I’ve finally got around to collecting a few photos from recent (and not so recent) events. Apologies for my pace on this, April was a bit of a whirlwind; we’ve just had news, as I’m sure some of your children have told you, that our little boy, Jeremiah, has been matched with the family that will adopt him and be his parents forever.
Jeremiah has lived with us for most of the school year and looking after a baby has been a big part of our lives since knowing your child, we’ve obviously become very attached to him. We set out to foster a baby who needed help, not knowing how long it would be for, but knowing that we would not adopt the child, no matter what; there was a lot of soul searching along the way, and sticking to our original plan certainly proved difficult as we grew to love Jeremiah more each day. Watching Hannah and Mimi interact with a 3,6,9 and now 12 month old has been amazing, there is so much beauty in watching your little ones become the big ones, and we know they are a little confused about why we can’t ‘keep him’.
We so appreciated the care Mimi received from her foster family until the age of 13 ½ months, and wondered if we would ever have the resolve to do such a thing. Watching them hand her over to us over four years ago, was heart breaking, we felt like the bad guys, taking her from people who obviously loved her, people who had shared their life, their home, and even their bed with her since she was one month old, we couldn’t help but think there was something wrong with this picture. Then as days turned into weeks, and weeks to months, she became our daughter, and completed our family. I expect something similar will happen with Jeremiah and there are many factors that should make the transition easier for him, and for us:
1. He has been with Caucasians for most of his life, so his new family’s physical appearance won’t be as shocking for him as it might have been for Mimi, living in one of the poorest provinces of China, Guizhou.
2. He has spent time with his new family over the last two weeks, been in his new home, and visited with them.
3. Jeremiah knows English and Chinese, he knows some speak one language, and some the other.
Right now, knowing he is with us for 15 more hours… is very very difficult and I’ve told the kids to expect me in sunglasses the next couple of days…
The much anticipated dance showcase is just around the corner! Please join us for an afternoon of amazing performances featuring ES, MS and HS students. Be prepared to be wowed with broadway, jazz, lyrical, hip hop, reggae, k-pop, ballet, contemporary and more!
Mark your calendars!
The much anticipated dance showcase is just around the corner! Please join us for an afternoon of amazing performances featuring ES, MS and HS students. Be prepared to be wowed with broadway, jazz, lyrical, hip hop, reggae, k-pop, ballet, contemporary and more! Two of our 5KP students and my own daughter Hannah are involved in this performance, I am looking forward to encouraging our students to live their dreams.
Yearbooks are selling like hotcakes! To avoid disappointment, we would like to stress that we only are selling 300 Yearbooks. Once this figure is reached, Yearbook sales will close.
If you did not receive a yearbook form, you are able to pay directly to the cashier so just give the cash to me, and I will make sure you get your yearbook.
Important Dates and Events • Band and Orchestra concert – Friday, May 11th at 1:15 p.m. • All Day Field trip to Jinshan Peasant Painting Village – Friday, May 18th • Memoir publishing party – Tuesday, May 22nd at 8:15 a.m. • Grade 5 Soccer Day – Tuesday, May 22nd • China Alive all-day field trip – Thursday, May 31st • Fifth Grade United Nations Day – Friday, June 1st at 10:30 a.m. (parents are welcome) • Step Up Day – Friday, June 1st • The Wonder Years: Puberty Week – June 4 to June 8 • Summer Sizzler – Thursday, June 7th • Moving Up Day – Friday, June 8th • Last Day of School – Tuesday, June 12th – School closes at 11:30 a.m.
We’ve started looking at Unit 12 in Math which focuses on rations and factorization. We will complete this unit and work on selected skills that the Middle School Math Department have said would benefit our students before they transition to sixth grade.
In Social Studies we are loving our Cultural Studies Unit. If you have a vpn, try and watch this video at home.
Our Memoirs Unit is going well in Writer’s Workshop, the kids are trying out many different ideas to stimulate their thinking for writing their own Memoir, which we will present to you on May 22nd, I hope to see you here.
…SO many times over the next month, you may want to come and camp out in the tent I’ve put up in our classroom!
However, there are a couple of events I’d really like you to attend if possible.
