Back to School Night Grade ELEANOR VAN GELDER SCHOOL

5 TH GRADE BASICS  DEPARTMENTALIZATION  Grade level is departmentalized  Students switch classes  Homework is assigned by the subject teacher  Students are expected to use a planner to keep track of assignments  Homework is posted in the classrooms and on each teacher’s website  General homeroom announcements can be found on each teacher’s website  Parents should sign up for E-Alert notifications – Instructions are on each teacher’s website  If you have a general concern about your child, please send ONE and include all teachers on it

5 TH GRADE BASICS (continued)  Graded assignments (5 point deduction for every day it is late)  Signed tests / graded assignments (79 and below)  Points are lost for incomplete headings  Dress code (No hats, bandanas, or costume-like headbands.) see page 11 in the Student Handbook for more details  Dismissal is not a time for conferences. Questions and concerns should be expressed through or by a phone call.  Children who attend music lessons are responsible for finding out what they missed during class. We will not seek them out to give them materials from the day’s lesson.  Puberty is taught in the Spring.

Backpacks – A sign similar to the one below is hanging in each homeroom to help keep the weight of the backpacks to a minimum.  What should I pack?  5 pencils  1 red pen  2 pens (black or blue)  1 highlighter  1 glue stick  No Large Pencil Cases  Math notebook, textbook, and workbook*  Science notebook and folder*  Social studies notebook and folder*  Reading notebook and folder (reading days only)*  Spanish supplies (Spanish days only) *Dependent upon which homeroom your child is in

Parent-Teacher Conferences  Conferences take place in November. Due to the volume of students, please schedule an appointment ONLY IF:  Your child’s average is low  Your child has social/behavioral issues that need to be discussed  There is a pressing issue that needs to be discussed in person  Do not feel obligated to meet with all four teachers. If you have a specific concern about a specific subject, please see that teacher.  You will receive an e-alert notification reminding you about conference appointments. Please make sure to sign-up for our webpage e-alerts.

SCIENCE WITH MS. BARRY  This year our fifth graders will become scientists. They will work individually, in pairs, and in groups to explore different areas of science.  Hands-on activities and labs will be completed throughout the year.  Topics included in fifth grade science curriculum:  Biomes and habitats  Food chains and webs  Water cycle  Weather  Space  Magnetism and circuits

MATH WITH MRS. BARONE  This year we will continue using the math series, Go Math.  They will be exploring the topics of place value, multiplication, division, fractions, decimals, algebra, and geometry, as dictated by the Common Core Curriculum.  Go Math has a wonderful online component. Their website is ThinkCentral.com.  Your child received their Username and Password for the book’s website. The site has the entire textbook online, as well as videos, practice “pages”, and a glossary. This site can be instrumental with homework help and studying for tests.

Science (continued)  The fifth grade will attend a field trip to the Buehler Challenger and Science Center at the end of the year. The trip is a simulation where the students “become” NASA astronauts and work in both mission control and the space shuttle.

MATH WITH MRS. BARONE  Homework is assigned nightly and on Fridays. This is to reinforce concepts learned.  Missing homework should be turned in as soon as it is finished.  Please make sure your child knows the addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts with quick recall. This will help your child master the 5 th grade concepts more easily.

SOCIAL STUDIES WITH MR. BLASO  This year in Social Studies, students will learn about the following topics:  Geography  Current Events  Native American settlement in the Americas  European Exploration  Colonization  The American Revolution  Post-Revolutionary America  My primary goals for Social Studies are the following:  To make History come alive  To incorporate literacy into my curriculum  To make your child aware of the world around them

LANGUAGE ARTS WITH MS. KIM  Readers and Writers Workshop  Students develop reading and writing strategies. We are learning HOW we should read and write, not simply superficial comprehension of specified books assigned by the teacher.  Instruction takes place in whole group, small groups, with partners, and individually.  Students are exposed to a wide variety of reading and writing genres.  Reading Logs – Students should be reading at least 25 minutes every night and completing the reading log. Logs are due every Monday.  Refer to Today in Writing on my website for an overview of what we did in writing to stay up to date if absent. In writing, we build on what we did the session before, so it is extremely important that you stay on schedule.Today in Writing  Students should always have an independent book with them.

Last Thoughts  If you have any questions about the information presented tonight, please send us an .  Please remember to sign up for E-Alerts for all four teachers.  We invite you to visit the 5 th grade hallway on your way out. Your children have created some displays to show off their unique traits!

A copy of tonight’s PowerPoint will be available on each of our websites. Thank you for joining us tonight!