Mrs. Fortson's Fifth Grade

Weekly Updates 10/17-10/21

We are now in starting our 2nd Quarter!  We have many new concepts to cover this nine weeks.  As I stated earlier, I will be going LIVE with a new blog in a few weeks.  I am so excited about the opportunities that this will allow us!   Here is an overview of the upcoming week:

Math- This week we will be working with data and data analysis.  There are several homework assignments this week.  Please check the agenda daily.  You can visit the math page to see our specific standards for this nine week.  This should be updated by Monday evening!

Reading- We will be working with a new novel this nine weeks.  Students will be divided into groups to work on a specific novel.  There will be comprehension activities and questions for each novel as well as an end-of-book test at the end of the nine weeks.  Many students learned the importance of keeping up with reading assignments last nine weeks!  These novels will count toward the new 900 page reading goal for this nine weeks.  Reading logs will be due on the last day of school before Winter Break. 

Social Studies- CIVIL WAR ASSESSMENT is Thursday, October 20th.  Students will receive a Reconstruction Activity page that they will need to complete by Friday.  There is a web-based research page that will need to be completed online.  I will provide opportunities for students to work on this at school.   The link is found on my SS page on this blog.  We will also continue with our Civil War movies.  I have not set a due date, but these will be finished by the end of the month! 

Science- We will continue to review our Earth Science concepts.  We are learning about erosion and how it is destructive and constructive in nature.  Students will take an erosion walk of the school and create maps to locate critical areas of erosion.  They will also do this at home!  We will finish this unit by the end of the month.  Our Unit Assessment will be the last Thursday of October.

ELA/Spelling- We will start with our new sort 5.  Students will receive these words and complete the spelling contract due on Friday, October 28th.  We will have a spelling test on October 27th.  ELA- we will continue with nouns, specifically possessive nouns. 

Don't forget that we have conference week on October 24th-October 28th!  This is an early-early release schedule.  Please make sure that I know if there are any special arrangements to note for that week!

Have a Happy Week!

Cool website for creating graphs online

Click Here for graphs website

Great Performance and Other Important Information

I am so proud of our fifth graders for their wonderful performances! I will upload pictures later this weekend for you to check out! There are some important things to know:

Rock Eagle- The next payment of $40 is due on or before October 15th. I want to thank our wonderful room moms who coordinated a last minute concession stand for the PTA meeting/Performance on Thursday night! YOU ROCK!! (no pun intended!) We were able to raise money that will help fund our scholarship fund as well as the other activities that we do in fifth grade this year. Thank you to all who donated money, food and time. Without our dedicated community of parents, grandparents and friends, we would be unable to provide the ongoing opportunities for our students. There will other opportunities for you to help out this year. Please consider donating your time to help...everyone has time to give!

Reflections- I have not required my students to participate in this program, but I AM STRONGLY ENCOURAGING them to participate. I will meet with students on Monday, October 10th to discuss their ideas for entries. This is a GREAT opportunity for all students to "shine"! Please help me to encourage your child to put together an entry. The entries are due on Friday, October 14th. I gave out guidelines and other information over two weeks ago. This week will be a great week for them to work on this due to ITBS testing and less homework assigned. I would like for this to be part of the homework for the week. Here is the link:

http://www.georgiapta.org/leadership-reflections.html

ITBS- We will begin ITBS on Monday and test through Friday. Students need a great breakfast to have the energy to sustain them through the morning testing period. Please make sure that students are here for testing. Please schedule all appointments in the afternoon so that students will not have to make up any sections. Students who have to make up sections usually do not score as well! We will review items all week as well.

I am in the process of creating a new blog under another platform! This new blog will be more interactive and allow our students to post wikis and other items in one location. I hope to have this up and running by the first of November. Because of that, you might not see weekly updates as "weekly" as I would like. It is getting to be very time consuming to run two blogs and find time for my family. So! I will try to post as often as I can and I will continue with weekly emails to update you with information. If you need textbook reference pages or other information, please feel free to email me and I'll get that to you as soon as possible. Thank you for your understanding!

