I am your child’s fifth grade teacher.  I am very excited about starting my ninth year of teaching fifth grade. Please take a few moments to read through this letter and see what we will be doing over the next year. If you have any questions please feel free to stop by before or after school. I am looking forward to meeting you and having a great year. Let’s work together.

Language Arts

Language Arts includes reading, English (grammar, writing) and spelling. We will be using the Scott Foresman reading series this year.  North School has been using this series for the last four years, so your students should be familiar with the routine.  The spelling lessons and English (grammar) lessons follow along with each story.  We will be writing five papers to go into your child’s writing portfolio.  Along with the regular reading series, I would like to read novels as class time permits.  We have started using the 6 + 1 Traits of writing.  These traits focus on seven different  traits of good writers.  Students will be working on specific traits throughout the year.  They will  constantly be working on different pieces throughout the year.

Mathematics

North School uses the Everyday Math series. This series deals with the application of math knowledge.  I have taught this series for five years and am very excited about continuing to teach it. I have seen drastic changes in the way students think mathematically and scientifically.  For each unit I will send home a letter explaining what will be discussed in that unit.  Students are also expected to become extremely proficient in the use of math facts. 

Science

 Most science work will be done in class and much of the work brought home in science will be work that was not completed in class. This year Mrs. Kane and I will be working together with science and social studies.  She will be teaching my students the science and I will be teaching her students the social studies, so your child will not have me for science.

Social Studies

We will be focusing on US History from explorers to the Revolutionary War and westward expansion.  We also focus on geography and basic social studies skills on a weekly basis. Your child will have a social studies quiz every Friday (4-6 questions discussed throughout the week).  These questions are  taken from released MEAP items.  This helps prepare  the students for  the social studies MEAP which is at the  beginning of their fifth grade year. 

Homework

NO LATE WORK IS ACCEPTED, (unless your child is sick). Fifth grade has a no late work policy.  The students have an assignment book in which they need to be writing their daily assignments (this is something they should have been doing since 3rd grade). Please use this as a tool to see what your child should be doing as well as a way to keep in touch with me.

Notes Home

I will send a weekly note home on Monday of each week, along with all graded work from the previous week.  This is to keep you informed of what I plan on doing over the week in the classroom. (Please be aware that plans change many times throughout the week)  I will also keep you informed on their grades and missing assignments.   Keep in mind that if your child continually has missing assignments his/her grades will be very low.  I like to have you sign the note and return the bottom part to school with your child.  I know that this can be a pain sometimes, but from my past experiences I feel that this is something that I have to do.

Parent Involvement

I feel that parents must be involved in their child’s education in order for the child to succeed. For each year in school, students should spend at least ten minutes outside the classroom on schoolwork. So, for fifth grade your child should spend fifty minutes an evening on schoolwork.  He/she may not always receive this amount of work from me, so I suggest doing a school related activity such as practicing math facts, playing math games, or reading and discussing the newspaper (or other material). This also gets students in a routine of spending time each night studying.

I welcome parents to be a part of the classroom and help on a scheduled day, for parties, field trips and other special days. I only ask that you make arrangements with me to visit the classroom ahead of time, to make sure that we will be in class. Please remember that you must ALWAYS check in at the office before visiting the classroom.  If you are picking your child up after school, do not come to the classroom, please wait outside or by the office.

Thank you,

Heather Yetzke
 

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