This page contains resources and answers to common questions parents might have:
- How can I get my child to read more?
- Reading and Comprehension Strategies
- Top Ten Ways to Help Your Kids be Successful
- Helping your child at home...
- THE FIFTH GRADER!
- Helping your child with homework...
- The fifth grade curriculum
- 8 WAYS PARENTS CAN PROMOTE READING AT HOME
- Positive Phrases To Help Encourage Your Child While They Are Reading
- How can I help my child become a better writer?
How can I get my child to read more?
Set up a special reading time at night for your child. Clear away any
distractions such as clocks, telephones, tv's or computers, and make sure
the room is well lit and comfortable. Sit and read with your child and
discuss what you are reading together. Also take turns reading aloud to
help improve their fluency, both will improve on their comprehension
abilities.
The BOOK IT! Program has been designed to give parents or caregivers an
important role in helping their child meet the assigned reading goals.
The individual monthly reward:
Your child will have a reading goal assigned by the teacher for each month
from October through March. Once your child has met a monthly reading goal,
the teacher will give him or her a Pizza Award Certificate. Your child can
redeem the certificate at a Pizza Hut restaurant for a free, one-topping
Personal Pan Pizza from Pizza Hut, a recognition card and sticker, and
praise.
Your child will receive another Personal Pan Pizza, another sticker for the
card, and more praise for each subsequent certificate. When he or she reads
all six months, the restaurant manager will reward your child with a BOOK
IT! All-Star Reader Medallion with neck ribbon.
You can help your child reach the monthly reading goals and become a
BOOK IT! All-Star Reader by:
selecting books together at the library,
reading to or with your child and discussing what you've read,
tracking reading progress toward each month's goal,
encouraging your child to become a BOOK IT! All-Star Reader,
redeeming the pizza certificates as soon after they are awarded as
possible, and
placing the BOOK IT! All-Star Reader medallion around your child's neck
when it is awarded at the restaurant, and giving lots of praise for this
reading accomplishment.
Remember: You, more than anyone, can help your child reach the ultimate goal
of the BOOK IT! Program -- acquiring a love of books and the written word
that will last a lifetime.
For tips on instilling a love of reading in your child, check out our
Parent's Reading List and Read Aloud Tips for Parents.
Reading and Comprehension Strategies
I've listed below several things that really good readers do automatically
when they read. It will be helpful to your child to review these steps. By
reviewing these steps often, your child will begin to get in the habit of
doing these steps as they read too!
Before You Read
1. Read the title and headings to see if they help predict what the story
might be about.
2. Look at any picture or chart in the story.
3. Ask yourself questions that might be answered in the story.
4. Think about what you already know about the subject of the story.
5. Think about what you are reading while you read.
While You Are Reading
1. Check your comprehension by putting what you read into your own words.
2. Try to picture in your head what is being described.
3. Go back and re-read the parts you don't understand at first.
4. Look at any and all pictures or charts to help you understand what you
are reading.
5. Ask questions about what you are reading and try to answer them as you
go.
6. Slow down your reading rate when you don't understand something.
7. If you don't understand something, keep reading slowly to see if you can
make sense of what is happening.
8. If you still don't understand something, re-read it.
After You Read
1. Retell the main points of the story to see if you understand them.
2. Think about how the story fits with what you already knew.
3. Go back and re-read parts of the story you didn't understand.
4. Think about something you learned or reviewed in this story.
5. Think about whether you made good predictions about what the story would
be about.
Below are several comprehension questions that can be used with any type of
reading genre. Asking your child questions like these will help them become
better readers.
Comprehension Questions
1. Have your child retell the story in sequential order.
2. What would have been another way the character could have responded to
the problem?
3. What would be another good title for this book?
4. What do you think someone in this situation might be thinking?
5. What do you think someone in this situation might be worried about?
6. What kind of person was/is _______________ ? What makes you think
he/she was that way?
7. What might this (word, picture, phrase, or symbol) mean?
8. What was the best part of the story? In what way was it the best? Why
do you think it was the best?
9. What relationship does ___________________ have with _________________ ?
10. Why do you think the character behaved as he/she did?
11. Where does the story seem to take place? (Setting!)
12. If you had to summarize the whole chapter (or story) in one sentence,
what would you say?
13. Have your child draw a picture of the story:
favorite part
one of the characters
the beginning of the story
the middle of the story
the ending of the story
14. Do you think that __________________ did the right thing when
_________________ ?
15. How do you think the character felt when ______________________ ?
16. How do you think the story would have ended if _________________ ?
17. What do you think will happen next? Why?
18. How would you solve the problem in this story?
19. Predict what would happen if ________________. Why?
20. Could this story be made into a good movie? Why or why not?
21. What caused _______________ to happen?
22. In what ways are _______________ and __________________ different?
23. In what ways are _______________ and __________________ similar?
24. What do you think ________________ looks like?
25. As your child reads a story, stop and ask:
What do you think will happen on the next page?
What do you think will happen in the next chapter? Why?
Top Ten Ways to Help Your Kids be Successful
"Top Ten Ways to Help Your Kids Get A's"
By: Peggy Gisler, Ed.S. and Marge Eberts, Ed.S.
Parental Involvement Is the Answer!
Study after study has shown that parental involvement is the number-one
determinant of how well all children -- regardless of their background -- do
in school. Here are ten ways you can help your kids succeed in the
classroom -- and beyond.
1. CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT IN YOUR HOME THAT ENCOURAGES LEARNING:
This will be a major influence on how well your children do in school.
Provide them with many different opportunities to become excited about
learning. Make sure that appropriate materials from puzzles to paints to
computers are available to stimulate their curiosity.
