Week 39- Final Week

Our final days are done and my students are now "young adults" and hopefully ready for middle school. We started a new tradition this year by having the kids do a final walk on the last day of school.



We played music over the intercom system and they walked the halls. All the other students were out in the hall cheering them on. I was amazed by the number of students, both boys and girls, that were crying. Many of them have been at MES since Kindergarten.



I gave them all a chance to hug their teachers for the last time.



I have done my very best with my students this year. I am going to miss these kids so much!

Week 38

It is so hard to believe this was our last full week of school. We have 2 more days until the end of the year. This school year has flown by and I'm going to really miss these kids when they are gone!



This week we had our 5th grade graduation. Once they finish 5th grade they head to middle school.



Everyone was all dressed up for the occasion.





After graduation we had to get out and have some fun!



We played a game of kickball against Mrs. Reasner's class. We lost by one point but I told the students if they weren't having fun they shouldn't be playing. Needless to say, we all had fun!






We also dissected frogs this week! This first picture cracks me up! Alyse doesn't look too pleased.



Timothy did his best "frog pose" for the camera. Can you see the resemblance?



Most of the kids couldn't wait to get their hands on the frogs and others weren't quite sure they wanted to participate. I didn't make anyone do it if they didn't want to.



I found a great app to help the kids follow the steps to dissect the frog. The app is called Frog Dissection. It just did the internal organs. Of course we also had to check out the tongue and take out the eyeballs.





We celebrated the end of the week with field day and our class party.



We played all kinds of games like tug of war, 3 legged race, relays, water pass, and lots more.


It was around 95F outside and the girls decided to pose for a picture so everyone could see how miserable it was!



Thankfully the Monrovia Fire Department showed up and helped to cool everyone down!



The remainder of the day was full of more fun and games.




STUDENTS: I can't believe this school year is coming to a close. I am so sad to see you all go to middle school, but I'm also proud of each of you. What are your plans for the summer? Are you planning to relax at home or take a vacation?

Week 37

Our year is quickly coming to an end. It is so hard to believe we only have 7 more days of school and then you will be "young adults" according to Mr. Brown.



This week we started working on literature circles. The kids were able to pick the book they wanted to read. We didn't have a lot of time to meet because it was a crazy week, but we were able to work in some time. We'll be finishing them up next week.



JT, Jarold, and LeighAnna worked to get our Madagascar hissing cockroaches ready for summer. They took them all out to clean out the old bedding and add some new bedding. They are all ready for Mr. Wayne to take of them this summer!




We also found out the titles the kids won after I finished tallying the votes for Who's Who from our class.


Dakota and Megan M. won Mr. and Miss Monrovia. All the pages were sent out for parents to copy today. If you turned in the required assignments then you will be getting a copy of the Who's Who book with all of the titles/pictures, acrostic poems, writing, and baby pictures. I can't wait to see the books this year. I know you will all enjoy them in years to come.



In this final picture you see me along with my cooperating teaching from many years ago. I worked with Mrs. Callaway when I did my student teaching in 2001. She teaches 2nd grade at Madison Elementary School. I was able to see her this week when I attended my mother-in-law's retirement party.

STUDENTS: We went on our middle school trip this week. What are you looking forward to the most in middle school? What makes you a little scared?

Final Newsletter

Newsletter

Week 36

This week we were all playing grammar games. I had a project funded through Donors Choose that allowed me to purchase langage games for the kids to practice grammar skills. As you can see they had a lot of fun.



The kids learned how to play the games and then taught each other.







We also had fun in math using calculators. I had a calculator riddles book that the kids enjoyed. We also practiced how to use a calculator when working "real life" problems.



JT really liked the "Cooperation" sign. :)



These are my students who won the Presidential Fitness Award. Way to go Jarold, Caleb, JT, TJ, Alyse, Megan M., and Andrea (not pictured).



We also had a lot of fun with pentominoes. I told the kids they were made with 5 squares. Before I gave them the pentominoes to use they had to draw all 12 shapes. They weren't able to draw something that would be a reflection or rotation of a shape they had already drawn.



Later in the week I challenged the students to cover a 3x5 index card using 3 different pentomiones. There are several ways this can be done and they were begging for more time to do this!



They even moved their desks so they look like pentominoes!



We also had fun during math groups on Thursday. Students used the iPads to scan a QR code that took them to our Today's Meet page. They each told me about their favorite math app on the iPad. At the table, they had a calculator challenge to complete.

This week was Teacher Appreciation Week at MES. I felt so much love and appreciation from my students this week! Check this out! I can only say, they know what I like!



Thank you to all the students and parents that helped to spoil me this week!



STUDENTS: We only have 12 days left in school. What will you miss the most about 5th grade? What was your favorite activity from this school year? What will you not miss at all?

May 7 Newsletter

Week 35

I taught the kids a new card game to practice adding and subtracting integers. We had fun and the kids loved practicing this way, instead of just working out problems with paper and pencil. The red cards are negative and the black are positive. Each player starts with 6 cards, drawing one at the beginning of their turn and discarding one at the end. The goal is to play pairs that equal 6 or -6. The person playing 3 pairs first wins. The other players add the absolute value of their cards to get a score. The goal is to have the lowest score at the end of the game.



If you are a regular blog reader you know I love games! I had a project funded called "Get Your Grammar Game On" from Donors Choose. Since state testing is over we had some extra time to pull out the games and start learning how to play them.



I taught 3 students how to play the game and they went around the classroom teaching others to play.


We have a lot more games to learn in order to practice grammar. I can't wait!



Thursday night was the school dance. Everyone that came looked so nice! I think we all had fun. I even learned how to do the Wobble.



STUDENTS: Right now we are reading The Watson's Go to Birmingham. It seems like every time we have to stop reading I find a way to make it a cliff hanger and you are excited for me to start reading again. This is one of my all time favorite books. Tell me about your favorite book! What is the title? Give me a short summary of what happens. Just don't give away the ending, I might want to read it.