Dear 5th-grade families,
I hope that you are having a great week. MAP testing is finally finished and test results will be ready to send home later this month. Here is a recap of the things we did in September and a look ahead to what we will be doing in October:

• Math: Students have been studying place value and will have their second unit test coming up on Thursday. In this unit, students have been working on describing the value of every digit in a number dependent on its position. In math investigations, we have been discovering different ways that we can show our thinking and communicate our mathematical ideas clearly. In October, we will be learning more about how to read, write, compare, order, add and subtract decimals. Homework will be assigned 2-3 times per week as they progress through the unit. Please also encourage your child to practice their multiplication facts as they are very important to remember as we get into more complex questions.
  
• Literacy: Students have been using their reading folders to track their reading in various ways while in the classroom and at home. Our reading focus has been on finding interesting words within the text and deciphering the meaning through several reading techniques. In October, we will be working on writing book reports and answering comprehension questions about our class read-aloud, Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate. Students in 5th grade are instructed to read at home for 30 minutes a night. Please give your child time at home to read a library book.
  
• Science: Students have completed several hands-on investigations that have to do with the phenomena of matter and its interactions in our everyday life—mixtures, solutions, solubility, concentration, and chemical reactions. The driving question to our investigations has been what is matter and what happens when samples of matter interact. Students have been keeping detailed notes in their science journals and will be using these notes for unit tests and performance assessments. In October, we will continue to discover experiences with mixtures, and solutions of different concentrations, and also engage in engineering experiences with the separation of materials. Students will have complete their first practical exam within the next few weeks.
  
• Social Studies: With Mrs. Serjeant, Students have been studying the Inca and are working on a research assignment that will be an individual effort and will be done using google slides and/or poster paper. In October, students will be studying the Aztec civilization.
  
• Bible: Students have been continuing to discover the ways in which God shows Himself through Creation, design in nature, and in people’s consciences through worksheets, discussions, and small group activities. We have been reflecting on God’s unchanging character and promises by studying the stories of several different Old Testament figures. In October, students will continue to study how the Old Testament records the history of God’s relationship to man before the cross, and how that connects to the wonderful age of salvation through faith in Jesus, which fulfilled and led to the ending of that Old Testament Law.
  
• SEL: Students have been focusing on working together and encouraging one another. Students have been learning that God designed us to work together as a team and that together we can accomplish more than we can on our own. In October, students will continue a unit entitled "I Can Do It!”. Students will learn the difference between a fixed and growth mindset, and to develop a growth mindset.
  
• Writing: With Mrs. Serjeant, students have been learning techniques for editing and raising the level of narrative writing. They have been working their way through the writing process to write their own personal narratives. In October, students will be completing their narratives by typing them and submitting them through Google Docs. When students finish their narratives, they will be working on Research-based argumentative writing.
  
• Makerspace: Students have been working on exploring and developing an idea for a hands-on Makerspace project. Students have been introduced to the basics of Scratch block coding with CS First. In October, students will be working on researching their individual projects and will be introduced to the basics of Tinkercad 3D design.
  

UPCOMING 

October 10th - No School - Health and Sports Day 
October 28 - End of 1st quarter
November 3 - No School - Parent Teacher Conferences
November 18 - Ice Skating at Southern Hills 
November 23 - Open House for prospective families
November 24-25 - No School - Thanksgiving break
December 2 - Elementary Christmas Program
December 16 - Last day of school before Christmas break - 12:30 dismissal

Our Teachers Assistant, Hannah, presented her longboard that she made in woodshop class when she was a high school student at OCSI. Students learned about the process that it takes to make a project that they are passionate about!