This past week, we took our first test (Grammar) and quiz (science). As I typically like to do, we spent time reviewing for each in the preceding days. I let the kids know the best strategies for studying, and have them write down the date in their assignment notebooks.
As much as the kids, and us, may want and expect them to succeed, it doesn't always happen. When students perform at a level that, to me, seems to show either a lack of understanding, or a lack of preparedness, I make it a point to take some extra time to look again at the material. Sometimes, this may result in retesting (for a combined grade), and sometimes not. The goal is to find out what happened, and if necessary, to help the material to be better understood. I will send home most major quizzes and tests for your signature. As easy as it is to scribble a signature and send it back in, try to take a few minutes to look over what they've done. Feel free to jot any questions you might have, or, send an email. Tests are a far from perfect way of assessing what our kids know, but at the same time, can provide some insight to where they are at in the process. I thought I'd take a moment to share a bit more about our science unit, Human Body in Motion.
The unit allows students to look more closely at the systems of the body, and how they work together. We started by taking a look at how exercise effects the body; red faces, heavy breathing, increased heart rate, sweating, fatigue. The unit then helps break down the reasons that these things happen. * For the Skeletal/Muscular System, we investigated how muscles move bones and designed and built models of working elbow joints. *This week, we look at the Nervous System, and how it sends the signals telling our body to move (either intentionally or unintentionally). *We look at how the Circulatory and Respiratory Systems work together to bring oxygen and nutrients to our working muscle cells, and how the Digestive System takes the important nutrients out of our food for delivery to cells. At home, ask your 5th grader about what we've been learning about in science and ask them to explain some of the "how it works" details. Being able to share what one has learned with somebody else is one of the best signs of understanding. And, we're off!
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Author5th grade teacher to wonderful students at Patton School! Archives
October 2015
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