Newsletter, December 21st

A Peek At What We are Doing in Fifth Grade

It’s finally here.  Winter Break.  I hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas and enjoy time relaxing with family.   

Your child has picked his or her top choice for Wax Museum.  When we return in January, I will have a biography ready for your child to read and take notes.  As we had a few overlaps in the fifth grade, I have asked a few students to locate biographies on their own.  We’ll have plenty of time to do our research when we return so there is no need to do any work over the break.

We’ll be taking Winter Maps at the end of January during Math and Reading class.  Students will take their Block 2 Maps test on Monday, January 22nd and their Block 1 Maps test on Tuesday, January 23rd.  To give each students plenty of time, students will not have their other block on the days we Maps test.

Our Classroom blog is https://khalesclass.blogspot.com and our class twitter @HalesHomeroom.  

Dates to Remember:
School Starts Back - Monday, January 8th

Preston Middle School Open House - Tuesday, January 9th from 6:00 to 8:00

Spelling Bee - Wednesday, January 10th - around 1:30

Kinard Middle School - Wednesday, January 10th from 6:00 to 8:30

Fort Collins Symphony field trip - Thursday, January 18th - 11:00 am

School of Choice deadline - Friday, January 19th.

Middle School Visit at Zach on Wednesday, February 14th at 1:30

Wax Museum presentation night - Thursday, February 15th from 6:00 to 7:00

Fossil Ridge High School Stem Experiments

Newsletter, Dec. 15th

A Peek at What We are Doing in Fifth Grade

Our blog –  Our Written Word – with our completed informational books is ready for you, our audience. We’d love for you to read our work, learn something new about Westward Expansion in the United States and leave us positive comments.  The link to access it is https://ourwrittenwordhale.blogspot.com/.

On Thursday we started one of the big projects that students do in fifth grade, Wax Museum.  If you have older children who completed the project at Zach in previous years, you’ll notice some changes.  One big change is the timing.  We’ll have our presentation night Thursday, February 15th from 6:00 to 7:00.  Please mark your calendar.  A letter about the project came home on Thursday.

Since Thursday is our last day before the winter break, we are going to have a “cozy” afternoon.  The students can wear their Pjs to school and bring a pillow and a blanket from home.  After lunch, we’ll decorate and eat some cookies, enjoy some punch, and watch Home Alone.

We had some visitors from Fossil Ridge High School to teach us about STEM and share some fun experiments with us.  I included a few pictures from the afternoon on our blog.

We also celebrate Arda and Nathan’s birthday this week.  You can find their “who knews” on our classroom blog.

Our Classroom blog is https://khalesclass.blogspot.com and our class twitter @HalesHomeroom.   

Dates to Remember:

Winter Break - Friday, December 22 - Sunday, January 7th

Preston Middle School Open House - Tuesday, January 9th from 6:00 to 8:00

Kinard Middle School - Wednesday, January 10th from 6:00 to 8:30

School of Choice deadline - Friday, January 19th.

Middle School Visit at Zach on Wednesday, February 14th at 1:30

Wax Museum presentation night - Thursday, February 15th from 6:00 to 7:00

Happy Birthday!

We celebrated Nathan and Arda's birthdays this week.

Chemistry

Newsletter, November 21st

A Peek at What We are Doing in Fifth Grade

Did everyone enjoy the beautiful weather on their day off?  I spent the day completing report grades, but took a few hours off to enjoy the new movie Wonder with our book club students.

You should be receiving an email soon about a Parent Survey in which you can give feedback on your child’s teacher, me.  I know that we all have busy lives so I wanted to let you know that I value your feedback and would appreciate it if you would completed it.

Since the beginning of the year, your child has been, hopefully, saving up the ROAR tickets that he or she has been receiving for showing ROAR in fifth grade.  Today, the students were able to use those tickets to purchase their choice of free time this afternoon.

We celebrated another birthday today.  You can find Alex H. and Ben’s “Who Knew” on our homeroom blog.

Our Classroom blog is https://khalesclass.blogspot.com and our class twitter @HalesHomeroom.   

Enjoy your Thanksgiving Break.  

Dates to Remember:

Report Cards for the 1st Trimester will come home on Monday, November 27th.

Thanksgiving Break - Wednesday, November 22nd - Friday, November 24th

Winter Break - Friday, December 22 - Sunday, January 7th

Preston Middle School Open House - Tuesday, January 9th from 6:00 to 8:00

Kinard Middle School - Wednesday, January 10th from 6:00 to 8:30

School of Choice deadline - Friday, January 19th.

