FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE CLASSROOM   This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

  This is the last newsletter of the year, which is hard to believe.  The rest of the school year passed so quickly.  Our Graduation and End of the Year Program will be Tuesday, June 21, at 7:00pm.  The fifth graders will be wearing a cap and gown, so be sure that your child wears comfortable clothing underneath, so that they do not become overheated.  Fourth graders should also dress nicely, but comfortably—because the chapel will be quite warm in June with all the families attending this program.  The PTL will have a special treat outside after the ceremonies—thank you PTL!

The new, special Awards Chapel will also be on Tuesday, June 21, but at 8:45am, during our last Chapel of the school year.  All of the children who have earned awards for perfect school attendance, fitness, or academics will be receiving recognition at this event.  Please join us at this Awards Chapel and help make it a special one for all the kindergarten through fifth grade students.

Even though the year is wrapping up, academics continue, which becomes more difficult for the children as the weather turns warm and “outside” beckons to each one.  “Summer-itus” hits about this time each year, when it becomes a struggle to sit down for homework.  It affects work in the classroom too, as students’ eyes are often straying to the window and the lovely view outside.  We just need to remind them of the good news—t hat there are only a few more weeks of work until summer is here!

  In reading, both groups are reviewing author’s purpose in writing and working on making their own writing more interesting with “parallelism and exaggeration.”

  Our state ELA and Math tests are finished, but fourth grade science testing is right around the corner.   The fourth graders actually look forward to that as it includes actual experiments that they always enjoy—even as a test.

  In science, we have been discussing the Earth and the material of which it is made.  The students found it interesting that we live and walk on the “crust”, which is actually a very small fraction of the total material that makes up the “globe” of Earth.  It’s wonderful that the children voted on the caverns for our fieldtrip—it will be a wonderful “wrap-up” for this chapter in science.

  Our end of the year fieldtrip to Howe Caverns is scheduled for Friday, June 3.  We’ll leave from school just as soon as everyone has arrived.  The trip will take about three hours with bathroom breaks.  The caverns will be cool, so please be sure you child brings a light jacket for the trip so he or she is not cold in the caves.  Also, be sure they eat a hearty breakfast, as I’m not sure if we will be able to have snack before we go on the tour.  We will be able to have lunch in their picnic area.  No drinks or food is allowed in the cavern itself—and be ready for lots of climbing and stairs during the 80 minute tour.  We will have dinner at Pizza Hut in Owego, and all parents are welcome to join us for this event.  The children are excited about the trip and are already making extensive plans.  Be sure to bring your camera!

  Thank you parents and children for a wonderful year--God Bless and have a great summer!

  Miss Pawlak