Welcome Back!

Welcome back!  I am so excited to have the opportunity to work with you and your child this year.  I look forward to seeing you at our fifth grade open house on Thursday, September 18th.  We will have a chance to explore the curriculum and other fifth grade information more specifically during our open house. 

Please browse the pages on my blog at mrsgigante.blogspot.com to gather information about our specials schedule, lessons, books orders, etc. Please read through the information and send any questions to me via your child or through email at:gigantej@guilderlandschools.net.  Also, if you would like to receive an email notification when a new post is made, you can submit your email in the "Follow By Mail" box in the top right-hand corner of the blog. 

I have enjoyed getting to know your children this week and look forward to a successful 5th grade year.  I look forward to discussing goals for your child at our parent-teacher conferences.  Thank you for completing the parent questionnaires, your input is so essential in helping me teach your child.  Please do not hesitate to contact me with your thoughts or concerns, working together; we will help your child reach their truest potential. 

  

Welcome 5th Grade 2014-2015

Hello!  Welcome to 5th grade, it is going to be an amazing year.  I am looking forward to meeting you and getting to know you. Please take a moment to complete the questionnaires below.  Be sure to answer all the questions by hitting the tab button to go to the next question.  You can also use the scroll bar to see all of the form.  In addition you must click on the SUBMIT button so that I will receive your information.  If you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me: gigantej@guilderlandschools.net.

Character Traits

       

                

You've just finished reading a Social Issue Book Club book, choose a character from your book and describe two personality traits of that character.  Be sure to include two specific details from the text to support your thinking. Remember: Character traits are all the aspects of a character’s behavior and attitudes that make up that character’s personality. Every character has character traits, both good and bad. Think deeply about your character and brainstorm personality traits for your character.  

In your post be sure to include:

• Title and author of book
• Character trait
• Examples from text to support thinking

Example:

In the book Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea one of the main characters in Alexia.   One of her character traits is that she is mean because she bullies others.  For example, she says hateful things to others, when she is working on the project with  Danielle she tells her that she should be in charge of the food because she is so fat.  Another example is when she tells the new girl Jessica that Danielle was making fun of her so she could create a girl war.  

I love to READ!

I love to read!  I just read The Land of Stories: The Wishing Well by Chris Colfer and fell in love with the interesting storyline. I am now on to the next book in the series:  The Land of Stories: The Enchantress Returns and so far, I can't put the book down, it is so wonderful.   I also reread The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate and have such deep affection for the main character Ivan. I think it is still one of the best books I've ever read.

I also am a big fan of picture books because they have so much to offer.  My new favorite historical fiction is These Hands by Margaret H. Mason.  It is an amazing story about African Americans who worked in the Wonder Bread factory in 1950s & 1960s and were not treated fairly.  I also love, love, love The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt because it is hysterical.  We just read Freedom on the Menu by Carole Boston Weatherford which is a powerful historical fiction story about the Greensboro Sit-ins.

Please make a post of your TOP 3 BOOKS of all time!  Make a list of the 3 books that you loved so much you wanted to read them again.  List a book you wished there was more to the story so you could spend more time with the characters.  In your post be sure to list the title and author of each book.