5th Grade
So excited to see the students back in class. I have listed what we will be focusing on in January when we return.
We will begin reading A Night Divided by Jennifer Nielsen. It is a historical fiction book about a girl and her family who are separated by the Berlin Wall.
Grammar: We will begin Unit 5 Adverbs. This is a short unit so there will be a test after lesson 5.
Writing: We will begin to work on a Description writing assignment. The students will pick something to describe in detail.
Social Studies: We will learn about the Industrial Revolution, Immigration, the Civil War, and the Underground Railroad. In the first semester, we did the in-class worksheet while reading the magazine together. I will be releasing the responsibility to the students to do it independently this second semester. We will still read the magazine together and discuss the topic but they will complete the worksheet on their own.
Reading: We will finish the novel Loser and begin The War That Saved My Life. This tends to be a fan favorite.
Grammar: We will finish up Unit 3 —Adjectives and move into Unit 4—Verbs.
We will learn the process of writing a Business Letter and proper email etiquette.
Social Studies: We will be learning about the Constitution, American Government, and the New Nation .
We will be finishing The Westing Game this month in time for the end of the quarter. We will take the AR test in time for them to earn their 8 points for the marking term. The AR points are due October 15th.
We will be finishing up our Pronouns unit and will begin Unit 3.
We are currently working on How-to Articles and will complete them in time to begin the Saint Paper Rough Draft. Mrs. Doty and I will be guiding them through this process, but we will ask for assistance when it comes to editing the final paper and having it printed.
We are still completing a Social Studies magazine every 5 days. Currently, quizzes are scheduled for Fridays, but this will change on days when we are out of school. You can expect a quiz every 5 days.
We are definitely getting settled into our new routine. Your children are a delight and I look forward to seeing them each day.
Continue to guide students with studying for the Social Studies quizzes. For some this is a new concept. It would be helpful to study it at least 3 times a night before the quiz. We also go over it in class but that is not enough.
I hope the agenda being posted daily in Google Classroom has been helpful for those who miss a day of school and for those who may not be writing in their agenda. On Fridays, we reward students whose agenda has been filled in daily with a piece of candy.
Looking forward to a fantastic 2025-26 school year! Together we will develop missionary disciples and life-long learners. If you need anything or have any questions, please reach out.
Below is the Classroom Handbook for future reference. This is the same one passed out Back to School Night.
Dear Families,
This year, our class is reading with Scholastic Book Clubs! You'll have access to expertly curated, affordable books that help boost your child's reading skills, build your home library, and maybe even create moments of quality time you can share together.
Plus place an order of $25 or more and you can pick a FREE $5 book (use code READS at checkout).
Shop Our Class Page: https://orders.scholastic.com/XKX9F
Shop Flyers: https://clubs.scholastic.com/all-flyers
Invite relatives and friends to help your child discover the joy of reading when you share our class page link. Every order benefits our classroom, helping me earn FREE books and resources that every child can enjoy.
Thanks so much for your support!
STACEY PENALOZA
MAGDALEN CATHOLIC SCHOOL
