Sept. 10th-14th
Greetings and welcome to a full week of learning! We hope that you all had a nice weekend and are ready to jump back into the swing of things. Here are a few reminders about important dates coming up!
REMINDERS
* Peace Day: The annual Peace Day assembly will take place next week on September 19th. Students are encouraged to either wear a peace day shirt or a white shirt. Parents are welcome to attend.
* Unity Day: This is a special day for Grade 5 students. They will participate in fun, team-building activities for most of the day. Parents are invited to attend for the first part of the day. We will begin in the ES Hall. More details will be provided next week. The tentative date has been set for Sept. 20th.
* After School Activities: Starting this week, students will first go to the cafeteria to meet the ASA teacher before heading to the designated room. (Students in the ES Production go directly to the Drama room swimmers should go directly to the pool). Attendance is expected and taken weekly. Starting from the second session, students will go directly to their ASA locations on their own!
*MAP Testing: MAP testing takes place this week. Please support your child by encouraging them to get a good night sleep and eating a healthy breakfast.
Sept. 11: Language
Sept. 13: Reading
Sept. 14: Math
MAP testing is done at the beginning and end of the school year. It shows where the students of CAC are at compared to schools and students around the world. It also shows how much a student has grown academically throughout the the year and is a valuable assessment tool for the teachers and the school.
* Mid-Module Math Assessment: Students will write their first Eureka math assessment on Thurs. Sept. 14th. The rubric scores give an indication of how they are moving along the "journey" of this first unit, within the various subsets of the overall topic of place value and patterns. It can serve as a goal setting tool - seeing your strengths and areas to work on still before the end of module assessment in two weeks (Sept. 29th). We ask that parents sign the test and/or rubric and return them to the teacher.
* 5O Assembly will be this week (Tuesday at 7:55 in the ES Hall). Following the assembly, students will head to the ES lawn for a school photo.
*Class Photos: Class photos are taking place this week so it is time to get your shine on in Grade 5. If you are ordering photos, please send in the form with the correct change on the day of the photo. Sibling photos can be arranged by contacting the office.
*5K will have their individual and class photo on Tuesday, Sept. 12th at 1:00.
*5J on Monday at 2:00
*5G on Thursday at 2:00
*5O on Tuesday at 2:30
The ES Peace Committee is planning a bake sale after school on Sunday, September 17th. Our theme this year is “Together for Peace: Respect, Safety and Dignity for All.” We are trying to build peace through meaningful actions such as raising money for the National Cancer Institute. If you are willing to participate in this Peace Bake Sale, please let your son/daughter bring their baked goodies in the morning to the ES Office on Sunday, September 17th. If you wish to help in the sale, this would be greatly appreciated. You can contact Basma Salem bsalem@cacegypt.org to volunteer for the sale after school by the lawn area.
We are encouraging our students to eat healthy snacks so we expect goodies to follow the same criteria. (muffins, banana cakes or bread, cup-cakes or brownies without extra chocolate and sugar icing are the best choices). Items will be sold for 15 L.E. each.
Your contribution always makes a difference.
Thanks,
The Peace Committee - PIPS (Partners in Peace)
* Unity Day: This is a special day for Grade 5 students. They will participate in fun, team-building activities for most of the day. Parents are invited to attend for the first part of the day. We will begin in the ES Hall. More details will be provided next week. The tentative date has been set for Sept. 20th.
* After School Activities: Starting this week, students will first go to the cafeteria to meet the ASA teacher before heading to the designated room. (Students in the ES Production go directly to the Drama room swimmers should go directly to the pool). Attendance is expected and taken weekly. Starting from the second session, students will go directly to their ASA locations on their own!
*MAP Testing: MAP testing takes place this week. Please support your child by encouraging them to get a good night sleep and eating a healthy breakfast.
Sept. 11: Language
Sept. 13: Reading
Sept. 14: Math
MAP testing is done at the beginning and end of the school year. It shows where the students of CAC are at compared to schools and students around the world. It also shows how much a student has grown academically throughout the the year and is a valuable assessment tool for the teachers and the school.
