Happy Wednesday! We are definitely showing signs that the end is near. I keep reminding them that the work isn't over when they sigh because they have to get a textbook out! 

Calendar Dates:

Apr. 28- Clean Up Day! Need rakes and gloves! / Spirit Day

May 1- Lap-A-Thon/ Sack Lunch Day

May 3- Kindergarten/5th grade mass

May 5- Creston Arts Day/ Spirit Day

May 18- Book Reports Due

May 19- 8th grade graduation

May 25- Clean Out Desks and Lockers

May 26- Last Day of School/ Field Day/ Early Out

Religion- We are finishing up our chapter on the Spiritual Works of Mercy. One person this chapter really focuses on is Saint Maria Goretti. When she was 11 years old, her neighbor Alessandro attacked her. She tried to fight him off, but he stabbed her 14 times. Before she passed away, she forgave him. He did got to prison and had a conversion there. He dreamt that she gave him 14 flowers as a sign of forgiveness. He dedicated his life towards God after that. Her story was pretty shocking for the kids. They couldn't quite grasp how she forgave him. I showed them a video on her. Her body never decomposed and is something you can actually go see. They were pretty amazed at that as well! 

Reading- We are on our last story in this unit. This week we read a narrative nonfiction story called Lewis and Clark. It was about their expedition looking for a waterway that took them to the Pacific Ocean. Their grammar this week is working on negative contractions on verbs-- aren't , isn't, doesn't, etc. They also worked on pronouns with contractions- I'd, I'll, she's, they'd. The spelling this week is on suffixes. They have the base word as one and then the next is that same word with the suffix added. For example: express, expression, tense, tension. They will test on Friday. Next week is a unit test week. 

Book Reports- Many of the kids are done reading and taking notes. They are now typing up their papers or their facts for the book report. The project is due on May 18! 

Bank Poster Contest- I hope you saw the link on my Facebook page for voting. Harlow, Karsi, and Indie's  posters are in the running from our school. You can vote there! 

Math- This division might cause me to go gray! I was so thankful on Tuesday that I had 4 of the 5th graders who understood it so well that they could help their friends so that I could work with a few myself!!! 

Sack Lunch and Drink on Thursday!! We only had one extra ticket per grade for parents to go along. I drew sticks. We don't have room for them on the buses so they have to drive. Thank you, Stephanie, for joining us on Thursday. 

Clean up Day is set for Friday! Rakes and Gloves needed! $1 for flowers for outside on our school grounds! Hopefully it won't rain! 

Spirit Day on Friday, April 28!! Looking at temps- sweats might be good that day! They could also wear a hat. 

I hope everyone has a great weekend! I am heading to Waverly and Waterloo. We are doing a sisters weekend and watching my niece Olivia in her musical. 

God Bless,

Miss Surma

Dear Parents, I hope you are having a good week! I believe spring fever has hit this room! Definitely getting very chatty! :) 

Calendar Dates:

Apr. 21- Clean Up Day! Need rakes and gloves! 

Apr. 27- Field Trip to Civic Center

May 1- Lap-A-Thon/ Sack Lunch Day

May 3- Kindergarten/5th grade mass

Please turn in your child's permission form and the $5 for the field trip next Thursday. They will need a sack lunch and drink that day.

Reading- This week they read a story called Rachel's Journal. It is about a young girl traveling during the 1850s across America by wagon train. We get a glimpse of some of the difficulties they faced.  The grammar this week is using comparative and superlative adjectives and adverbs which means adding -er or -est on the end of their words OR using more and most in front of them. Their spelling this week is dealing with 4 prefixes. They will test on Friday over spelling and the story! 

Congrats to Kinsley, Brock, and Sam! Their essays for the Dollars for Scholars essays have moved on to be judged. The winner is usually announced at mass sometime in May. 

FAST Testing begins next week. This is our final run for the year! 

Math- This week we finally got back into our book. We started working on dividing decimals using Base 10 Blocks. We start that way to figure out how we are really sharing our numbers. Next week they will be really dividing. I reminded them that they won't be using partial quotients. They will divide like we were taught!!! 

Religion-This chapter focuses on two main ideas. The first is discussing how Jesus showed mercy to the tax collectors because they felt bad for their sins. The next idea is learning to show mercy to those around us. The 5th graders are focusing on the Spiritual Works of Mercy. 

Rakes and Gloves needed on Friday!!! Clean up Day! 

Lap-A-Thon sheets are going home in your child's folder. The money raised will go towards next year's field trips! 

I hope you have a great weekend! 

God Bless,

Miss Surma

 Hello Parents, I hope you had a great Easter! It was nice to spend time with family in Waterloo and Waverly! 

