Today in Math class, we reviewed Chapter 1.  We began with a chapter walk, going page by page to see what had been covered/reviewed in this chapter. Next, students completed the first practice test at the end of the chapter (titled: "Check Your Progress").  On this page, there are reference page numbers identified in blue should students wish to return to the lesson.  In class I encourage students to do just that: go back and reread any lessons when they have uncertainty. After self-correcting this page in class, it becomes a road map for focused studying. Students should take note of any problems marked incorrect, review specific lessons in the text, review the related workbook pages, and perhaps even re-work some workbook problems from those lessons before starting tonight's homework.  Tonight students have been assigned the second practice test in the textbook (titled: Chapter 1 Test").  Here students will get to put their focused learning to work and see if there are other areas to brush-up on. Hopefully you can guide your children to take it skill by skill and use all of their resources to achieve great things!

Today we began our fifth grade poetry study by copying and studying "A Poem is a Little Path" by Charles Ghigna, who is known as "Father Goose."  This sweet poem is also the first of many poems that we will memorize in Fifth Grade, so I thought that I would write about the reasons to memorize. Here are eight reasons that I loosely borrowed from Lisa Van Gemert, the "Gifted Guru" and I share with you now:

1. It is a good way to practice remembering material, and to challenge ourselves.
2. It helps us to learn vocabulary when we learn it in context.
3. It helps us to learn English and its quirky syntax.
4. It can be a bridge to our learning and understanding in all manner of subjects.
5. It is a way to fill our minds with ideas that are worth remembering.
6. It helps us to appreciate and thus better enjoy other things in life when we make connections through poetry.
7. It is a way to know that others have felt what we have felt, and feel a connected emotional response.
8. It can be something beautiful that we carry with us.

It is always a surprise when our children arrive at a new milestone.  This year we have one of those "take you by surprise milestones" that Mrs. Zenevitch noted today in Physical Education class: it is time for deodorant.  In Fifth Grade, we begin to notice that students really need to wear deodorant.  It is especially noticable after Gym and after recess.  Please help your child get in the habit of wearing deodorant to school daily.  There are many different types available, and it will help them to feel better about themselves!

This year Fifth Grade is going on a journey designed to ignite a "Love" of reading!  Each student is being asked to read 30 books for independent reading over the course of the school year.  Although certain genres will be required, they will all be chosen by the student themselves, and at a just right level.   Each week, students will write about their reading in their journals and show that they can apply the lessons taught in Reading Street to their independent reading. Time will be given during each school day to read, but students will also need to make time at home to read, too.  Please help students keep a backup book in their backpack, and please make time for reading at your home! Stay tuned for opportunities to share books with "Book Commercials"  and Book reviews! Mrs. Downer and I are very excited to begin this year of sharing our love of reading with the Fifth Graders!