October News!

I love the fall season-I don’t love that it leads to the cold winter, but I love the change of scenery-leaves changing, nip in the air, and children settling into the daily routine of school.  October means the beginning of the second half of the first trimester.  The first half was the honeymoon period.  The children are now keenly aware of what they need to do to be successful this year.  My job in 5th grade is to prepare them for middle school, but ultimately, they need to do what is required of them.

I love conferences. I get to sit down with parents and students, have a frank discussion about the students’ strengths and areas of growth, and use that discussion to create goals.  Individual goals are important.  They help guide students on a journey through 5th grade.   

Genius Time has been great-We have heard so many fantastic presentations, and I know I am not the only one learning so much about such a wide variety of topics.  So far, we have learned about hamsters, guinea pigs, Golden Gate Bridge, fish(ing), gods/goddess’, speakers, and Stephen Curry.  I can’t wait to learn so much more from this talented group of students.

Garden Awareness begins this month.  I love that the students are able to get out of the classroom to learn.  Working in the garden gives them valuable life-long skills. 

Happy October! 

Off to a Good Start!

 

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We are off to a strong start getting used to our routines.  We began reading My Side of the Mountain.  We will spend the next couple of weeks reading, annotating, and writing using Sam, the main character, as our guide.  It will be through our writing that we will apply our grammar, vocabulary, and spelling.  

Students are working towards growing their bank accounts.  Their deposits of Krutilla Kash through daily attendance, jobs, and homework is helping them build up their savings.  They will have a considerable sum to invest next trimester.

The students are very excited about Genius Hour.  They have submitted proposals; all were approved.  We will be working on our research for the next three weeks, and on September 28th, they will be sharing what they have learned through class presentations.

September is always a fun month getting to know each of the students and watching the interactions and learning that starts to unfold.