News From Mrs.

Browns Brilliants

It has been a busy few weeks in Fifth
Grade! Here are some of the things that
we have been up to, as well as some of
the upcoming topics of study and/or
activities.

Math: Students have just wrapped up a
unit of study on adding and subtracting
of decimals. This week, we will be
forging ahead into unit 3, which involves
multiplying and dividing of fractions. In
an effort to better meet student needs,
students will be pretested on the skills
and placed in study groups based on
their needs.

Science: Students have been learning
about the scientific process, as well as
about scientists (and what they do).
Along with those things, students have
been performing many experiments in
which students are gathering number
data through multiple trials, and then
they have created graphs of their data
and determined the mean (average) of
their data. Their next unit of study will
focus on cells, their function, and how
they work together to create organs and
body systems.

Language Arts: Students have been
working on identifying the elements of
fictional text (characters, setting,
problem, rising action, falling action, and
resolution), as well as picking out the
theme of fictional text. This week, we
will begin looking closer at informational
text, identifying main idea and

supporting details. They will use this to
springboard into paragraph writing
with a focus on giving information.
Students have also been writing
summaries of stories, as well as a
readers response letter to me, showing
their ability to write about their thinking
about the book they are reading
independently.

HALLOWEEN PARTY

There will NOT be school on
Friday, October 31
st
, due to conferences
being held earlier that week. Therefore,
we will have our class Halloween party
THIS Friday, October 24
th
. The
Halloween party committee met and has
planned out the treats for the party, as
well as the activities that we will be
doing. Students MAY wear costumes
during the time of our party only, but
do not have to if they choose not to. As
always, please remember that costumes
must be school-appropriate, with nothing
that suggests violence.



Parent/Teacher Conferences

Our fall parent/teacher
conferences are next week. The times
are as follows: Tuesday, Oct. 28
th
from
3:20 to 6:20, Wednesday, Oct. 29
th
from
3:20 to 6:20, and Thursday, Oct. 30
th

from 7:40 to 4:20. There will be no
school for students on Thursday, and
there is no school for students AND staff
on Friday, October 31
st
. Slips with your
conference day and time are in todays
Tuesday packet. Please make sure to
sign and return it to school with your
child. Thanks so much for your help with
this and I look forward to meeting with
in a team effort to help your child be as
successful as possible this year. If you
choose to have your child attend the
conference as well, that would be great!

HOMEWORK REMINDER

This is just a friendly reminder that
math homework is assigned DAILY,
Monday through Thursday each week. It
is due back the next day. We greatly
appreciate your efforts to help your child
complete this and return it to school the
next day. Also, although students are not
required to turn in a weekly reading
homework sheet stating how many
minutes they have read outside of school
each week, I do want to remind parents
that students are expected to be working
toward the 4o Chapter Book Reading
Challenge to be completed by the end of
the year.



UPCOMING EVENTS

Tuesday, October 28, 2014
School in session
Parent/Teacher Conferences3:20-6:20

Wednesday, October 29, 2014
School in session
Parent/Teacher Conferences3:20-6:20

Thursday, October 30, 2014
No School
Parent/Teacher Conferences3:20-6:20

Friday, October 31, 2014
No School

Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Student Early Release

November 27 & 28, 2014
Thanksgiving Vacation

Dec. 22, 2014-Jan. 5, 2015
No School: Winter Break



CONTACT INFORMATION

Phone: 333-3250 ext. 44227

E-Mail:
Deborah_Brown@bemidji.k12.mn.us

Website: deborahbrown.weebly.com