Happy Thursday!!!! I hope everyone is having a good week! I guess winter is still here. :( I think we all had a great time at the basketball game at Wells Fargo!


Reading- This week they read a story called Darnell Rock Reporting. It was about a boy who wrote an article for the newspaper about the need to turn a basketball court into a garden for the homeless people in his town. He then had to go to the city council meeting and make a presentation on the topic. He had to go up against a girl who wanted the court turned into a parking lot for the teachers. One of the things we discussed that while he lost at the meeting, some good things came out of it. A man donated some land for the gardens, plus the newspaper asked him to write another article. We talked about how the author's purpose was to show that one voice could do a lot, and that you might not get everything you want, but good things can happen anyway. Their grammar this week has been on different kinds of pronouns: indefinite, possessive, and interrogative. These would be words like: someone, anything, anyone or hers, theirs, mine, and who, what, and which.

Next week will be the last story in this unit. That means they will take a unit test the week of Feb.22. There won't be any spelling words that week. Their book report is due Friday, Feb.26.


Math- We finished our last lesson on Monday. On Wednesday, they were assigned the chapter review. We will go over that on Thursday, but I am pushing the test to Monday. On Friday, we need to do some math for our BizTown field trip. I will remind them on Friday to take home that extra practice worksheet in their math books. That can be used like a study guide for the test. 

Religion- We are just starting our new chapter. This one is on the sacraments of healing, which would be penance and reconciliation and anointing of the sick. They also filled out their Lenten promises for this Lenten season. They will start activities with their Lenten Angels next week, I believe.  If you notice on the school calendar, we are still having the Seder Meal, but it will be the Wednesday before spring break starts. 

Living Rosary- The 5th graders did a GREAT job last week with the living rosary! I received many compliments from other teachers on how well they did!!! Go 5th GRADE!

Auction- Thank you to those who have sent in a donation towards our basket and silent auction items. For those of you that haven't yet, please do what you can! We will need those in by the end of the month for sure, if not sooner. Please just do what you can to help out.


Valentine's Party is on Friday. I have my volunteer for drinks and snacks! Keely Coen received money from one of the STM alumni postcards. They requested that money be used in the classroom somehow...so that is how it is being spent! Thank you, STM Alumni!!! I did make a bag for our teacher's aide, Miss Thomas, so if your child wants to give her a Valentine, that would be great! 

I hope everyone has a great weekend! I am planning on going home to pick up Mom if the weather cooperates. She seems to be getting more snow than we are here! She will be with me until Spring Break!!!

God Bless, Miss Surma