Hey Mr. Gray

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• Child Information Form (Parents: Please Fill This Out)

• Student Information Form (Students: Please Fill This Out)

• Thu Aug 31 Dismissal 1:05

• Back To School Night- Thu Aug 31. Time: 6:40-7:20p

Reading

We will start off the year with a short unit reading realistic fiction books and learning the routines and practices of reading in this class. The kids will explore our class library and reflect on themselves as readers. They will choose their own books to read for this week and next. I will use the book Fly Away Home by Eve Bunting to review making strong predictions and noticing small details. They will also take the district test: STAR reading.

Read Aloud

The Wild Robot by: Peter Brown

Writing

We will start off the year with a short unit writing a realistic narrative based on a random picture and learning the routines and practices of writing in this class. The kids will reflect on themselves as writers, begin their story by storytelling to plan, and try to bring the character to life by highlighting small details and bringing out the character’s quirks.

Maths

We will spend class time this week exploring what it means to be a mathematician in this class. The kids will solve big problems individually and in groups. We will celebrate precision over speed, visualizing thinking, clearly communicating ideas, creative problem-solving, and working together. The kids will also take a district math test: STAR math.

Social Studies

We will start our first social studies unit of the year: Pre-Columbian America. We will start the week exploring Native American culture and what the Americas may have been like before 1492. We will finish the week discussing what it means to be a historian and making the connection between Native Americans in Pre-Columbus America and today.

Science

Science Lab with Ms. DeMarco

Language

Nothing this week.

Leadership

This Week’s Habit: Be Proactive: Take Initiative, You’re in Charge

This Week’s Hero: Virginia Apgar

• Child Information Form (Parents: Please Fill This Out)

• Student Information Form (Students: Please Fill This Out)

• Dessert Social and Spirit Wear Sales Wed Aug 23 3:00-5:00

• First Day of School Thu Aug 24

*Bring Supplies Friday, Not Thursday

• Thu Aug 24 Breakfast and Coffee for Parents after you drop students off (around the lunch area at the front of the school)Bring supplies on Friday, not Thursday

• Thu Aug 24 and Fri Aug 25 School Ends at 1:05

• Flag Deck → Every Friday at 8:10 on the blacktop

• Visit the PTA Website to register or update your information, and  buy school spirit wear!

• Back To School Night- Thursday, Aug 31. Time: TBA

• No School Monday, May 29

• Tues-Fri School Ends at 1:44

• 5th Grade Pool Party Fri Jun 2 Information, Permission Slip

• PG Movie Permission Slip for Tuesday, May 30

• Flag Deck Every Friday at 8:10 on the blacktop

• Young Philosophers lessons

• Jeopardy Tournament

• Year in Pictures

Thank you for a wonderful year!

Have a great summer!

• The kids will be working on their All-APAAS project (Project Convention open to parents Tuesday May 23rd)

• 5th Grade Pool Party Fri Jun 2 Information, Permission Slip

• PG Movie Permission Slip for Tuesday, May 30

• Flag Deck Every Friday at 8:10 on the blacktop

• Young Philosophers lessons

• Jeopardy Tournament

• Business Day Thursday

Reader’s 

Workshop

We will continue our unit on Fantasy Books unit. The kids will make a final project where they make a Book Review geared towards parents with the template of the Common Sense Media website. The project will be due on Friday.

Read Aloud

Writer’s 

Workshop

The kids will keep working on their Fantasy Stories.  The kids will publish their stories, review them with their writing partner and with me, will use Open AI’s DALL-E 2 to make a cover for their fantasy novel.

Maths

We will take a short quiz on shapes on the coordinate plane.

Social Studies

We will continue to work on a project called, Fortunately, Unfortunately where the students are writing a book with a partner recapping the important parts of the American Revolution following the structure of the book Fortunately by Remy Charlip. 

Read Aloud

The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington Young Reader’s Edition Read Aloud by Brad Meltzer

Science

The kids will, of course, see Ms. DeMarco for Science Lab.

