Social Studies - In Social Studies, students continue this final period with an interdisciplinary unit on Colonial America and the Revolutionary War. The students learn about life in the early colonies, focusing on the New England, middle and southern colonies. They examine the reasons for establishment, successes and failures and important contributions. The major project within the unit is a study of Marblehead. Numerous visits are made to sites in town as the class works closely with The Marblehead Historical Society. Students take on the role of a fictional colonial character living in Marblehead in the early 1700’s. Each student creates a scrapbook based on the life of this colonist. Many specific study skills are developed throughout this unit including the following:
• Research and Note Taking
• Skimming and Scanning for Information
• Organizational Strategies
• Written Language Skills
• Speaking and Listening Skills
• Paraphrasing
Please refer to the assignment packet and rubric for more specifics regarding this classroom project. The understanding of the colonies and their struggle for independence is a wonderful bridge to the introduction of the Revolutionary War Unit.
All Social Studies units this year are fully integrated with studies in Language Arts.
Language Arts –Language Arts and Social Studies classes are integrated as students study Colonial America/Marblehead. As in earlier units, essential skills in the areas of written language, research, listening and reporting are addressed in Language Arts, Social Studies and also in integrated block periods throughout each week. Students will be reading My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and The Fighting Ground by Avi.
Grammar and spelling skills continue to be a major focus within the curriculum. Adjectives and adverbs are taught at this time. The students are held responsible for beginning to use these parts of speech in their daily writings. Proper usage of punctuation will also be stressed and reviewed through the students’ writings. Many opportunities for practice exist as students create their Marblehead scrapbooks. Spelling rules are being reviewed, and students are challenged with word lists for both spelling and vocabulary taken from the literature.
In May, students will participate in our exciting two-day historical adventure trip to sites in Massachusetts and Connecticut. The students will participate in several hands-on workshops at the three locations we visited. More details will be sent home once plans are finalized.
In early June parents will be invited to visit our classroom during the day for a colonial sharing. At this time the students will be presenting their final Colonial Marblehead Scrapbooks. Details to follow.
Math – In math we continue to be working on skills and concepts involving fractions. Addition and subtraction of fractions and mixed numerals with like and unlike denominators, multiplication of fractions with whole numbers, and mixed numbers are introduced. The students learn division of fractions and mixed numbers and solving fraction equations. Estimating sums and differences and applying concepts to solving word problems will be an emphasis.
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To read about more about what's happening in the fifth grade, click here.
Fifth Grade Hebrew and J.S. (Tali Marotz)
Hebrew and the Jewish Holidays
The students continue to develop their skills in spoken and written Hebrew using the classical Hebrew text (Madregot), short stories and articles from the Israeli children’s newspaper, Bereshit. Students analyze the main theme in respect to the characters, setting and plot. For creative Hebrew writing assignments, attention is paid to verb patterns and sentence structure. The students develop a more personal connection to the main themes through acting out the story while applying the new vocabulary.
The Hebrew language is also integrated through the study of Israeli and Jewish holidays of Yom Hazikaron (Israel Memorial Day), Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israel Independence Day), Lag B’omer, Shavuot and Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day). The students explore the significance of each holiday; discovering more about beliefs, practices and various customs that comprise the faith of Judaism.
Torah
The book of Shemot (Exodus) is dedicated to the first exile and redemption from it. Students continue to explore the original text in Hebrew and English with reference to various commentaries. Over the next few months, we will be emphasizing subjects from each parasha including: Parashat Va’eira – (And I Appeared); The Plagues of Egypt, The Four Expressions of Geula (redemption) that G-d used; Parashat Bo (go or come); The First Passover – the Laws of Passover; Parashat Beshalach (When he let go); G-d’s deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt; Parting of the Red Sea; Biter water turned sweet; Manna in the wilderness; Water from a stone; and Amalek’s attack.
Tefilla and Trope
The students continue to improve their prayer skills through reciting the morning, afternoon and Shabbat prayers. They finished learning Trope for reading Torah and continue to meet each week to reinforce the cantillations they know. The students are now able to take the notes they learned and apply them to Biblical text, including practicing the chant an Aliyah from the book of Shemot. On June 4th, they will take part in chanting from the Torah during the upper school Tefilot service.
TORAH (Tali Bloom)
The fifth graders have recently finished studying the first portion of Shemot, the book of Exodus. Our current portion is VaEra, in which students study the ten plagues. In studying the biblical text, students use key words to help predict the actions and reactions of the characters. Students continue to use their knowledge of modern Hebrew to comprehend the text. Another portion we will study is Beshalach, and within Beshalach we learn how G-d led the Israelites to the Red Sea, pharaoh’s change of heart, Moses splitting the Red Sea, and the death of pharaoh. Also, Shirat Hayam, a song and a prayer we will study, expresses gratitude to G-d for freeing the Israelites from bondage.
The fifth grade finished learning trope for reading Torah. They continue to meet each week to reinforce the cantillations they know. The students are excited that in June they will be able to chant an aliyah from the Torah scroll. We will let you know when your student will have this special opportunity, and we hope you can join us.
HEBREW
In the Tal Sela class we are continuing to learn Hebrew through the method “Ivrit b’Ivrit”- Hebrew in Hebrew! While learning new vocabulary and concepts, students do most of their speaking, listening, reading, and writing in Hebrew.
We worked very hard to prepare ourselves for the Passover seder. Each child had a part, from the preparations through the reciting and leading of the seder. In the classroom, we made connections between Torah portions and the Haggadah. We talked about the difference between customs and mitzvot and the importance of continuing both throughout each successive generation.
The next unit of study is Jerusalem; we will focus on its place as a center of spirituality for the state of Israel and Jews around the world. We will learn about important institutes in the capital and modern history through stories and songs.
Finally, we will learn about Shavuot, including Rabbi Akiva, the names of Shavuot, and traditions and mitzvot of the holiday.
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