This newsletter provides information about upcoming tests, projects, and lessons for the month of January for a 5th grade class taught by Sarah Hanes and Shannon Moore at Winchester Elementary School. It details that students will be taking NWEA tests in science, reading, and math on various dates in January. In math, students are learning to multiply and divide fractions and will have a chapter 4 test on January 15th. In science, students are studying forces and motion and will have a unit test in February. In social studies, students will create explorer projects due January 16th and have a unit 2 vocabulary quiz on January 12th and test on January 21st. The reading program will focus on non-fiction text structures and language arts on

1. Sarah Hanes hanessa@northvilleschools.org
Shannon Moore mooresh@northvilleschools.org
http://winchester.northvilleschools.org/ Winchester Phone Number: (248) 465-2400
January 2015
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
No School No School No School 1 No School 2 No School 3
4
5 Classes Resume
6 7
8 NWEA: Moore,
Hanes Science
9 10
11
12 SS Vocabulary
Quiz –Unit 2 13 14
15 Math Chapter 4
test
16 SS Explorer
Project due
17
18
19 Martin Luther King
Jr. Day –
NO SCHOOL
20
NWEA: Moore
Reading
21 NWEA: Hanes
Reading
SS Test – Unit 2
22 23 End of Marking
Period
24
25 26 27 28 29 30 31
Please make sure your child is dressed appropriately ~ Hats, gloves, and boots!
I HOPE YOU HAD A SAFE AND RELAXING HOLIDAY BREAK
Fifth Grade News
Please Remember:
 Have your child check their
assignment notebook daily.
 Have your child read for at least 30
minutes everyday
 Your child should practice
multiplication/Division facts
everyday if they don’t know them.
January:
Jan. 8 NWEA Science: Moore, Hanes
Jan. 12 SS Vocabulary Quiz- Unit 2
Jan. 15 Math Test Chapter 4
Jan. 16 SS Explorer Project due
Jan. 19 Martin Luther King Jr. Day – no school
Jan. 20 NWEA Reading: Moore
Jan. 21 NWEA Reading: Hanes
Jan 21 SS Test – Unit 2

2. MATH
In math we are continuing chapter 4. Our Tentative Chapter 4 test date
is Thursday, January 15th.
We are multiplying and dividing fractions. Students where first shown how
multiplying fractions works using a model and practiced creating the models
themselves.
Students will then learn division of fractions by finding the reciprocal of
one fraction then multiplying it. Please use the class website as a resource for
videos to reinforce these skills.
Chapter 4 Vocabulary:
product, common factor, proper fraction, improper fraction, mixed number,
reciprocal
Later in the month we will begin an algebra unit using chapter 5.
Science
Students continue to investigate concepts from our unit entitled, Forces and
Motion. They will discuss and describe motion as a changing of position. They will explore
how distance, time, direction, and speed apply to motion. In addition, students will
demonstrate motion on a graph.
Later in the month, students will explore balanced and unbalanced forces. We will
discuss Newton’s first law of motion and will further investigate balanced and unbalanced
forces through the quantitative measurement of forces in Newtons, using a spring scale.
In addition, students will discuss the role of friction and gravity as forces and how they
affect motion.
This takes us to the end of Lesson 8. A test focusing on Lessons 1-8 is
scheduled for mid-late February (details to follow in the February newsletter).
Students are reminded to use their science journal, science notebook, study guide, and
previous assignments to prepare for the test.

3. Language Arts
In language arts, students will begin the New Year continuing to focus
on literary essays. Students will analyze the content and structure of literary
essays. They will determine themes and supporting evidence. Then plan and
organize their ideas utilizing a graphic organizer. Students will build strong
introductory paragraphs and create a conclusion that illustrates the significance
of the theme.
Reading
.
In Reading Workshop, we will focus on nonfiction text. Nonfiction text explains,
informs, or persuades. Students will identify, define, and explain how authors use text
features. They will investigate various informational text structures such as
compare/contrast, problem/solution, and cause and effect. Students will have many
opportunities to read, discuss, and respond to multiple text types. They will analyze the
content, interpret the message and evaluate the author’s purpose. I encourage
students to read and discuss non-fiction at home.
SOCIAL STUDIES
In Social Studies students will find out facts about an explorer, create a
life-size outline of the explorer with the facts, and present it to the class on
Friday, January 16. There will be a Vocabulary Quiz on Unit 2 on Monday,
January 12 and a Test on Unit 2 on Wednesday, January 21.
We will then begin to learn about the 13 Colonies. We will be discussing
the people and events that helped shape our colonial heritage. In this unit (unit 3
in the book), the kids will be leaning about the Spanish, French, and British
colonists who settled throughout North America. They will learn how the early
British colonies grew over time, and how the British colonists worked to make
North America truly their home.