Grade 5 Policies and Expectations
Please click here for a copy of Ms. Straus' Policies and Expectations handout that is given to parents at Open House. This pamphlet contains important information that will help parents and students in Ms. Straus' class.
Workouts (also known as homework) are given each night of the week, except Friday. These workouts may consist of unfinished class work or extra practice sheets that review skills taught in class. All homework is due the next school day. For example, if a Social Studies sheet is given on Tuesday, it is due by 8:00 Wednesday morning. At the end of each day, I record the homework that is to be written in the student planner. Each student copies the planner message into their planner and is responsible for taking the planner home to show parents and guardians. Parents are asked to see and sign their child's planner each night. There will never be a day without a message in the planner. Students in grade 5 should be doing 45-50 minutes of homework each night.
All students are expected to read and write for 40 minutes a night. Students take home their literacy bag each night with required materials.
There is typically no sheet homework for Team Straus grade 5s over the weekend. However, students are required to read and write for one session and to also work on any major assignments over the weekend.
All Team Straus Grade 5 students are given a Workout Report each Monday. This is a page that summarizes all of the homework that each child did/didn't do over the past week. As well, this page indicates which tests and assignments were/weren't signed by parents. All Workout Reports must be signed by a parent and handed in by the following morning (Tuesday) at 8:00. Students who do not hand in their Workout Report signed by a parent, on time, miss afternoon recess until it is handed in. Click here to see an example of a past Workout Report (previously known as a homework summary).
Each unit of study in every subject is typically finished with a test and assignment. Students are given at least one week's advance notice of a test and are also given a review package of questions and answers so that they can study at home. I highly suggest that students complete the review packages that I send home, as all test questions are touched on in the review package. Students will also receive a major assignment, that will be explained in class. Assignments are typically due within two weeks and have detailed instructions and a grading rubric for students to follow. All test and assignment dates are written in the students' planners and can also be found in the Team Schedule section of this website.
Absences and Tardies are taken very seriously beginning in Grade 5, as students are preparing for Middle School. Students are strongly encouraged to be in the classroom, ready for learning by 8:00 a.m.
Please click here for a copy of Ms. Straus' syllabus that is handed out at Open House. This syllabus details all curriculum subjects that are taught in Grade 5.
Students and parents receive a formal report card at the end of each quarter, detailing a student's final grades for each subject that quarter. All report cards are sent home through the mail. Parents are asked to read the reports carefully, sign, and return them to Ms. Straus. Report dates are outlined on the Team Straus calendar.
In addition to the four major report cards, students and parents receive four progress reports which detail a student's progress through half a quarter and their behavior and social skills. A conference between parents, students, and Ms. Straus takes place after the first progress report is sent home. Please note that Progress Reports are sent home with students. Please watch planners for the exact date that Progress Reports are sent home. Progress Reports also need to be read carefully, signed, and returned to Ms. Straus. Report dates are outlined on the Team Straus calendar.
All Team Straus Grade 5 students must also attend parent/teacher conferences. Students will be leading these conferences and will practice for several weeks before the conference. Having students, rather than myself, lead the conference allows the student to take ownership of their own learning and progression.
Grading (Achievement Levels)
All work in our Team Straus classroom is graded according to a rubric, which sets out a list of criteria for Levels 1 (highest) through 4 (lowest). A student is meeting Grade 5 standards if they are achieving Level 2s. A student is below standards at Levels 3 and 4; while they are above Grade 5 standards at Level 1. A description of each level is posted in the classroom for students to check. These achievement levels are also used by the Michigan Department of Education and can be found here.
At Central Academy, each student is given a planner. Our class will be utilizing these planners to help with both study and time management skills. Every day Grade 5 students write a planner message containing homework and special notes. I ask that planners be returned to school every day with a parent or guardian’s initial to ensure communication between school and home. The parent/guardian initial acknowledges that they have seen the student's homework and that the student has completed their work.
Soon into the school year, all Team Straus Grade 5 students will be assigned a night on which they are given a math game to take home. These games relate the the math topic that we are studying that week. Students are asked to play the game with a parent/guardian or sibling. As well, parents are asked to sign the math game sticker that will always be placed in the student's planner on the game night. As the games take a lot of work to make, I ask that families enjoy playing the games together, while being careful with the games and returning all pieces. Games must be returned the very next day, as other students will be taking them home the next night.
Play Offs are open to all of Ms. Straus' students who wish to add a new wrinkle to their brain. Each weekend new Play Off questions are posted on the 'Play Offs' section of this webpage. Students need to simply work out the challenge and turn in the solution with their name and Play Off question type to Ms. Straus by Friday at noon. Students with the correct answer will get their name on the All Star Team page.
Soon into the school year, I will display a jar filled with objects in it every 1-2 weeks. Students are encouraged to use estimation strategies to guess the number of objects in the jar. They then need to write their estimate on an estimation jar answer sheet, available in class and give it to me by Friday at 8:00 a.m. The student with the closest answer will be deemed the estimation jar winner for that week and will get their name on the All Star Team Page.
Homerun Hitters is a club for students who would like to take their learning above and beyond what is expected. On the Homerun Hitters page of this website, students will find a list of challenges. Students are encouraged to find the answer to the challenges, learn the material, and tell me the answer. Students earn 1 star for each correct answer and can become a 1 star member to an 84 star member of the Homerun Hitters.
