Room 21 Newsletter, September 16, 2005

Welcome to a new school year. It is always exciting to begin the year with new students, fresh ideas, and lots of energy.

CLASS NEWS

This week we began our first Storyline of the year. The setting is a small town on the Oregon coast. During the next couple months we’ll explore various issues facing our world through the lens of this community.

Our first math unit Mathematical Thinking at Grade 5 focuses on numbers and number sense. This includes factors, multiples, and computation. If you’ve any questions about the unit feel free to ask.

The whole class is reading The Captain’s Dog in school. As they read students respond to the book in a journal.

A word on homework. Beginning next week I will send home a math problem Monday that is due Friday. This Problem of the Week is a multi-step problem and I expect students to fully explain their answers. In addition there will be assignments most weekday nights and students should read about 20 minutes each night.

Homework folders for each student are on order. I hope to have them next week. One part of 5th grade is preparing the students for Middle School and keeping track of their assignments is a large part of that. I teach the use of Homework folders and an Assignment Calendar as tools they can use.

SEPTEMBER BOOK REVIEWS

Most months the students will read and review a book on their own. The first review of the year is due September 30th. Each student has told me what he or she is reading. I have passed out a “Book Review Form” that we will discuss in class. The work is to be done at home. Ask your child to share the review form with you.

FIELD TRIPS

Next Tuesday is our first field trip of the year. At 8:30am we will escort Teacher Jules’ kindergarteners to the lower playground at Mt Tabor and spend some time there with them. The purpose of the trip is to help introduce the kinders to their fifth graders. The fifth graders also get to know the younger students and can help them at the park and around school.

Then on October 20th we are going on an all day field trip. I will be asking for parent chaperone/drivers for this trip, more information to come.

The past few years I’ve taken the class on an overnight trip in the spring. The trip is not cheap and one way we raise money to offset the cost is by selling The Chinook Book. It is an environmentally friendly coupon book. Our sales will begin in the next couple weeks; let me know if you can participate.

DATES TO REMEMBER

Sept. 20th, CSS Parent Meeting 6:30pm
Sept. 23rd, Grandparents & Special Friends Day, 1:15pm
Sept. 29th, Back to School Night
Sept. 30th, Book Reviews Due

Here is a copy of our Bare Bones Schedule for your information. As you see the students are dismissed from the Library on Thursdays and PE (the Gym) on Fridays.

If you want to talk with me I am usually here by 7:30 in the mornings and until 3:30 in the afternoons.