2. PROVIDE YOUR CHILDREN WITH A WELL-BALANCED LIFE:
A stable home, filled with love, serves as a solid foundation for getting
straight A's. Establish routines so your children get enough sleep, eat
regular nourishing meals, and receive sufficient exercise. Limit excessive
TV- viewing and the playing of video and computer games.
3. READ TO/WITH YOUR CHILDREN EVERYDAY:
Most of the learning your children do in school involves reading. Read to
your kids to teach them about reading, expand and enrich their vocabularies,
and broaden their experiences. Reading aloud exposes them to materials that
would be difficult for them to read on their own.
4. ENCOURAGE THEM TO READ EXTENSIVELY:
As your children progress through school, as much as 75 percent of what they
learn will come from the printed page. The more children read, the better
their reading skills become. Make sure there is a wide variety of
interesting reading materials in your home to encourage the reading habit.
5. SHOW YOUR CHILDREN HOW TO BE ORGANIZED:
Children who are organized find it much easier to succeed in school. One of
the best ways to teach organizational skills is through example. Show your
children how to use such organizational tools as assignment pads, calendars,
notebooks, binders, and backpacks.
6. TEACH THEM EFFECTIVE STUDY SKILLS:
Good study skills are absolutely essential to get A's. Make sure your
children know how to read their textbooks, prepare for tests, memorize
facts, and use their time efficiently. Encourage them to have a regular time
for studying, and provide a study place that is free of distractions.
7. URGE YOUR CHILDREN TO LISTEN AND PARTICIPATE IN CLASS:
Listening in class is the easy way for children to learn. Advise your older
children to take notes, which will help them concentrate on what is being
said. Encourage your children to participate in class -- it will greatly
increase their interest in what they're learning.
8. HELP YOUR CHILDREN LEARN HOW TO TACKLE HOMEWORK:
Doing homework reinforces what your children learn in school. Show them how
to do it so that homework quickly becomes their responsibility. Help them
learn what assignments to do first and how to plan their time. Encourage
them not to rush through their homework but to consider every assignment a
learning experience.
9. TALK TO YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT SCHOOL:
Your children spend hours in school every day. A lot can happen during that
time. Show that you are genuinely interested in their day by asking
questions about what they did and talking with them about the papers they
bring home. When problems occur, work with your kids to find solutions.
10. DEVELOP A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR CHILDREN'S TEACHERS:
Good communication between home and school helps children do well in school
and makes it easier to address problems. Be sure to attend parent-teacher
conferences, visit your kids' classrooms, and volunteer to help their
teachers. And don't forget to express your appreciation to teachers for all
that they do for your children.
Helping your child at home...
Here are a few suggestions on now you can help you child become a better
learner and show your child that you care about him/her and value learning:
Encourage your child.
Express your pride in your child's efforts and accomplishments.
Ask your child about his or her day.
In their Friday folders, your child will bring home completed papers and
assignments for you to review. Ask to see these graded papers.
Ask to see your child's agenda each day.
Establish a time and place for studying. Set aside a quiet place where your
child can read and do homework.
Read with your child. It's okay to read the Accelerated Book choice with
your child. Perhaps you and your child can take turns reading a page or a
chapter. It's important that your child sees you reading. Remember: the best
way to communicate the importance and value of reading is to read. Be a
reading role model.
Be an effective reading tutor by asking your child to find specific details
in a passage, to paraphrase a paragraph, or to describe a character.
Discuss homework assignments with your child.
Offer praise and help when appropriate. facilitate and allow your child to
develop their thinking process. Helping them come to the answer will be
more beneficial than just telling them.
Make certain your child has a good attendance record. Missing school often
means children fall behind in their work. They become anxious and frustrated
when they are unable to keep up.
Make sure your child gets eight or nine hours of sleep each night.
Keep your child healthy by providing
-regular medical checkups and booster shots
-a balanced diet
-regular exercise
-clean hair and fresh clothes
Encourage your child to accept responsibility for his/her school work.
Getting assignments completed on time, organizing materials, and
keeping school supplies are responsibilities fifth grade students need
to accept.
Offer assistance on homework, but encourage independence, facilitate and
allow your child to develop their thinking process. Helping them come to
the answer will be more beneficial than just telling them.
Please stay in touch with me. I am happy to celebrate your child's successes
with you and discuss any problems your child is having. Together, we can
make this a productive and successful year for your child.
Contact me at nicole_h@treca.org
Get your child on track....
Communication:
Each Friday the graded papers from the week will be sent home
to be reviewed. I will staple them togther with a note that needs to be
signed and returned.
Please make sure that you look for these papers each week.
Please check your child's agenda for his or her assignments. It is the
best way for me to communicate with you. If you have checked it please
intial the bottom of the column. Also check this website for information
concerning lessons and projects.
Achievement:
Give your child time to read each night. They should be reading at least one
novel every three weeks.
Establish a central location at home for doing homework.
Place your backpack and material in your "study station" when you arrive
home from school.
Establish a specific study time each night, such as when you get home or
after dinner.
Review your agenda before you begin your homework.
Mark and X in front of each assignment as you complete it.
Check through your completed work and your agenda with a parent.
Carefully repack your backpack, put your completed assignments in the "bring
back" side of your take home folder.
THE FIFTH GRADER!
Is your child on track? Below are some general development milestones
to help you understand your child's progress over the school year. Keep in
mind that every child is different and may not fit perfectly into this
framework.
Where They Are
The average ten-year-old has a positive approach to life. She:
Tends to be obedient, good natured, and fun.
Possesses a surprising scope of interests.
