5th Grade March Newsletter

The Anne Sullivan School

P.S. 238

1633 East 8th Street Brooklyn, NY 11209 March 2009 Vo l u m e 1 , I s s u e 5

5th Grade Newsletter March Happenings Our school Science Fair will be taking place on March 16th. Please make sure that your child completes their science project proposal and brings it in to Ms. Escowitz as soon as possible for approval. Science boards can be purchased for $5.00 from Ms. Escowitz in Room 321. Parent Teacher conferences will take place on Thursday, March 19th from 12:20-2:20 in the afternoon and from 5:30-8:00 in the evening. Report cards will be distributed at these conferences as well as your child’s Social Studies State Exam score. There is a half day on Thursday, March 19. All classes will be dismissed at 11:20. The fifth grade will be going on a trip the Hall of Science on Tuesday, March 31.

The fifth grade will also continue to work on specific math, reading, fluency, writing, science and social studies GOALS! Make sure that you have a conversation with your child about their goals for the month of March!

Reader’s Workshop In March, the students will read and comprehend informational books and reading passages to develop understanding and expertise. The students will learn how to restate or summarize information into their own words; relate new information to prior knowledge and experience; extend their ideas; and make connections to related topics or information in this month’s Reader’s Workshop. Please make sure that your child is reading for at least 40 minutes a night and is recording this information on their reading log! Please make sure that your signature appears in the correct column.

Writer’s Workshop In March, we will finish Response to Literature and work on a Report of Information. The report of information will be in conjunction with what the students will be learning in Social Studies. The students will be learning how to engage the reader, develop a controlling idea, create an organized report, include appropriate facts and details and provide a sense of closure in their report. Please make sure that your child goes to the library and selects appropriate books, magazines, and websites to help them write a great writing piece!

Mathematics

In March, we will cover Unit 8 of Everyday Math which focuses on Fractions and Ratios. We will review Grade 5 standards such as creating equivalent fractions; simplifying fractions; converting improper fractions to mixed numbers. We will work toward Grade 6 standards such as adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators; multiplying and dividing fractions and mixed numbers; and reading, writing and identifying percents of a whole. Parents, please refer to the Family Letter for Unit 8!

Science and Social Studies This month in Social Studies, the fifth grade will continue to learn about Latin America and its many countries. The students will be working on a nonfiction report using the country they picked in class with an emphasis on its history, geographical features, people, traditions and resources. We will be working on this non-fiction report during Writer’s Workshop and researching information during, our Computer class with Ms. Stouber. This month in Science we will wrap up Unit 2: Earth Science and FINALLY start Unit 3: Food and Nutrition. Get ready for some fun and

exciting experiments and interactive learning!