Dear Intermediate School Families,
We have already fallen solidly into a groove here at the intermediate school. I am very impressed with the kindness the fourth and fifth graders are extending to each other, as well as to the adults in the building. They have been patient in the cafeteria as we settle into lunch, respectful in the halls as they pass in, around, and out of the school, and have been attentive and focused in their classrooms. It is going to be a great year!
Campus Programs:
At https://www.freelake.org/documents/campus-programs/campus-programs/339416) you will find some wonderful after-school opportunities for your children. Questions on any of the offerings should be directed to Diane Czapiga at 508.923.2000 x1719 or dczapiga@freelake.org.
Constitution Day is September 16th:
In addition to working on activities that celebrate the United States Constitution, we hope the children will join the staff in dressing in their finest red, white, and blue attire on Friday, the 16th.
Donations:
We are so grateful for all the generous donations of frequently used items for our classrooms. Your kindness is absolutely overwhelming. Thank you to all who’ve dropped things by or sent them in with students. Everything will be put to good use!
Grade Four ELA and Social Studies:
Next week, students will be sharing their creative projects on their summer reading of Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing in our ELA classes. We will also be introducing our first weekly vocabulary unit from Flocabulary, as well as a weekly spiral review of language arts/reading skills. Additionally, students will begin taking the fall iReady reading Diagnostic. The results of this assessment allow us to provide personalized instruction to students, based on their individual needs.
In social studies, we will begin to learn about our world this upcoming week. We will learn about our continents, oceans, as well as maps and globes. Our unit will include new vocabulary specific to using maps and will include the different types of maps we use.
Grade Four Math and Science:
In math, we are off to a great start using numbers and fun facts to create "Math About Me!" activities. We will be beginning to practice using place value to read and write multi-digit numbers in standard, word and expanded form.
We are delving into what science is and the "Tools of Inquiry" including observing, questioning, predicting, hypothesizing, planning and investigating, and interpreting. We are also looking at different careers in science, with students creating a portrait of what type of scientist they might be—maybe a marine biologist, a geologist, a chemist, an archaeologist and more!
Grade Five ELA and Social Studies:
This coming week in ELA, students will begin their first reading selection, Red Kayak. Through this story, we will analyze the major plot elements: characters, setting, plot, conflict, and theme. Red Kayak is an exciting survival story that hooks the students right away and keeps them on the edge of their seats!
In social studies, students will spend time exploring their new textbook by completing a scavenger hunt and creating a luggage tag for an event they can't wait to "travel to" this year.
Grade Five Math and Science:
This week in fifth grade math, students will be taking the iReady Diagnostic. This allows us to provide personalized instruction to students, based on their individual needs. We also will discuss having a growth mindset. All of us have different amounts of experience in different areas. When we struggle, practice, and don't give up, we're building connections in our brains. This helps us to improve over time. We encourage you to use growth mindset language, especially as your child works to learn their math facts. Help your child to come up with strategies for using known math facts to figure out unknown math facts. For example, x6 facts are double x3 facts, x5 facts are half of x10 facts, and x9 facts are one group less than x10 facts. Try to turn learning multiplication facts into a game and recognize improvements.
In science, our first topic will be matter. We will discuss and learn about the states of matter as well as the properties of matter. Through investigations, we will also see how matter can change states between solids, liquids, and gases.
Individual Fall Picture Day:
Lifetouch will be at the intermediate school for individual student pictures on October 5th, with a retake date scheduled for November 16th. More information will follow as we receive it from Lifetouch.
Greetings from the Art Teacher:
Both fourth and fifth graders are starting the year by creating a monochromatic self-portrait. When finished, we will put all the self-portraits together to create a colorful whole school mural! We're also reviewing and practicing art room routines the first couple weeks so students can feel safe and develop a sense of ownership and responsibility for their art classroom.
Physical Education and Health News:
After a great start to the school year, we are going to be embarking on our first set of fitness tests. We will be doing a 1/2 mile timed run, pacer test, max sit-ups in a minute, and as many push-ups as possible. The purpose of these tests is to see where our current school community is in regards to fitness, but also to develop a sense of resilience and mental toughness. As David Goggins would say, "getting comfortable being uncomfortable". Perhaps we can break some school records as we go along.
Some Creativity from our Library/Media Specialist:
It's beginning to look a lot like library -
Every shelf you go,
Take a look at the fiction and nonfiction,
With books on display that glow!
It's beginning to look a lot like library -
Check out like a store,
And the prettiest sight to see, is the books we bring home
Through your own front door!
Future Dates to Remember:
Constitution Day - September 17th
Individual Picture Day - October 5th
Early Release at 11:30 a.m. - October 7th
Columbus Day/No School - October 10th
Professional Development Day/No School for Students - November 1st
Veterans Day/No School - November 11th
Picture Retakes - November 16th
Thanksgiving Recess - November 23rd at 11:30 a.m - November 25th
First Trimester Grades Close - November 29th
The information from the GRAIS weekly message can be found in the Superintendent's Sunday Message as well.
Mr. Strauss request that you:
~Follow us on Twitter @FLRSDsuper
~Follow us on instagram @FLRSDsuper
Dr. Sullivan
508.923.3506 x 3150
esullivan@freelake.org