Fifth Grade FAQs

What is the best way to contact you or my child during the day?

Being with the children continuously throughout the morning and then again in the afternoon, it is advised to contact Caterina with any important updates.  Otherwise, please feel free to email me and I will respond within 24 hours.  I can also be reached through my voicemail at school. 
Contact Info

  • Are there options for my child to stay after school for help?

How can I play a role in my child’s school day?

  • Parent volunteers are  encouraged to join us on field trips and during classroom events. 
  • Contacting to Danny in the cafeteria to serve lunch can be a great time to see your child in a social setting. 
  • Also, ski days offer a fun opportunity to enjoy skiing with your child and see them interacting with a varied group of students that they might not always have over for play dates. 

What should I do if my child needs help with homework?
To accommodate the needs of fifth grade students, I offer time on Monday from 3 until 4 to work with students who want extra help or to stretch their understanding of a topic.

How much homework will my child have in Fifth Grade?

Homework is an important part of the learning process and assists the transition into Middle School.  I believe that homework can provide extensions to lessons and opportunities for creative exploration.  To foster students' time organization, I will structure assignments that have due dates within one day, one week and one month.  I do not assignment homework over weekends, but students may use that time to complete long-term projects.  Students can expect between 45 to 60 minutes of homework a night this year.  These times can fluctuate based on a a student's fluency with math facts or their reading pace.  If homework continuously takes far over one hour, please have your child touch base with me so that we can create a plan where he/she feels more comfortable. 
  • First, wait for them to ask. Don’t hover — but stay close by to see if they are out of rythm or appear frustrated
  • Second, see if there are any distractions or missing resources that could make the assignment go smoother
  • Third, guide them to read the directions, take out notes from class, or seek help on the class website or from a classmate
  • Finally, ask your child guiding questions that can get them back on track
  • If you feel comfortable helping your child, let me know where your child needed help
  • If these options don't work, don’t do the homework or take over a project for your child. Write a quick note on the assignment and have your child talk to me in the morning
  • Sometimes a reminder to your child that I don't grade them on the amount of questions they get correct on their homework.  I do use homework to gauge their fluency and progress while preparing them for expectations of Middle School

What should I do if my child is having trouble?

First, I would recommend finding what the root of the problem may be.  At this age, there tends to be more connected to the daily issues than in even 4th Grade. Because these emotions are new, it can be hard for 5th graders to know why they feel the way they do.  
No matter what, though, please keep me posted of any concerns you or your child may have.  Sometimes I can offer more perspective, or your update can give me more perspective into what I'm observing at school. 

How is the curriculum created for my child?

In most cases, the units and daily lessons are created by me or through a collaboration of several teachers to meet the need of each individual student. Though, we do refer to numerous recourses to supplement instruction.  A list of some resources that are implemented can be found below.   
English:
Daybook of Critical Reading and Writing, Paragraphs Plus by The Monkey Sisters, Quotation Marks from Teaching the Boring Stuff by Susan Collins, Commas from Teaching the Boring Stuff by Randy Larson, Vocabulary from Classical Roots Book 5, etc.
Novels are chosen by their ability to connect to creative writing, grammar, vocabulary, social/emotional, etc.  

Social Studies: 
TCI Social Studies Alive! Digital Text Book

Math:
Prentice Hall Mathematics Course 1