A message from Ms. DeMarco:

• Science Fair Submission Information

Vocabulary

Nothing this week.

Video Announcements                                                                                      

Class Podcast 

Class Website

Weekly Schedule

 Work Page 

Stocks Game

Parent Portal    

School Calendar 

Bell Schedule  

PTA   

Volunteer

Need to Know

• The kids will be working on their All-APAAS project (Project Convention open to parents Tuesday May 23rd)

• District Honors Art Show May 19-20 at Portola HS

• 5th Grade Pool Party Fri Jun 2 Information, Permission Slip

• Flag Deck (Parents can watch) Every Friday at 8:10 on the blacktop

• Final Chit Chat Speeches of the Year will Take Place the Week of May 15

• Talent Show May 18 5:30p

Reader’s 

Workshop

We will continue our unit on Fantasy Books unit. The kids will continue reading their fantasy novels. I am not sure yet what I’ll be teaching. It will be based on how much state testing we still have to do. We may discuss the complicated nature of fantasy characters and/or symbols in fantasy novels. 

Read Aloud

The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis serving to connect with our study of Fantasy novels.

Writer’s 

Workshop

The kids will keep working on their Fantasy Stories.  The kids will publish their stories, review them with their writing partner and with me, will use Open AI’s DALL-E 2 to make a cover for their fantasy novel.

Maths

We will move onto our next unit Shapes on the Coordinate Plane depending on our testing schedule. We will explore and review the coordinate grid and plot points and shapes.

Social Studies

We will continue to work on a project called, Fortunately, Unfortunately where the students are writing a book with a partner recapping the important parts of the American Revolution following the structure of the book Fortunately by Remy Charlip. 

Read Aloud

The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington Young Reader’s Edition Read Aloud by Brad Meltzer

Science

The kids will, of course, see Ms. DeMarco for Science Lab.

Vocabulary

Nothing this week.

• If you are coming from 11-12, make sure to check in at the office.

• Mar 27-31 all minimum days- school ends at 1:44p

• Mile Run on Tuesday.

• Talent Show Information

Open House Comparing Characters Project

Information Book and Podcast

Volume Humanoid Robot

The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington Read Aloud

Students watch a video about water shortages in California and define their marketing campaign problem. They discuss criteria for their design solutions, plan their designs, then discuss ideas for marketing the campaign and of course see Ms. DeMarco for Science Lab.

Nothing this week.

• Open House Thursday, March 30th time TBA
• Flag Deck (Parents can watch) Every Friday at 8:10 on the blacktop
• Mar 23- Guys Stuff- 5:30p in MPR
• Irvine Junior Games Sign-Up!

Our readers will spend this week to choosing books from our American Revolution book club collection and choose projects to demonstrate their knowledge.

We will continue our new unit: Bringing History to Life! Our writers will take a day for peer editing and focused revision. They will spend the rest of the week publishing. They will add interesting and informative text features, and use an editing tool, Paper, to get feedback on their piece before finally turning it in.

The mathematicians will review some of the work we have studied regarding volume and look at real-world problems. On Tuesday, the kids will take their second volume quiz focusing on finding volume with fractional edge lengths and finding missing edge lengths. On Thursday, the students will temporarily assemble their humanoid robot using materials from home. This will help them plan their next steps.

Our historians will continue studying the Declaration of Independence. Their analysis will help them plan their own personal declaration of independence. They will plan and write their personal declaration and publish it. On Friday the kids will stand up and read their work, declaring their independence.

The kids will research and write about why the Mojave Desert is so dry and of course see Ms. DeMarco for Science Lab.

We will turn our attention to Wordly Wise finishing up lesson 3 and starting lesson 4.

• Sign-Up for Spring Conferences
• Physical Fitness Testing This Month Tues 7 (Mile Run Practice), Fri 17
• Yearbooks are on sale and must be ordered in advance.

