Eleventh Week Tidbits

We spent our Bible time this week learning about Reformation Day.  Our Bible focus moves to The Sermon on the Mount with November's Bible Memory being Psalm 100.  Students may recite the passage to me or complete a fill-in-the-blank sheet by November 30.

Our writing focus is on Literary Essays.  Next week the fifth graders will select a story, generate a theme, and find evidence from the text to support their claim.  Soon they will be drafting their essays.

Our math focus is on multiplying fractions. The students are discovering the simplification of fractions to be a difficult task if they aren't fluent in their multiplication facts.  We are spending some extra time improving our factoring skills in hopes to make our work more manageable.  These videos may be helpful.





Monday is our visit with Gary Schmidt at Calvin College! Your child should arrive on Monday morning with...

  1. a backpack containing their bag lunch, and 
  2. any book they are hoping to have autographed. (No binders!)
**Please note, your child may bring something quiet to occupy them on the bus, however electronics will not be allowed on the bus.**

This is a full-day field trip that will follow this general schedule: 
  • visit with Gary D. Schmidt on Calvin's Campus
  • campus walk
  • lunch
  • tour of Dice Museum with a focus on Earth Sciences
  • short bus ride to Baker Book House
  • publishing presentation at Baker Book House (Thank you to Jessica Westra for her connections that allow us to get an inside peek into the publishing world!)
Our chaperones include Kate Holloway, Heather Siegers, Stacy DeMaster, Jodi Schaap, and Liz Hegg.

Because we will spend Monday out of the classroom, Spelling Lists will go home on Tuesday.

Reading Minutes are due in on Monday.

On Friday (11/9), the fifth graders will enjoy a "Read and Feed".  They are invited to bring a special snack and a non-caffeinated drink to enjoy during this time.