Updates and announcements

How is it already May! Students are persevering to the end of the year.

On Friday, students will get to tour the Prep building. This tour will be led by Prep staff.

We are looking forward to honoring our fifth-grade scholars promotion to sixth grade at on Wednesday, May 23rd at 5:30 pm. Students should wear semi-formal clothes of their choice to this event. Boys should wear trousers, a collared shirt, and dress shoes, and girls may wear an outfit appropriate for a religious service or wedding, such as a nice dress. Students’ clothing should cover the same amount as their uniform polos and shorts. If ladies would like to wear a strapless or spaghetti strap dress, they should wear a cover as well. Students should arrive by 5:15 and will be directed to sit with their class.  We will have a ceremony for the students and the PSO will have refreshments to enjoy after it is over. Please let me know if you have any questions or if you know your child will not be able to attend. We are excited to celebrate with you!

Our week in learning

In language arts this week, students will learn about the appropriate use of semicolons and colons. They will be reviewing the parts of speech and previous grammar material in preparation for a quiz on Friday. Students should spend a few minutes every night ensuring that they are familiar with the parts of speech. They will continue Spalding as usual, and will continue working through Across Five Aprils with the expectation of finishing the novel next week.

Students will have their 25 roots test will be on Wednesday, May 9^th.

This week in science, students will take the endocrine system unit test on Monday and will begin learning about the nervous system on Tuesday. The study guide will be handed out early this unit so that students will have the opportunity to work on it nightly. The nervous system unit test is scheduled for Monday, May 14.

Students have almost finished their study of westward expansion! Their study guides are due on Tuesday, and the unit test is on Wednesday. They will also have the chance to showcase their knowledge while working on an advertisement for westward settlers in small groups this week in class. This should be an entirely in-class project, and students will have the chance to present on Thursday.

This week in history, students will continue their study of angles, diving into studying different types of triangles as well as angles in a quadrilateral. There will be a brief quiz on Thursday that we will review for in math groups, so students should be well prepared.

Updates and announcements

AZMERIT TESTING IS OVER!! Our students have worked so hard preparing. We can now turn our attention back to our rich curriculum and steer away from test preparations.

If you do NOT want your child participating in our Human Growth and Development classes, please return their permission slip by Thursday morning. The classes will take place on Thursday and Friday this week.

Next Friday, May 4^th, our students get to tour the Prep side! Students will tour the classrooms lead by the Prep teachers and get to eat lunch their as well.

Our week in learning

In language arts this week, students will review the basics of grammar and sentence diagramming in preparation for the end-of-year grammar test.

Spalding lessons begin again this week!

Students will continue reading and journaling through Across Five Aprils chapter 8.

This week in science, students will review for the endocrine system unit test, which will take place next Monday, April 30. On Thursday and Friday, students will participate in human growth and development lessons. There is no homework for these lessons, but it is important that students study for the endocrine unit test during this time to keep the concepts fresh in their minds.

This week in history, students will continue their study of westward expansion after the civil war, and will learn what life was like for homesteaders, cowboys and miners. They will receive their study guide this Wednesday that they may start working on in advance of the test on 5/2.

In math this week, students will begin their study of angles. They will review types of angles, the use of a protractor, and begin a study of vertically opposite angles and angles in a triangle. This will lay a great foundation for geometry classes in the future! Please ensure that your student has a protractor to use at school. We will have math groups this week on Wednesday 8:45-9:45.

Updates and announcements

The AZMerit is finally upon us! Students have worked so hard this whole year and I am excited for them to demonstrate their knowledge to our state government. Our tests are on Tuesday and Thursday this week. Please be sure students get a good night’s rest and eat a healthy breakfast on the day of the test.

We have some important dates coming up. Check the “Important Dates” section for our special events for the rest of the school year.

Next week, we will be teaching Human Growth and Development. If you do NOT want your child to participate in the lesson, please sign and return the appropriate portion of the letter.

Our week in learning

This week, students will continue to prepare for the AZMerit, which will happen on Tuesday and Thursday. They will review identifying main ideas and supporting details. On Friday, students will dust off their sentence diagramming skills with a diagramming game. In literature, students will read through chapter six. Next week, students will begin regular Spalding homework again.

