March Newsletter

Greetings 5th Grade Families,

Believe it or not, spring is on its way! Hopefully, someone will tell Jack Frost to lighten up on us in Minnesota so it can start to feel like it! We have been cruising right along in room 114. Students have been working on geometry and that work will continue in March. Help make geometry real for them. Try figuring out the volume of a cereal box, or the area of a table top. Substance abuse is the unit we are currently working through in Health. This is an interesting shift in our content. The students and I have discussed that previously in health, weve been talking about a lot of stuff they already know, like relationship and bullying. Now we are asking them to be mature, so we can have respectful, meaningful discussions and be sensitive about other peoples backgrounds, ideas, and misconceptions. With this already being a topic of discussion at school, it is a great time to continue the conversation at home. Tips for talking to your kids and prompts for discussion can be found on the back. You are your childs greatest ally in the fight against substance abuse! I am enjoying working with your children. They have grown and have learned so much this year. It has been fun to be a part of the adventure! As always, please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. Sincerely, Mrs. Swan

Curriculum Highlights
Math Unit 11: Volume Unit 10: Using Data; Algebra Concepts & skills Health Substance Abuse Science Classifications and Adaptations Writing *Narrative Writing Write a fairy tale. Your fairy tale must include descriptive details, an exciting plot, and a theme or lesson. Your main character should be able to overcome an obstacle. *Team Research and Power Point: You and a small group will research a career that helps others. How does this professional person help other? What training does this field require? Create a power point presentation summarizing the information and present it to our class. (Informational Writing) Grammar *Idioms, Adages, and Proverbs *Correlative Conjunctions *Figurative Language: Similes and Metaphors *Synonyms, Antonyms, Homonyms Reading RL 2: Determine the theme, how characters react to challenges and summarize the text

Dates to Remember
March 14: Quarry Hill Trip March 19 Wendys Night (5:00-8:00 PM) March 20: 1st Day of Spring! March 27: Last day of the Quarter March 28: No School-District Day March 31-April 4: No School-Spring Break!
Mrs. Crystal Swan-Grade 5-Hoover Elementary- (507)-328-3450 Ext. 83449 -

RL 3: Compare/ Contrast citing details from the text RIT 2: Determine two or more main ideas of a text and explain how they are supported by key details; summarize the text. RIT 7 Demonstrate the ability to locate answers in the text Poetry

Tips on Talking To Teens and Tweens

Most 6-year-olds know that alcohol is only for adults. Between ages 9 and 13, youth begin to think that alcohol use is okay. Thats why its never too early to start talking with young people about the dangers of underage drinking. You can feel confident in starting the discussion: Teens say that they rely on adults in their lives more than anyone else to help them make tough decisions and to provide good advice. Here are some general tips: When you talk with your children about drinking, listen to them and respect what they say. Make clear your expectation that your children will not drink. Teach your children about the dangers of underage drinking. Discuss laws about underage drinking, including the age 21 law.
Source: Office of the Surgeon General. (2007). The Surgeon General's Call to Action To Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking: A Guide for Families (PDF 900KB) Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Conversation Starters: Drug and Alcohol Use Why do you think it's illegal for kids under the age of 21 to drink alcohol? After all, many parents do it. Why are marijuana and other drugs illegal? What would you do if you were in a car and the driver had been drinking or smoking marijuana? What if the driver was a grown-up, like your friend's parent? What do you think happens in the brain when people smoke marijuana? Why shouldn't kids smoke it? Have you ever thought that I drank too much? Acted differently when I drank alcohol? When do you think kids are ready to try alcohol? Do you know any kids or adults who you think have alcohol or drug problems? When do you think kids are ready to try alcohol? Do you know any kids who have tried alcohol or drugs, what do you think of them? What do the kids at your school do at parties? Have you been to a party like that? Have you ever been offered a drink? Marijuana cigarette or other drugs? How did you handle it? What would you do if you were at a party and someone passed out from drinking alcohol? Would you be worried about becoming addicted to alcohol or drugs? Do you think coffee is a drug? When do you think its ok for kids to start drinking coffee?
From Online Article, 150 Conversation Starters for Family Discussions http://www.ahaparenting.com/parenting-tools/communication/family-discussions

Other Resources for Families:

www.toosmarttostart.samhsa.gov http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/body/index.html

http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/marijuana-facts-parents-need-toknow/talking-to-your-kids-communicating-risks

**If youre interested in more print resources on this topic, please send a note with your child, email, or call me.