May 22nd is our soccer day, the last one for elementary, the 6th and final soccer day for some of those kids that have been here
since 3rd grade. Games kick off around 10 and whether or not you attend is up to you and your child; you can come for a little
while too, it doesn’t have to be the whole day. More details to follow on Soccer Day.
That morning, from 8.15, we are having our final writer’s celebration for our Memoir Unit which the kids have been working on for
the last two weeks now. I would LOVE for you to attend that session in our classroom.
The Friday before that, May 18th is our Field Trip to Jinshan Peasant Painting Village and I am short of volunteers, meaning, I have
not heard from anyone, so please e mail and let me know if you can chaperone 5KP with me that day, I am excited about this trip.
…SO many times over the next month, you may want to come and camp out in the tent I’ve put up in our classroom!
However, there are a couple of events I’d really like you to attend if possible.
May 22nd is our soccer day, the last one for elementary, the 6th and final soccer day for some of those kids that have been here since 3rd grade. Games kick off around 10 and whether or not you attend is up to you and your child; you can come for a little while too, it doesn’t have to be the whole day. More details to follow on Soccer Day.
That morning, from 8.15, we are having our final writer’s celebration for our Memoir Unit which the kids have been working on for the last two weeks now. I would LOVE for you to attend that session in our classroom.
The Friday before that, May 18th is our Field Trip to Jinshan Peasant Painting Village and I am short of volunteers, meaning, I have not heard from anyone, so please e mail and let me know if you can chaperone 5KP with me that day, I am excited about this trip.
A big thank you to Annette for recommending the book Letters from Rifka by Karen Hesse to me last Thursday. I finished the book this morning Annette, I couldn’t put it down. Although this book is now twenty years old and I had heard of it over the years, it took a student telling me enthusiastically how much they enjoyed it, for me to finally pick it up and read it. Thanks also to Aavia and Erika who told me about the Jean Craighead George book, My Side of the Mountain. I read it earlier last week and thoroughly enjoyed the adventures of Sam Gribley as he set off alone into the wilderness and look forward to reading the next two books in the series.
Enjoy a great long weekend 5KP families. Read something wonderful! Enjoy your time together.
Here is the latest list of dates for you to keep in mind… Busy days ahead!
No School for May Day – Monday, April 30 and Tuesday, May 1
Girls Scout Presentation – Thursday, May 3rd at 8 a.m.
Eagle Leaders Retreat with Puxi Eagle Leaders – Friday May 4th
Battle of the Books – Final Battle – Friday, May 4th
Band and Orchestra concert – Friday, May 11th at 1:15 p.m.
All Day Field trip to Jinshan Peasant Painting Village – Friday, May 18th
Memoir publishing party – Tuesday, May 22nd at 8:15 a.m.
Grade 5 Soccer Day – Tuesday, May 22nd
China Alive all-day field trip – Thursday, May 31st
Fifth Grade United Nations Day – Friday, June 1st at 10:30 a.m.
Step Up Day – Friday, June 1st
The Wonder Years: Puberty Week – June 4 to June 8
Summer Sizzler – Thursday, June 7th
Moving Up Day – Friday, June 8th
Last Day of School – Tuesday, June 12th – School closes at 11:30 a.m.
The Visiting Authors for April start rolling in tomorrow, read Mrs Boyer’s blog for more details and don’t forget to send your child in with cash if you wish to buy some books, the library will not be holding any this year, you’ll need cash up front. Here are the books that will be on sale over the next week:
So much is happening right now, well done to all the kids for completing their ERB tests and beginning the final round of ASA’s for the year, they’ve also submitted their elective choices for 6th grade which was pretty exciting. This week is zooming by and in 8 more weeks, most of us will be on vacation. But between now and then there is a lot going on that I need to tell you about. Hold on to your hats and mark these dates on your calendar!
ERBs – Second session – Thursday, April 19th
Author Visit – Kazu Kibuishi – Friday, April 20th at 10:45 a.m. in the library
Celebrate Graphic Novel Day – dress up as your favorite comic book character or wear an am amulet – Friday, April 20th
Author Visit-Phil Bidner 8.15 am in the library
Exercise Your Mind Day – dress up in your favorite sports outfit – Monday, April 23rd
Alumni speak to 5th grade at 10.45 about life at SAS over the last 100 years.
