Happy Holidays from Fifth Grade! ❄️

Dear Fifth Grade Families,

As we wrap up the second quarter, and the first half of the school year, I want to take a moment to celebrate all the incredible growth and learning that has happened in our classroom this fall. Your fifth graders have worked incredibly hard, and it shows! I will be sharing class statistics during winter break.

A Quarter to Remember

This quarter, our young agents tackled some challenging missions:

In Math, students mastered operations with fractions by adding and subtracting with unlike denominators, finding least common multiples, and solving multi-step word problems. The growth I've seen in their mathematical thinking has been outstanding!

In ELA, we've been exploring City Spies together while building comprehension skills, analyzing characters, and strengthening our writing. Students have impressed me with their thoughtful discussions and creative projects.

In Science, we investigated energy, force and motion, and electricity by making connections between how energy transforms and affects our daily lives.

In Social Studies, we've been exploring United States history, from early cultures through the development of our new nation.

Winter Break: December 20 – January 6

Winter break is a wonderful opportunity for rest, family time, and maybe a little fun learning along the way. Here are some optional activities to keep minds engaged:

Reading for Pleasure

Encourage your child to curl up with a good book! Whether it's the next book in a favorite series or something new from the library, reading over break helps maintain the skills we've built and supports writing development. Ask them about their book. What's happening? Who's their favorite character? What do they predict will happen next?

Real-World Math

Math is everywhere during the holidays! Have your child help with:

• Measuring ingredients while baking

• Calculating sale prices while shopping

• Figuring out how to divide treats equally among family members

• Planning travel time for holiday visits
  

Family Conversations

Talk with your child about family traditions, holiday memories, and hopes for the new year. These conversations build vocabulary, listening skills, and strengthen family bonds.

Looking Ahead to Third Quarter

When we return on Wednesday, January 7th, 2026, we'll hit the ground running with exciting new learning:

• Math: Working with Expressions (order of operations and variables), followed by Geometry and Measurement (perimeter, area, and volume)

• ELA: The Renaissance and The Reformation units, followed by an exciting study of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream

• Science: Sound, Light, and Electricity investigations

• Social Studies: Continuing our journey through U.S. history

A Note of Gratitude

Thank you for your partnership this semester. Your support at home makes such a difference in their success. I'm grateful to work with such wonderful families.

Wishing you a peaceful, joyful winter break filled with warmth, laughter, and time together.

Happy Holidays!

Mr. Green Fifth Grade