HELLO! Welcome to 5V

Good day Families of 5V. The school year does not begin until Monday, August 22nd but after receiving your class list you may have wandered over to Mr. Vaid's blog.

Welcome to 5V. I am excited to begin the 2011-12 school year with you. I love 5th grade. This is my 8th year teaching (all at May Watts in 5th grade) and I hope that you are excited to start the school year. Not only will we learn a lot and become producers of information but we will also have an engaging, unique, and creative way of accomplishing our goals as well.

Meet and Greet: Please know that the May Watts Meet 'n Greet will be on Wednesday August 17th from 1:15-2:00pm. Please stop by the classroom so I can meet you and you can put your supplies away. Seating for the first several weeks of school is established @ Meet 'n Greet on a first come first serve basis, so come and grab your seat! I will also ask families to sign up on the 5V email list.

May Watts Citizenship Celebration 1:45-3:00pm

Tuesday afternoon May Watts students will be participating in the Field Day Citizenship Celebration between 1:45pm and 3:00pm. Because of the weather students should prepare with the following:

* Bring a water bottle

* Wear a hat if possible

* Apply sun screen prior to school

5th Grade Farewell Party

Hi 5V Families! The Fifth Grade Farewell Party is this Tuesday, May 17th. Students should bring the following items because they will be outside and because of the potential for heat. Right now, the forecast for Tuesday is 61 and sunny.

If you have, please wear/bring:

• Comfortable tennis or gym shoes.
• water bottle
• hat
• beach towel to sit on during lunch
• apply sun screen prior to arriving at school.
• Anything else? Let me know if you think something should be listed!

Curriculum Update

Hi 5V Families! Here is what we are studying this week:

Reading:

• We will be acting out a play "Name that American" this week and next week.
• Students will do solo or partnership skits/presentations with new vocabulary words (including two recently new ones: kerfuffle and acclimate)
• We will read our Time for Kids magazines to practice non-fiction reading skills.
• We'll continue our read for purpose book conferences.

Writing:

• Students have just finished their 6 word memoirs-WOW! So awesome-you should really read their 6 word memoirs...AND submit your own for a chance to be in the raffle for a prize.
• The kids will continue practicing their research and presentation skills and will write their outlines for their presentations by this Friday.
• We'll also continue to write our workshop stories and writing (SO MANY this year) and continue our share time on Friday.
• I also have some interesting topic writes for the kids this week and next week.

Math:

• Students in 5V will take the 5V math test this Tuesday.
• Pre-test for 5V math for unit 11 is Wednesday.
• We will begin unit 11 with a focus on a variety of studies such as: polygons, measuring polygons, and work with formulas to measure.
• Our small group work continues as does our computation practice.

Social Studies:

• During reading class we are taking some time to finish up our Civil War chapter. The kids are so engaged and into the lessons and discussions.
• We are taking a lot of quizzes to monitor comprehension and practicing study skills.

Science:

• We have begun investigating the parts and functions of the microscope.
• This week we will study the idea of magnification and learn how to magnify a specimen under the scope.
• We will also study our first couple of specimens this Thursday and Friday.

Citizenship:

• We will refresh our bullying lesson and unit.
• Students will also study the cool tool of the week which is "keeping hands and feet to yourself."

Important Dates and Reminders

Hi 5V Fams! Here are some important dates and reminders for this upcoming week:

Monday, May 9th

• Jump Rope for Heart (9:45am-11am) please bring p.e shoes and water bottles.
• Spelling test
• Math test review day

Tuesday, May 10th

• 5V Math Test
• Students continue research and practice presentations (coming up in 2 weeks)

Wednesday, May 11th

• Tentatively scheduled after school work day for researchers/presenters for the presentation.

Thursday, May 12th

• Continue practicing our presentations.
• Paw-print redemption

Friday, May 13th

• Citizenship Popsicle Party (courtesy of Sania's winning raffle ticket!)

6 Word Memoir Participation

Hi 5V Families! How are you? Our 5V children recently wrote a 6 word memoir trying to reflect/summarize/ponder the meaning of their 10 and 11 year old lives.

You can ask your child how he or she reflected on his/her life over the past 10/11 years. They wrote their feelings about their lives in 6 words (no easy task) Some memoirs from LAST year include:

• One way is right. Which one?
• Does God ask questions?
• Life's a rollercoaster...then it drops!
• Am I a shadow or person?
• Not the best, but has heart.
• I fall, I stumble, I'm okay.
• Never the best, but always good.
• Big dreams start from the seed.
• Was shy before, now very proud.
• Gotta stand out to be noticed.

Each time we do this, the child accompanies the memoir with a picture depicting the memoir. You should see your child's work. A lot are really powerful or at least provocative and all are meaningful!

Well, ponder is a strong word, but reflection. It's been a class tradition now for a couple years that I ask the parents to submit their 6 word memoir if they would like to. If you submit one to me via email, you will be eligible to take part in a raffle to win a gift card to a place I think you would probably spend it as you are parents and probably need things.

So, ask your child for some help, check out the examples above, and feel free to email me. It would help if your email contained the 6 word memoir in the subject line in case I need to go back and search to make sure you are part of the raffle drawing.

Mr. Vaid

Important Dates and Reminders 4/18-4/22

Monday 4/18:

• Wear nature shirts to school for Ecology Club's Earth Week.


• Try to bring books from public library to supplement research on impact person, event, or idea.


• Math Pre-test in 5V (Pre-algebra)


• Please turn in 5th grade party lunch permission form.


• Begin new spelling unit.

Tuesday 4/19:

• Research continues in the lab.


• Trash clean up in the back of the school as part of Earth week.


• Continue research.


• Quiz in social studies


• Invention models are due for 5V students who chose to make a model.


• Please turn in 5th grade party lunch permission form.

Wednesday 4/20:

• Assembly in the gym at 2:45 for Earth Week.


• Quiz in social studies.


• Please turn in 5th grade party lunch permission form.

Thursday 4/21:

• Wear white t-shirts as part of Earth Week.


• Thursday math quiz potentially.


• Study over the weekend for spelling test.

Friday 4/22:

• No school today.