Welcome Back! Update for 8/27-8/31

Hi 5V Families!

We will study 2012 Election this year in class. 

This is Mr. Vaid. How are you? 5V had a great first two days. I am enjoying my students and I hope that they are enjoying the class. We are continuing to set the tone for a great year and are slowly building our classroom community. It won't be built in a day, so please give us some time! Please know that content that students learn will also be studied within the context of real life such as current events taking place in our world, and/or authentic application. 

I want to provide you with a brief update about what the 5th grade and 5V will be studying next week:

Math: Please refer to the 5V Math Class blog with the link provided below. For easy access, the link is also located on the left hand column in the links for learning section.

Reading: Next week we will begin reading books. We have one major goal this year in reading and that is to encourage and further the passion for reading in our children. Sure we have some sub-goals, but ultimately we want to give kids the opportunity to love reading. We'll be studying genres, looking at books, and talking about books. I'm going to bring in some of my favorites and talk about them too. I am an avid reader myself and want to give the kids as much of an authentic reading experience as I can. We are also going to begin reading the story Because of Mr. Terrupt by Rob Buyea as our first read aloud book.

Current Events: A few topics for next week's current event coverage will include the Republican National Convention, the 2012 Election, the work of the Mars Rover, and Hurricane Isaac. Of course, being current events, we will add as we go! 

Writing: I enjoy writing and one of my goals this year is to have your student become an author or see him/herself as an author. We are going to open our Writer's Workshop this week and really begin living the lives of the author. We plan to write for authentic purposes and create a lot of student generated writing as opposed to me giving them topics or research to perform. That doesn't mean I won't be their guide regulate the debates we have, or we won't write formal essays. Believe me, we will.

Technology: I am getting the kids acquainted with the blog. At the same time, they are learning quick operating system short cuts and keyboard commands. It's just a little fun :) We have a technology curriculum in which we will blend with our day to day lessons. So if we go to type an essay, you can bet they will learn how to set the margins for the page.

Citizenship: We have our first class meeting on Monday. The kids already set the agenda and some points of discussion include: the new principal, the citizenship program, adding extra baskets to the table, volunteer service,  and helping others in the classroom.

Science: We're going to study weather. That is our first unit. It's quite fun! We are going to study the scientific method, layers of the atmosphere, and concepts in weather such as precipitation, condensation, evaporation, (I guess I could have said water cycle) air pressure, types of clouds, and we're going to also study general meteorology-things kids would see while watching a weather report on the news.

This is your Teacher Speaking!

Hello 5V Students and Families!

Welcome to the 2012-13 School Year. My name is Mr. Vaid. I am pleased to be your child's teacher this year. Who is that man behind the sunglasses? I have taught 5th grade at May Watts for 8 years. This will be my 9th year teaching. I'm sure you'd like to know a little bit more about your teacher than you perhaps already do. After all, we are going to spend about 9 months, 171 days, or 1,118 hours together this year...if not more!

First, come to the May Watts Meet and Greet on Monday, August 20th, 2012 between 1:15pm and 2:00pm. You can drop off your supplies and fill out a brief survey. We'll also be able to begin to get to know one another.

Fifth grade is going to be an excellent year. Please enjoy the rest of your vacation and I can't wait to see you on Monday.

Thanks,

Mr. Vaid

Thanks for a Great Year!

For me the end of a school year is always bittersweet. While the image of summer and a time to relax is exciting and appealing, saying good bye to my students is always a challenge. This year is no different. When I spend 9 months of the year, 5 days a week, and 6 hours a day with the kids, it's very easy to grow attached. I've always felt that my classes have the special family feel or basketball team vibe to them and this class was no different. In fact, the 5V class of 2011-12 exemplifies just that, perhaps more than others.

No doubt we've learned a ton, but the way we did it, and the manner in which we grew together and learned from one another is special. BELOW: KIDS LEAVING SCHOOL FOR THE SUMMER.

I want to thank all the kids and parents from this year's 5V for a wonderful year. Teaching is hard enough, but with your support, enthusiasm, and passion it really helped not only me, but the kids. Thanks again parents!

Perhaps I'll see you around town. The kids said they want to play soccer and kickball with me over the summer We'll see how they feel after one week of SUMMER!

All the best :)


Mr. Vaid

5th Grade Farewell Party: Wednesday 5/23!

Hi 5V Families!

This is a reminder that the 5th Grade Farewell Party will be tomorrow on Wednesday , May 23rd. Please...

