Dear Parents,

     Happy Thursday!  WOW! Thursday already!!  This week went super fast.  I guess that is what a major winter storm will do for ya.  This snow day my living room was rearranged.  I am running out of things to rearrange so the snow days can stop.  Tuesday I spent working on my incredibly hard Harry Potter puzzle and reading. Which made for a very enjoyable day for me.

Language Arts -  Well we are on our last story in this unit.  We are doing it very differently thanks to Winter Storm Nathaniel.  We will not have a normal week with a spelling pretest and post test, but we will complete the worksheets that go with the week.  It is covering a pretty important spelling skill.   They are practicing changing the -y to i and then adding -es or -est or -er.  We are working through the grammar pages also this week.  I plan to do the vocab strategy on context clues also.  We read the story today.  They will read with partners tomorrow.  There will be no end of week test this week either. I told the kids this was maybe a blessing for them because the story is okay but not spectacular.  After we read it they agreed.  Next week we will take a Unit test and begin work on a writing activity. Trying to rush things and test them would not be in anyone's best interest so this is where we are at this week.  Also you are going to see the scores of the last two weeks in today's folder.  The grammar section from the last story does not show good scores.  The lesson was not difficult.  You will find written on the score sheet your child's response to the question, "What could you have done to do a better job on this section of the test".  I asked this question after we went over every grammar question on the test.  They had some very honest answers.

Math -  We finished checking the math worksheet we did for practice.  We will go over lesson 3.7. This lesson is on Problem solving.  So we are focusing on word problems.  We will spend Friday working on this.  Next week we will be doing a dress rehearsal and then taking the test.  The next chapter we will cover is Area and Perimeter.  This is a fun chapter.  The kids will actually get to go around the building and do some measuring and figuring of area and perimeter.  Since they get to roam the building they love this chapter.  Plus it is very much real life hands on math.  I talk about different jobs out there that would use these skills everyday.

Social Studies -  They handed in signed test and their vocabulary preview today.  Then we began work on a project for Catholic Schools Week.  Each "wing" is to decorate their hallways with a theme. We are doing "All Around the US"  The kids decorated card board cut-outs of the states today.  We will work on this tomorrow also.  It is a good time to do it since we are just beginning a new chapter.  I may throw in a state for the interactive notebook also.  Next week we will start digging into the chapter.

Book It Calendars -  The end of January is near.  Please be sure to get those calendars signed and turned in next week.  The sooner the better.  I will have a new calendar ready for you on Monday.

Auction -  Thank you so much for the donations I have received so far. Remember you have until Friday, February 5th to make a donation towards our basket and silent auction item.  Dustin and Sam Baird came today and we had a photo shoot for our silent auction item.  We did a group photo, individual photos, and a boys group and girls group.  These pictures will be put on a puzzle.  Such a cool idea.  

Catholic Schools Week - COVID STYLE 

Sunday        January 31           Opening of Catholic Schools Week Mass at Holy Spirit 9:00 AM

Monday        February 1             Faculty/Staff Appreciation Day                         11:45-12:45 Angels will eat sack lunch together   Spirit Day: Google Meet Day (dressed up from the waist up)

Tuesday      February 2            Student Appreciation Day   2:15 - 2:50 Photo Scavenger Hunt with Angels     Spirit Day: State Day (come dressed as a certain state)

Wednesday    February 3           Community Appreciation Day Mass 9:15 - 4th & 5th (5th graders to participate)     2:15 - 2:50 Angels make cards for Nursing Homes        Spirit Day:  Mass Attire : Dress up day

Thursday    February 4             School Appreciation  2:00-2:50 Weather pending - snowman building    Spirit Day:  Tie-Dye Day

Friday        February 5         Grandparents/Special Guest Day   Virtual Grandparents or Special Guest using drone watch for post on Facebook!   Spirit Day:   Camo Day  

Tomorrow is NOT a spirit day, but next week is all a spirit day!  We did the best we could trying to plan things for the kids that were COVID safe.  We are doing a lot with our Advent Angels but it got our group sizes down to smaller numbers.  We have planned some fun things.  

