Hello Everyone!

I hope everyone had an enjoyable Memorial Day weekend!

Thursday, we will be having Mass at 10 AM with Father Brian.

May's Book Report is due on Friday, May 30th!

Friday, May 30th, the Fifth grade have been invited to the Beach Party sponsored by SAC. It will begin at 3PM and end at 6:15 PM. The cost is $5 and your favorite snack to share.

Later that evening, is the 5th grade's Lock-in. Please fill out and return your lock-in permission slips. They are due tomorrow.

Fun Day is next Friday, June 6th.

Here are a few highlights of what is happening this week in Fifth Grade...

Religion- The students will be able to understand that good friendships help us to live as disciples of Christ. The students will be able to discuss vocations for different people. The students will be preparing for Chapter 23. Then the students will be learning about the Sacrament of Matrimony. The students will be exploring the meaning and celebration of the Sacrament of Matrimony. The students will be able to explain that the marriage covenant is built on Christ's love for the Church.

Math- This week the students will be exploring translations (such as a slide, flip and turn) and tesselations. They will be determining which polygons can tesselate. Then the students will be preparing for their Chapter 10 Test. We will begin working on measuring Area and Volume.

Please remind your student to practice on IXL- Level G exercises B.1-B.33 are all excellent choices for practice this week. We are trying to complete over 35,000 math problems as a class.

Science- The students will be exploring the oceans. The students will learn how waves move, what causes ocean currents and what causes tides. The students will identify how ocean waves and currents shape the shore and how human activities can change the shore.

Science Lab- 

Social Studies- The students will be identifying the contributions of notable individuals diuring the Revolutionary period. They will be able to identify the purposes and explain the importance of the Declaration of Independence and summarize the main points of the Declaration of Independence.

Reading- We are reading “What's the Big Idea, Ben Franklin?”, which is a Biography by Jean Fritz.

Language Arts- Vocabulary-Unit 18

Word Study-

Blue group- will be sorting based on the Greek and Latin Roots (terr, astr/aster, aer, hydra/hydro).

Yellow Group-Will be sorting based on the Long-i and the Long -o Homophones.

Pink Group-Will be sorting based off of the Schwa + r and r-influenced e in Accented Syllables. (For example: er, ear, and ere).

In Grammar, the students will continue learning about quotation marks that are placed around a speakers words. The students will learn to use correct punctuation as well as learn to apply quotation marks to a conversation. The students will also be learning words that are often misspelled. They will learn to distinguish between the spelling and meaning as to not confuse them in the future. The students will write a response to a joke using homophones.

Physical Education/Health- Students will participate in Beach Ball Volleyball Skill Drills and Beach Ball Volleyball game.

Music- Students will perform their dramatized stories for Camille Saint-Saens’ Aquarium from Carnival of the Animals.

Spanish - The students will learn vocabulary that pertains to things found in a city.

Technology- Students will be typing their Memorial Day Writing Assignment about their Heroes. On Thursday, Fifth Grade will launch their rockets. The students will work on their states and capitals by using an interactive game. The students will work on geometry skills utilizing IXL.

Art- No Art class this week due to Memorial Day.

Hello Everyone!

I hope everyone had an enjoyable weekend!

Monday is our field trip to Pamplin Park!

Tuesday, we will be dismissing at noon.

Wednesday, we will be having Mass at 10 AM with Father Ken.

May's Book Report is going to be on a Fantasy Book and it is due on Friday, May 30th!

Next Friday, May 30th, the Fifth grade have been invited to the Beach Party sponsored by SAC. It will begin at 3PM and end at 6:15 PM. The cost is $5 and your favorite snack to share.

Later that evening, is the 5th grade's Lock-in. Information will be included in the Thursday folders.

Here are a few highlights of what is happening this week in Fifth Grade...

Religion- The students will be able to explain that we are called to Jesus' disciples. They will be able to explore some ways to serve God and the Church. Finally, we will be able to thank God for the example of women and men in religious life and to describe the religious life as a service to God and neighbor.

Math- This week the students will be exploring circles. They will be learning how to use a compass and find the Circumference of a circle. The students will learn that the Circumference is about equal to three times the diameter. We will also be exploring lines of symmetry and identifying many objects that have various lines of symmetry.

Please remind your student to practice on IXL- Level G exercises B.1-B.33 are all excellent choices for practice this week. We are trying to complete over 35,000 math problems as a class.

Science- The students will be reviewing weather and climate information for their test on Friday.

Science Lab- The students will be presented with an empty jar. Then the students will hypothesize what they think is in the jar, once it has been filled up. The students will then learn that there is an item in the jar submersed by vegetable oil. The density of the vegetable oil prevents the glass beaker from being seen. This Lab demonstration is called the disappearing beaker.

