5th Grade

What should my child be working on?

Reading

• Choose books they can read independently for a sustained period of time (TEKS 5.5A)
• Read with the intention of sharing with a partner (TEKS 5.6A & 5.6G)

Fiction

• Study details to see characters beyond the surface and outgrow initial ideas, paying attention to how their relationships change and how they act in different situations (TEKS 5.8B)
• Make thoughtful predictions that are grounded in text evidence (TEKS 5.6C)
• Retell or summarize stories to cement comprehension (TEKS 5.7D)
• Think analytically about cause and effect across the plot elements, paying close attention to details (TEKS 5.8C)
• Link ideas to build larger theories and interpretations while seeing the text through the eyes of other readers (TEKS 5.6F)
• Defend different viewpoints with claims, reasons, and text evidence (TEKS 5.7C)
• Express the similarities and differences they see across texts with the same theme (TEKS 5.8A)

Nonfiction & Research

• Use context and morphology to determine the meaning of vocabulary in complex texts (TEKS 5.3B)
• Reread to understand the author’s meaning, determine implicit main ideas, and summarize challenging texts (TEKS 5.10A & 5.6G & 5.7D)
• Evaluate trustworthiness of sources and forming their own perspective on a topic (TEKS 5.13D)
• Synthesize subtopics throughout the research process, noticing disparities across texts, and acknowledging conflicting information in summaries (TEKS 5.6H)

Writing

Narrative (TEKS 5.12A)

• Tell stories about small moments in a compelling way and self check through the writing process (TEKS 5.11B)
• Put a story into a page by drafting quickly, read it aloud to imagine themselves in the story, and redraft to bring out meaning (TEKS 5.11B)
• Study mentor texts for different ideas on how to use commas (TEKS 5.11D)

Information (TEKS 5.12B)

• Write with the purpose of teaching, adding details (TEKS 5.11A & 5.11B)
• Revise by reading their own writing through the eyes of a stranger (TEKS 5.11C)
• Organize ideas into chapters while balancing facts with thinking (TEKS 5.11B)

Literary Essays (TEKS 5.12C)

• Analyze mentor texts to notice patterns and determine literary essay characteristics (TEKS 5.11B)
• Work on a strong thesis statement and support the claim with an analysis of craft (TEKS 5.11A & 5.11B)

What are the state standards for what my child should know and be able to do in this subject and grade level?

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)

What questions should I ask my child (Reading and Writing)?

• What type of books do you enjoy reading? Why?

Fiction

• What surprised you about [character]? Why?
• How is the relationship between [two characters] in this story?
• How do you think the ending of the story would change if [character] was different?
• Do you see more than one theme in [story]?

Nonfiction & Research

• What strategies can you use to tackle difficult words?
• How is the information provided different between [two texts about the same topic]?

How can I help my child learn at home?

• Visit the public library to allow your child to access a variety of books based on their interests.
• Inquire about what they have learned through reading.

Fiction

• Read stories together and engage in deep conversations about the main character’s relationships with other minor characters. Create theories about how those relationships shaped the plot and test them against new text evidence.

Nonfiction & Research

• Inquire about what they have learned through reading nonfiction texts. Encourage your child to dig deeper into the topics of interest by reading several books about the same topic and compare them. Help them use what they have learned to create theories and discuss them.

What should my child be working on?

Whole Number Operations

• Estimate solutions to math problems. (TEKS 5.3A)
• Add and subtract whole numbers. (TEKS 5.3K)
• Multiply a three-digit number by a two-digit number. (TEKS 5.3B)
• Divide a four-digit number by a two-digit number (TEKS 5.3C)
• Identify prime and composite numbers (TEKS 5.4A)

Numerical Expressions

• Simplify numerical expressions that do not include exponents (TEKS 5.4F)
• Describe the meaning of parenthesis and brackets in a numerical expression (TEKS 5.4E)
• Represent and solve a multi-step problem (TEKS 5.4B)

What are the state standards for what my child should know and be able to do in this subject and grade level?

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)

What questions should I ask my child?

Whole Number Operations

• When would knowing how to estimate the solution to a problem be helpful? Why?
• What is the relationship between prime and composite numbers and divisibility rules?

Numerical Expressions

• What is the purpose of using parenthesis or brackets in an order of operations problem?
• How can I help my child learn at home?

How can I help my child learn at home?

Whole Number Operations

• Ask your child to draw 4-5 cards from a stack of playing cards. Have them create either a 2 X 2 or 2 X 3 multiplication problem with the cards. Solve.
• Extension: Have them use their estimation skills to create a problem with the greatest product. Then solve.

Numerical Expressions

• Talk to your child about real-world situations and have them write expressions, with grouping symbols, to match. Then have your child solve the problem.
  • For example,  at the store, I bought 2 pairs of pants for $15.95 and a shirt for $24. I had a coupon for half off one item. How do I figure out my total? Your student may write an expression such as: 2 X 15.95 + (24 / 2)

What should my child be working on?

Matter

• Classify matter based upon physical properties that are observable, testable, and measurable. (mass, magnetism, physical state, relative density, solubility in water, and ability to conduct or insulate thermal energy or electrical energy) (5.5A)
• Identify and demonstrate that mixtures retain their physical properties (5.5B)
• Identify the changes that occur in the physical properties of the ingredients of a solution. (5.5C)

Energy

• Explain the different forms of energy including: mechanical, light, thermal, sound, and electrical energy. (5.6A)
• Demonstrate that the flow of energy in a closed circuit can produce light, thermal, or sound. (5.6B)
• Demonstrate that light travels in a straight line until it hits another object and is reflected or refracted. (5.6C)

What are the state standards for what my child should know and be able to do in this subject and grade level?

