Mr. Mell's
Fifth Grade Classroom
2009-2010

Mr. Mell's Fifth Grade Classroom

PARENT RESOURCE ROOM

Welcome Parents!

CONTACTING MR. MELL

School phone number:  355-7930

Tod Mell’s email*:  mellt@guilderlandschools.org

District Web site:  http://www.guilderlandschools.org  

 * Please do not send time sensitive issues, permission forms, late notes, etc. via email.

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HOMEROOM COORDINATOR

A Homeroom Coordinator will be selected after our Open House night.  This person will be responsible for helping me contact parents for special events and materials.

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HOMEWORK

Students should expect homework every night Monday through Friday.  Homework is rarely assigned over the weekend.  Homework usually consists of at least one math assignment, spelling workbook pages, and reading.  A variety of other assignments will also be given depending on what we are studying in class. 

A majority of the homework assignments will be given out on Monday afternoon and are due throughout the week.  It is important that the students use their assignment notebooks every night and budget their time to meet deadlines.

Students are given four “late passes” for the year to use on homework.  Special “rewards” will be given out for passes that are not used.  If students do not have their homework in and do not use a late pass then they will miss special privileges, such as recess for the day.  A note will also need to go home and be signed by a parent.

I certainly understand that unforeseeable circumstances happen at home or that someone might not feel well.  If this is the case, I ask that parents jot me a very short note letting me know that an assignment will be handed in late.  Again, students are expected to use their assignment notebooks every night.  These books are a great organizational tool! 

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READING

Students are expected to read every night for at least 20 to 30 minutes.  I prefer that the students read out of one book and bring that book to and from school each day.  Students should record their reading on their reading calendar.  Parents should monitor reading and sign the calendar at the end of the month.   If a student is not able to read one night, I ask that the student writes a brief note on why they could not read.  A brief summary must also be handed in when a student finishes a book.  The format for the summary is written on the back of their reading calendar and can be found online on the student resouce page.  Our district’s goal is for every student to read at least 25 books by the end of June (this includes books we read together in class).  Even though your child is a fifth grader now, I still encourage parents to read with their son or daughter and talk often about what they have read. 

Please click HERE for questioning ideas when you read with your child.

You can also click HERE for recommended reading lists.

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STATE TESTS:

In November, all fifth grade students will be taking the New York State Social Studies Test.  This test is targeted toward what students have learned in third and fourth grades in social studies.  In January students will be taking a New York State Language Arts test.  In March, the final state test will be given on math.  We will certainly be spending some time in school reviewing and preparing for all of the exams.

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WRITER’S NOTEBOOK:

 I hope your child has shared their writer’s notebook with you.  Students will be learning how to use a writer’s notebook to collect ideas, react to their world and try new things in writing.  There will be spelling mistakes and grammatical errors in the notebook.  This is okay.  The notebook is a starting point for further writing pieces. Please encourage your child to write often in these books.

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ORGANIZATION

Organization and time management play a major role in our classroom.  Please help reinforce these skills at home by helping your son or daughter review their daily assignment calendar, make “to-do lists,” organize their binders and folders, and clean out book bags on a regular basis.  These skills not only prepare students for the middle school and life, but also often result in cleaner, more organized bedrooms at home!! (No guarantees on the bedroom cleaning J) 

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TECHNOLOGY

 Technology plays an exciting role in our classroom.  Students will have many experiences with lessons that integrate the use of teachnology.  Your child will learn how to use the Internet as a resource to gather information that is not available to us in our library.  Students will also have multimedia presentation experiences using programs such as PowerPoint and iMovie.  

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BOOK ORDERS:

 If you are ordering books for your child, please pay by check made out to the book club that you are ordering from.  If paying by cash, please try to send dollar bills and minimal change. This will help reduce the time it takes for me to submit the orders.

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DAILY SPECIALS

Please click HERE for our special area days & times.

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BIRTHDAYS

We will celebrate a student’s birthday with a song.  If your child would like to bring in a snack for his/her birthday please let me know a few days in advance.

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Link to Classroom Documents for Parents and Students