Dear Parents,
     Happy Happy Thursday!!  It is a happy one!  This is the last Thursday your kiddos will be with me!  The sad thing is.... I am not even there!  My daughter Jami is having a cyst removed from her wrist today.  It has been a problem for a while now and is limiting the amount of movement and use of her wrist.  Since she is a waitress that is very restrictive.  I will return on Friday!  This my last blog for the year, still seems very weird to say that!  I have loved teaching your kids this year!  I know we had lots of ups and downs but that is part of it!  It is a huge part of their growth as students. It is always so hard for me to see them move on!  Parents you all do a wonderful job with your kids, keep it up!  But now I do pass the torch to you for the summer months, until they join Ms. Surma next year!

Language Arts - We have finished the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory book!  Today while I am gone they are watching the movie.  I see the movie every year but LOVE it and I am sad that I am missing.  I love watching the kids watch the movie.  I like watching their faces.  Tomorrow I have an activity to  compare and contrast the book and the movie.  We do a crossword over the whole book and Tuesday morning the will take a Unit test over the entire book.  Yes, I have a unit test.  It's amazing what you can find out there!  I think they have enjoyed a more relaxed atmosphere and reading a fun book with different people these last couple of weeks.  I hope they will pick up a book and read at least one over the summer.  I all ready have 8 on my shelf and 3 on my kindle ready for my summer reading!

Math -  We are finishing the year working on fractions.  We have learned equivalent fractions, putting fractions into simplest form and today they will learn common denominators.  This will be very helpful for Ms. Surma next year. They have done a great job with Math this year.  My advice is keep working on division problems over the year.  They all caught on to multiplication quite well but division was a struggle and some are still not confident. 

Social Studies -  Tomorrow is the big map test.  They will be labeling a map with the state and it's capital.  Some of your students have not done a very good job of studying the regions.  We have taken map tests over each region to get them ready.   Some didn't try very hard!  Please be sure they are studying.  You can see your kids scores on Power School for these map test.  The final grade for this benchmark will be based off this test.  We have quickly discussed the last three regions in the book.  Focusing on climates, landforms, and resources in the regions.  We will be completing the last two states in our interactive notebook tomorrow.  We have been very busy!  Next year in social studies they will have 9-10 weeks of Iowa History, then we move into learning about the founding of the 13 Colonies and up to the Revolutionary War.  

Tuesday, May 30 -  You will need to bring a sack lunch on this day!  NO Drinks, we will provide milk for them.  There will be Preschool graduation in the chapel form 12:15 - 1:00.  And then from 1:00 - 3:00 we have FIELD DAY!  Everyone loves field day! Great way to celebrate the end of the year, having FUN!

Wednesday, May 31 -  This is the LAST DAY!  There will be no lunch served today because we dismiss at noon.  We will have end of the year Mass at 9:15.  Today is a free day so no Mass attire is needed!!  Mass will include: Sports recognition, commissioning of 7th and 8th grade students, recognizing teachers, and a summer blessing from Father Halbur.  We will then spend the rest of morning turning in books and cleaning up the room for the summer.  

I have truly enjoyed having your kids in my room.  I hope your summer is very enjoyable!  Have some great family time.  

God Bless,
Mrs. Sickels