Dear Fifth Grade Families,

Welcome to the 2019-2020 school year!  I am pleased to have your child as part of my fifth grade class, and I look forward to a productive year.  This letter is a brief overview of important facts about what your child will be learning as well as some of our classroom procedures and expectations.  I am looking forward to an amazing, fun-filled year!

Math

The Stepping Stones Mathematics series will be used to help your student understand math concepts and become more successful in this area.  We will be using the S.O.L. guidelines for this subject area to gear student assessments.  Your child will have an interactive notebook that he or she will need to take home every night from school and study.  It is imperative that your child brings this notebook back to school every day so that new information can be put in it.  It is expected that your child study his/her Math notebook every night for homework.

Social Studies

Fifth graders study United States history to 1865 focusing on the development of our nation.  Study guides will include information on important people and key vocabulary for each unit.  Workbook notes taken in class will serve as a great resource to prepare for assessments.

Science

Students will explore the scientific method as they study a variety of concepts such as life processes, earth cycles, space, and energy.  Study guides will include information on important concepts and key vocabulary for each unit.  Assessments at the closing of each unit will be administered as well as quizzes in between. Please keep in mind that fourth and fifth grade standards are included on the end of course Standards of Learning (SOL) assessment.  Daily review is critical to better prepare for this cumulative assessment. Again, your child will have an interactive notebook that he or she will need to take home every night from school and study, and it is expected that your child study his/her interactive notebook every night.  There is a lot of information that fifth graders need to know for their Science SOL, and studying nightly helps keep them on track so that they are prepared at the end of the school year.  It is imperative that your child brings this notebook back to school every day so that new information can be put in it.

Word Study

We will be following the word study program, similar to what was done last year in fourth grade.  The focus of word study will be use of context clues, root words, affixes, synonyms, and antonyms. 

Writing

We will be practicing a variety of styles following the six traits of writing process.  Through continued practice, both in school and at home, students will become more confident expressing their ideas on paper using detail, proper grammar and mechanics.  Spelling is only checked on the final drafts; however, grammar will be assessed in all writing.

Reading

Time will be provided during the school day for independent reading and students are encouraged to read at home as well. There are times that I will assign a worksheet for homework that we are working on in class. This will help reinforce the skill we are covering and also help with increasing fluency and comprehension. Students are expected to justify their responses with evidence from the text.  It is expected that your child read for at least 20 minutes per night.

D.A.R.E

Students will participate in mastering the objectives of the D.A.R.E. program which meets once a week on Wednesdays throughout the second (Spring) semester.  Every student will be issued a t-shirt to be worn each D.A.R.E. instruction day. An essay is written and presented by each student at the end of the course analyzing what they have learned.  Students will participate in a D.A.R.E. graduation ceremony at the end of the course and a D.A.R.E. Day celebration at the end of the school year.

Homework

My students are expected to study Math, Reading, and Science interactive notebooks.  All imperative study guides and concepts are in those notebooks, and they are a great tool to help students keep on top of what is being learned in class.  Fifth graders need to know a lot by the end of the year, so nightly overview is imperative to your child’s success.  There may be times when students will come home with a worksheet, Writing assignment, or just something we didn’t get to finish in general.  These items are usually due back the next day.  There are times when students do get tests on a Monday, so it is helpful for your child to review his/her interactive notebooks over the weekend for a few minutes.  Students write down their homework assignments for the week every Monday, so please be sure to check and initial your child’s agenda daily for confirmation of completed assignments and receipt of other important information for parents and guardians.

Make-Up Work

Each student is asked to bring a note stating the reason for his/her absence the day they return. Students who miss school will have the classwork collected and stored on his or her desk.  The student is responsible for completing that work and turning it in. If you are able to pick up your child’s assignments in the afternoon, please call and I will prepare the folder. I encourage your child not to be absent if at all possible because some very important skills will be missed.

Friday Folders

Your child’s papers will come home in a special folder every week.  Please sign the inside sheet and return it with the folder the following school day.  You can put any notes or papers for me in your child’s folder, and he/she can give them to me on Monday.

Birthdays 

Feel free to come in and eat lunch with your student on this special day! Birthday treats are shared in the cafeteria during lunch. Please keep in mind that we have children with food allergies in our class. Kindly send me a note or an email before bringing in treats for the class. There are some nut free treats I can recommend so that all students are included.

    I look forward to working with you this year as we learn and grow in fifth grade.  I can be reached via email, note, agenda or the school telephone number listed below.  If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me.  Looking forward to a great year!

Sincerely,

Ms. Brenda Piacenti

piacentibl@staffordschools.net

(540) 658-6280