This week in science, students will read about some endocrine diseases: hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, and diabetes. They will be expected to take two-column notes independently on these diseases. Some of the information will be on the endocrine system test on 4/30. Students will receive their endocrine system study guides at the end of this week. 

This week in history, students will review for the Civil War test.. Please note that when students have a summary paragraph for homework, that should serve as their notes for that chapter. Study guides are due today, Monday, April 16th. Students will have their Civil War test on Wednesday, April 18th. Because this is in the middle of our two AZMerit test days, we are taking 2 ½ days to review for their test IN CLASS. Students will also have the opportunity to work on their foldables in class. These will be due on Wednesday, April 18th.

In math this week, we will continue AZMerit practice on Monday and Wednesday. Students will take the AZMerit math portions one and two on Tuesday and Thursday this week. We will have math groups this week on Wednesday 8:00-9:15. On Friday, students will partake in some much-deserved math games.

Updates and announcements

Our students worked so hard on the AZMerit Writing portion last Friday! I hope they all got some well-deserved ice cream over the weekend.

We have 5^th grade promotion coming up on Wednesday, May 23^rd. At the ceremony, students will receive a free 5^th grade promotion t-shirt. Please fill out this form with your child’s name and size by Friday, April 13^th so we can get them ordered in time. 

Be on the lookout for a letter coming home today about our upcoming Human Growth and Development class. During this unit, we will discuss puberty with the boys and girls in separate classrooms. This is an opt-out lesson. More specific information is in the letter going home today.

Our week in learning

Next week, students will take the AZ Merit English Language Arts and Mathematics tests. This week in language arts, students will review figurative language, using context clues, finding the main idea of a passage, and summarizing an event.

In literature, students will continue reading Across Five Aprils.

Students will recite “Battle Hymn of the Republic” this Wednesday.

This week in science, students will begin their study of the endocrine system. We will discuss the major functions of the endocrine system and its most important glands, such as the pineal, the hypothalamus, and the adrenal gland.

This week in history, students will continue learning about the Civil War. Students will be learning about the South after the war, the phases of reconstruction, Jim Crow laws, and the racism against African Americans after reconstruction. Please note that when students have a summary paragraph for homework, that should serve as their notes for that chapter. Study guides went home last Friday to give students extra time to work on them. Study guides are due Monday, April 16th. Students will have their Civil War test on Wednesday, April 18th. Because this is in the middle of our two AZMerit test days, we are taking 2 ½ days to review for their test IN CLASS.

In math this week, we will continue a brief unit on Average and Rate. There will be no unit test for this unit. We will continue daily AZMerit practice until we take our tests on 4/17 and 4/19. You may see some practice worksheets coming home to serve both as a review and a guide to see what kinds of questions will be on the test. We will have math groups this week on Wednesday 8:00-9:15.

Updates and announcements

Our fourth quarter is off and we have a busy month ahead of us! We have some important dates coming up, such as Fine Arts and French Night and AZMerit testing.

We take our first AZMerit test this Friday on Writing. Please be sure students are well rested and have a healthy breakfast in preparation.

Our week in learning

This week in language arts, students will review in preparation for the AZ Merit Writing Test on Friday. They will review the elements of narratives, opinion writing, and informative writing, and continue to practice stretching the ideas in their sentences using “Who,” “What,” “When,” “Where,” “Why,” and “How” questions. By the end of the week, students should have read through chapter five of Across Five Aprils.

This week in science, students will learn the locations of the major muscles in the body. There will be a muscle anatomy quiz on Thursday.

This week in history, students will continue learning about the Civil War. Students will be learning about women in the war effort, the battle of Gettysburg, the Gettysburg Address, mounting problems for the Confederacy, the end of the war, and the death of President Lincoln. Please note that when students have a summary paragraph for homework, that should serve as their notes for that chapter. Students will have their Civil War test on Wednesday, April 18th. Because this is in the middle of our two AZMerit test days, we are taking 2 ½ days to review for their test IN CLASS.

In math this week, we will start a brief unit on Average and Rate. There will be no unit test for this unit. We will continue daily AZMerit practice until we take our tests on 4/17 and 4/19. You may see some practice worksheets coming home to serve both as a review and a guide to see what kinds of questions will be on the test. We will have math groups this week on Wednesday 8:00-9:15.