* Mid-Module Math Assessment: Students will write their first Eureka math assessment on Thurs. Sept. 14th. The rubric scores give an indication of how they are moving along the "journey" of this first unit, within the various subsets of the overall topic of place value and patterns. It can serve as a goal setting tool - seeing your strengths and areas to work on still before the end of module assessment in two weeks (Sept. 29th). We ask that parents sign the test and/or rubric and return them to the teacher.
* 5O Assembly will be this week (Tuesday at 7:55 in the ES Hall). Following the assembly, students will head to the ES lawn for a school photo.
*Class Photos: Class photos are taking place this week so it is time to get your shine on in Grade 5. If you are ordering photos, please send in the form with the correct change on the day of the photo. Sibling photos can be arranged by contacting the office.
*5K will have their individual and class photo on Tuesday, Sept. 12th at 1:00.
*5J on Monday at 2:00
*5G on Thursday at 2:00
*5O on Tuesday at 2:30
Curriculum Corner
Reading Workshop:
This week students will continue to analyze themselves as readers. They are reflecting on their strengths, their goals, areas they need support in, favorite books and authors, and the work they are currently doing as readers. Students will finish their WANTED! posters as they search for the perfect reading partner. Students have also been working to balance their reading diet. Did you know that 50% of Good Fit books should be fiction and 50% of Good Fit books should be non fiction?
Students are expected to do A LOT of jotting and note-taking in Grade 5. You can support your child by encouraging them to jot at home as well as in school.
A few tips from Grade 5 students about how to build reading stamina:
* Read every day!
* Take small steps and slowly build.
* Read an author or a genre you love.
* Keep trying, don't quit!
* Try to read pass the minimum time.
Here is a strategy the students have learned to turn their jots in to longer writes to really push their thinking. It would be great to have them practice this at home.
Students are expected to do A LOT of jotting and note-taking in Grade 5. You can support your child by encouraging them to jot at home as well as in school.
A few tips from Grade 5 students about how to build reading stamina:
* Read every day!
* Take small steps and slowly build.
* Read an author or a genre you love.
* Keep trying, don't quit!
* Try to read pass the minimum time.
Here is a strategy the students have learned to turn their jots in to longer writes to really push their thinking. It would be great to have them practice this at home.
Writing Workshop:
This week we continue to develop our narrative writing skills and write in a way that allows readers to really experience the moment along with the writer. One of the ways we can do this is "show, don't tell". Instead of writing, "the girl was sad", writers can try to show us she was sad... "the girl hunched over her broken doll and wept loudly". Writers often read great stories in order to write good stories and we will be looking at ways we can use mentor texts to get ideas.
Math Workshop:
A great video on why math is taught differently today: HERE
Our Grade 5 “Mathletes” are training this week further into the world of place value patterns, by naming, examining and comparing decimal fractions to the thousandths, as well as rounding decimal fractions to any given place (ie. nearest hundredths etc).
Naming decimal fractions in expanded, unit, and word forms in order to compare decimal fractions is the focus of Topic B. Familiar methods of expressing expanded form are used, but students are also encouraged to apply their knowledge of exponents to expanded forms (example: 4,300.01 = 4 × 103 + 3 × 102 + 1 × 1/100). Place value charts and disks offer a beginning for comparing decimal fractions to the thousandths but are quickly supplanted by reasoning about the meaning of the digits in each place, noticing differences in the values of like units and expressing those comparisons with symbols (>, <, and =).
Science Inquiry:
Our scientists have been experimenting and testing variables to see how changing one variable will affect the outcome of the standard experiment. This week, two of the classes (5K & 5O) will continue to experiment with our 'Swingers' before moving on to ramps. (5G & 5J have started with ramps and will switch to pendulums)
As our pendulum work in the science lab nears full swing, students will have practice working through the scientific method process, and using all the habits of a good scientist. This includes making graphs from results, using the scientific vocabulary of the unit, thinking about variables and drawing some conclusions.
Over the next two weeks the students will get another opportunity to deepen their precise understanding of how variables work, by beginning our investigations using ramped inclines to study the effect of variables on an object’s motion. We have ramps and we will set up a “Grade 5 Raceway” in the Common Room for experimenting with variables such as the angle of ramp, weight and friction.