Author Visit – Kevin Lewis – Tuesday, April 24th ; Kevin’s talk is at 10:45 a.m. in the library
Hats Off to Reading Day – wear your favorite hat to school – Tuesday, April 24th
Fifth Grade Track and Field Day – Wednesday, April 25th (between 10 and 2, feel free to come and watch and cheer your child on)
Wacky Wednesday – wear wacky clothes, hair and shoes day – Wednesday, April 25th
Pajama Day and Cuddle Up with a Good Book Day – Thursday, April 26th
Rock Star Day – Friday, April 27th
Fifth Grade Photo Day – Don’t forget to wear your house shirt!! – 9:45 a.m. on Friday, April 27th
Unit 10 Math Test – Friday, April 27th (e mail coming with details)
No School for May Day – Monday, April 30 and Tuesday, May 1
Eagle Leaders Retreat with Puxi Eagle Leaders – Friday May 4th
Battle of the Books – Final Battle – Friday, May 4th
Band and Orchestra concert – Friday, May 11th at 1:15 p.m.
All Day Field trip to Jinshan Peasant Painting Village – Friday, May 18th
Grade 5 Soccer Day – Tuesday, May 22nd
China Alive Field Trip to Qibao
Step Up Day – Friday, June 1st
5th grade Cultural Studies/United Nations Day June 1st 10.30
Summer Sizzler – Thursday, June 7th
Moving Up Day – Friday, June 8th
Last Day of School – Tuesday, June 12th – School closes at 11:30 a.m.
It’s been great meeting again with so many of you over the last couple of days. I’m sure you’ve been as proud as I am
over the maturity your child has displayed as they’ve shown some of their work to you.
This week in math we began our new unit, unit 10, on Using Data, Algebra Concept and Skills and this morning I had
Mr. Hossack come in to do a mini-lesson on pan balance skills; he has strengths in this area and I use his expertise
this time each year, which the kids find fun.
I’ve found this site to be interactive and helpful, http://illuminations.nctm.org/ActivityDetail.aspx?ID=33
click on instructions or exploration and check it out with your child
It’s been great meeting again with so many of you over the last couple of days. I’m sure you’ve been as proud as I am over the maturity your child has displayed as they’ve shown some of their work to you.
This week in math we began our new unit, unit 10, on Using Data, Algebra Concept and Skills and this morning I had Mr. Hossack come in to do a mini-lesson on pan balance skills; he has strengths in this area and I use his expertise this time each year, which the kids find fun.
I’ve found this site he led me to, to be interactive and helpful, http://illuminations.nctm.org/ActivityDetail.aspx?ID=33 click on ‘instructions’ or ‘exploration’ and check it out with your child if you have the time, or if they have trouble with the concepts during the course of the unit.
We had 30 minutes of DEAR (drop everything and read) time Friday morning which the kids LOVED, as did I, and I hope a few more of them can bring in a donation on Monday for students who don’t have the same great facilities we have for reading. Our high schoolers are coming to collect money from our class for their GIFTS program which supports The Library Project so it is a school wide initiative.
Next Monday and Tuesday we’ll have our final practice session for the ERB test which happens next Wednesday and Thursday. Your child is well prepared, there is nothing for them to worry about; they should remember all they have been working on in class during the last three months when we focused on essay writing, pay attention to the rubric on the whiteboard and stay focused on putting in their best effort; the skills required are not new to them, they are ready to succeed.
ASA’s begin this week for the next 5 weeks. Scholastic Magazines went home Friday and are due back Tuesday, as are the course catalog pink sheets.
I hope you had a terrific weekend and well done again students on your great job with SLC’s.
Thanks to Mrs. Rekate for taking extensive notes during our Transition Meeting this morning with Mr. Rosen and Mr. Poulin, our Middle School Principals.
Your son/daughter may be coming home excited today (except for Pepo, Alex Z and Taeyun who most likely will not be at SAS Pudong in the Fall) because they received their Course Catalogue for Middle School. As a mother of a 5th grader, I know Hannah was thrilled to see how many electives there were for her to choose from next year. In a nutshell, the kids get to choose 8 electives, 1 of these is chosen for them, and then they will be allocated 4 (1 being the Mac and Me that is compulsory for the first quarter.) Pink Forms are due back Tuesday.
Middle School Transition Meeting
Below are some bullet point notes about the meeting so that you can talk to your children about today’s topics. You should also read the email from Mr. Rosen that you will receive later this week.
