Merry Christmas!

Our theme for the 4th week of Advent is titled "Turn to the Lord." Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.

What a beautiful way to begin Christmas break watching our 5th graders singing and leading the entire school in our Advent service this morning.  We are so PROUD! 

We wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

  

Week 14 News

Our theme for the third week of Advent is titled "Shout for JOY!" O daughter Zion! Sing joyfully, O Israel!  Be glad and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem!

Reminders 

• Parents...Please make sure your child has the appropriate outdoor gear with them.  We go out for recess when the "feels like" temp is above 10 degrees.  Many students have only a sweatshirt.  Yes, we know, we have kids too who choose not to wear a coat! If that is their desire then please remind them not to complain when they go outside for recess and its COLD! 😆

Upcoming Events

• MONDAY: Advent Prayer service @ 2:55
• TUESDAY: Reconciliation, Winter Band Concert @ 7 in Parish Hall
• WEDNESDAY:  Liturgy @ 8:45
• THURSDAY: 
• FRIDAY: Advent Prayer service @ 10:00, Sing along in gym at 10:30, DISMISSAL @ 11:20

December 10-14  Third Week of Advent "Shout for Joy!"

What an amazing day yesterday for our 5th grade Mission benefiting West Des Moines Human Services and Connection Cafe.  The wonderful generosity from our Saint Francis community was overwhelming.  Your children worked so hard gathering, sorting, a wrapping donations from each grade level.  It was touching to see them helping each other with the wrapping part which as you all know isn't as easy as it looks.  The day was filled with smiles, laughter, joy, happiness, and community building within our 5th grade.  Special thanks to the parents that helped deliver all of the boxes to WDM for us and to all who contributed our wrapping supplies.  Again, we are speechless as teachers at the generosity of our SFA community.  Thank You!!

SHOPPING, BOXING, WRAPPING, PACKING, and RELAXING!

Shopping!

More Shopping!!

Boxing it up!

Wrapping

                      

Packing!

RELAXING!

This will be our last newsletter until January!

Have a Blessed Christmas!

Religion – We are continuing with our unit on The 25 Days of Christ.  We are using this theme to learn about 25 major events in Christ’s life.  We are learning about these events through scripture, art, videos, and individual reflection.  Please feel free to visit this website for more information. http://25daysofchrist.com/pages/the-25-days-new-testament-edition We will continue with these lessons through Christmas.  Advent Prayer Services will be held Dec. 4 at 2:55, Dec. 10 at 2:55, Dec. 17 at 2:55. and Friday Dec. 21 at 10:00.  Following Christmas Break, we will begin a unit on Sacraments.

Reading – Mrs. Anderson’s and Mrs. Schaffer’s Classes have continued with the whole class book-A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.  It’s been a challenging but very intriguing and interesting book. Comprehension activities have been and will continue to be highlighted throughout the reading of this book. This will be able to count as one of the 40 books students need to read by the end of the school year.  Mrs. Alsin’s Class is continuing to read the novel and almost to the end of Restart, by Gordon Korman. Different comprehension strategies are being utilized to enhance our understanding of the story. We will also still offer independent reading time so that the students can continue working on their 40 books!

Math – We continue our unit on Division. We will transition to the traditional way only to solve division problems. We will start with remainders, transition to fractions, and then complete the unit with decimals. We will also learn how to interpret remainders in story problems.

S.S. / Science - We will be starting our unit on Force and Motion this week after a week of Geographic Bee FUN!  We have 25 fifth graders moving on to the written portion of the Geo Bee. Congrats to all. We sure learned a lot of interesting things!

Language Arts – We wrapped up our verb unit with the assessment on Friday.  Watch for corrected tests to come home next week. In preparing to write the body of our personal narrative, we’ve taken time to learn about the appropriate way to use quotation marks when incorporating dialogue in writing,word choice, pacing, problem and solution,transitions, and point of view.  Next week, we will look at figurative language and how to “show not tell” in writing. We’ll then begin writing the body of the narrative. This will continue following Christmas Break.

Spelling – There will be no spelling next week.  Following Christmas Break, the Spelling List will consist of words with the soft letter “g” sound.  The skill will be similes.

Week 13 News

Our theme for the second week of Advent is titled "Set Out in Haste."  We are hoping the joy of the season surrounds you as we continue to move toward the Manger.

Reminders 

• 5th Grade is in charge of this months Mission benefiting the Connection Cafe and West Des Moines Human Services.  We are in need of wrapping paper, shoeboxes, and rolls of tape for wrapping on Friday the 14th.  If you have any of these items, they would be much appreciated.  We will be putting together and wrapping care presents for families in need.  Click HERE for the detailed list of items needed for each grade.
• Parents...Please make sure your child has the appropriate outdoor gear with them.  We go out for recess when the "feels like" temp is above 10 degrees.  Many students have only a sweatshirt.  Yes, we know, we have kids too who choose not to wear a coat! If that is their desire then please remind them not to complain when they go outside for recess and its COLD! 😆

Upcoming Events

• MONDAY: Advent Prayer service @ 2:55
• TUESDAY: Adoration, SPIRITWEAR, Fieldtrip to the Playhouse 9-11:30
• WEDNESDAY:  
• THURSDAY: 5th Grade Christmas Musical 7pm - meet in the Music Room @ 6:30
• FRIDAY: 5th Grade MISSIONS DAY!  Woohoo, One of our FAVORITE days.

