5th Grade

1. October 21st - Fall Picture Make-ups

2. October 22nd - Trunk or Treat, 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. - Heritage Park (P.E. Fields)

3. October 28th - Early Release Day - students dismissed at 1:50 p.m.

4. October 30th - S.T.E.A.M. Parade

5. November 5th - Epcot Field Trip

6. November 11th - Veterans Day Celebration (details below) - click HERE to R.S.V.P.

7. November 20th - World Showcase (more information to come!)

8. November 23rd - 27th - Thanksgiving Break

Please click HERE to R.S.V.P.

Lesson 6 - Multiply Decimals Using Place Value

Lesson 7 - Multiply Decimals Using Properties

Lesson 8 - Math Thinking and Reasoning: Assess the Reasonableness of Solutions

Topic 4 Review

Topic 4 Test

Click HERE for help with every lesson.

It is essential that students know their multiplication facts through 12 × 12. All of our upcoming math lessons will build on this knowledge, and being able to recall these facts quickly and accurately will help students solve more challenging problems with confidence. Provided below is a worksheet that you can print and use to help your child practice at home. Just a few minutes of practice each day can make a big difference!

• Chapter 13 - 14 - Chapter Progression
• Chapter 15 - 16 - Vocabulary
• Chapter 17 - 18 - Scenes in a Series
• Chapter 19 - Epilogue; Theme of the Story

Flip it Book Version - https://online.fliphtml5.com/lgmov/bbhg/#p=9

1. Matter Task Launch

2. States/Properties of Matter

1. Chapter 5 - Early Civilizations and Native American Tribes

Dear SMES Families,

We are excited to kick off another amazing year of reading at SMES! Last year, our students had tremendous success with Beanstack, SSYRA, SSYRA Jr., book clubs, and our schoolwide reading celebrations. This year, we are adding even more activities, challenges, and incentives—and we would love to see even more of our Stallions reading and participating!

Reminder that if students completed the summer reading challenge, reading logs are due tomorrow.

Parent Bill of Rights & Beanstack Access

If a parent selected Limited Media Access through the Parent Bill of Rights, the student will not have access to Beanstack. Because Beanstack is used to track reading and complete our schoolwide reading challenges, students without Beanstack access are not able to participate in the Beanstack school challenges and incentives.

Our Goal: 1.5 MILLION Minutes!

Our schoolwide goal for the 2026–2027 school year is to read and log more than 1.5 million minutes!

Teachers will be helping students build the habit of logging reading completed during the school day. We are also encouraging students to read and log 30 minutes each day at home.

Why does reading at home matter? Research has found a strong connection between the amount of time children spend reading and their reading achievement. One well-known study of elementary students found that children who averaged about 20 minutes of reading each day outside of school were exposed to approximately 1.8 million words over the course of a year. Regular reading also provides opportunities for children to build vocabulary, background knowledge, fluency, and comprehension.

Those minutes really do add up!

New to SMES? Meet Beanstack!

Beanstack is the program we use to track students' reading minutes and participation in our schoolwide reading challenges.

Students have two easy ways to access Beanstack:

• Through myPascoConnect: Students can find the Beanstack app directly on their dashboard.
• Through the Beanstack app: Families can download the Beanstack app to a phone or mobile device and log reading from home.

I have attached an instructional guide with step-by-step directions to help you and your child get started with Beanstack at home.

Remember, reading doesn't have to mean only chapter books! We want students to develop a love of reading and find books, topics, and formats that keep them excited about reading.

K–2: SSYRA Jr. Challenge

Our 2026–2027 SSYRA Jr. book list is attached to this email!

Students in grades K–2 are challenged to:

• Read all 15 SSYRA Jr. books
• Log their reading minutes in Beanstack
• Complete the activity badge for each book
• Finish the challenge by April 2

Students who complete the entire challenge will be recognized for their accomplishment and invited to our special end-of-year SSYRA Jr. celebration!

Grades 3–5: SSYRA, Book Clubs & Celebrations

Our first Grades 3–5 Book Club will be held Monday, August 24, before school. Our first book is Bug Bandits.

Students that have read the book and are interested in attending must have the Book Club sign-up completed by August 20. The activities are geared around completing the book.

Once students finish reading an SSYRA book and log it in Beanstack, a Benny Conversation will become available for them to complete.

Benny Conversations are an important part of the SSYRA challenge because they allow students to show that they read, understood, and thoughtfully engaged with the book. Students should:

• Give thoughtful, detailed responses rather than short or one-word answers.
• Use specific evidence and details from the text to support their thinking.
• Explain their ideas and make it clear that they understand the characters, events, problems, themes, and important details in the book.
• Respond in their own words and engage meaningfully in the conversation.

If a Benny Conversation does not show strong engagement or understanding of the book, the student may be asked to redo the conversation or meet with Mrs. Simmons to discuss the book before receiving credit toward an SSYRA incentive.

Our goal is not just to read the books—it is to think, talk, and grow as readers!

Monthly Reading Challenges Are Coming!

Beginning in September, we will launch special monthly Beanstack reading challenges connected to different celebrations and areas of learning throughout the year. We can't wait to share our first challenge with students and families soon!

Thank you for partnering with us to build a community of readers at SMES. Whether your child reads independently, reads with an adult, listens as someone reads aloud, or shares a book with a sibling, every minute spent with a book matters.

Let’s see if our Stallions can gallop past 1.5 MILLION reading minutes this year!

Happy Reading!

Erika Simmons
Literacy Coach

Brick by Brick, We Build the Future!

When you join the Sanders Memorial Elementary PTA, you’re doing so much more than becoming a member—you’re helping create unforgettable experiences for our students, supporting our incredible teachers, funding educational programs, and strengthening our school community.

Every membership makes a difference.

Membership Options:
Individual – $11
Family – $15
Grandparent – $9

Join by September 30th for your chance to win a personalized VIP Parking Space at all PTA-sponsored events!

Scan the QR code in the flyer above or visit the link below to become a member today!

https://www.smespta.org/support-our-pta