Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Hello Parents, I hope you are having a great week!  We are finishing up our last story in this first unit in language arts. Next week I will be giving them a unit test.  I am still trying to figure out the test. It is very lengthy and I know they won't be doing all of it. The other part of our week I am going to talk to them about their first book report. I don't have a due date yet, but it will be near the end of the trimester. The other item we will be working on is creating Halloween stories. I usually read some of my favorites from my childhood to them first. The final product will need to be typed. If your computer isn't working, let me know. We can make arrangements to work on it before or after school when we are at that point.

Math- We are going to be finishing up our chapter on math next week. They will be taking a chapter test over everything. Right now, I have the test set for Monday, October 7. Mrs. Parrish, our college observer, is going to be teaching a lesson on Friday with the kids. She is just going along with where we are in our book. I believe she is teaching the subtraction of decimals. The key is remembering where to put the decimal. 

Homecoming- On Friday we are wearing our red and black to support the Creston Panthers!!! We are having a pep rally in the morning. The students are going to be dismissed 2 hours early. The Civics Club has made a float that any of the kids can ride on during the parade. Mr. Walsh sent out an email about the locations, but I believe they can get on the float after 1:30 on Prairie St.  You will need to pick them up after the parade at Holy Spirit Church. 

Social Studies-- Mrs. Sickels will be returning full time on Monday! I thank Mrs. Gammel for all her hard work with the kids in 3-5. She has really been a busy lady starting off a new year and having to learn a new reading series along with us! I am so glad she was here with us while Mrs. Sickels was away! 

21st Century Learning- There will not be school on Friday, Oct. 4. We will be attending this conference at the public school along with many other teachers around the area. 

I hope everyone has a great weekend! I am off to Doon to see my mom!!! Good luck to the Panthers!!! God Bless, Miss Surma

Wednesday, September 18, 2013


I hope it has been a nice week for you! Thank you to all my drivers on Tuesday!!! We hope you had a fun time too! Thank you to my vegetable choppers as well!!! That was a big pot of stew on the fire!! I think they had a good time in Ellston. I think they appreciate the fact that they don't have to churn the butter, chop and carry the firewood in the house, empty the chamber pots, or gather buffalo chips for the fire! 

Bucket Fillers- On Wednesday we showed the student body a short video clip of what it means to be a "Bucket Filler". This goes with our bulling program. This is more about the positive words and actions we see our students doing on a daily basis. In grades 3-5, there are buckets in each room. We've asked the adults to be on the lookout for our kids doing things that go above and beyond being nice. When they spot someone doing something, they are going to write a note to that student and drop it in the appropriate bucket. On Fridays, I will share our 5th grade notes with the kids, and they will get to keep the note that was written to them. Our goal is to model for the kids what they need to be on the lookout for and then they will become the person writing the notes! We really want to focus on seeing the positive actions our students are taking towards one another to build up our STM community. 

Math- I have a student from Buena Vista coming in to our math classes to do observations. She is Shawna Parrish. You might see her at ISSB.  I have already had her help me work with small groups. She has to observe 10 hours, I believe.  In the end, she will have to teach a math lesson.

Book Orders- Any book orders are due on Friday.

Language Arts- I have put in your child's folder a copy of last week's scores. This is YOUR copy. You don't need to sign it and return it.

Enjoy the Balloon Days weekend! God Bless, Miss Surma

Thursday, September 12, 2013

I have a parent taking care of  the celery for our trip. I still need a parent to chop up 5 pounds of potatoes. Please let me know! If you are driving on the field trip, please don't volunteer. You are already helping me out. Thank you!

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Hello Parents,
Happy Thursday! I hope you have had a great week!
Language Arts- I decided this time to just make you a copy of their score sheet from last week's test. You may keep this sheet. IT seems comprehension and decoding are the most difficult areas. This week's decoding is focusing on breaking up words with the VCCV pattern. That means they break the word up between the two consonants. For example: hap*pen. This should be an easier skill. I know our old series worked on this too. The comprehension questions are definitely higher order thinking. They are more challenging for the kids. They really need to slow down and make sure they understand what is being asked.

This week's story focused on two kids running for a class election. The boy Rudy was very informal in his speech. The girl Miata was the opposite. She was using formal language. We have discussed this quite a bit. I have a feeling it will appear on their  test. We also worked on vocabulary words and using our context because many words have more than one meaning. I find that led into their spelling worksheet on Tuesday as well. It even threw me when I was helping students!!! They really need to look at what that word means in the sentence.

Math- I think we are about half way through our chapter. We are going to be working on estimating whole numbers and decimals. We will also be working on adding and subtracting of decimals.

Religion- They had their first test on Tuesday. We also worked on the Blessed Trinity. They had to work on drawing a picture of something that represented three in one. Each piece would represent the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They will be posted in the hallway soon! I will give them their parts for our prayer service on Friday. I did half of the class this time and will do the other half at our next mass.

Book Order- I am sending a book order home in your child's folder.  Please return them by Friday, Sept. 20. IF you are writing a check...make it out to me or Scholastic Books.  I am also attaching the code from Scholastic. You can go to their website and order online if you like and I will make sure you to give your child their book when it arrives. www.scholastic.com   The code is DVT3G/

On September 23, the public school doesn't have school for a professional development day. We DO have school that day. You will have to get your kids on that day and pick them up! (This will save us in May when they are still in school and we aren't.)

Field Trip-- Your child needs a sack lunch and drink on Tuesday for our trip. Dress appropriately. It looks like the heat will be down!!! We are leaving at 8:30 and should be back around 1:30-1:45. They will be able to catch the bus!
Have a GREAT weekend! I am heading home to Doon.  God Bless, Miss Surma

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Seeking food choppers! I received the letter for our field trip on Tuesday. They are asking us to donate 5 pounds of potatoes  They need to be washed and cut into bite size pieces. I also need someone to do the same with a bunch of celery. They would like them in a plastic container or bag. If you can help out, let me know. It will be first come, first serve! :) Thank you!!! 

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Hello Parents,
I hope you had a great long weekend! I had a nice time at home! I was glad the hot weather left for a short while! We even had a thunderstorm!

Field Trip- If you haven't filled out the permission form I sent home last week in your child's folder, please do so. I think we are set on drivers. I am waiting to hear back on what vegetables we need to supply for the stew.

Language Arts- In your child's folder you will see a score sheet of last week's assessment. I also attached a letter explaining some things. Please take some time to look it over. We are going to still have a posttest on Friday for spelling. This week we worked on decoding open and closed syllable words. I have the kids take notes on the decoding. They can use their notes to help prepare themselves for Friday's assessment. We also worked on the long and short vowels in our spelling words. Their story this week was a play. There weren't enough roles so they had to take turns. I can see where some will need practice reading with inflection in their voices.

Math- This week we are really working on the decimals to the thousandths place. The trick is remembering the (ths) to add to the end of the place value.

Mass- On Monday, we will have mass with Father Walsh. Father Halbur will be on vacation. It is also the RVTV day for the Cy-Hawk game. The students and staff can wear clothing to support ISU, IOWA, or Creston Panthers with denim jeans, capris, or shorts. If you don't have anything like that they are to wear mass day attire. We will not have mass then on Wednesday. Our 5th grade prayer service will be the following week on the 18th.

I hope everyone has a GREAT weekend! Don't forget the Holy Spirit International Food Fair is here on Sunday afternoon and evening!

God Bless, Miss Surma