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)

What questions should I ask my child?

Matter

• What are some physical properties of matter that we can measure, test, and observe?
• What tools or tests can you use to measure or observe matter?
• What is a mixture?  Where have you seen mixtures at home?
• What is a solution?  Where have you seen solutions at home?

Energy

• How can we use these different energy forms?
• How does electricity travel? 
• How do objects appear differently when held at the surface of or underneath the water?

How can I help my child learn at home?

Matter

• Encourage your child to test and measure the various physical properties of matter.
• Have your child explain and describe the differences in mixture and solution.
• Have your child provide explanations of mixtures and solutions.

Energy

• Work with your child to explain the different forms of energy.
• Have your child explain what occurs in a closed circuit.
• Encourage your child to demonstrate and explain reflection and refraction.

What should my child be working on?

Geography

• Describe a variety of regions in the United States in regards to physical characteristics and economic development that results from population patterns (TEKS 5.6A, 5.6B)
• Locate on a map important political features (such as the largest cities and the 50 states) and physical  features (such as the Rocky Mountains, Mississippi River, and Great Lakes)  (TEKS 5.6C, 5.6D)

History

• Understand the four main reasons European people colonized America (gold, glory, God (religious freedom), and goods) (TEKS 5.1A)

What are the state standards for what my child should know and be able to do in this subject and grade level?

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)

What questions should I ask my child?

Geography

• What can geography teach us about the United States?
• Why is it important to give an exact location and to use correct geographic vocabulary?
• How were the colonial regions alike and different?

History

• Why should we study American History?
• How did the exploration of the Americas lead to settlement?
• What challenges faced the first English Colonies?

How can I help my child learn at home?

Read and learn more about US Regions together.

Thinking Further About Energy

Can something designed to solve a problem, create more problems?

One example is the fire extinguisher.  A fire extinguisher is necessary for controlling a disaster, however, the chemicals in fire extinguishers can be harmful and the volume of water needed to put out a fire can cause additional damage to structures.

Watch two college engineering students who experimented with sound waves as a fire extinguisher.

Talk to your student about what other solutions to problems could possibly create different problems.  What problems can you foresee needing to be solved in the 21st century?  What problems will require math skills learned at school to solve?

Learn more about the science of fire.

Overview

Digital citizenship in the elementary grades focuses on building on the basic concepts of media balance & well-being, privacy & security when online, digital footprint & identity, and relationships & communication online introduced in the primary grades.

Media Balance & Well-Being

Lessons on media balance & well-being in elementary focus on helping students take responsibility for their actions online and how they can make healthy media choices. Students learn to monitor their technology usage to determine what they are using when they are using it, and how they can determine how much is too much. Students begin to understand that balanced media usage keeps them healthy, just like eating a balanced diet.

What are the state standards for what my child should know and be able to do in this subject and grade level?

TEKS: 126.7 (5) (E-F)

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)

How can I help my child learn at home?

Share with your child how you choose and manage your passwords. How do you choose a password that is secure? How do you keep up with all of your passwords? Your child will soon be asked to create and manage many passwords, and understanding how passwords can help keep them safe when on the Internet is important for him or her to understand.

Resources

• 3-5 Media Balance Family Guide
• K-5 Media Balance Family Tip Sheet

Overview

Public schools in Texas may be different from schools in other countries. If this is the first time your child attends a Texas school, the first nine weeks will be the time your child becomes accustomed to the new environment as they learn.

How does the school know that my child is an English learner?

When you register your child in school for the first time, you are asked to fill out a home language survey that asks two specific questions: (1) What language is spoken in the child’s home most of the time? and (2) What language does the child speak most of the time? If the survey indicates that your child speaks a language other than English, he/she will then be tested at the Multilingual Department’s Welcome Center. If the assessment indicates that your child is not yet proficient in English, the Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC) will make a program recommendation for your child.

How will my child learn English?

Dual Language programs are designed to make grade-level academic content accessible to English learners through the development of literacy and academic skills in the child’s primary language and English. English as a Second Language program (ESL) targets English language development, including listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, through academic content instruction that is linguistically and culturally responsive.

What questions should I ask my child?

• What was one interesting thing you did at school today?
• Who did you sit with during lunchtime?
• Who did you talk to the most today?
• What is your homework for today?

What can I do?

• Encourage your child to use a bilingual dictionary.
• Encourage your child to read daily in his /her home language and/or English. In the primary grades, read to/with your child.
• Schedule time every day for your child to do homework.

Resources

• Parent guide
• U.S. Department of Education - English Learner Tool Kit
• U.S. Department of Education - Especially for Parents

The intermediate years of elementary school are a time of personal and social growth. With this age group, children are becoming better at working in groups, solving problems, and making decisions for themselves. At this age, children should be able to identify their emotions and triggers of behaviors. They also should be able to identify strengths and weaknesses. This is self-awareness. Being self-aware helps your child recognize how others see them. While children’s temperaments vary widely, your child may be able to accurately identify their feelings or may have difficulty with it. Both are considered normal, but if you have concerns about your child’s development, it’s best to share your concerns with your pediatrician.

What questions should I ask my child?

• What are you most excited about this school year?
• What are you looking forward to the least?
• What goals would you like to set for yourself?
• How can I help you be successful this year?
• How do you respond when you are challenged?
• What do you need your teacher to know about you?
• What are your strengths in the classroom? with friends?
• Is there anything you need help with at school? at home?

What can I do?

