Dear Parents,
      Happy Thursday!!!  What a soggy week!!!  I want the sun to come back.  Cloudy skies causes drowsy kids!!!  Also a drowsy teacher!  At least recesses have been outside all week.  We are happy about that.  We have our field trip tomorrow. Next week we are looking at a Math test and hopefully watching a movie!  The end is getting closer and closer.  The students are still maintaining and working very hard.  I appreciate that.

Field Trip - Tomorrow is the day!! Please remember to bring a sack lunch with you.  Also watch the weather and dress accordingly.  Again we will ride rain or shine.  There is no heat or air on the train.  Also no flip-flops, comfortable shoes for walking.  If you are driving please be here early to fill out the driver's form in the office.  You will need your driver's license and I think license plate number.  I plan to load the kids up and leave at 8:15 so your child needs to be in my room by 8:00.  Also we will not be back in time for kids to ride the bus so they will need to be picked up.  We will  be back by 3:30.  My phone number is 641-202-1580 if you want to text me and ask if our arrival will be on time.  I will keep Sarah informed if we are running late.  I hope the weather holds up for us. 

Language Arts - We have covered several chapters this week.  We have worked on our fantasy story.  They have a setting worked out, and now they have characters for their story. On Monday, we will work more with that.  We have read up to chapter 23 so far.  I hope that we finish the book next week.  We will watch the movie when we are completely done.  I do have a Unit test over the book to take.  It has multiple choice, matching and true and false on it.  It also has some questions that require written answers.  I think it will easy after all we have done throughout the book.

Math -  We finished chapter 5 today.  Students are working on their chapter review.  We will check that on Monday and then they will take a test on Tuesday.  This has been a short chapter.  We will move right into chapter 6 on Fractions as soon as we are done.  It will be fun!  I have lots of manipulatives to use for fractions.

Social Studies - We are studying the Southwest Region which is made up of 4 states: Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.  We will finish this chapter and move onto the first chapter of the West.  Projects are due quickly.  Students should be doing their research.  Monday I will get their posters, cake tracers, and person to them.  So far in this chapter we have read about the Grand Canyon and watched a movie over it.  Today we will move onto the next lesson over climates.  They have a varied climate in this region.  We will end the chapter discussing the discovery of oil in Beaumont, Texas.  Then we will test! I hope to be close by the end of next week!

A note from the Music Room:  The music program is Tuesday, May 12th, at 6:00 in the High School Auditorium.  Students are to arrive and be in their seats by 5:50.  Students can dress nice yet casual.  Nice shorts are allowed with a colored shirt.  Girls are welcome to wear skirts and colored shirts if they choose.  Shoes need to allow them to move around.  I would steer clear of high heels.  They need to be able to dance around.  We are planning a dress rehearsal that afternoon at the High school.  Please fill out permission form and return tomorrow! Thank you.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!! It is recital weekend!! Enjoy it! We have family back for it and will be relieved when it is all over!!!

God Bless,
Mrs. Sickels

This is the 911 Memorial Building.  This is taken from the base of it looking up.  Pretty cool.  Looks like it continues on forever!

This is the South Tower Reflection Pool.  It is the footprint of where the actual building stood.  Names of those who died from this building are listed around the edge.  There is a North Tower Pool also.

Another view of the South Tower Pool.  The center drops down.  It is suppose to represent the tower going down instead of up.  It's reversed. Water falls down all sides then down into the center.

This is Ladder 54 that was on scene when the towers fell.  It was heavily damaged