March 2, 2016

5th Grade Newsletter

March 2, 2016

Coming up:

 March 4-  Mrs. Payne’s book projects due

7-11-Spring Break

14-   Yearbook art due

15-   YBTC Challenge

22-   2nd book report due(Williams/Little)

23-   next print-out/ newsletter

24-   Spring Pictures

25-   End of Term/ possible Worker’s Holiday

25-   Forms due for Science Share Fair

    April 1-   Science Share Fair

Attached is a letter explaining our Science Share Fair (formerly called Science and Engineering Expo). This will take place on the afternoon of Friday, April 1st.  Parents, you are invited to come to our 5th grade classrooms on this day (April 1) from 2:45-3:15 to look at the projects.  You may take your child home with you at 3:15.  Please read the letter so that you can guide your child in selecting an appropriate project. Be aware that students will choose only one of the following three science projects: Experiment, Invention, or Research Project.  Details are in the letter.  

The form must be returned by March 25th.

     We hope you are on the lookout for a costume for your child to wear in our American Heroes Program coming up in May.  Let us know if you run into problems.  We teachers are especially excited about this program and are spending our early mornings writing the script.

We are closing in on our Civil War Unit, and will begin learning about the World Wars and the Great Depression. For Science, Mrs. Little/William’s classes are learning about magnets, and Mrs. Payne is beginning the heredity unit.

Students are reading and writing every day, and increasing their literary skills so they can ace the SAGE test coming up the first of April.   

We appreciate your help and encouragement at home, both on daily math assignments and on special projects. If your child is behind, please administer a little tough love, if necessary, so s/he can catch up.  

Thanks for your continued support here at school.  We feel lucky to have parents like you on our team!

                  Mrs. Payne, Mrs. Little, Mrs. Williams

February 17, 2016 Update

5th Grade Newsletter

February 17, 2016

Thank you so much for attending parent-teacher conferences.  We enjoyed meeting with you to discuss your child’s progress. If your child has not turned in his/her 6th grade registration form, we need it by Friday.

We are already at mid-term for third quarter.  We will be having a Worker’s Holiday this Friday, February 19 in the afternoon.  This will be a movie.  Students may wear PJ’s if they want, and bring a few healthy snacks. They may bring a blanket or pillow to make a comfortable spot. They will be able to choose between two Family Feature films.  All missing work is due tomorrow Thurs., Feb. 18 in order to earn Worker’s Holiday.  Students must have an 80% overall total, and have their Famous American reports turned in, to earn Worker’s Holiday.  All students were given a missing assignments report at the end of last week.  Those not earning Worker’s Holiday, will be able to work on missing assignments during this activity in another room.  Please note that students who turn in “late work” will NOT be receiving full credit on that work.  This will be for all students on all assignments for the remainder of the year.

Students can begin figuring out a costume for their Famous American,  so that it won’t be hectic in May.  Students have been told that they are NOT to paint their skin a different color to indicate race, although regular make-up is fine to help define their character.  Each student will get a script, with a part to memorize, in April.  Further information will be sent as this gets closer.

We are not having a “science fair” this year, but will be doing a SCIENCE SHARE FAIR.  Students will not be judged, but will present their project in class and then possibly set it up in the gym to share with others.  We will be talking about the different types of projects that they can do in science class and information about this will be sent home fairly soon.  These will be due at the end of March.  Being able to present scientific information is a 5th grade standard, so this will be required for all students.

If you have not sent the permission for your child to participate, or not participate in Mrs. Bassett’s presentation about the choking game, please do so.  If a letter is not returned your child will not be able to participate.

If your child is interested in winning a $100 tuition scholarship for “Art, Music, & Me” Kids Summer Camp this summer s/he can write a one page paper on why s/he wants to attend the camp, how s/he feels about the arts, etc. The paper should include what potential the student has in either music, dance, drama, or visual arts. It will be at SUU from June 13-18.  We need the application entry turned in by Mon., Feb. 29.                             

The next newsletter will be posted on Wed., March  2.  We don’t have school the week of March 7-11. We are off for Spring Break.  The students do NOT have to make up the “snow day”. The state interim superintendent made the decision to require teachers make up the day, but not students and support personnel.

        Please sign the orange verification slip stating that you have read this letter and checked Power School, and return it with your child.

Thank you for your support,

Mrs. Williams, Mrs.Little, & Mrs. Payne

FIFTH GRADE NEWSLETTER

JANUARY 27, 2016

Dear Parents,

    Sorry that the Snow Day we had planned for Worker’s Holiday from last quarter, hasn’t worked out yet.  We thought we would have had some snow by now, but the sun keeps showing itself, so we will be doing an alternate activity this Friday in place of it, unless it happens to snow in the next two days. If there is snow on the ground tomorrow or Friday have your child come prepared for the Snow Day activity, but if it stays sunny and nice, we will be having a Game Activity for the students on Friday.  Students will bring in games they would like to play from home, and they will enjoy these games with other students who also made Worker’s Holiday. Electronics are fine to bring, but the students have to be responsible for them.

