5​th​ Grade
WEEKLY UPDATE
October 10, 2016
UPCOMING AND ONGOING EVENTS​ ~​A few things to keep in mind…
Going Paperless! Papers typically sent in Wednesday envelopes will now be sent
electronically as attachments when the weekly newsletter is sent out. If you need a paper
copy, please contact your child’s homeroom teacher.
Middle School Book Fair
The Middle School Book Fair will be held on November 14-22nd. I am looking for volunteers. If you
are interested and have clearances, please contact ​[email protected]​. The Book Fair
profits support the school and classroom libraries and gets more books into the hands of our
students.
Yankee Candle Fundraiser
We are currently running a Yankee Candle Fundraiser. The fundraising packet was sent home with
your child last week!
From the Counseling Department:
Here at Saucon Valley Middle School we provide support for our students' academic, social, and
emotional needs. This year we will be hosting a variety of groups throughout the year. The groups will
teach skills and strategies to cope with changes and life events. Attached (​please see attachment in
email​) is a permission form for three groups that will be running the beginning of this year. If you
would like your child to attend a group, please sign and complete the form or email Mrs. Alderfer. If
there is a topic you feel would benefit your child please contact Mrs. Alderfer as well.
5th/6th Grade Social:
The first 5th/6th Grade Social of the year will take place on Friday, October 14th from 3-4. Please
make sure you have made arrangements for your child to get home. Buses will not transport
students from the Social.
Parents can check PowerSchool ​to keep track of student progress throughout the year. Call the
office or Mrs. Alderfer, our fifth grade guidance counselor, if you do not know your password
information.
Note from SVMS Office:
Any student in grade 5 that changes their usual transportation home MUST have a note or phone call.
We will NOT send students home in any other way than the usual without a note.
Remember: If you wish to assist with events such as field trips,
Parent Clearances Needed - Click to read more –
http://www.svpanthers.org/page.cfm?p=3379&newsid=538​ takes about 3-4 weeks.
PTG News: Next meeting is December 9th at 2:30 and December 13th at 6:30
5​th​ Grade
WEEKLY UPDATE
October 10, 2016
Giant A+ Registration is now OPEN​! Please log on to ​www.giantfoodstores.com​ ​and select A+
School Rewards under the Bonus Card Tab. You will need the first three numbers of your LAST
name, your Giant Card number and the SV Middle School code = 23438. Please sign up! This is free
$ for our school to help pay for field trips. Even if you signed up during school registration you still
need to log on to the Giant website to enter your info
Active email links are provided below for your convenience.
Team Cooperation
Team Integrity
Mrs. Kemper (team leader)​ Language Arts
[email protected]
Mrs. Kishbaugh​ Language Arts
[email protected]
Mrs. Stotz​ Language Arts
[email protected]
Mrs. Marsilio​ Language Arts
[email protected]
Mrs. Steirer​ Math
[email protected]
M​iss Burkholder ​ Math
[email protected]
Mr​s. Paulson​ ​Science/Social Studies
[email protected]
Mrs. Faccinetto​ Science/SS
​[email protected]
Mrs. Lewis​ Enrichment Teacher-LA & Math
[email protected]
Mrs. Henderson​ LA/Math
​[email protected]
Mrs. Kunkel​ ​Language Arts/Math
[email protected]
5​th​ Grade
WEEKLY UPDATE
October 10, 2016
Team Integrity’s Newsletter
Mrs. Marsilio~Language Arts
READING:​This week will continue working on drawing conclusions and the theme of a story. When
we draw conclusions, we take the clues from the story and combine them with our schema
(background knowledge) to come up with a possible conclusion to a comprehension question.
The theme of a story is the lesson learned. The moral of the story. The student will be able to identify
the theme using evidence from the story. We will be looking closely as Stellaluna.
Students were presented with a variety of choices of novels for book clubs groups. They listed their
top 3 choices, and on Tuesday will be given their assigned novel, calendar and assignments.
