This summer, the fifth grade students from the 2009-2010 school year will need to choose a book from the following list (or from the Newbery Award list at a fifth grade level or higher) and complete a book report which is due on the first day of school (August 30).
Hatchet by Gary Paulson
Peak by Roland Smith
The Secret Garden by Frances Burnett
Bread and Roses, Too by Katherine Peterson
The Cay by Theodore Taylor
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
Alabama Moon by Watt Key
Becoming Naomi Leon by Pam Munoz Ryan
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
Pollyanna by Eleanor Porter
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
Paint the Wind by Pam Munoz Ryan
(Pam Munoz Ryan wrote Esperanza Rising...so if you liked her style, you may want to pick on of her books!)
Include in your book report:
- **50 vocabulary words with their definitions.
- **Choose 25 of those 50 words and write a sentence for each using the word correctly.
- **Complete the book report worksheet using complete sentences to answer all questions (all students were given this book report worksheet the last week of school - if your child has lost this worksheet, there will be extras available at the school.)
- **Write a one-page summary describing the characters, setting, plot, problem, and solution. Include an introduction paragraph, one paragraph per topic above, and a conclusion.
- **A picture to represent the book or a picture of your favorite part of the book.
- **You must have a cover page and everything must be stapled together in the following order: 1. vocabulary words and definitions, 2. sentences, 3. book report worksheet, 4. paper, 5. any extra credit, 6. picture. Your name must be on the front.
Bonus Activities (This is not required, but if you would like 15 points of extra credit, you may choose ONE of the following activities to complete.)
- **A brochure informing people of the setting of the book – it must be a tri-fold brochure, with written information and colored pictures. It can be a real place or a fictional place.
- **A journal (with at least five entries – each entry with at least 2 paragraphs – each paragraph with at least 3 sentences) written from the point-of-view of one of the characters about events happening in the book. Spelling and grammar count!
I hope you are all having a fantastic summer so far! Good luck on your book report and next year as sixth graders!!
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Here are some updates on fifth grade:
Reading
We finished Esperanza Rising and it was a great success. The students enjoyed the story very much and I feel that they learned a lot about the Mexican culture through the theme unit. We are now finishing the short stories in their reading texts, but my goal is to complete another novel in the month of May. The novel is undecided at this point, but we will be starting it in the next two weeks.
I would also like the students to complete a book report on their own time in addition to the novel we will be reading. I will be sending information home about this project.
English
We are just about to finish the entire English book. Congratulations fifth graders! Our final unit is on research reports. Currently, the students are learning about the art of note-taking and outlining. Next week, they will choose their topics and begin researching and writing.
When we have finished the reports, we will be spending the remainder of the year diagramming sentences and putting all of the information together that they learned this year on nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, articles, prepositions, conjunctions, interjections, subjects, and predicates.
Social Studies
We are continuing to learn about Latin American culture in our social studies books. The projects that the students completed on Mexico were very impressive. I feel that each child learned a great deal about different areas of that culture from their peers' presentations.
Science
We are currently housing 24 chicken eggs in incubators in the classroom. The students have been working individually and in groups to learn about the anatomy of a fertilized egg, the health benefits of eating unfertilized eggs, and the life cycle of a chicken embryo. The chicken are due to hatch in one week!
When the embryology project is finished, we will end the year completing a unit on the human body.
Math
We are finishing fractions (YAY) and moving on to decimals. We will finish the year with data analysis and geometry. I'm very impressed with the effort the students have been putting forth in math this semester. I would still like to see more accuracy and speed in basic facts. Parents: Please work with your children at home on their basic facts so that when they do new concepts at school, , they are able to use those facts in solving the problem.
Reminders:
Again, there will be no "extra credit" during this grading period. The students should be putting forth their greatest effort on tests, projects, notebook grades, and homework. I am looking to see effort in classwork and that will be my deciding factor for those students who are between grades.
The fifth grade field trip will be Tuesday May 11 to Pittsburgh. We will be going on a tour of PNC Park, taking a packed lunch on the Gateway Clipper, visiting the Carnegie Science Center, and viewing a film on volcanoes at the IMAX Theater! The cost is $20 per student and the permission slip and the money needs to be turned in before Friday April 30 (Note: We do not have school that day, so it must be turned in before that date!)
Please check your child in the morning for the appropriate uniform. Many students are continuing to wear sweatshirts in the building, forgetting belts, not getting hair cuts, etc. Please be aware of this.
Thank you again for everything! If you need to contact me, feel free to email or call anytime.
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Spring is finally here! We are coming up to our third report card and our final grading period. My goal for the remainder of the year is to prepare the fifth grade students as much as possible for middle school. I feel they have come a long way since September, but I have big goals for them to achieve by June.
