Headlines 1/30

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and was able to enjoy warmer temperatures and sunshine! I am happy to be back to a regular schedule this week and looking forward to learning and accomplishing a great deal.

Tuesday, February 14th is Great Hearts Day! We have reserved this special day to focus on the virtue of friendship and celebrate the traits that make a great-hearted student. We are planning interactive and fun activities centered around these topics, and time will be writing poems for our classmates.  Archway Arete strives to cultivate a rich, academic environment rooted in the classical tradition. This many times requires popular culture to be left at the door. On that note, students will not be permitted to bring store-bought valentines, candy, or gifts to school. Thank you for partnering with us. Pleas be on the lookout for a sign-up genius for goodies for our celebration!

ELA

We are enjoying reading The Secret Garden and identifying character traits as we read. We are focusing on finding textual evidence to support our inferences and opinions as we read.

This week in grammar we will introduce transitive and intransitive verbs. We will also be discussing our next writing project. Students will be writing a research paper over one of our explorers from our History Unit. The will be bringing home a packet today with all the information and a signature page to complete. This will be a long term project culminating in class presentations with a poster board. Please be on the lookout for this to come home tonight!

We will have our quiz over Roots 59-61 on Wednesday.  Students should study these nightly!

Poem recitations of  “The Road  Not Taken” by Robert Frost will be Wednesday, February 1st. We will also be learning our new poem, I, Too, by Langston Hughes.

Math

We began our next unit covering decimals on Friday, and we will continue this week, learning to order, add, and subtract decimals. We will be having math groups on Wednesday and a short quiz on Thursday. Math tests over Unit 6 went home on Friday. This was a very challenging unit and a difficult test. Therefore, as a team we decided to grade this test on a curve, and we will be revisiting these concepts later in the year. Math corrections are due on Tuesday for all students!

Science

We will continue to learn about the plant kingdom. We are learning about seed plants and Angiosperms specifically this week. There will be a quiz on the parts of a flower on Feb. 2nd.

History

This week, students will continue to learn about the Age of Exploration. We will be covering Marco Polo, the technology used during this time period, motives for travel, and the prominent Portuguese explorers, Bartolomeu Dias and Vasco da Gama.

Headlines 1/23/17

We had a busy day in 5C! We started the day by taking the mid-year MAP test in Math. We had a few technical issues but our kids handled it extremely well and worked very hard! Some students still need to finish Math, and we will take the Language Arts portion on Thursday.

We are running short on a few supplies in our classroom. We are moving quickly through our dry erase markers, kleenex, and glue sticks. If you are out and about and see some great deals, we would love to have our supplies replenished!

ELA

This week we will continue reading The Secret Garden and will complete our daily journaling based on the book. We will also be discussing how to identify personality traits of the characters.

In Writing we are finishing up our informative essays about the the interaction of humans and the environment. This will primarily be an in class assignment as we help prepare them for the writing prompts on AZMerit. We will also do a grammar review with a short sentence diagramming quiz on Friday.

We will have our quiz over Roots 55-58 on Wednesday.  Students should study these nightly!

Students should be working on memorizing “The Road  Not Taken” by Robert Frost. Recitations will be Wednesday, February 1st.

Math

This week we will complete Unit 5. We will be reviewing Monday and Tuesday and will take the Unit Test on Wednesday. We then move on to decimals! There will be no Math groups on Wednesday due to our testing this week.

History

This week, students will finish learning about the Glorious Revolution in England with King William and Queen Mary. The study guide is due on Tuesday, January 24, and the test will be on Wednesday, January 25th to accommodate MAP testing (students were made aware of this change last week). The East Coast quiz will be on Friday, January 27th. Students will begin learning about the Age of Exploration on Friday, beginning with Marco Polo.

Science

We will continue to learn about the plant kingdom. This week will be our first lesson on reproductive life cycles in plants as well. Be on the lookout for science homework in  the form of journal entries too!

Headlines 1/17/17

I hope everyone enjoyed their three day weekend! 

We spent the last hour of class on Monday watching an excellent documentary about the Children's March in Birmingham. I asked the students to share with you what they learned and hope that it sparked some conversation about freedom and the legacy of Martin Luther King. 

