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Classrooms Fifth Grade Overview
Classrooms Fifth Grade Overview
Fifth Grade
Chris Caretto
5th Grade Teacher
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(805) 969-7732 Ext. 305
5th Grade Teacher
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
(805) 969-7732 Ext. 305
Overview : Fifth Grade
Welcome to 5th Grade!
Below is a road map that will help you navigate the expectations for 5th grade.
1. Homework
I will be assigning homework each night, except Friday (with some exceptions). Homework will be due every morning. If a student is sick, it is his or her responsibility to obtain all missed class work and homework. All homework is to be made up. If a student comes to class without finishing homework, it will be completed during recess time. Students have been given a homework book in which to write their assignments each day. Please help your child check assignments nightly to be sure that all homework has been completed.
2. Reading
We will be reading five novels in class this year. Two will be related to major period events in history and three will be quality titles that we feel will enrich our students appreciation of literature. Chapters will be assigned nightly in the novel we are currently reading in class. Students will also periodically have a history reading assignment and will participate in SSR at school daily. I encourage the students to read in any book of their choice outside of class time and to share with the class what they have read upon completion. I hope that these book-sharing moments will promote interest and motivate others to read a book that is peer recommended.
3. Spelling/Vocabulary
Students will have weekly spelling and vocabulary assignments. The workbook lessons will always be due on Thursday. Thursday night homework will be a spelling pre-test of all 25 spelling words plus the 10 vocabulary words for the week. Upon completion, the spelling pre-test should be signed by a parent and returned to me on Friday. Any missed words should be written 3 times each to ensure proper spelling on Friday’s test. Students will also practice using the 10 vocabulary words correctly in sentences, which will also be collected on Friday.
4. Language Arts
Students will be developing skills in speaking, writing, and research. Each student will be responsible for two current event presentations, one each semester. Topics will be found in the daily newspaper, but I will ask students not to select stories that involve the war in Iraq and sports. They will be graded on their oral presentation as well as a written summary that is handed in. In Writer’s Workshop, students will learn techniques for enhancing narrative writing and will have an opportunity to explore expository and persuasive styles as well. Grammar will not be forgotten! Writing mechanics, sentence and paragraph structure, and parts of speech will also be addressed. We will dabble in poetry and research famous Americans while studyinghistorical time periods.
5. Social Studies/History
The fifth grade spends the year studying U.S. history from Colonial America through the Civil War. We will do an in-depth study of the time periods that directly relate to our trip to Boston in the spring. Students will be given mini-projects throughout the year that coincide with our class lessons and may require time at home to research and complete.
6. Math
Fifth grade continues with the Everyday Math program. Students will be exposed to fractions, decimals, percents, basic geometry, exponents, squares, and multiplication and division of multi-digit numbers. Most evenings, homework will be related to the lesson presented in class that day, but occasionally students may have computation worksheets or word problems to solve. This year we have added an additional math period called Math Lab. This will be a time to review skills, prepare for a test, or play unit appropriate Everyday Math games.
7. Class Trips
We will be going on two major trips, one in the fall to Rancho El Chorro Outdoor School in October, and the second to Boston in late April. We will also hike Montecito Peak and hopefully a few other trails as time permits.
8. School Attendance
Please make every effort not to plan vacations and appointments during school hours. In fifth grade our curriculum moves quickly. Even if work is made up, the experience will never be equal to the time spent in class. If it is not possible to schedule personal committments around school, the student can get makeup work before they leave or after they return to school depending on the assignment. Not all class work or homework can be given ahead of time.
8. Checking in with Parents
I will periodically send home emails entitled “5th Grade News.” You may not receive an email every week, but I will always keep you abreast of information I think you need to know. I will also contact you if I have had to talk with your child about an incident that has happened at school. I think it is very important to have a close home/school connection. I hope that you will also keep me informed if there is something I should know from home.
Below is a road map that will help you navigate the expectations for 5th grade.
1. Homework
I will be assigning homework each night, except Friday (with some exceptions). Homework will be due every morning. If a student is sick, it is his or her responsibility to obtain all missed class work and homework. All homework is to be made up. If a student comes to class without finishing homework, it will be completed during recess time. Students have been given a homework book in which to write their assignments each day. Please help your child check assignments nightly to be sure that all homework has been completed.
2. Reading
We will be reading five novels in class this year. Two will be related to major period events in history and three will be quality titles that we feel will enrich our students appreciation of literature. Chapters will be assigned nightly in the novel we are currently reading in class. Students will also periodically have a history reading assignment and will participate in SSR at school daily. I encourage the students to read in any book of their choice outside of class time and to share with the class what they have read upon completion. I hope that these book-sharing moments will promote interest and motivate others to read a book that is peer recommended.
3. Spelling/Vocabulary
Students will have weekly spelling and vocabulary assignments. The workbook lessons will always be due on Thursday. Thursday night homework will be a spelling pre-test of all 25 spelling words plus the 10 vocabulary words for the week. Upon completion, the spelling pre-test should be signed by a parent and returned to me on Friday. Any missed words should be written 3 times each to ensure proper spelling on Friday’s test. Students will also practice using the 10 vocabulary words correctly in sentences, which will also be collected on Friday.
4. Language Arts
Students will be developing skills in speaking, writing, and research. Each student will be responsible for two current event presentations, one each semester. Topics will be found in the daily newspaper, but I will ask students not to select stories that involve the war in Iraq and sports. They will be graded on their oral presentation as well as a written summary that is handed in. In Writer’s Workshop, students will learn techniques for enhancing narrative writing and will have an opportunity to explore expository and persuasive styles as well. Grammar will not be forgotten! Writing mechanics, sentence and paragraph structure, and parts of speech will also be addressed. We will dabble in poetry and research famous Americans while studyinghistorical time periods.
5. Social Studies/History
The fifth grade spends the year studying U.S. history from Colonial America through the Civil War. We will do an in-depth study of the time periods that directly relate to our trip to Boston in the spring. Students will be given mini-projects throughout the year that coincide with our class lessons and may require time at home to research and complete.
6. Math
Fifth grade continues with the Everyday Math program. Students will be exposed to fractions, decimals, percents, basic geometry, exponents, squares, and multiplication and division of multi-digit numbers. Most evenings, homework will be related to the lesson presented in class that day, but occasionally students may have computation worksheets or word problems to solve. This year we have added an additional math period called Math Lab. This will be a time to review skills, prepare for a test, or play unit appropriate Everyday Math games.
7. Class Trips
We will be going on two major trips, one in the fall to Rancho El Chorro Outdoor School in October, and the second to Boston in late April. We will also hike Montecito Peak and hopefully a few other trails as time permits.
8. School Attendance
Please make every effort not to plan vacations and appointments during school hours. In fifth grade our curriculum moves quickly. Even if work is made up, the experience will never be equal to the time spent in class. If it is not possible to schedule personal committments around school, the student can get makeup work before they leave or after they return to school depending on the assignment. Not all class work or homework can be given ahead of time.
8. Checking in with Parents
I will periodically send home emails entitled “5th Grade News.” You may not receive an email every week, but I will always keep you abreast of information I think you need to know. I will also contact you if I have had to talk with your child about an incident that has happened at school. I think it is very important to have a close home/school connection. I hope that you will also keep me informed if there is something I should know from home.