• Enrich your child’s emotional vocabulary by using a variety of words to describe your emotions.
• Model self-awareness by sharing the reasons behind your feelings.
• Use a stem to help your child articulate how they are feeling: “I feel __________when you ________because ________. I would like for you to _________.
• Encourage your child to get involved in activities at school which builds self-awareness, for example, a play, musical, or book clubs.
• Use books, TV, and movies to point out emotions, specifically the complex emotions.
• Encourage your child to keep a journal to reflect on their day and the emotions they felt.

Resources

• Understood - Shaping the World for Difference

What should my child be working on?

Reading

• Choose books they can read independently for a sustained period of time (TEKS 5.5A)
• Read with the intention of sharing with a partner (TEKS 5.6A & 5.6G)

Fiction

• Study details to see characters beyond the surface and outgrow initial ideas, paying attention to how their relationships change and how they act in different situations (TEKS 5.8B)
• Make thoughtful predictions that are grounded in text evidence (TEKS 5.6C)
• Retell or summarize stories to cement comprehension (TEKS 5.7D)
• Think analytically about cause and effect across the plot elements, paying close attention to details (TEKS 5.8C)
• Link ideas to build larger theories and interpretations while seeing the text through the eyes of other readers (TEKS 5.6F)
• Defend different viewpoints with claims, reasons, and text evidence (TEKS 5.7C)
• Express the similarities and differences they see across texts with the same theme (TEKS 5.8A)

Nonfiction & Research

• Use context and morphology to determine the meaning of vocabulary in complex texts (TEKS 5.3B)
• Reread to understand the author’s meaning, determine implicit main ideas, and summarize challenging texts (TEKS 5.10A & 5.6G & 5.7D)
• Evaluate trustworthiness of sources and forming their own perspective on a topic (TEKS 5.13D)
• Synthesize subtopics throughout the research process, noticing disparities across texts, and acknowledging conflicting information in summaries (TEKS 5.6H)

Writing

Narrative (TEKS 5.12A)

• Tell stories about small moments in a compelling way and self check through the writing process (TEKS 5.11B)
• Put a story into a page by drafting quickly, read it aloud to imagine themselves in the story, and redraft to bring out meaning (TEKS 5.11B)
• Study mentor texts for different ideas on how to use commas (TEKS 5.11D)

Information (TEKS 5.12B)

• Write with the purpose of teaching, adding details (TEKS 5.11A & 5.11B)
• Revise by reading their own writing through the eyes of a stranger (TEKS 5.11C)
• Organize ideas into chapters while balancing facts with thinking (TEKS 5.11B)

Literary Essays (TEKS 5.12C)

• Analyze mentor texts to notice patterns and determine literary essay characteristics (TEKS 5.11B)
• Work on a strong thesis statement and support the claim with an analysis of craft (TEKS 5.11A & 5.11B)
• Use a checklist as an editing tool (TEKS 5.11D)

What are the state standards for what my child should know and be able to do in this subject and grade level?

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)

What questions should I ask my child (Reading and Writing)?

• What type of books do you enjoy reading? Why?

Fiction

• What surprised you about [character]? Why?
• How is the relationship between [two characters] in this story?
• How do you think the ending of the story would change if [character] was different?
• Do you see more than one theme in [story]?

Nonfiction & Research

• What strategies can you use to tackle difficult words?
• How is the information provided different between [two texts about the same topic]?

How can I help my child learn at home?

• Visit the public library to allow your child to access a variety of books based on their interests.
• Inquire about what they have learned through reading.

Fiction

• Read stories together and engage in deep conversations about the main character’s relationships with other minor characters. Create theories about how those relationships shaped the plot and test them against new text evidence.

Nonfiction & Research

• Inquire about what they have learned through reading nonfiction texts. Encourage your child to dig deeper into the topics of interest by reading several books about the same topic and compare them. Help them use what they have learned to create theories and discuss them.

What should my child be working on?

Operations with Fractions

• Use benchmark fractions to estimate the solution to problems(TEKS 5.3A)
• Add and subtract fractions with unlike denominators (TEKS 5.3K)
• Add and subtract a variety of rational numbers (whole numbers, decimals, and fractions) (5.3K)Represent the addition and subtraction of fractions with unlike denominators with objects or a picture (TEKS 5.3 H)
• Identify a prime number and a composite number  (5.4A)
• Represent the multiplication of a whole number and a fraction with objects or a picture (5.3I) 
• Divide a unit fraction by a whole number (5.3L)
• Divide a whole number by a unit fraction (5.3L)
• Explain how 1/3 divided by 7 is different from 7 divided by 1/3 with objects or pictures
• (5.3J)

Representation & Operations with Decimals

• Represent decimals using expanded notation (TEKS 5.2A)
• Compare and order decimals using <, >, or = (5.2B)
• Round a decimal to the tenths and the hundredths place (TEKS 5.2 C)
• Estimate the solutions problems (TEKS 5.3A)
• Add and subtract decimals (TEKS 5.3K)
• Multiply decimals (5.3E)
• Represent the multiplication of decimals with objects or a picture. (TEKS 5.3D)
• Divide decimals. (5.3G)
• Represent the division of decimals with objects or a picture. (5.3F)

What are the state standards for what my child should know and be able to do in this subject and grade level?

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)

What questions should I ask my child?

Operations with Fractions

• How is adding and subtracting fractions similar to adding and subtracting whole numbers? Different?

Representation & Operations with Decimals

• What is the purpose of a decimal point in a number?
• What are the similarities and differences in estimating problems involving decimals and estimating problems involving whole numbers?

How can I help my child learn at home?

