Hello Parents, I hope you are having a great week! My ALS Walk last week was so nice! There were 798 people walking! 

Calendar Dates: 

Oct. 12-16 Coin Wars for FBLA

Oct. 15- Bring your stuffed animal to school

Oct. 16- Spirit Day/ Fancy Hat Day

Oct. 26-30 - Parent Teacher Conference Week

Oct. 28- Halloween Parade at 1:15

Oct. 29-30- No School/ Conferences

Nov. 11- Book Report Due

Reading- We started a new story this week! They took their spelling pretest on Wednesday. Our new story is a fantasy called Airborn. There are some fantastical animals in this story. 

The grammar will focus on nouns and pronouns. I know this should really be a review for them. 

In your child's folder is a score sheet from their Module 1 Test. 

Halloween stories- they have all typed up their rough drafts for me. Now, I am going through them to edit them. Once I have that done, I will give them back to fix them. When they are all done, they will read them to the class. My plan is to have them hanging in the hall so you can check them out during conferences. 

Conferences- The sign up on JMC is now open! Make sure to schedule your time to meet with me!  

Book Fair - During conferences Mrs. Van Gelder will be having the book fair! We have Scholastic books again! I am providing a link that you can use for your child if you want to make it easier for the purchasing or donating of a book. 

https://www.scholastic.com/bf/stmalachyschool5 

If you have issues with the link...I would contact Mrs. Van Gelder through her email...    tvangelder@crestonstmalachy.org

Math- We are continuing to add and subtract decimals. They did a  fun little math activity on Tuesday where they solved math problems and then had to run out to the hallway to grab an answer. They had to match the answer to their work. I didn't get any pictures because I was too busy helping them sort things out. It was the first time I did this activity,but I think it would be really fun for a religion test review. 

Religion- We are going to start a new chapter. The focus in this chapter is a brief view of all 7 sacraments as well as understanding the Paschal Mystery.  We are also going to the chapel once a week to pray the Rosary. We keep Pope Leo in our prayers as he recovers from his recent surgery. We pray that he continues to get better as he deals with his cancer diagnosis. 

Mass- Some of the 5th graders will be helping at the kindergarten/ first grade mass on October 28. Not everyone has a job. For many of them it will just be holding the microphone! You are welcome to join us! I haven't given them their parts yet. I will probably do that next week! 

FAST Scores- They are going home in your child's folder this week! Sorry, I meant to send them last week. 

I hope everyone has a great weekend! I will be working at the bookstore on Saturday! 

God Bless, 

Miss Surma

 Hello Parents,  I love seeing the sun! I know the kids are excited to be able to go across the street for recess once again! 

 Calendar Dates:

Oct. 12- Green Valley Day for younger grades/ Wear Mismatched Clothes

Oct. 12-16 Coin Wars for FBLA

Oct. 15- Bring your stuffed animal to school

Oct. 16- Spirit Day/ Fancy Hat Day

Oct. 26-30 - Parent Teacher Conference Week

Oct. 28- Halloween Parade at 1:15

Nov. 11- Book Report Due

Reading- They took their weekly test on Tuesday! Lots of great scores on that one!!! You will see their score sheet in their Take Home Folder.  I think part of that was due to the story being fiction instead of nonfiction. Kids typically do better on those.  On Thursday we will start the module test (unit test). I am breaking this up over two days. They will finish it on Friday. 

I assigned the first book report. They have a bright pinkish packet with the different projects. They will choose only one!  I think they all have chosen a book, but I also told them that they have until Tuesday, Oct. 13 to decide if they like it or want to change. 

When it comes time to do the project- much of it can be done at school in their free time. I would say the Book in the Bag and the Diorama would be at home projects. 

Halloween Story- They are going to begin the process of writing one, but I am giving them a packet so we can break down our ideas and get specific on the characters, setting, plot, and conflict. I found a packet that looks like it will be a huge help, especially for the kids who struggle coming up with a story. The goal will be to have those on the wall in the hallways as well for you to read during conference week. 

Math- We started our new chapter of adding and subtracting decimals. Our first lesson is on estimating the decimals and then being able to add or subtract them. Most of those could be done mentally,but there were a couple that are harder to do that way. So we are going to practice some more on estimating  and then finding the actual sum or difference as well. 