Course elective sheets must be done and brought to school by NEXT TUESDAY, APRIL 17th.
Who’s nervous about going to middle school and what are you nervous about?
almost everyone raised their hands
responsibilities
knowing where to go
forgetting your locker combinations
someone hacks into your computer
getting lost
losing the computer
how much stuff you have to carry around
8th graders bullying 6th graders
time management
homework
lots of projects
everything being too hard
REMEMBER – thousands of kids have done it before and they were able to deal with it, but everyone gets it and at their own pace and in their own time.
There will be a lot of change.
classroom design
moving from classroom to classroom
lockers
computers
BUT you will start developing the skills to deal with all the changes!
Mr. Poulin addressed some of the usual concerns:
Combination locks – one for sixth grade and one for PE locker
Being late for class –
Not having friends – once you get to MS, your friends will change a lot. The counselors and homebase teachers really watch out for you.
Cafeteria – you have to take care of your own card;
Being too different – being different is cool. Being the same is cool too. MS is a time of self discovery.
Tough classes – Remember, you thought grade five was hard when you were in Grade 3 and 4. Same idea. You will adapt and learn and get better.
Getting lost – It’s to be expected. You will figure it out.
Connections
we want you to make connections from one class to another
we want you to make connections from class to the outside world around us
we want you to make connections to yourself
Creativity
we value this highly in all classes, not just art, but math, science, language
How can you be a creative person?
It’s about thinking in creative ways.
Collaboration
it’s very important to be able to work in a group with others on projects to solve problems
you don’t have to like the people, BUT you need to be able to work with them!!
In life, you must have the skills to work with people.
It is an expectation in middle school.
Learning Should Be Challenging … But It Doesn’t Have to Be Stressful
A little bit of stress is okay. It’s good for you.
Thinking about exercising. It’s okay to put a little stress on your body. A little is okay. Same thing with your mind.
Next year, there will be times when you are stressed out.
There is a support network in place for you to learn how to deal with it.
You will learn how to deal and manage stress.
Community Service
The Giving Tree
By grade level – on China Alive trips
Join elective classes that are based on community service
Making the Most of Our Host Country Culture
continue to interact cross culturally
in PE classes, Chinese classes, regular classes
learn about it in an active way
Passions and Interests
program and course offerings are designed to recognize that people are different
Organization
Mac and Me elective class – everyone has to take this class. It will be fun AND we will teach you how to get organized technologically. Using iCal, digital sticky note, My Procrastinate. There are many tools. You will choose the one that is best for you.
Subscribe to teachers’ calendars and blogs
Technology and “The New Normal”
Your parents will be officially issued a Mac computer that they will “lend” to you for school use.
Night meeting for students and parents – during first two weeks of school to discuss expectations, rights and responsibilities.
What is a Student as a Learner Profile?
In addition to academic report card, teachers will grade on behavior categories as well.
4 behavior categories – cooperation and collaboration, preparation and organization, integrity and attitude, and active learning and effort
how you learn is WAY more important than a number.
What is Humanities?
ties history, literature, philosophy and ethics, different cultures, linguistics, law, archeology, writing, religion,
What is Homebase?
like an advisory program
5-7 minutes daily at the beginning of the day
attendance, announcements, daily check-in
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays – you will also meet in Homebase with 11-12 kids to learn about things that don’t get covered in academic classes (ie personal identity, relationships, community).
Big Three Questions – Who am I as a person? Who am I as a learner? Who am I as a part of a community?
HOT – Homework Opportunity Times
Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays – afterschool times for students to work on assignments with teacher supervision and help
Voluntary
If need be, teachers will ask students to attend to get extra homework help.
These will supersede sports commitments
China Alive
“Week without Walls” in May — Moganshan, Wild Wall, Xi’an and Sichuan
Bonding Day – Century Park in October
for teachers and students to bond through fun, outdoor, team building activities
Programs and Activities
ASA – After School Activities
CISSA – China International School Sports Association – soccer, floor hockey, cross country, table tennis, badminton. Doesn’t matter if you aren’t good at it. Sign up, get exercise and have fun.
