Ms. Jones - 5J @ SMG

Take a look in this week’s Friday folder for some paperwork to return about next year, plus our final Scholastic book order.  If you’d like to order, please either order online or return the forms with a check by the end of next week.

 

In language, we finished up our hero essays this week and will start studying adverbs next week.

 

Our final spelling unit was assigned this week – our final spelling test will be next week on Wednesday.

 

In social studies, we are working on a World War II research project with the final project being a newspaper.  Most of this will be done at school.

 

In math we finished our fraction study and will be exploring graphing and some probability to finish up the year.

What a great Grandparents' Day!  There were so many smiling faces in the building!

In Math, we have moved into multiplication of fractions.  Many students are finding this easier than adding and subtracting so far.

In Social Studies, we took a look at World War One this week. The kids were very interested in the whole concept of having to live in a trench.

In Religion, this week was all about the Ten Commandments.  Looking at them from a positive wording instead of "Shall Not" wording was a bit of a different take for them.

In Language, we began working on our persuasive writing topic about heroes and continued our study of verbs.

In Reading, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry has given us some really great conversations about friendship, treating others fairly, and history.

We had the opportunity to watch the 6th grade debates this week - it was a great connection to the unit we started on persuasive writing.

Next week we will be having a quiz in math on topic ten - adding and subtracting fractions and mixed numbers.

Wednesday, April 25th will be our jeans day for raising over $100 for St. Maria de Jesus orphanage.  Grandparents Day is next week on Friday.

It’s hard to believe that we are ¾ of the way through 5^th grade!  Everyone has made a great switch back from vacation to school mode – I hope it continues for quite a bit longer =-)

 

The online assignment calendar will not be updated every day this quarter.  None of the middle school teachers uses this tool, and I want to make sure that students are not too dependent on it before next year comes around.

 

We have started our last whole class book for the year, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.  It can be a tough book because of the characters and setting – African-American family in the rural South during the Great Depression, but there are so many great opportunities for discussion that I try to read it each spring with my class.

 

Also, Scholastic book orders were sent home in the Friday folder.  If you would like to order, please order online or send in a check made out to "Scholastic" by this coming Friday.

I've added a link on the sidebar with different summer opportunities that I've been made aware of for 5th graders.  If you're looking for something for your child to do, here are lots of ideas!

The kids have had some great inspirations this week.  Father Mike talked about making good choices and not having regrets today at Mass.  Miss Michelle gave them an assignment to do something with another group of students, ones they wouldn't normally hang out with.  She also talked about ways to include students who are trying to complete that assignment by branching out with new groups of people.

After talking with Father Chad about vestements last week, we had the chance to see him in some gorgeous ones when he presided over Benediction at the end of our time at Adoration this week.

The coin drive for the girls of Santa Maria de Jesus continues through next week Thursday. We will be walking on Monday - it would be a great day to send in some coins to help.

State Project visual aides need to go home by the end of the school day on Thursday next week.  Please take a look at your calendar and pick a day that will work best for your family as sometimes it is easier to take projects home in a car versus on the bus.

I am so impressed with all of the great state projects that we were privileged to see this week!  Kudos all around to the students for their hard work! Scores were sent home today in Friday folders – visual aides will be on display next week in the front hall way.

 

Ask you student about the “First Rule of Safety” that Officer Tom discussed in COPS class today.

 

We prayed the Stations of the Cross with the students on Tuesday and on Thursday Father Chad took some time to go through his vestements with the fifth grade.  “Father Matthew” looked great – wish I had brought the camera to take pictures.

 

Next week we will be attending Adoration on Thursday. If your child has a rosary or prayer book that s/he would like to bring with that day it would be great.

 

Also the coin drive for St. Maria de Jesus begins next week.  If you still have the permission slip for the walk at home, please complete and send it in next week.

 

With the quarter ending next week, all late and missing work needs to be turned in by Tuesday, March 20^th.  Teacherease was last updated late Wednesday night.

 

Keep sending in your coupons. We sent our third box of the year off to a Navy base in Guam today. 

 

Enjoy the great weather this weekend!

We will be starting the final step of our state research with oral presentations next week. Students #1-10 should have all needed items at school on Monday. Thank you so much for all of your support through this project – each child should be proud of all the hard work and effort put forth!

 

Our final group of students completed server training this week.  Every child who completed training is eligible to serve at Mass when a server is needed.  There are often open spots at the Saturday 8 am Mass and the Thursday 5:15 pm Mass if either of those times works into your family schedule.

 

Thank you for all of the great Teacher Appreciation events and gifts this week. It was very special.  Last Sunday was also the Memorial Mass for my sister-in-law which the class purchased in her memory – thank you for that as well.

 

Teacherease was last updated before school this morning if you haven’t taken a look recently.

Great job to all of the kids for a wonderful concert last night! It was a pleasure to see so many different students shine in different areas.

 

Thank you so much for all you are doing to support your kids with their state project.  It is great to see how proud the kids are of this big accomplishment when the project is complete.  Please remember to refer to the rubric to help you with any assistance you might give for the final copies and presentation. The report with bibliography is due on Monday.  The following Monday, our first students will share their oral presentation and visual aide. They will continue through Friday. Your child should know his/her presentation number and have an approximate idea of which day they might present.

Book orders are in the Friday folders this week.  Most of the fliers are online, but one was not available in that format.  If you do order offline, please remember to send a check written out to Scholastic.

In Science we continue to study different aspects of food.  If you have any orange drinks you would like to donate, please send them to school by Monday and give them to Mrs. Mortensen.

 

I’m a little behind with my grading right now due to all the sickness in my house this week. I hope to be caught up by the end of the weekend and update Teacherease at that time.

 

Enjoy the snow!

 

Things to note:

-State reports and bibliography are due next Monday at 8 am

-State presentations with visual aide will begin on Monday, March 12^th.  You should have received an email with some more information today (sorry about the delay).  We will be discussing the presentation in class more this week.

-The 3-5 grades concert is this Thursday night.  It looks like it will be a great show!

-We will be wrapping up server training next week Monday. Once your child has had individual training s/he would be able to serve any time a server is needed. A regular schedule should come out around Easter for the rest of the school year.