I could think of lots of other “p” words for this time of year – peace, patience, and puffed up (post-thanksgiving AND winter coats). In the short 2.5 weeks we have between now and Winter Break, these words are in the forefront of our brains. Our Cooper Kids continue to amaze me in their ability to maintain their strive to learn and grow. Feeling so thankful and lucky to be surrounded by such wonderful humans.


AG




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


What’s going on in Science?
Fifth graders started thinking about animal homes and how they can be used as inspiration for human home designs. They engineered their own model home using an animal inspired shelter. The home needed to be wind and water resistant. The fifth graders also continued learning about food webs. They are making their food webs based in an ecosystem of their choice. Next week, they will continue to learn about food webs and biomimicry.


What’s happening in Math?
This week, students learned to relate multiplication and division, and solve partial quotients. Next week, they will practice applying long division and multiplication with larger numbers and learn how to apply these skills to real-life problems. They will also review for their Unit 4 Test which will be on Monday, December 11.


What’s happening in ELA?
5th graders revisited The Witches and identified themes and characters they could analyze from the novel. Writers then quick-drafted two literary essays based on theme and character, moving forward in the writing process with the essay that seemed to have the most potential for rich evidence and deep analysis.


Next week, writers will revise and edit their final drafts as they conference closely with Ms. Maggie. They will proudly publish and share their literary essays with their peers.


What’s happening in Social Studies?
Fifth graders are working diligently on their creation of their very own Greek Gods and Goddesses! Students have researched existing Greek Gods and Goddesses to incorporate into the lives of their own unique one! Students were also challenged to include information from Sparta or Athens into their own Greek mythology story. They have progressed through their poster boards and are now transferring the information onto a slideshow to present in front of the fifth grade!


Next week, the students will present their creations to their peers before moving onto the Roman and Byzantine Empires. Students will be asked to compare the three different early European civilizations before having to create a TV advertisement on one of the three (Greek, Roman, or Byzantine) empires.


Important Dates:
December 19: PJ Day (½ day)
December 20 – January 3: Winter Break