Mrs. Douglass
Subjects

Study Skills:  One of the most important areas which will help your child have success in 5th grade is that of study skills.  I am talking a)specifically about organizational skills (keeping track of assignments in their binder and turning them in on time); b) using their student planner (to write down assignments so they know what is assigned once they get home and what is due); c) studying for quizzes/tests.  One of the biggest adjustments to 5th grade is the increase in the number of quizzes and tests your child will be taking in all subject areas.  They will always know ahead of time when quizzes/tests are.  We review for these at least one day, and sometimes two days, in advance.  I encourage you to work together with your child to find a quiet/effective homework time and area in your house that will allow work to be completed with minimal distractions.

Reading:  Our first reading theme is called, "Nature's Fury".  We will delve into volcanoes, experience the eye of a tornado with storm chaser Warren Faidley, endure an earthquake, along with some of the other things Mother Nature has in store for us.  Given the tragic weather-related news of late, it makes this area of study a particularly appropriate one.  See if you can find some newspaper or magazine articles/pictures about one of nature's phenomenon to bring to class and share!

Writing:    We continue focusing on the steps of the writing process your child has become familiar with, as well as engaging in activities in grammar and spelling to help us polish our writing.  I encourage my students to ask their parents to help them proofread and edit their rough drafts of writing.  Most stories will not have to be typed, although it is usually optional.  If a piece of writing must be typed, your child will have access to the computer lab here at school to type it during class time.  Please DO NOT type your child's final drafts for them.  This is a good opportunity for them to put their keyboarding skills to practice, as we will be working all year on keyboarding. 

Math:  Memorization of multiplication facts is an essential math skill for 5th grade.  In order for your child to succeed in math this year, they must know their basic 0-10 (0-12 is even better) multiplication facts.  Math is one of my favorite subjects to teach and I look forward to helping your child be successful in this area.  We will be starting the year with arrays, factors, divisibility rules, prime and composite numbers, square numbers and square root, along with a continued focus on problem solving throughout the year.

Science:   Our year long focus in science will be learning and demonstrating the steps in the scientific process.  Our first area of study is chemistry.  We will do several fun experiments demonstrating chemical reactions.  Your child will learn about The Periodic Table of the Elements and what the symbols and numbers stand for in that important chart.  Clay models of compounds and molecules, along with a chemical reaction involving ice cream are student favorites for sure.

Social Studies:  We begin our trimester with geography and map skills.  We feel it is important to have a good base in these areas as they will enrich their understanding and knowledge of the historical events we will study in a few weeks.