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5th Grade Policies
(download the full document)
late projects/homework | book reports | tests | rules | discipline | fun in the classroom
morning exercise & journals | literary circles | social studies
Welcome 5th Graders!
Here are a few procedures for the year. Please read to make sure you and your parents are aware of what shall be going on in our classroom. Fifth Grade is where you start becoming very independent, and your studies need to begin to be your own. The responsibility of work, homework and projects is yours.
Late projects/homework (top)
You have received a planner for homework assignments. Daily assignments are written on the board and, in most cases, you will have time to begin them in class. These assignments reinforce concepts learned in class. Assignments and materials are due on the date assigned. You will loose points for late assignments unless you have an excused absence due to illness. You need to be aware of your missing assignments, and it is solely your responsibility to keep track of them. Missing/incomplete homework assignments do affect your grade. Notes from parents for incomplete homework will be accepted only in the case of a family emergency or illness. Homework will not be excused for late night activities, family outings or sports practices. It is better to turn in a project or homework late than not at all! It is better to turn some work in than none at all! You will be given one grace day or may miss PE or Art to turn in the missing homework. If homework is routinely missing an infraction slip will be sent home.
However, if you turn in a project (essay, report, etc) it will be marked down a letter grade each day that it is late (For example, if an A paper is turned in one day late it will be given an A-). There is a late folder on my desk for these items.
If you are missing any handouts, all extra copies are in the yellow box in the back of the room. Therefore, you should always be aware of this and not need to ask for extra copies.
Book Reports (top)
*You are STRONGLY encouraged to bring books to read when there is free time; otherwise you will have to choose some other reading material in the classroom library. Please make sure to get the book approved by me before you start reading!
Each quarter you will are read 1 book and complete a book report the same way as the summer reading reports, in the same journal. These can be handed in any time each quarter as long as they are received before the end of each quarter: October 31st, January 23rd, March 27th, and June 5th. Here are the instructions:
These reports should be creative and neat; each report is worth 30 points. The following 5 components need to be completed for each of the three books. Please dedicate one page in your notebook for each of the following categories:
(Please also note that I require each paragraph to be at least 5 sentences, but more is always acceptable!)
1. A cover page - with the title, author and a drawing representing the book (5 points)
2. An "About the Author" page - which gives information about the author of the book in 1 paragraph. (5 points)
3. Choose 15 interesting/unknown words in your book. Write each word, the sentence in which it appears in the book, a definition (in your own words) for the word, and a small drawing representing the word. Do this in a neat chart. (5 points)
4. Write a letter to a person in your book. In your letter, discuss that person’s actions, asking questions and making judgments. Your letter should be at least 2 paragraphs. (10 points)
5. Give your book a rating between 1 (for really bad) and 10 (for really good). Explain, in at least 2 paragraphs, why the book deserves this rating, what you would change and why. (5 points)
Tests (top)
All tests will be given with ample time to prepare for them. However, we will always have…
Spelling Pre-Tests – Every Monday (not graded)
Spelling Tests – Every Friday
Math “Pop” Quizzes will be given without warning (1-2 each week)
Rules (top)
To be followed by everyone in the 5th grade classroom.
R espect
U tilize
L isten
E xpress
S miles
Discipline (top)
A system is needed in the classroom to keep consistency and community. We will be using the "pull a card" system. It allows me to be fair and it enables me to discipline without anger or emotion. Also, I can easily fit both negative and positive consequences into this plan. It works like a stoplight. There are three different colored cards. Green means “good” or “go.” Yellow means “satisfactory” or “caution”. Red means “stop” and you may receive an infraction slip at the end of the day with your behavior score to be signed and returned the next day. You have the chance to go up or down during the day. Once you earn the red card, it doesn’t mean you will have that for the whole day.
Fun things in our classroom (top)
You can earn marbles for your team if you do something extraordinary in the classroom. The class is split into two teams. Once you understand the process you can also start suggesting if someone should get a marble. For instance, if someone makes a “connection” (text-text, text-history, text-present world, text-media, text-something you learned, etc). These will be explained further in our class. At the end of each week we will count up the marbles and at the end of the month the team with the most marbles will be rewarded with a treat!
You can anonymously nominate their fellow classmates if you see them perform one of the SLE’s or the Character Counts pillar for the month. These students will be rewarded at the end of each week with a certificate!
Knowledge Moments are when you make a connection in class, either: text-text, text-history, text-present world, text-media, text-something you learned, etc. This is where we see our knowledge growing when we are able to make these connections. Therefore, you will be asked to put a piece of “knowledge” tape on our chart. We will be able to see our progress throughout the year grow!
Morning Exercise & Journals (top)
Each morning you will be welcomed into the classroom and are expected to turn in anything that needs to be turned in, get missing assignments, or finish working on any uncompleted work.
Students are also expected to get out their journal to answer the question on the over-head. This shall last for 10-20 minutes each morning. There will be two things on the over-head. One will be a free response to write in their journal. The journals will be collected at the end of each week after the first recess; therefore you have time to work on these journal questions all week long. You are not allowed to bring your journals home! You can choose to write personal entries and fold the page if you do not want me to read it. Upon completion these journals shall be sent home. I hope you will enjoy your child’s stories, and entries, and keep them for their adulthood!
The other will be a trivia question or what will be called a “morning challenge”. The team that gets the most right will receive a marble for their team.
Literary circles (top)
To boost literacy, you will read along with an audio book. In groups of three to four, you will respond to the literature by working in Literary Circles, which will enable you to analyze the novel, synthesize information and present your perspectives to the entire class. The novels chosen this year are (in order of what we will read):
1. Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman
2. From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
3. Matilda by Roald Dahl
4. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
5. Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
6. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
Social Studies (top)
You will learn how to make outlines for each social studies chapter. I will work with you the first quarter and model how to make an outline. In the second quarter you will be expected to do outlines on your own in class or for homework. This will be great preparation for junior high!
Thank you, parents, for entrusting me with your children and I look forward to building an educational foundation with the 5th grade class!
– Ms. Murphy
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