Hello Parents! I hope everyone is having a great week! Did you have a nice spring break? I hope so!!! Your kids sounded like they enjoyed themselves!!! This means our days are really numbered! Lots to do!!!

Reminder: Next week we don't have school on Friday. The teachers will have professional development.

Reading-- This week we read a story called Vaqueros. This is a story about the history of the "cowboys"! The Spanish name is Vaqueros or cow-men. It can be brought all the way back to Christopher Columbus! It also told us about how the invention of barbed-wire was the beginning of the decline for the need of cowboys. In grammar we talked about easily confused verbs and words such as: their, there, and they're, good, well, effect, affect, lie and lay, rise and raise. Hopefully through our discussion they are a little less confusing now! We also talked about adages and proverbs on Wednesday. It was fun to discuss with the kids because they were telling me adages and proverbs as ways to explain the ones I was giving them in class! They were also telling me ones that you say at home!
Book Reports-- The kids are telling me they are coming up with their ideas for their biography or autobiography for the book reports. I will be going over that with them next week.
Book Order-- I am sending home a book order! Sorry I haven't done this in awhile, but there doesn't seem to be any interest. If you are going to order, please have it in by next Thursday! Thanks!

Math- We are working through those fractions! This week they are learning to find the common denominator of the 2 or 3 fractions. They could then compare them as well as list them from least to greatest. I would think next week some time we will be able to start back in the book. That is my hope anyway.

Religion- We are finishing up our chapter this week. They will be testing over it next week. My plan is to take them to the chapel on Thursday so we can say the Stations of the Cross. They will also be helping Mr. Walsh and myself with setting up for the Seder Meal on Thursday. It's become a 5th grade tradition! :)  The week after Easter I plan on showing them the movie Ten Commandments. I usually show it before we do the Seder Meal, but I just ran out of time.

Video-- Just a reminder the Puberty Video will be next Wednesday!!! :)

Friday will be the final day they can wear sweats and hats, have their electronics and a water bottle. Don't forget your quarters! We will be doing one more Noisy Change Collection next Wednesday at mass!

Young Writer's Conference-- This is held each year in Lamoni on Graceland's campus. Mrs. Burg will be taking the students from 3-5 that are going. Macy, Mallory, and Rowan will be going from our classroom. It was great to hear from the 5th graders that have gone already tell them about what a great time they had there!!!  I told those that haven't gone not to worry--they would get the chance in middle school as well!

Read Aloud-- April is the Holocaust Remembrance month. I read the book The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen every year. Just to let you know, this story is historical fiction. Your children will get some idea of what it was like in the concentration camps through Chaya's eyes, but it is not a gruesome description. The beginning is kind of hard for them to get into and understand, but I know they will be amazed and touched by it. As sad as the story is, it is one of my all-time favorites!

Have a great weekend ! I hope those warmer temps return! I am heading back to Doon for the weekend because my sister cannot make it down to help out Mom.

God Bless, Miss Surma