Collaborative Efforts

Okay, I have to run now, but I thought I'd throw an online version of this week's Carter Current (just in case anyone missed it...so far this class is much better over all than my last class was [overall, mind you] about taking it home.) up for everyone to see. And yes, I'm being irresponsible with a run-on sentence like that!

Welcome to a new school year! For those of you I have not yet met, I look forward to working with you and your child during the upcoming year. For those of you with whom I’ve worked before, welcome back to another school year. I try out and learn new things each school year, and I am anxious to get started with this one. I’ve certainly enjoyed meeting your children over the last few weeks. I had heard great things about this group, so I‘m expecting a lot out of them as the year goes on.
Being new to the fifth grade proper, having taught Challenge for the last several years, I have put a lot of work into finding the best way to operate this school year. I am still working out the bugs and details, but so far we’ve had pretty smooth sailing.
I know the schedule in fifth grade is a full one. You’ll find there is always some big event going on or coming up around the bend. If you ever have any questions or concerns because of this, please do not hesitate to call or e-mail. Just make sure you remember the “1” at the end of my e-mail address.


Specials Schedule
for 5-1
A: Art
B: Music
C: Spanish and Media
D: Gym
E: Spanish
F: Music and Gym

Reading
In reading this week we read through a story in our Junior Great Books series called “Ghost Cat”. I was pretty impressed with the feedback I received during out discussion on this book. This required some critical thinking, and I was very pleased what a lot of the kids came up with in response to this story.
As your child has hopefully told you, the kids will not be doing AR this year, but instead will have to do two book reports per six weeks. As you know, the first book report is due on September 6th. The second book report will be in written form, and I’ll go over the guidelines over that one during that first week of September.
If I have students finish their reading too early, or come to school without their books, etc. (we have silent reading at the beginning of each day), I will assign them AR goals and have them take AR tests based on their STAR reading grade in addition to their two book reports every six weeks.

Word Study
My subject during our rotations is Word Study. This encompasses Spelling and Latin roots. Hopefully everyone saw the sample test and letter that came home either yesterday or the day before that. Each day, we will also have Word of the Day, in which we’ll learn a new vocabulary word and use it correctly in a sentence. I’m looking forward to a great year with all of the fifth graders on this one.
After some discussion with Mrs. Jackson and Mrs. Callahan, it was decided that I’ll also be teaching some of the Social Studies and Science since they only have class two or three times a week. I told them, “Hey, I used to teach this stuff every day!” There’s nothing I’d love more than to pull out some of those old lessons and teach them whenever I can.
Math
We did a bit of brush-up work this week in Math, starting off with some arithmetic and some math games as well. We’re almost ready to start changing classes for Math, but in the meantime I’ve been making sure the kids are getting some Math every day. I will be teaching the Challenge-level Math this year, and the other teachers will be taking everybody else for Math this year. Regardless, your child will receive a top-notch educational experience.

Camp Tecumseh
Our trip to Camp Tecumseh will be here before you know it! It is from October 24-26. If you have not signed on to go along with us, we could use you--moms and dads alike! If you have a son, that doesn‘t mean a mom can‘t go with him, and vice versa. Give me a call or e-mail if you haven’t signed on board yet and would be interested in going. We also need for some of the parents to be instructors. You don’t have to be an expert teacher--just willing to lead some fun and interesting team-building activities.

“How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these.”
--George Washington Carver

Have a fantastic weekend!
--Mr. C