April 2019

April 2019

Spring is here. April showers will hopefully bring May flowers. April is a busy month as the fifth graders will begin taking our state assessment, M-STEP in the second week of April. The Window is April 8- May 3, 2019. I am a little nervous at the beginning of a window not to mention I am in a new building with "new scheduling" system.

Important Dates (Class curriculum)

Friday, Apr. 13, 2019: Favorite Colonial letter is due. Date extended.
Monday, Apr. 22, 2019: Math Unit Test 6, Investigations in Measurement and Decimal 

Forget Me Not dates (School Related Events/ Field trips)

Tuesday, April 9, 2019: Healthy Hearts Field trip, 9:30- 12:30 PM, St. Joe, Hospital
Friday, April 12, 2019: No school, Good Friday Observation

Subjects at a Glance

Math: We are studying Unit 6, Investigations in Measurement and Decimal. Students will learn 2 ways to divide and to multiply with decimals. 
Language Arts
Reading: We will review and compare all genres during April and continue to have guided reading. This month each group choose their books.
Writing: We are concluding our study of our Favorite Colony in a persuasive, historical fiction letter. Students counter an opposing argument in the letter as one of the supporting details. Below this section are the criteria on the rubric. We will write poetry during the Month of April as a way to review our figurative Language Fridays.

• friendly letter components
• historical date
• state the Colonial Region with relative location
• 3 Main reasons inviting a fictional friend  with 3 supporting reasons
• 1 of the 3 supporting reasons must be a counter reason (an opposing reason used on your behalf)
• Voice and word choice persuading the person to move
• friendly letter chatter

Social Studies: We are wrapping up our study of the Road to the Revolution as will review the tactics used to win the Revolutionary War the second week in April. Next, we will learn how the Colonies became a New nation as well as review our government unit. 
Science: We will conclude the final part of Infinity and Beyond and begin Human Body science unit by the latter part of April. 

Unit 6, Investigations in Measurements and Decimal topics

• Multiplication and Division
• Multiply and divide decimals by powers of 10.
• Convert between measurement units in the metric system.
• Represent fractional data on line plots.
• Answer questions about data on line plots.
• Estimate answers decimal multiplication and division problems.
• Multiply decimals.
• Divide decimals including the divisor. 

Welcome a new Student

Pod thinkers, room 122 will have a new student, Kotaro from Japan. Our new count will be 20 students. Please take note of this when bring any items or treats to the classroom. 

M-STEP assessment

The fifth grade window is April 8- May 8, 2019. Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress (M-STEP)  will begin in the second week of April, assessing grades 3-8, grade 11 as various times. The current fifth graders will be have an English Language Arts (ELA, Reading and writing), Math, Social Studies and Science.

If your child is tardy or absent on a test day, he or she will have to make up the test on another day.

It is not a timed test; therefore, students are encouraged to work at a normal, calm pace while using critical thinking skills. 

During each test, we will take a 20-minute break during testing to eat a snack and get fresh air. 

Daily your child should get a peaceful night's rest and eat a balanced breakfast. Also, bring a snack and water bottle.

You will notice a decrease in classroom assignments and homework the night of a standardized test and during the test window. Please check your child's planner. 

Monday, Apr. 8, 2019: ELA,                                                               Lab
Thursday, Apr. 11, 2019: Math                                                            Lab
Tuesday, Apr. 16, 2019: Social Studies, Part I and Part II                  Lab
Tuesday, Apr. 22, 2019: Science, Part I and Part II                             Lab
Make up  testing, TBA

Artwork Fundraiser

In March, a personalized flyer was sent home via backpacks for kids. The registration link is below.
original artwork . If you have any questions, email jmhutch@umich.edu