Social Studies- The students will be learning about the causes and effects of the American Revolution, especially, the Boston Tea Party and the Intolerable Acts. The students will also be exposed to political cartoons and how to interpret them. The students will then learn about the American Revolution.

Reading- We are reading the play “Name that American” which was written by Hannah Reinmuth.

Language Arts- Vocabulary-none this week

Word Study- None this week. However, the students will be given their words on Friday for next week.

In Grammar, the students will continue using commas to separate words in a series, correct the use of commas in a series and combine sentences by putting words or phrases in a series. The students will also use commas with introductory words, interjections, direct address, and introductory prepositional phrases, correct errors in the use of commas and write sentences using introductory words, interjections, direct address, introductory prepositional phrases and tag questions. We are also using our Total Participation Techniques on the IXL Language Arts Website in class.

Physical Education/Health- Students will participate in: Beach Ball Volleyball Skill Drills and Beach Ball Volleyball game.

Music- Students will continue to plan and prepare to dramatize their stories for Camille Saint-Saens’ Aquarium from Carnival of the Animals.

Spanish - The students will continue with the theme about “La naturaleza” (Nature) and write sentences.

Technology- Students will be creating rockets and utilizing NASA's website to determine what size wings and cones will be needed for their rocket. The students will work on geometry skills utilizing IXL.

Art- No Art class this week due to Field Trip.

Hello Everyone!

I hope everyone had an enjoyable weekend! I hope all of the 5th grade mom's had a wonderful Mother's Day!

May 15th at 9:30 we will be celebrating our school-wide May Procession followed by the Fifth grade mass at 10 AM.  Students are asked to bring in a flower for Mary.

We will be visiting Pamplin Park on Monday May 19th!

May's Book Report is going to be on a Fantasy Book and it is due on May 30th!

Here are a few highlights of what is happening this week in Fifth Grade...

Religion- The students will be exploring the virtue of love that enables us to love God and others. We are also able to demonstrate out love for God and one another through the virtue of love. The students will also emphasize that the saints are examples for living the virtues of faith, hope and love. We will complete the Project Disciples and the Chapter 22 Review to prepare for our test on Thursday.

Math- This week the students will be exploring polygons, identifying congruent and similar figures, classifying triangles and developing an understanding that all triangles “angles” measure 180 degrees. They will also be learning about quadrilaterals and identifying the diagonals of polygons. They will develop an understanding that the sum of the angles of a quadrilateral is 360 degrees. The students will begin applying the formula for determining the Perimeter of a Polygon.

Please remind your student to practice on IXL- Level G exercises B.1-G.33 are all excellent choices for practice this week. We are trying to complete over 35,000 math problems as a class.

Science- The students will be learning more about the weather and climate. They will also understand how clouds form. Today, we made a cloud identification guide that will help us to study for our test as well as identify clouds in the sky. The students will also be learning about the uneven heating of earth's surface, better known as wind. They will be exploring earth's wind patterns. They will also find out what determines a climate as well as how human activity can affect it.

Science Lab- The students continued creating their own biodegradable plastic. They will be determining which type of plastic biodegradable or non-biodegradable is better for the environment. We also tasted the plastic! Don't worry, it is made out of corn starch, corn oil and water! Be sure to ask your students about their hypothesis. Today, we used two black blocks and put ice on them to see which would melt faster. One of the blocks was made from aluminum and the other is made from plastic. Ask your student which one melted more quickly. We also made a cloud identification guide that will help us to study for our tests but also identify clouds in the sky.

Social Studies- Finally, the students will analyze the events that led up to the end of the French and Indian War. The students will understand the importance of leadership at all levels in a democratic society. Then they will explain the
advantages and disadvantages of using mediation to resolve conflicts. We will be wrapping up Chapter 8 and preparing for the test this week. We will be focusing on identifying the main idea and supporting details.

Reading- We are reading “Across the Wide Dark Sea which is a Historical Fiction story written by Jean Van Leeuwen.

Language Arts- In Vocabulary, the students will be working on Unit 17.

In Word Study-

Pink Group- Sorting based on words with er, ir, ur and two oddballs (spirit and every)

Yellow Group-Sorting based off of the long-E Homophones with three oddballs (seize, scene and suite)

Blue Group-Sorting words based on their Greek and Latin Elements related to the body cap, corp, dent/dont, ped/pod

In Grammar, the students will be able to use commas to separate words in a series, correct the use of commas in a series and combine sentences by putting words or phrases in a series. The students will also use commas with introductory words, interjections, direct address, and introductory prepositional phrases, correct errors in the use of commas and write sentences using introductory words, interjections, direct address, introductory prepositional phrases and tag questions. We are also using our Total Participation Techniques on the IXL Language Arts Website in class.