Our class was focused and worked hard last week and I hope to see more of the same this week!

We still have some slots available for the field trip to the Reniassance Festival on Tuesday, February 28th, if you are interested in attending please let me know!

ELA:

We have enjoyed reading The Secret Garden in class and have been completing daily journaling based on the book. We also are focusing on comparing and contrasting setting in the story.

This week in Grammar we are beginning our next writing assignment. Students will be using the AZMerit rubric to help them complete an informative essay about the the interaction of humans and the environment. This will primarily be an in class assignment as we help prepare them for the writing prompts on AZMerit.

We will have our quiz over Roots 51-54 on Wednesday.  Students should study these nightly!

Our next poem is “The Road  Not Taken” by Robert Frost. We will take the time to discuss the meaning of the poem in class and recitations will be Wednesday, February 1st.

Math:
This week we will review finding areas of a triangle and will them move on to finding the area of Parallelograms and rectangular prisms and cubes.  We will have math groups on Wednesday!

Science:

We will continue to learn about the plant kingdom. This week will be our first lesson on reproductive life cycles in plants as well. Be on the lookout for science homework in  the form of journal entries too!

History:
his week, students will learn about the execution of King Charles I and Britain’s Puritan “King”, Oliver Cromwell. Students will also learn how King Charles I’s sons came to power after Cromwell’s death. Students will be writing a short newspaper article describing the circumstances around King Charles’s trial and execution. Students will be receiving the Unit study guide on Thursday (due on Tuesday, January 24th), and the test will be on Thursday, January 26th. The East Coast study guide is due on Wednesday, January 18th and the quiz will be the following Wednesday, January 25th.

Headlines 1/9/17

Happy New Year! I hope everyone enjoyed a restful break and was able to relax and enjoy our beautiful Arizona winter.  I also want to thank you all for your generous gifts. I know that Mrs. McKernan and I felt incredibly spoiled and blessed by you!

We have lots of new happenings in fifth grade this quarter and are looking forward to a wonderful second semester.  Also, we will be taking a field trip on February 28th to the Renaissance Festival.  This is a fun and interactive field trip and we would love to have your help. If you are interested in attending, please let me know.

ELA

We will begin third quarter by reading The Secret Garden. This is a fun book that the students will enjoy!  Please be sure to have the book to school by tomorrow.

This week in Grammar we will learn how to identify both direct and indirect objects.  We will be using all of the sentencing diagramming skills we have learned this year to diagram these in sentenced

We begin our next set of roots this week as well. Please remember that next Wednesday will be the first quiz covering Roots 51-54.  Study these nightly to make sure you are prepared!

Science

This quarter, we will be studying the Plant Kingdom! We will be introducing the topic this week and studying non-vascular plants.

History

This week, students will learn about Queen Elizabeth I and the Golden Age of England. Students will explore the success of Sir Frances Drake and King James I, and study the Civil War under King Charles I. In Geography, students will study the states in the South. Students will receive a study guide to fill out with the New England, Mid-Atlantic, and South regions. The Study guide will be due on Wednesday, January 18th and the quiz will be the following Wednesday, January 25th. This gives students plenty of time to refresh their memories and review the material.

Math

Today we began Unit 5 and learned how to find the base of a triangle and find the area of irregular shapes. We will continue discussing areas of irregular figures this week. We will have math groups on Wednesday!

Headlines, 12/19

I can't believe we are getting ready to end our first semester and that 2016 is coming to a close!  The students have worked so hard this year, and I am incredibly proud of all the hard work they have put forth.

We have some fun activities planned this week in addition to our normal studies.  Our class celebration will be on Wednesday; thank you for all of the donations! Here are a few reminders about schedules:

• Today is a full day with regular dismissal, and tomorrow and Wednesday are half days, with dismissal at noon.
• Winter break starts on Thursday, December 22^nd through Sunday, January 8^th.  School will resume on Monday, January 9^th.
• Quarter 2 Evaluations will be sent to parents on Friday, January 6^that noon.

And this is a special message from Mr. Naaktgeboren!

