Our Teachers

2018 - 2019

PS 230 5th Grade Team     

Front Row (L to R) -  Ms. Heinrich, Ms. Madison, Ms. Sparks, Ms. Lasky, Ms. Kelley, Ms. Gursoy

Back Row (L to R) - Mr. Scott, Mr. Ramos, Mr. Metzner, Mrs. Mancusi, Ms. DiScipio

Please click on a teacher's name to view profile.

  

Habit of Mind

Resilience - The ability to become strong, healthy or successful again after something bad happens 

Quote of the month

“I’m not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become.” - Carl Jung

 

5th Grade Archives

5th Grade Supply List

5th Grade News - October 2018

5th Grade News - November 2018

 5th Grade News - December 2018

Monthly Newsletter

5th Grade News - January 2019

 What are we learning this month?

In reading…   
     As we wrap up reading Home of the Brave, the fifth graders will be moving into nonfiction reading.  Students are developing skills and strategies to tackle complex nonfiction texts and learn review note taking skills in preparation for middle school.  We will be strengthening our skills in monitoring for sense, word solving, prediction and summarizing.

     In the next unit, reading, writing and social studies will be closely linked. We will be exploring Westward Expansion.  Students will be reading about various topics and conducting research in preparation for a writing piece and a reading project.

     At home, encourage your child to read various types of nonfiction text, such as newspapers, online articles, magazines, catalogs, and more!     Your child should continue to read both nonfiction and fiction texts at home throughout the year.   

In writing…

     In the early weeks of January, some fifth grade classes are publishing their Feature Articles, while others are ready to dive into the next non-fiction unit: historical research report.

     The unit begins with immersion of U.S. Westward Expansion topics through texts, primary sources, and videos.  Each student will then select a single subtopic to narrow their focus. These subtopics include the California Gold Rush, the Lewis & Clark expedition, the Transcontinental Railroad, and the Trail of Tears.

     Fifth graders will conduct research using selected passages, books, articles, and internet sources.  Students will carefully select which aspects of their subtopic to focus on and decide how best to organize the information that they gather.  Finally, an important goal of this unit is using and citing reliable sources in their writing.

STEM - Math

     As we begin 2019, 5th grade will finish working on decimals.  Over the next few weeks, we will be focusing on decimals and place value.  Students will be working with a place value chart, as well as a hundreds grid to understand how decimals work.

     Also, we will be working on all four operations when solving equations, as well as word problems dealing with the concept of decimals. Lastly, students will learn how to compare and round numerals with decimals.

    Towards the end of January, we will change our unit of study to fractions, focusing at the beginning of the unit on adding and subtracting fractions.

STEM - Science

     In fifth grade, our scientists have completed our unit of study—Physical Changes and Chemical Changes. 

     Your child has completed an online assessment and received an assessment slip.  Please have your child return the signed assessment slip.  We are now working on our next unit called Matter and Energy in Ecosystems.  We will be exploring living and nonliving elements in given environments.  Also, we will focus on the interdependence of living things within an ecosystem. 

     At home, you can discuss how the fires in California have changed ecosystems and displaced animals in these areas.

STEM - Technology

     During the month of January, 5th graders will continue to learn about Digital Citizenship while exploring features in their G-Suite accounts. 

     Students will learn what it means to “THINK, Before You Post” on a digital forum. 

     Using the acronym (THINK) students will justify whether contributions, comments, and questions are True, Helpful, Inspiring, Necessary, and Kind.

Social Studies

In Social Studies . . .

     Fifth-graders will be finishing our units on the impact of European exploration on the indigenous people of the early Americas.

     Our next unit focuses on Westward Expansion from its beginnings with the concept of Manifest Destiny to the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad.  High-interest topics include the perils of the Oregon Trail and the promise of riches during the California gold rush.

     Social Studies will support the upcoming Reading & Writing units by teaching much of the content necessary to understand this important era in our history

 

In Advisory…

     We are very excited to announce that advisory has been started! In this exciting new program, your child will have an opportunity to form a relationship with another adult besides their classroom teacher.  In advisory they will focus on building the school community, executive functioning, organization, and the transition to middle school.

In Music…

     Having learned about the four basic rhythms: quarter note, half note, dotted half note, and whole note, we will move on to learn how to identify the note letters on the staff.  This will prepare us to play the glockenspiel (metal xylophone).

In Gym…

     Fifth graders will be practicing Team Handball, which is a team sport that requires use of all gross motor skills and teamwork!

In Health…

     Fifth graders will be working on understanding why it's important to to be aware and take care of our personal hygiene as we develop into our teens.

Middle School Choices

  

      If you applied to screened middle school programs, auditions and tests will be held in January and February, 2019      

     Log in to myschools.nyc to download test and audition tickets.

     If you have not received a testing date, please contact Anselm Scrubb, Guidance Counselor at ascrubb@schools.nyc.gov or Jill Reinier, Parent Coordinator at jreinier@schools.nyc.gov

     Click here for more information about the Middle School Choice process, middle school directories and links to middle school websites.

Important Dates

January 2019

 

★ January 8

5th Grade begins ARTSCONNECTION

★ January 17

PTA Meeting & Student of the Month Ceremony

★ January 21

No School - Martin Luther King Day

★ January 25

5th Grade Yearbook Parent Boosters due

 

Reminders

 

Homework

    Please click below to visit the websites with homework assignments, information and resources for the following 5th Grade classes:

501/502/503

504/505/506

507

    

     Please check in with your student about school supplies.  At this point in the year students frequently need new pencils, notebooks, etc. We are always in need of pencils. Donations are always appreciated.  Thanks in advance!