Go to treering.com and use the code: 1015857553713697

• Flag Deck (Parents can watch) Every Friday at 8:10 on the blacktop
• March 9- Girls Talk (Pizza, Pajamas, Presentation, Pals)
• Mar 23- Guys Stuff- 5:30p in MPR

We will spend this last week reading about the American Revolution. The students will read with a partner. They will choose from a variety of American Revolution books. They will have this week to finish another book and create an individual project for the book and a partner project. They will turn this in at the end of their reading time. At the end of the week they will finish up with their partner and choose books as an individual.

We will continue our new unit: Bringing History to Life! The kids will bring history to life writing informational pieces about the American Revolution. They add an essay to their information book and continue drafting sections.

The students will begin our next unit on Volume. We will spend our math time checkin in on the stock market, finding the missing side length of a rectangular prism given the volume, and begin an exciting volume project!

This students have completed the study of the events leading up the revolution. The war has started. We will spend the next couple of weeks studying the Declaration of Independence. Next week the kids will look at some of the important figures that were positioned to make a large impact on the beginning of the country and carefully study the structure of the declaration.

The kids will consider why there is so little rain in the Mojave Desert. They will review and discuss data cards and are introduced to the geosphere.  Using their knowledge of rain and sphere interactions, they investigate the conditions of the Mojave Desert and of course see Ms. DeMarco for Science Lab.

We will finish Classical Roots Lesson 4 and take their 2nd Classical Roots Quiz on Tuesday. They will also have to turn in their choice activity on Tuesday. All students will give their chit chat speeches next week where they teach the class something.

• Bring Photography Device each Tuesday
• No School Mon Feb 20
• Read Across America Day + Book Donation Event- Thu Mar 2
• Jog-a-thon March 3
• Flag Deck (Parents can watch) Every Friday at 8:10 on the blacktop
• March 9- Girls Talk (Pizza, Pajamas, Presentation, Pals)
• Mar 23- Guys Stuff- 5:30p in MPR

We will spend the next several weeks reading about the American Revolution. The students will read with a partner. They will choose from a variety of American Revolution books. They will have 2 weeks to ready one or two books and create an individual project for the book and a partner project. They will turn this in at the end of their reading time.

We will take a day to celebrate the student’s 3rd argument essay. The kids will get to share their topics and writing and give positive comments to others during a gallery walk. We will start our next unit where the kids will bring history to life writing informational pieces about the American Revolution. They will just being that work next week but eventually the students will write an informational piece and then record a podcast.

The students will take a mid-year basic skills test on Wednesday which will be their final grade for trimester 2 in math. On Thursday, the students will take their next CML test and on Tuesday, we will give an introduction and start this year’s stock market game!

This students will continue our Social Studies unit exploring the events leading up to the revolution. We will focus first continental congress and the first battles of the Revolutionary War (Lexington and Concord). The students will be continue a digital timeline to help them keep track of all the acts and events. We will also take a quiz on the location of the 50 states on Wednesday. The students who have already tested out of the 50 states will move on to studying state capitals and state flags. Finally, the kids will finish their great state project. They need to bring their posters to class on Thursday. We will put all the posters up in the MPR and the students do a scavenger hunt of the different states.

The kids will begin to research the ways in which communities protect Earth's limited water resources and of course see Ms. DeMarco for Science Lab.

We will start Classical Roots Lesson 3 and the kids will continue to work on their Chit Chat Speech #3.

• Bring Photography Device each Tuesday
• Valentine’s Day Class Party- Tue Feb 14
• No School Fri Feb 17 and Mon Feb 20
• Read Across America Day + Book Donation Event- Thu Mar 2
• March 9- Girls Talk (Pizza, Pajamas, Presentation, Pals)
• Flag Deck (Parents can watch) Every Friday at 8:10 on the blacktop

We will spend the next several weeks reading about the American Revolution. This will match closely with our study of the American Revolution in Social Studies. Next week we will read “I Survived: The American Revolution, 1776”. In anticipation of our upcoming Revolution Book Club Unit, the kids will make a reading plan for their group which will include of timeline for their reading, independent and group work, and a rubric for grading.

