Dear Parents, Happy Thursday! I hope you are having a great week! Well, our temps certainly match the month we are in right now. I did really like those 50s though.

Reading- This week we read a story called Can't You Make Them Behave, King George?  It is a nonfiction piece about the Revolutionary War,but also about King George the third. He really thought he was doing right by the Americans and didn't understand why they wanted their independence. After the Boston Tea Party happened, he decided they were being rebellious children and he needed to show them he was a strict father. He closed the port into Massachusetts. This only made the Americans stand firmer on their ground. It backfired for him.  I talked to the kids about the musical Hamilton, which is about Alexander Hamilton, but people like George Washington and John Adams are in it. Last week we read about Adams. I introduced them to some of the music from the musical with the focus being on King George's songs. He had an illness back then, but no one realized it. They had thought he'd gone mad. His decisions and comments were a little crazy. His songs are like that. He sings sweetly about how killing your friends and family is a sign of how much he loves you. I loved the expressions on your kids' faces when they heard those lines. WHAT????  So they are listening more to the music from the musical. We are also working on figurative language. We are focusing mostly on similes and idioms. On Wednesday, they had to draw an idiom out from a stack and then draw a picture to match it. Those will be posted in the hallway. If you're in the school, you can stop by and see them.

Math- We are starting a chapter on decimals. First, we will focus on understanding the  value of each number. Then we will work on adding and subtracting them.

Religion- We are focusing on an Advent chapter right now.  We have mass on Friday. We will be praying the rosary as a school beforehand if you'd like to join us. I believe that will start at 8:50.

Singing- Next Monday, Dec. 11, the 5th graders will be going to the church to sing for the CCW. They will also have lunch there. They are in for a treat! Those ladies provide a very yummy buffet! They do not need to dress up for this. We will be back for classes by 1:15.

Geography Bee- The 2nd round will be after mass on Dec. 20. You are invited to come and watch if you'd like! It will be in the gym.

I hope everyone enjoyed the concert on Wednesday night! I thought the kids did a great job! Thank you, Mrs. Stoner!

Have a great weekend!
God Bless,
Miss Surma