Hello Families!
Welcome to the Topaz open house! Please go into your child’s homeroom, pick up the documents in his or her mailbox, sign your name on the parent email list and find a seat in this area. Thank you!
Topaz Curriculum Overview
Ms. Lara Fensin Mrs. Linda Lane
Mrs. Rebecca Tkachuk
Mrs. Lauren Cusson
Welcome!
• Tonight we will provide an overview of our curriculum in the major content areas and our expectations of your children.
• We will also give you ideas of how you can help your child with work at home.
Curriculum (Reading)• workshop format
• During the focus lesson…
• During the independent practice…
• During the closing…
• Students set goals for themselves as readers.
• Students confer with teachers and each other.
• novels
• Research shows that reading “Just Right Books” and reading frequently is an indicator of future success. homework reading response letters
Curriculum (Writing)
• Writing also follows a workshop model
• mentor texts
• units of study: memoir, essay, expository, creative, & poetry
• guiding students to focus on what they are doing as a writer as opposed to the topic about which they are writing.
Curriculum (Social Studies)The primary units in social studies this year are as follows:
Geography and Map Skills
Native Americans
Explorers
Original 13 Colonies
American Revolution
Curriculum (Social Studies)
Constitution
Bill of Rights
We will use a variety of “texts” including videos, primary source documents, magazines, and A History of Us textbooks as we learn about historical events.
Students will be assessed primarily on participation, notebook checks, and projects.
Humanities
Native American Legends.
Reading nonfiction texts.
Written responses to reading and videos.
Biography project.
Science Overview
Science is primarily group work with hands on activities.
We practice reading and writing as scientists to gain and share knowledge.
Our curriculum is aligned with the Massachusetts version of the Next Generation Science Standards and Common Core Language Arts standards for non-fiction.
There will be nightly homework for science that should take 5-10 minutes. They will be asked to answer the “Think” question from class. Responses will be collected on Friday. There is a built in reward system for bringing it in everyday, and for completing bonus work. They will not lose points on their grade, however, if they don’t have it every day. The official due date is Friday
Students will be engaged in “Whole Brain Learning” which involves teaching and responding with words and gestures
Science Overview
Science Curriculum
SCIENTISTSSUN, MOON, AND EARTHMATTERWATERENERGY CYCLE
Engineering and Design Standards are woven throughout all units.
MathWhat Does it Look Like?• Fifth grade students are using Eureka
Math (EngageNY)
• Students will do a mixture of whole class work, partner/group work and independent work
• Students will be taking part in guided math
• Students are encouraged to use manipulatives and resources to assist them in problem-solving and conceptual understanding
• Students will have a math binder that includes problem sets that resemble the homework as well as a notebook that will contain model problems and/or important notes.
MathContent
• Students will be covering several topics that fall under larger headings including numbers and operations in base ten, geometry, measurement and data, operations and algebraic thinking and fractions
• Numbers and Operation in base ten:• Multiplication and division of whole numbers
and decimals• Addition and subtraction of decimals• Place Value
• Geometry• Triangles, quadrilaterals, polygons, prisms and
composites• Volume
MathCont.• Measurement and Data
• Weight, capacity, length• Ruler and Metric work
• Fractions• Adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing• Like and unlike denominators
• Operations and Algebraic Thinking•Expressions•Graphing•Patterns•Order of operations
Resources
• Eureka Math online resources
• Reference binder
• Google Classroom
• After-school
• IXL
At home:
Practice, practice, practice math facts.
Review previously taught material-math is very cumulative.
Talk to your child about relationships among numbers. Ex. 6 and 60 This will help to strengthen problem solving strategies and build number sense
