Dear Parents,
     Happy Thursday!  Only 6 days left including today!! Hard to believe!  This weather does not help!  If it were warm all the time, I would be ready but this rain and cold is not making me anxious for summer.  Plus I just keeping thinking about missing these kiddos too much!!    We have a lot that we are doing to finish up our year.  I sure will miss seeing them every day! They have definitely been a joy to have!

Language Arts -  We are reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!  We have been covering 5 chapters a day.  I read to them, they read out loud, they read in partners or groups.  We are doing it all.  Every day they have something to read on their own. I also have comprehension items they work on.  Most are loving the book and can't wait to watch the movie.  I plan to show the movie next Thursday!  On Wednesday of next week, we will be having a spelling bee.  The 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades will hold a spelling bee in their rooms and then we will take the top winners from each room and hold one big spelling bee to narrow it down to a winner.  That winner will be entered into the State Fair Spelling Bee.  That student will go and compete at the State Fair on the first OR second day of the fair.  IF  the winner is unable to attend we will go to the runner up and give them the opportunity to participate.  It is a great experience.  I have heard some say they don't want to go.  It really is a great learning experience for them.  All students will be required to participate in the classroom.  We will run the bee just like a normal spelling contest. Also, on that Wednesday they will take a Unit Test over the Charlie book.  It is not hard but will make the kids think.  I feel the hardest part is keeping the book separate from the movie. Most have seen the movie and try to answer based on that and find that their answers are wrong.  If you haven't read the book I recommend that you do.  I will show the 1960's movie with Gene Wilder.  It is my favorite and the newer version is just  a little disturbing to show kids, but Tim Burton movies always have a little bit of a dark side to them.  These last days will be fun in language arts.

Math- I am working on teaching them the standard algorithm or regrouping strategy for division.  We know it as long division.  IT is the way that we learned to divide. Actually, the only way we learned to divide. I will most likely spend the rest of this week working on this.  Next week we will do any lessons we can and we will possibly get in a chapter 4 test by the last day.  I would like that data for report cards to fairly give you information on how your child is doing in this area. 

Social Studies - We have read some important things about the Southwest and took a map test.  Now we are reading some important lessons about the West.  There will not be time for a map test for this region. I will give the kids a map so they can use it to study but the next map test will be next Thursday and it will be over the entire 50 states!  The kids are fully aware this is coming.  We have been gearing up for it all year.  Today they read about the Rocky Mountains and Yellowstone National Park.  Some have visited places that we were talking about and some have not.  These are great ideas for family vacations if you are looking for ideas.  Sorry, learning about the states lends itself to talking about cool places to visit.  I love family vacations so I am always making suggestions.

Spirit Day -  Mrs. Simmons has decided tomorrow will be a spirit day!  You can wear sweats or a hat for $1.00.  It is our last day to collect money for our Pay it Forward Program. It  looks to be warm but rainy so let's celebrate in comfort!!  

Memorial Day -  Remember we do NOT have school on Monday to honor Memorial Day.

Thursday, May 30th -  We will be watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in the morning.  We will be turning in all books that need turned in.  We will be cleaning out the desks and taking all our belongings home.  Please be sure to send an extra bag with them in case all their stuff does not fit in their school bag.  Keep in mind some of your kids have sweatshirts and extra things here.  We will also clean out the lockers.  

Last Day of school -  The last day of school will be a very busy one.  We will have mass at 9:15.  This will be our last mass of the year.  Sports awards will be given out at this time and we will enjoy a small cookie reception in honor or Father Halbur and Kay Boden the Parish business manager who is retiring.  Lunch is provided by Thane and Rachel Glynn.  They will grill our for us.  Field Day will take place 12:45-2:30 on the playground. The 8th grade clap out will begin at 3:00. Students will be dismissed at 3:10. That is  a lot going on. Hopefully in that time the students can clean all the desks and chairs for me and we will get them stacked up out of the way. 

I am sad the year is ending but looking forward to a summer to take a couple classes and reboot my brain for a new year.  I will be taking a writing class this summer and a classroom strategies class.  I will be enjoying my children and reading some good books!  That is my favorite part of summer, my summer reading list!  I have a shelf full of books and have been in a reading slump lately.  I am just too busy and the end of the year is just too crazy to focus on reading.    Have a great summer and enjoy your children at home because I will miss seeing them every day!

God Bless,
Mrs. Sickels