September Reading Goals!

Each month, students will set a personal reading goal for how many books they will complete. This month we had a huge group of students who met their goal!! After meeting their goal, student names go on our chart and they will receive a reward.  Students who hit their goal 8-10 months out of the school year will receive a pizza party with Mrs. Carr in June. Keep up the great work!!!

Mrs. Ottman's Goal Achievers for September! 

Mrs. Carr's Goal Achievers for September!

School Picture Day Reminder

Picture Day will be: Thursday, October 11th....don't forget your smiles!!!

Weekly News for September 28th!

Your child will be bringing home their Weekly News today. Please sign and return on Monday. Have a great weekend!

Village Open House October 3rd!

Working on Fluency!

After our first round of reading assessments, I found that many students would benefit from work focused on building fluency.

What is fluency?

Fluency is defined as the ability to read with speed, accuracy, and proper expression. In order to understand what they read, children must be able to read fluently whether they are reading aloud or silently.

How are we working on fluency in the classroom?

In order to make fluency practice fun AND effective, we learned a new routine: Fluency Partners. 

Students are paired with a student of similar reading ability and given a fluency passage on their level. Students take turns being the "reader" and the "coach". The coach has a feedback sheet to give their partners areas to work on as well as compliments. The reader has the opportunity to read the passage a second time and apply the feedback they received. Then students switch roles. Today was our first stab, and I was SO impressed! The students worked hard and were constructive and positive with their partners.

How can I work on fluency with my child at home?

Periodically, ask your child to read aloud at home. As they are reading, you can use the prompts we use in class (posted below) to help your child recognize areas needing growth. As with anything-practice, practice, practice. The more your child reads....the more they will grow!

Take a Peek at Our Week!

It was a busy, but fun week! Check out what we are learning in class!

Working in partners to practice finding "Words of the Wiser" while reading Flowers and Freckle Cream!

Culture Wander & Wonder Activity 

Group Discussions on Culture and Identity 

Have a fantastic weekend!!! 

Lexile Scores and Finding "Just Right Books"

Today, your child is bringing home a letter with their Lexile score which indicates their current reading level. This assessment will be repeated formally in January and June. At times, I may have students take a Lexile assessment in between those dates to monitor their progress. Anytime we complete a Lexile assessment, you will receive a letter to inform you of their growth.

We practiced using https://fab.lexile.com/ in order to find out the Lexile level of our current independent reading books. This is a great tool to use before students check books out at the library to make sure they are a "good fit". Students will be expected to check reading levels when they start a new book. This is also a great tool for parents if you are not sure if a book is appropriate or not. We discussed in class that if a student is highly motivated to read a book above their Lexile level...Go for it!!! We always encourage students to push those brains.

Students recorded their September Lexile scores in Google Keep for easy reference.

Weekly News for September 21st!

Remember to check your child's folder for their Weekly News tomorrow! It needs to be signed and returned on Monday.

Spirit Week Reminder!

Reminder-Reading Homework Starts Tonight!

Your child will be coming home with their first reading log today. There is a parent letter attached explaining all expectations. You can also find the parent letter by clicking on the "reading hw information" tab at the top of my homepage.

Reading Homework Information

*Please note that your child should be reading ONE book at a time. This book should travel back and forth between home and school. This is part of their homework responsibility. 

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me. Happy Reading!! 🙂

Weekly News for September 14th

Every Friday, your child will receive a Weekly News in their take home folder. The Weekly News includes....

*Updates from each subject area
*Important dates and reminders
*Your child's personal reflections from the week
*A goal your child set for the following week
*Feedback from Mrs. Ottman and Mrs. Carr on your child's respect, responsibility, and readiness to learn throughout the week

Please review the Weekly News with your child, sign at the bottom, and return to school on Mondays. This communication is an important link between school and home. If you do not receive a Weekly News, please notify us so we can keep you informed. If you need to access the information after the Weekly News has been returned to school, you can always find an electronic version on my blog. Have a fantastic weekend!!

Weekly News for September 14th:

Lang & Lit Workshop is Up and Running!

This week we began to learn and practice the pieces to our Lang & Lit Workshop. Lang & Lit Workshop is a time when students meet in small reading groups with the teacher, complete independent assignments, and have the opportunity to choose activities that interest them. All of the assignments are centered on building language and literacy skills throughout the year. We are also working on building independence and accountability to help students manage their time, produce work they are proud of, push their brains and extend their thinking, and also build stamina/focus.

 Each day, students will check the Smartboard for their group's daily activities. They will use their individual checklists to keep track of their assignments. After students complete their "must do" assignments, they will have the opportunity to choose an activity that interests them each day (podcasts, independent reading, writing, extension activities connected to our skills each week).

Accountability checks throughout the week  will be used to help students monitor their own progress and growth. This also involves them setting a goal for the remainder of the period based on their reflection and feedback.

At the end of the week, students organize their assignments from the week and meet with me to reflect on their efforts, and set a goal for the following week. I work with them to determine strategies they could implement to help them reach their goals. Eventually, students will be reflecting and goal setting independently.

Keep up the great work!!!!

Name the Hilton Cadet!

The annual homecoming parade will be October 5th!   

The parade begins at 5:45 and runs from Quest to the High School. We hope to see many families there, showing school spirit!!

This year, we will be naming the Hilton Cadet!!! Below is the link to enter your submission. All submissions are due on September 21st. The committee's favorite names will be selected for the SEMI FINALIST round. A community vote on the SEMI FINALIST names will help us pick the OFFICIAL NAME!

*The official name will be shared at the HOMECOMING FOOTBALL GAME on October 4th during halftime.

https://tinyurl.com/namethecadet

Podcasts in Class

During Lang & Lit Workshop, students have the opportunity to explore podcasts as one of their independent activities. Podcasts are audio broadcasts that students can listen to on their Chromebooks. We will be using the website Brains On! this year.

Brains On!

Brains On! provides a huge variety of topics for students to explore. The podcasts provided are kid friendly and highly engaging. The first time we tried this, I heard "giggles" and "wows" throughout the classroom! After listening to the podcast, students complete a "3, 2, 1" in which they identify facts, things they are still wondering about, and a topic they are interested in exploring in the future.

Students have the website bookmarked and are welcome to explore any podcasts at home. I encourage you to find topics as a family....such a wonderful way to spend time together learning!

A Fantastic First Week!

Take a peek into our first week together in fifth grade!

 "Getting to Know You" Scavenger Hunt!

 Inspirational Quotes and Chalk Talk!

Chromebook Exploration Activity!

Applying for Classroom Jobs!