Bulldog Bark: spotlight fifth grade & SBAC testing next week

The Bulldog Bark Newsletter

Issue 34- April 22 - April 26

We are ALL Learners!

We at Vessels wish you a very happy Easter!

Please note: No school tomorrow, Monday, April 22. School will resume on Tuesday, April 23.

Important Information Regarding SBAC Testing Below...Please Read!

We will continue SBAC testing next week with the CAST (California Science Test) for all fifth grade students.

Please make sure that your fifth grader is here and ready to rock the exam!

On April 29, fifth and sixth grade students will begin the math and ELA portions of the SBAC. On May 2, third and fourth graders will start the test as well. The testing window is from April 23 - May 10. Please note that not all students will test everyday.

Please make sure that all students are in attendance every day We at Vessels are the best and this is our chance to show our bulldog pride. But, we can't show off our academic skills if our students are not here.

Studies show that adequate amounts of sleep and a good breakfast will help students to be prepared, healthy, and ready to learn.

The SBAC test is computer/internet based and allows a snapshot of student skills in both math and ELA. It is a great indicator of student progress and the data is used to help teachers plan for the following school year.

If you would like to help us, help your child prepare, click HERE for a comprehensive, grade-specific, online practice test.

Spotlight Fifth Grade

Fifth grade is all about refining and practicing skills learned in fourth grade, but fifth is much, much more than that. Teachers continue to push students to dig deeper through the robust analysis of the many topics they encounter within the California, fifth grade standards. Students are expected to be more independent and self-motivated and have the skills to do many projects and assignments with a little help from the teacher along the way.

Fifth graders continue to progress in reading and the analysis of texts. They should be able to support their ideas with quotes, facts, and events when speaking and writing. They are also expected to read different types of texts such as non-fiction, fiction, poetry, and drama. Please check out THIS list of recommended books to continue to promote literacy and push their reading level higher over the summer.

Below is a list of what all fifth grade students should know by the end of the year :

Uses details from the text to summarize it, identify the main idea or theme, compare characters or events, or compare different texts of the same genre (for example, two fantasy texts such as The Hobbit or There and Back Again and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone).

Interprets and understands metaphors and comparisons made in a text.

Identifies an author or narrator’s point of view and explains how this affects the content of a text (for instance, Greg’s perspective in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series).

Compares multiple perspectives on the same event, idea, or theme.

Uses the context of a text to determine the meaning of unknown words.

Uses technology and digital media to further her understanding of a topic and to find answers to her questions.

Gathers information about a topic from multiple sources.

Below is a list of math skills that students are expected to know before going into sixth grade.

It would be a great idea to continue to push students to achieve mastery in these areas through ALEKS or by using the online resources provided below under the heading, "fine-tune your math skills."

Uses addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to solve word problems.

Adds, subtracts, multiplies, and divides multi-digit numbers.

Practices using parentheses and brackets in equations, knowing the proper order to use to solve the equations.

Writes, adds, subtracts, multiplies, compares, and rounds decimals.

Solves division equations that include remainders and divides numbers that have up to four digits by numbers that have up to two digits.

Adds, subtracts, multiplies, and divides fractions with different denominators.

Plots fractions in the correct order on a line graph.

Solves word problems that measure distance, time, size, money, area, perimeter, and volume; uses whole numbers, fractions, and decimals.

Estimates and predicts answers to word problems and equations based on knowledgeable guesses.

Understands the relationship between different units of measurement and can convert one unit to another (for example, centimeters to inches).

Plots coordinate on graphs and compare their distance and positions.

Follows a pattern or set of guidelines to create a number. For example: Start with 5, add 3 five times, and subtract 1. What number are you left with? Students then do the same with another set of guidelines and explain the connections between the two patterns.

Knows the qualities and different categories of two-dimensional shapes.

Want to know more? CLICK on the link.

Source: https://www.scholastic.com/parents/school-success/school-success-guides/guide-to-5th-grade.html

Please help us keep our school safe and secure.

Please note that all Apple watches and electronic devices must be turned off and stowed away when students step foot onto campus unless supervised by an adult. We have had an uptick in incidences of student phone usage while at recess and lunch. Help us ensure the safety of all students by adhering to the no phone use policy.

Please also note that if a child is sick, or needs an item from home, they will need to come to the front office and use the school phone. We cannot have students calling parents during instructional time on their own devices.

Thank you for helping us to provide the best educational experience without the distraction of personal electronics during school hours.