Physical Education/Health- Students will participate in Beach Ball Volleyball Skill Drills and Beach Ball Volleyball game.

Music- Students will plan and prepare to dramatize their stories for Camille Saint-Saens’ Aquarium from Carnival of the Animals.

Spanish - The students will discuss and learn words about “nature” (la naturaleza). They will also play a technology game (“My World”).

Technology- Students will be creating rockets and utilizing NASA's website to determine what size wings and cones will be needed for their rocket.

Art- This week will be our last week for students to use textural details with natural seafoam sponges and add highlights and shadows using colored pencils. These paintings reinforce the architecture of colonial times and help prepare students for their field trip to Petersburg.

Hello Everyone!

I hope everyone had an enjoyable weekend!

Mass is on Wednesday at 9 AM. Honor Roll and Faith in Action Awards will be given out following mass.

Fifth Grade is in charge of mass next week.

May's Book Report is going to be on a Fantasy Book and it is due on May 30th!

We will be visiting Pamplin Park for our big field trip this year! Details were sent home before break, with your child. The cost for students is $26 this includes the Park as well as the chartered bus. Payments are due by May 12th!

I hope you all have a wonderful week and Happy Mother's Day, on Sunday!!!

Here are a few highlights of what is happening this week in Fifth Grade...

Religion- The students will complete the Unit 3 Chapter Review. We will be studying and identifying the Theological Virtues students will also be introduced to the Cardinal Virtues (prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance). The students will gain a greater understanding of the eight Beatitudes. We will be working on a special mother's day surprise!

Math- The students will be reviewing for their chapter 9 test on multiplying and dividing decimals. The students will learn about how to measure and classify angles. They will also be introduced to perpendicular lines and intersecting lines. They will play a game of “Miss Grimm says” regarding angles and intersecting lines.

Please remind your student to practice on IXL- Level G exercises B.1-G.33 are all excellent choices for practice this week. We are trying to complete over 35,000 math problems as a class.

Science- The students will be learning more about the weather and climate. The students will be able to identify the various weather instruments that are used to predict the weather. The students will be able to explain the difference between a tornado or hurricane watch or warning. They will also understand how clouds form.

Science Lab- The students will be creating their own biodegradable plastic. They will be determining which type of plastic biodegradable or non-biodegradable is better for the environment.learned about the Solar System. Be sure to ask your students about their hypothesis.

Social Studies- Finally the students will analyze the importance of New France's fur trade to traders and trappers. The students will evaluate the conflict over the land that led France and England to fight a war. The students will analyze the events that led up to the end of the French and Indian War. We will be focusing on identifying the main idea and supporting details.

Reading- We are reading “The Fun They Had” which is a scientific fiction written by Isaac Asimov. We will also be starting “Across the Wide Dark Sea which is a Historical Fiction story written by Jean Van Leeuwen.

Language Arts- In Vocabulary, the students will be working on Unit 16.

In Word Study-

Pink Group- Sorting based on words with w or /w/ sound before the vowel

Yellow Group-Sorting based off of the long-A Homophones

Blue Group-Sorting words based on their Greek and Latin Elements Magni, min, poly, equ, and omni.

In Grammar, the students will be able to write abbreviations for days, months, names, addresses and businesses. They will be able to correct errors in abbreviations and write messages using abbreviations. They will also be able to write titles of books, magazines, newspapers, short stories, book chapters, articles, songs and poems correctly. Finally they will be able to correct errors in the capitalization and treatment of titles. We are also using our Total Participation Techniques on the IXL Language Arts Website in class.

Physical Education/Health- Students will participate in: Fitness Testing Students will be actively engaged in Corn Hole Games and Croquet Games.

Music- Students will finish creating their stories using the words to describe Camille Saint-Saens’ Aquarium from Carnival of the Animals. Students will also dramatize their stories and add musical instruments.

Spanish - We will write and read animal words, recognize and recite likes and Dislikes (Me gusta or No me gusta) and listen to the song De colores:

http://app.discoveryeducation.com/search?Ntt=Spanish+Lessons 

Technology- Students will be creating rockets and utilizing NASA's website to determine what size wings and cones will be needed for their rocket.

Art- Students will continue painting in the folk art style of Grandma Moses and Warren Kimble. After completing our background painting, we will practice drawing our houses and barns and painting scenic details such as trees and fences.