 I hope the weather goes away for the weekend.  I do not want rain or snow.  We hope to Prom dress shop this weekend, weather permitting. Have a fun safe weekend!

God Bless,

Mrs. Sickels                 

Dear Parents,

     Happy Thursday!   I hope everyone enjoyed their snow day last Friday.  I know I did.  I got some things done around the house I had been dreading.  I then used Saturday and Sunday and days to relax.  I spent Friday night in my cousin's cabin west of town which was fun.  I woke up to watching about 6 deer feeding.  I wonder what this weekend will bring.  It looks like some more snow and maybe freezing rain.  We don't need the freezing rain for sure!!

Language Arts -  This week they are reading a story called "The Life and Times of the Ant".   This is a story about the life of ants.  All the hard work they do  and even a look into their nests.  The best part of this story is illustrations that go along with it.  They are cartoon like and very literal.   They just add a little enjoyment to a non fiction story.  We are working on present and past participle for grammar.  These are verbs that end in -ing and -ed.  This is a review for the students.   The vocab strategy was on suffixes, -able and -ible.  We worked on those today in partners.  We are doing this story in 4 days instead of 5.  Tomorrow we will have our post test and end of week test.  Please be sure that the students are studying their yellow packets and spelling words.

Math -  We learned the standard algorithm or regrouping strategy for double-digit multiplication this week.  I feel to really grasp what we are doing we need to spend some time practicing.  They were taught the strategy and practiced just a few problems in their book.  We went over those problems together and worked out some bugs.  Then they did a worksheet with just a few problems on it.  Today I copied a worksheet from my old math series.  They are still practicing this strategy.  They are working on  the odd numbered problems today and then we will check those an do the even ones tomorrow.  I feel like this will be enough practice to really say they can do this skill.  We will then move on to look at the problems and decide which strategy would be beneficial to use with certain problems.  We are getting to the end of this chapter.  We will begin testing soon.  Then our next chapter is a fun one, at least I think so.  I take them to chapter 13 and go over Area and Perimeter.

Social Studies - We have just finished up the Northeast Region.  Today we began introducing the Southeast Region.  There are 12 states in this section.  So they will be learning the location of 12 new states and capitals.  We will also start putting them into our interactive notebooks.  They corrected their tests today and will bring them home over the weekend to be signed.  I told them we would have to pick up the pace a little bit to move through the rest of the year.  

Tomorrow is a Spirit Day!   The temperature is suppose to drop and be cold.  By recess it will only by like 19 and we don't know what the windchill will be like so it's a perfect day to pay the $1.00 and wear sweats!!!  I told them I hoped they enjoyed the last two days because the weekend looks to be very different.

Please be sure to read about our Auction basket in the folder!  I have one donation so far.  We are a long ways from where we need to be.  Also, Sam and Dustin Baird are helping me with the silent auction item.  Remember we need all donations to be in by February 5th so we can get items ordered from our Pampered Chef consultant.  The sooner the donations the better so we have time to decide on items to order.  Thank you for all your support!

Have a great weekend!!

God Bless, 

Mrs. Sickels

Dear Parents,

     Happy Thursday!!  I am not sure what happened I went to bed last night and everything was just fine.  I wake up to a Blizzard Warning!  What the heck!!  Crazy!   I guess we wait and see but I warning is usually a sure sign.  I hope everyone had a great Christmas Break!  I know I did.  I was not really ready to come back but now that I am here with kids, I am glad to be back!  Honestly, my favorite months are January and February because we get a lot done in these months.  We really don't have any interruptions so we can just work hard.  Catholic Schools Week is a great break in between the months though.  I know not many like this time of year because of the Winter but it is one of my favorite times of  the year.  I will keep them moving academically and hopefully a positive attitude!