** Students are asked to bring in 1 Hot Wheel cars to be used in the lab **
** Vocabulary can be understood and reinforced through viewing these videos:
- Kids can take the Brainpop quiz on force after watching the video.
- Kids can take the Brainpop quiz on gravity after watching the video.
VOCABULARY old and new...
- inclined plane: a flat surface set at an angle, used to change the direction of a force
- pendulum: a mass hung from a fixed point, free to swing back and forth when put in motion
- push: force upon an object that moves the object away from you
- pull: force upon an object the moves the object toward you
- mass: weight of an object
- force: a push or pull
- gravity: force that attracts an object towards the Earth
- motion: movement
- speed: how fast an object travels
- distance: how far an object travels
Message from Guidance:
Gr. 5 Guidance Update –Empathy for Ourselves
Empathy means to understand what someone else is feeling. It is strengthened when we love ourselves for our unique differences and when we embrace and appreciate the differences of others.
Students have been discussing what it means to love and appreciate themselves. They watched the following video that was created by CAC students two years ago:
Love Yourself Click on the link to see the video at home.
Students also took a personal needs inventory. The inventory gives a brief summary of personality traits they share in common with others in their class. The personal needs inventory is based on William Glasser’s theory on basic human needs. It gives a great deal of information about personal assets, fulfillment, stressors and challenges. A copy of the personal inventory as well as the summary page is available here if you wish to complete it at home. It is a great tool for everyone in the family!
Students will be bringing home their personal inventories and summary pages this week.
Coming up in Guidance....
Digital Safety Rules
Rule #1 - I will protect myself online
1. I will ask my parent or trusted adult before sharing my Y.A.P.P.Y online
Y - Your Name
A - Address
P - Passwords
P - Phone Number
Y- Your Plans
2. I will tell my parent or trusted adult if I see anything that makes me feel uncomfortable, sad, scared or confused.
3. If someone sends me a message that makes me feel uncomfortable, sad, scared or confused, I will
- Not respond
- Save the evidence
- Tell my parent or other trusted adult
Rule #2 - I will think before I post
1. I will not post anything that could embarrass me or damage my future, such as inappropriate texts, pictures and videos.
2. I will not post pictures or videos of anyone without asking their permission first.
Rule #3 - I will respect other people online
1. I will not post anything rude or mean online
2. I will not send images or share nformation that might embarrass or hurt someone
3. I will be a helpful bystander online and will report cyber-bullying
Technology Update
At CAC grades 3-5 are in a one to one technology program. This means that each student has a laptop signed out to them for their use for the year. This computer will be one of the most valuable tools the students will use this year. However, to make sure that students, teachers, principals, parents, and the tech integrators are all in agreement as to how these devices are to be used it is very important that each student and a parent sign the user agreement in the student planner.
Once a student and her or his parent has signed the user agreement then that student will be able to use the laptop during class time. With the use of these computers the students will take another step in their preparation to become lifelong learners. One such program that will be helping the students this year is Typing Club. It is a program that is under the umbrella of Google. In this program the students can work their way through the ins and outs of touch typing. The program is designed for the students to work through at their own pace and can be accessed at home. This program will improve the students’ typing skills.
Message from the Principal
Principal's Coffee
September 11 @ 8:00 - 9:00AM
Elementary Hall
Agenda
- Welcome and beginning of year feedback
- Elementary PTO liaison
- Challenge and Enrichment Specialist
"Come and meet Selena Gallagher, our new Challenge and Enrichment Specialist. Selena will share some information about our philosophy and approach to meeting the needs of our highly able learners, share some advice for parents about nurturing children's talents at home, and answer any questions you may have."
Mark your calendars:
- Christy Curran reading writing workshop for parents, October 11
- Kg - Grade 2 reading and handwriting workshop, October 30 (repeated session from 16/17)
Your partners in education,
Mrs. Kasal lkasal@cacegypt.org
Mr. O'Sullivan josullivan@cacegypt.org
Mrs. Greene barmstronggreene@cacegypt.org
Mrs. Johnson cjohnson@cacegypt.org
Mr. O'Sullivan josullivan@cacegypt.org
Mrs. Greene barmstronggreene@cacegypt.org
Mrs. Johnson cjohnson@cacegypt.org
No comments:
Post a Comment