Religion- They are working on passing their prayers! They have drawn out all the Mysteries of the Rosary. Once they share those in class, we will hang in the hallway for all to see. They did those a lot faster than I expected. We will go to the chapel to pray the Rosary once a week. Next week,  we will start a new chapter in the book. 

Coin Wars starts on Monday. You will find a flyer with more information in your Take Home Folders. 

Fire Prevention Week is this week. We will once again do our fire posters in grades 3-5. I am going to talk about it to the 5th graders during art on Friday.

Diocese Virtus Lessons- I am sending home a permission slip to you in the Take Home Folder. You ONLY sign it and return if you DO NOT want your child to participate in the lesson. If you do want them to participate- don't send the letter back. In the letter is a brief description about the lesson I will be teaching.  We are doing this two times during the year.  If your child doesn't participate, I will send them down to the office with their chapter book to read while I teach it.  My plan is to teach it on Monday, October 12. So I will need any of the "no" letters returned by Monday , or I will assume you want your child in the lesson. 

 FAST Scores are in your child's Take Home Folder. Reading and Math interventions will be starting soon. 

I hope everyone has a great weekend! I am going to Waukee on Saturday with my brother and sister-in-law. We are participating in the ALS Walk. We lost our sister Penny to this disease in January. 

God Bless,

Miss Surma

I think I need to pray harder for the rain to end! 

 Calendar Dates:

Oct. 2- Noon Dismissal/ Homecoming/ Spirit Day

Oct. 5- No School/Professional Development

Oct. 16- Spirit Day

Oct. 26-30 - Parent Teacher Conference Week 

St.Malachy Cafeteria National School Week- There are some dress up days that kids can participate in if they want to, but it isn't required. 

Oct. 12- Wear mismatched clothes

Oct. 15- Bring your favorite stuffed animal ( remember they may need to take this on the bus- so make it easy to carry)

Oct. 16- Wear a Fancy Hat Day- (can be a cap, crown, top hat, crazy hat,etc.) 

Reading- They are going to take their spelling post test on Friday. Next Tuesday will be their weekly test. We will also start their Module Test next week. I break that one up over a couple of days. This is more like a unit test for them. 

Book Report- Next week I will be assigning their first book report. I give them a packet with different options to choose from to create their final project. They pick one to do. They will have to okay their book with me. I don't allow any graphic novels or audio books.  I will give them more directions and specifics next week when I assign it. It won't be due until November. That packet will be in their homework folder if you want to check it out next week. 

Math- They took their tests on Tuesday. Some of them are going to be correcting their tests with me today and then they will bring them home to get signed by you. Our next chapter covers adding and subtracting decimals. I don't cover every lesson in this chapter. Because it is adding and subtracting, I don't feel we need to do every lesson and test on it. I just need to make sure they remember how to add and subtract and bring that decimal down. 

Religion- They did an awesome job with the Rosary on Wednesday!! I was super proud of them! In October we really focus on the Rosary. They will do a couple of different things. First, they have 2 prayers to memorize. They have papers with them on it. I am going to "quiz" them starting on Tuesday, Oct. 6. They really should just pick one and pass that one before trying to memorize the other one. I don't care which one they do first. This is definitely something they could do with you at home or in the car on trips. 

The other part we focus on are the Mysteries of the Rosary. They will be taking time in religion class to draw/color pictures that depict each mystery.  That is something they will do only at school. Our hallway will  be lined with the posters! You will be able to check them out!  We will also be going to the chapel once a week to pray the Rosary together as a class. 

Book It- This starts today! I have given each child a calendar to keep track of the minutes read each day. The goal for October is to read 600 minutes. That means they would have to read about 20 minutes each day. If we do any silent reading in the classroom, they can count that time! If they reach the goal at the end of the month- their prize will be a free Dilly Bar.  I know it closes in the winter but they can save them until spring! 

Homecoming Friday- It is a Spirit Day! They can also wear their Black and Red to support the Panthers!  We get out at noon on Friday! Please let me know if their pick up routine changes.  We are feeding them lunch before we leave! 

I hope everyone has a great weekend! I am heading to Waverly on Saturday to babysit 3 of my great nieces! I think I might be tired when I come home on Sunday! 

