May 23-27

Hello families and friends of 5D!

We will start a STEM project involving renewable energy.  The students will be making wind turbines.  We need some items if you have them to spare!

• popsicle sticks
• straws
• styrofoam blocks
• dixie cups
• bamboo skewers

Here are important dates (cannot hurt to see them often)

CMS Guidance Visits us: 6/1

End of Year Math Assessment: 5/30-6/1

Grandparent Luncheon:  6/6

Field Day: 6/9

Visit CMS: 6/13

Odiorne: 6/14

Last day of school: 6/17

VOLUNTEER BREAKFAST

Parents:  please join us at 8 am on Friday, June 3 in the Library for drinks and goodies.  We will celebrate our awesome volunteers in the gym at 8:45 with a whole school morning meeting!

Enjoy your Memorial Day weekends!!!!

Shannon

Boston!

I'm not sure about all of you, but I had fun and laughs from the moment this trip started.  The kids were incredible!  A Tea Party worked marveled at how polite and kind our students were.  THANK YOU to all who joined us!  Here are a few pics I took...

Almost all of us at Boston Common

Our Guide... not sure who found him more amusing, the adults or the kids

By Samuel Adam's gravesite

Kate earned a $20- looks out of circulation to me!

Charlie earned a coin!  What's it worth?

Top of Bunker Hill Monument-almost 300 steps of twisting and turning!

Ahhhhh, Mother Nature took care of us (Thank you all for doing your sunshine dance)

At the Boston Tea Party Museum

Let's throw some tea.... OVERBOARD!

Week of May 16-20

Happy Friday to all!

Here's a quick glance at our week...

• I've been busy benchmarking all students in reading and have seen tremendous growth!
• In math, groups of 2 or 3 are working to create a math video to teach students a topic.  Some groups are working on exponents, multiplication and division of decimals, multiplication of fractions, volume as well as order of operations.  I've returned to workshop to meet with different groups to review 5th grade concepts before we take the end of year assessment.
• In reading we've continued with fantasy elements and watched Percy Jackson to demonstrate competency around the 6 elements (character traits, setting, problems, learning alongside the character, internal vs external dragons, suspending judgement of a character)
• In writing, students created a story arc for their fantasy story to help with organization.
• In science each group of 4 continued observing the mold growing on their food.  After that, each group looked at 3 ecology books, took notes and taught their concepts to two other groups.

Important Dates!

Boston Field Trip : 5/24

CMS Guidance Visits us: 6/1

End of Year Math Assessment: 5/30-6/1

Field Day: 6/9

Visit CMS: 6/13

Odiorne: 6/14

Last day of school: 6/17

If you are chaperoning the field trip please be in our classroom by 7:45.  We need to be on the bus at 8 am.  

19 more days!  Wow, sloooooowwww down!

Enjoy your weekend!

Shannon

Week of May 9-13

What a busy week we have had!

* In math, groups of three have worked to create a budget friendly habitat for an animal, bird or insect.  Each group worked together to also include concepts beyond their cost comparison, blueprint and budget sheet.  Many used geometry, area and circumference of circles, graphing, line plots, metric and customary conversions as well as decimal and fraction operations.

* In fantasy reading, we have looked closely at learning alongside the main character through conversations, character's problems as well as suspending judgement so you can really understand why a character may act or think a certain way.  The book groups are fully engaged and working hard!

* We continued to read The Thief of Always by Clive Barker.  This is an amazing mentor text to our fantasy reading unit.  

* In science the students performed an experiment having to do with mold.  We also learned why leaves don't just keep piling up over the years.  Mushroom roots help break down the leaves and compost them into soil.  It's truly incredible what nature can do!

*  More detailed information about our Freedom Trail field trip will be coming home next week!

Important dates to remember:

SMS PTO Garden Event: 5/14

Early Release: 5/18 (12:50 dismissal)

Boston Field Trip : 5/24

CMS Guidance Visits us: 6/1

End of Year Math Assessment: 5/30-6/1

Field Day: 6/9

Visit CMS: 6/13

Odiorne: 6/14

Last day of school: 6/17

Enjoy your weekends!

Shannon

5D Leads the Wellness Walk!

May 9-13

Our Week

Hello everyone,

We are walking in the Wellness Walk tomorrow at 1:30.  All students should wear comfortable sneakers.

The fifth graders will all go to the new garden on Thursday to leave their  mark! We will be painting in the afternoon. Students should try to dress down as they may get paint on their clothes.

Two students in 5H are planning a kids bridal shower for Ms. Hodgdon.  If students would like to contribute any money, Kiera and Santina plan to buy Ms. H a little something.  If you would like to contribute, $1 would be great!  Our two classes will celebrate on Friday, June 3rd with some easy snacks and refreshments.  More details to follow!

That's all for now!

Shannon

Week of May 2-6

What an amazing week we had.  I was incredibly surprised by 5D on Friday morning!  This just shows how fortunate I am to have each and every one of them.  It's also a testament to all you parents that you have molded some marvelous children!  THANK YOU to all of 5D for making my birthday one I will never forget!

Here's a quick snapshot to our week...

• In math students are grouped to work on creating a habitat for either an animal, insect or bird.  Each group researched and are now drawing up blueprints, comparing costs of items needed, and creating a budget.  The class brainstormed the numerous amount of math concepts that will be involved in their process.
• In literacy we have begun our Fantasy Book Clubs as well as Fantasy writing!  During literacy, I'm reading The Thief of Always by Clive Barker.
• We are also reading Kate Messner's, Wake Up Missing
• In science we just began our unit on Ecology with 5H.  Below you will find pictures of the many read aloud books we will share as well as the students playing  "Eat or be Eaten".  

FIELD TRIP forms

PLEASE, return them as soon as possible.  May 24th (our Boston field trip) is right around the corner!

I hope you all have the happiest Mother's Day!

Shannon