MYG Night – 5 times a year; night events; dances; hang out; dodge ball tournaments (MYG is GYM spelled backwards)
Course Catalogues – Mr. Rosen highlighted the following items and pages.
bottom of first page – NOTE TO STUDENTS: CHOOSE THOUGHTFULLY AND CAREFULLY
bottom of first page – NOTE TO PARENTS – YOUR CHILDREN APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT AND GUIDANE, AND THEY ALSO APPRECIATE BEING GIVEN THE FREEDOM TO EXPLORE NEW AND UNIQUE INTERESTS. TRUST THEM!
Electives – Tuesday and Thursdays, last bloc; choose 8, you will get 4 of them.
Pudong Middle School Course Selection – first pink page – you will have a choice for foreign language and performing arts; needs student and parent signature
Everything before first pink page – includes info about language and arts
White pages between first and second pink pages – descriptions about elective programs; about 100 courses; no grades; most electives last about 9 weeks, some are full year, some one trimester.
Everyone must sign up for “Mac and Me”
Electives – except for Mac and Me, all other electives will have 7th and 8th graders as well
There is a sample “electives sign up sheet” for you to look at.
How much fun did you have today 5KP? Was that cool or what?
On the weekend, Simon and I were out at Hotel Indigo’s CHAR restaurant when we were offered not one, not three, but SIX different types of salt to spice up our steak. We chose between Himalayan Pink, Murray River Pink, Cyprus Flake, New Zealand Natural, Bolivian Rose and Fleur de Sel. After taking photos and oohing and aahing we dug in to one of the best steaks we’ve had in a long time, with one of the saltiest array of condiments which was so much fun, considering that the students and I have been learning about salt for the last couple of weeks in science.
I set the students the challenge of writing me a report on what they could discover about a salty situation. One of the favorite sites the kids found was saltworks.us where they were amazed with how many salts there were on offer. The class searched and copied and cut and pasted their way around the net and their blogs for the remainder of the afternoon; calling each over to share in their learning. It was a really great lesson and exciting to see so much engagement over something many of us just take for granted as being there, white and well… salty!
Our learning today will be a terrific complement to our lesson tomorrow where we attempt to saturate a salt solution… stay tuned 5KP Scientists!
In other news…
Many of you are coming out to SAS this Friday night. Here are the bus details that were e mailed to you earlier.
Bus Times – Animal Rescue Fun Night March 23rd
Bus
Bus Stops
Arrive time
Bus Monitor
Green
Green Villa I.II.III (No. 777 MingYue Rd gate)
6:10pm
庄玲 18917695138
Green Court I (LanAn Rd)
6:15pm
Green Court II (BiYun Rd)
6:20pm
Yellow
Vizcaya (YunShan Rd)
6:10pm
黄珍珍 18930702687
Green Hills (Club House)
6:15pm
Shimao Lakeside Garden(MingYue Rd)
6:20pm
Purple
Palm Spring Villas (TangLong Rd)
5:55pm
郁美华 13917415653
Century Garden (YinXiao Rd)
6:25pm
XiangMei Garden (MeiHua Rd)
6:30pm
Blue
Regency Park (LiuShan Rd)
6:20pm
张惠娟 13818062532
Yanlord Town (DingXiang Rd)
6:25pm
Shimao Riviera Garden (WeiFang Rd)
6:40pm
Yanlord Garden (PuMing Rd)
6:45pm
Brown
Tomson Beautiful Space (GuangLan Rd)
6:05pm
戴玉萍 13817508509
Tomson Golf (LongDong Ave)
6:15pm
LongYang Metro
6:20pm
Portman Hotel
6:50pm
Red
Emerald(Clubhouse)
6:10pm
陆萍 15800927366
Tiziano Villa(XiuYan Rd)
6:20pm
Orange
Mandarin City (Clubhouse)
6:40pm
凌丽华 13482849316
Marriott Hotel HongQiao
6:50pm
Other options: Links / personal car
Plese note
Your child will also bring home a letter on Thursday to remind you
which stop you have chosen, and whether s/he will walk
home or be picked up.
Also note
We are hoping that many of you are still planning to hand in
your 50 kuai donation if you have not done so already.
Please send the money on March 23rd, in an envelope marked
Fun Night.
Here are the student led conference times I have for parents so far; please respond to the e mail I sent you confirming your time by Friday.
