Hi teachers,

It is officially the last week before spring break… and the energy is telling us everything we need to know.

The weather has been all over the place here in Southern California, routines are feeling a little looser, and let’s just say the social dynamics in a 5th grade classroom are thriving right now. It’s that time of year. Spring break is well-earned.

Even so, we’ve got a really meaningful (and engaging) week ahead:

💜 Women’s History Month + Symbolism

We’re wrapping up our Women’s History Month unit, where students have been reading mini biographies of influential women. To culminate the unit, we’re introducing a lesson on symbolism.

This is such an important skill because it moves students beyond just knowing information. It asks them to think more deeply about what represents an idea and why. When students can connect symbols to meaning, they begin to understand themes, character traits, and impact in a much more powerful way.

We’re tying this into a Wonder Woman-inspired project. Each student creates a shield for a woman they studied, including four symbols that represent her life, accomplishments, or character.

Some examples:

• A flag to represent leadership or country
• Sports equipment to represent athletic achievement
• A medal or award to show recognition
• Or any symbol that captures the essence of who she was

This is one of those projects where creativity really shines.

We’re using this resource to support the unit: 👉 Women's History Biographies​

📏 Line Plots (Hands-On Kickoff)

We’re also starting line plots, and this is hands-down one of our favorite ways to introduce the unit.

Students grab measuring tapes and:

• Measure each other’s shoes (heel to toe)
• Measure forearms (elbow to wrist)

We turn that data into class line plots, then compare the two and discuss what we can quickly learn just by reading them.

It’s simple, but it works. Students immediately see the purpose. And because we measure to the nearest quarter inch, it naturally brings in fractional data, which sets us up nicely for the rest of the unit.

We also put together a free line plot activity you can use with your students this week (or save for after break). It includes a hands-on measuring component, line plot templates, and reflection questions to help students make sense of the data.

You can grab it here: 👉 Line Plot Freebie​

📚 Battle Circle Books

We’re hoping to wrap up our Revolutionary War battle circle books this week (quick refresher: students read, summarize, and illustrate key battles in a circle book format).

These have been a great way for students to organize information, summarize key ideas, and present their learning visually. When we come back from break, we’ll be ready to jump into a new writing unit.

🤖 Instructron Test Prep (Where It All Started)

With state testing around the corner, this is the time of year when test prep ramps up—but we all know how it usually feels… like just more testing.

That’s exactly why we built this part of Instructron.

Our state test prep (3rd, 4th, and 5th grade) gives students something different:

• Immediate, meaningful feedback
• A low-pressure environment to practice
• Support from Tronnie, our AI coach, who guides students as they work

Instead of guessing and moving on, students actually learn from their mistakes in real time.

When we first launched this feature last spring, the feedback was incredible. Teachers loved the data they could use to support students before the biggest test of the year, and students loved that it didn’t feel like just another test.

Instructron has grown a lot since then, but this feature still holds the core of what we set out to create.

If you haven’t tried it yet, you can sign up HERE and use code TOPFLOOR20 for a discount on any plan.

🏫 Middle School Transition

On top of everything else, we’ll also be:

• Touring the middle school
• Meeting with counselors about course selection

So there’s a lot happening beyond academics as students start preparing for that next step.

If your classroom feels a little extra right now, you are not alone. Hang in there. Spring break is almost here!

You’ve got this. 💛

Quyen & Joe
Top Floor Teachers

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