Wow! We have one more week together! I can't believe how quickly the year went by!  The schedule will be as normal as possible, but at the end of the year there are always things that pop up! 

Calendar Dates:

May 18- Book Reports Due/ Bring Costumes

May 19- 8th grade graduation/ Spirit Day

May 24- Spring Concert 6:00 pm

May 25- Clean Out Desks and Lockers

May 26- Last Day of School/ Field Day/ 3 hour early out

Book Reports- They are due on Thursday. Make sure they pack their costume.  They shouldn't wear it to school because they may not give theirs on Thursday so it will stay at school until they have presented. 

Reading- We are making some headway in our book. The book takes place in the 60s. As I was reading it the last couple of days I came across things I need to discuss with the kids that really don't happen anymore... government cheese as big as a loaf of bread, rubber boots with the 5 buckles ( my dad sold these in his store-- I helped many farmers get new pairs) and signing your name at the grocery store to charge your bill  which would be paid later. Even though I was born in 1970, I am feeling a little nostalgic. Kenny's mom had quite the threat for his brother Byron after he was caught playing with matches! 

Math- We have been adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators. They have caught on to that pretty easily. The problem now is having to write their answers in simplified form. So I am adjusting my plans so we can spend some time on that skill and then we will keep moving! There are a lot of different little parts to fractions. The vocabulary words we use are hard to keep sorted : numerators, denominators, finding a common denominator with multiples, reducing fractions with the greatest common factor. 

Religion- We are finishing up our last chapter and we will have one more test. This one covers the Ten Commandments. We will finish the year with our Guidance class. 

May 26, 2023 is the last day of school. It is a 3 hour early out! There won't be lunch served that day! The morning will be Field Day. I don't have the schedule yet, but know that you are welcome to come and watch the fun! We will do the clap-out for the 8th graders before we leave! 

I hope everyone has a great weekend! I am actually staying in town and not driving to Waterloo! I will probably be working on report cards and grading book reports. 

God Bless,

Miss Surma

 Hi Parents, I hope you're having a good week! I think some of the 5th graders were shocked we are still doing work up until the end this week! LOL  Sorry to dash their hopes! 

Calendar Dates:

May 12-- I am gone

May 18- Book Reports Due

May 19- 8th grade graduation/ Spirit Day

May 24- Spring Concert

May 25- Clean Out Desks and Lockers

May 26- Last Day of School/ Field Day/ 3 hour early out

Reading- We started our book this week. The Watsons live in Michigan and are experiencing a very cold winter. Kenny is one of the kids and he is also the narrator of their story. In our first chapter Kenny and his older brother Byron are supposed to be cleaning off the car windows of snow and ice, but Byron isn't much help. Kenny discovers that Byron's lips are stuck to the mirror! The family has to try and pry them off. Dad isn't much help because he is laughing so hard. Mom is panicked, but she finally just pulls his mouth off! OUCH!!!!  The way they talk isn't always grammatically correct so the kids struggle with reading it aloud because they know it doesn't sound right! I gave them a packet of different things to work on about the story. We do that in class. They will have a spelling test on Friday. 

Religion- We are going over the commandments in our current chapter. We are also discussing the story of the sinful woman. They will probably get in one more test before the end of the year!  We will start our Guidance book on Friday. 

Math- This week they learned how to rename fractions so they have like denominators. On Wednesday we started adding fractions with unlike denominators. We are using fraction strips to do this before they do the actual work writing it out. This way is more hands-on and visual for them. 

Book Report Projects and Costumes due on Thursday, May 18. The earliest to drop off their project is the 17th. It will take us a couple of days to get them all presented.  I will probably use the weekend to grade them all.

Substitute- I am gone on Friday, not a doctor appointment finally! I am heading to Waterloo to see my niece play soccer. She finally has a game on a Friday! Susan Weight will be here as my sub. 

I hope everyone has a great weekend! Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms! Whether you hear it every day or just once in a while...know that your kids LOVE you!!!! 

God Bless,

Miss Surma

 17 Days left as I type this blog! WOW!!!! Hold on! They are really going to be busy! 

Calendar Dates:

May 5- Creston Arts Day/ Spirit Day

May 18- Book Reports Due

May 19- 8th grade graduation

May 24- Spring Concert

May 25- Clean Out Desks and Lockers

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

Reading- This week they are working on their unit test! I will send home scores next week. We are also finishing up our FAST testing this week.  Next week I plan on starting a chapter book with them. I realize we won't finish it before the end of the year, but it will give them a taste of middle school reading class. We will still do spelling and tests, but the weekly tests won't be happening. They will have activities to do as we read that go along with the book. The book is called The Watsons Go to Birmingham. 

Book Reports are due on May 18

Math- We did a couple of lessons on dividing fractions. I am going to move on to fractions. We need to get some of that done before the end of the year. They are going to be adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators. 

Religion- They are taking a test on Thursday. We will also be starting the Guidance book. It goes with our religion, but is more about building stronger relationships. 

Congrats to Indie and Karsi for being two of the bank poster winners! Harlow in 4th grade was the first place winner. 

Congrats to the 5th graders! They came in 2nd for most laps for the lap-a-thon!!! They will get a cookie party next week from the PTO!!! 

Creston Arts- On Friday, they need to wear something they can get dirty! They will be using dye on the project.  I also see rain in the forecast. If they have an umbrella for our walk there, make sure they have it with them on Friday! 

Spirit Day on Friday! Sweats and/or a hat for $1. 

I hope you have a GREAT weekend! I am off to Waterloo again. My niece has her prom on Saturday. 

God Bless, 

Miss Surma