Language Arts -  We are back to a normal week of Language Arts this week.  We are reading a story called Antarctic Journal: Four Months at the Bottom of the World.  The author of this story actually researched her topic.  She went and stayed in Antarctica for four months to experience it before she wrote about it.  The students found it very interesting.  They learned a little about Whales eating Krill and that it has no taste and penguins and how they build their nests.  In grammar we are talking about Modal Auxilaries which are words like can, may, might, could, would, should, and must.  We were trying to pay attention on their purpose and how to use them correctly.  These words can be tricky and they are struggling with them.  I will try to make the grammar part of the test a little easier for them.  The vocabulary strategy was on Greek and Latin word parts.  We talked about "spect", "struct", "tele" and "vis".  We talked about their meanings and how they fit into the words they are a part of.    Tomorrow will be a normal Friday with a spelling Post test and end of week test.  If for some reason the blizzard changes that it will all happen on Monday.

Math -  We have learned 2 strategies so far for double-digit multiplication.  We have learned using Area box  and partial product.  These are my favorite strategies to use.  I am a visual person so the Area box strategy is very helpful to me.  I also like partial product because it gives the students a better understanding of exactly what they are doing.  When I teach them the standard algorithm it tends to confuse them.  The other strategies are much easier for them.  I have taught the Partial Product strategy for most of my years teaching.  I have showed many adults how to do this strategy also.  They like it once they see it.  We finished the week with a Mid-Chapter Checkpoint.  I plan on starting a new lesson tomorrow weather depending.

Social Studies -  Tomorrow the students have their 2nd Map Test over the Northeast Region.  They will need to be able to label a map of the Northeast with the state and its capital.  They have taken this test once.  This will be the last time they take it.  They were given a study guide today.  This study guide is due on Monday.  They worked in partners and did a good job.  They may have a little bit to finish.  We will be taking a test next week over chapter 5.  After that we will move on to the Southeast Region.  That means new states to enter into our interactive notebooks and new set of states to practice for map tests.  If we do not have school tomorrow the map test will be on Monday AND the study guide still must be done on Monday.

Thank You -  I would like to say thank you for all the wonderful gifts that were given to me for Christmas.  I sent notes with the kids for thank you's but I am not sure they made it home to you.  I appreciate all the things we purchased for the classroom!  I also really appreciate those personal gifts.  It was very thoughtful of all of you.

Catholic Schools week is coming up starting January 31st.  More details will come later about what is happening that week to celebrate Catholic Schools.

Auction Basket - Yes!  The Auction will be taking place this year.  It will be very different. It will be online.  We will be doing baskets!  The 4th and 5th grade are joining together to do a basket.  Ms. Surma and I have decided to do a Pampered Chef basket.  We will either focus on pizza making or a baking basket.  It will depend on our donations we receive.  The value of the basket is not to exceed $300.  We are just asking for monetary donations and we will take care of purchasing the items and putting the basket together.  We need the donations by February 5th so we can get the items ordered and to us in time for the auction.     We will also need to do a silent auction item.  If anyone is interesting in working on that  with me please let me know.  I feel like we are running out of ideas for this one.  They all need to be more personal and include the kids in them.  I like to have others to help put this together.  Again just let me know if you are interested.

Well, be sure to watch the weather and the news.  If Creston Schools cancel that will include St. Malachy.  There will not be a separate notification for St. Malachy.  I did not think this would amount to much but now I am hearing the wind in our area will be the worst and we are looking at 6 + inches.  Crazy weather.  Everyone stay safe!!!

God Bless,

Mrs. Sickels

Dear Parents, 

     Happy Thursday!  We are winding down getting ready to celebrate Christmas.  The kids are a little crazy!  They are just very talkative and can't sit still as well.  We are counting down the days.  We have 4 school days left.  I like that it is 2 this week and then only 2 next week.  I hope all of you have everything done and ready to go.  I still have to wrap some presents.  I am going to Des Moines Friday night to shop for the first time.  I have been doing most everything online.  Now, I am worried some things won't get here.    Sunday I hope to do a little bit of baking.  I didn't even fully decorate this year.    I am ready to spend some time with my kids.  

