5th Grade

Daily Learning Expectations at Home

To help support your child’s growth and reinforce classroom learning, please ensure the following activities are completed each day:

• i-Ready Math: 20 minutes of independent practice
• i-Ready Reading: 20 minutes of independent practice
• Independent Reading: 20 minutes of reading each day.

Each weekend, your child will complete a short written response using the provided question prompt.

 

These daily habits help strengthen essential math and reading skills while building independence and confidence as learners. Thank you for your support in creating a consistent routine at home!

Current Module: Module 5 - Project Earth

 

Over the next four weeks, our class will build their knowledge about our planet, with a focus on the persuasive text genre. We will read texts and view videos about different things people do to care for the Earth and its living things. Children will also write an opinion essay about what they think people can do to make Earth a better place today and in the future.

 

HOME CONNECTIONS:

♻️We are partnering with TerraCycle to collect used/empty Takis and Little Bites pouches.  Collection bins will be available in the QE cafeteria. Once we fill our containers, we will ship the items to the manufacturers in order for the waste to be recycled.  

https://www.terracycle.com/en-US/brigades/takis   - Send in Takis Snacks, Takis Rolled Tortilla Chips, Takis STIX™, Takis POP!, Takis Waves, Takis Kettlez, and Takis Crisps flexible plastic bags and canisters.

https://www.terracycle.com/en-US/brigades/littlebites - Send in Entenmann's Little Bites® pouches and Entenmann's® Minis film packaging.

 

Tips for families to support learning

→Set aside time daily for your child to share with you what he or she is learning. Use these ideas to help build your child’s knowledge about the topic:

• Talk about the ideas your child has added to the Knowledge Map each week.
• Ask about the texts your child is reading and what he or she has learned from them.
• Share with your child your own questions about the topic, and work together to find the answers.

→Explore the Genre: The genre focus in this module is persuasive text. Discuss with your child the characteristics of this genre.

• Spark your child’s curiosity
• Tie to the module topic
• In which an author presents evidence for or against something.
• In which the author asks readers to take action about an issue.

→ Build Vocabulary: Use these ideas to help your child build a rich vocabulary. 

• The Big Idea:  Reinforce the topic words contaminate, benevolent, imperil, endangered in conversation with your child. Use prompts like these: What is the opposite of contaminate? Describe a benevolent person.
• What Does It Mean?:  Have your child keep a growing list of the Critical Vocabulary words. Quiz each other on their meanings.
• Word Hunt: Looks for words with the Latin root bene and the suffixes –ive and –ure in books, magazines, online texts, and environmental print.

 

Use these websites/materials to support your child’s learning at home:

→ RAZ Kids has a large variety of nonfiction reading passages on your child’s reading level - Kids Log-In

→ Open access reading is available on www.readworks.org/ for short nonfiction passages on a variety of reading levels - have your child log in using their NYC email account and they are connected to our classroom

→ Targeted reading lessons on IXL that correlate to the objectives and lesson foci of this unit.  These will be updated weekly.  

→ Room Recess - reading games for all ages

WRITING MODULE 5: Argumentative writing through an Editorial

Focus Statement: Research and curiosity are flip sides of the same coin. Research is questioning and investigating with a purpose.

In our current writing unit, students will explore the idea that people see things in different ways, especially when it comes to caring for the Earth. Students will learn about different points of view on environmental issues and discuss why people may have different opinions. Using this understanding, they will write an editorial expressing their own opinion about an environmental issue they feel strongly about, such as recycling, pollution, or protecting natural resources. Throughout the unit, students will focus on clearly stating their opinion, supporting it with strong reasons and evidence, and organizing their writing in a clear and logical way.

HOME CONNECTIONS

Tips for families to support learning:

Families can support their children at home by talking about environmental issues and sharing

their own points of view. Encourage your child to read or watch age-appropriate news stories about the environment and discuss what different people think and why. You can also help your child practice explaining their opinion and backing it up with reasons during everyday conversations. These discussions will help students become more confident writers and thoughtful thinkers as they work through this unit.

