May 15

Tulip Time picture have been posted on the blog under the smugmug site.  Feel free to check those sweet kids out!  

Curriculum Highlights this Week:

Math:  We have begun our final unit of the year dealing with fractions.  This week we learned that fractions are made up of equal parts, what the numerator and denominator mean, how to find fractions with different denominators on a number line, and what equivalent fractions are.  This is a tough concept, but we are doing great as long as we continue to draw pictures of what we are working on so we can visually see the fractions we are dealing with.

 

Bible:  This week we looked at the covenant the Israelites made with God.  We focused on each of the commandments this week and how God gives us these to help us live a life that draws us closer to Him.  We saw how quickly the Israelites forgot this covenant and worshipped the Golden Calf instead.  Moses punishes them for their disobedience and God forgives his people.  What an incredible God we serve!

Our Bible Memory is Romans 8: 38-39.  This is new to the class so reviewing at home would be helpful.  

Social Studies:  We have been studying the French explorers and their journey into the Great Lakes region.  We looked at the goods the French traded with the Native Americans and the importance of the trading posts. We then saw how the British came and took over the land.  The students are loving this unit....to the point where they are acting it out on the playground during their recesses!  It makes me smile!

Reading:  We have been working on our biography unit.  Your child is reading about a person that they chose to study.  We are learning all about our subjects and the tie period they lived in along with the decisions that they made and the challenges that they faced.  They are enjoying this unit especially as they are finding out that many of their subjects are overlapping and lived during the same time periods.

Writing:  We are working on our last writing unit of the year-personal essays.  Your child last week learned how to identify a big idea and support that with real life examples.  They also learned how to create their opinion statement (thesis) and support it with short stories from their own life.  They have been working very hard on this.

Upcoming Events:

• Discovery Test:  The Math section will be given on Monday morning and the Reading section will be given on Wednesday morning. 
• Native American Voyagers:  Hemmlock Crossings will be coming to our school on Tuesday morning to do a lot of activities with our class dealing with our Social Studies unit.  This should be a very fun morning!  Dress your child for the weather as we will be outside for much of our morning.
• Girls on the Run:  They are holding a bake sale after school on Monday.
• Monday, May 25- No School.  Memorial Day
• Tetrahedron Kites:  The final week of school we will be making tetrahedron kites to conclude our Math units.  A detailed letter went home in the homework folders on Friday.  We are asking for volunteers on Monday, June 1 and Thursday, June 4 to help with this project.  If you are able to help with one or both dates, please email Lynae at lstielstra@hollandchristian.org.   Each child will need to bring a small package of colored tissue paper (8-10) sheets which they may bring into school at any time.  
• June 5:  Last day.  Dismissal at 11:30.