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Fifth Grade Teachers Chatboard

Do you have snack in intermediate grades?

by cam

Jun 15, 2011

Every year the snack idea rears its ugly head, and there's already talk that a few parents from the 4th grade will be pushing for this in 5th next year. Admin says "why not have snack?" but we've never had it in 5th. In my experience in other schools, although it is supposed to be a "working snack" and ready to eat...no peeling, cutting, stirring, ...See More

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Julie Students at my school eat their snack during morning recess. Those students that bring a snack eat it at the lunch tables and when they finish they go to the playground to play. This is the policy in grades 1-6. The kinders have their own playground so I'm not sure how they handle snack. I can't imagine spending 1/2 hour in the classroom on snack t...See More

Jun 16, 2011

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t I've done a working snack with 5th graders for several years and have never had a problem. Children eat their snack during a whole group math lesson (10-15 minutes) and then clean up for small group work. I won't allow junk food and most children bring a snack that can be eaten in the short amount of time. Anything left over can be saved for lunch ...See More

Jun 18, 2011

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texas treasures reading book

by Carolyn

Jun 15, 2011

does anyone have any trifolds for the stories in this series?

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Mountain Math

by Kristi Martin

Jun 20, 2011

Do any of you use Mountain Math? How do you like it? Anyone using it in Florida? How does it correlate with the NGSSS? Thanks for your insight/input.

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Rosie I will be using mountain math this coming school year. I am very excited to see that they have a web based version of it now!

On 6/20/11, Kristi Martin wrote: > Do any of you use Mountain Math? How do you like it? > Anyone using it in Florida? How does it correlate with the > NGSSS? Thanks for your insight/input.

Jun 30, 2011

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Science in NC

by deNC

Jun 23, 2011

This will be my second year teaching fifth grade science in NC. Last year, I felt that I was finding my way. We do not have text and our kits do not hit the curriculum well enough.

Can any of you give me an idea of a magazine that I could order for my class that would be a good supplement?

Do any of you know about "National Geog...See More

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Either will do, but a magazine is not going to do what you want it to do.

What will work better?

Go back and look hard at the standards (although I wouldn't spend an enormous amount of time on them, because after this coming school year the standards are going to change up quite a bit)...there are 4 curriculum areas you need to cover in depth this y...See Morea magazine is not going to do what you want it to do.

What will work better?

Go back and look hard at the standards (although I wouldn't spend an enormous amount of time on them, because after this coming school year the standards are going to change up quite a bit)...there are 4 curriculum areas you need to cover in depth this year.

Then look at your kits,compare the two. Find those areas where the kits aren't filling the bill and create supplemental lessons to cover those missing and weak areas. Use the internet, google up your topics. Drop at least half of the kit activities, weed out the ones that don't directly have a rigorous connection to a standard/substandard. This is one of the main problems with teaching from kits...they may cover the general area of the standards, but they don't teach what is tested in the DEPTH required for students to do well on the EOG.

Work really hard to beef up the student's vocab. knowledge in all 4 areas. Make sure they can use it and read it.

The 5th grade science EOG is a test of student ability to APPLY content knowledge in the 4 areas. In other words, they must throughly know the content--the facts involved in each standard and substandard in each content area--in order to apply that knowledge to the questions they are asked. Kit activities, though somewhat scientific in nature, do not lend themselves to learning the content that will be tested.

Old fashioned teaching: here is the new vocab. needed in this lesson, here is the information, now we will discuss, now we take notes, now we will answer questions on our study guide, then finally... maybe...we'll do an activity/lab related to the concept...quiz next Friday on the vocab., quiz next Wed. on the info covered so far, test on lessons 1-5 in this unit on whenever date, final unit test on blah, blah date ...this kind of teaching will improve the students fund of background knowledge and subsequently, their EOG scores.

Don't forget, the science EOG is also a "reading test" --if they can't read it, they aren't going to do well.

