I need to start out with a request from everyone in the class - parents and students. I know this is a little presumptuous but I want to avoid any unpleasantness or embarrassment. Korea has very strict anti-graft laws that affect public employees. That is me. With this in mind I must ask that you not have a gift for me this Christmas. While I am thankful for all the students I have in my room and I love them all a great deal, there is no need for them to show this. Having them in my room each day is a gift in itself and the growth I am seeing already this year is more than reward enough. I hope you understand and please know I do not do this to be disrespectful - I really do love my class a great deal and that is fine for me.
There is a lot happening this coming week. The biggest event is both the lead-up-to and final band/choir concert for grade 4 and 5. This is on Thursday at 10:30 am in the Lyso Center. Mon-Wed all students have a band rehearsal so they need their instrument on Monday and it will remain at school for the entire week going home on Thursday after the concert.
All students need to have their formal attire for the concert on Thursday. As I understand it, this is a white shirt, black pants/skirt & socks and dress shoes. I believe that this has been announced in several of the last band notes that Mrs. Holbrook sent home. If you are unsure please make sure you contact her in advance.
Just before the concert will be the first parent meeting for Grade 5 Exhibition. It is in the ES Veranda starting at 9:00. We will make sure that everyone is out in time to get to the Lyso for the concert.
The grade 5 classes will be co-sponsoring the ES Market Bazaar on Tuesday and Wednesday. We have things to sell and also games to play. Should be a neat opportunity.
There is the all school Christmas concert on Wednesday at 5:00 pm in the Lyso Center. There is a group of musicians from 5D playing in this concert.
The grade 2/3 concert is on Wednesday starting at 9:20am.
Friday is our class Christmas Lunch. I have a mom who will order and deliver the pizza, and a couple of moms making treats for the kids. I will supply drinks, fruit and cookies. I also have a lot of plates, napkins and cups - I think we are all set to go. I do fully believe that my class has earned this. It will be a great social time for the students. Later in the afternoon I also have a surprise for them.
Even with all of this, we will still have our regular math, writing and reading classes. The current math unit on area of triangles will be completed this week since it is only two lessons long. I forgot to send the parent letter last week so it is attached to this letter.
I have also uploaded a holiday booklet to our Google Classroom. If students are bored or need some time fills, this book is filled with a lot of activities that are fun and also help learning along. Enjoy as needed.
I will not send out another class letter until the weekend we return to school. I want to take this time to wish everyone a Merry Christmas a prosperous and healthy new year. For those of you traveling, please stay safe and enjoy your time away. For those remaining, enjoy the respite from school and take the time to be with friends and family.
daw.com - December 8
This coming week is filled with lots and lots of things going on in 5D but first is some organizational things.
For the class luncheon on Dec 20 I need several families to bake some cookies for desert. I will supply the pizza, drinks and snacks. If I could have three families each supply 2 dozen cookies that would be great. Please let me know.
I want to let you know how proud I was of your students this week as we did the sewing of baby cloths for orphans. We got this all done on Tuesday and I have to say what an excellent job they all did. Once again, we talked about how important it is to help each other out in times of need and this was an excellent way for the the class to be involved in a service project. I would like to announce to all of you that the entire class was also involved - everyone donated the money needed for this project. It made my heart feel really good to see these youth doing something for someone they will never even know. My hearty congrats to 5D.
This week the class will host Mrs. Baird who is the school PYP coordinator. She will be taking the students through a further process that will prepare them eventually for exhibition. We started this process last month with Inspired Citizens and these are the next steps. In case some of you have not heard, Mr. Webb, the former Asst. Principal will return for the remainder of the year as the PYP coordinator.
The lower school concert is on Wednesday so we have been invited to attend. Since they will attend ours and because several of my students have siblings in these grades, it is a good idea to support them.
For our UOI this week there are 4 stations that each class will go through. Each of the teachers has taken one of our Lines of Inquiry and drawn up an exercise for the classes. Mine is on wants and needs and they will be doing a simulation about producing shoes. I have used this before with great success. Should be interesting.
Our reading and writing unit on poetry is moving along nicely with a look a various forms of poetry and some famous poets. Were are reading these out loud as that is the way poetry is meant to be studied.
Our next math unit is area of triangles and it will start on Wednesday. Not a hard unit, but an important one for both geometry and algebra in the future. We will complete Algebra on Tuesday with the final assessment.
The students asked about Secret Santa this past week and I made the decision to not have it. In truth, I have had a lot of problems with this in the past so when we talked about it in class meeting, they should now understand why I have said no. If they wish to do a gift exchange with their best friends that us fine, but nothing will be set up here in the classroom.
The holidays are not far off and if anyone is planning on leaving early, please let me know so I can plan properly. Thanks in advance for this.
That is all for this week. If you have questions or concerns please let me know and I will set up a time for us to meet.
daw.com - December 1
I do hope everyone had a great holiday. While it is was short, I am sure the respite from the regular routine was well worth it.
Here are some important happenings this week;
Band is on Tuesday and Thursday. Thursday is to make up for the missed lesson last week.
Swimming ends this week.
Tuesday is our sewing of the cloths for the babies at the orphanage.
Tuesday from 12:45-1:30 is our class celebration. Hope some of you can make it.
Thursday is the SFS bazaar. If students want to purchase something they will need some money - I would suggest no more than W10,000.
Thursday is also our Holiday Service Celebration. More later on this.
Friday is a class with Mrs. Breedlove on the digital portion of our Governance unit.
Whew - that already sounds like a full week but there is still more.
Our unit on Algebra is progressing nicely and will finish this Friday with the final assessment. It is a short unit with only three lessons and some review. I have the previous math assessment all finished and it will go home on Monday.
Our writing unit on Poetry will look at the Cinquain, the Lune and the Sense poem. Students will be writing their own poetry within all three of these forms. Our literary device we will look at will be Alliteration which is the repetition of the starting sound - “Chubby cheeks on the child”. I expect some funny responses to some of these.
The reading of poetry continues to look a verse, symmetry and form. Within all this is the reading out loud of poetry. All students have to do this over the week and I am very pleased with what I have seen so far. Finding and maintaining a rhythm is not always easy. We will also look a memorizing a poem this week and then reciting it from memory.
Our unit on governance started with a look at what it takes to govern. We did an activity where leadership, cooperation, communication and teamwork all played an important role. The students really had a good time and a lot was learned. This week we will look at our needs and wants starting with the individual and moving up to the class, school, and community.
I have completed report cards now and if there is anyone needing to meet with me about these, please let me know. I will set up a time with you.
This week we have a grade 5 Holiday Service Celebration planned for Thursday afternoon. Students will be able to move between five stations as they make and do things for charity and service. As I have talked previously, I believe this to be an important part of a Childs growth so this will give them yet another opportunity to experience helping others they do not even know. My station will be making things for the ES bazaar sale.
If anyone is planning on leaving for the Christmas break early, please take the time to let me know. There is a lot of planning in the last week of school and I want everything to run smoothly. I also really appreciate knowing in advance so I can plan as well.
As always, if you have anything you need to talk to me about please let me know so I can make a time for us to meet.
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