"Living as it were, all by herself in a house with a hundred mysteriously closed rooms and having nothing whatever to do to amuse herself, had set her inactive brain to working and was actually awakening her imagination."
- The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett Dear Parents, A registration form for the Bard Competition was sent home in the Friday folders. This event has been highly anticipated by our scholars, as they are given an opportunity to memorize and recite a poem of their choice from The Harp and Laurel Wreath. The dates and other details are included on the registration form, which is due this Friday, November 4th. Our fifth grade students have quite a gift for recitation, and I hope that everyone will participate. Please let me know if you have any questions. This Friday, students will recite "The Violet" in class, so please encourage them to recite it to you this week and give them feedback on lines they need to practice. We will also continue to read through chapters 15-19 from The Secret Garden with emphasis on finding the answer within the text. It is a good practice for students to note the page number where they find the answer, so that they can quickly find it in case of a discussion. Comprehension questions should be answered in complete sentences with details from the novel, and correct writing conventions should be used. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting you all at conferences and I am thankful to be working among the ACTE community to nurture these young souls. Warm regards, Mrs. Baird
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“When Mary Lennox was sent to Misselthwaite Manor to live with her uncle everybody said she was the most disagreeable-looking child ever seen.”
― Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden Hello, This week students will receive a new poem for memorization, The Violet, by Jane Taylor. It is a beautiful poem about the quality of humility recognized in the simplicity of a flower. Students will have until November 4th to memorize and recite for classmates. Please encourage your child read the poem and practice each night, whether by writing, listening, reading or reciting. I have posted an audio version of "The Violet" on the "Links" page for those who learn best by listening to other recitations. We will also focus on predicate nominatives and predicate adjectives, pronouns, before ending the week with a Grammar quiz. A study guide is provided to students for you to quiz them at home. Last week was greatly enjoyed as we spent each class day reading and discussing The Secret Garden. The novel opened with a tragic event for the main character, Mary, who is then swept away to live with an unknown uncle in Yorkshire, Great Britain. With each chapter, students should be defining 3 vocabulary words of their choice and 3 comprehension questions. The pages listed in the packet do not correlate to our texts, but it should not be difficult for students to locate the words or answers within chapters. Occasionally, ask your child to recall what they read in the novel; this will help them to recall what they have read and will help develop their oral summarizing abilities. I will be sending home a copy of the Spalding rules to support you with Spalding practice at home. Students will be practicing 20 words this week to be tested over on Friday. Students should use Spalding homework to practice correct cursive handwriting. Homework is completed with marking on Mondays and Wednesdays, but should be written without markings on Thursdays to prepare for the test. Scholars should practice words "just like in class," by breaking words into syllables and using fingers to note the phonograms used. Have a great week! Warm regards, Mrs. Baird Welcome back! This week we will begin a new piece of literature, The Secret Garden. Most students already have this book in their lockers, but please remind students to bring it if it has been kept at home. With our shortened schedule this week, we will focus on reading comprehension, reviewing skills that will support students in understanding what they are reading. This will allow them to more fully enjoy what they are reading! Scholars will be looking up vocabulary words, pre-reading questions and considering what clues a chapter title gives to the plot. I have posted a link to an audio recording for The Secret Garden on the "Links" tab above, for students who wish to read along in their book as they listen to the audio. Before the break I had the privilege to listen to our fifth grade students passionately discuss Where the Red Fern Grows. I listened as they expressed both love and disdain for scenes in the novel, but smiled as I heard many of them remark that the book made them want to read more. Many students shared with classmates that the book touched their emotions, and this, they agreed, was a sign of well-written literature. The book also sparked discussion about family and community, and I was touched at how much our fifth grade class had to say about the importance of parents being good role models for their children to follow, as well as the importance of being a part of a community. The overall consensus was... yes, they liked this book as a part of their fifth grade curriculum! Due to conferences, students are release at noon all week. There will be no lunch served, but students may bring a quick snack to eat at recess if desired. I look forward to seeing you at conferences this week! Warmly, Mrs. Baird Important Dates: 10/17 - 10/21 Half Days, Noon Release (Parent Teacher Conferences from 1PM to 5PM) “I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” ― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables We have nearly arrived at the end of the first quarter. This will be a four day school week, with Friday being no school due to Teacher In-service. Last week students impressed me with their renditions of "Jabberwocky," and I look forward to the final recitations this week. Students have until Thursday to recite this poem to the class. Its story-like quality has seemed to make it easier to memorize for some, in spite of the nonsense language. We will also work on diagramming sentences, gradually adding in new elements such as predicate nominative and predicate adjectives. Dictation and copywork exercises from our literature selections will be practiced as examples of correct and beautifully written work. The class will be introduced to using a thesaurus when composing sentences, and be given time to practice this skill. As we finish Where the Red Fern Grows this week, I encourage you to be aware that the ending can evoke some emotional responses from both children and adults. I have rather enjoyed the students' reports about parent reactions to this novel, specifically the boys amusement about mothers' responses. You know your child best, so be prepared to discuss the ending with them. We will allow time in class this week for students to share thoughts with classmates, including their feelings and opinions on this being one of our classics to keep. I look forward to hearing their heartfelt responses. A SignUp Genius link will be emailed today, October 3rd, through Jupiter for you to schedule a parent teacher conference. These meetings will last 15-20 minutes with all fifth grade teachers present to discuss your child's progress. We look forward to seeing you there. (Sorry for the delay in posting... I had saved as a draft and forgot to publish on Monday!) Important Dates: 10/05 - Mathematics Clinic, 6PM 10/07 - No School, Teacher In-service 10/10 - 10/14 Fall Break, No School 10/17 - 10/21 Half Days, Noon Release (Parent Teacher Conferences from 1PM to 4PM) |
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Mrs. Baird Archives
February 2017
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