And yeah, I know we are told we shouldn't teach science this way anymore...but one of the major tenents of teaching pedagogy is that your lesson/s and the assessment/s must be congruent (taught and assessed in the same manner). Until the structure of the science EOG test changes, your teaching must be congruent with the assessment and since we can't change the structure of the assessment, all we can do is change the way we teach if you want the students to do well on the EOG.

Kits don't lend themselves to this.

(Disclaimer: no need for anyone to get all "wrung up" about what I've written...I've just posted what I figured out some years back when we first started testing science. My students now consistently score in the 90 % and up on the science EOG. Do I like teaching this way? Not necessarily but admin wants test scores.)

On 6/23/11, deNC wrote: > This will be my second year teaching fifth grade science in > NC. Last year, I felt that I was finding my way. We do > not have text and our kits do not hit the curriculum well > enough. > > Can any of you give me an idea of a magazine that I could > order for my class that would be a good supplement? > > Do any of you know about "National Geographic for Kids" > or "Discovery Science?" > > Any help will be greatly appreciated. > > deNC

Jun 23, 2011

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Digital Maps

by Connie

Jun 26, 2011

I've gotten the "go-ahead" from my administration to purchase a digital map software. Any recommendations as to what company has a good product? I teach social studies. I would like access to some historical maps such as the colonies, early explorers, etc. Thanks in advance!

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New Teacher in need of advice.

by KMB

Jun 26, 2011

I am hoping to get some advice on classroom management and basic planning for 5th grade math. I am not a first year teacher, and I am not entirely new to inner city schools. I was hoping that some veteran teachers in grades 4th through 6th would have some helpful hints, ideas, or resources to help me begin planning. I really want to know what works...See More

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Francie I am glad this helps. I know it seems weird to teach fractions converting to decimals BEFORE you teach fractions, but it works!

Perhaps because I focus on 100 in the denominator, and whatever is in the numerator is what the percent is. All I know is that this works, so when you finally get to fractions, students have a better sense of the...See MoreI am glad this helps. I know it seems weird to teach fractions converting to decimals BEFORE you teach fractions, but it works!

Perhaps because I focus on 100 in the denominator, and whatever is in the numerator is what the percent is. All I know is that this works, so when you finally get to fractions, students have a better sense of the movement that is available from fractions to decimals to percents.

Francie

On 7/03/11, KMarieB wrote: > Thank you, thank you, thank you! That order is very helpful! > > On 7/02/11, Francie wrote: >> I review homework quickly, either using the whiteboard or the >> Elmo. Students grade their work using a red pen, and I show >> how to solve a few problems. Sometimes if work is not done, I >> ask students to stay in or bench themselves for recess so it >> is done before we start the math lesson after recess. >> >> I move on to a new subject. Guided lesson. I buy spiral >> notebooks when they are 10 cents each, and everyone works on >> classwork in their math spiral. This way no one gets up to >> grab paper. >> >> After guided lesson, if students are confused, they come up to >> the whiteboard for a small group lesson. the other students >> can quietly work on the lesson (either the workbook, a handout >> I created, or the book). Sometimes this becomes the homework, >> so they are motivated to finish it during class. Sometimes I >> have the answer book available so they can check their work >> when they are done. >> >> It is good to have an activity ready for fast finishers. >> Chess is amazing! They love it. I used DonorsChoose to get a >> class set of chessboards, chess pieces and some chess timers. >> >> You can also have some fun enrichment activities or activities >> using manipulatives for fast finishers. >> >> Here is the order I teach math: >> >> September: Number place values â€“ up to a billion, then I do >> decimals >> >> October: Decimals â€“ you need to line them up and add zero to >> subtract, decimal division 4.3 divided by .234, decimal >> multiplication. â€œSecret oneâ€ trick â€“ a special way to >> help solve decimal problems I created. >> >> October/November: Multiplication and Division: two digit >> division, and two-digit multiplication >> >> October/November: Fractions/Percent/Decimals â€“ how they all >> say the same thing. I focus on obtaining 100 in the >> denominator >> >> November/December: Fractions â€“ add, multiply, divide, and >> subtract â€“ including 2/3 and Mixed numbers 3 1/5. Having to >> re-name to solve: 5 1/3 â€“ 2 5/6 >> >> January: Integers: negative and positive adding and >> subtracting (we say, â€œCircle, circle, change the signs!â€), >> ordered pairs, absolute value (not tested in CA) >> >> February: Geometry: polygons, angles, degrees in polygons, >> perimeter, area, circumference (no longer tested in 5th grade >> in California, so I then teach this in May after testing), >> volume, surface area. >> >> March: Algebra: linear equations, 3x â€“ 5 = 7, if x is 6, >> what is the solution to this equation? 15 â€“ 2x = ? I also >> teach a sixth grade algebra skill of solving for x: 3 + 2x = >> 13. They subtract 3 from both sides of the equation. Then >> they divide by 2 to solve for x. >> >> April: Probability, and review for state testing in May >> >> May: Units of measure â€“ using ratios and cross multiplying >> to solve conversion problems (this is a sixth grade skill I >> teach) >> >> Francie 5th Los Angeles >> >> >> >> >> On 6/26/11, KMB wrote: >>> I am hoping to get some advice on classroom management and >>> basic planning for 5th grade math. I am not a first year >>> teacher, and I am not entirely new to inner city schools. I >>> was hoping that some veteran teachers in grades 4th through >>> 6th would have some helpful hints, ideas, or resources to >>> help me begin planning. I really want to know what works >>> and does not work for classroom procedures and management. >>> I will have access to a lot of technology including an >>> interwrite board so any ideas for that would be helpful as >>> well! Anything that you think will be useful especially in >>> my first few weeks would be appreciated. Thank you in >>> advance for your advice!