Finds TV very important and identifies with TV characters.
Is capable of increasing independence.
Is becoming more truthful and dependable.
Tends to be improving her self-concept and acceptance of others.
Forms good personal relationships with teachers and counselors.
Where They're Going
School isn't just academics. Your child's teachers are also helping him grow
socially. At ten-years-old, your child is developing communication skills
and becoming more mature. You can help by encouraging him as he:
Improves his listen and responding skills.
Increases his problem-solving abilities.
Begins to undergo maturational changes.
Gains awareness of peer and adult expectations.
Helping your child with homework...
Guidelines for Helping With Homework
So You Don't Work Harder Than Your Child!
by Dr. Charles Fay
� Set aside a time each day for family learning.
Set aside at least 30 minutes, devoted to ��family brain cell development.��
During this time, there should be no TV, video games, computer games, etc.
Model your own excitement for learning by reading a book, writing letters,
etc.
Your child may learn by doing their homework, reading about something they
love, writing stories, etc.
� Help only when your child truly wants it.
Some parents make the mistake of forcing help upon their kids. This only
creates frustration, anger, and kids who believe they can't learn without
their parents' help.
� Help only when there's an absence of anger or frustration.
When either you or your child gets frustrated or angry, learning becomes
associated with frustration and anger.
� Help only when your child can describe what the teacher said.
This ensures that your child continues to believe that it's important to
pay attention to teachers.
Unfortunately, some kids learn that it's best to "tune-out" at school and
let their parents do all of the teaching at home.
� Move away from your child before he/she "gets it."
Some children believe they can only learn something, or "get it," when an
adult is in the same room or is guiding them every inch of the way.
To prevent this dependency, avoid falling into the habit of sitting at the
table as your child does their homework, especially when they are on the
brink of learning something new.
THE CARDINAL RULE FOR HELPING:
Never Work Harder Than Your Child.
The fifth grade curriculum
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
Acquisition of Vocabulary Indicators
1. Define the meaning of unknown words by using context clues and the
author's use of definition, restatement and example.
2. Use context clues to determine the meaning of synonyms, antonyms,
homophones, homonyms and homographs.
3. Identify the connotation and denotation of new words.
4. Identify and understand new uses of words and phrases in text, such as
similes and metaphors.
5. Use word origins to determine the meaning of unknown words and phrases.
6. Apply the knowledge of prefixes, suffixes and roots and their various
inflections to analyze the meanings of words.
7. Identify the meanings of abbreviations.
8. Determine the meanings and pronunciations of unknown words by using
dictionaries, thesauruses, glossaries, technology and textual features, such
as definitional footnotes or sidebars.
Reading Process: Concepts of Print, Comprehension Strategies and Self-
Monitoring Strategies Indicators
1. Establish and adjust purposes for reading, including to find out, to
understand, to interpret, to enjoy and to solve problems.
2. Predict and support predictions with specific references to textual
examples that may be in widely separated sections of text.
3. Make critical comparisons across texts.
4. Summarize the information in texts, recognizing that there may be
several important ideas rather than just one main idea and identifying
details that support each.
5. Make inferences based on implicit information in texts, and provide
justifications for those inferences.
6. Select, create and use graphic organizers to interpret textual
information.
7. Answer literal, inferential and evaluative questions to demonstrate
comprehension of grade-appropriate print texts and electronic and visual
media.
8. Monitor own comprehension by adjusting speed to fit the purpose, or
by skimming, scanning, reading on, looking back or summarizing what has been
read so far in text.
9. List questions and search for answers within the text to construct
meaning.
10. Use criteria to choose independent reading materials (e.g., personal
interest, knowledge of authors and genres or recommendations from others).
11. Independently read books for various purposes (e.g., for enjoyment,
for literary experience, to gain information or to perform a task).
Reading Applications: Informational, Technical and Persuasive Text Indicators
1. Use text features, such as chapter titles, headings and subheadings;
parts of books including the index and table of contents and online tools
(search engines) to locate information.
2. Identify, distinguish between and explain examples of cause and effect
in informational text.
3. Compare important details about a topic, using different sources of
information, including books, magazines, newspapers and online resources.
4. Summarize the main ideas and supporting details.
5. Analyze information found in maps, charts, tables, graphs and diagrams.
6. Clarify steps in a set of instructions or procedures for proper
sequencing and completeness and revise if necessary.
7. Analyze the difference between fact and opinion.
8. Distinguish relevant from irrelevant information in a text and identify
possible points of confusion for the reader.
9. Identify and understand an author's purpose for writing, including to
explain, to entertain or to inform.
Reading Applications: Literary Text Indicators
1. Explain how a character's thoughts, words and actions reveal his or her
motivations.
2. Explain the influence of setting on the selection.
3. Identify the main incidents of a plot sequence and explain how they
influence future action.
4. Identify the speaker and explain how point of view affects the text.
5. Summarize stated and implied themes.
6. Describe the defining characteristics of literary forms and genres,
including poetry, drama, chapter books, biographies, fiction and non-fiction.
7. Interpret how an author's choice of words appeals to the senses and
suggests mood.
8. Identify and explain the use of figurative language in literary works,
including idioms, similes, hyperboles, metaphors and personification.
Writing Processes Indicators
1. Generate writing ideas through discussions with others and from printed
material, and keep a list of writing ideas.
2. Conduct background reading, interviews or surveys when appropriate.
3. State and develop a clear main idea for writing.
4. Determine a purpose and audience.
5. Use organizational strategies (e.g., rough outlines, diagrams, maps,
webs and Venn diagrams) to plan writing.