1. do not pack a lunch if your child is going to enjoy the lunch/treats already provided.
2. consider applying sun screen lotion prior to school.
3. wearing a hat
4. bringing a water bottle
5. bringing a beach towel
6. consider bringing a healthy snack to eat before 12pm
7. consider wearing bug spray.
8. dress appropriately for the weather and games-shorts, jeans, t-shirt, and gym shoes would be best for the games and running.

Debate/Argument Topic: Recess Before Lunch?

The kids in 5V examined the benefits of having a recess before lunch. They were asked to take a position on the subject and were asked if May Watts should implement a schedule that has lunch recess prior to lunch. Here are the results of the survey and what they said. WHAT DO YOU THINK?!


YES: 87%

NO:  13%

Some thoughts:

• Kids can actually focus on eating instead of planning their recesses at lunch. They'll eat more if they have done the recess first.
• Some kids need to have lunch first so they can have the energy for recess.
• Kids waste food because they see their friends getting ready for recess and instead of taking time to finish, they just throw it away.
• It's too tricky because how would we wash our hands before lunch?
• We'll be more calm coming into our next class if we come from a calm lunch instead of a hectic recess.

Fieldtrip Reminders!

Hi 5V Families!

How are you? Here are two fieldtrip reminders:

1. The previously canceled WVHS Planetarium Fieldtrip has been rescheduled for next Tuesday, May 8th between 11am and 1pm. A new permission slip will come home but you will NOT have to pay because you already have paid. We just need consent to take the bus again.

2. On Wednesday, May 9th, between 930am and 1130pm, the 5th grade will visit Hill Middle School for a preview of the building and its operations. That fieldtrip is free and all of us have that form turned back, so thanks!

Curriculum Update 4/16-4/20

HEY 5V Families, 


Here is what we have been up to and are up to this week: 

Reading: 

1. The kids have learned their new challenge word: fastidious. Go ahead, ask them what it means! Tell them to give you an example. 
2. We are reading a photo essay called Seeing Earth from Space and we are practicing non fiction reading strategies. As always, I will model these prior to the reading and we have already practiced good pre-reading strategies today. 
3. Toward the end of the week, the kids and I will study a debate topic from our Time for Kids magazines and ask ourselves if K-12 schools should ban vending machines that sell sugary snacks. 
4. With the aforementioned note, we are going to practice research strategies and persuasive writing skills to take a position, write our opinion, support our thoughts, and cite our work. 
5. OMG-We are loving our new read aloud Because of Mr. Terrupt. The kids are studying foreshadowing, symbolism, and character traits each day with the story. 
6. In social studies, we are looking at and creating our own political cartoons to reinforce ideas about symbolism, inferring, and main ideas. This is very meaningful and deep work which will challenge students to think outside the box. You should see some of them already! 

Writing: 

1. We are going to practice good persuasive writing skills with the Time for Kids articles about sugary snacks and vending machines that we're reading. 
2. In social studies, we are writing political cartoons based on current events and issues that we've discussed in and around the world and culture. The writing include some dialogue, maybe a caption, and of course our artist signatures! 
3. With our read aloud Because of Mr. Terrupt, the kids are going to reflect on each character's personality, attitude, and background to create 6 word memoirs that speak to who the character is in a reflection sort of way. Then, the kids themselves are going to write their own 6 word memoirs about their own lives after reflecting on the 10 or 11 years they've been alive. This is also a very deep thinking/reflective project. 
4. We are finishing up our songs. The kids formed bands. We have: The Tigers, The Island Girls, U4, AMA, Black Bulls, and Mascara Maddar. You really ought to have your child sing the melodies they've come up with at home. WOW! Bringing their instruments in, writing poetry, lyrics, and coming up with melodies...It's like music class! 

Science: 

1. We finish up studying the life cycle of a star this week by studying supernovas and black holes this week. We'll also review the birth process with the nebula and the life of a main sequence star. 
2. We will use our sky maps again this week and will study constellations, their cultural relevance, and specific stars within the pattern. 
3. Next Friday we take our field trip to the WVHS Planetarium!!
4. We'll finish off by reviewing the 4 different types of galaxies. 

Social Studies: 

1. The kids will take the Unit 10 Test on the U.S Constitution and Government this Wednesday. 
2. They will write essays summarizing and reflecting upon government and its role in our society. They'll have the opportunity to side with the Federalists and Anti-Federalists and clarify their positions. 
3. We'll also put government into the context of our school and study the analogy by asking who the governing body or bodies of our school are. 

Citizenship: 

1. The kids in 5V know not to make things personal and use "you statements". You didn't give me a paper Mr. Vaid...You forgot to turn off the monitor...We do sometimes slip up, so a kind reminder to make I statements is always in store when need be! I think the monitor should be turned off! 

1. Math: Please see the 5V Math Blog! It's link in the Links for Learning Section :)