Great Performance and Other Important Information

I am so proud of our fifth graders for their wonderful performances! I will upload pictures later this weekend for you to check out! There are some important things to know:

Rock Eagle- The next payment of $40 is due on or before October 15th. I want to thank our wonderful room moms who coordinated a last minute concession stand for the PTA meeting/Performance on Thursday night! YOU ROCK!! (no pun intended!) We were able to raise money that will help fund our scholarship fund as well as the other activities that we do in fifth grade this year. Thank you to all who donated money, food and time. Without our dedicated community of parents, grandparents and friends, we would be unable to provide the ongoing opportunities for our students. There will other opportunities for you to help out this year. Please consider donating your time to help...everyone has time to give!

Reflections- I have not required my students to participate in this program, but I AM STRONGLY ENCOURAGING them to participate. I will meet with students on Monday, October 10th to discuss their ideas for entries. This is a GREAT opportunity for all students to "shine"! Please help me to encourage your child to put together an entry. The entries are due on Friday, October 14th. I gave out guidelines and other information over two weeks ago. This week will be a great week for them to work on this due to ITBS testing and less homework assigned. I would like for this to be part of the homework for the week. Here is the link:

http://www.georgiapta.org/leadership-reflections.html

ITBS- We will begin ITBS on Monday and test through Friday. Students need a great breakfast to have the energy to sustain them through the morning testing period. Please make sure that students are here for testing. Please schedule all appointments in the afternoon so that students will not have to make up any sections. Students who have to make up sections usually do not score as well! We will review items all week as well.

I am in the process of creating a new blog under another platform! This new blog will be more interactive and allow our students to post wikis and other items in one location. I hope to have this up and running by the first of November. Because of that, you might not see weekly updates as "weekly" as I would like. It is getting to be very time consuming to run two blogs and find time for my family. So! I will try to post as often as I can and I will continue with weekly emails to update you with information. If you need textbook reference pages or other information, please feel free to email me and I'll get that to you as soon as possible. Thank you for your understanding!

Weekly Updates 9.26

Our first nine weeks is rapidly coming to an end!  Please remember the redo policy and the importance of establishing good study habits for our end of quarter tests.  There are several small projects that we are working on that will be completed before the end of the nine weeks.  Here is what is happening this week:

Math:  We will continue with decimals-multiplication and division.  After a few assessments it appears that most students understand how to multiply and divide 2 and 3 digit numbers but they are still unsure of how and when to move the decimal in the product and quotient.  I will continue to meet with students and offer Lunch and Learn every Wednesday for students who need additional help. Multiples, factors and divisibility rules have not gone away!  We will continue to practice these concepts as well this nine weeks.  There will be a test this week (that counts) over decimals.  It will be on Thursday. Resources:  Student Text pages 164, 168, 186.

Reading:  We are finishing Shades of Gray.  Our end of book test is next Friday, October 7th.  We will do a small in-class project next week.  Students should finish the book by this week and meet with their partner before Friday to discuss the last chapters.  Students who have not completed the book will go to Study Hall on Friday to do so.  Vocabulary- TEST on Thursday over unit 2 words.  I am working on online access this week.  There are great study tools and interactive lessons/games for the kids to play.  Great resource!  Please check the agenda nightly for homework assignments.

Science- Continuing with Earth Science.  This week we will look specificially at plates, faults, earthquakes and volcanoes.  We will be in the lab on Tuesday for a YUMMY lab about faults.  There will be an open note quiz at the end of the week. We will continue with Earth Science into the second nine weeks, so there will be a test before the end of this nine weeks to assess learning and mastery of concepts.  Resources: Student text-chapter 2 lesson 3

Social Studies- Students have a script due on Tuesday. This is a working script and therefore should be in rough draft form. They are making a movie in MovieMaker.  The script should be written from their character's point of view. The setting can be prior to, during or after the Civil War.  it would be a great idea for your child to practice reading the script to you.  Feedback from others is important.  The movie needs to be at least 2 minutes long.  We will cover the Civil War over the next two weeks and then move to Reconstruction.  There will be a test over this material before the end of the nine weeks.

ELA/Spelling- WTW sort 4 words given out on Monday.  Students will need to review these new words.  Spelling homework will be assigned by Tuesday.  Please check the agenda.  Our new words have the comparative suffixes.  For ELA we will start nouns this week.  Students will have practice assignments.  Please check the agenda. 

