Fifth Grade Forum (Visitors: 1216) 

We've begun our unit covering the Revolutionary War in Social Studies. While we discuss the material for two weeks, the students will discover topics such as the Original Colonies and the Boston Tea Party.  They will also have the opportunity to voice their frustrations to King George III in various ways through writing and discussion.  On Friday May 16, the students will make connections to these lessons as they present both a group and an individual project to the class.

 

We are all so proud of the progress this group of children has made on mastering their multiplication and division facts. The grade level average for the multiplication time test taken on April 24^th was 94 out of 100 problems correctly answered in 3 minutes. Most kids have already met the year end goal of 90% and many have moved onto the 6^th grade test. The average for the division time test is 78%. It is lower than multiplication, yet exceeds the year end goal of 60/100 problems answered correctly in 3 minutes.

 

The success has carried over to the computation tests as well. The grade level average is 17/20 or 85% as of April 24^th. Students have cleaned up many silly addition and subtraction computation errors. They are now double checking their work!  Multiplication accuracy has also improved. Most students have abandoned using lattice for the “traditional” method or digit-by-digit method introduced in this math series. (Don’t worry Moms and Dads, digit by digit is the method you grew up learning.) Division is the last area to have been covered by the curriculum so it is the last to show a dramatic improvement, but boy what an improvement!

 

Students will be given the opportunity to demonstrate these skills one more time toward the end of May. Final results will be sent home in the yearend report card envelope.

Our days have been filled playing games. They are amazing! The quality and effort that went into them surpasses anything seen all year. Milton Bradley, the maker of Monopoly, has nothing on this group! As they travel from game to game, they are solidifying their knowledge about the circulation system. They are also very critical players, noticing anything and everything their peers did. It is fun to watch, learn, and play along side them. If you ask, I am sure each child would pick their own as their favorite. That supports the time, energy, and pride that went into creating them.

Round 2 is underway and let me tell you the vast improvement! Students are more comfortable and confident in front of their peers, they are actually summarizing the entire book, many most have beginning or introductions, and some even have true ending! It is during this round I am reminded why I have the students do these year after year. So far this round has brought a Titanic survivor, a college basketball player who reads when not on the court, an author on a book signing tour, and a forensic scientist. A few of the genres represented have been fantasy, realistic fiction, and mysteries. Students should have plenty of suggestions for summer reading when we finish with Group 6 next Thursday, May 15.