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What it All Means in a Nutshell
Oftentimes, students & teachers have a language all their own. Below is a list of terms that the kiddos will have as a part of their working vocabularies in fifth grade. It should prove useful to you as you help direct them in their educations.
Advanced Notice – This is the portion of the weekly newsletter that provides a “heads up” about upcoming assignments, quizzes, & tests.
Assignment Book – St. Patrick’s provides each student with an assignment book & offers instruction on the use of the book. Daily, students are required to write in their assignments for each class. They are to indicate “X” = no homefun, “O” = homefun, or
“S” = study for each assignment covered in each class during the day. These books will also contain notes in the last column, if necessary, so teachers can correspond with parents. It is the responsibility of the student to obtain a parent/guardian signature daily for the 1st nine weeks. A grade will be assessed weekly for accomplishing this task.
Binder – The binder will serve as the essential element for organization. Students will create dividers for each section. Their white binder is for religion, reading, and science. The front of their binders will contain material pertaining to classroom expectations. The religion section will contain notes, quizzes, tests, prayer recite scores, and writing assignments. The reading section will contain vocabulary, chapter logs, reading unit Q & A’s, and critiques/summaries. The science section will contain vocabulary, W.O.W. experiment notes, chapter notes, chapter Q & A’s, and tests.
Catholic Dictionary Terms – Students will broaden their understanding of their religion through daily notes that outline important terms associated with our Catholic faith. They will cover two terms each day until they have accumulated ten terms. On the sixth day, they will demonstrate mastery of the terms through a matching quiz.
Chapter Logs – Students will write chapter logs for each novel covered in class. The typical log is a minimum of 5 lines and relates to the specific chapter indicated. An acceptable set will follow form for papers, have one log for each chapter, contain information about characters, setting, plot, & them, and be well organized. Many of these are created during class on the board based on student feedback. This allows students to develop their summarization skills, ask any questions about the reading while its being covered, and demonstrate understanding of the materials. Logs are graded at the end of each novel.
Form for Papers – This guide provides a thorough explanation of what a quality paper will look like. It is imperative that students take pride in their final products.
Homefun – Students will need to prepare for classes outside of class. A commitment of 5 – 10 minutes daily for quiz & test preparation from the beginning of a unit should suffice. Our goal is to have students learn time management skills & avoid cramming the night before.
Jumpstart – The jumpstart routine is key for the preparation of class. Students will enter our classroom, unpack, get out their agendas, and write the assignments that have been underlined word-for-word from the board. This enhances note taking, spelling and punctuation skills, provides a reminder for the students at the end of the day, and serves as a means of communication that parents can follow daily.
Mass Expectations – Each student will be expected to serve as a model for younger students. All behaviors during Mass are expected to demonstrate respect & participation during the Liturgy. Reflections will be made after every Mass, & students will need to listen and respond in order to participate.
Movie Points – Classes will have the opportunity to receive movie points. These points will be earned as the class demonstrates mastery of the 15 D.W.P. skills. The students will work together to make their totals increase. Once a class earns 50 movie points, it will be rewarded with a movie of their choice that has been distributed by Feature Films for Families.
Newsletter – Each Monday, our class website will be updated with a newsletter from each teacher. This will include a listing of upcoming assignments and due dates. Newsletters serve as an essential, informative guide for our class. Newsletters outline what our students have accomplished & what is scheduled for the future. Please make it a habit to discuss information included on the newsletter with your child(ren).
OUCH – This is a classroom management tool that allows each member of the class to see his/her role in setting a good example for his/her classmates. In the event that the class has to be reprimanded, it will earn a letter. This indicates that the learning environment has been damaged by choices made in the classroom. If the class earns all of the letters of the word “Ouch,” recess reduction will occur.
Progress Report – Once we have reached the middle of the nine weeks, students will receive averages to share with their parents. Students will obtain a parent/guardian signature & return the progress report to school. The goal is to keep students and parents informed. If you have a question about the score, ask your child(ren) to show you the materials in his/her binder. Children are not “surprised” by their averages; they will receive assignments back in a timely fashion. If the response isn’t clear after discussing it with your student(s), feel free to jot a note on the progress report. I will respond quickly by reviewing it with the student and providing feedback to the parents. Open communication is essential.
Retakes – In the event that a student feels he/she did not perform as well as he/she should have, a retake is available during recess on a date determined by the teacher. The original score will be averaged in with the retake score (even if the retake score is lower). While we always want to encourage children to do their best the first time, we also want them to obtain the necessary information, learn from mistakes, and strive to reach their potentials.
Syllabus – A breakdown of tasks & dates is provided for each major assignment. It is a guide for the “what’s” and “when’s” of the project. Each student will receive a syllabus on the day the assignment is introduced. Following it will eliminate the need for cramming and will reduce stress. Time is allocated for working on projects during class. If the task isn’t accomplished, it will become homefun. A copy of the syllabus will be posted on our class web page.
Stewardship – The fifth grade is the designated class for lunchroom duty. Students will be broken into groups of three and will rotate weekly. A schedule is posted in the classroom indicating when each student will serve. D.W.P. skills will be modeled for all students (K-8) during this time and will allow each child to demonstrate leadership.
Vocabatoons – Fifth graders will receive two words and their definitions through daily notes. The students will be given a quiz where they are required to correctly identify and spell each word through an oral quiz the day following the tenth term. A listing of the words will be posted on our class web page.
Weekly Recites – Each 5th grader will be provided with a copy of the year’s reciting expectations for prayer. The packet will contain the expected wording; each word of each prayer is worth one point. The score will be placed on the corresponding sheet immediately after the student recites. Students are responsible for keep their packets in their binders.
W.O.W. Experiments – We will discover the Wonder (of Science) on Wednesdays. Students will have the opportunity to work with the scientific process each week. They will create a hypothesis, indicate the materials necessary and the process involved, and report their findings. Students will be drawn to become lab assistants in a random drawing
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