6. Organize writing, beginning with an introduction, body and a resolution
of plot, followed by a closing statement or a summary of important ideas and
details.
7. Vary simple, compound and complex sentence structures.
8. Group related ideas into paragraphs, including topic sentences
following paragraph form, and maintain a consistent focus across paragraphs.
9. Vary language and style as appropriate to audience and purpose.
10. Use available technology to compose text.
11. Reread and assess writing for clarity, using a variety of methods
(e.g., writer's circle or author's chair).
12. Add and delete information and details to better elaborate on a
stated central idea and to more effectively accomplish purpose.
13. Rearrange words, sentences and paragraphs, and add transitional words
and phrases to clarify meaning.
14. Use resources and reference materials (e.g., dictionaries and
thesauruses) to select more effective vocabulary.
15. Proofread writing, edit to improve conventions, (e.g., grammar,
spelling, punctuation and capitalization), and identify and correct
fragments and run-ons.
16. Apply tools (e.g., rubric, checklist and feedback) to judge the
quality of writing.
17. Prepare for publication (e.g., for display or for sharing with
others), writing that follows a format appropriate to the purpose, using
techniques such as electronic resources and graphics to enhance the final
product.
Writing Applications Indicators
1. Write narratives with a consistent point of view, using sensory details
and dialogue to develop characters and setting.
2. Write responses to novels, stories and poems that organize an
interpretation around several clear ideas, and justify the interpretation
through the use of examples and specific textual evidence.
3. Write letters that state the purpose, make requests or give compliments
and use business letter format.
4. Write informational essays or reports, including research, that
organize information with a clear introduction, body and conclusion
following common expository structures when appropriate (e.g., cause-effect,
comparison-contrast) and include facts, details and examples to illustrate
important ideas.
5. Produce informal writings (e.g., journals, notes and poems) for various
purposes.
Writing Conventions Indicators
1. Spell high-frequency words correctly.
2. Spell contractions correctly.
3. Spell roots, suffixes and prefixes correctly.
4. Use commas, end marks, apostrophes and quotation marks correctly.
5. Use correct capitalization.
6. Use various parts of speech, such as nouns, pronouns and verbs (regular
and irregular).
7. Use prepositions and prepositional phrases.
8. Use adverbs.
9. Use objective and nominative case pronouns.
10. Use indefinite and relative pronouns.
11. Use conjunctions and interjections.
Research Indicators
1. Generate a topic, assigned or personal interest, and open-ended
questions for research and develop a plan for gathering information.
2. Locate sources and gather relevant information from multiple sources
(e.g., school library catalogs, online databases, electronic resources and
Internet-based resources).
3. Identify important information found in sources and paraphrase the
findings in a systematic way (e.g., notes, outlines, charts, tables or
graphic organizers).
4. Compare and contrast important findings and select sources to support
central ideas, concepts and themes.
5. Define plagiarism and acknowledge sources of information.
6. Use a variety of communication techniques, including oral, visual,
written or multimedia reports, to present information gathered.
Communication: Oral and Visual Indicators
1. Demonstrate active listening strategies (e.g., asking focused
questions, responding to cues, making visual contact).
2. Interpret the main idea and draw conclusions from oral presentations
and visual media.
3. Identify the speaker's purpose in presentations and visual media
(e.g., to inform, to entertain, to persuade).
4. Discuss how facts and opinions are used to shape the opinions of
listeners and viewers.
5. Demonstrate an understanding of the rules of the English language and
select language appropriate to purpose and audience.
6. Use clear diction, pitch, tempo and tone, and adjust volume and tempo
to stress important ideas.
7. Adjust speaking content according to the needs of the situation,
setting and audience.
8. Deliver informational presentations (e.g., expository, research) that:
a. demonstrate an understanding of the topic and present events or ideas
in a logical sequence;
b. support the main idea with relevant facts, details, examples,
quotations, statistics, stories and anecdotes;
c. organize information, including a clear introduction, body and
conclusion and follow common organizational structures when appropriate
(e.g., cause-effect, compare-contrast);
d. use appropriate visual materials (e.g., diagrams, charts,
illustrations) and available technology; and
e. draw from several sources and identify sources used.
9. Deliver formal and informal descriptive presentations recalling an
event or personal experience that convey relevant information and
descriptive details.
10. Deliver persuasive presentations that:
a. establish a clear position;
b. include relevant evidence to support a position and to address
potential concerns of listeners; and
c. follow common organizational structures when appropriate (e.g., cause-
effect, compare-contrast, problem-solution).
MATHEMATICS
Number, Number Sense and Operations Indicators
1. Use models and visual representation to develop the concept of ratio as
part-to-part and part-to-whole, and the concept of percent as part-to-whole.
2. Use various forms of /one/ to demonstrate the equivalence of
fractions; e.g., 18/24 = 9/12 x 2/2 = 3/4 x 6/6.
3. Identify and generate equivalent forms of fractions, decimals and
percents.
4. Round decimals to a given place value and round fractions (including
mixed numbers) to the nearest half.
5. Recognize and identify perfect squares and their roots.
6. Represent and compare numbers less than 0 by extending the number line
and using familiar applications; e.g., temperature, owing money.
7. Use commutative, associative, distributive, identity and inverse
properties to simplify and perform computations.
8. Identify and use relationships between operations to solve problems.
9. Use order of operations, including use of parentheses, to simplify
numerical expressions.
10. Justify why fractions need common denominators to be added or
subtracted.
11. Explain how place value is related to addition and subtraction of
decimals; e.g., 0.2 + 0.14; the two tenths is added to the one tenth because
they are both tenths.
