HAPPY POTLATCH!

Whew!  We really did make a Native American museum in 5th grade! Thanks again to all that helped.  I will be updating the previous post with more pics of our great work.  Seeing all the work displayed in the gym was really impressive.  It also provided a nice atmosphere for our feast! Throughout the week, students have been sharing their awesome Native American work.  We have cataloged examples of Native Americans as incredibly resourceful, artistic, spiritual people who appreciate family and community.  With the end of of this social studies unit, we will are already starting the next!  Please refer to the weekly update for each subject below.

MATH: We are working quickly through Unit 4 on decimals.  This week was a focus on Coordinate Grids.  Next week, we will move to adding and subtracting decimals before taking the Unit Test.

READING: In reading, we are reading nonfiction books on European Explorers.  Next week, we will also take the January STAR test and choose books for our Journey Book Clubs.  All students will be reading an award winning book with a plot centered around a character on a journey.

SS/WRITING: We are moving to our Discovery Unit.  This unit focuses on the Age of Exploration.  We will be focusing on the old European Explorers leading up to the formation of the American Colonies.  We will also bring in stories of modern explorers from various backgrounds.   During this unit, we will focus on Narrative writing technique as we read stories of explorers' adventures.

SCIENCE:Our Spider Plants have been properly propagated and we are taking data each week on various aspects of growth like leaf number and leaf length.  During the week, we will be focusing on experimental design and modeling photosynthesis.  We are also planning and designing the Ecooschoolhouse greenspace for our community project.