Operations with Fractions

• When cooking or following a recipe, have your child add up the fractional quantities to determine how much is used.
  • For example, if a recipe calls for ¼ cup sugar, 1 ⅔ cup flour, and ½ cup brown sugar you could ask your child to determine how much sugar and flour are used in the recipe.

Representation & Operations with Decimals

• Give your child a shopping list and ask them to determine how much the items will cost at the grocery store. If your child adds all for multiples of something (like 3 cans of tomato sauce) ask them if there is a more efficient strategy they could use.
• Extension: Have them determine how much change they will receive if they pay with a certain quantity of cash.

What should my child be working on?

Energy

• Demonstrate that light travels in a straight line until it hits another object and is reflected or refracted. (TEKS 5.6C)

Force & Motion

• Design and experimental investigation that tests the effect of force on an object. (TEKS 5.6D)

Earth & Atmosphere

• Explain the process that led to the formation of sedimentary rocks and fossil fuels. (TEKS 5.7A)
• Explain how landforms such as deltas, canyons, and sand dunes are formed by wind, water, and ice. (TEKS 5.7B)
• Differentiate between weather and climate. (TEKS 5.8A)
• Explain how the role of the Sun and ocean in the water cycle. (TEKS 5.8B)

What are the state standards for what my child should know and be able to do in this subject and grade level?

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)

What questions should I ask my child?

Energy

• How does light travel?
• How do objects appear differently when held at the surface of or underneath the water?

Force & Motion

• How can forces change an object’s movement, shape, or position?
• Does increasing the force on an object affect how far it travels?

Earth & Atmosphere

• How can you describe and identify landforms such as deltas, canyons, and sand dunes?
• How are wind, water, and ice involved in the formation/changing of landforms?
• How is sedimentary rock involved in the formation of fossil fuels? How long does this process take?

How can I help my child learn at home?

Energy

• Encourage your child to demonstrate and explain reflection and refraction.

Force & Motion

• Work with your child to design an investigation of how the amount of force applied to an object affects the distance it will travel.

Earth & Atmosphere

• Encourage your child to explain the process that leads to the formation of sedimentary rock and fossil fuels.
• Have your child explain how different landforms are created on the surface of the Earth.
• Work with your child to understand the difference between weather and climate.
• Have your child explain the water cycle and the role of the Sun and the ocean.

What should my child be working on?

History

• Understand the causes and effects of events prior to and during the American Revolution (TEKS 5.2A)
• Understand the importance of the Founding Fathers and early Patriots (TEKS 5.2B)
• Summarize the results of the American Revolution, including the establishment of the United States (TEKS 5.2C)

Government

• Identify the importance of the Declaration of Independence (TEKS 5.14A)
• Understand important ideas in the U.S. Constitution (TEKS 5.14B)

What are the state standards for what my child should know and be able to do in this subject and grade level?

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)

What questions should I ask my child?

History

• What were the arguments for and against colonial independence from Great Britain?
• How did the colonists win the American Revolution?

Government

• What are the main ideas in the Declaration of Independence?
• What are the key features of the U.S. Constitution?

How can I help my child learn at home?

• Together with your child, learn more about The Constitution and The Declaration of Independence.

Going further with force and plate tectonics!

Start by talking with your student about how mountain ranges are formed. 

Learn about how Mount Everest was formed.

Visit the Himalayan Wonders website and research the climate of the Himalayan mountains, where Mount Everest is, and then plan your trip around the climate to determine when the best time of year is to go hiking.

Privacy & Security

Intermediate aged students are beginning to use media more, and as they have new experiences, they deepen their understanding of how they can protect their privacy and security when they go online. Students are given opportunities to deepen earlier learning by exploring password creation, taking care of their personal information, and ways that media producers entice users to pick their media.

What are the state standards for what my child should know and be able to do in this subject and grade level?

TEKS: 126.7 (5) (C, F-G)

How can I help my child learn at home?

• Share with your student how you choose and manage your passwords. How do you choose a password that is secure? How do you keep up with all of your passwords? Our students will soon be asked to create and manage many passwords, and understanding how passwords can help keep them safe when on the Internet is an important concept.

Overview

Your child is becoming comfortable with Texas schools. The focus is now developing his/her English and supporting him/her to learn the core content.

How will my child learn English?

During this time, your child’s teacher is providing strategies in the classroom in order to help with Second Language Acquisition. Teachers report the strategies and linguistic accommodations they provide for the students in order to help the students be successful in acquiring the English language.

What questions should I ask my child?

• What did you learn in your_____ class?
• How did you ask for help?
• Who did you talk to the most in your classes?
• What is your homework for today?

What can I do?

• Check out books including audiobooks in English or in their home language from public libraries.
• Encourage your child to read and/or listen to audiobooks daily.
• Be sure to attend parent-teacher conferences scheduled by your child’s school.
• Schedule time every day for your child to do homework.

Resources

• The 50 Best ESL Resources for Kids
• Colorín Colorado (bilingual website)
• PBS Kids
• Parent guide
• Unite for Literacy

The intermediate years are a unique time socially and emotionally. Not only are children in this age group learning more about themselves emotionally, but they are also acquiring skills to navigate peer pressure and relationships with friends. Your child should be getting better at making decisions and solving problems. They are becoming more aware of the world around them in their school and home communities. Children in this age group are understanding the importance of listening to others, respecting a variety of perspectives, and positively resolving conflicts. These are all skills they need in order to interact meaningfully with others and maintain healthy relationships with diverse groups of people. Children in this age group can also be very critical of themselves when they make a mistake.