 

WRITING MODULE 7: Expository - Curiosity

Focus Statement:  People see things in different ways. 

 

In our upcoming fifth-grade research writing unit, students will explore the idea that research and curiosity are flip sides of the same coin. Students will begin by thinking about what they already know and what they wonder about a topic. They will then research a discovery from the past—such as electricity, vaccines, or the internet—that still affects our lives today. Throughout this unit, students will learn how to ask strong research questions, gather information from reliable sources, take notes, and organize their findings into a clear research report. The focus will be on explaining facts accurately and showing how curiosity leads to important discoveries.

 

HOME CONNECTIONS

Tips for families to support learning:

Families can support their children at home by encouraging curiosity and asking thoughtful questions about everyday topics. Talk with your child about inventions or discoveries that impact your family’s daily life and wonder together how they were discovered. Families can also support research skills by visiting the library, helping children read informational texts, or discussing how to tell the difference between reliable and unreliable sources. These conversations will help students build confidence as researchers and strengthen their understanding of how curiosity drives learning and discovery. Always be sure to ask them WHY and to PROVE IT with evidence from their reading.

 

Math Topic 7:  Add and Subtract fractions with unlike denominators.

We will begin this unit by expanding on our fraction skills from 3rd and 4th grade. We will start by adding and subtracting fractions with like denominators using fraction tiles. We will use our foundational skills of creating equivalent fractions to complete the 5th-grade skill - adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators using fraction tiles and representations of fraction tiles. Students will use benchmark fractions, number lines, and number sense of fractions to estimate mentally and assess the reasonableness of answers.

 

Students will use strategies based on equivalence and reasoning to solve additive interdisciplinary and real-world context problems, such as cooking with recipes with fractions with unlike denominators. Students will use the Problem Solving Procedure when solving all types of word problems and tasks to solve correctly, prove their answers, include math vocabulary, representations, and connections. Students will solve using multiple strategies and relate the strategy to confirm their results. Students will relate each learning objective to their everyday lives, wherever applicable.

 

We will also be continuing our Exemplars work weekly. Each week students will complete an Exemplars task relating to the skills from the topic. Students will problem solve, justify their thinking, make connections, draw representations, and include math content vocabulary.

We have really been working hard at achieving our 5th grade fluency goal: multiply multi-digit numbers. We complete a multiplication tracker during math. The students have 2 minutes to complete as many multiplication problems as they can (max of 50). Then a peer scores them and they track it on their personal tracking sheet. They are able to see their progress week to week. This started week 1 of school and your children are getting more and more problems correct each week! We are so proud of them for all of their hard work. Please work with them at home on their facts from 0-15 so they can strengthen their skills and work their way up to 50!

**It is extremely important that children know their basic multiplication and division facts.

Basic Facts Flash Cards

Tips for families to support learning

→ Practice your Multiplication facts

→ Cook with your child and have discussions about the recipes. 

→ Have them add the ingredients together to determine the total amount of cups, tablespoons, etc that were used.

→ Encourage your child to use the Problem Solving Procedure when solving math problems at home!

Use these websites to support your child’s learning at home:

→ http://www.math-play.com/fractions-board-game/fractions-board-game_html5.html

→ http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/math/fractions/add-sub-unlike-denom.htm

→ https://www.mathgames.com/skill/5.77-add-and-subtract-fractions-with-unlike-denominators

→ https://braingenie.ck12.org/skills/102631

→ https://www.sheppardsoftware.com/mathgames/fractions/mathman_fractions_add_uncommon.htm

 

Science: 

Modeling Matter: The Chemistry of Food. In the role of food scientists, students work to identify a potentially hazardous food dye in a food coloring mixture, then to create a good-tasting and visually appealing salad dressing. They engage in hands-on investigations and use physical and digital models to gather evidence about mixtures at the observable scale and at the scale of molecules. They develop visual models and write explanations about mixtures, including whether they are likely to change or remain stable.