We will continue our  unit called “Research Based Argument Essay”. The kids will publish their third Argument Essay. For this essay the students will choose their topic of research. They will work throughout the week with independence and refer back to the work we have already done in our first two essays.

We will wrap up a unit called “Whole Number Expressions and Operations”. The students work on a project highlighting some of the trickier elements of order of operations and written expressions, work to solve difficult problems, and do some CML practice.

This students will continue our Social Studies unit exploring the events leading up to the revolution. We will focus on the intolerable acts next week that pushed the colonists to war. The students will be continue a digital timeline to help them keep track of all the acts and events. The will turn in the first half of their timeline on Thursday. We will also take a quiz on the location of the 50 states on Wednesday. Finally, we will introduce the Great State Project which will be due on Thursday, Feb 23.

The kids will read a text and answer questions about water on Earth based on what they learned from the previous reading.  They will share their work and discuss the availability of freshwater on Earth.  Then students observe a demo that represents freshwater on Earth and graph the results.  Students draw and label a model of fresh and saltwater on Earth to demonstrate understanding and of course see Ms. DeMarco for Science Lab.

No vocabulary study this week. The kids will continue planning for their next Chit Chat speech.

Valentine’s Day Candy Grams- Due Tue Feb 7

• Valentine’s Day Class Party- Tue Feb 14
• Flag Deck (Parents can watch) Every Friday at 8:10 on the blacktop
• Read Across America Day + Book Donation Event- Thu Mar 2
• March 9- Girls Talk (Pizza, Pajamas, Presentation, Pals)

We will spend the next several weeks reading about the American Revolution. This will match closely with our study of the American Revolution in Social Studies. Next week we will read “Alexander Hamilton” The Outsider”. The kids will have work to keep track of their thinking as they read, work on a project, and discuss with partners and groups each day.

We will continue our  unit called “Research Based Argument Essay”. The kids will publish their second Argument Essay. For this essay they will argue whether to support or boycott zoos. They will peer edit their paper and turn in their final piece on Thursday. Later in the week the kids will come up with their own topic for their third and final Argument Essay.

We will continue a unit called “Whole Number Expressions and Operations”. The students will review the entire unit and take a test on Wednesday. In addition, the kids will review their last CML test and do more CML practice and reflection.

This students will continue our Social Studies unit exploring the events leading up to the revolution. We will study the famous “acts” that pushed the colonists to war. The students will be making a digital timeline to help them keep track of all the acts from the Sugar Acts to the Boston Tea Party.

The kids will Students watch a video that shows the ways humans and other animals use water.  Then, they will do a close reading of a text to identify where freshwater is found on Earth, what animals are found in those regions, and how they interact with each other and of course see Ms. DeMarco for Science Lab.

No vocabulary study this week. The kids will begin planning for their next Chit Chat speech.

• Board Game Presentations Tue Jan 31
• Global School Play Day- Web Feb 1 (Play all day!)
• Valentine’s Day Candy Grams- Due Tue Feb 7
• Valentine’s Day Class Party- Tue Feb 14
• Flag Deck (Parents can watch) Every Friday at 8:10 on the blacktop
• Read Across America Day + Book Donation Event- Thu Mar 2
• March 9- Girls Talk (Pizza, Pajamas, Presentation, Pals)

We will continue our new unit called “Argument and Advocacy”. The kids will prepare for their final debate. In groups of 5 or 6 they will formally debate topics. The students will spend the week preparing. They have to organize evidence, prepare opening and closing statements, rebuttals and even cross-examination questions. These debates will occur on Thursday. The students will get grades from me for their participation in the debate and contribution to the group. Audience members will also watch and score the debates. Groups and individuals will be given awards on Friday for their work in the debates.

We will continue our  unit called “Research Based Argument Essay”. The kids will continue working on their second of three essays. We will work on lifting the level of the essays by analyzing the evidence used and appealing to the audience while trying to provide a thorough argument.