Language Arts - This week we are reading a story called The Earth Dragon Awakes.  It is a historical fiction piece about the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.  This is a real event that took place.  A lot of the things in the story are factual but the characters and the specific event that happens to the characters is not.  We read about a father and son that are in their tenement getting ready for the day when it hits.  Their tenement collapses around them.  It is pretty detailed of what is happening.   They are buried under the rubble.  In the end they are rescued but it can be a scary story.  Not in a "horror" way but maybe in an "anxiety" way.  The two natural disasters we have read about so far, have made us all agree we like where we live. NO Hurricanes or earthquakes here.  In grammar we are talking about singular and plural possessive nouns.  Nouns that show ownership and we are learning how to know if singular or plural.  The vocabulary strategy was on synonyms which is a review for us because they work on this skill every week when they do their vocabulary words.  Tomorrow will be their post test and end of the week test.

Math -  In math this week we began chapter 3.  This is on double-digit multiplication.  We have already worked on multiplying by tens and the last couple of days we worked on estimation.  The kids don't know it but tomorrow we are going to do the Christmas Math.  We will do that Friday and Monday.  Tuesday is just meant to be a fun day.  When we get back we will be working more on strategies to help with double-digit multiplication.

Social Studies -  They made it through their first map test.  We will take another map test over the northeast before we move onto the southeast.  We are also trying to get our interactive notebook of the northeast states completed.  There is so much to do before starting the next region!  These kids like this subject and are working hard.  We will have a chapter test over this chapter when we return.  Today we are working on vertical timelines.  The kids will work on creating their own timelines.  They were to come with 10 events in their lives today.  I will work with them on how to create that timeline today.  I allow them today and tomorrow to work in class then they have to be done by Monday because they will present them to the class.  

Tuesday, December 22 -  This is our last day before break.  I am not 100% sure what the day is going to look like.  I will show a movie at some point.  They will have caroling with their Advent Angels.  Your child may bring a favorite game from home.  We spend some time playing games and just enjoying everyone's company.  I have snacks and a drink being provided by the homeroom mom. I will probably do they day as it comes.  It will all depend on the kids and their behavior.  Do I show the movie in the morning then play games in the afternoon?  or vice versa.  That will just depend. It is a fun day though.  Your student must bring a sack lunch that day with a drink.  That is really the only requirement.

Dress up days:    Thursday - Wear Red

                          Friday - Wear Green

                          Monday -  Grinch Day -  You can do anything!  I have a t-shirt I wear.  Kids can wear anything Grinch or just colors that deal with the Grinch!  Whatever you want to do. (Even if you have Grinch PJ's)

                           Tuesday -  Ugly Sweater Day!   I got a new one so I am excited.

Friday IS a spirit day!  Wear your sweats with your GREEN.  Pay the $1.00.  It always goes to a great cause.

I hope all of you have a great last weekend before Christmas preparing.  I will be shopping, wrapping and baking this weekend.  Lots of Christmas music will be played.  If I have forgotten anything please email or text me to ask!  I am very forgetful right now.

Merry Christmas!

God Bless,

Mrs. Sickels

Dear Parents,

     Happy Thursday!   I feel like this week has gone quickly!  I am not sure why but it has. Maybe it was the change in Mass days.  We are all back in the room together!  We are very thankful for this.  The kids have missed each other a lot.  Things can finally go back to normal for all of us.  Next week is our last full week before Christmas break.  Remember in November when I told you the rest of the year goes quickly?  Well, it is happening!  I can't believe only one more full week!  We will spend all those days working very hard.  We will still have all subjects with lessons.  The two days in last week (21st and 22nd) We will still have work but I will also sprinkle in some Christmas activities.  