Middle School Visit at Zach on Wednesday, February 14th at 1:30

Wax Museum presentation night - Thursday, February 15th

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday, Ben and Alex!

Newsletter - November 10th

A Peek at What We are Doing in Fifth Grade

First of all, thank you for support the Scholastic Book Fair and all the Zach Gives Back activities that took place this week and will take place in the following weeks.  If you want more information about any of the opportunities to donate, you can find it on the Zach website.

Just in case you didn’t know, the students don’t have school on Friday, November 17th.  This is a teacher work day in which the teachers will be completing report cards.  Your child’s report card will come home on Monday, November 27th.

I have included a few pictures and video from our Civil War presentation on our classroom blog at https://khalesclass.blogspot.com.

Dates to Remember:

No School - Friday, November 17th.  

ROAR Reward Day - Tuesday, November 21st from 1:30 to 3:30

Report Cards for the 1st Trimester will come home on Monday, November 27th.

Thanksgiving Break - Wednesday, November 22nd - Friday, November 24th

Winter Break - Friday, December 22 - Sunday, January 7th

Book Buddies

Reading with our book buddies!

Civil War Presentation

A group from the Civil War club at Rocky Mountain High School came to Zach 

today to present to our fifth graders.  We enjoyed learning more about life during the Civil War.

Newsletter - November 3rd

A Peek at What We are Doing in Fifth Grade

Students have been doing a great job showing ROAR in specials.  On Wednesday, they surpassed 200 points earning them an “Everything Day” which we celebrated this afternoon.  

Thank you to everyone who helped with the Halloween party by either donating supplies, helping to set up, clean up, or running a game.  The kids had a good time.  I’ve posted a few pictures from our afternoon on our blog.

The students don’t have school on Friday, November 17th  to allow the teachers to get report cards completed.  Your child’s report card will come home on Monday, November 27th.

Our Classroom blog is https://khalesclass.blogspot.com and our class twitter @HalesHomeroom.   

Dates to Remember:

No School - Friday, November 17th.  

Report Cards for the 1st Trimester will come home on Monday, November 27th.

Halloween

Newsletter - October 27th

A Peek at What We are Doing in Fifth Grade

What did you think of student-led conferences?  Our goal was for students to start reflecting on and to begin to take ownership of their own learning.  Although I feel like I could have done some more coaching before the conference to prepare the kids, I think each student did an amazing job.  

On Halloween, Zach Elementary celebrates with an all-school costume parade that starts at 2:15.  After the parade, the fifth graders will head to the cafeteria for an all-fifth grade Halloween party.  

Please keep the following in mind when thinking of a costume. Costumes must be elementary - age appropriate - we have young children viewing the parade.  Masks are acceptable for the parade only. This means that masks cannot be worn before/after the parade in the school. Students need to be able to dress in the costume independently; makeup and hair can be done prior to school. No toy weapons (follow the student code of conduct).

Our Classroom blog is https://khalesclass.blogspot.com and our class twitter @HalesHomeroom.   

Dates to Remember:

Halloween - Parade starts at about 2:15.  The All-Fifth Grade Halloween party will take place in the cafeteria immediately following.

No School - Friday, November 17th.  

Report Cards for the 1st Trimester will come home on Monday, November 27th.

Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday, Brooklyn!

Newsletter, October 13th

A Peek at What We are Doing in Fifth Grade

We have completed our first writing unit, personal narratives.  To start the unit, we learned how to generate ideas then moved into drafting and finished with revising and editing our best draft.  I’ll send out an email to you next week with a link to “Our Written Word” blog where you will find our final pieces.  We would love for you to read our pieces then leave a comment.

Our upcoming conferences will be student-led.  The students will spend a little time next week preparing for this time by evaluating their progress so far this year and determining their goals for the rest of the year.  

Wow!  Parents, you are wonderful.  Thank you to those parents that attended our All-Fifth Grade Halloween planning meeting and for all the parents that signed-up to donate supplies or run games at the party.  You are the best.

Our Classroom blog is https://khalesclass.blogspot.com and our class twitter @HalesHomeroom.   

Dates to Remember:

Parent/Teacher Conference Days - Thursday, October 19th and Friday, October 20th - No School

Halloween - Parade starts at about 2:15.  The All-Fifth Grade Halloween party will take place in the cafeteria immediately following.

No School - Friday, November 17th.

