February 19-22

Thursday is National Chili Day!!!

Notes for the week...

**Just a reminder Friday is early dismissal. Students will leave at 11:45 am.

** Midterm progress reports were sent home last Friday.  Please sign and return these reports as soon as possible!

**Also, Wednesday we will have a class field trip to BEECHEII, a bee sanctuary, to learn more about the interconnectedness of ecosystems. Students MUST wear their Discovery School t-shirt or polo this day. If you do not have one, please let us know as soon as possible! We will leave at 8:30am and return at 10:30am. Any parents who wish to accompany us, please message Mr. Andrew or Ms. Amy. Please be sure to return your permission slip and L50 to cover the cost of the trip.

**For the next few weeks, we will be using personal electronic devices regularly in class for Language Arts, Reading, and Math.  Please allow your child to bring his/her tablet or laptop to school. We will be using the applications Google Drive, Google Docs, and Google Slides, so please ensure that these apps have been installed on your child's device.  We use these apps throughout the year for many different projects!

This week in class...

Language Arts

In Language Arts this week, we will continue with our guided reading novel Holes, by Louis Sachar.  Students will continue using Google Slides to respond to what they read throughout the book.

This week, we will continue to use mentor sentences to model and imitate good language usage as we practice identifying parts of speech and revising writing to improve how it sounds.  We will also continue working on our Science Fair research papers using Google Docs.

Math

We will have our fractions unit test this Thursday in math class. We will be completing our digital study guide and studying any areas where we have weaknesses. Students should use their digital study guide and teacher feedback to study for the test this week.

Homework:

Tuesday: One Xtramath.org lesson, study for the fractions test

Wednesday: One Xtramath.org lesson, study for the fractions test

Thursday: One Xtramath.org lesson

Friday: Relax!

Social Studies

We will start our next Social Studies unit this week on Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire! These next two weeks the students will be very busy researching one of these two civilizations using a Google Slides study guide. After completing our research we will come together as a class to talk about the similarities between the civilizations and also how we can still see the influence of Greco-Roman culture in our lives today.

Thank you for all of your support, parents! Please feel free to email us if you have
any questions.

Ms. Amy and Mr. Andrew

February 11-15

Notes for the week...



**For the next few weeks, we will be using personal electronic devices regularly in class for Language Arts, Reading, and Math.  Please allow your child to bring his/her tablet or laptop to school. We will be using the applications Google Drive, Google Docs, and Google Slides, so please ensure that these apps have been installed on your child's device.  We use these apps throughout the year for many different projects!

This week in class...

Language Arts

In Language Arts this week, we will continue with our guided reading novel Holes, by Louis Sachar.  Students will continue using Google Slides to respond to what they read throughout the book.

This week, we will use mentor sentences to model and imitate good language usage as we practice identifying parts of speech and revising writing to improve how it sounds.  We will also continue working on our Science Fair research papers using Google Docs.

Math

We will wrap up studying using equivalent fractions and least common denominators to solve addition, subtraction, and comparison problems with fractions this week. We will also be reviewing past material in preparation for our unit test. Students should bring their devices to class if possible to work on their self-created study guide. **When completing their IXL exercises students may stop at 80% if they wish.**

Homework:

Monday: One Xtramath.org lesson, Math IXL L.9

Tuesday: One Xtramath.org lesson, Math IXL L.8

Wednesday: One Xtramath.org lesson, Math IXL L.10

Thursday: One Xtramath.org lesson

Friday: Relax!

Science

This week we'll continue to observe our eco-column models and record our

observations. We'll continue to use the Sustainability Compass tool and the

Problem-Solving Pyramid to address how we can take better care of our

ecosystems here on campus by encouraging more recycling. We will also

continue to collect data for our science projects on decomposition rates of

man-made materials. We'll finish up the unit with a final review and test.

Thank you for all of your support, parents! Please feel free to email us if you have
any questions.

Ms. Amy and Mr. Andrew

February 4-8

Hope you had a great weekend! Let's get to work!

Notes for the week...



**For the next few weeks, we will be using personal electronic devices regularly in class for Language Arts, Reading, and Math.  Please allow your child to bring his/her tablet or laptop to school. We will be using the applications Google Drive, Google Docs, and Google Slides, so please ensure that these apps have been installed on your child's device.  We use these apps throughout the year for many different projects!

** Fifth grade students who have turned in permission slips will attend the "Growth and Development" presentation addressing issues of puberty this Wednesday.  If you haven't returned the permission slip and would like for your child to be a part of this, please do so as soon as possible.  Feel free to contact Ms. Marilis, the school counselor, with any questions you have about the presentations.