    The students were given a list of words for the Spelling Bee which is coming up on Monday, February 8th.  They will be given a pre-test tomorrow on these words, to see if they qualify for the Spelling Bee.  All students are required to take the pre-test.  The top three students in each class will be nominated to be in the Spelling Bee.   If these students choose not to be a participant in the Spelling Bee, then they can opt out.  Please have your child look over the list tonight, so they can do well on the pre-test tomorrow.  The pre-test will go on their grade.

    Please ask your child for his/her Kite Flight calendar that your child will be receiving soon.  This is an easy and fun way for our school to earn money.  The students are required to read every night anyway, so you can add their minutes to the Kite Flight calendar.  Keep this calendar in a safe place until April when you will turn it into the Kite Flight people.  Your child will receive a free kite or book, and our school will receive money toward items we need for our school.

    Remember SEP week is next week.  We look forward to visiting with you about your child’s progress.  If you haven’t sent back the SEP form indicating whether or not you can make your SEP time, please make sure to do that in the next couple days.  Remember that school lets out at 2:30 all week next week, even on early out Wednesday. Your child will be registering for 6th grade next week.  S/he will need to choose orchestra, band, or art/music appreciation.  The instrument your child wants to play will need to be listed.  We have sent home information booklets about orchestra and band.

    The BOOK FAIR is also next week.  It is buy one get one free.

    We will be going to the STEAM festival at the Heritage Center on Fri., Feb. 12.  We will ride a bus over first thing in the morning and walk back to school in time for lunch.  (This time may change, but we'll let you know). We will celebrate Valentine’s Day during the afternoon. A class list will be sent home.

    There is no school on Mon. Feb.15.

    We appreciate all the help and support you have given us this year.  Thanks for all that you do.

                                                                     Sincerely,

                                                                      Mrs. Little, Mrs. Payne and Mrs. Williams

 

 5th Grade Newsletter

January 13, 2016

Coming up:

January

15th-Term ends; ALL WORK DUE

18th-MLK Day, No school

19th-Worker’s Holiday, if sufficient snow

22nd-SAGE Interim test in Reading/Writing

27th- First print out for 3rd term/ new blog entry

February

1st-5th   SEP WEEK (form is attached)/ dismissed at 2:30 daily

12th13th- Cedar City STEAM Festival

       We are planning on having Worker’s Holiday the day after Martin Luther King Day. The activity will be our annual sledding activity at CHS soccer field, IF we have enough snow. If the snow is too sparse, we will postpone the activity from one day to the next, until we get snow. We need to be flexible and be prepared each day.  Students will need to bring these items:

Large plastic garbage bag

Packet of hot chocolate or cider

Warm clothing (coat, hat, gloves, boots, extra layers)

    *Don’t wear all your layers to school, since this will be in the afternoon

    We will slide down the hill on our garbage bags, so the bigger/thicker, the better. No sleds or plastic saucers. We will furnish hot water and cups for the drinks. We plan to be away from the school from 1:00-3:15.  Remember, students need to earn 80% or higher and have all assignments turned in by this Friday 15th.

     Please continue to monitor home reading (30 minutes a night), and math homework.  We would also love it if you would log into your students’ google accounts and help make revisions on the essays they are writing. We would like all students to achieve a score of 24 (out of 30).  

     You will find a permission slip, for a lesson by Mrs. Bassett, about the dangers of the choking game.  Your child will need permission to attend the class, which will be taught in March.

    Thank you for helping your child at home and supporting our efforts here at school. We enjoy teaching your children and seeing them succeed. Please contact for any concerns you may have.  

                    Mrs. Payne, Mrs. Williams, Mrs. Little

 

    