There is an increased interest in peer relationships and acceptance. They care more about what their friends think and how they are perceived. While peer relationships are a positive part of growing up, it can also be a time where children have a negative experience. At this age, children are usually loyal and dedicated to their friends and when conflicts arise, they may need support in navigating the differences.

If you believe your child is being bullied, gather as much information about the incidents in question and request a meeting with the school.

What questions should I ask my child?

• What was the best part of your day? worse part?
• Who did you sit with at lunch?
• What did you play at recess? with who?
• Have you ever sat alone at lunch?
• What was the hardest thing you had to do today?
• Did anyone do anything nice for you?
• What was the nicest thing you did for someone else?

What can I do?

• Be a good example. Children often mimic the behaviors of the parents or primary caregivers. When your child sees you being kind, empathetic to others, honest, and patient, it gives them a guide for their friendships. 
• Take time to talk with your child about his or her day.
• Role-play with your child. Create scenarios with friendship conflicts and share steps to resolve the conflict.
• Celebrate your child’s achievements.
• Encourage your child to feel good about himself or herself.
• Practice active listening with your child.
• Share your family values.

Resources

• 6 ways to help your child deal with peer pressure
• Family Doctor
• Stop Bullying

What should my child be working on?

Reading

Poetry

• Notice various elements of poetry, from form to mood to sound to rhythm to wordplay (TEKS 5.9B)
• Explore how poets play with words, structure, and sound to create meaning (TEKS 5.9B & 5.10B & 5.10D)
• Describe how the parts of a poem work together to convey an idea or image (TEKS 5.10D)
• Pose questions to get at a poems intended effect, while paying close attention to the endings of poems to glean insights from them (TEKS 5.8A & 5.10A)

Informational & Argumentative

• Mine texts for relevant information and grasp the central claim/argument of a text (TEKS 5.6G & 5.9i)
• Notice when an author is trying to make an argument versus trying to persuade (TEKS 5.9 D & 5.9E & 5.10B)
• Use evidence across informational text to support a position, while also understanding the other side (TEKS 5.6F)
• Study author’s craft and text structure to prepare for complex conversations (TEKS 5.9Diii & 5.10B & 5.10C)
• Sort text around new debatable questions and ideas as they create reading plans (TEKS 5.6A & 5.6B)

Fantasy

• Research the setting and other magical creatures in the story to make inferences ahead of the character (TEKS 5.8D & 5.9A)
• Evaluate problems for their significance to the main character, plot, and theme (TEKS 5.8B & 5.8C)
• See themes and life lessons with different lenses to analyze how they can be shaped by a character’s perspective (TEKS 5.8 C & 5.6F)

Writing

Poetry (TEKS 5.12A)

• Write meaningful poems that contain content they care about (TEKS 5.11B)
• Use meaningful figurative language and small details to craft poems that strike the reader with emotion (TEKS 5.11B)
• Use revision strategies learned in other units to revise their poems (TEKS 5.11C)

Argument Essay (TEKS 5.12C)

• Investigate deeply to understand an argument and use evidence to build an opinion (TEKS 5.11A & 5.11B)
• Draw from earlier drafts to build a powerful argument (TEKS 5.11C)
• Study prompts for rebutting counterclaims (TEKS 5.11B)
• Understand the audience and choose the right words to appeal to it (TEKS 5.11A & 5.11C)

Memoir (TEKS 5.11A)

• Read literature to understand what makes a memoir and compile ideas about it (TEKS 5.11A)
• Grow theories about themselves and interpret their own stories (TEKS 5.11A)
• Study mentor texts to revise the narrative and expository portions of a memoir (TEKS 5.11C)

Fantasy (TEKS 5.11A)

• Generate ideas, write blurbs, and develop different characters and problems for each, before deciding on a seed idea (TEKS 5.11A & 5.11B)
• Draft and make large-scale revisions to include more details (TEKS 5.11B & 5.11C)
• Review editing strategies they already know and learn new ones (TEKS 5.11D)

What are the state standards for what my child should know and be able to do in this subject and grade level?

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)

What questions should I ask my child (Reading and Writing)?

Poetry

• What is the author trying to say? How do you know?
• How is the author’s craft influencing what you feel or imagine while you read?

Informational & Argumentative

• What is the author saying about [topic]? Do other authors agree?
• What is your opinion about [topic]? What evidence do you have?

Fantasy

• How can you relate to [main character’s] journey and the problems he/she faced?
• What did [main character] learn? What can you learn from that?

How can I help my child learn at home?

Poetry

• Read a variety of poems. Discuss the features you notice and how the author uses them to evoke feelings and create meaning.

Informational & Argumentative

• Read several books on a specific topic and engage in meaningful debates about it. Help your child see that authors also have opinions about the topics they write about and you can often see it in their writing.

Fantasy

• Analyze the symbolism of the setting in the story and what it can really mean. Use other texts to learn more about the magical creatures and settings in a story.

What should my child be working on?

Measurement

• Represent and solve perimeter problems (TEKS 5.4H)
• Represent and solve area problems (TEKS 5.4H)
• Represent and solve volume problems (TEKS 5.4H)
• Use objects or pictures to represent the formula for the volume of a rectangular prism (TEKS 5.6A, 5.6B, 5.4G)
• Convert measurements (TEKS 5.7A)

Graphs & Patterns

• Graph data on a coordinate plane when given a number pattern or table of data. (TEKS 5.8C)
• Describe a coordinate plane (TEKS 5.8A)
• Explain how to graph an ordered pair on a coordinate plane (TEKS 5.8B)
• Create a number pattern when given a rule and graph the data (TEKS 5.4C)
• Tell the difference between an additive and multiplicative pattern when given a table (TEKS 5.4D)
• Tell the difference between an additive and multiplicative pattern when given a graph (TEKS 5.4D)
• Represent data on a bar graph and frequency table (TEKS 5.9A)
• Represent data on a dot plot (TEKS 5.9A)
• Represent data on a stem-and-leaf plot (TEKS 5.9A)
• Represent data on a scatter plot (TEKS 5.9B)
• Solve problems using data from graphs (TEKS 5.9C)

Geometry

• Classify two-dimensional figures using a graphic organizer (TEKS 5.5A)

What questions should I ask my child?