December 10-14  Second Week of Advent "Set Out in Haste"

We had fun Friday with our Skype with Tommy Greenwald. Students asked some really good questions to facilitate great discussion on what Authors need to do to be successful and create great interesting books.  All three 5th grade classes have been using a Tommy Greenwald book during read Aloud.  They are very good and students have loved them.

Religion –We held a special 5th grade prayer service in honor of St. Nicholas on Thursday.  Thank you all of the 5th graders for your respect and reverence. We are continuing with our unit on The 25 Days of Christ.  We are using this theme to learn about 25 major events in Christ’s life. We are learning about these events through scripture, art, videos, and individual reflection.  Please feel free to visit this website for more information. http://25daysofchrist.com/pages/the-25-days-new-testament-edition

We will continue with these lessons through Christmas.  Advent Prayer Services will be held Dec. 4 at 2:55, Dec. 10 at 2:55, Dec. 17 at 2:55. and Friday Dec. 21 at 10:00.

Reading – Mrs. Anderson’s and Mrs. Schaffer’s Class have continued with the whole class book-A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.  It’s been a challenging but very intriguing and interesting start. Comprehension activities will be highlighted throughout the reading of this book. This will be able to count as one of the 40 books students need to read by the end of the school year.  Mrs. Alsin’s Class is continuing to read the novel, Restart, by Gordon Korman. Different comprehension strategies are being utilized to enhance our understanding of the story. We will also still offer independent reading time so that the students can continue working on their 40 books!

Math – We started our unit on Division. We will transition to the traditional way only to solve division problems. We will start with remainders, transition to fractions, and then complete the unit with decimals. We will also learn how to interpret remainders in story problems.

Science - Our investigation of Matter is complete.  Please look for this test to come home to be signed and returned. We spent the rest of this week on the Geography Bee activities holding a “mock” bee and will continue this next week.  

Language Arts – We continue to work through our verb unit as well as our personal narrative unit.   This week, we looked at verb tense and perfect verb tense. Next week we will focus on consistency in verb tense in writing.  The test will likely be at the end of next week. In preparing to write the body of our personal narrative, we’ve taken time to learn about the appropriate way to use quotation marks when incorporating dialogue in writing,word choice, pacing, problem and solution and transitions.  Next week, we will look at point of view and figurative language. We’ll then begin writing the body of the narrative.

Spelling – Our Spelling list next week will consist of contractions.  We will also spend time on synonyms and antonyms.

National Day of Mourning

Fifth Grade observing a National Day of Mourning for our 41st President and Patriot, 
George H.W. Bush.  

George Herbert Walker Bush (1924-2018), served as the 41st U.S. president from 1989 to 1993. He also was a two-term U.S. vice president under Ronald Reagan, from 1981 to 1989. Bush, a World War II naval aviator and Texas oil industry executive, began his political career in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1967.  May he rest in peace!

Week 12 News

Upcoming Events

• MONDAY: 
• TUESDAY: Advent Prayer service @ 2:55
• WEDNESDAY:  
• THURSDAY:
• FRIDAY: Tommy Greenwald Skype

Reminders

• Tommy Greenwald book orders if you would like an autographed book.
• Hats, gloves, winter coats...oh my!  The weather is cold, please be prepared.

December 3-7

Happy New Year! (Liturgical, that is)

Religion –We’ve completed our unit on the Liturgical Seasons.  Watch for corrected assessments to come home soon. We started our unit on The 25 Days of Christ.  We are using this theme to learn about 25 major events in Christ’s life. We are learning about these events through scripture, art, videos, and individual reflection.  Please feel free to visit this website for more information. http://25daysofchrist.com/pages/the-25-days-new-testament-edition

We will continue with these lessons through Christmas.  Advent Prayer Services will be held Dec. 4 at 2:55, Dec. 10 at 2:55, Dec. 17 at 2:55. and Friday Dec. 21 at 10:00.

Reading – Mrs. Schaffer’s Class has started the whole class book-A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.  Her class began this week by learning about Charles Dickens and his background as well as reading Stave 1.  Mrs. Anderson’s class will begin this book this week. Comprehension activities will be highlighted throughout the reading of this book. This will be able to count as one of the 40 books students need to read by the end of the school year.  Mrs. Alsin’s Class is continuing to read the novel, Restart, by Gordon Korman. Different comprehension strategies are being utilized to enhance our understanding of the story. We will also still offer independent reading time so that the students can continue working on their 40 books!

Math – Your child will be finishing the Unit 3 test over Geometry on Monday. Look for tests to come home later next week. Please review, sign, and return with your child. We will start Unit 4: Division next.

Science - Our investigation of Matter is almost complete as we Test over this unit Tuesday.  Students have learned about the 3 main forms of matter and how they change from one state to the next.  We explored hand-on about weight, mass, volume, and density. I am so impressed on the excitement to make density towers at home.  YaY! Awesome! I hope to post some of those with student permission soon. We will devote the rest of this week on the Geography Bee activities and get back to force and motion next week.

Language Arts – We continue to work through our verb unit as well as our personal narrative unit.  We’ve spent time identifying action, helping, and linking verbs in sentences. Next week, we will look at verb tense and consistency in verb tense in writing.  In preparing to write the body of our personal narrative, we’ve taken time to learn about the appropriate way to use quotation marks when incorporating dialogue in writing as well as word choice.  Next week we’ll look at pacing, problem and solution and transitions.

Spelling – Our Spelling list next week will consist of homophones!  It will be important to not only know how to spell them, but also know when to use the appropriate form of the homophone.