December 16, 2015

                                            FIFTH GRADE NEWSLETTER

Dear Parents,

       Here's what's coming up for the rest of the month of December:
On Friday (18th) we'll have a Christmas party in the afternoon. We'll play some group games, make music with the bells, and share some treats while we watch The Christmas Carol. If you would like to send treats (enough for 31), you are welcome to do so.  If you do want to send food items, remember, they need to be store bought. 
      Our students presented their book projects in class today. They did excellent jobs, all of them. A few still need to present tomorrow. Our next book project will be in February and will be a Battle Book.  A few students have read only two or three books this school year. Others have read ten or more! Students should be reading 30 minutes every night. Please encourage your child to make this a habit.
      I sent home students' progress report totals today. If your child is missing any work, please help them catch up before the break. I will keep them in for afternoon recess tomorrow and Friday to help make this happen. I really want every student to qualify for our next Worker's Holiday.
      I also need students to practice their typing skills. They can type a page out of a book or type a letter to grandma, but they should be typing between 15-20 words per minute by now.
      FYI: SEPs will be the first week of February. This is sooner than it ever has been, so put that on your calendars. 
     Our LOST and FOUND pile of coats, jackets, gloves, etc. is becoming a mountain. If you are missing any of these items, please come and look through the pile. It will all be donated to Deseret Industries during the Christmas break.
        I really appreciate the great support I receive from all of  you!  I feel very blessed to be teaching students who are kind, respectful, and are conscientious workers. You are great parents.
     Have a Merry Christmas filled with wonderful memories!
                     
                                                           Mrs. Jeanne Payne  

FIFTH GRADE NEWSLETTER

NOVEMBER 18, 2015

Parents,

      Can you believe it is already mid-term?  Before you know it, the school year will be half over.

      We hope that you will make sure to look at your child’s progress report on line to see what he/she might have missing.  If your child does have any missing assignments, please make sure that he/she gets their assignment(s) into their teacher by Monday morning at the latest.  They will need to have all of their work turned in, with an 80% or better in order to qualify for Worker’s Holiday.  Worker’s Holiday will be on Tuesday morning.  We will be having a Read-A-Thon, so students that qualify, will need to bring some fun books to read.  Students will also be able to wear their PJ’s to school that day and they can bring in their own snacks to snack on while they are reading.

     Remember that Thanksgiving break starts on Wednesday November 25 through the 29th.  Students are to be back in school on Monday, November 30th.

     With the weather turning so cold, please remind your child to wear their coats, gloves and hats, if necessary.  Sometimes they are still required to go outside for different breaks and when they are not dressed appropriately, it can be really cold for them.

      Be looking for our next Newsletter to come out on December 16th.

      We appreciate all that you do to help out with the success of your child.  Always feel free to come and visit with us if you have questions, or if you just want to see what is going on in our classrooms.  We love parental help and support any way we can get it.

Sincerely, Mrs. Little, Mrs. Payne, Mrs. Williams

Note from Mrs. Payne:

    We regret that we have to say goodbye to Mrs. Kyndall, who has been our student teacher for the past 6 weeks. She will make a great teacher wherever her future takes her.  We will miss her!

     BOOK ORDERS are due tomorrow (Wednesday 18th), if you are interested in buying books for your child.

      Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Break!

                                                                     --Mrs. Payne

November 4, 2015

Here’s the Latest in 5th Grade

November 4, 2015

November 7 (Saturday) -Hope of America program, Cedar City’s birthday

 celebration.

If you signed up your child to perform in this event, you need to

take him/her to Cedar High School at 4:45 PM so they can practice all

together. Students should wear a red, white , or blue shirt. The

                     performance begins at 6:00 PM in the CHS auditorium.

This should be an inspiring production.  We hope you can attend.

November 18 (Wednesday)-Book Orders are due. If you want to give these books for Christmas gifts, let me know and I can save them for you to pick up.

November 25-27 (W-F)- Thanksgiving Holiday

Science:  Our volcano explosions were exciting to watch.  Thanks for helping your child with this assignment.  We have officially ended our Earth Science unit, and are learning about chemical and physical changes.  This is a popular unit of explorations and explosions, as we play with chemicals and other substances.

Social Studies:  We are coming to a close in our American Revolution Unit, and will be learning about our US Government and Constitution. We will celebrate winning the Revolutionary War by watching the video, Johnny Tremain, and eating cornbread.  

SAGE Formative Testing: We just finished taking the Reading and Writing tests. These tests will tell us what our students still need to learn this year, and will guide our instruction in the coming months. My students had to take the writing test twice!  They took the wrong test (not their fault), so they took it again in the afternoon. Mrs. Marriott (the administrator) felt especially bad, but my students were very forgiving. They are great kids!

Language Arts: No spelling lists for the few weeks. We have begun a Poetry Unit, and we’re learning some high school content, and learning to write poetry. Fun unit!

Reading: Students should be reading at least 30 minutes every day at home. Thanks for monitoring this. They should be writing about their books in their Reading Response Journals.  The journals are due every Wednesday morning.

We have begun a new quarter, so all students should be on top of all their assignments. If they have fallen behind already, please help them catch up. Thanks for supporting me and encouraging your children. They are great kids! (Did I say that already?)  I will be posting my next newsletter update on November 18.

  

                       Sincerely,  Mrs. Payne