Measurement

• When might we need to convert from one unit of measurement to another?
• What is the relationship between perimeter and area?

Graphs & Patterns

• What strategy do you use to determine if a pattern is additive or multiplicative?
• Why is it important to know the intervals when graphing on a coordinate plane?

Geometry

• How can graphic organizers help us to classify two-dimensional figures?
• What attributes can be used to classify two-dimensional figures?

How can I help my child learn at home?

Measurement

• Have your child practice measurement conversions for projects around the house.
  • For example, if I know I have 3 feet of ribbon and need 33 inches of ribbon for a project do I have enough ribbon?  Have your child explain how they know (converting 3 feet to inches).

Graphs & Patterns

• Have your child conduct a survey on a topic that interests them. Then have your child represent the results of the survey using a frequency table, dot plot, bar graph, stem-and-leaf-plot,  or scatter plot.

Geometry

• Give your child pictures of a variety of two-dimensional shapes. Have them create a graphic organizer (such as a Venn diagram) so organize the shapes according to their attributes.

What should my child be working on?

Space

• Demonstrate that the Earth rotates on its axis every 24 hours causing day/night and the movement of the Sun across the sky.
• Compare and Contrast the physical characteristics of the Sun, Earth, and Moon. (5.8C)

Environments (5.9A,B,C,D)

• Investigate how organisms interact with the living and nonliving elements of their ecosystem. (5.9A)
• Describe the flow of energy within a food web, including the roles of the Sun, producers, consumers, and decomposers. (5.9B)
• Explain how energy flows in a food web including the roles of the Sun, producers, consumers, and decomposers. (5.9B)
• Predict how an ecosystem can be impacted by other living organisms including humans. (5.9C)
• Recognize fossils as a record of past living organisms and their environment. (5.9D)

Organisms (5.10A, B)

• Compare the structures and functions of different species that help them live and survive in a specific environment such as hooves on prairie animals or webbed feet in aquatic animals.

What are the state standards for what my child should know and be able to do in this subject and grade level?

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)

What questions should I ask my child?

Space

• What is the relationship between Earth’s rotation and the day/night cycle?
• How do the shadows relate to the apparent movement of the Sun across the sky?

Environments

• How do living things interact with other living things in the same ecosystem?
• How do living things depend on nonliving things to survive in an ecosystem?
• How would you explain finding a fossil of ocean shells in Central Texas?

Organisms

• How do different structures and functions of living organisms help them survive in their environments? 
• What are some examples of plant and animal adaptations?

How can I help my child learn at home?

Space

• Have your child explain and model the difference between rotate and revolve.
• Encourage your child to explain the physical characteristics of the Sun, Earth, and Moon.

Environments

• Make and record observations of how living organisms utilize nonliving elements of their environment.
• Describe how changes in an ecosystem impact living organisms including natural disasters and human interactions.
• Explain the flow of energy in a food web including the Sun, producers, consumers, and decomposers.
• Identify fossils as a record of past organisms and the environments in which they lived.

Organisms

• Have your child compare the structures and functions of different organisms and how they aid in their survival in their environment.

What should my child be working on?

Government

• Understand The United States Constitution is made up of seven articles with 27 amendments, the first ten are the Bill of Rights (TEKS 5.14B, 5.14C)

History

• Identify significant events and concepts associated with growth of U. S. territories  (TEKS 5.4C)
• Identify the causes and effects of the Civil War (TEKS 5.4D. 5.4E)

What are the state standards for what my child should know and be able to do in this subject and grade level?

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)

What questions should I ask my child?

Government

• What are the basic rights and freedoms of the American people?

History

• What drew new settlers to the western part of the United States in the 1800s?
• What impact did the Gold Rush have on the settlers and Native Americans?
• How did the railroad change life in the new country?
• How were the Native Americans affected by key events during this period?
• What factors helped drive apart from the North and South in the mid-1800s?
• What factors contributed to the outcome of the Civil War?

How can I help my child learn at home?

Consider reading some historical non-fiction about this time period together as a family.

Going further with organisms!

Investigating the Oxygen Carbon Dioxide Cycle

Visit Ducksters Education Site to read about the oxygen-carbon dioxide cycle, photosynthesis, and cellular respiration.

As you examine the information, answer the following questions:

• Which processes use oxygen and which one produces oxygen?
• Where does most of the oxygen we breathe come from?
• What is cellular respiration?

Draw a diagram of the oxygen-carbon dioxide cycle.  In your diagram include 2 plants and animals.  Include arrows showing the flow of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the plants and animals.

Overview

In the intermediate grades, digital footprint lessons focus on helping students understand that the digital footprint they build today will still be their digital footprint tomorrow. Students are asked to explore who they are offline and online, how they leave tracks online, and how their experience online can be affected by who they are offline. These lessons seek to prepare students to understand how they can be good consumers of social media when the time comes.

What are the state standards for what my child should know and be able to do in this subject and grade level?

TEK: 126.7 (5) (D)

How can I help my child learn at home?

