Lincoln School Newsletter

In Math, your child is learning about measures of center and variability in this topic. The students will learn how to identify and ask a statistical question that results in a good representative set of data. “How many days are in September?” is not a statistical question because there is only one answer to the question. However, asking all of your friends “How many movies did you watch last month?” would provide a more varied set of data and can lead to meaningful analysis. In addition, your child will learn how to find the mean, median, mode, range, and other measures of variability, such as the interquartile range (IQR) and the mean absolute deviation (MAD), of a data set. While learning how to display and summarize statistical data using frequency tables, histograms, and box plots, your child will learn to interpret data and provide reasons for his or her conclusions. For example, students will choose which measure of center best describes the middle of a data set and explain why.

In Science, the students are learning about how geological processes change Earth’s surface. They will investigate the moving plates that make up Earth’s crust and how these moving plates result in earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanoes.

📚 ELA

Our students are wrapping up their book club groups and preparing to dive into our class novel! They have enjoyed working collaboratively, discussing their books, and are now putting the finishing touches on their final projects. Throughout their book club experience, the students analyzed character traits, setting, problems and solutions, and how stories evolve. The students worked very hard for the Read- A-Thon. We raised so much money, and we read for so many hours. We're very proud of them!

In Writing, we are kicking off our informative writing unit! To start, the students are working on a "How To" writing assignment, helping them understand the structure and purpose of informative writing. This will lay the foundation for more detailed informational pieces to come.

🌎 Social Studies

In Social Studies, we are continuing our Geography unit. We just completed our study of the regions of the United States, where students explored the different states and their locations. Up next, we will be diving into our Economy unit, where students will learn about Economic Principles, and the Economy of New Jersey.

🔢 Math

In Math, the students have been introduced to decimals! This also includes learning about money. Once we finish this topic, we will begin learning about measurement conversions. We will continue to work through our new Fourth Grade concepts and prepare for the upcoming NJSLA State Test.

🔬 Science

In Science, we just finished our chapter about Earth’s natural features. We are currently learning about the hazards of Earth, such as earthquakes and weather. We will be finishing up our Physical Science unit with a chapter on the history of Earth, which will cover exciting topics like dinosaurs!

April is National Poetry Month, and the Fifth Graders have begun a unit on analyzing poetry. Recent mini-lessons have focused on the fundamental features and techniques of poetry. Through read-alouds, the students have explored various poems by identifying main ideas, themes, and mood. They then experimented with figurative language and imagery to craft their own poems, including pyramid poems, five senses poems, haikus, cinquains, shape poems, number poems, and alliteration poems. As part of the unit, the students will memorize and present a poem of their choice to the class. They will also be reading Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson. While opinions on poetry are currently mixed, we’ll see if a few minds change by the end of the unit, perhaps inspiring some new poetry lovers!

Additionally, the students will be practicing timed NJSLA preparation tests. These practice sessions help reduce anxiety and build confidence by familiarizing them with the test format, ensuring they can manage their time effectively on the actual exam.

Please encourage your child to complete 45 minutes of i-Ready each week, and practice the assigned review skills on IXL to reinforce their learning as we approach the end of the year. Overall, the students have shown remarkable improvement in reading and deserve to be commended for their hard work. Let’s finish the year strong!

Throughout March, our students dedicated their time to researching influential women, crafting visually engaging one-pagers filled with facts, accomplishments, quotes, and meaningful symbols representing their impact. Their artwork now brightens up the Sixth Grade hallway, showcasing their hard work and creativity.

In addition to this project, the students have been diving into the foundations of our government, exploring the Constitution, and the system of checks and balances. They are gaining a deeper understanding of how no single branch holds more power than the others. Up next, we’ll begin our discussion on the Bill of Rights and the fundamental freedoms guaranteed to all Americans.

In Reading, we’ve been focusing on nonfiction text structures, reinforcing these skills through daily whole-group lessons followed by engaging centers. These include guided reading sessions to strengthen comprehension. Meanwhile, in Writing, our Sixth Graders recently completed their independent argumentative essays and wrapped up their second research simulation. As we approach the NJSLA, the students will continue refining their ability to find and cite text evidence while reviewing the three major writing pieces.

Keep up the great work by completing 15 minutes of i-Ready each day and dedicating 30 minutes to independent reading.

The boys in Room 14 are working hard and honing their math and reading skills before our end of the year tests! In Science, we have been diving deep into learning about the world's bodies of water and the water cycle. In Reading, we wrapped up our unit on biographies and finished Jane Goodall's autobiography, where the boys learned a lot about her life's work. Now, we are starting a reading unit on exploring one's identity, a crucial principle for them to learn as they transition to high school. Meanwhile in Social Studies, we are learning about the importance of the past through a time capsule activity. We are making time capsules with important mementos from the children's lives that they will look back on in the years to come. 😀

Happy Spring! Ms. Cioffi’s class has been hard at work on Spring Activities and getting ready for Easter. This week, the class worked on numerous activities such as matching Easter eggs, patterns, and a color scavenger hunt. Hop Hop Hop! 🐰

The students have been working hard and challenging themselves to be the best they can be this month. They are actively participating in lessons and discussions. This contributes to a positive learning environment that encourages them to explore and collaborate with their classmates to apply lessons to their daily lives.

In Science, we are discussing Human Impact on our Earth and the Food Chain. The students

worked collaboratively in groups to explore these topics through class and digital labs. They

are currently observing their plants as they grow and gaining a better understanding of photosynthesis. We also explored the importance of our observations and how we can use them

in our everyday lives. The students are encouraged to engage in hands-on activities and apply

lessons learned to their own experiences.

In Math, the students have been working on fractions and decimals! They are preparing

to take on new projects and challenges that directly relate to their daily lives, like our budgeting

challenge. The students are getting ready, as the NJSLA is approaching, by taking on new challenges and exploring hands-on opportunities around the classroom. We use a variety of assistive technology and manipulatives to create hands-on activities within the classroom. Some of these activities include Generation Genius, Blooket, IXL, flashcards, and unit cubes! The students are enjoying playing various games which help concept mastery. They continue to work hard on their daily lessons. I am so proud of them and all of their hard work so far, and I look forward to what the rest of the year will bring!

The students have been very engaged learning about different influential women in Social Studies. To celebrate Women’s History Month, the students have been tasked with picking a famous, influential woman in history and creating a Google Doodle design. The students will present these projects to their class at the end of the week. Additionally, the class has been learning about colonization, particularly in the New England, Middle, and Southern colonies. The students performed a readers theater last week which allowed them to act out how colonization worked, and how conquistadors took over particular civilizations, such as the Incas and the Aztecs.