Directions for this project will be explained in detail. If a student is unsure of what to do, they need to
see me/email me ASAP. It is very important for everyone to come prepared to each meeting (with
their prepared notes and novel). Failure to do so will result in an immediate loss of recess, and they
will be unable to participate with their group that day. Students will have time in class to prepare for
their meetings, but will also need time at home, too. ​Meetings will be held on Tuesdays and
Thursdays during the month of October and may go into November. ​Students should refer to
their reading calendar to see the chapters that are due, for each meeting, and they should look at the
date/directions for each meeting’s assignment on the HW board.
WRITING:​ Students are completing their informative essay explaining/detailing three character traits
a person (or pet) of their choice possesses. Sentences should be complete and varied (sentence
beginnings, compound, complex, simple) and grammatically correct. Students will type their final
piece using GoogleDocs. Revising and editing checklist must be complete.
SPELLING:​ No new spelling this week due to the holiday on Monday and the shorter schedule for LA
on Friday because of D.A.R.E.
GRAMMAR: ​Compound and Complex Sentences - Students will practice in class. Students should
save all Unit 1 grammar packets in their binders until after they take the Unit 1 Benchmark.
Mrs. Kishbaugh ~Language Arts
Reading​- We will focus on drawing conclusions and theme on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.
When we draw conclusion, we take the clues from the story and combine them with our schema
(background knowledge) to come up with a possible conclusion to a comprehension question.
The theme of a story is the lesson learned. The moral of the story. The student will be able to identify
the theme using evidence from the story.
Through our reading of Wonder, we will be continuing to discuss the challenges the characters face.
We will be focusing on various types of figurative language.
Thursday of this week, we will begin to work on main ideas and details in reading. We will focus on
how the main ideas in a nonfiction piece aid in the development of a summary.
5​th​ Grade
WEEKLY UPDATE
October 10, 2016
An assessment on drawing conclusions and theme will be given on Wednesday, October 12th.
Period 1 and 2- Novel notes due on Thursday, October 13th
Period 3 and 4- Literature notes due on Thursday, October 13th
Writing​- Well, last week flew by, we focused heavily on editing our writing piece and typing which left
us with no time to finish. The amount of effort and thought being placed into the editing process has
been phenomenal. Our goal barring no computer shortages will be to get the entire piece finished.
Spelling:​ The unit 4 spelling test was given on Tuesday, October 11th. There will be no new words
this week. If a student would like to retake a spelling test, this week is the time to do it.
Grammar: ​The students are identifying the dependent and independent clause in a complex
sentence. The dependent clause is a clause that cannot stand alone. It also starts with a
subordinating conjunction (as, if, since, before, because, are some examples) The independent
clause makes sense and can stand alone. If there is a dependent clause, there needs to be an
independent clause. A quiz on independent and dependent clauses will take place on Friday,
October 14th.
Miss Burkholder Math
We are working in Unit/Domain 1: Number and Operations in Base Ten.
Periods 1 & 2 will be learning about the powers of ten. How a number is 1/10 or 10 times as
big as another place. There will be a “Decimal Sense” quiz mid- week (Thursday). It will be
assessing all of the previous skills. Next week we will be multiplying of decimals.
Period 3 & 4 This week we are learning and practicing place value of decimals. Students will
review reading, writing, and comparing decimals. Next students will be rounding decimals to a given
place and ordering them from least to greatest or greatest to least. There will be a “Decimal Sense”
quiz mid- week (Thursday). It will be assessing all of the previous skills. Next week we will be adding
and subtracting decimals.
*Please have your child practice his/her basic facts (especially multiplication) at home for speed and
accuracy. The goal is 50 facts complete in 3 minutes with 100% accuracy. There should be at least
five signatures a week when I check every Monday (this week Tuesday).
