News this Week April 20-24

NEWS FROM FIFTH GRADE

Week of April 20-24

 

It was wonderful to see you all at conferences.  Your kids are incredible and smart!  But you know that!

Bible Verse :

Matthew 5:16

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

We’re talking about what it means to glorify God and what that might look like in our own lives.  We also spent some time identifying countries in the Middle East where Christians are undergoing severe persecution.  Although some kids are aware of current events,  we spoke more generally about what it means to be persecuted for Christ.  Each kid has a country to pray for this week.  They were so mature and thoughtful about how to pray:  they spoke about praying for those who persecute Christians, for the Christians to be strong and unafraid, for the Spirit of God to fall upon those who are persecuting so that they may know the truth of the gospel...and more.  Beautiful souls, your kids. They completely understand that glorifying God can mean being in a difficult place in order to be a light for Christ.

READING:

It was a “difficult topics” day today as we started the new book, Number the Stars.  There was a homework assignment to read the afterword (I know, seems backwards, but it’s more of a foreword) with your child and sign the slip acknowledging it was done. We read it together in class along with a fairly straightforward and clear explanation of what happened in World War II.  We pulled out maps and discussed how the Axis powers were overtaking the world, colored in maps of Europe that showed which areas around our book’s setting would have been Nazi-occupied.

The Holocaust is a hard thing to know about; yet the book itself is a story of great and hopeful courage and the difference which it made for most Danish Jews.  I visited Copenhagen (where the book is set) last year and walked down many of the same streets in the book, visiting the important sites, and seeing the brass markers  among cobblestones where resistance fighters met their  defiant end.  I brought back maps, tickets, photos, and such. It’s an amazing historical fiction story, based on the real experiences of the author’s best friend in childhood.  Told through the eyes of a child, it is a very appropriate way to begin learning some difficult parts of history.

In Social Studies, we are working on reviewing states 1-39 from the list.   As we learn, we are watching a series called, “How the States Got their Shapes.”  It is rated PG, and there are occasionally a salty word or PG situation, but it is very well made and extremely interesting.  It pulls together history, geography, and politics in a cohesive manner that is appealing to kids. The minor PG bits are far outweighed by the excellence of the rest. Tomorrow: Area 51!

In Science class, we are conducting a review of the scientific method as students participate in or assist an older student with their science fair project.   Your student will study a middle schooler’s project to see if it truly passes for an experiment.  SCIENCE FAIR is Wednesday Night at 6:30 in the Gym.  

Language Arts is subject/verb agreement and then plural noun oddities.

Spelling Lesson 29 Due Friday, Test Friday

Review States and Caps 1-39 this Friday.

Blessings and hugs,

Mrs. Steele