 

HOME CONNECTIONS

Tips for families to support learning:

To support your child at home there are resources posted on your child’s Google Classroom under the Science topic.  You can check out the different simulations and ask your child to explain what they have been learning.  The driving questions for each chapter and the key concepts you can discuss are listed below.

 

Unit Question:

What happens when two substances are mixed together? (1.2)

 

Chapter 1: Why did the food coloring separate into different dyes?

Investigation Questions:

How are different substances different? 

How are different kinds of molecules different? How are molecules similar? 

How do differences in molecules cause substances to separate?

 

Key Concepts

• All molecules of one substance are exactly the same, and they are different from molecules of any other substance. 

• Different molecules have different properties. 

• The properties of a substance are determined by the properties of its molecules. 

 

Chapter 2: Why do some salad dressings have sediments, and others do not?

Investigation Questions

What happens when you mix a solid into a liquid? 

What happens to the molecules of a solid and the molecules of a liquid when you mix them together? 

 

Key Concepts

• Some solids dissolve in water, and others do not.

• When the molecules of a solid are attracted to the molecules of a liquid, they spread apart and mix together evenly. 

• When the molecules of a solid aren’t attracted to the molecules of a liquid, they stay clustered together as a solid. 

 

Chapter 3: Why can salad-dressing ingredients separate again after being mixed?

Investigation Questions

What happens when you mix a liquid into a liquid? 

What happens to the molecules of two liquids when you mix them together?

Why does adding an emulsifier allow two liquids that don’t typically mix to stay mixed?

 

Key Concepts

• Some liquid mixtures stay mixed, and others separate into layers over time. 

• Some liquids hold together more than others. 

• The more a liquid’s molecules are attracted to one another, the more the liquid will hold together. 

• When the molecules of two different liquids are attracted to one another, they cluster together and become evenly distributed in the mixture. 

• Molecules of an emulsifier attract the molecules of two liquids that do not typically mix, allowing the molecules of the emulsifier and of the liquids to mix. 

 

Use these websites to support your child’s learning at home:

→ Students can work on the “Teacher Recommended” lessons that correlate to the Amplify Science topics and lessons.  

→ Students can explore the unit simulations at home through the links in Google Classroom.

→ Additional 3rd and 4th grade science topics are available for practice on IXL - this will help them review for science topics that may appear on the NYS Science Exam in May.

Materials:

Amplify Science digital tools, Amplify Science Simulations, investigations notebook/packet

🎨

ART 

Fifth grade artists are working on animal portraits in the style of contemporary Australian artist, Britty Em. She is known for her bold colors, playful patterns, and expressive subjects. Each student selected an animal that resonated with them and will add a human characteristic to them (such as glasses, hats, sweaters, crowns, bowties etc.) We will be finishing off our sketches with watercolors. It has been so wonderful to see how their own unique personalities and unique styles have shown through in their artwork.

  

MUSIC

The students in fifth grade music will be beginning the song “As You Walk Through This World.” The song discusses handling the planet and other people with care. Students will be drawing connections between their HMH unit on Planet Earth, their graduation, and their own journey in life. While learning this song, students will be practicing singing with adequate pitch, posture and tone, while attempting their first two part parallel harmony. The students will also learn the song in American Sign Language.

In addition, fifth grade students will be learning to play the soprano recorder. The students will be using this instrument to begin learning to read notes on the musical staff, beginning with B, A and G. 

Home Connection:

Students can practice the sign language for “As You Walk Through This World” by clicking the link below.

As You Walk Through This World Sign Language

Soprano Recorders are provided by school, but students have the option of purchasing their own home recorder. Recorders can be purchased using the link below.

