The Anne Sullivan School
P.S. 238
5th Grade Newsletter
March Happenings
Our school Science Fair will be taking place on
March 16th. Please make sure that your child
completes their science project proposal and
brings it in to Ms. Escowitz as soon as possible
for approval. Science boards can be purchased
for $5.00 from Ms. Escowitz in Room 321.
Parent Teacher conferences will take place on
Thursday, March 19th from 12:20-2:20 in the
afternoon and from 5:30-8:00 in the evening.
Report cards will be distributed at these
conferences as well as your child’s Social
Studies State Exam score. There is a half day
on Thursday, March 19. All classes will be
dismissed at 11:20.
The fifth grade will be going on a trip the Hall of
Science on Tuesday, March 31.
The fifth grade will also continue to work
on specific math, reading, fluency, writing,
science and social studies GOALS! Make
sure that you have a conversation with
your child about their goals for the month
of March!
Reader’s Workshop
In March, the students will read and
comprehend informational books and
reading passages to develop
understanding and expertise. The
students will learn how to restate or
summarize information into their own
words; relate new information to prior
knowledge and experience; extend their
ideas; and make connections to related
topics or information in this month’s
Reader’s Workshop. Please make sure
that your child is reading for at least 40
minutes a night and is recording this
information on their reading log! Please
make sure that your signature appears in
the correct column.
1633 East 8th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11209
March 2009
Vo l u m e 1 , I s s u e 5
Writer’s Workshop
In March, we will finish Response to Literature
and work on a Report of Information. The
report of information will be in conjunction
with what the students will be learning in
Social Studies. The students will be learning
how to engage the reader, develop a
controlling idea, create an organized report,
include appropriate facts and details and
provide a sense of closure in their report.
Please make sure that your child goes to the
library and selects appropriate books,
magazines, and websites to help them write a
great writing piece!
Mathematics
In March, we will cover Unit 8 of Everyday
Math which focuses on Fractions and
Ratios. We will review Grade 5 standards
such as creating equivalent fractions;
simplifying fractions; converting improper
fractions to mixed numbers. We will work
toward Grade 6 standards such as adding
and subtracting fractions with unlike
denominators; multiplying and dividing
fractions and mixed numbers; and reading,
writing and identifying percents of a whole.
Parents, please refer to the Family Letter for
Unit 8!
Science and Social Studies
This month in Social Studies, the fifth grade will
continue to learn about Latin America and its many
countries. The students will be working on a non-
fiction report using the country they picked in class
with an emphasis on its history, geographical
features, people, traditions and resources. We will
be working on this non-fiction report during
Writer’s Workshop and researching information
during, our Computer class with Ms. Stouber.
This month in Science we will wrap up Unit 2:
Earth Science and FINALLY start Unit 3: Food
and Nutrition. Get ready for some fun and
exciting experiments and interactive learning!