Calendar Dates:

Apr. 12- 5th grade mass with Kindergarten

Apr. 14- Spirit Day

Apr. 21- Clean Up Day! Need rakes and gloves! 

Apr. 27- Field Trip to Civic Center

May 1- Lap-A-Thon/ Sack Lunch Day

Reading- This week we read an informational text called Vaqueros. It is the history of the cowboy!  The story explains how we ended up with so many cattle and horses in the US and then how we needed workers to take care of them. This was before fences! The kids learned about the different things they wear for protection from the elements and the ride. This week is our 3rd story which means on Friday there will be a cold read. I decided since it is also ISASP week, that they would only test over the cold read and I wouldn't include the 10 comprehension questions of our story just to give them a little break. They will still test over vocabulary and grammar. 

We will be discussing the next book report tomorrow (Thursday). 

Field Trip- There is a permission slip in your child's folder for our field trip to Des Moines later this month. The entire school will be going! Please fill it out and return it ASAP! Thanks ! 

Clean Up Day- Next Friday we are cleaning up the school grounds! There is a paper that went home last week to inform you. The 5th graders will need to bring rakes and work gloves if possible! Make sure your rake has your name on it! The gloves will be helpful when picking up the leaves and sticks! 

Due to testing this week we haven't had math or religion very much! That will all be back to normal next week. 

Spirit Day on Friday! Hats and/or Sweats for $1

Mass- 5th graders did a great job with the kindergarten class. Our next mass will be on May 3. That is our class' last mass of the year. They will be with kindergarten again, but I told them that next time they won't all have a job! Mrs. Chesling and I will divide up the parts. 

The Blood of Christ will be coming back to our school masses! It took me a bit to figure out that your kids made their First Communion at the beginning of Covid. I am excited that they will be able to receive this again! I will remind them of how we do this! 

I hope you have a great weekend! The weather this week has been amazing! Hopefully the weekend will be too so we can all be outside to enjoy it! 

God Bless,

Miss Surma

 Happy Holy Week! I feel like the Lenten season flew by!!! I can't believe we are in April already!!! Do you realize we only have 7 Mondays left of our year?? 

Calendar Dates:

Apr. 6 - Seder Meal/ Cross Walk 

Apr. 7- Good Friday/ No School

Apr. 9- Easter

Apr. 10- ISASP Testing Begins

Apr. 12- 5th grade mass with Kindergarten

Apr. 14- Spirit Day

Apr. 21- Clean Up Day! Need rakes and gloves! 

Reading- This week we did our practice tests for ISASPS. Just letting you know that next week I will be assigning the 3rd book report. This one is different. They are to be taking notes as they read about their person. I have the questions they need to answer. Now, once they are done reading, they can always look up their person online to fill in any missing blanks. I will tell them not to use Wikipedia. It isn't reliable. A lot of these people have their own websites they can check out.  They will be turning in their notes page to me on the day of the report. 

I also will be giving them a rubric so they know how I will be grading them. This is NOT a book you wait until the end to read and do. There is too much work.   I have LOTS of books they can choose from and so does Mrs. Sorden in the library. There won't be any repeats so two people can't do the same person.  If they don't like what we have, they can find their own and get it approved by me. It has to be an autobiography or a biography. 

WEAR A WHITE SHIRT ON THURSDAY and good walking shoes! Pay attention to weather for coats or sweatshirts, etc. 

Seder Meal is on Thursday. No sack lunches that day unless they have a medical reason.  We will start the Cross Walk in the courtyard around 12:45. You are welcome to join us! 

Math- They finally got their test over this last chapter!  The next step will be finding time to make corrections! 

Religion- We are wrapping up our Lenten chapter. The 5th graders will be helping kindergarten next week with their mass. I am handing out their parts this week. Some of them have reading parts to practice! 

ISASPS- I told the kids this week that next week they should make sure they get a good night's sleep, eat a good breakfast (if they eat breakfast), and just remember to take their time and do their best. They will take one test a day. In 5th grade we have 4 tests. They do a science test that grades 3-4 do not. Most of the testing will take place in the mornings. On Wednesday, it will take place in the afternoon just because of mass and library time.  If they are sick that week, they may end up taking 2 tests a day or they will have to stay after school to complete them. 

No School on Friday, April 7! The teachers are going to the church to do some cleaning before the Easter services. 

I hope everyone has a blessed Easter! I am heading to Waterloo to see my brother and sister and their families. Last year we started a new tradition of an Adult Egg Hunt! Happy Easter!! Enjoy your family time. 

God Bless,

Miss Surma