We will continue a unit called “Whole Number Expressions and Operations”. The students will review and practice Prime Factorization  and take a quiz on Thursday on Prime Factorization and Order of Operations.

This students will start our next unit in Social Studies. We have been discussing the road the revolution: colonial life in the 1740s-1770s. The revolution has finally reached our doorstep. Next week will examine the meaning of the word “revolution” and its implications for the American Revolution. We will also take a sneak peek and important figures of the revolution and continue to study states and capitals.

The kids will begin the next Unit of Science and explore the question “How much freshwater is on Earth?” and of course see Ms. DeMarco for Science Lab.

The kids will finish up studying the words in lesson 2 of Wordly Wise and review Lessons 1 and 2 before a quiz on Friday.

• Link For Volunteers
• Link for Donations
• Class Spelling Bee- Wed Jan 25
• Global School Play Day- Web Feb 1
• Read Across America Day + Book Donation Event- Thu Mar 2
• Flag Deck (Parents can watch) Every Friday at 8:10 on the blacktop
• March 9- Girls Talk (Pizza, Pajamas, Presentation, Pals)

We will continue our new unit called “Argument and Advocacy”. The kids will prepare for their second debate. In groups, they will build their background knowledge, collect and organize evidence, and outline the debate with an opening statement and main points. They will also prepare their rebuttals. The kids will also take a quiz related to reading informational texts on Thursday.

We will continue our  unit called “Research Based Argument Essay”. The kids will begin building their background knowledge for their second essay. The will collect and rank evidence and begin drafting. We will pay close attention to adding counterarguments and rebuttals.

We will continue a unit called “Whole Number Expressions and Operations”. The students will engage in some order of operations error analysis and we will study the language of expressions where we will convert expressions to english sentences and vice versa.

This week our big event will be colonial day on Friday. The kids will make several craft projects related to life in colonial america. Early in the week we will begin building our knowledge of states, capitals, and other american geography. We will also take a day to read about and discuss slavery in the colonies. The kids will do some background reading for this on Monday and then we will have a class discussion on Tuesday.

The kids will take a quiz on the effect changes to a food web on Wednesday and of course see Ms. DeMarco for Science Lab.

The kids will finish up studying the words in lesson 1 of Wordly Wise and move on to the lesson 2 words..

• No School Monday, January 16 (Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday)
• Chinese New Year Class Cultural Day (Wed, Jan 18)
• Colonial Day (January 27)- Volunteers Needed
• March 9- Girls Talk (Pizza, Pajamas, Presentation, Pals)
• Flag Deck (Parents can watch) Every Friday at 8:10 on the blacktop
• A Thank You From Mrs. DeMarco:

Hello Mr. Gray's 5th Grade Parents and Happy New Year!

I would like to thank you all for the generous gift card.  How kind of you to think of me this holiday season!  I am grateful to be your child's science teacher!

Thank you again,

Ms. De Marco 🙂

• A Thank You From Miss Muncy

Reader’s

Workshop

We will continue our new unit called “Argument and Advocacy” The kids will prepare for debates throughout the week with a partner and then have multiple debates on Thursday. We will discuss rules for arguments/debates and how to mine for relevant information.

Writer’s

Workshop

We will continue our  unit called “Research Based Argument Essay”. The kids will continue their drafts focusing on the structure of arguments, using evidence and transition words, and clearly stating how the evidence supports their position. They will publish their first argument this week all about whether or not chocolate milk should be banned from schools.

Maths

We will continue a unit called “Whole Number Expressions and Operations”. The students will review and practice using order of operations (PEMDAS) and engage in some error analysis.

Social Studies

As we study the English colonies in the middle of the 18th century, the students will study how the colonies began to gain an american identity. Specifically, representative governments started to pop up in the form of town halls and meetings. The students will prepare for and engage in a “town hall meeting” this week.

Science

The kids will build upon their understanding of the relationship between organisms in an ecosystem. Using an interactive, they simulate making changes to an ecosystem and record how the changes affect other organisms within the ecosystem. Students watch a video and of course see Ms. DeMarco for Science Lab.