Students are entered into a draw for each perfect workout report (homework summary) that they have on Mondays. A drawing takes place at the end of each month and winners are able to select from an assortment of prizes, such as pencils and erasers.
Our classroom uses the research based Sitton Spelling program. The Sitton Spelling philosophy is that words aren't really "mastered" until they are spelled correctly in everyday writing. Many students can memorize words for a "Friday Test" but if there is no transfer to student writing, what's the point? Grade five students are responsible to learn "core words" 401-675 from the list of 1200 words (available in the TEAM Tracker). Words are arranged on the list in the order of frequency of use in everyday writing. In addition, words on the "No Excuses" List (Priority Word List) are words that should have 100% mastery for grade five students.
I teach Word Study lessons several times a week, teaching strategies such as spelling rules, phonics, word patterns etc. Students will have classroom tasks to practice their spelling skills in context. Visual skills such as proofreading are developed and practiced. Students are expected to study their personal "Words to Learn" at home each night for 5-10 minutes. Students will add words to this personal list as the words are spelled incorrectly in their everyday work and on their unit word tests. Parents can help by becoming their child's personal spelling editor and assisting with spelling. While the core word list may look easy, remember that these words are also the words that might be misspelled or used incorrectly in everyday written work.
Students are assessed using their everyday writing. Random checks will be made to classroom tasks which could be graded for spelling - science, social studies, reading, writing, and math. In addition, a "cloze story" test is given at the end of each unit in which students listen to a passage read by the teacher and fill in the missing words in the story. These words come from the core word and priority word lists. Sentence dictation tests are also given. The teacher reads four sentences and the students write the sentences including using the correct punctuation. Again, nearly every word in the sentence dictation comes from the core word or "no excuses" priority word list.
Practice Word Study Activities For Each Unit
I participate in Scholastic Book Orders which allows students to purchase quality books at prices that are less than in regular book stores. Each month, a new packet of book orders will be sent home and students will have approximately 1 week to return the slip and money. Books usually take about 1 week to arrive after they are ordered. I ask that slips and money are sent to school in an envelope with the student's name on the outside of the envelope. Book Orders are completely voluntary and students do not need to order books if they are not interested.
Our day is scheduled into blocks of time spent on different subjects. Students will study Science or Social Studies, Word Study, Writing Workshop, Math, and Reading Workshop. Students will also have weekly sessions in Drama, Poetry Workshop, and Character Education. Team Straus Grade 5s also have Physical Education on Wednesday, Art on Monday, Library on Friday, and Computers on most Fridays.
Team Straus Grade 5s at Central Academy are given the privilege and responsibility of being "Safety Patrol" representatives. The primary aims of Safety Patrol are a) to help children safely cross the parking lot to get to their parents' or guardians' vehicles or bus after school; b) to help children become safe pedestrians; c) to foster qualities of leadership and good citizenship. Patrol members and parents signed consent forms at the beginning of the school year and a schedule was sent home. Details about the twice annual Detroit Pistons Safety Patrol field trip will be sent home later in the year (approximately November and April).
I give each of my students a special binder at the beginning of the year that students need to return to school each day. The special TEAM (Totally Excellent Academic Management) Tracker is an organizational tool. Together, we will place workouts (also known as homework) and notes home in the TEAM Tracker. Parents and students are to empty the TEAM Tracker each night and replace any papers that need to be returned to school.
Team Straus Grade 5s will go on several away games (also known as field trips) this year. Details concerning the objectives, cost, and requirements for the trip will be sent home well in advance of the trip. Parents are strongly encouraged to volunteer to go on our trips as we will need several parents on each trip. Date details about field trips can also be found in the Team Schedule section and Away Games section of this webpage.
Students are welcome to celebrate their birthday with the class; however, this is not necessary. I ask that parents wanting to provide treats for the class abide by these guidelines: a) please let me know at least one day in advance that you will be bringing treats; b) please bring enough for the entire class (feel free to ask for a class size number). Healthy snacks or a donation to the class library in place of less nutritious snacks is encouraged. A list of healthy snack options can be found in these documents: Healthy Snacks A and Healthy Snacks B. Please remember that Central Academy is a NUT-FREE school.
Students in Team Straus Grade 5 are strongly encouraged to have water bottles on their desks. Drinking water during the school day helps your child's brain work and allows them to stay focused. Please make sure that water bottles are cleaned at home regularly and that they have a lid that closes (to avoid spills in the classroom).
Students were given a list of required school supplies at the beginning of the year. Students were also asked to contribute lined paper, hand sanitizer, clorox wipes, dry erase markers, and kleenex to the class. Students are asked to make sure they have these supplies at school so that they can do their best learning. Supplies will need to be replenished throughout the school year. You can also click here for Ms. Straus' September welcome letter and school supplies list.
Each day, a student in our classroom is assigned to be the Play by Play Commentator. His or her job is to write a short article about what took place in class that day. Using a computer at home or one of the classroom’s Alphasmart word processors, students type their articles and turn them in to Ms. Straus via AlphaSmart or e-mail. This way, students get an opportunity to write using technology, and Ms. Straus can easily upload the articles to The Play by Play Commentary on Team Straus in Grade Five. This blog is updated daily, so be sure to check back often to read about life with Team Straus!
I am more than happy to help parents and students in any way that I can. Please feel free to contact me through any of the following ways:
-Telephone: 822-1100, extension 170
-Email: amys@gee-edu.com
-Notes in your child's planner
