September was a powerful season of good, hard work in the 5th grade. Looking to October, I am excited to see what the new month brings.

In ELA, we are beginning our first non-fiction unit in our Magnetic Reading curriculum. Our next unit is titled “Art in America.” We’ll read informational texts that explore the impact of American Art produced during the first half of the 20th century. We’ll learn about the Harlem Renaissance, the Great Migration, and the Dust Bowl. This unit is one of my favorites.

The 5th grade has finished their first whole-class novel. The class enjoyed The World According to Humphrey by Betty B. Birney. My apologies if your 5th grader has started asking for a pet hamster. Our next novel will be The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo.

In Social Studies, we’ll continue learning about the stories of Native Peoples and how different groups used natural resources. We’ll explore the government structures of Native Nations and analyze the impact of colonization.For math, students will begin learning decimal place value, and we’ll work to add, subtract, multiply, and divide decimals.

October is my favorite season in the classroom.