One God, One Faith, One School

Welcome to the Fifth Grade
Mrs. Kathy Thelen, Teacher

About Me:
Teaching Background:

• Thirteen years at IHM-St. Casimir School
• Five years in fourth grade
• Five years in sixth grade including two years of seventh grade Language Arts
• Third year in fifth grade

Three years in first grade in another school district

Education:

• Bachelor of Science degree with a Math concentration from Central Michigan University
• Masters in Elementary Education from Michigan State University
• Advanced certification of the Catechist Formation Program through the Lansing Catholic Diocese

Family:

• Married for 34 years
• Husband: Dan - retired millwright at General Motors
• We have been blessed with four children:  Suzy, a physical therapist in Georgia, working with children; Betsy, an accountant for the State of Michigan (recently received her Masters in Accounting); Barbie, a CPA for a private firm in Okemos; and Richie, a student at Western Michigan University majoring in Political Science.

History:

• Born and raised in Lansing, Michigan
• Graduate of Holy Cross Grade School
• Graduate of Msgr. O'Rafferty High School (Lansing Catholic High School)

Spare Time:

• I enjoy reading, spending time with my family and friends, playing Scrabble and Euchre, and kayaking.

Philosophy:

My philosophy is that all students are individuals and their learning styles are unique to them. I employ a variety of strategies to meet the learning needs of auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learners with the goal of reaching all students. All students have the ability to learn and can succeed with enough time and persistence. Students also need challenges to stretch their thinking ability. My goal is to help each child gain a quality education in a Catholic Christian environment.

---

Curriculum 

Listed below are some of the topics we cover in Fifth Grade

Religion

• Divine Revelation, Salvation, Jesus, The Church, Sacraments, Prayers
• Stewardship - giving of themselves through service to their families

Language Arts

• Study various genres, Examine character traits, literary devices; Compare and contrast readings
• Use Writing Process - implement elements of 6 + 1 Traits of writing, identify parts of speech, mechanical skills
• Continue development of reading, writing, spelling, listening and speaking skills

Science

• Construct and reflect on new scientific knowledge
• Electricity & magnetism, Respiratory System, Solar System
• Use Science Processes

Social Studies

• Geography and five themes, History and what it is, Native Americans, Explorers and Colonization, Application of Core Democratic Values, Westward Movement, Industrial revolution, Plantation Society & Civil War, Reconstruction
• Daily Geography; Current Events

Math

• Number & Operation - including the multiplication operation with four digit by three digit numbers, division of two and three digit numbers, read and compute with fractions, decimals, percents;
• Geometry - identify and measure different shapes, different angles, introduce pi, circumference and diameter;
• Averaging Graphing interpreting & analyzing;
• Measurement;
• Data, Statistics and Probability - Ratios

Special Classes
 Lansing School District teachers will be teaching:

• Physical Education
• Spanish
• Art
• Computer Education

Music Curriculum
The Fifth Graders participate in music classes throughout the school year (for more information click here)

---

Classroom Policies:

Assignments:

• All assignments are due the next class date unless otherwise noted in the due date column of the student planner.

Incomplete work or work not turned in on time:

• For each day an assignment is late it will begin to drop one grade unless a parent has communicated a reason why it is going to be late.

Absent work:

• Students will receive the work that is to be made up and have a day for each day missed to make up the work.
• It is your child's responsibility to hand the work in when it is completed.

Correction of work already completed:

• All work may be redone to raise that assignment/test to a "C." It does need to be completed within a week of when the papers are sent home to change the grade.
• Grades are usually recorded as percents or number correct over total number. The students have a grade scale in their student planner to convert to letter grades.

Communication:

Communication is important!  A child will learn more if the parents and teacher work together by sharing ideas and helping each other.

            Communicating with Mrs. Thelen:

•         Write a note to me in the student planner. I check the planners daily
•         Call the School (517-882-6631). I will respond within 24 hours.
•         E-mail me at thelenk@ihmlansing.org
•         Call me at home before 10 p.m. (my telephone number has been provided to you in classroom materials)

             Mrs. Thelen communicating with parents:

•         Writing notes in student planner or attaching notes to the planner
•         Making personal telephone calls
•         Sending home a parent letter each week updating you on the events in the classroom
•         Setting up appointments to meet before or after school



---

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. You can e-mail me at thelenk@ihmlansing.org or call the school at (517) 882-6631

---