Happy New Year!

Happy New Year and Welcome Back!

Over the next few weeks we will be revisiting our hopes and dreams for 5th grade as well as thinking about the hopes and dreams we want to accomplish throughout the rest of the school year.

Planners--With the new year please help your child make a new commitment to getting their planner signed and returned to school daily.  Each morning as your child arrives they fill out their planner with the learning activities for the day.  While it is their job to ask a parent/guardian to sign it each evening there are many students who need support reestablishing this habit.  Thanks for your help!

Week of December 7th

Sharing our thinking about natural resources.

Wow!  Check out all this thinking!  We were using a routine called "Chalk Talk"  where students have a silent conversation based on 2-3 statements.  As students move around the room they share their thinking and comment on the thinking of others.  They were so proud to see all their thinking in one place!

Coming up! Used Book Giveaway

Our book giveaway is fast approaching.  Next week your child will have the opportunity to select gently used books to add to your home library.  Please check your child's backpack and set time aside to enjoy the books at home together.

Week of November 30th

Greetings Families,
I hope you enjoyed a restful and relaxing Thanksgiving break with family and friends.  As we head back to school this week we will begin our first IB Unit of Inquiry. 

We will be exploring the central idea that the  Availability of natural resources affects life on our planet.  We will investigate this idea by inquiring into:
-Where resources are found
-How resources are used
-Consequences of using resources.

To learn more about IB at Mitchell School please follow the link at the right of this page.

 

Week of 11/16

SCIENCE OLYMPIAD!

(From Mitchell's PTO...)

We know many families don't really know what Science Olympiad is or how it works. So, we'll will be hosting a short Science Olympiad Informational Meeting for families wanting more information about Science Olympiad. Join us on Wednesday 11/18 from 5:30 - 6:15 in the Media Center.

Science Olympiad is a great countywide event. Students from all over Washtenaw County compete at grade level in many different competitions. They will spend a few months learning about that subject and have fun preparing for the competition. This is a hands on learning experience. Students learn science concepts and team building while having fun.

Just a few examples of the events include creating bridges with pasta, using mystery materials to create the tallest structure, using math skills to estimate how many items are in a jar, building circuits, learning about birds, reading maps to find a location, make potions, building straw towers from straws and pins.

Registration forms came home last week. Look over the forms coming home and discuss the events with your child(ren). Please have all forms turned in by Dec 2nd. Practices will begin in January and run through late April. WESO Competition is scheduled for May 14th at Pioneer. Science Olympiad is currently only open to students in 2nd - 5th grade.

Please note: Parents with participating children will be required to volunteer for WESO either as a coach, raffle chair, Head Coach or volunteer the day of the event.

This Week

Human Body Research

As you explore about possible topics for your human body writing, use the following websites to help you.

-  kidshealth.org/kid
-  kids.nationalgeographic.com
-  kidrex.org

Happy Researching!

Happy November!

Greetings 5th Grade Families,
First and foremost I would like to thank you for your support and encouragement of your child as we headed off to Storer Camp last week.  I hope it will continue to be one of your child's best memories of Mitchell School!  Another HUGE THANK YOU to our cabin leaders for the trip.  This trip would be impossible without your willingness to help and sense of humor!

Cabin Leader Heros!

• Stacie Jackson
• Tara Engholm
• Camarrah Morgan
• Gina Angeli
• Aster Abreham
• Vickie Holmes
• Mike Jackson
• Joe Waxman
• Carrie Lister
• Allen Foulkes