February 1, 2016

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Happy Monday! I cannot believe the beautiful weather we had this weekend! I
hope students were able to play outside and enjoy it. It is hard to believe but
we are now entering February!
Next Friday, February 12th, students will have a field trip to the Kentucky
Center for a performance of And Then They Came For Me: Remembering the
World of Anne Frank. I recently took my own children to the JCC performance
of this play and I thought it was a very real, thought-provoking performance.
Please look for the permission slip for this play to be sent home this week. We
are very lucky that this performance is a part of Stage One so students will
only have to pay for the transportation costs. If you are available to
chaperone, please notify me immediately as spaces will fill up quickly
because this is a play, we are limited on the number of tickets we can provide
for chaperones.
Attached to this newsletter you will find a short survey. I have received many
mixed reviews about the on-line homework system that the 5th grade began
to use this year. As a parent of a 5th grader, I can see many of the frustrations
parents have had as well as many of the celebrations for this online system. I
am asking that each family fills out the survey and returns it to me by
Wednesday, February 3rd. I will analyze the surveys to determine if we will
continue or discontinue the online homework.
Remember to visit our class weebly at http://rockstar5thgraders.weebly.com/.
I have already posted this newsletter to the class website. You can use the QR
code below to access the website as well.
Thank you and have a fabulous week!
Mrs. Schmidt

Whats going on in Mrs. Schmidts class?

Literacy: We are continuing to read the text The Sign of the Beaver. This unit will encompass
reading standards RL.5.3, RL.5.5, RL.5.6, RL.5.7, RL.5.9, & L.5.5.
Math: Students will transition their focus from 5.MD.5a, 5.MD.5b & 5.MD.5c (volume) to 5.NBT.7
(adding, subtracting, dividing and multiplying decimals)
Social Studies: Students will complete their unit on Settling in the West and begin to focus on
technological innovations of the 1800s this will lead us into the Civil War unit. .
Writing: Students are continuing to work on 90 minute On-Demand prompts. Students will learn a new
tool for writing and practice writing 3.8 paragraphs.

Upcoming Important Dates

February 5th Chinese New Year Celebrations
Our class will perform at the 9:10 & 2:40 performances
February 19th We the People 3rd, 4th & 5th grade
Performance. More information to be announced later
Friendship Dance
5:30 8:00 in the gym
February 29th School IN SESSION
March 14th No School

If your child has screen time, a GREAT game to play is Oregon Trail. It forces students to utilize
knowledge of math, social studies, and consumerism. It is an old-school 1990 version but it is a great
tool for students! It has can be found at https://archive.org/details/msdos_Oregon_Trail_The_1990

Dear Families
In order to better meet
student and family needs, I
am asking all families to fill out the survey below in regards to online
homework. Please provide any feedback you have as this will best help me to
determine how to meet student needs.
Thank you!
Mrs. Schmidt
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------0 = Strongly Disagree
Strongly Agree

1 = Disagree

2 = Neutral

3 = Agree

4=

I feel that the online homework is relevant to my childs education.

34

012

I feel that the online homework is meaningful.

34

012

I feel that my child is being challenged with online homework.

34

012

I feel that homework has become less of a chore for my child since switching
to the online homework.
012
34
My child generally wants to do homework now that it is online.
34
I would like to keep homework online.

012
01234

Please provide any written feedback about the online homework.

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