*Key Vocabulary​:
Value
place
digit
standard form
word form
expanded form
operation
order
rounding
expression
operation
compatible number
estimation decimal
Tenth
hundredth
thousandth millionth
evaluate
5​th​ Grade
WEEKLY UPDATE
October 10, 2016
Mrs. Faccinetto ~ Social Studies​:
Starting on Tuesday, 10/11/16, 5th graders will be presenting (in small groups) to the class.
Each group is responsible for 3-4 landforms/bodies of water. These groups have been researching
this vocabulary and looking for visuals using a Google Document. The small groups will be
presenting to their peers and the audience is to take notes into their study-guide chart. After all
groups have presented we will have a final review of terms and visuals. I am aiming for a quiz by the
end of this week. This date is pending. I will be sure to notify the students in a timely manner. 5th
graders will identify and define major bodies of water and landforms.
By the end of this unit students will be designing and creating their own personal island in a
culminating project, using these landforms, bodies of water and many of the other geographic terms
and concepts we have been working on thus far. More information is to follow, including a rubric, for
this assignment.
*Key Vocabulary​:
LANDFORMS: coast, mountain range, island, peninsula, plain, plateau, valley
BODIES OF WATER: ocean, strait, bay, delta, tributary
Extension, Reinforcement and/or Discussion Starters​​:
--Identify landforms and bodies of water on a physical map. How many can you find?
--Can you identify & find these “​CHALLENGE” landforms/bodies of water?:
archipelago
canyon
fjord
mesa
atoll
cape
geyser
prairie
badlands
channel
lagoon
tundra
--Discuss how the amount of water in a region affects the lifestyle of the people living there.
--Explain how the earth's surface has changed and continues to change due to forces on the earth as
well as inside the earth.
--Explain what impact different landforms have on people's patterns of living.
Reinforcement Videos & Online Games and/or Activities:
*Visual and Song to help remember landforms/bodies of water:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7v7R2bALbgI
*Landforms & Bodies of Water:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsqKTJtK_vw
*Landforms:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWTDmg8OI_Y
*Quizlet: Quick Quiz with Landforms/Bodies of Water (Some challenge words added)
https://quizlet.com/13247734/landforms-and-bodies-of-water-definitions-flash-cards/
*Please be sure to check you son/daughter’s Social Studies folder for up-​to​-date materials,
occasional “clean​outs” and that they are keeping up with general organization/neatness.
5​th​ Grade
WEEKLY UPDATE
October 10, 2016
Team Cooperation’s Newsletter
Mrs. Stotz~Language Arts
READING:​ Students will participate in Meetings # 3 and 4 on Tuesday and Thursday this week.
Students should come to class with their prepared notes and their novel, ready to discuss their
assigned chapters. Directions for this project were explained in detail last week. If a student is
unsure of what to do, they need to see me/email me ASAP. It is very important for everyone to come
prepared to each meeting (with their prepared notes and novel). Failure to do so will result in an
immediate loss of recess, and they will be unable to participate with their group that day. Students
will have time in class to prepare for their meetings, but will also need time at home, too.
We will be discussing theme vs. main idea and begin to practice summarizing. We will also start to
examine and analyze how authors use similes to enhance their writing as we continue to practice
various word/meaning solving strategies. I will read aloud picture books to model these skills, and
students will practice with ​Swindle and their novels. ​Students will be tested on drawing
conclusions and theme on Wednesday, October 19.
WRITING:​ Students will finish working on their informative essay explaining/detailing three character
traits a person (or pet) of their choice possesses. Sentences should be complete and varied
(sentence beginnings, compound, complex, simple) and grammatically correct. Students will then
begin brainstorming ideas for their next informative pieces.
SPELLING:​ There will be no new spelling this week. Students who would like retake Week 4’s
spelling test will need to complete nightly activities for practice in order to retake on Friday. Students
may also practice at ​www.spellingcity.com/jkstotz​.
GRAMMAR: ​Compound and Complex Sentences - students will practice in class and will be quizzed
on Friday. Students should save all Unit 1 grammar packets in their binders until after they take the
Unit 1 Benchmark.