Vocabulary

The students will take their first Classical Roots Quiz on Tuesday. We will pause Classical Roots and study vocabulary from a program called Wordly Wise. We will switch back and forth because Classical Roots and Wordly Wise for vocabulary study.

Video Announcements Class Podcast  Class Website Weekly Schedule

Work Page Parent Portal School Calendar Bell Schedule PTA Volunteer

• No School Tuesday, October 4. All other days are minimum days (finish at 1:44p).
• Picture Day Wednesday 10/5 (Before Recess)
• Sub and Last Day

The students will close wrapping up thinking about theme and do a little preparation for our first novel study coming up the week of October 10.

The kids will continue to draft and work on their second narrative story. We will study adding past and future scenes to add to the meaning and practice endings. Finally the students will publish their final draft of their second narrative.

The kids will be spend a short week doing some speed math and mental math practice as well as some work preparing for our first test for Continental Mathematics League.

No Social Studies this week.

The kids will be reading about and reflecting identifying how a material's properties are used in determining its suitability for meeting a specific purpose.

Video Announcements Class Podcast  Class Website Weekly Schedule

Work Page Parent Portal School Calendar Bell Schedule PTA Volunteer

Need to Know

• Art on Wednesday 9/21
• Visit the PTA Website to register or update your information, and           buy school spirit wear!
• Child Information Form (Parents: Please Fill This Out)

Reader’s

Workshop

This week, the kids will continue reading fiction books. The goal over the next few weeks is to read with meaning and interpretation in mind to have more tools to understand theme. They will have a partner to share their thoughts and work with and keep their thinking in their reader’s notebook.

Writer’s

Workshop

The kids will publish their first narrative and turn it in. We will a short time for kids to share out their finished work. As we move on to drafting more small moment true stories, we will focus on bringing out meaning in stories, elaborating on important scenes and adding scenes from the past or future.

Maths

We will continue our dividing fractions unit. This week the students will explore the relationship between visual methods of dividing fractions and the “keep it, change it, flip it” method. We will review our division work and take a quiz.

Social Studies

During this week, the kids will study the government and economy of native american tribes. They will also make a study guide for a test coming up next week. Finally, in honor of “Constitution Day” which is Saturday, the 17th, the kids will have to memorize and recite the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution to a partner.

Science

The kids will read about the new Artemis series of missions NASA is embarking on and look carefully at the kinds of materials used for space-faring missions.

Video Announcements Class Podcast  Class Website Weekly Schedule

Work Page Parent Portal School Calendar Bell Schedule PTA

Need to Know

• Thursday Folders
• September 16th- PTA Outdoor Movie Night
• Visit the PTA Website to register or update your information, and           buy school spirit wear!
• Child Information Form (Parents: Please Fill This Out)

Reader’s

Workshop

The students will finish the first section of our Interpretation Unit. The kids have been learning and practicing ways to develop ideas about reading. At the beginning of the week they will turn in a few reader’s notebook work pages based on this. Later in the week we will continue our work by joining a partnership and thinking about theme as how a character responds to a and learns from a problem.

Writer’s

Workshop

The kids will continue drafting their small moment personal narratives. We will revise by letting other authors’ words awaken and inspire our own, telling the story from the inside out, and taking stock an setting goals. Finally, the kids will turn in their first published narrative.

Maths

Groups will work on the “Should I Get a New iPhone?” project. They will turn in a paper and present on their findings (including interviewing a family member). Then we will transition into a unit about dividing fractions.

History

The kids will continue learning about Native Americans in the pre-columbian era. We will focus on the culture, government, and economy. We will also take a brief turn towards the US government in honor of Constitution Day (September 17th). The kids will learn and recite the preamble to the US Constitution.

Science

The kids will start our first science unit: Matter Mysteries Hotline. We will explore the properties of different materials both in class and with Ms. Demarco in Science Lab.