As we near the end of the 2nd trimester, I’m reminded of how crazy busy the month of February is in the TCS Middle School. With the dance, self-assessment, projects, and the end of the trimester, we’re all a little frenzied over here as we work tirelessly to get things polished and ready! Now’s an important time to remember to take a step back, look at how far we’ve come, and how far we have yet to go! Self-assessment is my favorite part of the year, as the students showcase how proud they are of their learning and how excited they are to share that with you! The other MS teachers and I are so excited to share that experience with you next week.
-AG
Math:
This week, 5th graders applied what we’ve learned about fractions to line plots and used those to analyze data. Next week, we’re going to apply what we know about decimals and apply them to bigger applications. We’ll also began review for our unit 6 test, which is on March 6th.
ELA:
5th grade joined the rest of the middle school in beginning their Shakespeare study this week. They began their grade-level study of Shakespeare’s life and an adapted version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. At the end of the week, poets were introduced to elements of a sonnet. They also began a proofreading and punctuation grammar study, with a test planned for March 5th.
Next week, 5th grade will continue studying A Midsummer Night’s Dream, looking closely at the tropes of the comedy genre and studying various modern adaptation scenes from film and TV. Poets will also begin formulating ideas and first quatrains of their sonnets, working towards their 3/21 due date. They will test their grammar skills Wednesday.
Social Studies:
Fifth graders finished our month-long mini unit on Black History Month this week. We talked about famous peoples, groups and events and I think they truly enjoyed learning about these subjects. They also began working on South American cities and cultural groups. This will tie into learning about their impact on the environment as well as how their lifestyles differ from ours. This will lead into their next project in which they will choose a city of their choice and create a presentation on that city.
Science:
Fifth graders finished their bacteria lab this week! Results with evidence were concluded, potential errors identified, and possible applications were considered. They polished up their slide shows and then contemplated what information they wanted to share in self assessment. They will include their work in their self-assessment slide show and present their findings to the middle school next week!
Important Dates:
March 3rd & 4th- Student Led Conferences (11:30 Dismissal)
March 10th-12th – ERB Milestone Testing (ELA and Math)
March 15th – TCS Spring Gala & Auction
March 29th-April 6th – Spring Break
Upcoming Assessments and Deadlines:
Math Quiz 2/26
Bacteria Lab due 2/28
Grammar Test 3/6
Math Test 3/6
Math Quiz 3/12
Math Quiz 3/19
Sonnet due date 3/21
Math Test 3/27
