Friday, December 6th, 2019

Happy Friday, Families!

We've gotten back into the swing of things after our Thanksgiving break. Please read below for an update of what we're currently learning!

Literacy
*We are finishing up begin The Road to Freedom, a story that is narrated from the point of view of a young girl, Emma, who is traveling on the Underground Railroad with her mother in hopes of making it North to freedom.  Using this text, we have been focusing on determining the theme of the text and have been looking at how different text features affect how a story is understood by the reader.

Writing
*As we continue reading Road to Freedom, we will be finishing up writing an opinion based on topics/issues related to slavery from the book. We will continue to work on Opinion writing throughout the trimester.


Math
*We are finishing up our unit with decimals, which includes writing, comparing, rounding, adding, and subtracting decimals. We have also worked on converting within powers of ten using the metric system and real-life examples such as technology storage (gigabytes, megabytes, kilobytes). We will be beginning Unit 4 next week and will begin our focus on multiplying multi-digit numbers.


Social Studies
*Our students wrapped up our discussions about the various responsibilities and powers of different types of governments.  Our discussions revolved around the pros and cons of a democracy, a parliamentary government, a monarchy, and a dictatorship.  Of the four governments, students had to decide which government uses their powers and responsibilities for the benefit of its citizens.

Science
*We recently started learning about ways that governments, companies, and individuals can protect our earth. We recently did an investigation that involved students working with small groups to create a water filter out of various materials. 

Upcoming Events

December 9th: MAP Testing (Reading)
December 10th (Tuesday): Early Release (2:00PM)

December 11th: MAP Testing (Math)

December 20th (PM): Winter Parties

December 21st-January 6th: Winter Break

Friendly Reminders

**Please remember to send your child with a healthy snack.  Nothing feeds the brain better than something healthy!

**Please continue to have your child practice his or her multiplication facts up to 12.

**If students want to play in the snow outside, they must have the appropriate snow gear in order to do so. Please make sure to send your student with snow pants, snow boots, jacket, gloves, and hat. 

Friday, November 15th, 2019

Happy Friday Families!

I hope everyone is staying warm during this early November Arctic blast!  But as we deal with the bitter cold, our students continue to work hard, wrapping up the grading period.  As we move on to the second grading period, I am excited to see how much more our students will grow!  There is so much to teach and so much to learn, but so little time! 

Here are the targets we will focus on as we work through the beginning of the second grading period:

Literacy
*Our students wrapped up our shared informational text, Animals of the Rain Forest.  In the coming weeks, we will begin The Road to Freedom. The story is narrated from the point of view of a young girl, Emma, who is traveling on the Underground Railroad with her mother in hopes of making it North to freedom.  Using this shared text, we will focus on literacy skills such as summarizing and identifying narrator's point of view.


Writing
*As we move into Road to Freedom, we will use it as a springboard for various writing samples. We will practice writing short-constructed responses, as well as plan and write an opinion paper based on topics/issues related to slavery from the book.


Math
*We are continuing our unit with decimals, which includes writing, comparing, rounding, adding, and subtracting decimals. We will start to work on converting within powers of ten using the metric system and real life examples such as technology storage (gigabytes, megabytes, kilobytes).  As the students start to explore powers of ten, they will also solidify their conceptual understanding of shifting place values when multiplying and dividing by tens.


Social Studies
*Our students wrapped up our discussions about the various responsibilities and powers of different types of governments.  Our discussions revolved around the pros and cons of a democracy, a parliamentary government, a monarchy, and a dictatorship.  Of the four governments, students had to decide which government uses their powers and responsibilities for the benefit of its citizens.


Science
*We recently started learning about earth systems in science. The unit discusses the four main systems of Earth: the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere. In addition to learning about their attributes and characteristics, we are also identifying interactions that occur between the systems. Our most recent investigation involved creating a clay model of the Earth, showing each Earth's system. 


Upcoming Events
November 22 (Friday): Report Cards Released
November 25 (Monday): Early Release - Parent/Teacher Conferences
November 26  (Tuesday): No School - Parent/Teacher Conferences
November 27  (Wednesday): No School - Start of Thanksgiving Break

Friendly Reminders

**Please remember to send your child with a healthy snack.  Nothing feeds the brain better than something healthy!

**Please continue to have your child practice his or her multiplication facts up to 12.

**If students want to play in the snow outside, they must have the appropriate snow gear in order to do so. Please make sure to send your student with snow pants, snow boots, jacket, gloves, and hat. 

