End-of-Summer "Bucket List"

Hi kiddos!

Well, summer is almost over!

As the start of school draws nearer, make the most of your time! I am challenging each of you to create an End-of-Summer Bucket List - write out all the things you wanted to do all summer and never got around to... or really enjoyed and want to do at least one more time!

Here are some of mine:

1. Go fruit picking (raspberries before they're gone or apples when they're ready).
2. Make one more batch of home-made ice cream.
3. Read 2 more books (suggestions?)
4. Spend as many hours as possible outside with Jack.
5. Train-watching!
6. Wash the dogs (more fun than it sounds)
7. Go swimming!
8. Update my blog (guess I can check that one off).
9. Make lemonade.
10. Create a sidewalk chalk town on our walk (the rain washed away our last one).

What things do you most want to do before summer is over?

STUFF FOR PARENTS:

Parents, are YOU ready for the end of summer?

Just a reminder, I will not be able to start the year with the kids. My sub, Ms. Janet Langham, is a fantastic teacher with many years of 4/5 experience at the Downtown School. Many of you already know her, and you will all get a chance to talk with her at Open House conferences.
I plan to return the week before Thanksgiving Break.

Students will be expected to complete a weekly blog assignment - they should check here each Monday for a new assignment, and will always have until the following Monday to complete that assignment, whatever it may be. I will be keeping track of their progress, and the assignments will follow what the students are working on at school.

Fifth grade homework also brings the Wordly Wise program, a great vocabulary study program. You may be familiar with it from 3rd grade, as I believe several of the teachers use this or something similar.

The students will be working on a "State Project" during the first 2 quarters, and then transitioning into Teaching Academy for the last 2 quarters. I believe many students already have some idea of what they plan to research! Of course, they have time to change their minds.

Fifth Grade Supply List: box of 24 crayons glue sticks packs of loose leaf paper (wide rule) pack of #2 pencils 2 boxes of tissue box of washable markers pencil pouch / zippered or box composition or spiral books (wide rule) Solid colored 2-pocket folder 3-ring binders (1") book bag/back pack (no wheels) Hand sanitizer (Purell/Dial/GermX) two 5-subject spiral notebooks (wide rule with tab dividers) package of 3X5 index cards

** This is the same list that can be found on the county website and at all area Targets, Wal-Marts, etc.

Links for new Common Core Standards and Essential Standards:
http://www.wsfcs.k12.nc.us/domain/7423

First Quarter Math includes volume, decimal place value and adding/ subtracting decimals.

First Quarter Science will be a study of weather.

First Quarter Social Studies will cover early Native Peoples and Explorers from Europe.

Reading skills throughout the year will build upon earlier skills. Note that the Common Core expectations focus a great deal more on literary study, discussion and analysis, and are stepping more away from the isolated skills that were previously tested. I am more than thrilled with this change, and this is something we began to work with in fourth grade. Expect even more journaling and analysis of author's craft.

Second Quarter Math includes multiplying and dividing whole numbers and decimals and classifications of 2-dimensional figures. There will be problem solving related to volume, as well.

Second Quarter Science will begin an in-depth study of ecosystems and the interplay of living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem, including weather and climate.

Beginning Second Quarter, many of our novel units will center around works of historical fiction, and through these literature units, we will be discussing important eras of U.S. history such as World War II and the Civil Rights Movement. One definite "break" from these units will be a study of Louis Sachar's novel, Holes, which deals with many of the same "big ideas" of equality in a fictional, exciting, humorous tale. There is  GREAT deal of exceptional author's craft in this novel and fifth graders always seem to love it, so it holds a place near and dear in my heart!

Stay tuned for more curriculum updates as the year progresses!