The Wise Owl: Read All About UES!

Our school's website features a blog updated daily by our principal, Chris Hennessy.  Please check it out to find out what's going on throughout the school.  You can find the link on our school website or go directly to http://ueswiseowl.blogspot.com/.

Band and Orchestra

As a fifth grader, your child has the chance to play in the orchestra and band.  Next Wednesday (9/4) we will see a demonstration of the various instruments your child can choose from.  Information about instrument rentals and joining band or orchestra will go home on that day.

Day Two

Today we explored math materials, defined poetry, read and wrote poems, played "Smaug's Jewels, created classroom jobs, and had a visit from our principal Mr. Hennessy.  Ask your child about reflective symmetry, rotational symmetry, diamante poems, and about those who shared what was in their sacks.

First Day!

We had a great first day back!  We spent time becoming reacquainted with the school, friends, teachers, and routines.  We also spent time writing and reading to get back into academic routines.  Ask your child about lunch groups, games we played, and about his or her first fifth grade homework assignment.  It was a long and exciting day.  I think that we will all sleep well tonight!

Welcome Back!

The classroom has been spruced up, I have been planning and planning, and I am ready for a new school year!  I am very excited to see everyone on Wednesday for the first day of school.  Look for the sign that says "Wendy" on the upper playground when the bell rings in a new year.  Please pack a snack and bring a water bottle to help fuel you throughout the day.  See you soon!

Last Day of School and Summer Skills

Dear Families,

It's hard to believe that it's already the last day of school.  The year has flown by, and the students have all grown so much this year!  To help keep their brains growing this summer, I encourage students to challenge themselves.  Here are a few suggestions how:

The Sumdog website (www.sumdog.com) is a fun and simple way to practice math.  Kids can choose one skill to focus on (for example multiplication), or work on a range of skills.  Though the problems they will be presented with do not require many steps or deeper thinking, they are timed and push kids to work quickly and accurately.  With addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, it's important to be fluent with facts.

A student in our class recently showed me another website for practicing skills that also brings rice donations to help alleviate world hunger (freerice.com).  This site explores many subject areas, so you can choose what your child needs to work on, or just what he/she is interested in testing knowledge about.  Correct answers result in rice donations, and incorrect answers are taught to the game player.

Yesterday students took notes on book presentations given by other 4th graders to get ideas for books to read this summer.  One of the best ways to support your child this summer is to encourage him/her to read!  Read together, create a book discussion group, or bring your child to the library.

Those are just a few ideas.  Remember, the more fun you can make learning, the more your child will want to do.  You can study maps on road trips, cook together to have your child work with fractions and measurements, and visit enriching museums.  If you have questions about how to support your child's learning this summer, don't hesitate to email me at WendyM@mpsvt.org.  Though I may not check my email daily over the summer, I will get back to you within a few days.

Thank you for a wonderful school year.  I look forward to working with all of you again next year.

Sincerely,


Wendy McGuiggan
4th/5th Grade Teacher

Rain Date for Field Day

Because of the wet weather we will hold field day on Monday, June 17 in Hubbard Park.