This week in class...

Language Arts

In Language Arts this week, we will continue with our new class novel Holes, by Louis Sachar.  Students will continue using Google Slides to respond to what they read throughout the book.

This week, we'll continue looking at Greek and Latin roots to help us understand the meaning of words we encounter that we don't know. We will be studying the roots man, mega, oct, and ped. There will be a quiz on Friday over the words that we study.

Math

We will continue to go deeper into fractions this week in Math class, working more to compare, add and subtract fractions with unlike denominators. We will be practicing more with using the least common multiple and other ways to find and create like denominators to facilitate solving these types of problems. Students should bring their devices to class if possible. **When completing your homework it is okay to stop at 80%.**

Homework:

Monday: One Xtramath.org lesson, Math IXL K.5, watch the MathAntics video above for review

Tuesday: One Xtramath.org lesson, Math IXL K.11, complete the Google Form pre-assessment
Wednesday: One Xtramath.org lesson, Math IXL L.5
Thursday: One Xtramath.org lesson, Math IXL L.6
Friday: Relax!

Science

This week we'll finish building our eco-columns by joining our terrariums and
aquariums. We'll be making observations about both ecosystem models andhow they work together. We'll also use the Sustainability Compass tool
and the Problem-Solving Pyramid to address how we can take better care of our
ecosystems here on campus by encouraging more recycling. In addition, we'll
be checking in on our science projects for the science fair to see if any
decomposition has taken place yet!

Thank you for all of your support, parents! Please feel free to email us if you have
any questions.

Ms. Amy and Mr. Andrew

January 28-February 1

Hope you had a great weekend! Let's get to work!

Notes for the week...



**For the next few weeks, we will be using personal electronic devices regularly in class for Language Arts, Reading, and Math.  Please allow your child to bring his/her tablet or laptop to school. We will be using the applications Google Drive, Google Docs, and Google Slides, so please ensure that these apps have been installed on your child's device.  We use these apps throughout the year for many different projects!

This week in class...

Language Arts

In Language Arts this week, we will continue with our new class novel Holes, by Louis Sachar.  Students will continue using Google Slides to respond to what they read throughout the book.

This week, we'll begin looking at Greek and Latin roots to help us understand the meaning of words we encounter that we don't know. We will begin with the roots chron, dec, tract, therm, uni. There will be a quiz on Friday over the words that we study.

Math

This week in math class we will continue to work with fractions. Students will be gathering videos to practice independent investigation and self-paced learning. Students will organize their own videos in their digital study guides. This week we will look specifically at finding factors as a tool for comparing fractions, finding equivalents fractions, and also finding the simplest form of a fraction. Students should bring their devices to class if possible. We will have a short quiz on Friday to assess the skills we have covered in our fractions unit to date.

Homework:

Monday: One Xtramath.org lesson, find and watch two videos explaining
greatest common factors and add any necessary vocabulary to your Study-Guide

Tuesday: One Xtramath.org lesson, Math IXL K.9
Wednesday: One Xtramath.org lesson, Math IXL K.8
Thursday: One Xtramath.org lesson, Math IXL K.10
Friday: Relax!

Science
This week we'll begin building our eco-columns, which will model both a terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem.  In addition, we will be setting up our Science Project investigations for our Elementary Science Fair coming up in April!  Students will be investigating the rate of decomposition for different man-made materials.

Thank you for all of your support, parents! Please feel free to email us if you have
any questions.

Ms. Amy and Mr. Andrew

January 22-25

We hope you had a great weekend 
and are ready to get back to work! :)

Notes for the week...


**Friday is a half day with afternoon schedule. The students will be dismissed at 11:45am.

**For the next few weeks, we will be using personal electronic devices regularly in class for Language Arts and Reading.  Please allow your child to bring his/her tablet or laptop to school. We will be using the applications Google Drive, Google Docs, and Google Slides, so please ensure that these apps have been installed on your child's device.  We use these apps throughout the year for many different projects!

This week in class...

Language Arts

In Language Arts this week, we will dive into our new class novel Holes, by Louis Sachar.  Students will be using Google Slides to respond to what they read throughout the book.

We will continue using "mentor sentences" to observe and practice grammar skills, and we will be looking more closely at prepositional phrases. We will also continue working on our research as we build background for our science project about decomposition.

Math

This week we will be looking more closely at improper fractions and mixed numbers. We will be creating our own digital study guides using Google Slides and some other applications of Google Drive. As a class, we will discuss where to find good sources when doing self-driven learning or independent distance learning. Students will type some of their notes electronically and then also respond to several questions to help them develop independence, introspection, and self-efficacy as learners.

