Fifth Grade is now in the final weeks of the trimester. Here is an update on all of our activities.

English: We have finished reading Lois Lowry’s Number the Stars. This week, we had an insightful discussion around the conclusion of the book and aspects of the writer’s craft, including point of view and setting. We wondered how the book might have been different if told from Ellen’s (the Jewish character) point of view, or if the book had not been set in Denmark. Students also speculated about the fate of Ellen’s family following their successful escape to Sweden. On Monday, students will take a short test on the novel. Students have been practicing writing chapter summaries the past two weeks; learning to discern what’s an important detail is an essential notetaking and reading skill.

History: Currently entrenched in ancient Rome, we’ve been learning about the charismatic leader, Julius Caesar, his rise to power, and his alienation of the Senate which led to his assassination. This week, we also read about the Punic Wars, and daily life in Rome. Students selected topics for their research papers on Rome, and we discussed the process and goals of the project.

Writer’s Workshop: We wrapped up the Sentence Fluency trait, and launched into our final trait, Conventions…a fancy term for GSP (grammar, spelling and punctuation).  Students practiced some proofreading, and we explored the organization of a formal letter. Together, we brainstormed a list of questions for Lois Lowry, and composed a class letter to her. Next week, the students will learn how to compose a proper email (as in to a teacher).  In our optional Writer’s Club, our group began to compose a new ending to Number the Stars from Ellen’s point of view.

And now some dates:

  • June 1: PTR is due.
  • Join us on Thursday, June 4th for the Grade Five Writer’s Tea. Students will be sharing pieces from their writing portfolio created in Writer’s Workshop–poems, narratives and short creative pieces. Parents are welcome as we enjoy some celebratory treats and also watch a slide show of Grade Five’s adventures and milestones throughout the year. Please join us at 1:45 in the Grade Five classroom!