Find your students desk, and have a seat.

Curriculum Night
Welcome to 5A!

Mrs. Niffenegger

Curriculum Night
Welcome to 5A!

I teach fifth
grade so I can
work with the
best people in
the world.

Contacting Mrs. Niffenegger

E-mail niffenegge@wdmcs.org
Crossroads office 633- 5600
Crossroads 5A voicemail, after hours
633-5637
If you need to get a message to your child
during the school day, call the office.
Class Web Page: smileits5a.weebly.com

School Wide Behavior

Expectations
P.B.I.S.
Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports

Be careful
Be respectful
Be prepared
We are CRP!

Reading
Reading is among our most important work
at school, in life, and as parents.
.
Read
to your child regularly; they are not too old. Choose

something just beyond their reach, a classic, or a favorite from

your youth.

Model good reading. You be a reader.

Make sure your child reads 20 to 30 minutes each night at
home.

Reading at School
Non-fiction numerous articles, Benchmark
Literacy curriculum, biographies
Fiction mysteries, fantasy/science fiction,
realistic fiction, historical fiction
Poetry weekly focus poem
Vocabulary Development- context in literature,
word study and content area vocabulary
Strategies to develop thinking skills
Fluency and accuracy
Independent Reading
Your child is expected to always have an
independent reading book within reach.

Fifth Grade Reading

Comprehension focus
Strategies
Awareness of thinking as a reader
Scaffold to independence
Main idea, infer, summarize

Independent Reading
Expectations
Read at school 20 30 minutes daily and daily at home with
student selected text or assigned text each. No Ripleys
Believe it or Not or Guiness Book of World Records. They
can read them, but they cant count them.
Complete required reading responses on weekly due date.

Language Arts: Speaking

Speak clearly with a purpose.
Present effectively.
Listen and respond appropriately.

Language Arts: Writing

Writing Process
Genres: Narrative, Expository, Persuasive
Genre responses to reading
6 + 1 Traits are taught
Skill work: weekly language focus parts of speech,
word usage, grammar and punctuation
20 minutes of free write for homework Mon. and
Thurs.

Word Study
Understands word analysis skills
Emphasis on learning word part generalizations
for meaning versus memorization.
Students will take a ten word spelling and vocabulary
test on Friday as part of their Quick Check assessment
Quick Check assessments show understanding of how
well each student knows the generalizations with
spelling, meaning, structure, usage,
pronunciation and parts of
speech

Language Arts: Word Study

Homework: Online at Spellingcity.com
Complete 45 minutes weekly.
Student choice of games and activities.
-No Word Search
There is an iPad app Spelling City
Sentences or a paragraph using the words is
turned in weekly by sharing with Mrs. N. in
Google Docs.

Weekly Literacy Turn In Day

Your child will turn in all of
this on the same day each
week.
1. Updated poetry journal
2. Literacy binder
interactive lessons,
independent reading
responses, and small
group work are all a part
of their literacy binder
expectations.
Your child will work on this
throughout the week when I

Social Studies

Mrs. Niffenegger, 5A

Mrs. Chambers, 5B

Science

Mr. Wise, 5C

Studies

ory of American history from the arrival of the

people through the Civil War.

ong emphasis on vocabulary, writing,

esearch, thinking and simulations.

ss the part during throughout the year:

Minuteman from American Revolution- December or Jan

Pioneer child 1870 for Living History Farms May

Standards Based
Curriculum

Each of these link to webpages with

more information.

Planner
Students will record all assignments and
homework daily.
Student will ask for parent signature daily.
Teacher will check planner for
completeness and parent signature daily.

Homework
Your child will have about one hour of homework
nightly. It is only 20 minutes of reading on Wednesday.
It should not be more.
This should not be a frustrating situation for you or
your child.
All homework assignments are continuations of
assignments started at school. Independent reading
and word study are regular homework assignments.
Students will have a chance to start all assignments at
school. Projects with timelines will be completed at
school and home.
Students who are in E.L.P., band or orchestra may have
a little more on the days they miss class for lessons.

Special Subjects and Teachers

Mrs. B. Jones, Special Education
Mrs. Kluesner, Special Education
Miss Marlow, Special Education
Miss Hayes, Art
Mrs. Loney, Music
Mr. Barnes, PE
Mrs. Grefe, Teacher Librarian
Mrs. Twit, ELP
Mrs. Carver, ELL
Mrs. A. Jones, Reading Resource
Mrs. Cawthorn, Reading Resource
Mrs. J. Jones, Instructional Coach

Your child may encounter

any or all of these teachers
this year in an instructional group or
collaborating with Mrs. Niffenegger.

Mrs. Kobberdahl
Band Instructor

Mrs. Meyer
Orchestra Instructor

Wonderful opportunities and strong programs

Parent Teacher
Conferences
November and February
We can meet other times if
needed.

On Fridays, folders will

come home with
important information
from the week
including graded work,
school mail, and
community mail.
Please remove and
examine all contents.
Sign and return the
folder on Monday.

Technology
5 computers in each room
Computer lab
1 laptop cart with 30 laptops
Chrome Book Carts
At least 9 Ipads in each classroom
Classrooms with video systems
Curriculum integration
Keyboarding
Basic formatting

Online Resources
Most assignments given in class will be available on students Edmodo pages.
Notes given in class are also available here.
wdm.edmodo.com is a social network made up of the students in the class. They
will be required to turn in some assigned work electronically.
In addition to Edmodo, the following are websites students will use regularly:
smileits5a.weebly.com
Google Drive and Google Docs
Quizlet.com
Spellingcity.com.
animoto.com
Symbaloo.com
Seesaw.com
Links to the work on these sites are on Edmodo.

Parents may create Edmodo accounts to peek

at what is going.

Student Cell Phones

Students should keep cell phones in their
lockers during the day.
Phones should be shut off during the school day.

Other electronic devices from home.

It is fine for students to bring their own Ipads, e-readers and other
devices they may use to help them with school work.
I will lock them in my cupboard at their request.
They are discouraged from leaving them in their lockers and at their
desks when we are out of the room.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Check to see if you have ear buds or any old

headphones at home.
Your child can use his/her own.

Field Trips
Meals From the Heartland
Jester Park
Des Moines Symphony
Capitol and Historical Museum
Farm Bureau
Exercise Your Character
Living History Farms
Parents and grandparents are always
welcome on fieldtrips.

Birthday Treats
Birthday treats at school are an option.
Treats will be passed out late in the morning.
Please send individual, single-serving
portions that can easily be passed out by
your child.
Summer birthdays may be celebrated as
half birthdays.
This is an option not a requirement or expectation.

Collaboration, 3:10 Dismissal on

Wednesdays
Allows teachers time to meet together.
Building goals
Professional Learning Communities
Professional Development
Teachers meet at 7:30 in the morning.

Donations Welcome
Hand sanitizer
New or gently used books
New or gently used games for
indoor recess
Donations of time; sign up for
volunteering on field trips, parties
or as classroom volunteer
through the PTA

Things You Can Do To Help With

Your Childs Fifth Grade
Experience

Communicate
Read
Encourage
Volunteer
Donate
Be involved
Join our P.T.A.

Thanks for sharing your most precious

gift with me each day.