Writing- Personal narrative FINAL copy is due on Wednesday!

 

 

BLOW UP FUN!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to all our students and parents who helped make this an AWESOME day!  We really enjoyed watching the explosions....even if they were not real volcanoes!  It also gave us a good opportunity to talk about chemical changes!  The kids are planning to post to the class blog...so check that out as well! 

Weekly Updates 9/12-9/16

Hello everyone!  Here is what is happening this week:

Math:  We will introduce and practice multiplication and division of decimals using computation methods, decimal models and problem solving with these operations.  Students should have a good understanding of how to use decimal models and decimal place value.  We still have some students who are struggling with divisibility rules and multiples and factors. It is very important that students master these concepts.  Check your child's folder on Thursday for any graded work.  This will give you a sense of how your child is doing on these concepts.  Math textbook reference- Chapter 7 starting with pg. 126.

Reading:  Students will continue with our Vocabulary Unit 1. There are several assignments this week that need to be completed for homework.  Students are given the opportunity to work ahead on the vocabulary book (as long as they stop at Unit 1). There is a test on Thursday over the 12 words.  Students should know the definitions as well as the parts of speech.  These are closely related! 

Students will continue with Shades of Gray and should be meeting with their partner on or before Wednesday, Sept 14th.  Students should come prepared to meet with the partner by having two thick questions filled out.  Remember that the Comprehension Questions that go with each chapter are completed independently. Students can work on these any time during free time.  These will be due in just a few short weeks.  The last partner meet is on or before Sept 30th.  Students should have completed this book.  We will do a book activity with a partner/small group at the end of the nine weeks.  There will also be a major test over this book.  Students need to manage their time in order to complete this book on time and to comprehend what happens in the book!

Read and Record-Due to the amount of paperwork, I am going back to my old system of recording pages read in the agenda.  Students should record this nightly.  This is a great opportunity for you to check the agenda to make sure they are writing assignments, completing assignments and studying for upcoming tests!  Please make sure to initial the agenda on Thursday!  This lets me know that you agree with the number of pages your child is reading and recording!

Science- We will continue with Constructive and Destructive forces.  This week we are focusing on earthquakes and volcanos.  We will go to the lab on Thursday to build a small volcano and observe the changes.  There will be an open note quiz later this week (HINT!).  Reference student pages: 86-97.

Social Studies- We will continue with our Civil War unit.  Students have created a character and will make journal entries.  We will continue with the Civil War study guide.  Students should spend a few minutes reviewing this information before the end of unit test!  This is a large test with lots of information to remember!  It is helpful to break it up over time.  We will continue with slavery compromises and then present our character role plays on Thursday.  Students will use this information to create a photostory over the next few weeks from their character's point of view. Reference student pages: 148-159;

Spelling- I have decided that we will conquer the spelling sodoku!  We will not be discouraged!  I have given them another spelling packet.  The sodoku is much easier and I have given them the words that should be located in the sodoku.  There are several other activities that need to be completed.  It is due on Friday, September 23rd.  Students will have a test on WTW 3 on Thursday, September 22nd.  WTW sort 3 are harder words and according to the spelling pretests that were given today, most students do not know these words. They should study these words nightly! 

Have a great week!

Weekly Updates 9/6-9/9

Glad to see that everyone made it through the storms on Monday!  This is a short week, but we have many important things going on!

Math:  We will continue to review divisibility, factors and multiples.  Students will be assessed this week on these concepts.  Will will also review whole number multiplication and division in anticipation of next week's decimal lessons with these concepts. Students needs to master these concepts as we move to new content next week. There are several assignments this week.  Please check the agenda.

Reading:  We will continue with Shades of Gray partner reading; have a non-fiction reading assessment to cover the 3 new habits we have been practicing; have a reading skills assessment; and introduce the new vocabulary unit 1.  For vocabulary, students will need to do the practice pages assigned (they can work ahead) and study the meanings as well as the parts of speech for each of the 12 words.  The assessment for unit 1 words is next Thursday!

ELA/Spelling- We will  introduce compound sentences this week.  We have covered compound subjects and compound predicates andwill continue to review these concepts as well.  There are several practice assignments this week.   Please check the agenda.