Thurs April 12th
12:30 – 1:30 – Erika
1:30 – 2:30 – Mia
2:30 – 3:30 – Taeyun, Josh,
3:30 – 4:30 – (My own children’s conferences)
Friday April 13th
12:30 – 1:30 –Annette, Aavia
1:30 – 2:30 – Claire, Sheung Yee, Bevan, Alex L
2:30 – 3:30 - (My own children’s conferences)
Here is a fun Friday photo of our students enjoying their author visit with Kathryn Lasky and her photographer husband Christopher Knight.
Dates for your calendar:
MAP Testing (Reading) – Wednesday, March 21st at 8:15
MAP Testing (Language Usage) – Thursday, March 22nd at 8:15
Last day before spring break – Wednesday, March 28th
Spring Break – Thursday, March 29th to Sunday, April 8th
Back to School – Monday, April 9th
Day Without Shoes – Tuesday, April 10th
Transition to Middle School Meeting for students – Wednesday, April 11th
Student Led Conferences – Thursday, April 12th and Friday, April 13th
Author Visit – Kazu Kibuishi – Friday, April 20th
Author Visit – Phil Bildner – Tuesday, April 24th
Fifth Grade Track and Field Day – Wednesday, April 25th
No School for May Day – Monday, April 30 and Tuesday, May 1
Band and Orchestra concert – Friday, May 11th
All Day Field trip to Jinshan Peasant Painting Village – Friday, May 18th
Grade 5 Soccer Day – Tuesday, May 22nd
Step Up Day – Friday, June 1st
Summer Sizzler – Thursday, June 7th
Moving Up Day – Friday, June 8th
Last Day of School – Tuesday, June 12th – School closes at 11:30 a.m.
A club just for 4th and 5th Grade girls to enhance self esteem through running!
What will we do?
We will talk, laugh, learn about ourselves and all the things that make us special, all while training to run and then running an all girl 5K!
Why?
Because running is a great way to have fun, get healthy, and learn how strong you really are!
Will it just be running?
No! Along with running we have lots of games, activities, and discussions all about the things that are affecting young girls. Some of our topics include; bullying, gossip, making healthy decisions, standing up for myself, healthy body image and more!
Why a 5K?
Because you can!
Do I have to be able to run fast?
No! Our final 5K is not a competitive race, but a celebration of what we can do when we work hard and dedicate ourselves to something. Run Like a Girl is not about being the fastest runner – it is about being your best self and appreciating how special you are!
When?
Tuesdays and Fridays – starting April 10 and ending with our very own 5K on Saturday, June 2nd!
Time and Place?
On the track, right after school until 4:15. Girls will take the 4:30 Activity Bus home – not the ES ASA bus.
How do I sign up?
Have your parents fill out the attached sheet and turn it into your teacher before March 28. Space is limited – register early!
Questions?
Inga Lawler jlawler2@comcast.net or call Inga at 18721804964
Kimbra Power
http://teachers.saschina.org/kpower
>>> Kimbra Power 03/07/12 8:59 PM >>>
It’s that time of the year, so get your spring cleaning started early because the Orphanage Club’s Annual Yard Sale is just around the corner! Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, March 19, 20, and 21 are the big days (8:00-2:30 daily in main hallway by the pool). Gently used clothes, toys, games, and other items that could use a “new home” are welcome. Drop off your “sale-able” items in the boxes outside the High School Counseling Office, the cafeteria, and Elementary Library no later than Thursday, March 15.
SAS elementary school is pleased to announce that we will be holding Student Led Conferences on April 12th and 13th. This means that you and your child will attend the conference together. Student Led Conferences will provide your child the opportunity to showcase his/her accomplishments, reflect on their learning, and to practice their oral communication skills. Teachers will only be observers during this conference and provide guidance if necessary.
Time slots will be scheduled for one hour for each conference, but the conferences may vary from 30 to 45 minutes depending upon the child and grade level. In general you may plan on spending approximately 30 minutes in your child’s classroom and then proceed to visit specialist classrooms as well. Your conference schedule will be sent home on March 23rd. Any requests for change must be made directly to classroom teachers before April 6th.
Thursday, April 12th from 12:15-5:15
Friday, April 13th from 12:15-4:15
Thank you for your partnership & looking forward to seeing you soon!
