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