Words Their Way sort 2 assessment is this Thursday! Students should be able to spell each word correctly and be able to sort the words according to the prefixes.  Students have a spelling packet that is due on Thursday as well.  If your child is struggling with any of the assignments, please have them see me ASAP!

Writing- The prewriting packet for the personal narrative is due on Wednesday.  This was assigned last Wednesday and must be finished as we move through the writing process!

Science- We are starting our new unit, Earth Science.  We will be in the lab this week as well as taking notes on new concepts.  Our focus will be on constructive and destructive forces and the surface features/formations that they create.  Students need to begin studying for this unit weekly!

Social Studies- The amendment assessment is Wednesday!  Students should be familiar with the amendments, amendment process, due process and e pluribus unum.  Students have study sheets to help them learn this information! 

We are starting our new unit on Civil War.  Your child received a character role on Tuesday and they will do some minor research on this character's role during the Civil War.  There will be assignments related to this character all week and students will conclude this activity with a role-playing activity as well as creating a photostory (can use moviemaker or other software) to make a short narrated video from their character's perspective.  We will move quickly through this material and it is very important that students study material given in class on a weekly basis.

Don't forget that we have some things coming up:

Open House- Tuesday, Sept 6th

Amendment Assessment- Sept 7th

Spelling Test- Sept 8th

Picture Day- Sept 12th

Rock Eagle Money (first payment if paying in installments) is due by the end of September.

Weekly Updates 8/29-9/2

Here is what is happening this week!

Math- We are working on divisibility rules, prime/composite numbers and this week we will add multiples and factors.  We will also continue with decimal numbers-adding and subtracting.  Most students are still struggling with divisibility rules and this is an area we will continue to review.  Your child received a reference sheet as well as notes in the math notebook (binder) to help reinforce this important concept.  I will be assessing this concept on Wednesday!  Students should know the rules for 2, 3, 4,5 6, 9, and 10.  Multiples and factors can also be confusing!  There are several links on the Addison Fifth page that will help to reinforce this.  There are homework assignments this week. Please check the agenda daily!

Reading- Students recieved a copy of "Shades of Gray" on Monday of last week and they also received a reading partner.  Reading partners have scheduled a day to meet along with the number of pages that they wanted to cover BEFORE meeting.  All students have to meet with their partner by 8/31 (Wednesday).  Students who have not met with their partner will go to study hall to do so! Please encourage your child to keep up with his/her daily reading.  This novel counts toward the reading log and required pages for the nine weeks.  Students will begin putting in completed books/pages this week onto an excel reading log.  Students may not put a book on the log until a comprehension sheet is filled out. (Shades of Gray and ONE summer reading book are excluded).  Please hold your child accountable for his/her reading!  Students should bring the independent reading book to school daily! We will also continue with our Non-Fiction reading lessons.  We are working on some wonderful habits to help us become even better non-fiction readers!

Science- Quiz on Monday over science inquiry and scientific method.  We will do a quick review and then move on to our next mini-unit of study:  Georgia Landforms. Students will receive GA maps to locate and identify important GA landforms and features.  There will be a short assessment later in the week to identify landforms and regions.  Next week we will move into our next major unit: Earth Science-Constructive and Destructive Forces.  There are several awesome labs planned for that unit!  Check the agenda daily for any homework assignments.

Social Studies- STUDY! STUDY!! Students will have a major assessment on Thursday over the amendments. Students have been aware of this assessment for over a week. There are links on the blog as well as the Addison Fifth page.  I have given each student a reference sheet with the required amendments highlighted.  Students must know these amendments as well as the geographical places from the geography project.

GEOGRAPHY PROJECT IS DUE ON THURSDAY!! Most students are almost fnished with the project.  Please remember that the budget sheet as well as the essay/writing portion is to be attached to the back.  If two students are working together, one budget sheet is enough, but TWO writing sheets should be attached.  Please make sure to use complete sentences with good punctuation and grammar.  I have given each student a rubric to self-assess.  This will also be turned in with the poster.  I will go over this on Monday. 