12. Use physical models, points of reference, and equivalent forms to add
and subtract commonly used fractions with like and unlike denominators and
decimals.
13. Estimate the results of computations involving whole numbers,
fractions and decimals, using a variety of strategies.
Measurement Indicators
1. Identify and select appropriate units to measure angles; i.e., degrees.
2. Identify paths between points on a grid or coordinate plane and compare
the lengths of the paths; e.g., shortest path, paths of equal length
3. Demonstrate and describe the differences between covering the faces
(surface area) and filling the interior (volume) of three-dimensional
objects.
4. Demonstrate understanding of the differences among linear units, square
units and cubic units.
5. Make conversions within the same measurement system while performing
computations.
6. Use strategies to develop formulas for determining perimeter and area
of triangles, rectangles and parallelograms, and volume of rectangular
prisms.
7. Use benchmark angles (e.g.; 45�, 90�, 120�) to estimate the measure
of angles, and use a tool to measure and draw angles.
Geometry and Spatial Sense Indicators
1. Draw circles, and identify and determine relationships among the
radius, diameter, center and circumference; e.g., radius is half the
diameter, the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter is an
approximation of ��.
2. Use standard language to describe line, segment, ray, angle, skew,
parallel and perpendicular.
3. Label vertex, rays, interior and exterior for an angle.
4. Describe and use properties of congruent figures to solve problems.
5. Use physical models to determine the sum of the interior angles of
triangles and quadrilaterals.
6. Extend understanding of coordinate system to include points whose x or
y values may be negative numbers.
7. Understand that the measure of an angle is determined by the degree of
rotation of an angle side rather than the length of either side.
8. Predict what three-dimensional object will result from folding a two-
dimensional net, then confirm the prediction by folding the net.
Patterns, Functions and Algebra Indicators
1. Justify a general rule for a pattern or a function by using physical
materials, visual representations, words, tables or graphs.
2. Use calculators or computers to develop patterns, and generalize them
using tables and graphs.
3. Use variables as unknown quantities in general rules when describing
patterns and other relationships.
4. Create and interpret the meaning of equations and inequalities
representing problem situations.
5. Model problems with physical materials and visual representations, and
use models, graphs and tables to draw conclusions and make predictions.
6. Describe how the quantitative change in a variable affects the value of
a related variable; e.g., describe how the rate of growth varies over time,
based upon data in a table or graph.
Data Analysis and Probability Indicators
1. Read, construct and interpret frequency tables, circle graphs and line
graphs.
2. Select and use a graph that is appropriate for the type of data to be
displayed; e.g., numerical vs. categorical data, discrete vs. continuous
data.
3. Read and interpret increasingly complex displays of data, such as
double bar graphs.
4. Determine appropriate data to be collected to answer questions posed by
students or teacher, collect and display data, and clearly communicate
findings.
5. Modify initial conclusions, propose and justify new interpretations and
predictions as additional data are collected.
6. Determine and use the range, mean, median and mode, and explain what
each does and does not indicate about the set of data.
7. List and explain all possible outcomes in a given situation.
8. Identify the probability of events within a simple experiment, such as
three chances out of eight.
9. Use 0, 1 and ratios between 0 and 1 to represent the probability of
outcomes for an event, and associate the ratio with the likelihood of the
outcome.
10. Compare what should happen (theoretical/expected results) with what
did happen (experimental/actual results) in a simple experiment.
11. Make predictions based on experimental and theoretical probabilities.
SOCIAL STUDIES
History Indicators
1. Create time lines and identify possible relationships between events.
2. Explain how American Indians settled the continent and why different
nations of Indians interacted with their environment in different ways.
3. Explain why European countries explored and colonized North America.
4. Describe the lasting effects of Spanish, French and English
colonization in North America including cultural patterns evident today such
as language, food, traditions and architecture.
5. Explain how the United States became independent from Great Britain.
6. Explain the impact of settlement, industrialization and transportation
on the expansion of the United States.
People in Societies Indicators
1. Compare the cultural practices and products of diverse groups in North
America including:
a. artistic expressions;
b. religion;
c. language;
d. food;
e. clothing; and
f. shelter.
2. Compare life on Indian reservations today with the cultural traditions
of American Indians before the reservation system.
3. Describe the experiences of African-Americans under the institution of
slavery.
4. Describe the waves of immigration to North America and the areas from
which people came in each wave.
5. Compare reasons for immigration to North America with the reality
immigrants experienced upon arrival.
Geography Indicators
1. Use coordinates of latitude and longitude to determine the absolute
location of points in North America.
2. Use maps to identify the location of:
a. the three largest countries of North America;
b. the 50 states of the United States;
c. the Rocky and Appalachian mountain systems;
d. the Mississippi, Rio Grande and St. Lawrence rivers; and
e. the Great Lakes.
3. Describe and compare the landforms, climates, population, culture and
economic characteristics of places and regions in North America.
4. Explain how climate is influenced by:
a. earth-sun relationships;
b. landforms; and
c. vegetation.
5. Explain, by identifying patterns on thematic maps, how physical and
human characteristics can be used to define regions in North America.
6. Use distribution maps to describe the patterns of renewable,
nonrenewable and flow resources in North America including:
a. forests;
b. fertile soil;
c. oil;
d. coal; and
e. running water.
7. Analyze reasons for conflict and cooperation among regions of North
America including:
a. trade;
b. environmental issues;
c. immigration.
8. Explain how the characteristics of different physical environments
affect human activities in North America.
9. Analyze the positive and negative consequences of human changes to the
physical environment including:
a. Great Lakes navigation;
b. highway systems;
c. irrigation;
d. mining; and
e. introduction of new species.
