Spring Update
While we anxiously wait for spring, the school year keeps rolling along rather quickly. Now that the standardized tests are done we can get back to our regular schedule, at least for a couple of weeks, until April vacation.
In Social Studies we are about to begin a unit on Immigration. This unit will be very meaningful to the students because they will research their own family histories to discover information about how their ancestors got to America. During this process your child will ask you many questions and make contact with relatives to gather information. Your cooperation will assure that this will be one of our most exciting and personally rewarding units this year. We will also be going down to the historic Lowell Mills to experience what life in the mills was like for some of our ancestors. This is a unique experience for us since many of our relatives grew up in this area.
In Science we will continue with the major systems of the human body. We have just completed the skeletal and muscular systems and we will move on to the digestive, circulatory, and respiratory systems. We will also have an at home project to do with the digestive system. Information on the project will be going out in a few weeks.
We have completed all the parts of speech in our Language Arts book. I was very impressed with how well they did with the prepositions. We will now put everything together to improve our writing skills and to analyze and dissect sentences. Since some of us can’t stop singing the Preposition Song, we will be making our own Preposition Song music video before April vacation.
April is National Poetry Month. The students have been writing different types of poetry throughout the year and we are working towards organizing our own poetry books. Since we have a few more poems to write, our books will not be “published” until the end of May.
In Literature we will continue reading Bridge to Terabithia. We have only gotten through the first few chapters thus far. Like Maniac Magee, this book is read and discussed as a class during our Literature time.
We also have a few more field trips to squeeze in before the year ends. Hopefully, if the weather cooperates, we will be traveling up to the McLane Center in Concord on May 13th for an adventure on a low ropes course. The students will be problem solving with environmental themes. They will also have to work as a team to accomplish specific goals. I am really looking forward to this trip! We have also been invited to participate in the Derry Junior Police 5th Grade Field Day at the Boys & Girls Club. This will take place on Friday, June 6th. I will be looking for volunteers for this event as it includes all the 5th graders in the town of Derry. More information about both of these field trips will be available in the next few weeks.
From experience I know just how hectic the spring season can get. If you have any questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to contact me! Thanks again for your cooperation!
