Hi all, we made it through week one of continuous learning! Each Friday we'll post the "plan" for the upcoming week of continuous learning. A couple action items:
We've enjoyed getting to connect and learn virtually through Zoom. It's a great resource that we're lucky to be able to use (many states and school districts don't allow "live" teaching during this time). Overall things have gone pretty smoothly, and we're learning how to better use the platform in real-time teaching scenarios. Safety and learning are our top priorities during Zoom lessons, and we ask that you help reinforce the following norms with your kiddo:
We hope you're hanging in there. Reach out with any questions or concerns you may have! ~5th Grade Team
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Hi all, sorry for the quick turnaround, but we have three very important action items for you to complete. Thank you for reading the links thoroughly.
Hello students and families! We are excited to unroll our first week of continuous learning. Your 5th grade teachers have worked hard to create learning content to meet a wide variety of needs. You can expect the next week's learning plan to be posted on the 5th grade website each Friday afternoon, and emailed to your inbox. A few important points to remember:
We've heard from many of you and the needs are diverse, hence the various digital and analog learning resources. Take what works for your family, leave what doesn't. This is a crazy balancing act for us all! Please reach out with any questions or concerns you may have, and make sure to read the linked document in detail. We miss you! ~5th Grade Team Hi all, it was fun connecting this morning via Zoom! If you didn't make it, no worries, it was optional and we'll communicate as a team when we schedule more.
We have two Google Forms for you to fill out:
Mr. Drummond made a video message for students, check it out when you can: https://youtu.be/mjghl9qWf_E We'll keep you posted as we learn more. Have a great weekend! ~5th Grade Team Hi everyone, a couple quick things. Lots of great responses to the Google Form we sent out yesterday. Thanks for filling it out when you can!
A few common things we heard: requests for self-paced curriculum ideas/suggestions, wondering what the "plan" for learning will look like in the coming weeks, balancing adult work and student work time at home. All very valid! We've had very clear instruction from the district to only provide their AISD Learning at Home resources for the time being, and to not speak to what instruction will look like starting April 6. We don't know ourselves; we wish we could give you more at this time, but know we're all working hard behind the scenes, and taking all feedback into account. Not much is up to us right now! A math resource we sent home well before the break that we feel comfortable re-advertising: Ms. Salome made a library of self-paced Nearpods to provide kids with a more personal/interactive way to practice from home and school. It lives on our BLEND math course, linked from the "today" button. It provides a ton of great skill practice. If your child could use a confidence-booster or extra practice to sharpen some skills, this is a fairly fun way to interact with grade-level math material. Encourage activity on this site, if possible. Hang in there! ~5th Grade Team Hi all, greetings from your 5th grade teachers! We hope everyone is happy and healthy during this crazy time. We're here for you and hope that you'll reach out with any questions or concerns you may have. We ask that you please complete the following THREE 5th grade action items:
***CWS Trio: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/768517390 and enter Meeting ID: 768 517 390 A few other important pieces of information:
We know you have a million questions during this time (as do we!), but know we are all in this together. Our collective health is the main priority. There will be more info to come and we'll be sure to stay in touch. In the meantime, explore the resources linked here, get outside, move your bodies, drink water, read a book, practice social distancing, and be nice to your parents :) We miss you! ~5th Grade Team Hi all, quick update this week! Report cards will be finalized Monday morning, and we're just four days away from the Winter Break!
All 5th grade after school tutoring is cancelled for next week (there's no math homework either!). Check out this comprehensive list of middle school magnet dates: http://hilltopdillos.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/1/5/13158343/msimportantdates__1___1_.pd Here's a message regarding towel sales: Hey all - For those of you that sold towels: Update: The towels are on backorder!!! I'm so sorry but they won't be in until January 6th! Please let your people know so they don't wonder why they're late! I will let you know as soon as they come in! For those who haven't sold towels yet - WE NEED TO SEE 112 more!! Please let me know if you need an order form or have any questions! Thank you- Jessica Morrow Halich [email protected] 512-962-6299 Thanks for reading, and have a great weekend! ~5th Grade Team Hi all, we hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving break! Quick update this week...