10. Use or construct maps of colonization and exploration to explain
European influence in North America.
Economics Indicators
1. Compare different allocation methods for scarce goods and services such
as prices, command, first-come-first-served, sharing equally, rationing and
lottery.
2. Explain that individuals in all economies must answer the fundamental
economic questions of what to produce, how to produce and for whom to
produce.
3. Explain how education, specialization, capital goods and the division
of labor affect productive capacity.
4. Explain how regions in North America become interdependent when they
specialize in what they produce best and then trade with other regions
inside and outside North America to increase the amount and variety of goods
and services available.
5. Explain the general relationship between supply, demand and price in a
competitive market.
6. Explain why competition among producers/sellers results in lower costs
and prices, higher product quality and better customer service.
7. Explain why competition among consumers/buyers results in higher
product prices.
Government Indicators
1. Explain major responsibilities of each of the three branches of the
United States government:
a. the legislative branch, headed by Congress, passes laws;
b. the executive branch, headed by the president, carries out and enforces
the laws made by Congress; and
c. the judicial branch, headed by the Supreme Court, interprets and
applies the law.
2. Explain the essential characteristics of American democracy including:
a. the people are the source of the government's authority;
b. all citizens have the right and responsibility to vote and influence
the decisions of the government;
c. the government is run directly by the people or through elected
representatives;
d. the powers of government are limited by law; and
e. basic rights of individuals are guaranteed by the Constitution.
3. Explain the significance of the Declaration of Independence and the
United States Constitution.
Citizenship Rights and Responsibilities Indicators
1. Explain how an individual acquires United States citizenship:
a. birth; and
b. naturalization.
2. Explain the obligations of upholding the United States Constitution
including:
a. obeying laws;
b. paying taxes;
c. serving on juries; and
d. registering for selective service.
3. Explain the significance of the rights that are protected by the First
Amendment including:
a. freedom of religion;
b. freedom of speech;
c. freedom of the press; and
d. right of petition and assembly.
Social Studies Skills and Methods Indicators
1. Obtain information from a variety of print and electronic sources and
analyze its reliability including:
a. accuracy of facts; and
b. credentials of the source.
2. Locate information in a variety of sources using key words, related
articles and cross-references.
3. Differentiate between primary and secondary sources.
4. Read information critically in order to identify:
a. the author;
b. the author's perspective; and
c. the purpose.
5. Compare points of agreement and disagreement among sources.
6. Draw inferences from relevant information.
7. Organize key ideas by taking notes that paraphrase or summarize.
8. Communicate research findings using line graphs and tables.
9. Use a problem-solving/decision-making process which includes:
a. identifying a problem;
b. gathering information;
c. listing and considering options;
d. considering advantages and disadvantages of options;
e. choosing and implementing a solution;
f. developing criteria for judging its effectiveness; and
g. evaluating the effectiveness of the solution.
SCIENCE
Earth and Space Sciences Indicators
1. Describe how night and day are caused by Earth's rotation.
2. Explain that Earth is one of several planets to orbit the Sun, and that
the Moon orbits Earth.
3. Describe the characteristics of Earth and its orbit about the Sun
(e.g., three-fourths of the Earth's surface covered by a layer of water
[some of it frozen], the entire planet surrounded by a thin blanket of air,
elliptical orbit, tilted axis, and spherical planet).
4. Explain that stars are like the Sun, some being smaller and some
larger, but so far away that they look like points of light.
5. Explain how the supply of many non-renewable resources is limited and
can be extended through reducing, reusing and recycling but cannot be
extended indefinitely.
6. Investigate ways Earth's renewable resources (e.g., fresh water, air,
wildlife and trees) can be maintained.
Life Sciences Indicators
1. Describe the role of producers in the transfer of energy entering
ecosystems as sunlight to chemical energy through photosynthesis.
2. Explain how almost all kinds of animals' food can be traced back to
plants.
3. Trace the organization of simple food chains and food webs (e.g.,
producers, herbivores, carnivores, omnivores and decomposers).
4. Summarize that organisms can survive only in ecosystems in which their
needs can be met (e.g., food, water, shelter, air, carrying capacity and
waste disposal). The world has different ecosystems and distinct ecosystems
support the lives of different types of organisms.
5. Support how an organism's patterns of behavior are related to the
nature of that organism's ecosystem, including the kinds and numbers of
other organisms present, the availability of food and resources, and the
changing physical characteristics of the ecosystem.
6. Analyze how organisms, including humans, cause changes in their
ecosystems and how these changes can be beneficial, neutral or detrimental
(e.g., beaver ponds, earthworm burrows, grasshoppers eating all plants,
people planting and cutting trees, and people introducing a new species).
Physical Sciences Indicators
1. Define temperature as the measure of thermal energy and describe the
way it is measured.
2. Trace how thermal energy can transfer from one object to another by
conduction.
3. Describe that electrical current in a circuit can produce thermal
energy, light, sound and/or magnetic forces.
4. Trace how electrical current travels by creating a simple electric
circuit that will light a bulb.
5. Explore and summarize observations of the transmission, bending
(refraction) and reflection of light.
6. Describe and summarize observations of the transmission, reflection,
and absorption of sound.
7. Describe that changing the rate of vibration can vary the pitch of a
sound.
Science and Technology Indicators
1. Investigate positive and negative impacts of human activity and
technology on the environment.
2. Revise an existing design used to solve a problem based on peer review.
3. Explain how the solution to one problem may create other problems.
Scientific Inquiry Indicators
1. Select and safely use the appropriate tools to collect data when
conducting investigations and communicating findings to others(e.g.,
thermometers, timers, balances, spring scales, magnifiers, microscopes and
other appropriate tools).
