1 Welcome to Fifth Grade Back to School Night

Contact Information Mrs. Lorrie Costanzo Lorrie.Gurak- The best way to reach me is by . Listed below is my address.

Fifth Grade Curriculum Many projects, activities, and field trips are planned so that our students will enjoy learning and have a productive year in fifth grade. Here is an outline of this year’s curriculum.

Math Our text is Mathematics by Foresman, Wesley. We will be using Investigations units and ON CORE Math. New This Year....The children will be switching teachers for math to prepare them for the Middle School Model. Additional Resources: Rocket Math, Technology, Study Island, Pearson on Line Math Games, and Enrichment Activities / Projects. Math will be taught through the eight strands of the South Brunswick math curriculum using the math text and other teaching materials. The strands are: numbers, patterns and functions, measurement, geometry, algebra, probability and statistics, logic and reasoning, multiplication, and division.

Reading Guided Reading Independent Reading Author Studies Variety of different reading materials for learning reading skills(Fiction and Non- Fiction) Time for Kids Magazine Read-alouds Running Records – Assessments

Language Arts Writers Workshop will expose students to personal narratives, descriptive and expository writing, memoir, realistic fiction, Personal essay, poetry, and research writing. Best Works Portfolios will contain students’ reflections on three individual writing pieces. Time for Kids magazine articles will be summarized by the students. Writing is integrated through all subject areas. Lessons are geared towards the S.B. Writing Rubric. Timed writing pieces will be implemented at the beginning and middle of the year.

Spelling and Vocabulary Related Language Arts work includes: Sort your words Pre-test Ten quality sentences written and checked over for grammar and mechanics Definitions Homework Choices Word Games Quizzes on Fridays

Science / Health Body Systems Microworlds Chemistry (4 states of matter)

Social Studies The Five Themes of Geography Ancient Civilizations Current Events (Time for Kids)

Homework Policy Homework is given every Monday - Thursday and checked each day. If homework is not completed and handed in on time, your child is expected to make it up the following night. (A “No Homework Excuse” will be filled out by your child and sent home in the Friday Folder.) In fifth grade, homework should not exceed 45 – 60 minutes. If your child is struggling with any assignment, please staple a note to the assignment.

Help Your Child Become a Reader Encourage your child to read to others. Brothers, sisters, grandparents and friends enjoy sharing stories. Let your child see you reading a variety of printed materials: newspapers, magazines, books, forms, recipes, etc. Parents are the most important role models. Provide opportunities to write. Allow your child to make grocery lists, send thank-you letters, write notes to friends and relatives, and even keep a journal. Monitor television viewing. Set time limits and make good decisions about which programs are suitable for viewing. Watch television together and discuss program content. Become involved with your child’s school. If you show interest, your child will know the home-school connection is important and will appreciate your support. Listen to your child. Your attention will build your child’s self-esteem, while he / she develops oral language confidence. Read aloud to your child as often as possible. Remember that children of all ages love to hear books read aloud. Keep reading to your child even after he or she learns to read. Talk about what you read. Language and thinking skills develop when children talk. Have your child read aloud to you. Keep it fun and enjoyable. Get a library card for your child. Make visiting the library a special weekly event. Make sure your child owns some books. Encourage relatives to give books as gifts.

Subscribing to any of the following children’s magazines will encourage reading at home: Sports Illustrated for Kids ( ages 7-13 ) National Geographic World ( ages 8-14 ) Penny Power ( ages 8-14 ) Contact ( ages 8-14 )

Birthday Parties We welcome birthday celebrations. Feel free to send in a snack with your child in the morning. We celebrate them at snack time or at the end of the day for 10 minutes. No goody bags, handing out party invitations, or handing out treats to the office or other teachers.

Above all, trust your instincts. Take time with your child and appreciate your child as a unique individual.

Questions Always feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns. I will try to answer you as quickly as possible.

Introducing the Common Core Standards In June 2010, NJ adopted the new Common Core State Standards for Math and Language Arts Currently, 45 states have adopted the CCSS. New Math and Language Arts curriculums are being implemented this year

Key Elements of the Common Core for Math The standards are fewer, but more rigorous Deep focus on the concepts that have priority in the curriculum Procedural skills and conceptual understanding are equally important Students go beyond computation and procedures and focus on deep understanding

Key Elements of the Common Core for Math Fluency – with both math facts and calculations Students are expected to have speed and accuracy with simple calculations as these are necessary for more advanced skills in math Multiple strategies for computation are required Higher order thinking skills and real world application are an emphasis

The South Brunswick K-5 Math Curriculum The majority of time is spent on number sense, with limited time on geometry, measurement, and data analysis The focus for K-5 is on the understanding of whole numbers and fractions, and calculations that involve them Students need to: be flexible with numbers adapt their skills to multiple mathematical situations make sense of problems and persevere in solving them communicate their strategies and justify their solutions.

Key Elements of the Common Core for Language Arts - Reading Read a balance of non-fiction and fiction Learn about the world by reading across the content areas In addition to reading stories, students will read texts that give them information about the world. Students will read text about social studies and science curriculum topics

Key Elements of the Common Core for Language Arts- Reading Read more challenging materials closely Read texts at their independent and instructional levels with a strong emphasis on higher-level comprehension. As appropriate, students will be supported in their reading of more challenging text. Discuss reading using evidence from text to support their thinking Compare and contrast authors and/or multiple texts on a topic Build vocabulary through reading and discussion

Key Elements of the Common Core for Language Arts- Writing Write in three different genres, at each grade level. Narrative (telling a story or telling about an event) Informative/explanative (conveying information) Opinion/argumentative (building a position or explanation using valid reasoning and evidence to support their thinking). Conduct both short and longer-term research on a broad range of topics.

Key Elements of the Common Core for Language Arts Speaking/Listening Students will engage in conversations about grade- appropriate topics and texts. Language: Convention (grammar, print conventions) Students learn the essential “rules” of standard written and spoken English. Students learn that language and usage are sometimes a matter of “craft” decisions and making choices.