Share examples, both good and bad, of how you see yourself and others building their digital footprint. Posting online can be fun and also can be helpful to others, likewise, there are times that posting online can be a negative experience. Before students have access to social media, having concrete examples will help them build their knowledge base. 

How will I know when my child has learned academic English?

Every year, your child will take an assessment called the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) to assess his/her English proficiency level in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. When your child meets the criteria for reclassification, he/she will be reclassified and will not need to take the TELPAS any more.  However, the school will continue to monitor your child’s progress to make sure he/she is successful at school.

What questions should I ask my child?

• What book are you reading at school?
• What did you do in your math class?
• Did you ask for help when you didn’t understand?
•  What is your homework for today?

What can I do?

• TELPAS Parent Tips (English)
• TELPAS Parent Tips (Spanish)

Resources

• Colorín Colorado (bilingual website)
• Parent guide
• Reading activities in English and Spanish
• Unite for Literacy

Responsible decision making is a skill that is learned over time. Allowing your child to make mistakes and learn from them is a way to support independence and responsible decision making. It is a very important time to learn these skills ahead of the teenage years when problems and decisions can have more of a negative impact. Your child’s ability to recognize, identify, and manage emotions will all play a part in his/her ability to make responsible decisions. At this age, your child should be able to understand and share the importance of following the rules at home, school, and community.

What questions should I ask my child?

• What choices did you make today that was challenging? easy?
• Did you make any choices that hurt someone today? Make someone happy?
• What are the consequences of your actions?
• What can you do to show kindness to others?
• What can you do to get better at ____?
• Who did you sit with at lunch? Why?
• How do you think it went?
• Is there something you would do differently next time?
• What do you think went well?

What can I do?

• Show your child that they will always have your love and support. We all make bad choices at times, and supporting your child when poor decisions are made will show your child that your love is unconditional.
• Teach your child how to save money. Helping your child set financial goals for things they really want, teaches responsible decision making.
• Acknowledge when your child makes good decisions. Look for ways to highlight the positive choices your child makes.
• Problem-solve together when conflicts arise at home or at school. Talking with a trusted adult about problems allow students the confidence they need to make responsible decisions.
• Complete a community service project together, allowing your child to make most of the decisions.

Resources

• Teach Your Kids How to Make Their Own Decisions

What should my child be working on?

Reading

Poetry

• Notice various elements of poetry, from form to mood to sound to rhythm to wordplay (TEKS 5.9B)
• Explore how poets play with words, structure and sound to create meaning (TEKS 5.9B & 5.10B & 5.10D)
• Describe how the parts of a poem work together to convey an idea or image (TEKS 5.10D)
• Pose questions to get at a poems intended effect, while paying close attention to the endings of poems to glean insights from them (TEKS 5.8A & 5.10A)

Informational & Argumentative

• Mine texts for relevant information and grasp the central claim/argument of a text (TEKS 5.6G & 5.9i)
• Notice when an author is trying to make an argument versus trying to persuade (TEKS 5.9 D & 5.9E & 5.10B)
• Use evidence across informational text to support a position, while also understanding the other side (TEKS 5.6F)
• Study author’s craft and text structure to prepare for complex conversations (TEKS 5.9Diii & 5.10B & 5.10C)
• Sort text around new debatable questions and ideas as they create reading plans (TEKS 5.6A & 5.6B)

Fantasy

• Research the setting and other magical creatures in the story to make inferences ahead of the character (TEKS 5.8D & 5.9A)
• Evaluate problems for their significance to the main character, plot, and theme (TEKS 5.8B & 5.8C)
• See themes and life lessons with different lenses to analyze how they can be shaped by a character’s perspective (TEKS 5.8 C & 5.6F)

Writing

Poetry (TEKS 5.12A)

• Write meaningful poems that contain content they care about (TEKS 5.11B)
• Use meaningful figurative language and small details to craft poems that strike the reader with emotion (TEKS 5.11B)
• Use revision strategies learned in other units to revise their poems (TEKS 5.11C)

Argument Essay (TEKS 5.12C)

• Investigate deeply to understand an argument and use evidence to build an opinion (TEKS 5.11A & 5.11B)
• Draw from earlier drafts to build a power argument (TEKS 5.11C)
• Study prompts for rebutting counterclaims (TEKS 5.11B)
• Understand the audience and choose the right words to appeal to it (TEKS 5.11A & 5.11C)

Memoir (TEKS 5.11A)

• Read literature to understand what makes a memoir and compile ideas about it (TEKS 5.11A)
• Grow theories about themselves and interpret their own stories (TEKS 5.11A)
• Study mentor texts to revise the narrative and expository portions of a memoir (TEKS 5.11C)

Fantasy (TEKS 5.11A)

• Generate ideas, write blurbs, and develop different characters and problems for each, before deciding on a seed idea (TEKS 5.11A & 5.11B)
• Draft and make large-scale revisions to include more details (TEKS 5.11B & 5.11C)
• Review editing strategies they already know and learn new ones (TEKS 5.11D)

What are the state standards for what my child should know and be able to do in this subject and grade level?

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)

What questions should I ask my child (Reading and Writing)?

Poetry

• What is the author trying to say? How do you know?
• How is the author’s craft influencing what you feel or imagine while you read?

Informational & Argumentative

• What is the author saying about [topic]? Do other authors agree?
• What is your opinion about [topic]? What evidence do you have?

Fantasy

• How can you relate to [main character’s] journey and the problems he/she faced?
• What did [main character] learn? What can you learn from that?

How can I help my child learn at home?

Poetry

• Read a variety of poems. Discuss the features you notice and how the author uses them to evoke feelings and create meaning.