2. Evaluate observations and measurements made by other people and
identify reasons for any discrepancies.
3. Use evidence and observations to explain and communicate the results of
investigations.
4. Identify one or two variables in a simple experiment.
5. Identify potential hazards and/or precautions involved in an
investigation.
6. Explain why results of an experiment are sometimes different (e.g.,
because of unexpected differences in what is being investigated, unrealized
differences in the methods used or in the circumstances in which the
investigation was carried out, and because of errors in observations).
Scientific Ways of Knowing Indicators
1. Summarize how conclusions and ideas change as new knowledge is gained.
2. Develop descriptions, explanations and models using evidence to
defend/support findings.
3. Explain why an experiment must be repeated by different people or at
different times or places and yield consistent results before the results
are accepted.
4. Identify how scientists use different kinds of ongoing investigations
depending on the questions they are trying to answer (e.g., observations of
things or events in nature, data collection, controlled experiments).
5. Keep records of investigations and observations that are understandable
weeks or months later.
6. Identify a variety of scientific and technological work that people of
all ages, backgrounds and groups perform.
8 WAYS PARENTS CAN PROMOTE READING AT HOME
8 WAYS PARENTS CAN PROMOTE READING AT HOME
Marilyn Lopes
Extension Specialist, Family Life Education
Cape Cod Cooperative Extension
University of Massachusetts
As a parent, you are your child's first - and most important - teacher. Here
are eight ways you can help your child become a better reader.
1. Read yourself. Your actions really do speak louder than your words. When
your kids see you reading the newspaper or curling up with a book, they will
want to follow your example.
2. Make sure your children read every day. Reading - like shooting baskets
and playing the piano - is a skill. Like other skills, it gets better with
practice. Researchers have found that children who spend at least 30 minutes
a day reading for fun - whether they read books, newspapers, or magazines -
develop the skills to be better readers at school.
3. Get the library habit. Make sure everyone in your family has a library
card. Schedule regular trips to the library. While you are there, check out
a book yourself!
4. Read aloud to the children. In *The Read Aloud Handbook*, Jim Trelease
reports on research showing that this is the most important thing parents
can do to help their children become better readers. Here are some tips from
the book:
Start reading to your children when they are young. It is never too early to
begin reading to your children, according to Trelease.
Don't stop reading to your children as they grow older. You will both enjoy
the chance to do something together.
Set aside some time each day for reading aloud. Even 10 minutes a day can
have a big impact. Bedtime is a natural reading aloud time. Other busy
families read aloud at breakfast or just after dinner.
Read books you enjoy. Your kids will know if you are faking it.
5. Here is a way to use your newspaper to encourage reading: a scavenger
hunt. Give your child a list of things to find in today's newspaper. Here
are some ideas:
A map of the United States.
A picture of your child's favorite athlete.
The temperature in the city where a family member lives.
Three words that begin with "w".
A movie that is playing at a nearby theater.
6. Give books as gifts. Then find a special place for your children to keep
their own library.
7. Make reading a privilege. Say, "You can stay up 15 minutes later tonight
if you read in bed." Or you might say, "Because you helped with the dishes,
I have time to read you an extra story."
8. If you are not a good reader, you can still encourage your children. As
your children learn to read, ask them to read to you. Talk about the books
your children have read. Ask a friend or relative to read aloud to your
children.
Positive Phrases To Help Encourage Your Child While They Are Reading
The following are statements you can use to help encourage your child while
he/she is reading.
I like the way you tried to help yourself.
Good for you! I saw you checking the word with the picture to see if you
were right.
I like the way you worked out the hard part.
I noticed you tried _____ when you had trouble. Good for you. That�s what
good readers do.
I noticed you paused before you read right here (point). After you paused,
you read the word correctly. Great job!
I�m so proud of your efforts and skills.
I love the way you read this sentence with feeling.
You are reading with lots of expression. I�m really proud of you.
I like the way you got your mouth ready and said the first sound.
How can I help my child become a better writer?
Dear Parent:
We're pleased you want to know how to help the NCTE effort to improve the
writing of young people. Parents and teachers working together are the best
means for assuring that children and youth will become skillful writers.
Because the situation in every home is different, we can't say when the best
time is to pursue each of the following suggestions. In any case, please be
aware that writing skill develops slowly. For some, it comes early; for
others it comes late. Occasionally a child's skill may even seem to go
backwards. Nonetheless, with your help and encouragement, the child will
certainly progress.
The members of the National Council of Teachers of English welcome your
involvement in your child's education in writing. We hope you will enjoy
following these suggestions for helping your child become a better writer,
both at home and at school.
Things to Do at Home
1. Build a climate of words at home. Go places and see things with your
child, then talk about what has been seen, heard, smelled, tasted, touched.
The basis of good writing is good talk, and younger children especially grow
into stronger control of language when loving adults -- particularly
parents -- share experiences and rich talk about those experiences.
2. Let children see you write often. You're both a model and a teacher. If
children never see adults write, they gain an impression that writing occurs
only at school. What you do is as important as what you say. Have children
see you writing notes to friends, letters to business firms, perhaps stories
to share with the children. From time to time, read aloud what you have
written and ask your children their opinion of what you've said. If it's not
perfect, so much the better. Making changes in what you write confirms for
the child that revision is a natural part of writing -- which it is.
3. Be as helpful as you can in helping children write. Talk through their
ideas with them; help them discover what they want to say. When they ask for
help with spelling, punctuation, and usage, supply that help. Your most
effective role is not as a critic but as a helper. Rejoice in effort,
delight in ideas, and resist the temptation to be critical.