A reminder that our math unit test tomorrow students will need to be able to…
*convert between fractions, decimals, and percents
*find common denominators
*order and compare fractions
*add and subtract mixed numbers with like denominators
*multiply fractions and mixed numbers
We will celebrate Pajama Day next Thursday, March 15th.
“Just Because…it is cold outside and the weather is yucky, we love reading in our pajamas, we can’t take another day gray…”
Attention SAS, Introducing . . .
Run Like a Girl
Spring 2012
What is it?
A club just for 4th and 5th Grade girls to enhance self esteem through running!
What will we do?
We will talk, laugh, learn about ourselves and all the things that make us special, all while training to run and then running an all girl 5K!
Why?
Because running is a great way to have fun, get healthy, and learn how strong you really are!
Will it just be running?
No! Along with running we have lots of games, activities, and discussions all about the things that are affecting young girls. Some of our topics include; bullying, gossip, making healthy decisions, standing up for myself, healthy body image and more!
Why a 5K?
Because you can!
Do I have to be able to run fast?
No! Our final 5K is not a competitive race, but a celebration of what we can do when we work hard and dedicate ourselves to something. Run Like a Girl is not about being the fastest runner – it is about being your best self and appreciating how special you are!
When?
Tuesdays and Fridays – starting April 10 and ending with our very own 5K on Saturday, June 2nd!
Time and Place?
On the track, right after school until 4:15. Girls will take the 4:30 Activity Bus home – not the ES ASA bus.
How do I sign up?
Have your parents fill out the attached sheet (I will also e mail it to you) and turn it into your teacher before March 28. Space is limited – register early!
Questions?
Inga Lawler jlawler2@comcast.net or call Inga at 18721804964
Time for a Spring Clean (maybe it will help bring on some Spring weather)
It’s that time of the year, so get your spring cleaning started early because the Orphanage Club’s Annual Yard Sale is just around the corner! Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, March 19, 20, and 21 are the big days (8:00-2:30 daily in main hallway by the pool). Gently used clothes, toys, games, and other items that could use a “new home” are welcome. Drop off your “sale-able” items in the boxes outside the High School Counseling Office, the cafeteria, and Elementary Library no later than Thursday, March 15.
Student Led Conferences on April 12th and 13th
SAS elementary school is pleased to announce that we will be holding Student Led Conferences on April 12th and 13th. This means that you and your child will attend the conference together. Student Led Conferences will provide your child the opportunity to showcase his/her accomplishments, reflect on their learning, and to practice their oral communication skills. Teachers will only be observers during this conference and provide guidance if necessary.
Time slots will be scheduled for one hour for each conference, but the conferences may vary from 30 to 45 minutes depending upon the child and grade level. In general you may plan on spending approximately 30 minutes in your child’s classroom and then proceed to visit specialist classrooms as well. Your conference schedule will be sent home on March 23rd. Any requests for change must be made directly to classroom teachers before April 6th.
Thursday, April 12th from 12:15-5:15
Friday, April 13th from 12:15-4:15
Thank you for your partnership & I look forward to seeing you again soon!
We’ve got some great activities going on to complement our math program right now. Students have been introduced to IXL math over the last two weeks and have put in over 35 hours on this site answering over 5000 problems; surely the extra skills practice will extend their learning, they are certainly having fun mastering specific categories, remembering that fractions and ratios are the focus for the next few weeks.
Our class has also been signed up for the World Education Games. The World Education Games is the exciting event for ALL schools and students around the world. It runs from 6-8 March, involving 5.5million students from over 200 countries and territories. Practice opens on 1 February. This is the global challenge to get ALL students (4-18 years of age) excited about learning, and to give the top students in each school an opportunity to see how they measure up against the best.
The format is: 1 February – The Games open for Practice 6 March – World Spelling Day 7 March – World Maths Day 8 March – World Science Day
Everyone has received their username and password and they can now start practicing during their free time. It’s lots of fun and kids get to challenge others from all over the world in real-time!
Do you like animals? Do you like doing fun, animal-themed activities? Do you like munching on popcorn while watching animal movies and thinking about how much you like animals? If the answer to these questions is yes, you should come to Animal Rescue’s Elementary School Fun Night!
