1.) September - January – Citizenship
Reading Strategy focus: Visualizing
Readers’ Workshop; Shared Reading & Guided Reading Groups
Topics: Citizenship, Communities, U.S. Constitution, Other Cultures, Conservation & Pollution
Assessment: Reading Journal Visualizing Entry & Rubric, Anecdotal Notes on Students’ Reading Level and Fluency
2.) February - June – Peace; Why Can’t We All Just Get Along?
Reading Strategy focus: Determining Importance; Summarizing
Readers’ Workshop; Shared Reading & Guided Reading Groups
Topics: Native Americans, Explorers, Revolutionary War, Underground Railroad, Civil War, Immigration, Important Leaders & People with Disabilities
Assessment: Reading Journal Summaries & Determining Importance Rubric, Anecdotal Notes on Students’ Reading Level and Fluency
3.) September - June – Systems
Reading Strategy: Questioning & Determining Importance
Read Alouds, Shared Reading & Partner Reading
Topics: Earth Science, Rocks and Minerals, Human Body, Solar System
Assessment: Science Journals & Rubric
4.) September - June – Exploring New Jersey – Students will complete projects that incorporate reading, writing, social studies and technology to learn about the history, geography, and people of New Jersey.
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Additional Units, 2009 - 2010
5.) September – June - Thinking Strategies – Students will learn what the seven thinking strategies are and be able to describe them in their own words.
6.) September - January – Organize Your Writing Unit – Writers Workshop and the Four Square Writing Method will be used to complete test writing practice and essays in the expository, descriptive, and persuasive forms, (about 15 lessons with writing in content areas).
7.) September - June – Writers’ Workshop – Students will use the writing process to craft personal narratives, fictional narratives, and different kinds of poetry, (Personal Narrative:15 lessons, Fictional Narrative: 10 lessons, & Poetry: 5 lessons).
8.) September-June- Word Study – Differentiated spelling units - Students are assessed and given one of three lists. Multi-sensory phonics activities are used to improve their knowledge of word structure (Words Their Way, EBLI & Project Read). In Sept/Oct. there is a focus on using the word study activities while reading and students will partner read 25 mini books on one of four instructional reading levels.
9.) January – March - New Jersey Ask Review Unit - Open Ended Questions, Responding to a Poem, Writing a Narrative for Speculative Prompts, Math Missions and Written Explanations to Open Ended Math Problems, H.W. Groups & Practice Test.
10.) March - June – Biography Bonanza – Students are partners with a fifth grader to partner read a biography during which they complete word study activities, responses to open ended questions and a speech about their assigned person.
*Rough drafts are hand written and then typed before teachers check.
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Dear Parents,
The NJ Assessment of Skills and Knowledge (NJASK) testing dates are May 10 - 13, 2010. In preparation for the test, we will be working on a unit in class. In addition, each child will be given a language arts/math review packet on each Thursday as a homework assignment.
These are the following assignments and due-dates:
Week 1 – Due April 8th: Language Arts - a fictional reading selection with multiple choice and open ended questions
Math - Extending Tables packet and mission #1
Week 2 – Due April 15th: Language Arts - a non-fiction reading selection with multiple choice and open ended questions
Math - Combinations packet and mission #4
Week 3 – Due April 22nd:
Language Arts - write a story in response to a speculative prompt
Math - Pictographs packet and mission #9
Week 4 – Due April 29th:
Language Arts - write a story in response to a poem prompt
Math - Vertex-Edge Graphs packet and mission #10
The students will still be receiving the Everyday Math Home Links as they have since September. We would like to encourage them to continue to read 15-20 minutes a night whenever their schedule allows. Please familiarize yourself, as well as your child, with the vocabulary and format of the test. We will be reviewing the responses in class.
Attached are copies of the rubrics used by the state to evaluate the open-ended responses to reading, writing and math assignments from the NJASK. More information on these rubrics and how they are used can be found on the following website:
www.nj.gov/education/assessment/es/
We hope this information will help you have a better understanding of what is expected of your child when answering questions in the weekly packets.
We appreciate your continued support!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Emanuele, Mrs. Curran, Mrs. Yorston, Miss Gacki,
Mr. D'Alconzo, and
Miss Hill
