Hello Parents,

Substitutes: I am gone this Friday in the afternoon only and I will be gone on Monday. I am taking Mom home to Doon. I am spending a little extra time with her because I won't be able to see her over Mother's Day weekend. There will be subs for those days.

Recipes-- The recipes are due today. If you are still planning on putting something in, contact the office. 

PTO Gear- Orders are due on Friday. Please make sure to get them in if you are interested. 

Language Arts- This week we read a story about discovering fossils in the U.S.A. We also read a story about these tar pits that animals ended up dying in because they thought it was water and then got stuck in them. Scientists have been finding their fossils in them. Iowa seems to have had quite a few fossil discoveries according to the map in our book. Lily even brought in the fossil of a tooth that her dad found while hunting! It was very cool. 

Math- This week they have been learning how to compare fractions using fraction strips and by finding a common denominator. Now they method they learned with mixed numbers may not be familiar to you because it wasn't to me either. I had been taught to turn it into an improper fraction first, which is still good. The book showed students to just remove the whole number for a short time and only work with the fraction part. In the end, we just added the whole number back on.  To me, either way works.  I did show them the "old" way on Wednesday. Some thought it easier, but others did not. The great thing is..both ways work. It just may cause us adults to have to get out of our comfort zone and try something new. 

Book Report-- Just a little over a week before they are due! Next week I am planning on getting our LA story done by Thursday. That means their spelling posttest and the test over the story will be on Thursday, May 8. That leaves me all of May 9 to have them present their report. They probably won't get a grade that day. I usually use the weekend to really go over it. 

Field Trip- The Iowa Children's Water Festival is a trip for just 5th graders that UNI puts on every year at DMACC. We will have a guide that day that takes us to workshops around the campus. Each workshop or game will have something to do with animals, plants, or water. Their is a lot of walking, so I recommend tennis shoes! It happens rain or shine! I have been there on very hot days and very cold and rainy days. Dress appropriately! We usually eat outside too. They supply the lunch. The kids will choose some kind of sandwich (usually it's ham or turkey). They will get chips, an apple, and some kind of cookie. They put condiments like mayo and mustard packets in their sacks. They will get water to drink, of course. Drivers, you will eat with us too! The last 2 years, they've given us reusable water bottles and supplied fill-up stations around campus. It's a fun day with lots to learn! Thank you to my drivers!!! I will be sending home permission forms next week. 
Have a great weekend! God Bless, Miss Surma