s behavior at school. On Thursday morning, we collect the FRIDAY RECESS sheets and check for parent signatures. If a student’s Friday Recess sheet has not been signed and turned in by Friday morning, or if it has been lost, the student forfeits Friday’s extra recess.

***Additional consequences may be given according to the situation and type ofmisbehavior.

Here is what a Friday Recess sheet looks like, although each week it will be a different color:

Homework and Missing Work:

Every 5th grader is expected to record their homework and to keep track of needed materials/papers to bring home. Every effort and support is made by the home base teacher and the teacher aides to ensure the assignments are understood and recorded accurately. We understand that at times a student may need to return to school to retrieve a forgotten item or book. Teachers provide a time for students to record their homework into their Agendas in each class and at the end of the day. Students who ride the first bus load in the afternoon are encouraged not to wait until the dismissal bell. Sometimes this process takes a few weeks to become habit, and that is why we give grace for the first two weeks of school.

Parents can confirm homework assignments by visiting their child’s home base teacher’s web page. You can find a link to it on the Forest Elementary website. Click on ‘faculty’ on the menu bar, then on Fifth Grade, or the teacher’s name. Most 5th grade homework is begun in class, and is finished at home. You will know if your child has any missing work by reading the FRIDAY RECESS sheet stapled to the week’s Agenda page (Student Planner). Late assignments lose 10% each day, unless the student has an appropriate pass issued by the teacher; students should be reminded to turn in their work on time.A NO NAME BOX is located in each class for papers received without a name recorded on it. Encourage your child to check the NO NAME BOX in each class for lost work.