Language Arts -   This unit is focusing on stories dealing with weather.  This week we are reading a story called Hurricanes: Earth's Mightiest Storms.  It is a little above their heads, I think.  It is a non fiction piece talking about how a hurricane forms and the measurement tools used to measure weather.  It is a story that is okay to hear once but 3 times in a week is too much.  I honestly am not looking for very good scores on the  end of the week test tomorrow. This week in grammar we have covered my favorite topic.  The correct way to use: to, too and two, their, there, and they're, and its and it's.  I see so many people use these words incorrectly on Facebook posts.  The vocabulary strategy this week was on suffixes -ful, -less, - ness, -ment.  Tomorrow is their spelling test and end of week test.  Next week we will cover story 2.  Then we will be done in the book until after Christmas Break.

Math -  We finished up Chapter 2 and took a test this week. You will find the results in your child's take home folder.  They began chapter 3 today.  I plan to work hard on Math all next week.  I hipe to get through the first 2-3 lessons.  Then I have a "Christmas Math" activity for them.  It deals with coordinate pairs and coloring pictures.  Seems weird it is math but that is what it is.  Kind of like Battleship.  That is working with coordinate pairs and is considered Math.

Social Studies -  This week I have introduced the Map test to the students.  This is where I give them a blank map of the Northeast Region and ask them to label all the states and capitals.  They have created an answer key and I have given them 4 practice pages.  That is one for every day.  They will take an official Map test on Monday of the Northeast region.  I do this by region because at the end of the year they will expected to label all 50 states and capitals.  It is easiest to  learn by region.  I am having them sing the States and Capitals song also.  I will have them sing the song before the test then I will have them work on it.  They have also begun to put the Mid-Atlantic states in their interactive notebooks this week.  We started with Delaware.  We are getting close to taking a test.  I plan to get that done before we go to break.  We will spend a lot of time working on finishing the Northeast in our interactive notebooks also.

Christmas Program Filming -   The plan is to film for the Christmas Program next Tuesday the 15th. Please be sure to send your student in their Christmas BEST that day.  Also, yes they still have to dress in Mass clothes on Wednesday the 16th.  We are exciting to be getting something out to you to show their work in Music and our Holiday Spirit!

December 22nd - This is our last day before break.  It is a full day. It will look a little different from what we normally do.  I will give you more details next week on what exactly the day will look like.  Yes, we have a Christmas Party it will involve treats but I am not sure what time of the day it will happen yet.  It is sack lunch day though.

Just in!  We are in a Winter Weather Advisory for Friday night at 6:00PM to Saturday night at 6:00PM.  I will take it!  I love it!   The only thing to make the season better is SNOW!  I love snow.  Reminder that tomorrow is NOT a spirit day.  I repeat NOT a spirit day.  Though I wish it was!

Well, I hope everyone has a great weekend!  I hope you are all getting ready for Christmas.  I even wrapped some packages last night!  I hope to get home in time tonight to put my lights on my porch.  Tis' the season.  

God Bless,

Mrs. Sickels 

 Dear Parents,

      Happy Thursday!  What a whirlwind of a few weeks.  I was gone with COVID and teaching from home and students were here and there.  Whew!  It's just Crazy!  Add Christmas in there and WOW!  We will get through all this together.  I am very grateful for excitement of Christmas to take away from the disappointment from everything else. Thanksgiving was a bummer but we made the best of it.  The students have been great through this whole thing and I so much appreciate it!

Language Arts -  We have been working on the Unit 2 test this week.  I am so thankful that this test is online so I can see the online kids results immediately.  We will be finishing that test today.  We have started the upper case letters in handwriting.  We have worked on handwriting every day.  Tomorrow I will have the 3 kids who are here share their  book reports.  The ones online will share when they return.  Thanks to COVID this has been way to long!  I also plan to assign them their next book report.  A few have been asking and we have been trying to find books for them all ready.  Next week we will start Unit 3 and get back to spelling tests and worksheets.