You’ll be divided up by grade level (grades 1-3, grades 4-5) and even if you’ve seen the movie before, we also have fun activities, snacks, HS students arranged to talk with you about our club, and buses to bring you home. So make sure to bring your friends on Friday, March 23rd! We aren’t charging admission but suggest a 50RMB donation, with all money going to Jaiya’s Animal Rescue. Permission forms will be coming around on February 21st and 22nd; you have until Feb 29th to turn them in to your teacher, along with your donation. Don’t miss out!
Invention Convention Update
Parents, in class today we looked at past 5KP Invention Convention Presentations to give our students a better idea of the end product they are expected to create. Please take 5 minutes to read Mrs Rekate’s blog post, where she gives more details, showcases several former students, and hopefully puts your mind at ease over this project. The main message is:
We are more interested in process than end result!
Writing and Reading
In our Writing and Reading Workshop lessons, students are learning about various inventors, and writing their Research Paper on a particular invention or inventor they are interested in. This paper will be due by Wednesday the 29th of February as we will then display it, along with your child’s invention or research project, on Friday March 2nd.
Friday March 2nd: You’re invited!
Please plan on being here at school between 8.00 and 9.30 that morning. Activities will begin shortly after 8 am with all students showing off their work at their desks and in the 5th grade project area. We will then move over to the Library Lecture Hall by the Main Cafeteria at about 8.45 to have our New Inventors Show with special guest judges. The main winner of the New Inventors Show will win a one year family pass to the Science and Technology Museum in Pudong; you won’t want to miss this thrilling showcase from the ‘best of the best’.
Math
We reviewed the Unit 7 math test today; things were not as bad as they seemed last Friday (apologies for anxiety caused, I had a substitute teacher mark the test which did result in some confusion). This test was actually a more difficult test for many of the students however so far the class average is 88% which is pretty impressive. Well done to Erika for earning her 3rd perfect score this year and a big congratulations to the following students who showed improvement between Unit 6 and Unit 7; Michelle, Taeyun, Pepo, Joon Soo, Aavia and Alex A; especially considering this was an intense unit.
We begin our next unit on Fractions and Ratios tomorrow. Students will benefit from working on the IXL site, in particular on the ‘L’ and ‘V’ sections.
Do you like animals? Do you like doing fun, animal-themed activities? Do you like munching on popcorn while watching animal movies and thinking about how much you like animals? If the answer to these questions is yes, you should come to Animal Rescue’s Elementary School Fun Night!
You’ll be divided up by grade level (grades 1-3, grades 4-5) and even if you’ve seen the movie before, we also have fun activities, snacks, HS students arranged to talk with you about our club, and buses to bring you home. So make sure to bring your friends on Friday, March 23rd! We aren’t charging admission but suggest a 50RMB donation, with all money going to Jaiya’s Animal Rescue. Permission forms will be coming around on February 21st and 22nd; you have until Feb 29th to turn them in to your teacher, along with your donation. Don’t miss out!
*Letters from Rifka by Karen Hesse*My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George*Wonder by R.J. Palaciao*Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos*Marshfield Dreams by Ralph Fletcher*The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obrecht*A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan*Catching Up or Leading the Way by Yong Zhao*Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris*Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm*The Hangman's Daughter by Oliver Potzsch*Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel*When will there be Good News by Kate Atkinson*The Mill River Recluse by Darcie Chan*The Last Letter by Kathleen Shoop*The Opposite of Fate by Amy Tan*Rules for Virgins by Amy Tan*The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins*The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein*Redfield Farm by Judith Redline Coopey*Moby Dick by Herman Melville*Red Scarf Girl by Ji-li Jiang*Tiger Rising by Kate Di Camillo*Deadly Intent by Linda La Plant*The Bone Collector's Son by Paul Yee*The Red Pony by John Steinbeck*The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai*Your Ten-to-Fourteen Year Old by Louise Bates Ames*One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson*Double Luck by Lu Chi Fa*This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper*The Good Earth by Pearl Buck*Case Histories by Kate Atkinson*Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate*Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin*The Friends by Kazumi Yumoto*Blubber by Judy Blume*A Jar of Dreams by Yoshiko Uchida*Crazy Fish by Norma Fox Mazer*Junebug by Alice Mead*The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs by Betty G. Birney*The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley*Room by Emma Donoghue *The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas*The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had by Kristin Levine
*The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare *Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson *Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