Jul 4, 2011

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Rosie Where are you located? Your state or district should have some kind of pacing guide for the order in which to teach math concepts.

I teach fourth grade, math, only if you have any additional questions.

Jul 5, 2011

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Carpet Time

by NC teach

Jun 29, 2011

I am new to fifth grade and I will be teaching Language Arts. I know that, for mini lessons in writing, my younger kids have always enjoyed carpet time. Do any of you use carpet time for fith graders? Are they to old for this?

Thanks,

NC teach

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Sam Oh. Then no age is too old for that.

On 6/30/11, NC teacg wrote: > I am talking about bringing all the students to the carpet to > discuss literature or to have mini-lessons in writing. Possibly > even to reflect on the lesson or the day. > > A time to come together. > > NC teach > > > > > > On 6/30/...See More

Jun 30, 2011

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4TH Kids are never too old for carpet time. It is nice for them to get up and move. I often use it when kids have not been paying attention...I just have my next subject on the carpet. It changes things up.

Jul 15, 2011

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Interview Advice for 5th Grade Teaching Position??

by Maddy

Jul 3, 2011

Hi Everyone! I'm looking for some advice for my job interview on 7/05 for a 5th grade teaching position at a private school. I am a new teacher with ONLY student teaching experience (1st & 5th grades). What questions should I ask and any other tips would be greatly appreciated! So far I'm just re- reading "The First Days of School" Wong and loo...See More

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dm Yes, reading up on Harry Wong and other things is a great way to prepare! I've noticed when I've interviewed at charters/private schools, they especially want to know why you want to work there (vs. public schools which usually pay more, better benefits, etc.). I'm very genuine when I tell them I'm looking for a smaller, more family-like culture. T...See More

Jul 4, 2011

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Need ideas for research projects

by Francie

Jul 7, 2011

Any ideas you have will be greatly appreciated for any of the topics listed!

We are starting Treasures - a new basal reader, and this represents a year of 5th grade research topics. If I have some examples for each topic, it will start the brainstorming in my classroom.

1. Research a cause that a person or group has chosen to ta...See More

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Resource for LA common core standards

by Diane Owens

Jul 7, 2011

Thereâ€™s a list of the specific standards covered and how the site addresses them available on the site. Look for â€œMeeting the Common Core Standardsâ€ on the right side. The site is featured in the July issue of The Busy Educator. Created and moderated by a published childrenâ€™s author.

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