Math - We are working on a Dress Rehearsal for chapter 2.  The students finished those up today.  Tomorrow I plan on going over every problem on the test to help them understand what they are to do and maybe what they did wrong.  On Monday I plan to give them the actual test.  Then we will begin Chapter 3.  This is a shorter chapter and will not take us to awful long to get through it.  There might be a place where I need to slow down to make sure they are all understanding.  This chapter will focus on Double-digit multiplication.  Yes it is harder but because they are very good at single-digit this should be a smooth transition.  I am looking forward to doing some Christmas math things closer to Christmas!

Social Studies - We are working through our chapter.  We have been learning about the Narragansett Native Americans this week.  We also worked on some map skills.  They were looking at Map Keys and deciding if they used symbols or pictures in them.  We worked on vocabulary words today.  

Spirit Day - Tomorrow is a Spirit Day!  It is the perfect day to wear sweats and pay that $1.00.  Any money tomorrow will also go towards our adopt-a-family.

Book It - Remember to have your students turn in their book it calendars.  I need a parent signature.  I will give out the awards tomorrow.  

This week has kind of been exhausting for me!  Coming back after being sick is a lot.  But the only way to do it is to dive right in.  My evenings are spent doing nothing!  I hope to have more energy next week!  The students are really hanging in there and doing such a great job maneuvering around all this COVID business.  I am super proud of them!

God Bless,

Mrs. Sickels

 Dear Parents,

     Happy Thursday!  This will be a short blog this week.  I have been at home all week.  I was just being precautionary with cold symptoms.  Come to find out I am positive for COVID.  I don't have many symptoms but losing taste and smell are the big ones and I have lost those.  My return date would be November 25th. So I will back in the classroom after Thanksgiving.  I have been teaching some classes from home which has been fun.  I feel like I am still there and a part of class if I can do that.  Today I bowed out of Language arts due to getting my test results and having to talk to public health.  This is all so very crazy!!

Language Arts - This week is the last story in Unit 2.  It is called Jose! Born to Dance.  This was a story that we enjoyed the first time but not really anytime after that.  It is about a famous dancer Jose Limon.  He is a real person and it tells his life story about what he went through to finally decide to become a dancer.  In grammar this week we are learning about pronouns.  We learned the subject and object pronouns, and also reflexive and demonstrative pronouns.  The vocabulary strategy this week was shades of meaning.  It is talking about synonyms having different shades of meaning.  If you think of the word big, you have lots of synonyms: huge, large, enormous, gigantic.  They are synonyms but we have a different picture of how big something is based on the word we use.  Students will need to be sure to practice their spelling words and vocabulary words tonight.  The end of the week test will be tomorrow.

Math -  This week they learned the regrouping strategy for multiplication which is the strategy you were all taught growing up.  Yesterday we focused on double-digit numbers times a single digit.  Today we moved up to digits in the hundreds and thousands.  We are almost finished with this chapter which is great!  The next chapter moves into double digits so we get even harder.  They are all doing very well.

Social Studies -  They have completed a test this week.  It has been  a crazy week to test and we went about it very differently but we made it through.  We will be beginning the next chapter today.  They will be putting another state into their interactive notebooks also.  Next week we are doing a Geography Bee.  We usually do this every year.  It is a national event.  The national event was cancelled due to COVID so we are holding our own at St. Malachy.  I will hold a mock geobee on Monday with them that I will be online conducting.  Then on Tuesday we will do the real thing.  It will take place in the morning.  I will run them through 7 rounds of questions.  I will get together with the other teachers 5-8 and we will compare our results and come up with a top ten.  Those top ten students will compete in the Championship round that we usually hold in December.  It is normally done differently but we are adjusting this year to follow our COVID rules. It will be fun!

This had totally been a crazy week for all of us!  I would like to hope this could all come to an end soon.  Pray for a vaccine and pray for those people who are not doing the right thing.  We have to stop the spread and we will only do it if we all just do what is right and asked of us.  Stay safe and everyone feel better!!

God Bless,

Mrs. Sickels