Field Trip- I am sending home a permission form for our field trip next week. Please fill it out and return by next Tuesday, May 7. I have enough drivers, thanks!!! The 5th graders should be at school on Thursday before 8 a.m. We will leave then. I don't think we will be back much before 4 p.m. The water festival is a science based day meant just for 5th graders! There will be about 2,000 kids on the campus that day. They will get to go to workshops throughout the day and learn different things relating to water and/or animals. It happens rain or shine, so the kids should dress for the weather that day! We walk the campus, so they should wear comfortable shoes. I recommend tennis shoes because sometimes they play games that will involve running. This is sponsored through UNI! They do NOT need to bring a sack lunch. One will be provided for them with a drink, water! 
Math- We are working on adding and subtracting fractions and mixed numbers this week! Chapter 7's work is coming in handy this week. I would say most mistakes I see are because they are forgetting to simplify their answers or they aren't paying attention to the math sign they need to be using. On Wednesday, we worked on estimating fractions and mixed numbers before adding or subtracting. I was pleased and surprised how easily they picked up on that! Wahoo!!!
Religion- We have really been discussing the Ten Commandments in our current chapter. We have had some very interesting and frank conversations about them. It has been a good week. While we talk about ways to break those commandments, I am also trying to focus on how to live them out the way God would want them to. 
Book Reports- These are coming up very soon! They are due next Friday, May 10. The students need to remember to bring their report or poster, their costume, and any props for their report that day! This is one of my favorite days! They have been sharing information with me as they read, so I am excited to learn more! 
Middle School Day- On Wednesday, May 15, the 5th graders will be shadowing a 7th grader. They will spend the morning, lunch, and recess with the students in grades 6-8 to see what a day in middle school will be like next year. This is an early out day, so they will only spend time with them in the morning before getting dismissed! 
Have a great weekend! I am hoping to go to Waterloo tomorrow for the weekend. We will see what Mother Nature does to mess with my plans! :)