The Smell Of Fall

I can smell fall in the air

I can also feel it too

When I look upon a tree

I can see fall’s colors bright

I love the smell of burning leaves

As its aroma fills the air

Then there is Apple Butter smell

Stirred up in a tub with spices

One can always smell the wood

Burning in a fireplace

Smoke curling up the chimney stack

Leaves a feeling of warmth

How many bonfires do you make

To roast hot dogs and marshmallows too

Friends and family gather around

Sharing this happy time around the fire

Then smell the pumpkin as it cooks down

To fill a pie shell to bake

Thanksgiving dinner will soon be here

One might even make some little  tarts too

Then pick a harvest of apples

Many dishes one can make

From tarts to pies, to cider

Also bobbing for apples too

I also like the crisp clean air

It smells so very sweet

It gives me roses in my cheeks

And a smile to all that I see (Lazette, 2008)

Here’s a look at what is happening in each of the classes:

What’s happening in Science?

Fifth Graders investigated how the erosion and deposition of different types of sediments can impact where communities are built. They created their own models of landscapes and included “homes” scattered along the land. They experimented with slope height and flooding to witness the changes that can occur due to small and large scale weather events. Fifth Grade students also identified minerals using the Moh’s Hardness scale. Using the scientific method, deductive reasoning, and accurate record keeping, they were able to identify rocks and minerals in the classroom, which will help them identify those same minerals when they are outside. Next week, we will finish up our landforms unit and practice making topographic maps that will segway into our National Parks study!

What’s up in ELA?

This week in grammar, your Fifth Graders worked on identifying verbs and the subjects of  sentences. They also completed their Investigating Book Clubs Unit by reading books together as a group and having discussions on what they read. Next week, students will get started on their Narrative Writing Unit. Please be aware that ELA rubrics are sent home on Fridays and Mondays. Rubrics are to be signed by parents and sent back to school.

What’s going on in Math?

In Math, the Fifth Graders are using some old skills but with a new twist. They’re essentially multiplying and dividing fractions, but they’re doing it in the content of a word problem or scenario now – they’re not just numbers on a page anymore. Now when they divide a whole number by a fraction, it’s more about dividing a box of 28 cookies by 6 people. Someone’s gonna lose out because those 4 extra cookies aren’t going to break evenly, but at least we can get the math correct. We’ve been working on these scenarios for a week or 2, dividing 3 pizzas by 5 people and whatnot, but as the scenarios become more complex, so does their math and their interpretation of the situation. 

What’s happening in Social Studies?

This week the Fifth Grade had a great week. We finished learning the basics of geography from Unit 1 which will allow us to start diving into the world starting next week. The students got super into the different government ideas that we discussed as an introduction to that part of geography, which allowed me to get some idea of the interests of  this class. This will play a huge part in the lessons as we progress throughout the world.

Next week we will be diving into unit 2 which focuses on the United States and Canada. We will be diving into the Native American culture and learning about all the different regions within the two countries. I felt that it was important to start with the western hemisphere as that is most familiar to them. 

Important Dates:

September 23rd: Charleston Battery Family Fun Event

September 29th: Parent Coffee (8:00am-8:45am)