We will have a school-wide Learn the Routine night on Tuesday, September 16th from 5:00-5:30 and again at 5:30-6:00 in each classroom to accommodate families with multiple students at THINK Academy. During this time, I will walk you through a word sort using the Words Their Way program that most classrooms have been implementing for the past two years. I will also share how to students use Kidblog to respond to writing prompts, explain Book Club more in depth, and share Google Docs, Glogster, CNN Student News, and interactive journals that we will be building throughout the year.
As in years past, students will have plenty of time to complete assignments in class if they stay on task. There are at least three 20-minute Daily 5 rotations each day for reading, writing, and word work. In addition, a minimum of 20 minutes (after math instruction, which usually lasts one hour) is given on most days to complete math homework. Most students only have reading homework each night (I ask students to read for 20 minutes each night.). Students who have not passed their three-minute multiplication tests by the beginning of 5th grade will also need to practice with flash cards every night. Fact fluency is critical for 5th grade math...without it, students will struggle with the 5th grade math curriculum for the rest of the year.
My goal is to help each student to be successful in the classroom and to become lifelong learners. I hope that your child feels the enthusiasm that I have for learning. I welcome any questions you may have about your child's progress.