 Soprano Recorders on Amazon

SPARK

Students in fifth grade will be continuing their partnership with SPARK New Victory Theater. Students will receive fifteen theater workshop sessions with teaching artists from New Victory Theater. The students will be working with their peers to learn about clowning, circus and theater skills. The students will be attending a performance of “No Excuses, No Limits” on 3/6 at the New Victory Theater in NYC.

PE

For the next couple of weeks, the Fifth grade students will be participating in the Fitnessgram. The Fitnessgram is an annual fitness assessment which helps students to develop an appreciation for lifelong fitness. It assesses strength, endurance, flexibility and aerobic capacity through a variety of tests. The results are confidential and the students are reminded to just try their best. Some of the components include the Pacer test, sit ups, push ups, trunk lift and sit and reach. At the end of the year, parents can view their child’s results on your NYC Schools account.

Health

Students will be identifying the different ways that HIV is transmitted and compare it to ways that HIV cannot be transmitted. There are fluids such as saliva and sweat that are not strong enough to be transmitted from person to person. By the end of the unit, I want students to create a four square about basic HIV facts including the definition, ways of transmission, tests/ medications, and how to advocate. The purpose of the 4 square is to assess students’ understanding of the disease as well as having an open and healthy conversation with others in the community about HIV.

We  ❤️  Feedback in FIfth Grade

Math:

Adilla E. - We have been practicing dividing a decimal by a decimal, and practicing how to remove a decimal because it doesn’t need to be there. I like to use the box method to divide decimals.  

Yuritizi T. - I’ve been getting better at dividing and dividing decimals!  What helped me was dividing using the box model because it helps me organize my math work.  

Evan M. - I like how every day we are able to use the same strategies.  If I have a decimal in both numbers, then I can remove the decimals and divide easily.  

Ana U. - Last unit, we learned about long division.  I like to use the box model because it is like the area model where you put the dividend inside of the boxes to determine the quotient.  

Reading: 

Eshan R. - We have been reading about different natural disasters and looking at nonfiction text structures, like cause-and-effect, problem-solution, and logical order.

Anthony S. - We have been practicing using context clues for tricky words.  We can look at the sentence before and after, and search for a definition around the word.  Sometimes the author gives a hint with a synonym or antonym.  

Jazlin D. - We have been reading lots of nonfiction!  We have learned about the author’s purpose, which can be the reason why they wrote the text.  Authors can write to persuade, inform, or entertain their reader.  

Naylanah B. - We learned about text and graphic features in reading.  They help me as a reader by teaching me a little more about the topic, and it makes me more interested in the topic and I want to learn more! 

Writing: 

Zarah B. - We are persuasive writers focusing on natural disasters.  I am trying to convince my reader that blizzards are the most dangerous.  Good writers include lots of evidence to persuade the reader that their natural disaster is the most dangerous.  

Ethan J. - We researched natural disasters and thought about which one was the most powerful.  My topic is tornados.  I am working on adding evidence to make my writing more persuasive. 

Alexa A. - I am using repetition for my claim and connecting my reasons back to my claim too.  I am repeating my claim to match back to my reasons.  This helps my reader because it shows the reader that my opinion is important.  

Levi C. - In module 2, we created our own narrative stories with characters, settings, and plot twists.  The topic of natural disasters is very interesting to me, as a writer.   I am able to add in cool facts and evidence.  We should add data and statistics to our persuasive writing because it will help people learn more about the disasters and how to survive if they are even living through one.  

Art, Music, Health, and Physical Education:

Liam L. - In art, we are working on creating an animal with human features with Ms. Rosa. 

Linda R. - In PE, we need to stretch first before we can start to play.  We make sure to always follow the movement expectation in the gym.  We only run if we are doing a running activity.  

Corey B. - In music, we are starting to learn recorders!  We did B practice, and we learned how to properly hold the recorder.  

Alex A. - In health, I learned about HIV.  I didn’t know that people can get HIV through needles or open wounds.  I can protect myself from HIV by not touching or sharing needles that people use.  If you see a needle on the ground, don’t pick it up and tell an adult.