Thank you and have a wonderful weekend!

Enzie Pangilinan

Monday, November 4th, 2019

Happy November Families!

We finished out the month of October with a boo! Even though we were forced to stay inside due to the weather, our parade and classroom parties were such fun!  We didn’t let a little snow hamper our celebration! It’s hard to believe that November has arrived! Don’t forget to “fall back” Saturday evening for Daylight Savings Time! Be sure to turn your clocks back for an extra hour of sleep!

Literacy

*In the past week we have made the transition in our reading from primarily fiction texts to nonfiction texts. We are working on quoting accurately and comparing/contrasting characters and events within these nonfiction texts. We have begun practicing these skills by using shared reading text titled Rainforest Food Chains. The students have begun looking at various text features in this text and using them to help them locate evidence to support their thinking with question responses. This text is replete with vocabulary and we have been playing games to increase our knowledge and understanding of all of these new words!

Writing

Recently, students have been researching an ecosystem and using graphic organizers to classify their information. Students are then taking those plans and developing their essays focusing on organized, detailed information with transition words to help the flow of their writing. Ask your student to share information they have learned about the ecosystem they are researching and writing about! When we are completely finished next week, students will share them at home as well!

Math

We are digging decimals! In the coming weeks we will be perfecting skills in the area of using expanded decimal notation, comparing decimals, adding and subtracting decimals, and rounding decimals. We will have a checkpoint at the end of next week to track our progress.

Science

We have continued our learning about the four Earth Systems and how they interact. We are learning about how the Earth’s climate and weather are connected to these interactions.

Social Studies                                                                                                                                                                                         

Next week we will continue our Civics unit by focusing on different forms of government. We will primarily focus on direct and indirect democracy, monarchy, and dictatorship. We will also learn the important aspects of each form of government, including examples of countries that utilize each of them. 

Upcoming Events

November 4 (Monday): Beginning band concert at TG at 7:00

November 7 (Thursday): Orchestra concert at Woodlawn at 7:00

November 11 (Monday): Picture Retakes

November 15 (Friday): HALF DAY (Dismissal @ 11:45AM)

November 19  (Tuesday) PTO Special Lunch

November 21 (Thursday) Family Reading Night 6:30PM

Important Reminders                                                                                                                                                               

** Please remember to send your child with a healthy snack. Nothing feeds the brain like a healthy snack! Please also remember that we do have students in our room with allergies, so snacks need to be allergy friendly. Please contact me if you have any questions regarding appropriate classroom snacks.

** Please continue to have your child practice their multiplication facts up to 12.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you for your continued partnership and enjoy the rest of your week!

Friday, September 27th, 2019

Happy Friday Families!

Please read below to find out about all of the wonderful learning that is going on in 5th grade at Ivy Hall!

Literacy

*After finishing our novel, Night of the Spadefoot Toad, we read a short story called “Shells” and an excerpt from the book Hatchet. After reading each of these additional texts we have been making connections between all three pieces. We have been comparing and contrasting characters, settings, and events, within and across the three texts. We have also continued to work on using quoted evidence to support our thinking.

*The book fair starts next week with a preview day on Tuesday.

Writing

*Students have continued to work on narrative writing. They have continued to use graphic organizers to plan, then developed their stories through the use of a detailed sequence of events and effective character development. Students have also continued to be encouraged to add dialogue into their writing to enhance the reader’s understanding of their characters, setting, and events.

Math

*This week we began our second math unit focusing on addition and subtraction of fractions. This week we have been utilizing money and time to model the operations. The models have provided a springboard for teaching students to make common denominators before adding or subtracting. As we come to the end of this week students are looking at the models to determine what type of problems they would be useful for.

Social Studies

*Last week we concluded our discussions on why America declared its independence from Britain. As we move forward in the next portion of our social studies unit, our focus will be on the responsibilities and powers of officials in the United States after gaining independence. Much of the conversation will center on understanding the powers and responsibilities of each of the three branches of our government.

