Dear Parents and Guardians,

On Monday, January 23, the focus of the weekly math homework will shift from practicing mathematical processes to test preparation.  As you know the state mandated test has been changed from the TAKS to the STAAR, which will be implemented this year for the first time.  Due to the fact that it is an inaugural year for the STARR, the students will be issued the same test preparation workbook that was purchased with our current core mathematics curriculum, and so being will have the TAKS label.  Within the next year as the STAAR becomes fully implemented your child’s materials will shift from the TAKS to the STAAR label. 

The workbook your child will receive for test preparation was issued for the following reasons:

1)    Review of key skills and applications in a mixed concept format

2)    Practice solving math problems in a standardized test format

3)    Time management practice (the students will have only 4 hours to complete 50 math problems on the STAAR and the time does not stop for bathroom breaks)

If you see that your child is consistently doing well on the assigned pages in this workbook with no assistance, completes the questions in a timely manner, and is performing well in both my class and in Mrs. Smith’s class, it is all a very good indication that your child has a solid command of 5^th grade mathematics, and along with continued hard work and effort, should succeed on the STAAR.

The 5^th grade STAAR mathematics test will be administered on Tuesday, March 27, followed by the 5^th grade STAAR reading test on Wednesday, March 28.  The 5^th grade STAAR science test will be administered on Thursday, April 26.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.  

Due to the short school week, I will not be assigning regular homework. Students may correct two assignments on their grade sheets if they have not done so already: #1 Muliplication Properties p. 56 and #3 Estimate Products p. 21. These corrections are due tomorrow, November 22. I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving and will see you back at school on Monday, November 28.

This Friday, November 4, is the last day of the second grading period. Report cards will be going home on Thursday, November 10. The latest grades have been entered into Skyward. All grades are correctable except for the “Beat It or Keep It” quizzes. However, students have an opportunity to take these quizzes two times. I will keep the highest score. On Wednesday, the students will take a 20 question math test designed by myself and Mrs. Smith. It will cover multiplication concepts involving problem solving, factors, and arrays that we have been working on during the last several weeks. This will be not a correctable assignment. Thus far I have entered 4 correctable assignments into Skyward. They are item #1 Basic Multiplication, item #2 Vocabulary Quiz 1, item #3 Advanced Multiplication, and item #5 Problem Solving p. 36. Additionally, I have not assigned regular homework last week or this week. Students are to be working on their corrections, studying for the multiplication facts tests called “Beat It or Keep It”, and working on the same bonus opportunities that I offered last week. Many students are not taking advantage of the chance to correct their papers and earn bonus points in order to raise their grades even though I have extended the deadlines. The latest date I can accept late assignments, corrections, or bonus is this Friday, November 4. The next “Beat It or Keep It” is also Friday, November 4, and will cover the 6-9′s multiplicaton facts.

The optional bonus opportunities that are available through Friday, October 28, are the following:

1) Homework workbook p. 22 #27 amd #28
2) Homework workbook p. 21 all questions

Please submit all bonus work on a separate sheet of notebook paper. Please include complete sentences in context for all answers to story problems.

All corrections for graded papers except for “Beat It or Keep It” 0-5 basic multiplication facts are due on or before Friday, October 28.

Please continue practicing basic multiplication facts. Students who received a “90″ or higher on the 0-5 Beat It or Keep It basic facts test, may try for a “100″ on the 0-5′s this Thursday, October 27, or they may take the 6-9′s Beat It or Keep It instead.

Today students were issued new homework workbooks. Students can write in these workbooks. If the assignment contains one-step mental math questions, such as the type of questions for tonight’s and Tuesday night’s homework, then students do not have to show their work in their math journals. Please see the ‘Weekly Homework’ page for further instructions on this assignment. I asked students to keep this homework workbook in their homework folders for safe-keeping.

The students have a new math grade on Skyward titled “Vocabulary Quiz #1.” They will receive their graded papers back tomorrow (October 14) and will record the grade on their gradesheet and grid. This is a correctable assignment. Corrections will be due on Friday, October 21. All students are encouraged to make corrections, especially those who scored under 85%. Corrections need to be submitted on a separate sheet of notebook paper stapled to the top of the original test. Students need to re-write each sentence that was missed and include the corrected math term in the blank. Progress reports for this marking period will go home next week.

The first grade of the second 6 weeks, Multiplication Basics, has been entered in Skyward, and your child should have recorded the grade on his or her new grade sheet for the second six weeks. This is a correctable assignment. Corrections on this assignment are due on Friday, October 14. Corrections are made on a separate sheet of notebook paper showing all work and stapled on top of the original test. Regular homework will be assigned this Wednesday.

The first six weeks has come to a close. The class of 2019 have welcomed new faces to our fifth grade family, learned how to organize and prepare for six daily academic classes, and have set individual goals for themselves. Some of the goals the students have set for themselves have been met and even surpassed while others are reflecting on their goals and how they will meet or surpass them the next six weeks. Each new six weeks grading period offers a chance to begin again and make a fresh start. Through spiral review and practice the fifth graders will continue to sharpen the skills we have covered the previous six weeks with the desired outcome of being able to apply those skills to new and varied situations. This six weeks students have new schedules according to “color” groups which are designed to be flexible and change throughout the year. Each color group is taught the same TEKS with the same rigor and is comprised of students with all levels of ability and performance. In other words, there is not a “high” color group and a “low” color group. Students who demonstrate the need for extra help will be serviced in small groups within the larger color groups as well as during tutorials from 2:45 – 3:30.

Due to the schedule change today and Big Honor Day, the students were not issued math homework today. I will resume assigning regular homework on Wednesday of this week.

During the next two weeks the fifth graders will be working on looking at multiplication processes as well as estimating numbers through rounding in order to solve problems using addition and subtraction of whole numbers and decimals as well as problems using multiplication of whole numbers. In addition to written homework students should be practicing the basic multiplication and division facts through the 12′s. I have seen some great apps that the students love to practice with, however, flashcards with the use of a timer and homemade memory games are also great resources. Over my many years of teaching I have seen that most kids just want someone to spend time with them. No matter the resources you have, they will always be second in importance to the time you can spend interacting with your child. I am looking forward to the second six weeks and seeing all of the fifth graders reaching even higher with a brand new start.

Due to benchmark testing this week, there will be no regularly assigned homework for my class. However, an optional bonus page has been offered to all students which is worth up to 8 bonus points for quality work. This bonus and all corrections are due on or before Thursday, September 29. Friday, September 30, is the last day of the first six weeks grading period.

Please look for the pink reminder sheet that went home with your child today about the upcoming 5th grade Parent Orientation to be held on Monday, September 12, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the elementary cafeteria. Come meet all of your child’s teachers as well as learn about the fifth grade program and the exciting year ahead!