MISC.: ​Students in my Language Arts classes will have D.A.R.E. on Friday during periods 2 and 4.
Mrs. Kemper~Language Arts
READING​ Our class is continuing with the read aloud, “The War that Saved my Life”. Students are reading and
responding to quality literature and forming discussion groups. Titles include “The True Confessions
of Charlotte Doyle”, “Island of the Blue Dolphins”, “Al Capone does my Shirts”, and “The Watsons go
to Birmingham”. All of the books have been divided into 6 sections with due dates for work listed. We
will be discussing drawing conclusions, summarizing, mood and tone.
5​th​ Grade
WEEKLY UPDATE
October 10, 2016
WRITING - ​ Students continue to create four square prewrites and five paragraph informational
essays. Topics we have written thus far include: Informational choice topic, Describe a family member
sharing traits and evidence for traits, and My favorite food.
Students have learned about topic sentences and creating catchy beginnings.
SPELLING​ - Spelling test -Friday. Students pretest to determine which unit to focus on for the week.
Some students work on the main lesson (ed, ing endings this week), while others who pre-tested out
of the main lesson work on challenge spelling lessons. We pretest every week.
GRAMMAR - ​The focus on grammar this week is on independent and dependent clauses. This topic
will lead us into discussions on compound and complex sentences.
Book orders are due Oct. 5. The online ordering code is ​HFLJF.
Reminder T-shirt orders are due Oct. 14.
​Mrs. Steirer~Math
Periods 1: The students will be multiplying multi-digit whole numbers and decimals within real-world
situations. We will review long division using 1-digit divisors and then move into dividing whole
numbers using 2-digit divisors. We will then finish up Domain I: Numbers and Operations in Base 10
by dividing decimal dividends by whole number and decimal divisors.
Period 2: The students began learning the rules of order of operations. Ask your child what
PEMDAS stands for! As we continue solving problems using the order of operations, we will review
problem solving using the problem solver’s guide (CUBES). Toward the end of the week the students
will have a quiz on a variety of skills we have been working on since the beginning of the school year.
Periods 3 and 4: This week we will continue reviewing reading, writing, comparing decimals,
rounding decimals to a given place. We will then begin adding and subtracting decimals and
multiplying multi-digit whole numbers and decimal numbers.
*Please have your child practice his/her basic facts (especially multiplication) at home for speed and
accuracy. The goal is 50 facts complete in 3 minutes with 100% accuracy. I will be providing
practice packets for those students that need to work toward achieving the goal.
Mrs. Paulson ~ Social Studies
We began our unit on landforms and bodies of water last week. Students are focusing on 3 types of
land/water forms. Groups began to research their geographic terms; defining, finding examples,
choosing images, and identifying causes of each. Each group will become the “expert” of their terms,
presenting their information to the class. A small quiz on the major geographic terms, with a focus
on the group’s researched terms will be given towards the end of the week. That will lead us to the
5​th​ Grade
WEEKLY UPDATE
October 10, 2016
culmination of our geography unit. Students will be designing and creating their own personal island
using these landforms, bodies of water and many of the other geographic terms and concepts we
have been working on thus far.
*Key Vocabulary​:
LANDFORMS: coast, mountain range, island, peninsula, plain, plateau, valley
BODIES OF WATER: ocean, strait, bay, delta, tributary
Reinforcement Videos & Online Games and/or Activities:
*Visual and Song to help remember landforms/bodies of water:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7v7R2bALbgI
*Landforms & Bodies of Water:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsqKTJtK_vw
*Landforms:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWTDmg8OI_Y
*Quizlet: Quick Quiz with Landforms/Bodies of Water (Some challenge words added)
https://quizlet.com/13247734/landforms-and-bodies-of-water-definitions-flash-cards/
*Please be sure to check you son/daughter’s Social Studies folder for up-​to​-date materials,
occasional “clean​outs” and that they are keeping up with general organization/neatness.
Mrs. Lewis - Enrichment Teacher