5th Grade Teacher

Loma Vista Elementary

Hello everyone:  I hope you are all keeping dry.  Here are some updates on what is going on in A-1.

 Thank You’s:  I want to thank our wonderful room mom, Cheryl Keith, for coordinating our Valentine’s Day celebration.  Also thanks to Mrs. Hicks and Mrs. Kayl for coming in and helping out.  The students had a great time decorating their bags and munching on some cookies.

 Also, thank you to all of the families who answered my request for wipes, air freshner, and Dry-Erase markers.  The response was amazing!! We are now well stocked.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

 March Book Review:  Our next Book Review is due on Monday, March 12.  All students should have chosen their books by now (except for a couple that were absent).  This month we are focusing on biographies.  I reviewed how the students can use the existing Book Review format for a biography.  Please have them come see me if they have any questions.

 And now for tonight’s homework:

Math:  HW page 37, #1-12, page 38, #1-4; page 39, #1-6, page 40, #1-4.

Daily Math & Language:  complete Wednesday.

Science:  fill in pages 96-100 in the Interactive Textbook.

Reading:  read 30 minutes.

Spelling:  students will receive their spelling packets tomorrow.  They will be due next Thursday.

Actually there is no homework this weekend.

Good afternoon:   I want to apologize for not posting any homework for the past two days, but it has been a crazy week at school and at home. 

 Social Studies Make-up test:  In my last message, I said the students will be given the make up test on Monday.  Obviously that’s not going to happen as Monday is a holiday.  The will be given the test on Tuesday.

 Valentines’ Day:  Tuesday is Valentine’s Day and I am sending home with the students a list of all of the students in our class.  I will also attach a list to this email (just in case the other one doesn’t make it home).  My rule for Valentine’s is “If you bring a valentine for one student in our class, you bring one for everyone.” 

 Supplies:  We are running dangerously low on aerosol room freshner and antibacterial wipes (for desks, not hands).  If anyone can donate some, it would be greatly appreciated.  For the room freshner, a light scent works better than a heavy floral one.  Thank you.  Thank you to the Sigafus family for donating much needed Dry-Erase markers.  We have been using them a lot with whiteboards for math and they get used up quickly.

 I wish you all a wonderful and restful weekend! 

 Cathy G. Fortier

Good afternoon everyone:

 Let’s start with the updates today…

 Upcoming Due Dates: 

    Wednesday, February 8, 2012:  Spelling Packet is due.  We will also have the spelling test this day.  Sign of the Beaver activity.

Friday, February 10, 2012:  Book Review is due.  Remember, your child needs to have taken the AR test before he/she turns in the Book Review.  I have been reminding the students all week long.  They have also been given many opportunities to take the test during the school day.

 Social Studies Make Up test:  I have decided to postponed assigning this until next week.  I was going to have the students work on the test during their lunch break, but many of the students who have to take the test are participating in the Math Lunch Bunch program.  I have therefore decided to give the test as homework next Monday along with the regular homework and it will be due on Tuesday.  The questions will be in the short answer format, so students will need to find the information and give details to support their response.  Everyone who wants to take the make-up test will be allowed to do so.  I will take the higher grade from the two tests and use that as the final test grade.  Since this is a test, I ask that limit your help.  You can explain the questions, remind them how to find the informatin, but please let them do the writing on their own.  Thank you.

 Book Reviews:  Today I  held a tutoring session at lunch and I invited students who have been receiving a C, D, or F grade on their reviews to come and learn how to do better.  The turnout was not so good.  I commended those students who attended, but I was sad that more did not come.  I will be requiring a parent signature from now on for all Book Reviews grades that are a C or lower.

 Now for tonight’s homework:

Math:  HW Page 97, #1-15, page 98, #1-4.

Daily Math & Language:  Tuesday.

Spelling:  Take the pre-test.  The packet is due tomorrow and the test will be given tomorrow.

Science:  Complete the review packet.

Sign of the Beaver:  One activity is due tomorrow.

Reading:  Finish reading your book. Begin writing your Book Review.

 As always, please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

Have a wonderful evening.

Here’s tonight’s homework:

Math:  HW Page 95, #1-12, Page 96, #1-4

Language Arts: Homophone worksheet

Daily Math & Language:  Monday

Sign of the Beaver:  choose one activity, due Wednesday.

Spelling:  work on spelling packet, due Wednesday.  Spelling test on Wednesday.

Reading:  read 30 minutes.  Book Review due on Friday.

 ** I am having a tutoring session tomorrow at noon for those students who have been receiving a C or lower on their Book Reviews.

 A big THANK YOU to all of the families that donated money for our first Trek 4 Tech.  It was a smashing success!  Our great PTO provided t-shirts for all of the Loma Vista students and they all got the chance to participate.  Everyone had a wonderful and healthy time.