Science

*We have continued our unit on ecosystems by learning about the difference between producers and consumers. When learning about consumers we got an opportunity to dissect owl pellets in class. Students thoroughly enjoyed looking through the pellet at all of the bones to see the animals the owl ate. After dissection we discussed the flow of energy through food chains in ecosystems.

What Else Is Happening In Class?

Our students earned the "Golden Shelf Marker" Award for exhibiting exemplary behavior in the Learning Center!

Our students also dissected owl pellets in Science in order to have a deeper understanding of the flow of energy between living organisms.

Upcoming Events

*Sept. 30 - No School

*Oct. 1 - Kirberger / Holzhauer Field Trip - BRING A SACK LUNCH

*Oct. 3 - Ice Cream Social / Book Fair - 6pm-8pm

*Oct. 4 - Pangilinan / Dalton Field Trip - BRING A SACK LUNCH

*Oct. 9-14 No School

Friendly Reminders

** Please remember to send your child with a healthy snack. Nothing feeds the brain like a healthy snack! Please also remember that we do have students in our room with allergies, so snacks need to be allergy friendly. Please contact me if you have any questions regarding appropriate classroom snacks.

** Please continue to have your child practice their multiplication facts up to 12.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you for your continued partnership and enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Friday, September 13th, 2019

Happy Friday Families!

What a perfect morning for our annual Ivy Hall Fun Run!  It was so great to see our students running their hardest.  At your convenience, please scroll down to see a couple of pictures from the event!

Please read below to find out about all of the wonderful learning that is going on in 5th grade at Ivy Hall!

Literacy

*We are finishing up our first shared reading book of the year—Night of the Spadefoot Toad by Bill Harley. We’ve used this text as a springboard for many reading and writing learning targets thus far.  This book has also connected nicely to our study of ecosystems in science. Be sure to ask your student about what he/she has learned about vernal pools and spadefoot toads!

Writing

*Students are in the process of finishing their first narrative stories of the year! After utilizing graphic organizers to plan, students developed their stories through the use of a detailed sequence of events and effective character development. Encouraging students to infuse dialogue into their writing was also an emphasis.  We will be writing yet another narrative in order to apply what we’ve learned and produce an even higher quality sample.

Math

*Our students are continuing their work with writing and evaluating numerical expressions with parentheses as well as demonstrating their understanding of how find the volume of rectangular prisms. We also began our “Number Corner” routine which takes place each day for about 20 minutes outside of our regular math block. Here, students practice skills in such areas as computational fluency and problem solving (in addition to several others) on a daily basis. 

Social Studies

*We started our discussion on the responsibilities and powers of government officials at various levels and branches of government and in different times and places.  Over the next two weeks, the focus of our discussions will revolve around why America declared its independence from Britain.

Science

*We are continuing our focus on understanding the characteristics of  various ecosystems around the world. Our first science investigation involved “traveling” to virtual ecosystems and studying the interactions between living and nonliving organisms.

Upcoming Events

Sept. 30 - No School/District Holiday

Friendly Reminders

** Please remember to send your child with a healthy snack.  Nothing feeds the brain like a healthy snack!  

** Please continue to have your child practice their multiplication facts up to 12.


Fun Run Pictures!

Fun Run Before...

...Fun Run After!

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.  Thank you for your continued partnership and enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Enzie Pangilinan

Friday, March 15th, 2019

Happy Friday Families!

March has definitely roared in like a lion! Let’s hope that pleasant weather is soon on the horizon! We have only one week until spring break and we planning to work hard right up until next Friday! 

As we progress through the coming months of school, we will have many special events and dates that will be important to mark on calendars. Please pay special attention to the dates listed at the bottom of the blog so that you can stay informed!

Please also note that student council is working with Bernie’s Book Bank in order to collect gently used books for donation. Bernie’s Book Bank is a wonderful organization that does a great job of getting books into the hands of children who really need them! If you have any books to donate, please send them with your student to school! We have collection bins located throughout the school for this purpose.

Here is what we’ve been working on in each of our content areas:

Literacy

This week in shared reading we are continuing our theme of “Exploring New Worlds” as we begin reading a book titled Pedro’s Journal, a story that depicts the exploration of Christopher Columbus. Interestingly, it is told through the perspective of a young boy who traveled with him as a crew member. Much of our learning as we read will focus on author’s perspective, as well as determining theme. 

