March 2010

Dear Parents,

We are halfway through the 3rd marking period of the school year, and 5th graders are busier than ever! Despite the workload, we still manage to have fun each day, but are looking forward to milder weather and an opportunity to spend more time outdoors. One important event this month will be the Scholastic Book Fair, the proceeds from which will benefit our new library. We encourage you to stop by and buy! Here is what to expect in each class this month:

English – Students will read Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis. They will study character development, drawing conclusions, and the fantasy genre. The class will also study point of view and write a journal entry for each chapter of the book. In grammar, students will learn about capitalization and punctuation, and use their editing skills to write a personal narrative. 

Math – The fifth grade will begin to use the “tools of geometry” to classify angles, triangles, and various quadrilaterals. The class will learn to identify similar and congruent figures, and lines of symmetry. They will use protractors to accurately measure angles, and drawing compasses to construct bisectors of lines and angles.

History – The class will study the Constitutional Convention and learn about the Great Compromise, The Three-fifths Compromise, and Slavery and the Constitution. Students will also learn about the three branches of government and the system of checks and balances. In addition, the students will memorize the Bill of Rights and learn about our Founding Fathers and the role they played in developing the Constitution.

Science – Students will complete a unit on the physical and chemical properties of matter. They will distinguish between physical and chemical changes, and design their own labs to separate mixtures and explore chemicals. Each student will also be responsible for giving an in-depth presentation about the properties and uses of an element.

Spanish –The fifth grade will be introduced to several “er” verbs, and learn to properly conjugate and use them in sentences.  The students will also compare the new "er" verbs with "ar" verbs they already know.  In grammar, students will be introduced to the preposition "a" which means "to".

Wishing you a peaceful month,

In Friendship, T. Lisa




March Events

  • Tuesday, March 2: Dr. Seuss Day! FAW Reading Event
  • Friday, March 5: Bowling for Books, 6-8 pm
  • Monday, March 8 - Friday, March 12: Scholastic Book Fair
  • Wednesday, March 10 and Thursday, March 11: Parent conferences, 3:15pm -6:00pm
  • Thursday, March 18: Coffee and Tea with Rose and Michelle, 8:30am