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Welcome to Mrs. Dodd's 5th Grade Class 

 

You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives.

~Clay P. Bedford

 

Back to School Night Agenda

 

 

Homework:

 

Lunch – Students are not permitted to call home for their lunch.  They will have to buy a lunch and parents will get billed for it.

 

Assignment Books/Homework Books -  *Info in the planner always overrides the website* Please initial your child’s assignment book every night.  I use this as a quick daily communication with parents. 

 

 Not a lot of Homework – I try not to give a lot of homework.  Maybe a math worksheet 2-3 times a week, some weeks not at all.  Projects are always done in school.  Reading is every night for 30 minutes.  I take page numbers daily.  Studying for tests and quizzes.

 

Missed Homework – Students are responsible for having their homework at school on the day that it is due.  Students are not permitted to call home for homework.

 

iPads – Students are responsible for coming to school with their iPads charged every day.  I am unable to charge iPads here.  This counts as part of their homework. iPads will be incorporated into lessons, but will not be used for everything.  Students are not permitted to call home for ipads.  

 

 

 

Math:

 

Math in Focus:  Occasionally they will have a math worksheet.  It’s extremely important that students master their math facts.  Practice multiplication facts every night.  I sometimes have Math Lunch where we eat lunch and study a math concept that was difficult.  There will always be a math review in their notebook before EVERY test.

 

 

Science:

 

  • Twice a week with Ms. Carter
  • The units of study are: Earth & Sun; Water Cycle, Resources, & Food Chain; Ecosystems & the Food Chain; Properties of Matter & Chemical Reactions

 

 

Social Studies:

 

  • Twice a week with me
  • Marking Period 1 – Native Americans and Explorers
  • Marking Period 2 – 13 Colonies
  • Marking Period 3 – Revolutionary War
  • Projects:  Native American project (group), Explorer report (individual), 13 colonies project (group), Revolutionary War picture book (individual)
  • Notes are extremely important – all in SS notebook
  • Students take Vocab Quizzes and Tests.  Tests have essays
  • Content, Writing, and Spelling are all assessed on each test.

 

Reading:

 

    • Journeys Program
    • Lesson components are: independent reading, whole class lessons, guided reading, literature circles
    • Word Study is incorporated into daily reading assignments with Spelling tests every single Friday
    • Reader Response Journal Letters – They will write letters to me periodically
    • A lot more written responses are expected in 5th grade and are done daily in Reader’s Notebooks
    • No set number of books to read each marking period except the 3rd marking period (We will have a genre challenge)
    • Page numbers are recorded daily – email or call home if a child forgets their independent reading book frequently
    • Must have independent reading book at school every day (Goes to and from school)
    • Must read 30 minutes every night from their independent reading book

 

 

Writing:

 

    • Incorporating the new Lucy Calkin program into the older program
    • A lot of writing this year – may need a second writer’s notebook by spring – Usually by March
    • Poetry workshop – We do a lot of poetry lessons throughout the marking period
    • Will use iPad for writing assignments, but I also use the Writer’s Notebook a lot
    • When publishing their final copy, it would be a great help if parents could look over their writing, which will be on their ipads in google docs.  It helps with editing.

 

 

Word Study:

 

  • List on Monday, Tests on Friday
  • List will be in Assignment Book
  • Everyone has their own personal spelling list
  • Vocabulary work
  • Spelling is incorporated with the daily reading block
  • Spelling will begin once all benchmarking has been completed

 

 

 

Other:

 

*Daily Specials

 

  • Monday – PE, Tuesday – PE, Wednesday – Library, Music, and TPE, Thursday – Art and 2nd Grade Buddies, Friday – Spanish and TPE

 

*We will participate in the LEAD program this year (Formally known as DARE) with Officer Wendy. 

 

*Tests: 

 

  • Always informed of a test at least three days in advance

 

    • Help available during lunch and after school
    • Unlimited time on tests
    • All tests and quiz grades will be written in their homework assignment book
    • If a test comes home, it needs to be signed and returned as soon as possible

  

*Trips

 

    • Combined with Ms. Carter's class
    •  

*Missed days

 

  • Homework is not sent home when a student is sick unless it is an extended period of time. 
  • If you are taking your child on vacation while school is in session, they will receive any missed work upon their return.

 

*Healthy snacks for all ½-days

 

*Character Counts! Program will be incorporated in learning every day during morning meeting 

 

 

**My email: [email protected]

 

 

**Ms. Carter's email: k[email protected]

 

Please email both me and Ms. Carter if you haven’t yet so we can add you to our contact lists.

 

I hope you are excited for 5th grade!  Feel free to get in touch with me if you have any questions that I have not answered.

 

 Sincerely,

 

Mrs. Dodd

 

Tracie Dodd

5th Grade

Strawbridge School