Homework:

Tuesday: One Xtramath.org lesson, add one video and any necessary vocabulary to your Study-Guide

Wednesday: One Xtramath.org lesson, Math IXL M.5 and M.6
Thursday: One Xtramath.org lesson, Math IXL K.6
Friday: One Xtramath.org lesson, watch the MathAntics video on factoring, answer the four questions in the Google Form

Science

This week we'll continue looking at food webs in different environments and how
invasive species can affect the delicate balance of ecosystems. We'll also be using
a tool called the Sustainability Compass to analyze how the health of ecosystems
affects society, the economy, and our well-being. Then, we'll begin building our
eco-columns, which will model both a terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem as well as their relationship to each other.

Thank you for all of your support, parents! Please feel free to email us if you have
any questions.

Ms. Amy and Mr. Andrew

January 14-18

Welcome back to another week in Discovery School Grade 5! Thanks for checking back in with us!

Notes for the week...


** This Friday will be an early dismissal in order to leave space for parent/teacher conferences if they are necessary. There will be NO SCHOOL on Monday, January 21, due to the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.

** This Wednesday at 10:10, 5th graders will have their pictures taken for the yearbook.  Students should not wear white or green due to the backgrounds that will be used. The all-school picture will be taken on Thursday at 8:10am.

This week in class...

Language Arts

In Language Arts this week, we'll continue practicing our reading fluency and expression by presenting our picture books to kindergarten and 1st-grade students.  Then we'll begin our new class novel Holes, by Louis Sachar.

We will continue using "mentor sentences" to observe and practice grammar skills. We will also continue working on our research as we build background for our science project about decomposition.

Math

This week we will continue to study how to multiply fractions with whole numbers. We will continue to use visual models and our understanding of division and multiplication to solve these problems in an abstract manner. We will also touch briefly upon division of fractions. On Thursday we will have a short quiz to galvanize our understanding of equivalent fractions and how to add and subtract with like denominators.

Homework:

Monday: One Xtramath.org lesson, Math IXL M.2

Tuesday: One Xtramath.org lesson, Math IXL M.3

Wednesday:One Xtramath.org lesson, Math IXL M.4
Thursday:One Xtramath.org lesson

Science

This week we'll study the intricate systems of food chains and food webs, as well
as what can happen when an invasive species is introduced to another ecosystem.

Understanding Food Chains
Food Chains Game

Thank you for all of your support, parents! Please feel free to email us if you have
any questions.

Ms. Amy and Mr. Andrew

January 7 - 11

Happy New Year, and Welcome Back to a Brand New Semester!

We hope you had a wonderful and restful holiday filled with love, friends, and family! We are ready to begin an exciting new year of learning and fun!

Notes for the week...


** Don't forget, we need students to bring in one or two 2-liter soda bottles for our next science unit!  We will be cutting them apart and joining bottles together to create "eco-column" models of a terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem, so they all need to be the same size and shape.

This week in class...

Language Arts

In Language Arts this week, we'll be practicing our reading fluency and expression by choosing a picture book to read to a kindergartner and 1st grader.  We'll be spending this week practicing independently, with the teacher, and with partners, so that we set a good example to our K and Grade 1 friends, as well as keep them interested in the stories we share with them!

In addition, we will begin using "mentor sentences" from novels we have read to enhance our language skills in identifying parts of speech, revising and editing to make a sentence sound better, and imitating complex sentence structures in our writing.  We will also begin practicing our language skills as scientists as we begin the process of forming questions, hypotheses, and research for our science projects.

I am excited to announce that our "Recess Rules" PSAs have been published, and are ready to be shared with our fellow elementary students as we return to the routines of school!  Click on the links below to see our finished work!

Recess PSA Episode 1
Recess PSA Episode 2
Recess PSA Episode 3
Recess PSA Episode 4
Recess PSA Episode 5
Recess PSA Episode 6

Math

This week in Math class we will be starting into our infamous fractions unit. We have some yummy review activities planned and will be talking about equivalent fractions and adding and subtracting fractions this week.

Homework:

Monday: One Xtramath.org lesson

Tuesday: One Xtramath.org lesson, Math IXL K.4

Wednesday:One Xtramath.org lesson, Math IXL L.3
Thursday:One Xtramath.org lesson, Math IXL L.2

Science

This week we will begin a new unit in Science about Ecosystems. We'll be
developing our own definition of an ecosystem and designing an experiment
to determine the most important factors for a plant's survival.

Thank you for all of your support, parents! Please feel free to email us if you have
any questions.

Ms. Amy and Mr. Andrew