Note: I am no longer offering "Extra Credit" projects. As the students are getting closer to middle school, they must learn that they need to put their effort into tests and work during the grading period, not last minute "grade boosters." If a student is close to a grade (for example, a 92%) and has put forth a great effort in class and at home studying, I will bump the grade to an A, but if that student has not put forth an obvious effort, he/she will remain at a B+.
Here is an update as to what we are doing in class:
Reading: We are doing a reading unit with the novel "Esperanza Rising" and the students LOVE it. I'm very excited to see how motivated they are to read. We are doing a Mexican theme this month and including lessons from social studies on Mexico. Our Spanish teacher is also reading the book and using it to further their understanding of the language. Each student has a packet that must be turned in at the end of the unit, in which they are defining vocabulary words, answering comprehension and critical thinking questions, and writing journal entries to connect their own lives to the story. Finally, we will have a Fiesta to celebrate all of the hard work that was put forth. This Fiesta will be on Tuesday March 30 in which all parents are welcome to come. If you would like to participate, please send me an email.
English: We are currently writing a short story similar to the story of Esperanza. Esperanza was forced to leave her home in Mexico and come to America to work (a country where she did not know the language or culture). Students are to write a 2 page story in which they move to another country that speaks another language and has a different culture. This is due Tuesday March 30.
Social Studies: We are learning about all the different areas of Latin America. We just finished the chapters on Mexico and we are now learning about the countries of Central America and South America. In addition to our chapters, the students are participating in a partner project, in which each group was assigned a different part of Mexican culture, and they will present their information and any visual aids to the class on Tuesday March 30 (as part of the Fiesta). If you have any questions, please feel free to email me.
Science: We are beginning our unit on Earth Science. I am excited that the weather is warmer and I am hoping to take the students outside to do further study on the information in the book. Keep in mind that Earth Day is coming up soon!
Math: We are continuing our long, but important journey of fractions. I have to say that I'm very impressed by their understanding of the content. Please practice practice practice at home with your child. It is CRUCIAL that they understand their basic multiplication facts, because knowing multiplication facts will help them with division, factors, multiples, etc. If the students do not know their multiplication facts, it will be near impossible for them to succeed in the rest of the chapters in the book. We will continue to work on these in class, but math is like a sport. It is a skill that needs to be practiced!
Thank you so much for everything you do. I look forward to the rest of the year with the fifth graders!!
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Welcome back students! I hope you all had a great Christmas holiday and a restful break. We are almost in the second half of the school year, and I want you to be reminded of my policies and expectations before break and some new expectations for the remainder of the year.
 Follow all school rules
Follow the dress code
Respect ALL people and property
Give 100% effort 100% of the time
 As the year progresses, work will begin to gradually become more difficult, to prepare you for next year. You will be expected to do much more writing than you are used to, and you need to be very comfortable writing in complete sentences and paragraph form.
Parents: Please check and update (if necessary) any school supplies that have run out. Many students are coming to class without pencils and notebooks, and they are "forgetting" books and notebooks at home.
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Read more...
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Introduction
I am very excited to begin the school year with the new fifth graders! This is my first year at St. Joseph School, but I have lots of new ideas and plan to have a very fun learning environment in room 210. I will be teaching reading, spelling, English, social studies, math, and science. Ms. Wood will be teaching fifth grade religion.
Classroom Policy
In our classroom, students are to be respectful of themselves, other people, and property. They are to participate in class, come prepared, and be good Christians. To promote positive behavior, we have a "Ticket System" and a "Marble System." The students can earn tickets individually for good behavior, following directions, and helping others. Tickets are put in a jar and at the end of the week, we will draw a name and that student wins a prize. Marbles are earned as a class, and the entire class musts exhibit good behavior to earn them. Pebblies are put in another jar, and when the jar is full, we will have a reward day. If a student breaks a rule, they will receive a warning. After a warning, a privelege will be taken away. If the action continues, we will have a discussion with Mrs. Smith and I will call home. I strongly encourage good behavior in my classroom with rewards and motivation, so I expect there to be more effort to do well than problems with breaking rules.
Attendance
Students are to be in the classroom by 8:00a.m. If the student arrives after 8:00a.m. they must go to the office for a tardy slip. There are no exceptions. When a student is absent, he/she must bring an excuse on the day he/she returns. The amount of days absent is the amount of time he/she will have to complete make-up work.
Homework
Homework will not take more than one hour per night. If a student is taking longer than that, he/she may need extra help in the subject area. Please let me know if this occurs. I try to give time during class for the students to begin their work. It is their responsibility to use this time to their advantage. I do not give homework on Fridays. Students are to write all assignments in their assignment books at the end of the day, in which I will sign. Parents must sign the books in the evenings to show me that they have seen all of their child's homework assignments. If a student forgets an assignment, the student or parent can call the homework hotline at 724-983-8382 ext. 51.
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About This Site
Content by Faculty and Staff of St. Joseph School.
Developed by Mark Summers.
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