Writing

We are using the above-mentioned story, Pedro’s Journal, as a springboard for our next opinion essay. Here, students will be utilizing multiple sources in order to research about Christopher Columbus and his explorations. In doing so they will decide whether they feel that Columbus should be considered more of a hero or a villain. Students will utilize the strategies we’ve been learning throughout the year in order to compose a well-written paper that contains evidence and reasons to support their opinions.

Math

We have officially finished our focus on multiplication and division of fractions. We have now started Unit 6, which will emphasize skills in the area of geometry. Students will practice classifying figures in a hierarchy based on properties. They will also locate points on a coordinate plane based on ordered pairs. In addition, students will identify patterns between corresponding terms and show their ability to generate numerical patterns when given specific rules.  

Social Studies

We will soon begin out unit on Economics. We will study how goods and services work in a market economy and we will eventually study how people of the past were positively and negatively impacted by cultural exchanges.

Science

We have started our new science unit on Changes in Matter. We will be conducting some engaging investigations where students will identify various powders by their attributes and reactions to substances.

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, March 19—6th Grade Literacy Placement Test

Wednesday, March 20—Illinois Science Assessment (taken in a.m.)

Friday, March 22—Last Day before Spring Break

Wednesday, April 3—First Day back after Spring Break 

Friendly Reminders

**Please remember to send your child with a healthy snack. Nothing feeds the brain like a healthy snack!

**Please continue to have your child practice their multiplication facts up to 12.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Sunday, February 24th, 2019

Happy Friday Families,

This week Trimester 2 has come to and end and we are ready to kick off our third and final Trimester next week! Here is what we’ve been working on in each of our content areas:

Literacy

*This week we started a new unit in reading. We have started reading a nonfiction text, “Explorers: Triumphs and Troubles”. In this text we have been learning about different explorers throughout history and the positive and negative impacts of their explorations. While reading this text we are working on looking at how authors use reasons and evidence to support their points. We are also continuing to work on identifying multiple main ideas within a text and the supporting details.

Writing

*In writing we have been working on analyzing the author’s writing style through our Explorer’s books. By understanding the author’s style we can better understand their point of view and purpose for writing.

Math

*Within Unit 5, we are continuing to work on multiplying fractions. We’ve continued to practice multiplying fractions by fractions. The students have continued to work on creating diagrams using the area model. We have also been practicing our skills with fraction multiplication story problems.

Social Studies

*As we move into the third trimester we are beginning our unit on economics. We are looking forward to our trade fair that will occur later in the trimester in relation to this unit. Stay tuned for more information about this exciting event!

Science

*This week we have wrapped up our unit about the Earth, the Moon, and the Stars. Our next unit will be on Matter. Students will start by identifying and comparing and contrasting the various states of matter.

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, February 26 -- PTO Special Lunch

Friday, March 1 -- Teacher Institute Day // No School

Monday, March 4 -- No School

Thursday, March 7 -- Early Release - Collaborative Conferences

Friday, March 8 -- No School - Collaborative Conferences

Friendly Reminders

**Please remember to send your child with a healthy snack. Nothing feeds the brain like a healthy snack!

**Please continue to have your child practice their multiplication facts up to 12.

**Don’t forget to sign up for your collaborative conference. Students are working hard to prepare for these conferences and are excited to tell you about their learning and progress in 5th grade. Use this link for our class:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70a0e44a4ab2fa6f58-march19

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.  Thank you and enjoy your weekend!

Friday, February 8th, 2019

Happy Friday Families,

With the chilly temperatures and the rain and ice, it seems as if Spring can't come soon enough. Trimester 2 is quickly wrapping up, and Trimester 3 is quickly on its way.  

Here is what we’ve been working on in each of our content areas:

Literacy

*We are continuing to read through Angel Island, which discusses the journey and challenges of Chinese immigrants as they entered the United States. To dig deeper into the topic of Angel Island, students also began reading about Li Keng Wong's personal story as a Chinese immigrant. By exposing students to first and second hand resources, we are continuing to explore more about perspective and point of view. As students are reading about Angel Island, many of them made connections to Ellis Island, which they learned about in 4th grade. 

