This morning Amos and Sophia were recognized at the April BOLT Awards for Integrity and Completing a Task! We are very proud of them!
Choir Fifth Grade has been meeting with Mrs. Johnson and getting a feel for what Choir is like. They will be singing this Friday at Mass! I hope you are able to join to hear their angelic voices!
Madison Field Trip Permission slips went home today. Please take some time to read the letter with your child. Don’t forget to return the field trip slip and submit the dog tag order as soon as possible.
Human Society Drive Winners! Our class won the Humane Society Drive hosted by former HC and current NDA Students! BIG THANK YOU to the families that donated! It was a close race!
Shadow Fun We are currently learning about shadows and their positions throughout the different times of day. After modeling shadows in the classroom, we went outside to check out our own shadows!
We kicked off this month with the infamous April Fools NEWAMSRE exam. I think it is the best kept secret! If you know, you know! This exam checks for Middle School preparedness and asks the students to evaluate their teacher. Check out a few of the entertaining results below. I am thankful everyone said I should keep my job!
While we work hard in fifth grade, we also need to remember to have FUN! So we made CANDY SALAD! Thank you parents for allowing your child to bring in candy for this. Some of your children might have told you it was mandatory… haha! Thank you for your sense of humor and grace! We had to make a video to document:
Science We have started a new science unit, “Patterns in the Universe” this month. It’s my personal favorite topic as I have fond memories of being their age and going to space camp! We will be learning about stars, the Earth’s place in our universe, changes in shadows, different positions of the sun, moon, and various stars throughout the day, and about their orbits! We will be making our own space exhibits at the end of the unit.
Speaking of space… The clouds shifted and we were able to get outside to see the Solar Eclipse on Monday! It was very cool to experience the incredible celestial phenomenon with the entire school. I am so thankful that Mrs. Davister and Mrs. Peterson agreed with my idea to host this viewing party for the entire school. We are blessed to have amazing and supportive staff at Holy Cross who wanted our students to witness another part of God’s beautiful creations!
Math We are in our 14th unit in math- almost finished with 75 math lessons! These math wizards have been working hard learning about fractions, decimals, converting measuring units, finding area and perimeter, and so much more! We have a math project that will be due on Monday, April 15th. The park project is such a fun project. Ask your child to share with you the packet if they haven’t already. We have dedicated time in class to work on our Park Project, but they may have to be worked on/finished at home. Ella and Lorelai will have a blog post out soon explaining this more in detail- maybe they will even share their classmates designs!?
Social Studies We just completed our unit about Asia. I love that we learn about the great diversity in languages, geographical features, and religions in this unit. I especially loved learning about Israel and Egypt and being able to do some “Biblical Geography” to see important places we read about in the Bible! We will have our “final” on Asia this Friday, April 12th. Next we will venture into Europe!
Language Arts The class is still working hard on Tower of Books. This is the final stretch- we are working hard to reach our goal of 30 books for the school year! We see the light and the final ten should be the easiest. We have been building our reading stamina so we can be prepared for middle school and beyond! Please check your child’s progress and do not forget to initial each summary! Summaries should be written after each book has been read. Their packets should be in their binders. Together, we have been reading Other Words for Home. It is realistic fiction written in free verse poetry about a girl named Jude who moves to the United States from Syria. I think as a whole, we are really enjoying this book. It is helping us with our comprehension and creative writing skills! We are continuing working hard on our spelling and are in our 24th unit of spelling. We have been putting to use all the skills and strategies we have learned from reading and spelling into our writing skills. The class has been working hard on writing their Personal Narratives and I am excited to share their final stories soon! We are also working on creating blog posts for this blog. I am excited for you to read their fun blurbs!
Religion With the conclusion of Lent, we will start to focus on the Commandments and growing respect for ourselves and others. In our SEL studies, we are finishing up the Emotion Management unit and will begin Empathy and Kindness very soon!
Field Trip! We officially booked our field trip to Madison on May 1st. Holy Cross fourth and fifth grade classes head to Madison every other year to tour the Wisconsin State Capitol and the Wisconsin Veterans Museum. We will depart Holy Cross around 8:00 and return after school hours between 5:30 and 6:15. Specific details and permission slips will be sent home soon! We are looking for a few chaperones to come with us. Chaperones will be randomly selected. If you are interested, please be sure to be current on VIRTUS compliance. If you are not sure, please feel free to reach out and I can let you know.
Middle School Mode We have been working hard getting ready for Middle School. Please check and sign your child’s planner every day. Also, please look through their binders and help them stay organized. While we take time in class to work on organization, we are still finding that important papers are often left at home or thrown away.
Humane Society Drive Holy Cross Alumni and NDA Seniors are hosting a drive for the Humane Society. They are collecting non-retractable leashes, collars, soft dog treats, dog/cat toys, latex-free disposable gloves, dawn dish soap, cans of dog food, peanut butter, pumpkin seeds, pecans, peanuts, almonds, walnuts (unsalted), hand sanitizer, and gallon ziploc bags. Each item = 1 point! The class with the most points will win a pizza party! Please bring in donations now until the 18th!
