Reading

Again this year, fourth and fifth grade language arts is a combined class.  They are currently finishing up the novel Tuck Everlasting and have loved it!  There have been some deep discussions about the pros and cons of living forever and a person's responsibility to contribute something worthwhile to mankind while on earth.  Each student will complete a project of their choice in addition to the required activities.  Some have enjoyed the activities so much that they have asked to do all of them when given a choice of the required ones.

We began the year with a seminar on Langston Hughes' "Thank You M'am" and will participate in a second one before beginning our next novel.

Math

Math for fifth grade is following an inclusion model where Mrs. Sides is collaborating with a regular classroom teacher, Mrs. Bryan, to provide challenging activities for high achieving students as well as identified AIG students in her math class.  Mrs. Sides is also working with students in the fifth grade classrooms during the intervention/acceleration time each day.

Fourth graders have their own math class each day.  They are actively enjoying the advanced center activities from the new math series and the Singapore Math program.

 

Third Grade Nurturing

Gifted third graders have not been identified yet, so Mrs. Sides is visiting each third grade classroom once a week to facilitate activities that will improve the students' thinking skills.  The focus has been figural similarities and differences, sequences, and analogies.