Math Homework

The school year is quickly coming to a close. Right now in the fifth grade we are doing our last round of standardized testing in the form of Reading NWEAs this week and Math NWEAs next week. I wanted to let you know that this will be the last week of the school year that I give homework in math. The students have worked hard all year long, and will continue to work hard in math class, but I like to reward their efforts by not giving homework in June.  I also don’t like to give them homework on days they have a math test so that means that Wednesday May 24 will be the last day of math homework this year!

All the students can benefit from practicing their math over the summer  to not lose skills. Students will be bringing their math journals home after the last day of class, and any of the math box pages would be good practice for them. There are also other things students can do to maintain their math skills over the summer. Have them practice multi-digit multiplication and division, addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of both fractions and decimals, and they can always practice solving word problems!

At the end of the year I will send home the last math report card. It will have all of the skills we have worked on for the year. Feel free to use the report as a guide to helping your student stay on top of their math skills over the summer.

At any time if you have questions feel free to contact me. I check my email frequently, even in the summer!

Ms. Harris

harrij@portlandschools.org

Spring in the fifth grade is a very busy time! Below is a list of upcoming events that are happening with your fifth grader. This will be updated when there is more information available.

March

7 - Spring Concert 9:15 - Band, Strings, and Chorus students show off their skills. Parents welcome!

9 - Students attend an assembly to kick of the CPort college essay contest.

14 - Students from Saint Joseph’s College come to teach science.

14 - Math Meet - Southern Maine Meet, only 6-12 members of math team can attend.

21 - Students from Saint Joseph’s College come to teach science.

22 - Math MEA Day 1

23 - Math MEA Day 2

24 - Movie Night! This is a fundraiser to raise money for our fifth grade trip. We are showing the movie ‘Trolls’ $5 per family

27 - In school conferences - already scheduled

27 - Portland Symphony Orchestra Field Trip

28 - Language MEA Day 1

28 - Students from Saint Joseph’s College come to teach science.

29 - Language MEA Day 2

30 - ½ day dismissal

30 - Parent Teacher Conferences

30 - District 2 Elementary Music Festival - 5 of our musical students will be attending.

31 - ½ day dismissal

31 - Parent Teacher Conferences

April

1 - 14 MEA Testing Continues

4 - Students from Saint Joseph’s College come to teach science.

4 - Reading MEA Day 1

5 - Reading MEA Day 2

7 - side x side kickoff - Students will be starting a film project with teaching artists from the side x side project. We will be showing our final films in May

11 - Students from Saint Joseph’s College come to teach science.

11 - Math Meet - Portland Schools meet, entire math team can attend.

17 - 21  No School, April Vacation

24 - 28 MEA Science test. 3 tests done on 3 different days. Exact days and times have not yet been determined.

25 - Winners of last year’s CPort Essay contest visit UNE

27 - Science field trip to Saint Joseph’s College

May

2 - Math Meet - Southern Maine Meet, only 6 math team members can attend.

8 - 19 MEA writing test. This will be one day of testing. Exact days and times have not yet been determined.

16 - Fifth grade parent night and side x side film screening. Parents encouraged to attend!

18 - Field Trip to see a Portland Sea Dogs game

26 - Step up day - students visit the middle school they will attend for sixth grade.

29 - No School - Memorial Day

June

1 - All City Elementary Track Meet - 9:00-1:30

2 - CPort essay winners announced 1:30

9 - Field trip to the New England Aquarium in Boston

*The following events will occur but we do not yet know specific details.

• Field Day
• Fifth Grade Farewell

Fifth Grade Math

Fifth grade is full of Mathematicians!!!! The fifth grade recently finished their fourth math unit and the students were very successful! The class average for the unit assessment was 80.1% This is amazing! I am so very proud of all the students. Most of the students got more than 80% on their assessment. 

The fifth grade is now working on unit 5. Unit 5 is all about fractions. We are learning to add and subtract fractions and mixed numbers with unlike denominators. We are also learning about multiplying and dividing fractions. If you have the chance ask your student to show you some of the work they are doing. It is pretty amazing. 

5th graders have been working hard in reading, writing, and math.

In writing students are preparing to compose their college essays. Guest speakers, including Bob Stewart, will provide support in their writing process to make college essays a more meaningful experience.

While in reading, students are researching the Westward Expansion. Understanding different perspectives is key when reading about events in history. We are learning how to properly take notes, find main ideas, and then build our own ideas from what we are reading.