Informational & Argumentative

• Read several books on a specific topic and engage in meaningful debates about it. Help your child see that authors also have opinions about the topics they write about and you can often see it in their writing.

Fantasy

• Analyze the symbolism of the setting in the story and what it can really mean. Use other texts to learn more about the magical creatures and settings in a story.

What should my child be working on?

Personal Financial Literacy

• Explain how to balance a budget (TEKS 5.10E)
• Set up a budget (TEKS 5.10D, 5.10F)
• Compare and contrast different ways of paying for things (TEKS 5.10C)
• Define income tax, payroll tax, sales tax, and property tax(TEKS 5.10A)
• Explain the difference between gross income and net income(TEKS 5.10B)

What questions should I ask my child?

Personal Financial Literacy

• What would you do if your expenses were more than your income?
• What is the difference between gross income and net income?

How can I help my child learn at home?

Personal Financial Literacy

Work together with your child to set up a budget using weekly or monthly household expenses. Periodically look at the budget together to see if the budget needs to be adjusted.

What should my child be working on?

Organisms

• Differentiate between inherited traits of plants and animals such as spines on a cactus or shape of the beak, and learned behaviors such as animal learning tricks or a child riding a bicycle. (5.10B)

Content Review

• Take time to review concepts learned in the previous nine weeks including academic vocabulary.

What are the state standards for what my child should know and be able to do in this subject and grade level?

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)

What questions should I ask my child?

Organisms

• Have your child compare the inherited traits of various plants and animals.
• Explain how learned behaviors are different than inherited traits and provide examples of both.

How can I help my child learn at home?

Organisms

• Have your child compare the inherited traits of various plants and animals. 
• Explain how learned behaviors are different than inherited traits and provide examples of both.

What should my child be working on?

History

Understand important issues, events, and individuals in the United States during the 20th and 21st centuries including World War I, World War II, the Civil Rights Movement, the Great Depression, and the impact of the oil industry (TEKS 5.5A, 5.5B, 5.5C)

What are the state standards for what my child should know and be able to do in this subject and grade level?

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)

What questions should I ask my child?

History

• How did industrialization change the United States?
• Who were some of the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement?

How can I help my child learn at home?

History

• Engage your child in conversations about what they are learning in school.
• Visit places in Houston and the surrounding area to learn more about the topics your student is studying. See resources.

Going further with biology!

Inherited versus learned traits

Reflect with your child about what they have learned recently about inherited traits versus learned behaviors.  Make a list of examples of types of inherited traits and learned behaviors.  Let’s take the learning further with exploring DNA and the science behind what makes us who we are. 

Start with reading this Wonderopolis article. Be sure to click on the video above the article as well.

Consider the ecosystems you learned about previously and the animals living there. Research one ecosystem and 3 animals that live there.  Identify the inherit traits and learned behaviors in each animal that help it survive in its environment.

Relationships and Communication

Chances are high that many of our intermediate students have already had an experience online playing a game with others or sharing a learning experience. Intermediate lessons are focused on helping students learn how to communicate effectively with others online, and how to keep their online interactions fun and safe.

What are the state standards for what my child should know and be able to do in this subject and grade level?

TEKS: 126.7 (5) (A, D-F)

How can I help my child learn at home?

Tie playing games and sports offline to playing games online. Help students make parallels between good sportsmanship and good digital citizenship. Just like negativity on the field can get a player benched, negativity online can get a player removed from the game. When students play online, help them to explore using kindness and compassion.

When your child has met the reclassification criteria, they will no longer receive English language development support (although they will continue to learn English with other students). Teachers will continue to monitor your child’s progress. Please continue to ask the teacher how your child is doing. If your child did not meet the reclassification criteria, he/she will continue to receive English language development support.

What questions should I ask my child?

• What book are you reading at school?
• What did you do in your _____ class?
• Did you ask for help when you didn’t understand? Who helped you?
• What is your homework for today?

What can I do?

• Schedule an individual meeting with your child’s teacher to learn how you can continue to help your child succeed.
• Encourage your child to read and/or listen to audiobooks daily.

Resources

• Colorín Colorado (bilingual website)
• Parent guide
• Reading activities in English and Spanish
• Unite for Literacy

Empathy is putting yourself in another person’s shoes and understanding how they are feeling. It is also the perspective of others. It is the foundation of a child’s ability to be kind and show compassion to others. During the intermediate years of elementary school, children are strengthening their sense of empathy through practice.  It still may be challenging for your child to view every situation with empathy, but with adult support, they can learn from each interaction. When you understand your child’s emotions, you help them build empathy.

What questions should I ask my child?

• What’s something kind you did today?
• What’s something nice you did for someone today?
• How would you like to serve someone at school? in our family? on the ____team?
• Listen to your sister/brother’s voice, how do you think he/she is feeling?
• How would you feel if ____?
• How can we show our ___ that we care about them?
• When I put myself in your shoes, I can see how you feel ____.

What can I do?

• Show your child empathy. Listen carefully and acknowledge when your child speaks to you. Ask questions about how they feel and think.
• Teach your child to be empathetic. Encourage your child to reach out to a friend, sibling, or family member when they see them upset or hurt.
• Share stories and/or videos of families and children with fewer resources than your family. Share the similarities and differences between your families with the lens of empathy.
• Participate in a community service project to benefit others.
• Be on the lookout for caring moments.
• Validate your child’s feelings.
• Praise your child’s character. For example, “Thank you for help me carry the groceries, you are so considerate when you help me.”

Resources

• For Families: 5 Tips for Cultivating Empathy
• https://www.todaysparent.com/family/parenting/3-simple-ways-to-teach-kids-to-have-empathy-for-others/