Learning the Virginia Reel

CAMP STORER!!!

It's time!  We leave for camp Monday morning between 9:15 and 9:30.  Please be on time for the start of the school day so we can get organized and make sure we have everyone.  On Friday, your child helped draft a note to send home with camp reminders.  Here it is again...

Dear Very Important Grown-up,

     I am heading off to Camp Storer on Monday, October 23, 2017.  That’s this Monday! I. Am. So. Excited!  Some things you need to know before I get on the bus on Monday:

-       I need to dress for the weather.

-       We will be gone for 3 days and 2 nights.  We will return to Mitchell at 12:45 p.m. on Wednesday October 25, 2017.

-       Please help me use my packing list to make sure I have all that I need.

-       I MAY NOT bring a cell phone or electronics.  I can bring a disposable camera.

-       I can’t ride the school bus with my luggage.  Please drop me off on Monday and pick me up on Wednesday.

-       I need all my medications labeled in the original packaging.

-       It’s helpful if I label all my belongings.

-   You can email Ms. Padgen  over the weekend with any last minute concerns or questions padgensa@aaps.k12.mi.us or call the school on Monday morning.

-       Camp Storer is located at 6941 Stony Lake Rd. Jackson, MI.  1-517-536-8607

Love,  

Week of October 9th

Greetings Families,
These first weeks of school have been busy with community building, problem-solving, and establishing routines in our classroom.  We are just finishing up our first units of math and inquiry, we've learned about sharing our thinking about reading and have started meeting in guided reading groups together.  While our new classroom is still not quite ready, your children have shown flexibility and creativity in our temporary classroom space.

-This week we will begin Unit 2 in Math.  In this unit we will build knowledge around place value, multiplication, and division. The Family Letter will go home tomorrow.
-During our Reading Workshop time we are reading together My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George, making connections with our Sharing the Planet unit.  Guided reading groups are focused on non-fiction text that have been selected to develop our inquiry into natural resources. 
-In Writing Workshop we are beginning to share what we have learned about river ecosystems through informational brochures.

Now that we have completed our NWEA testing sessions and other initial assessments, I'm excited to use what I've learned about your child to better match instruction to individual needs in the classroom.  I'm also looking forward to student conferences where we'll work together, teacher, parent, and student, to develop goals for this school year.  Please check the email address you provided to the school office--I have used this address to send a sign-up genius to schedule conferences.  I will resend this link later this afternoon.  If it doesn't show up in your inbox, also check your spam file.  Conferences begin next week!

I've had a few questions from families about homework.  The Ann Arbor Public Schools encourage 5th graders to spend 50 minutes on homework each evening.  At least 20 minutes of this time should be used for reading.  The remainder of the time can be used to practice math facts, write, continue a classroom inquiry, play a math game, etc.  Everyday Math homelinks will be sent home for the week on Thurs.  This homework packet is just one choice your child has to focus their home study period. 

Please feel free to call 997-1216 or send an email padgensa@aaps.k12.mi.us with any questions about your child's day.

Sincerely,
Aaron

Inquiry: What happens when land and water interact?

 First we looked closely at the geology of Michigan and investigated rock samples to find out more about different types of rocks.

 Then, we experimented with different earth materials to better understand how they interacted with water.  This also helps to inform our inquiry into rivers.

 We made observations and took careful notes.

Next up, using what we've learned through our Sharing the Planet inquiry to write informational brochures and teach others about our work.