Hello Parents, I hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving break! Did you get enough to eat?? I was in Waterloo at my brother's house. I got to spend some quality time with my nieces which was great! 

Calendar Dates:

Dec. 2- Spirit Day

Dec. 7- Christmas Concert

Dec. 8- Mass/ Noisy Change Collection

Dec. 9- Miss Surma's Surgery 

Dec. 16- Spirit Day

Dec. 21- Bishop at mass

Dec. 22- Christmas Caroling

Dec.23-Jan. 3- Christmas Break

Substitutes- Okay, they tried to get one person to be my sub for the two weeks I am gone,but that just didn't work out. So from Dec. 9-16 they will have Jennifer Redd. She has subbed here before.Tiffany Ossian will be here from Dec. 19-21. Lisa Sawtelle will be here on the 22nd. Of course, I know this could change. The 5th graders will have to adapt. 

Reading- This week we started my favorite unit! Every story is about someone who had to be involved in the Revolutionary War somehow. This week's story is fiction, but based on some truth. We heard about the adventure for John Adams and his son on their journey to France. John was sent there to see if he could get the French to help us during the war. By this point the war had been happening for 3 years. In grammar they are working with subject and object pronouns-- he,she, it, you, they, them, him, and her. Their spelling this week are words with a  VCCV pattern. That means there will be a vowel, followed by two consonants, and then another vowel. That might help them in practicing for their post test on Friday. 

Math-We are wrapping up our chapter this week. They will be testing early next week. It could be on Monday. Their next chapter will be more multiplication, but with decimals. This makes me happy because I thought it was division and I definitely want to be here for that chapter. 

Religion- We started our Advent chapter! They did a great job at mass today. We had to do some new stuff because Fr.Patrick was gone, but we made it through! The 5th graders also helped me by passing out our new song books to all the different classrooms! They also got their first time being the oldest partner with their Advent Angels! It sounds like their first time went pretty good! They had fun stories to share! 

Spirit Day is on Friday! $1 for sweats! 

No mass next Wednesday! It will be on Thursday because it is a holy day of obligation. 

Next Wednesday, we will be taking the kids to the high school to practice for the concert that night. Look for a permission form in their folder. 

Catholic Daughters Luncheon- The 5th graders always get invited to sing at Holy Spirit for the ladies! This year they are going on the 15th. Mrs. Warner, Mrs. Redd, and Mrs. Simmons will take them there. They will sing and then they get to eat with them! I told the kids they will love the meal because it's a great potluck of yummy food and desserts! I put a permission form in your child's folder for this as well! I'm bummed I will miss out! 

I hope everyone has a great weekend! I plan on doing lesson plans for when I am gone or at least getting a start on them. 

God Bless,

Miss Surma

 Hello Parents, I hope you're having a great week!  I posted lots of calendar dates...make sure you mark yours! 

Calendar Dates:

Nov. 18- Spirit Day

Nov.22- Iowa History Fair 2:15 pm

Nov. 23-28 -Thanksgiving Break

Nov. 30- 5th grade mass

Dec. 7- Christmas Concert

Dec. 8- Mass/ Holy Day of Obligation

Dec. 16- Spirit Day

Dec. 21- Bishop at mass

Dec. 22- Christmas Caroling

Dec.23-Jan. 3- Christmas Break

Reading- This week they are reading a nonfiction story called Cougars. It reads more like a science text filled with lots of information! I think we've all learned a lot! Grammar is a little more confusing this week because they are figuring out how to write sentences with quotation marks. The spelling this week has those tricky last two letters- or, ar, and er. This is our last story in this unit. I am going to go ahead and test them next week with a Unit test. I want to keep some kind of schedule going and I don't really want to wait until after our Thanksgiving break.  We will start Unit 3  after break. They are sharing their book reports this week! I have seen some really great projects! 

Religion- We are finishing up our chapter on the Beatitudes. They will test on Friday! That means we can start focusing on Advent next and it's just in time! Advent Angels will start the week we get back from Thanksgiving! I know the kids are excited! 

Math- They are still working on multiplication. On Wednesday we moved into multiplying with zeros in the factors. 

Social Studies- There is a handout/invite in your child's folder for the Iowa History Fair. It is next Tuesday, November 22 at 2:15. You are welcome to come and check out ALL the projects! Grandparents are invited to join you!  Ask the kids some questions! Mrs. Sickels has a schedule of when your children will give their presentation in her classroom. I also put that in your folder. She said the projects are to go home the day of the presentation. Make sure you check it out and make arrangements for getting it home with her. 

Friday, November 18- Spirit Day! Sweats for $1

5th grade mass on November 30th! Kids are getting their parts this week to practice at home! 

I hope everyone has a great weekend! 

God Bless,

Miss Surma

 Hello Parents, I hope everyone enjoyed that long weekend! It was good to see and chat with all of you at conferences! 

Calendar Dates:

Nov. 11- Veterans Day Program 2pm/ Spirit Day/ Iowa History Project Due

Nov. 23-28 -Thanksgiving Break

Nov. 30- 5th grade mass

Dec. 21- Bishop is at mass

Reading- This week we are reading a historical fiction story called Storm Warriors. The kids thought these men in the photo were soldier, but I explained their job was to save people from shipwrecks...kind of like our Coast Guard now. It is a good story about one boy who believes this is his future, but then when forced to watch it happen...isn't so sure he has the courage to go through it. During a rescue he does show he is braver than he thinks and is capable of helping others! The grammar this week focuses on subordinating conjunctions and complex sentences. Spelling this week was fun for me because it was compound words. Did you realize that light bulb, throughout, and up-to-date are all compound words???

Math- They are multiplying!!!! They actually grabbed on to the standard algorithm really easily!  I reminded them they could do the partial products way if they chose, but they didn't! It was funny, I was helping some 4th graders with their math- they were doing the partial products way and loving it!  We have been focusing on double digits x double digits! We will expand into hundreds and thousands. 

Religion- We are working on the Beatitudes. I am hoping your kids gave you a little coupon booklet this week! That was just one way to live them! We discuss them and come up with ways to live them out, but they will not need to memorize them. 

5th Grade Mass- we have our next mass the Wednesday after Thanksgiving. I will give them their parts before they go on break. 

Iowa History Projects should be brought in on Friday!!! 

Friday at 2:00 is the Veterans Day program. Bring some kleenex!  Some of the songs are tearjerkers! 😢 

Spirit Day- The kids can wear sweats for $1!!! The temperatures will be perfect for sweats, but if they'd like to wear some red, white, and blue for Veterans Day, that would be great too! 

Due to the temp change- make sure they have a coat on Friday! Sweatshirts aren't going to be enough for recess! Thank you!!! 

I hope everyone has a great weekend! 

God Bless,

Miss Surma