To 4^th and 5^th grade families:

We are holding a grade-level team competition called “Royalty for a Day” to see who can bring in the most tax credits to support Archway Arete’s extracurricular clubs and sports.  If 4^th and 5^th grades bring in the most tax credits, I will be crowned “King of Clubs” for a day when we return from our holiday break.  As the King, I plan on holding a dodge ball tournament for all my royal subjects!  I will also hand out a special treat at the end of the tournament.  I appreciate all your help in asking friends, neighbors, and family to help support Archway Arete and help us win this competition! 

 Most Gratefully,

Mr. Naaktgeboren, King of Clubs

ELA

We are finishing up our Poetry Unit this week by using all of the poetic devices we have learned to analyze poetry.  Students should also be prepared to recite their poems, Monday December, 19th.

In Grammar we will be reviewing parts of speech through games and activities.

Students should be prepared to take the roots test over 26-50 will on Monday, December 19th.

After break we will begin reading The Secret Garden, so please bring that to school on Monday, January 9th!

Science

We will be analyzing the data from our bacteria cultures. It is fascinating to see binary fission at work.

History

This week, students will learn about the rest of Henry VIII’s wives. Students will start learning about Elizabeth I and the Golden Age of England in January.

Math

Our Unit 4 math test is today covering multiplication and division of fractions.  On Tuesday we will be playing math games to review all the work we have done this year!

Have a wonderful week!

Headlines 12/12

It's so hard to believe this is our last full week of school before winter break.  We have a lot to finish this week, and we have several tests and quizzes, so please remind your student that we are going to have a strong finish to 2016!

ELA:

This week we will continue our final writing assignment for the semester, a five paragraph persuasive essay. On Monday students will be writing their rough drafts and we are very excited to have parent help on Tuesday to help with our editing.  On Thursday we will be typing our essays in class.  We can still use more help on Tuesday, so if you can make it in, please sign up here:http://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0e4eaaaf29a75-fifth

In literature we are continuing our poetry unit and will be using the skills we have learned to analyze poetry.  Students should be prepared to recite their poems on December 19th.

This is our last week of roots for the quarter!  Students will receive their root review on Monday and should work on it for the remainder of the week.  The test over  roots 26-50 will be on Monday, December 19th.
Math:
This week we will continue learning about division of fractions and will review for the Unit 4 test.  The Unit 4 Test will be on Monday, December 19th.  Please make a note that we will NOT have math groups this Wednesday.  

Science:

This week we will be studying cell division in preparation for Wednesday’s quiz and analyzing the data from our bacteria experiment.

History

This week, students will learn about other prominent reformers in the field of Science: Galileo and Copernicus. We will finish work on their foldables. Study guides will be due on Thursday, December 15th. The unit test on the Reformation will be on Friday, December 16th

Headlines 12/5

I hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving and was able to enjoy some R&R and quality time with family.  I cannot thank you enough for your patience as I was gone and especially the parents who came in and volunteered their time.  We had a wonderful trip!

We are starting a few new things this week and still have lots to accomplish before the end of the year.  Continue to encourage your student to put forth their best effort as we make a strong finish to the first semester!

Math:
We will be studying how to divide a fraction by a fraction this week and today students will take a short quiz over multiplication of fractions.

ELA:

This week we will begin our final writing assignment for the semester, a five paragraph persuasive essay. We will begin by looking at the organization of the essay and then will do research and begin our pre-writing.

In literature this week we are beginning a short unit over Poetry. We will be studying various poetic devices and students will choose a poem to recite the week of December 19th.

100 Point projects are due on Friday!  If your child has recorded a skit please make sure to either email or send in a thumb drive.  We will begin presentations this week!

Students will be tested over the helping verbs on Tuesday, you can check out the link here to help study!

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=helping+verb+blues+youtube&view=detail&mid=0C0AB49C35090405B2B70C0AB49C35090405B2B7&FORM=VIRE

We will also have our roots quiz on Wednesday.

Science:
In science, we will be learning about cell division and doing a lab about bacteria!

History:
This week, students will learn about other prominent reformers: Zwingli, Calvin, and Henry VII. Students will also learn about actions the Catholic church took during the Counter-Reformation. We will continue working on their foldables. Study guides will go home this week. The unit test on the Reformation will be on Friday, December 16th.