God Bless,

Miss Surma

 I see the sun!!! 

Calendar Dates:

Sept. 24- Picture Day

Sept. 25- Spirit Day

Sept. 30- Rosary led by 5th Grade/ No Mass

Oct. 2- Noon Dismissal/ Homecoming/ Spirit Day

Oct. 5- No School/Professional Development

Reading- They took their Weekly Module test on Tuesday.  This is definitely a harder story, but some of the questions could definitely have been looked up and I don't think some of them bothered to look back. The same goes for the grammar. They had a cheat sheet on the 4 kinds of sentences, but I am not sure they looked back to remind themselves of what an imperative sentence is and how you punctuate it. Their score sheets will be in their take home folders today.

Our last story in this unit is called Captain Arsenio. This is more like a cartoon. We see his trials and triumphs as he tries to fly. This story just makes me giggle. 

I gave them their pretest in spelling on Tuesday. This list has long I and long O sounds in their words. 

Math- We worked on rounding decimals on Monday and Tuesday this week.  Today they are starting their chapter review/ dress rehearsal test. We do this in class. They can always use their book on it if they need to.  Once I check it and we go over it, it will be a great "study guide" for the test. That will happen sometime next week most likely. It just depends on how long it takes them to do the chapter review. 

Religion- They did a great job at mass on Wednesday! Next up is leading the Rosary. Most of them have a speaking part. Sorry- just not enough for everyone to do a job. They have been given their part. They should practice this at home with you! Some of the words are hard to pronounce. 

Spirit Day on Friday!!! Wear sweats and/or  a hat for $1!!! 

I hope everyone has a great weekend. I also hope we don't get the rain! 

God Bless,

Miss Surma

 Rain rain, go away, come again another day! 

Calendar Dates:

Sept. 16- PTO Meeting 

Sept. 23- 5th Grade Mass

Sept. 24- Picture Day

Sept. 25- Spirit Day

Sept. 30- Rosary led by 5th Grade/ No Mass

Oct. 2- Noon Dismissal/ Homecoming

Oct. 5- No School/Professional Development

Picture Day on Thursday, September 24. Please return order forms.📸📸

Reading- We have been focusing on our story from last week. They will finish up with it by Friday. Next Monday will be the quiz over the story as well as their post test in spelling. On Tuesday, they will take their weekly test.  Grammar has been a little more challenging in keeping the 4 different kinds of sentences straight. They do have a little cheat sheet in their composition book that they can always refer to while doing homework or on the test. 

I am almost done with the FAST testing!!! 

Religion- We are wrapping up our chapter! We are going over the study guide on Thursday. The test will be Friday. Don't let them throw away the study guide. They can use that to help them correct their test if they have to. We will probably be out of the book for a bit now. We are going to practice mass parts next week as well as leading the Rosary for the 30th. October is usually spent focusing on the Rosary. 

Math- We worked on comparing decimals and then writing them from least to greatest or greatest to least. Some are struggling by looking at them. I did teach them to stack them and then look for the differences, but most didn't do it that way.   We also worked on writing decimals in word form, expanded form , and standard form. We are going to do some more work on that on Thursday. I didn't get a good feel after the lesson for understanding. I think part of the problem is that we don't quite know the order of the tenths, hundredths, and thousandths. 

Green Valley Day- Thank you to the volunteers that showed up! We had a great day! It was such beautiful weather for us! Hopefully, the K-4 group can find a day that works for them soon!! 

I hope everyone has a great weekend! I hope the balloons are able to go up! I hope everyone is able to enjoy all the festivities. I am heading to Waterloo on Friday after work. I am going to my brother's house . On Saturday we will head to Dubuque to watch his youngest daughter play soccer for Loras and then hopefully catch a little of the UNI v IOWA game. 

God Bless,

Miss Surma

 

Hello Parents! Hopefully everyone enjoyed the long weekend!

Calendar Dates:

Sept. 10- Green Valley Day Grades 5-8 

Sept. 11- Spirit Day

Sept. 16- PTO Meeting 

Sept. 23- 5th Grade Mass

Sept. 24- Picture Day

Sept. 30- Rosary led by 5th Grade/ No Mass

Reading-  They took their Week 1 test on Tuesday. Some had to make corrections. I don't know if I will get them scored before tomorrow so the scores may not show up until next week in their folders. We also took their next pretest in Spelling. They have their new list of words.  This week's list is based on long e and long a sounds.  