Check out this comprehensive list of middle school magnet dates: http://hilltopdillos.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/1/5/13158343/msimportantdates__1___1_.pdf Grades for the second nine-weeks report card will be finalized on Monday, December 16. Your child should be able to show you how to access all grades online. Otherwise, please check out the following link for instructions: http://hilltopdillos.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/1/5/13158343/parent_self_serve.pdf Please see the following message re: 5th grade fundraiser: WOW! You all did amazing! I am almost through adding up and tallying the towel sales but PLEASE continue to sell! I think we need to sell about 150 more! The towels make a wonderful and unique holiday gift! If you have money or orders - you may take them to the office at any time! I will be checking the folder on Friday. The towels should be in next week - Sorry about the delay! The check had to clear and the holidays slowed production down. We will be having some selling opportunities before and after school so keep an eye out for a sign-up link in the coming weeks! Many thanks- Jessica Morrow Halich 512-962-6299 Thanks for reading, and have a great weekend! ~5th Grade Team We hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and gets to enjoy some down time! We're only three school weeks away from the Winter Break and halfway point of the year. Be on the lookout for digital progress reports in your inbox (make sure the email address you have on file with the district is current). You can also check your child's grades any time through the parent portal. Instructions for access can be found here.
The 5th grade holiday party is scheduled for Thursday, December 19 from 2:00-2:45 in the Commons. Each class will have snacks and a game/activity in their classroom. Be on the lookout for communication from the room parents for more info. We're generally trying to keep things festive but low-key. Parents are welcome to attend, just make sure you check in through the office. Commons Lost & Found: the unlabeled jackets and water bottles are multiplying! Please write your kiddo's name on these items, and encourage your kiddo to look for their stuff! Missing items usually congregate on the table outside Ms. Cotten's room. Thanks for reading, and have a wonderful break! ~5th Grade Team Hi all, happy Friday! We're just a week away from the Thanksgiving break. Hopefully you've stayed warm this week!
Thank you so much, food and coat donation volunteers!! You have no idea how helpful you were! Commons Lost & Found: the unlabeled jackets and water bottles are multiplying! Please write your kiddo's name on these items, and encourage your kiddo to look for their stuff! Missing items usually congregate on the table outside Ms. Cotten's room. Math Tutoring: We've had a huge turnout these last few weeks -- 40-50 kids each session! We're glad so many kiddos are coming; we've adjusted our formatting a bit, and will no longer devote any tutoring time to homework completion. Mr. Mayer's Tuesday study hall from 3-4pm is for all subject areas (both trios), and is a great place to get work done. We are focusing more on diving deeper into the content, and as you can imagine with so many students every second counts. It's also so important that your kiddo comes to tutoring ready to work and engage in the lesson. Students who need consistent reminders to stay focused will be asked not to return as just a few can really impact the group "vibe" and ability to keep things moving forward. ***Thank you so much for the snacks, they're much appreciated! Science Fair: Science Fair tri-fold boards will be provided by the school. They should arrive before we leave for the Thanksgiving break. Make sure that your child’s science teacher has approved their science fair experimental question or engineering design goal. Remember, their projects are due January 13th. Science After School Clubs: The last day of the first session for both Water Bear Club and Animal Lovers Club was this week. The first session has now ended. The next session starts when we return from Thanksgiving. If you would like to sign up for the next session, please fill out this google form: https://forms.gle/ZaJiHgp21JxJVWGM7 Also, in both clubs, students designed t-shirts that are for sale. To order and purchase these shirts, visit the links below: Water Bear Club T-Shirt by Kamdyn Eaton: https://www.customink.com/g/fgc0-00c1-wbk1 Animal Lovers Club T-Shirt by Vivian Fernandez: https://www.customink.com/g/fgc0-00c1-y39y Upcoming Field Trip: 5th grade will be attending a field trip next Wednesday, November 20th at the AISD Performing Arts Center. This field trip will complement our reading of the The Children of Willesden Lane, a story of hope and survival during WWII. Students will have the opportunity to hear a concert and presentation from the book’s author. Buses will depart from Hill at 9:00 and we will be back in time for lunch, so no need to pack sack lunches. The same performance will be available for entire families to view free of charge on the evening of November 19th at 7:30. If interested in attending as a family, please register for tickets at the following site: https://support.adl.org/event/austin-the-children-of-willesden-lane/e230170 Thanks for reading, and have a great weekend! ~5th Grade Team |