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Page Last Updated Sep 17, 2008
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Mark Rockwell
Fifth Grade Teacher, M.Ed., NBCT
Millbridge Elementary School
China Grove, NC
CHECK THE DATES ON THE CALENDAR AND DOWNLOAD THE LATEST "TEAM 408 UPDATE" NEWSLETTER (FROM THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE FOR THE LATEST TEAM 408 INFORMATION
Please use either the link at the top of this page or e-mail me directly (mrocks7@windstream.net) for any reason at all. I welcome questions, comments, and input from parents about how you, your child, and I can work together to help your child learn and grow as much as possible over the course of the school year.
Stay informed by checking the calendar which will feature important dates (holidays, field trips, tests, etc.). I also want to recommend that you sign up to receive automatic e-mails letting you know whenever new information has been posted on this page.
Scroll to the bottom of this page to download a PDF copy of the latest Team 408 Update newsletter which features classroom news and a weekly tentative homework and assessment plan.
It is going to be a great year!
Students will be encouraged to express themselves as individuals and individual abilities, personalities, and interests will be valued. This recognition of individuality, however, will be balanced by a growing sense of responsibility to the whole as the year progresses.
I cannot overemphasize the importance of parental involvement in the education of the student members of Team 408! Parents are a critical part of Team 408! Without your daily support, your child will not reach his or her full potential. Here are some tips that can really make a difference in the academic and social success of your child:1. Let your child know that you expect them to do well! - Giving a child a sense of accountability for their school work will help them to know that it is important. If its not important to you, it won't be important to them.
2. Talk to your child about his/her day and what he/she learned when you see them in the afternoon or evening. Express interest in what they're doing.
3. Celebrate your child's successes. This doesn't mean that you have to throw parties or give them rewards, but, often times a simple comment like, "I'm so proud of you!" can really motivate a child to continue to work hard.
4. Establish a homework routine that is consistently adhered to each day. For example, you might make a rule that your child has 15 minutes for snack when he/she gets home, but, then must spend the next hour working on homework without disruption. Provide a safe place (e.g., the kitchen table) where your child can work without being distracted by siblings or the television.
5. Communicate with me. Send me an e-mail, write a note, or call the school to set up a conference with me. Sometimes issues at home can get in the way of being successful at school (e.g., sickness, family emergencies). If you let me know about it I can be more understanding about missed or poor homework and work out a plan with your child to make up missed work.
About the Organizational Structure of the
Fifth Grade During the 2008-2009 School Year
Each of the three fifth grade teachers will likely focus on one of the three state-tested subjects: Mrs. Meyers (Math), Mrs. Eller (Reading), Mr. Rockwell (Science). Students will spend approximately three hours focusing specifically on math, reading, and science each day while rotating through the three fifth grade classrooms. Each of the three fifth grade teachers will then use the remaining instructional time each day to focus homeroom students' attention on writing, social studies, and supplementary math learning through the Accelerated Math program. This process of moving students from room to room each day will allow teachers to prepare more high quality and in-depth learning activities for students to engage in while simultaneously preparing students for the daily movement between classes that they will experience in middle school. All fifth graders will receive science instruction in my classroom throughout the year.
Science
Science will be a major focus throughout the school year for Team 408. Because of the potential that science has to employ elements of reading, writing, mathematics, and history in the learning process, a majority of what we do in the classroom will be linked to our focus of study in science. Major concepts that we will be addressing in fifth grade science include:
Interdependence between plants, animals, land, and humans
Force, motion, technology, and simple machines
Landforms
Weather
Science in my classroom is based on hands-on investigations and project-based learning. However, reading, writing, speaking, and working cooperatively with others are all critical aspects of the daily learning environment in the classroom.
Through daily learning that emphasizes hands-on science inquiry while also employing reading, writing, and math skills, students will not only be preparing for the Fifth Grade Science End Of Grade test, but, also for the Math E.O.G., the Reading E.O.G., the local Fifth Grade Writing Test, and LIFE!
Students will use student-centered science notebooks as a way to help them learn, understand and analyze their own thoughts, record data from classroom experiments and investigations, and record important content and vocabulary information related to the topics we are studying.
Please do not hesitate to contact me for any reason.
It's going to be a great year!
Thank you for your support!
Learn NC: Fifth Grade
Resources for Fifth Grade Students in North Carolina
Rowan-Salisbury Schools Site
National Board of Professional Teaching Standards
Information for Parents About National Board Teacher Certification
Math Playground
Math Games, Word Problems, and Videos
Rainforest Maths
Great Australian Math Website