Mrs. Pfister's Weekly Update
5th Grade Ireland Elementary
Feb. 28, 2020
Classroom Learning
Spelling
Spelling Unit 4.5
This week we continued to study figurative language. As a class, we read a great Storyworks article about a young girl living in an Ethiopian refugee camp. We watched a short video clip about her daily life and used the article to review the skill of main idea and supporting details.
Next week, we will wrap up all of our book clubs and start a new whole class novel. We will read George Washington's Socks. The novel is mixed with fiction and historical fiction, as a group of modern kids find themselves in the middle of the American Revolution. It's a great connection to our social studies content.
Science
Next week we will start studying the Earth's spheres.
Social Studies
Next week we will continue Chapter 9 and continue learning about the American Revolution.
Writing
We will be completing a Student Treasures project. The class just started drafting a book for the publishing project. This will take us a few weeks and we must hit our April 10 deadline. Each child does get a FREE book and you may order additional copies. If you just want a FREE book please check "No" at the bottom of form and sign. If you want to order an additional book then you will complete the entire form and include payment. I don't want the students to miss out on receiving their FREE book.
Read Across America Week March 2- 6
And last but not least, at the end of the week it’s FLASHLIGHT FRIDAY! You get to bring a small flashlight to school with you. At the end of the day it’ll be lights out and the whole school will be silent reading with their flashlights! Our school will be dark, and imaginations will spark!
Get ready to celebrate the love of reading next week, and don’t forget to wear your pajamas on Monday!
AR Goals
St. Patrick's Day Parade
Ireland Elementary is starting a new tradition of walking in the Ireland St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Since it is the final year for our 5th grade students to be at Ireland, we would like to give them the honor to walk in the parade with Ireland Elementary staff members.
The parade is on Sunday, March 15. Your child will need to be dropped off at 12:30pm in St. Mary’s Church parking lot. You will not be able to park in the parking lot. Please have your child wear his/her green Ireland Elementary shirt. There will be a letter sent home to those students who will be walking in the parade on Friday, March 13 with our parade number. Please sign and return the permission slip if your child is interested in walking. A paper copy of the permission slip was sent home on 2/21/2020.
We ONLY had four students from our class turn in permission slips. I would LOVE for more to sign up.
Headphones
DARE Essay
All students participating in DARE are required to write a DARE essay. Officer Knies assigned the DARE essay on Feb. 20 and gave the class a couple of weeks to complete the essay. He has given them all the guidelines and requirements. Essays are due March 31. The students will not have class time set aside for them to write their essay. I do encourage them to use free time (time after tests) or the late bus students to work on the essay at the end of the day. Please ask your child about their essay.
Ancestor Reports
On March 4, students will need to have all ancestor notes at school. The notes need to be completed by the student in their handwriting. In the past, some students, for example, just handed the the outline to "grandma" and made her complete the outline. We want to the note collecting process to be researching, interview, meeting with family and simply talking. The student needs to take ownership of this! We will write the report at school. As the presentations get closer, I will make a tentative schedule for presentations, so that if parents or family members want to attend, they can. Please let me know if you have any questions. This has been a long tradition at Ireland Elementary and a memorable experience for students.
Irish Program
The Irish Program is Thursday, March 5. Students will wear the Ireland Elementary shirt that PTO provided. Please put the shirt in your child's backpack Wednesday night (March 4) so that the shirt is at school for the 1:00 dress rehearsal on Thursday. Students will need to be at school at 6:00 Thursday night. If you have family members that can't make it to the evening performance, the public is welcome to attend the dress rehearsal at 1:00 on Thursday.
Important Dates:
Mar. 2-6 Read Across America Week
Mar. 4 Ancestor notes due
Mar. 5 Irish Program for Grades 1, 2, 5; 1:00pm and 6:30pm (DATE CHANGE!)
Mar. 6 Flash Light Friday
Mar. 9 Class Picture Day at 8:40
Mar. 13 Band Instrument try outs in morning
Mar. 18-20 Ancestor Report Presentations
Mar. 18 End of 3rd Quarter
Mar. 23-27 Spring Break
Mar. 31 DARE Essay Due
April 6 Fun Run Kick Off
April 10 Snow Make-Up Day - No School
April 10 Book Publishing Date
April 13 5th Grade Trip to JHS for Band Introduction
April 14 JCAC Program Magic of Science
April 15 5th Grade to Toyota
April 16 Fun Run at School
April 20 -May 15 ILEARN Testing
May 14 JMS Tour 8:30-10:30
May 21 I Day
May 22 End of Fourth Quarter and Second Semester