Updates and announcements

Welcome to our first week of remote learning! In an effort to keep some normalcy, I will be posting my blog with similar updates at the same time every week. As promised, there are some cat pictures at the end of today’s post.

Expect a call from either Ms. Vaughn or I sometime this week. We will start calling tomorrow, Tuesday, in order to give families time to get acquainted with the packet.

Starting on Monday, all teachers will be available to answer your questions. You are welcome to reach out to any of the six teachers for help. We ask that if you reach out to your homeroom teacher, please email BOTH the lead and assistant. We will share the email thread and whichever teacher is “on duty”, they will get back to you quickly by replying to everyone in the thread. This will help us as teachers keep our ducks in a row. Ms. Vaughn and I will be available in shifts throughout the day between 7:30 and 4:00.

Please keep in mind that most of the packet can be completed on a separate sheet of paper. Examples of how to do this are on the answer keys in the pack of the packet. The packet contains all of the readings and worksheets, which is why it is lengthy. There are also many online resources for reading the history text (in the blurb below) and some PDF versions of “A Wrinkle in Time” (links in the packet).

Our week in learning

In Literature, students will start reading “Wrinkle in Time”. Students will read through chapters 1 and 2, identify vocabulary words, write summaries, and complete journal entry #1 on Friday.

In Grammar, students will answer questions about articles, persuasive text, and historical texts.

In science, we are beginning our unit on the human body and its major systems. Tuesday’s work will be focused on the major systems and a very brief overview of what each system does. Thursday’s work will be an introduction to the skeletal system and a deep look at the function of the bones.

This week in History, we will continue our unit on the American Civil War and learn how the War began with the battles of Fort Sumter and Bull Run. We will discuss the Union’s strategy, put forth by General Scott, and its attempted execution in the east by General McClellan. We will discuss figures such as General Robert E. Lee and the different goals of the Union and Confederacy that determined many of their actions early in the War. You and your child may access our textbook online at https://www.coreknowledge.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/CKHG_G5_U11_CW_SR.pdf

In math, students will review dividing fractions in word problems. Students will also review line plots, which were covered in fourth grade. This will serve as a short introduction to our unit on Data Analysis.

Miss Priss helping with a conference call

Cosmo <3

Gustav enjoying some belly rubs

Cosmo cuddling with his tail

Miss Priss and Gustav getting along (and judging me for the picture)