 Cathy G. Fortier

Good Evening Everyone:

 TOMORROW IS TREK 4 TECH!!  That’s right it is finally here and we are ready!!  Our wonderful PTO has graciously provided ALL Loma Vista students with Trek 4 Tech t-shirts; so all students can participate in the “trekking.”  Participants can run, jog, or walk the track so there is no reason why anyone has to miss out on all of the fun.  If your child has asthma, please be sure they have their medication before we go out on the field.  We will be running at about 11:30.  I have all of the t-shirts and will hand them out to the students tomorrow.

 Students are bringing home several tests and graded work today.  Please make sure you check their folders.  There are quite a few tests that need to be signed and returned to me.  I did however, get a little too zealous on the SOTB Test, I stamped all of the tests.  If your child received an A or B, they do not have to return the test with your signature.  Those students who received a C or lower DO need to get your signature and return the test.

 While we are on the subject of tests…

Explorers Test:  many students did not do well on the essay questions.  I  am going to put together a sort of “make up” test that students can take to bring up their grade.  It will be essay questions and they will need to complete it during their recess time (it may take them a couple of recesses).  It will be open book just like the first test.  This will be available next week.

Sign of the Beaver Test:  if your child did not get a good grade on this test, don’t stress too much.  We reviewed the questions and some of the answers that were given.  We reviewed good answers and some not so good answers.  We have a few more of these tests plus activities and their packet which will figure in to their final grade for this unit, so I have told the students that they need to read the questions carefully and answer them appropriately.  The number one mistake was not answering both parts of a two part question.

Addition and Subtraction of Fractions Test:  I scanned the tests yesterday and was extremely happy!!   90% of the class scored Proficient or Advanced!!!  Those tests will be coming home tomorrow.

 We will have a Sign of the Beaver Test tomorrow covering Chapters 5 – 10.  The students had time this afternoon to review the chapters and their packets.  I have also assigned this as homework for tonight.

Ok, now for tonight’s homework: 

Math:  HW  Page 89, #1-15, page 90, #1-4

Daily Math & Language: Thursday & Friday

Sign of the Beaver:  review chapters 5-10.  Test tomorrow

Spelling:  work on packet

Reading:  read 30 minutes.  Book review due next Friday.  Students will be receiving their booklets back on Monday.

Hello Everyone:  Today we are going to start off with the updates as we have some very important ones:

 Trek 4 Tech:  It’s not to late to donate!  Yes, you can still send in money for the Trek 4 Tech jogathon this Friday.  The PTO has graciously extended the deadline so your child can still be entered in the raffle drawing.  Just have your child bring the money tomorrow morning and we will make sure that his/her name gets in the drawing.  The office has more forms if you don’t.

 Volunteers Needed:  we need a couple of volunteers to help out with the Trek 4 Tech.  If you are able to help any time from 8:30 to Noon, please let me know.

 Spelling Packet:  Today the students received their new spelling packets.  I have changed the due date; the packet will be due on Wednesday, February 8th.  The spelling test will also be on that date. Remember, your child needs to do the activities only for the words missed on the pre-test.

 Book Review:  the next book review will be due on Friday, February 10th.  I will have the composition notebooks back to the students by Monday.

 Now for tonight’s homework:

Math:  HW Page 87, #1-9, page 88, #1-4

Daily Math & Language:  complete Wednesday

Sign of the Beaver (SOTB): Read chapter 10.  Complete the prediction, summary, and title.  No picture dictionary.

Spelling Packet:  begin working on the activities.

Hello everyone:  I hope you all enjoyed the three-day weekend.  We had a busy day today and there is a lot of updating to do…but first…

 Here is tonight’s homework:

Math:  Review worksheet on addition and subtraction of fractions.  We are having a test tomorrow.  Study for the test!!!

Language Arts:  Homophone worksheet — both sides

Reading:  Read 30 minutes.

 Updates:

Math:  We are having a test tomorrow on addition and subtraction of fractions.  The students made a “Pinky Promise” to me today that they would study extra for the test if I eased up on homework.  Please review your child’s work.  Remind them to:  look for the operation symbol, find common denominators (if needed), rename the whole number for subtraction (if needed), and SIMPLIFY the answer. We will be moving on the multiplication of fractions which is actually a little easier.

Book Reivew:  I told the students today that the next Book Review is due Friday, February 10, 2012.  I had every student write it in their Binder Reminders.  I also let them know that they need to take the AR test before Friday the 10th.  We will be doing just one Book Review this month and next. 

Talent show:  Usually my class does a routine for the school’s annual talent show.  This year however, I will not be able to do this.  My sister, who usually picks the song, does the choreography, and runs the rehearsals, is busy planning her daughter’s wedding.  I might have decided to do it on my own, but the timing is really bad;  we will be at Outdoor Science School the whole week before the Talent Show and I have Parent Conferences the week we come back which is also the week of the show.  If there is a parent or parents who would like to take on this endeavor, there were about 16 students who were very interested in participating in a class act.  Just let me know and I will give you the names of the students.

 As always, please email or call me if you have any questions.

Thank you,