Newsletter, October 6th

A Peek At What We are Doing in Fifth Grade

ECO Week was a blast. Although it started out snowy, we had some beautiful weather on Tuesday and Wednesday and the kids had a great time. We have a few items that were left behind at Eco Week that we have put out in Mrs. Odom’s modular.  If you think your child is missing something, please encourage your child to ask to go over and look or feel free to stop anytime before or during during conferences.    

Next Wednesday at 3:45, we will have an all-fifth grade Halloween Party planning meeting in Mr. Kenna’s room.  If you are available to help plan, please attend.  If you’d like to volunteer to put can’t attend the meeting and you signed up to help through our parent volunteer form, a signup genius link will be send out to you following the meeting.  If you’d like to help, but didn’t have an opportunity to complete the parent volunteer form you can access it at this link -  https://tinyurl.com/zach5vol.  

Fall conferences start Thursday, October 19th.   Conferences are 20 minutes long so please arrive on time. Please remember these are student led conferences – so students need to attend!  If we find we have more to discuss than the 20 minutes will allow, we will schedule another time to meet so I can honor everyone’s time.    

Our Classroom blog is https://khalesclass.blogspot.com and our class twitter @HalesHomeroom.  I’ve posted a few Eco Week pictures there for you.  

Dates to Remember:

All-Fifth Grade Halloween Party Planning Meeting - Wednesday, October 11th at 3:45 in Mr. Kenna’s room

Parent/Teacher Conference Days - Thursday, October 19th and Friday, October 20th - No School

A Look at Eco Week

Newsletter, September 28

A Peek At What We are Doing in Fifth Grade

Monday is the big day, ECO WEEK!  I hope everyone is at least half as excited as I am.  

Please plan to arrive about 9:00 on Monday.  With everyone else inside the school, we’ll have plenty of room to get everyone in the right place.

Your child should have a backpack/ daypack with gloves, jacket, hat, lunch, snack, 2 water bottles, and lip balm.  Everything else should be in his or her luggage.

When you arrive, please remember to have your child carry his or her luggage from the car.  Your first stop will be to put a tag on your luggage (Boys - Green & Girls - Yellow) and put the luggage in line for the luggage bus.  After we get the luggage bus loaded, we’ll have the kids get on the other buses.  The kids ride on the bus with their Eco Week group - bears, wolves, and moose are each on their own bus.  The pika group is split onto one of the three buses.  The kids should know which bus that they are on.  If your child is unsure which bus is his or hers, please ask a staff member.  Buses usually head out about 9:30.  Keep in mind that a quick kiss and a hug goodbye is sometimes best, but you are welcome to hang around and wave goodbye as we leave.   

If something comes up over the weekend or you have any questions, please email me.  Have a wonderful 3-day weekend.

Our Classroom blog is https://khalesclass.blogspot.com and our class twitter @HalesHomeroom.    

Dates to Remember:

Eco Week - Monday, October 2nd - Wednesday, October 4th

All-Fifth Grade Halloween Party Planning Meeting - Wednesday, October 11th at 3:45 in Mr. Kenna’s room

Parent/Teacher Conference Days - Thursday, October 19th and Friday, October 20th - No School

Newsletter, September 22

A Peek At What We are Doing in Fifth Grade

Eco Week is in less than a week away.  If you haven’t returned your forms, please do so on Monday.  If you haven’t started, begin encouraging your child to drink extra water each day and start wearing his or her hiking boots.  Just in case you need it, I’ve posted the packing list on my homeroom blog.

Next Thursday, September 28th, we will have a mock ECO day.  Your student will be with his or her ECO group and spend the day learning about Colorado Biomes, hiking, and asking/answering last minute questions. Please help us by making sure your student is prepared by bring only his or her backpack with hat, gloves, light jacket, rain poncho, lip balm, lunch, snack, and filled water bottles.  Please wear hiking boots.  

I hope everyone was able to find a good date and time for student-led conference.  If you haven’t signed up, you can visit this link to do it - http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0a4da9ad2da4fc1-studentled.  If you are unable to get a spot that works for you, please send me an email and I’ll we find a day and time that does.

We celebrated another birthday today.  You can find Owen’s “Who Knew” on our homeroom blog.

Our Classroom blog is https://khalesclass.blogspot.com and our class twitter @HalesHomeroom.    

Dates to Remember:

Collaboration Day - No School - Friday, September 29th  

Eco Week - Monday, October 2nd - Wednesday, October 4th

All-Fifth Grade Halloween Party Planning Meeting - Wednesday, October 11th at 3:45 in Mr. Kenna’s room

Parent/Teacher Conference Days - Thursday, October 19th and Friday, October 20th - No School

Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday, Owen!

The 5th Grade

First week of school fun!