On MONDAY, November 14, grades were returned to the students. These are both daily grades, and are therefore correctable. These corrections are due no later than Wednesday, November 16. I am available for tutorial sessions on Tuesday morning at 7:30, and Monday and Tuesday afternoons from 2:45-3:30.

The parallelogram geometry drawing is due on Friday, Oct. 28.

The first daily grade of this 2nd grading period will be posted on Wednesday, Oct. 12, and distributed back to the students on that day also.  Corrections will be allowed on this assignment, and these corrections will be due on Friday, Oct, 14.  There will be a tutorial available for this assignment on Wednesday  afternoon in my classroom from 2:45-3:25.  See me then if you have any questions or need any further instruction or teaching.

There will be a quiz on this Friday, Oct. 14.  It will be over the notes in the problem-solving spiral over the number ONE!.  Be sure you understand the theory of multiplication and division with the number ONE!    Also know that this important theory relates not only to whole numbers, but all numbers—whether they be decimals, fractions, negatives, or algebraic variables.  STUDY so that you understand the theory behind this important number ONE—the quiz will not be over the exact numbers in your notes.

     On Tuesday, October 11, my problem solving classes will begin working on a major factorization project.  We will be discovering what are prime and composite numbers, and will be doing prime factorization while using arrays to find factor pairs of different numbers.  This project will be color-coded, so please check to see that your child has map pencils.  He/she will need purple, red, green, blue, orange, and black.

With the approach of our 10th year anniversary of 9-11, we are spending the first few minutes of class remembering the sacrifices of our fellow Americans.  As we listen to the songs and watch the video clips,  a sense of patriotism is felt across the classroom.  One of the videos we watched was entitled, “PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN-9/11 WTC TRIBUTE. ” This would be a great Youtube video to watch with your family.  Talk with your child and put into action something your family can do this weekend to show your appreciate to those Americans who serve and sacrifice for our freedoms.  PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN

The first week of school has now passed, and all of us, teachers and students, are getting used to our schedules and procedures.  This is going to be an amazing year with amazing students!

Parents, there are several things you might want to go ahead and put on your busy schedules:

1.  Be looking for a letter your child will be bringing home on Monday, August 29th.  This letter will serve to help you throughout the year by giving you the guidelines with which we operate in 5th grade.  Also, you will have again a list of each 5th grade teacher’s email address and phone number.

2.  Please make plans to attend a very important PARENT ORIENTATION meeting on Monday, September 12.  This meeting will be held in the elementary cafeteria at 6:30p.m. 

3.  Please subscribe to all teacher’s blogs.  Each teacher will be posting important information pertinent to her/his class.  This may include homework assignments, bonus opportunities, project information,  and test dates and study information.

It’s been a great first two days of school. I’m enjoying getting to know all of my new students.  We’re working on a tough problem the kids are trying to solve.  Trying to up the challenge with some interesting patterns

After a wonderful summer, it is time to get back to school. Fifth-grade is an exciting year, and there are so many changes from 4th grade. It is time to learn how to switch classes, and to have 6 different teachers everyday.
Mr. McBride is your science teacher, so hang on and get ready for lots of science experiments and fun. Mrs. Ganong is our sunshine in 5th grade. She teaches Language Arts. She is our high-energy person who loves to dance and teach—-all at the same time! Mrs. Owens will be teaching reading, and she loves to get you interested in great stories. Mrs. McFall will be teaching Social Studies, and she has some amazing things planned for her classes this year. Mrs. Johnson will be teaching math theory. She is SO SMART, and will make sure you have a solid learning base in math. I, Mrs. Smith, will be teaching math problem-solving. In my class we will be using math in order to solve real-life problems. Let’s make it, draw it, measure it, and analyze it.
Some examples of the things we have to ‘figure’ in my class are: what is the size of the area of the basketball court, how tall is our building, how far is it from here to Gladewater in METRICS, and what is the average height of a 5th grader.
I am sure that you will find 5th grade to be a exciting, learning-full year. We will start the first day of the year excited to learn together, and hopefully end the year in the same way.