We will continue to rotate through to the other fifth grade classes as we reinforce our learning of citizenship.  Each teacher has an assignment that is given and ALL assignments must be turned in by Thursday to the assigning teacher.  Next unit:  Civil War

ELA- We will review and assess sentency type, simple subject/predicates on Monday.  We will start with compound subjects and predicates.  Students will continue to diagram sentences to reinfoce learning.  There are several homework assignments this week, but many will be finished in class.  Please check the agenda daily for assignments.

Spelling- Sort 2!  We now have new words on Monday!  Students will receive a spelling packet for this sort.  We will NOT be doing the spelling contract for sort 2.  The test for sort 1 will go home on Thursday (if it hasn't already).  Spelling is a weak area for many of our students.  It requires good study habits and mastery of spelling patterns.  Students will see many of the same words again during the year!  Spelling packet is due on Thursday, September 8th.  Please have your student practice spelling the words aloud to you and to talk about the base word and the prefixes that are added this week.

Finally!  So much going on already this year!  Upcoming things to note:

September 1st- Geography Project Due and Unit Assessment

September 5th- Labor Day- No school

September 6th- Open House Orientation with Rock Eagle Meeting!  Please mark your calendar so that you can find out what is happening about this awesome, upcoming trip!

Weekly Updates 8/22-8/26

We've jumped into fifth grade with both feet! There are many exciting things happening here in fifth grade and at Addison!  Here is what is happening this week in our class:

Math- We are working with decimal numbers. We are learning decimal place value, comparing and ordering decimal numbers.  We will also work with prime/composite numbers and the divisibility rules.  We will get our new First in Math online logins this week and begin working through this program.  There will be homework this week. Please check the agenda nightly.

Reading- Lots of great stuff going on in Reading!  Your child has a reading goal of 900 pages for this nine weeks.  They are able to count ONE book read this summer (without having to complete a comprehension sheet) and as long as a parent signature is provided on one reading log with the book listed.  As books are completed, they are entered into a personal excel sheet that helps us total the number of pages read!  900 pages equal 100%. You will receive a letter explaining how we will do the reading pages each nine weeks on Thursday!   

We are also starting a new novel in class, Shades of Gray. Students will be assigned a reading partner and will determine a meeting time to discuss and read chapters in the book.  There are comprehension questions that need to be turned in before the end of the nine weeks.  Students will receive exact due dates this week.  This novel is intended for class time; however, if students fall behind or don't use time wisely, this book might need to come home with the student for him/her to catch up. There will be due dates to meet and there will be an end-of-book test before the end of the nine weeks.  This book counts toward reading pages total.

Science- We will continue with science inquiry skills and the scientific method. Students are taking notes in class over the science equipment and lab safety rules.  There will be a quiz on Thursday over any notes taken. We will also have a lab this week in the science lab and one in-class.  Great things are happening in science. Don't forget that your child has online access to the textbook if needed.

Social Studies- Geography projects are well underway!  Many students are using time wisely during the day to print pictures and other items for the poster.  Students will have a couple of opportunities to work together this week and next.  The due date for the project poster is: September 1st. Students will learn and know how to locate ALL the places listed on the Geo Project. We are also learning about the amendments.  Students received a list of the amendments that they are responsible for knowing.  We have also worked with these in class.  There will be an Unit assessment before Labor Day.  Students should begin studying NOW for the geography portion as well as the amendment portion of the unit assessment. 

ELA/Spelling- Spelling contracts are due on THURSDAY!!! Students have had over a week to work on these.  They will continue to have opportunities to print out necessary items (if done on the computer) through Wednesday.  There will be a spelling assessment on Thursday.

We are working with sentences and idenitifying the subject/predicate of sentences.  We will use sentence diagramming to help us visualize the simple subject/predicate of sentences.  There will be some homework this week!  We are also reviewing types of sentences. Students will conduct interviews with parents/guardians on Monday night. They must develop 5 questions they want to ask and then record the answers to each on a piece of paper. 

Other Reminders- None for this week!

Have a great week!

New Information-Online Textbook Access

I have created a new page (see right) with online textbook access information.  I have provided links, usernames and passwords.  I am in the process of adding the math book at this time. Your child should now be able to access these books online and hopefully this will eliminate the need for bringing home the large, heavy textbooks!  Hope this helps!