As I write my first newsletter, I am overcome by how grateful I am. From the very first day, I have been welcomed with open arms by the staff, parents, and students, whose kindness and enthusiasm make this such a special place. Each day brings me joy as I watch students’ curiosity grow, their questions spark meaningful discussions, and their excitement for discovery shine through.
On Thursday, the middle school had their middle school social and it was such a blast! We played cornhole, volleyball, spikeball, and more. It was such a joyful time to continue building that community that is so unique and amazing. It is a privilege to be part of a community that values learning, creativity, and connection, and I look forward to many wonderful days ahead at The Cooper School.
-AB
ELA- Fifth grade readers wrapped up their study of Hello, Universe this week. We ended the unit with our book club theatre project, gathering in small groups to discuss possible themes and evidence for those themes in the novel. 5th graders also had a grammar test Friday, so be sure to look for those grades Monday.
Next week, we transition into our first writing unit of the year! 5th grade will learn the art of writing literary essays based on our Hello, Universe themes and text evidence. We will also ramp up cursive instruction to prepare for our first handwritten piece. Students will also switch back to vocabulary instruction, with a test planned for 9/24.
Science- This week in 5th grade we continued our work with stream tables exploring more variables that influence erosion and deposition including slope and flood conditions. Then students were able to pick a variable they wanted to investigate. Some groups chose to increase the amount of water while others chose to change up the water source. The students used these observations to come up with scenarios where landforms would be created. Next week we will dive into how fossils get into rocks and what they can tell us.
Social Studies- Another great week in fifth grade! Students have now finished our first unit on maps and their usage in society. We took our test this Friday and will be moving into our unit about the United States, its geography and society’s impact on our country. This is a super fun unit and will have plenty of hands-on learning opportunities.
Math- This week, 5th grade mathematicians began a new exploration of fractions and their meaning. They worked to understand fractions as both the sharing of a whole and as division problems. We began investigating a new type of math manipulative, fraction tiles, as a tool to help us explore fraction equivalence.
Next week, we will continue our study of fractions and their meaning as we learn how to divide fractions by other fractions, relate fractions to area tables, and decompose fractions for area tables. We’ll also begin to gear up for our next unit, where we add and subtract fractions using equivalent fractions.