As always, it is a blessing to be your child’s teacher. Have a wonderful day!
Wow, The school year has gone by quickly! Time does fly when you are having fun… and we are having a lot of fun in fifth grade!
Important Updates & Changes:
We are officially in Middle School Mode! We will closely model the expectations, transitions, and start to increase our homework load this trimester to help make the big change easier next year. We have been working towards this all year long, and I feel like our class is very prepared for this. As a reminder, 5th grade anticipated homework time is a minimum of 30 minutes to 1 hour. In middle school, it double to 2+ hours. We are working hard on building our academic stamina to set us up for success!
Tower of Books: After every book your child reads they need to immediately write the summary on their summary page and get a parent signature verifying they read the book and approving their summary. I am finding that some are waiting until they are finished with all of their books to complete their summaries and are struggling to write them. Your guidance will help them stay on track to complete their goal of reading 30 books by the end of the year. Parent signature on reading logs is an expectation with Mrs. Sheehy, so this is another way we are working on middle school expectations.
Our class is performing The Living Stations on Wednesday, March 20th at 1:30 and 6:00. Please save the date and plan to join us for one of the showings. Parts have been selected and were shared with the class. If your child has not shared with you, please ask them about their role! We will begin practicing immediately when we arrive back from spring break.
It was a pleasure meeting with you all for parent teacher conferences this week. Please know that I am always available to meet with you in person or over the phone if you want to discuss anything as the year goes on. You can also email me with any questions or updates.
As we bid farewell to December, it’s hard to believe how quickly the month flew by. The holiday season brought joy and warmth to our hearts, especially during our Christmas concert where the class showcased their musical talents with a delightful array of band instruments. It was a moment to cherish, witnessing the students come together to create beautiful music and spread festive cheer.
Before the concert with Mr. K and Mrs. A!Playing at the Christmas Concert! Videos on our Google Drive!
One of the highlights of the month was our field trip to the CP Center and St. Norbert’s Abbey. The experience was not only fulfilling but also touched the lives of our community. The joy and connection we shared with others reinforced the importance of compassion and community outreach, leaving a lasting impact on everyone involved.
Secret Santa was a success! I loved seeing the excitement and gratitude each day from the class when we passed out the thoughtful gifts. The loved celebrating each other and the season the last week before break. We are also so incredibly thankful that Mrs. DeLeers helped spread holiday cheer to our class and hosted a Christmas Party. We had an absolute blast. Her generosity and thoughtfulness was appreciated by everyone. THANK YOU!
Ella’s favorite drink is milk!Mikey’s Secret Santa delivered a Reindeer Capri Sun!Baby Puffs were a hit!Sophia with her prizes!Saran Wrap Game!Popcorn, Cocoa, and BINGO!
As we step into the new year, we are starting a new Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Unit with a special emphasis on Emotion Management. Students will explore strategies to anticipate and handle strong emotions such as stress, frustration, and anger. By identifying recurring situations that trigger these emotions, the class will learn to make positive changes to better navigate their emotional responses. This handout was sent home for you to take a look at.
A new adventure awaits us as we kick off the year by taking our PK Buddies to Mass every other week, starting on January 5th. This initiative not only fosters a sense of responsibility but also strengthens the bond between students across different grades. We are excited to help share the beauty of Mass with our buddies.
Helping our PK Buddies shop at the Gingerbread House!So many choices!The boys were determined to win!Building Gingerbread Houses with our buddies!
In our pursuit of Middle School Mode, the second trimester introduced aspects of middle school expectations, including participation points, shorter transition times, study hall, and independent research. As we approach the third trimester beginning in mid-February, our journey into Middle School Mode will officially commence. The class will experience closely mirrored expectations and school work, providing a glimpse into the exciting challenges that await them in the upper grades.
Christmas Around the World research!Working hard to learn about how other countries celebrate!Spending time with Middle School on field trips!7th Grade Band performed for us!
January promises to be packed with excitement, including a field trip with the Middle Schoolers to NDA to watch their musical production, Annie. Additionally, Catholic Schools Week, starting on the last Sunday in January, will bring a ton of fun activities and celebrations. Keep an eye out for more information regarding both of these events in an upcoming parent folder.
As we reflect on the whirlwind that was December, we eagerly anticipate the adventures that lie ahead in 2024. With a focus on emotional intelligence, community building, and transitioning to Middle School Mode, the class is set to embark on a journey filled with growth, learning, and unforgettable experiences. Get ready for a month of fun, exploration, and continued development as we embrace the opportunities that the new year brings!
Advent Reconciliation ReflectionDecember BOLT Award Winner! Congratulations, Ella!!!Placing hay in our manger to prepare for Baby Jesus!
Remember to look on our Google Drive for more pictures! Link in Classroom Information tab.
I also want to give another quick “thank you” to the families who thought of me this Christmas Season. I am so incredibly grateful for the thoughtful gifts. They were not expected, but immensely appreciated. Being your child’s teacher at Holy Cross is the biggest blessing and best gift. I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and New Year.
