May and June
Reading
5th Grade Times May and June 2012
We are continuing to practice our many reading strategies while
reading novels so we become great readers. In addition, we will be
identifying the characteristics of tall tales and legends in this new genre
study. We will focus on what information tall tales and legends reveal to
us about history, geography and various cultures. Also, we will be analyzing author’s craft as we study tall tale characters such as Paul Bunyan, John Henry, Pecos Bill, Mike Fink, Joe Magarac, and Johnny Appleseed.
Important Dates:

May 1st and 2nd– MSA
SCIENCE

May 3rd– Career Day

May 4th– Read Aloud
Day

May 9th– 5th Grade
Class Picture 10:00
Wear 5th Grade Tshirt
Students should continue to read every night for
at least 30 minutes. This is considered to be part of their  May 10th– Band Chorus Concert 7pm
nightly homework assignment. It is imperative that students read text that is challenging and engaging. Please  May 15th– Patrol Picnic
don’t forget your child needs to read 25 chapter books
9:30am-1:30pm
by the end of 5th grade.
 Week of May 9th- Interims go home
Writing:

May 17th and 18th–
Disease Prevention Instruction in PM

May 18th– Chorus/Orff
Concert Rio 9:30-12:00

Our next writing project will be writing memoirs. We will
be reading many examples in order to define memoirs and examine
them for author’s craft. Students will then begin thinking about signifi- 
cant moments in their lives. They will brainstorm the people, places,
events, objects and sensations of the past that have had an impact on

them. They will then use all the steps of the writing process to make a
collection of memoirs.
May 24th– Arts Night
7pm
May 28th– No School—
Memorial Day
June 1st- Last day to
make up work for the
fourth quarter

June 8th- 5th grade celebration 9:45 am

June 11th-- Awards Assembly 9:30

June 12th– Last day of
school for students. Dismissal 1:00pm
Math This Month...
Fifth Grade Math will be finishing Unit 5. The students have developed measurement skills
and will begin exploring transformational geometry. The many practical applications of measurement enable students to make connections among number and geometry concepts and operations. In our last Unit, 6, we will be focusing on probability and mathematical properties. In this unit the students will determine the outcome of many
events. The students will also write and evaluate expressions, learn the
order of operations, and use many mathematical properties to solve equations.
In Math 6, the students will completing Unit 4 which focuses on Algebra, Patterns, and Functions, and then will be moving on to Unit 5, Probability. In Unit 4 we have been learning to distinguish between arithmetic
and geometric sequences in addition to extending them. The students
have investigated patterns graphically and symbolically, represented patterns in tables or graphs, and generalized patterns into a rule or function. Finally, the students
will develop an understanding of expressions and equations and learn that algebraic expressions
can be manipulated to simplify expressions and to solve equations.
Science: Astronomy and Cells
The students had a blast at the Maryland Science Center! They explored several exhibits
including: Our Place in Space & Space Link, Newton’s Alley, Cells: The Universe Inside Us, Your
Body: The Inside Story. We also visited the Planetarium to better understand our universe by
engaging in a special program, Planet Trek. Thank you to all the chaperones that helped with
the trip.
For the month of May and June the we will conclude the unit of study on Astronomy and
begin cells using the following enduring understandings:

Cells are the basic unit of life and can differ in structure and function

The traits from the animals or plants of one generation are transferred to the next generation.

Some likenesses between parents and offspring are inherited and some are learned.

Light is a form of energy that behaves in predictable ways.
Social Studies:
In Social Studies this month we will continue to examine how our country expanded west.
We have begun learning about the transportation systems that helped changed the settlement
patterns such as the National Road, the Erie Canal, Oregon Trail, Steamboat and the B&O Railroad. We have learned and will continue to learn about how these different types of transportation were affected by geography and resources as well as the impact they had on people’s
lives.
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