4. Provide a suitable place for children to write. A quiet corner is best,
the child's own place, if possible. If not, any flat surface with elbow
room, a comfortable chair, and a good light will do.
5. Give the child, and encourage others to give, the gifts associated with
writing:
--pens of several kinds
--pencils of appropriate size and hardness
--a desk lamp
--pads of paper, stationery, envelopes -- even stamps
--a booklet for a diary or daily journal (Make sure that the booklet is the
child's private property; when children want to share, they will.)
--a dictionary appropriate to the child's age and needs. Most dictionary use
is for checking spelling, but a good dictionary contains fascinating
information on word origins, synonyms, pronunciation, and so forth.
--a thesaurus for older children. This will help in the search for
the "right" word.
--erasers or "white-out" liquid for correcting errors that the child wants
to repair without rewriting.
6. Encourage (but do not demand) frequent writing. Be patient with
reluctance to write. "I have nothing to say" is a perfect excuse. Recognize
that the desire to write is a sometime thing. There will be times when a
child "burns" to write; others, when the need is cool. But frequency of
writing is important to develop the habit of writing.
7. Praise the child's efforts at writing. Forget what happened to you in
school and resist the tendency to focus on errors of spelling, punctuation,
and other mechanical aspects of writing. Emphasize the child's successes.
For every error the child makes, there are dozens of things he or she has
done well.
8. Share letters from friends and relatives. Treat such letters as special
events. Urge relatives and friends to write notes and letters to the child,
no matter how brief. Writing is especially rewarding when the child gets a
response. When thank-you notes are in order, after a holiday especially, sit
with the child and write your own notes at the same time. Writing ten
letters (for ten gifts) is a heavy burden for the child; space the work and
be supportive.
9. Encourage the child to write for information, free samples, and travel
brochures.
10. Be alert to occasions when the child can be involved in writing, for
example, helping with grocery lists, adding notes at the end of parents'
letters, sending holiday and birthday cards, taking down telephone messages,
writing notes to friends, helping plan trips by writing for information,
drafting notes to school for parental signature, writing notes to letter
carriers and other service persons, and preparing invitations to family get-
togethers.
Writing for real purposes is rewarding, and the daily activities of families
present many opportunities for purposeful writing. Involving your child may
take some coaxing, but it will be worth your patient effort.
Things to Do for School Writing Programs
1. Ask to see the child's writing, either the writing brought home or the
writing kept in folders at school. Encourage the use of writing folders,
both at home and at school. Most writing should be kept, not thrown away.
Folders are important means for helping both teachers and children see
progress in writing skill.
2. Be affirmative about the child's efforts in school writing. Recognize
that for every error a child makes, he or she does many things right.
Applaud the good things you see. The willingness to write is fragile. Your
optimistic attitude toward the child's efforts is vital to strengthening his
or her writing habit.
3. Be primarily interested in the content, not the mechanics of expression.
It's easy for many adults to spot misspellings, faulty word usage, and shaky
punctuation. Perfection in these areas escapes most adults, so don't demand
it of children. Sometimes teachers -- for the same reason -- will mark only
a few mechanical errors, leaving others for another time. What matters most
in writing is words, sentences, and ideas. Perfection in mechanics develops
slowly. Be patient.
4. Find out if children are given writing instruction and practice in
writing on a regular basis. Daily writing is the ideal; once a week is not
often enough. If classes are too large in your school, understand that it
may not be possible for teachers to provide as much writing practice as they
or you would like. Insist on smaller classes -- no more than 25 in
elementary schools and no more than four classes of 25 for secondary school
English teachers.
5. Ask if every teacher is involved in helping youngsters write better.
Worksheets, blank-filling exercises, multiple-choice tests, and similar
materials are sometimes used to avoid having children write. If children and
youth are not being asked to write sentences and paragraphs about science,
history, geography, and the other school subjects, they are not being helped
to become better writers. All teachers have responsibility to help children
improve their writing skills.
6. See if youngsters are being asked to write in a variety of forms
(letters, essays, stories, etc.) for a variety of purposes (to inform,
persuade, describe, etc.), and for a variety of audiences (other students,
teachers, friends, strangers, relatives, business firms). Each form,
purpose, and audience demands differences of style, tone, approach, and
choice of words. A wide variety of writing experiences is critical to
developing effective writing.
7. Check to see if there is continuing contact with the imaginative writing
of skilled authors. While it's true that we learn to write by writing, we
also learn to write by reading. The works of talented authors should be
studied not only for ideas but also for the writing skills involved. Good
literature is an essential part of any effective writing program.
8. Watch out for "the grammar trap." Some people may try to persuade you
that a full understanding of English grammar is needed before students can
express themselves well. Some knowledge of grammar is useful, but too much
time spent on study of grammar steals time from the study of writing. Time
is much better spent in writing and conferring with the teacher or other
students about each attempt to communicate in writing.
9. Encourage administrators to see that teachers of writing have plenty of
supplies -- writing paper, teaching materials, duplicating and copying
machines, dictionaries, books about writing, and classroom libraries of good
books.
10. Work through your PTA and your school board to make writing a high
priority. Learn about writing and the ways youngsters learn to write.
Encourage publication of good student writing in school newspapers, literary
journals, local newspapers, and magazines. See that the high school's best
writers are entered into the NCTE Achievement Awards in Writing Program, the
Scholastic Writing Awards, or other writing contests. Let everyone know that
writing matters to you.
By becoming an active participant in your child's education as a writer, you
will serve not only your child but other children and youth as well. You
have an important role to play, and we encourage your involvement.