Welcome to Mrs. Murdy’s Fifth Grade Class

Alston Ridge Elementary School2015- 2016

Our DayMorning Work/Announcements Science/Social StudiesMath Lunch RecessLanguage Arts:

Literacy Activities (ex.: Word Work, Writing, Skill of the Week, Read to Self/Passage of the Week, Read aloud)

Guided Reading/Independent Reading

SpecialSnack“Chomp Time” = Remediation/EnrichmentPack up/Dismissal

This week: (Will rotate)

Monday – Art Tuesday – Music Wednesday –

Technology Thursday – Science Friday – P.E.

Respect above all!Self-ResponsibilityIntrinsic motivation“Fun Friday” = reward for students with work

completed and positive behaviorTeamwork/Helping one another“GATOR Beach Clip Chart”

Visual reminderStudents can move up or down“Lost at sea” = note home

Classroom Management

Language Arts (Reading/Writing/Listening/Speaking)

Math

Science (Motion and Design, Investigation Weather Systems, Ecosystems, Human Body Systems)

Social Studies

5th Grade Academic Areas

1. Reading• Literature• Informational • Foundational Skills

2. Writing

3. Speaking and Listening

4. Language

Language Arts

Building our reading “stamina” “Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” ~

Joseph Addison Helps with concentration and EOG passages/questions

RUNNERS strategy

QAR strategy (Question~Answer~Relationships)

Annotating text = a big middle school skill!

“Talk Back” to your book: Post-it notes/responses May include vocabulary, questions, character info, etc.

Working together to make your child a better reader:

Summarizing the key details of stories, dramas, poems, and nonfiction

Identifying and judging evidence that author’s use to change the reader’s point of view

Integrating information from print and digital sources to answer questions and solve problems

Language Arts: “Big Ideas”

Language Arts: “Big Ideas” (continued)

Writing opinions that offer reasoned argument and provide facts and examples

Coming to classroom discussions prepared and engaging fully and thoughtfully with others

Building knowledge of academic words

Instructional time will focus on three critical areas:Developing fluency with addition and subtraction of fractions, and developing understanding of the multiplication of fractions and division of fractions in limited cases. Extending division to 2-digit divisors, integrating decimal fractions into the place value system and developing understanding of operations with decimals to hundredths, and developing fluency with whole number and decimal operations.Developing understanding of volume.

Math: Content Standards

Standards for Mathematical Practice include:Make sense of problems and persevere in solving themReason abstractly and quantitativelyConstruct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of othersModel with mathematicsUse appropriate tools strategicallyAttend to precisionLook for and make use of structureLook for and express regularity in repeated reasoning

Math, continued…

Math homework? Notebook should go home!Notes should include HOW to do a problem

and EXAMPLES of that type of problemPractice, practice, practice!Use reading strategies ~ yes, in Math! Slow down…take your time!Opportunities to make corrections/raise grade

Math Tips:

Areas of Focus:Motion & DesignInvestigation Weather SystemsEcosystemsHuman Body Systems

•Inquiry-based •Note-taking emphasized•4 color-coded notebooks, 1 for each unit•Students are encouraged to review science notes/vocabulary on a regular basis (flash cards, Quizlet, etc.)

Science

Five strands include:HistoryGeography and Environmental LiteracyCivics and GovernmentCultureEconomics and Personal Financial Literacy

Social Studies

Homework is a “work in progress”…meaning it counts for completion and effort! It is meant to:• Enrich and extend school experiences through related

home activities• Reinforce learning by providing practice and application• Stimulate effort, independence, responsibility and self-

direction

“No Homework Binder”• Any time a student does not have homework completed or

in class, he/she records the date, assignment, and the reason.

• Oops…“I forgot!” = one per quarter• If homework is completed on time all quarter = Reward!

Homework

Homework will (mostly) be assigned Monday - Thursday:

Must be copied each morning from the board in the agenda completely and neatly.

Agenda must be signed each day by a parent/guardian.

Students will be assigned 30 minutes of independent reading each day. (Daily reading log must be SIGNED and handed in every week.)

Occasional weekend homework for project work or to complete unfinished work/make-up work

All homework must be made up during absences from school

Homework, continued:

Technology

Integrated into all areas of the curriculum:

InteractivePromethean BoardDiscovery EducationResearchVarious applications

CASE 21: (*formative assessment)

*After the first semester

5th Grade E.O.G. (“End of Grade” Test):

Dates to be announced (usually mid June)

Math /Reading/Science

Testing

Standards-BasedGrading

Academic Ratings:= Based on achievement related to specific objectives

Level 4: Extends targeted grade level standardsLevel 3: Demonstrates proficiency of targeted grade level expectationsLevel 2: Needs support to meet targeted grade level standardsLevel 1: Insufficient performance of targeted grade level standards with support

Communication/Working Together

My email: nmurdy@wcpss.netWebsite (also accessed through Blackboard) http://teachersites.schoolworld.com/webpages/NMurdy/index.cfm

Agenda• Please review with your child and sign each day!• Will be checked and “stamped” daily• Self responsibility

Homework “Gator” Folders (goes home M - F)• GATOR Sheet (Weekly Progress Report) (sent home each

Monday/Sign and return by Wednesday)

• Includes: Graded/returned work, office flyers, notices, etc.

Check agenda each day…is your child caught up? Is he/she falling behind? This causes children stress, but they often do not speak up about it!

Read, read, read! Read aloud, independently, fiction, non-fiction…talk about reading! Discuss what your child is reading all the time. Enough said.

Reflection is the KEY!Review all graded/completed work at home (Guiding him/her to make

corrections when necessary)Help your child learn from his/her mistakes…This is one of our greatest

teaching opportunities as parents.

“How can I help my child succeed/improve?”

Conferences: • Fall: To be announced

• At parent’s request

Volunteer opportunities (Please register in the media center!)

• Assist during small group activities

• Field trip chaperones

• Assist with supplying items for for supporting classroom/learning activities our class!

Conferences/Volunteers

NCDPIwww.dpi.state.nc.us/acre/standards

Common Core State Standards Initiativewww.corestandards.org

National PTAwww.pta.org/common_core_state_standards.asp

To find out more about the Common Core Standards…

Ft. Caswell/Oak Island ~ Our extended day “beach” trip is tentatively scheduled for:

Friday, March 11th

In house field trip at the end of April:High Touch High Tech “All Systems

Go”

Field Trips

Thank you for visiting our class!