The 2nd story in each module usually has two short stories. On Wednesday, we read about a boy in Africa that invented a windmill outside his house using spare parts he found around the village. This helped he create electricity in his house so they could have lights! He also used it to create an irrigation system for their crops so they wouldn't have to worry about nearly starving again. 

The next story will be about a woman who helps invent a better wheelchair to play sports in...especially basketball. She also helps create a way that people in wheelchairs can go hang gliding!

In grammar we will be focusing on the 4 different kinds of sentences. 

Math- We are now working on decimals and understanding their place value. They are also learning to write decimals and turn them into fractions. An example would be  twenty-five hundredths. That can be written 0.25 or 25/100.

Religion- Last week they had to draw and color  a story about Jesus that they knew well. On Tuesday, we learned about the first American martyr named Father Rother. He grew up in the US and became a priest. He then moved to Guatemala and served the people there.  They went through a civil war.  During that time, three men came into his home and killed him.  I think we will be nearing the end of our chapter soon. I will let you know when I have the test planned. 

Spirit Day on Friday! Wear sweats and/or a hat for $1 

I know it is the big IOWA/ISU game weekend too! If your child wants to wear their team gear tomorrow to show their team spirit- they should! It is not required. I will be wearing purple! Sorry- I am allergic to those other colors. 

Picture order forms are going home in folders this week! 

FAST Testing- I plan on starting that on Monday.  The 3rd and 4th will be gone that day to Green Valley so that will give me some time! The 5th graders have been doing some practicing with one minute reads. 

I hope everyone has a great weekend! I will be working at the book store again on Saturday! 

God Bless, 

Miss  Surma

 Hello Families! How are you enjoying 2nd summer??? The kids have such red faces coming in from recess! 

Calendar Dates:

Sept. 7- Labor Day/ No School

Sept. 10- Green Valley Day Grades 5-8 

Sept. 11- Spirit Day

Sept. 16- PTO Meeting 

Sept. 23- 5th Grade Mass

Field Trip- In your child's folder is the permission slip for our field trip to Green Valley Park.  Please fill it out and return as soon as possible. They will need a sack lunch and drink that day!  Please make sure you fill out both forms!  If you're wanting to join us, make sure you see Mrs. Levine in the office. There will be paperwork for you to fill out.  The kids should wear clothes and shoes they can get dirty! They also need to pay $5 to help pay for the bus. 

Reading- They will have their posttest over the spelling words on Friday. They are supposed to have  their list in their homework folder. 

Our story is called The Inventor's Secret. It is a narrative nonfiction story about Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. They both loved inventing things, but they also had many flops along the way. This was a story about Henry figuring out Thomas' secrets with his invention. His advice to Henry was simple..."keep at it".  We talked about the author's purpose in this story- some of it was meant to entertain while it also gave them information on their invention stories. 

In grammar we have been focusing on the parts of a sentence. This is really relearning...making sure they have a subject and a predicate in their sentences.

Math- Our first lessons covered writing problems using exponents and place value. They  are writing numbers in standard, written, and expanded form. Writing the number in words is trickier as the number gets bigger. The expanded form has two possibilities.   I am making them practice both. One of those ways is using exponents.  

We also started our time tests over multiplication and division on Wednesday. You will see their tests each week in their take home folders. 

Religion- We always start out the year being able to locate Bible passages and identifying the title of them. Our first chapter focuses on Creation.  One of the composition books they brought to school is for religion.  In the spring they will take the ACRE test. We have already been busy taking notes on things they need to know for the test. One of the questions focuses on the word dignity.  We worked on writing a definition down and then understanding that we need to treat everyone with respect.  We also made a note of who the four Evangelists are: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. 

The 5th graders have been GREAT help with the kindergarten class at mass! 

Just a reminder: No school on Monday for Labor Day! Enjoy the long weekend! 

I hope everyone has a GREAT weekend! I will be working at the bookstore on Saturday! Stay cool! 

God Bless,

Miss Surma