Writing

*Recently, students read Real-Life Superheroes, which they learned about honorable names such as Rosa Parks, Richard Martin, Raoul Wallenberg, and Thomas Barnardo. From these four "superheroes", students chose a person to conduct research and create a Keynote presentation to highlight his/her biography and accomplishments. Be sure to ask your student about his/her chosen superhero! 

Math

*Within Unit 5, we are continuing to work on multiplying fractions. This week, we've practiced multiplying fractions by fractions. The students are working on creating diagrams using the area model and geoboards to represent dimensions and the area of rectangles. As we head into the next week, students will be practicing their skills with fraction multiplication story problems. 

Social Studies

*We are beginning to learn about patriotism. Previously, we've learn about liberty and the Pledge of Allegiance. Connecting those two topics, students will explore the meaning and importance of patriotism. They will also discuss how people in the United States can show patriotism to their nation. 

Science

*We have started our unit about the Earth, the Moon, and the Stars. This week, we learned about the sun and other stars. Students read about how the brightness of star depends on their proximity to the Earth. We even learned that one star (Rigel) is 773 light years away from the Earth. This means that the light left that star 773 years ago! 

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, February 12  -- 5th Grade Band Concert (Twin Groves) @ 6:30 pm
Thursday, February 14 -- Valentine's Day Parties @ 1:45 pm
Monday, February 18 -- President's Day // No School
Tuesday, February 19 -- PTO Book Fair @ 6:00-8:00 pm
Tuesday, February 19 -- Ivy Hall Celebrates Diversity @ 6:30-8:00 pm
Friday, February 22 -- Half Day Dismissal @ 11:45 pm // End of Trimester 2
Tuesday, February 26 -- PTO Special Lunch
Friday, March 1 -- Teacher Institute Day // No School

Friendly Reminders
**Please remember to send your child with a healthy snack. Nothing feeds the brain like a healthy snack!

**Please continue to have your child practice their multiplication facts up to 12.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.  Thank you and enjoy your weekend!

Enzie Pangilinan

Friday, January 11th, 2019

Happy New Year Families!

We've hit the ground running into the new year! We enjoyed sharing our winter break adventures with each other, and now we are ready to resume the school year with renewed energy and enthusiasm!

Please read below to find out the specifics of what we've been working on!

Reading:

During shared reading we have been delving into a  nonfiction book entitled Real Life Superheroes.  Be sure to ask your student about some of the amazing individuals which are highlighted in this book! We are using this text as a springboard to work on literacy targets in the areas of finding main idea, summarizing and comparing and contrasting texts of similar topics. 

Writing: Along with reading about Real-life superheroes, we will also be writing about them! Students are selecting an individual in history who they feel has made an outstanding contribution to society--someone who they feel portrays the characteristics of a real-life superhero. After researching about this individual's life, students will be writing an essay which highlights the important biographical, as well as the reasons this person should be considered a hero. Upon completion, students will share their essays with each other so that we can all hear about the amazing accomplishments of these remarkable people!

Math:  This week we've been continuing the work we started prior to break with multi-digit multiplication. Upon completion of our unit, students should feel comfortable in utilizing the traditional method, as well as other algorithms such as partial products. Ideally, students will show proficiency in being able to solve two and three digit multiplication problems with accuracy. Those students who have already demonstrated mastery of such skills have been working on extending their skills with related challenges.

Social Studies:  Students have been "digging deeper" into the meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance. We've done a variety of activities to increase each student's understanding of what they are saying during our daily recitation of the Pledge. In coming weeks we will also be learning about patriotism and further explore the liberties we value in our country. During this learning, we will compare our liberties with certain countries that are not as fortunate to possess such rights and freedoms.

Science:   In science we are starting our unit on the Earth, Moon and Stars. Within this unit we will explore such concepts as gravity, how distance affects the brightness of stars, and how day and night occur. 

** Please keep in mind that on MOST days students will be going outside for recess. Please make sure that your child brings appropriate outdoor clothing, including gloves, to school each day.

**Band and orchestra students should remember to be prepared with their instruments and music books on the days that lessons take place. Students are not able to call home once the school day begins.

Important upcoming dates to remember:

Wednesday, Jan. 16th--4/5th grade Orchestra concert at Twin Groves @ 7:00 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 21st--No school Martin Luther King Day
Tuesday, Jan. 29 PTO Special Lunch/Early release @ 2:00 p.m.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Enzie Pangilinan