Week 3 - September 19 - 23

Curriculum Night - Please join us on Tuesday from 6:30 - 8. You will have an opportunity to sign up for Parent-Teacher conferences and hear about what we will do this year.


Parent Camp Meeting - Thursday, September 22 at 6pm. Come to the cafeteria, hear about camp, ask questions!

Math - The students completed the Beginning of the Year assessment and we are underway with Unit 1 in Everyday Math. The students should be working on homework nightly as well as completing Xtramath if they did not have an opportunity to do so in class. On the right side of this blog is a link to Xtramath. Here are the outcomes for Unit 1:

Book Orders - Book orders are due by Tuesday, September 20th. You can order on line directly or send in an order with payment if you are interested.

Practice drills - We have had a fire drill and a severe weather drill so far. The class has done a great job with both of these. We will continue to have a couple of these before the cold weather sets in. We will also, at some point this year, have a coupld of lockdown drills. This will be the same or similar to ones in the past.

Week 2 - September 12 - 16

We all survived the first week! Thank you for sending your children ready to learn and get used to fifth grade. The heat made it difficult but it seems as though we might have it a bit easier this week. Please be sure to check and sign your child's planner nightly.

Curriculum Night is coming!
Please join us for Curriculum Night on Tuesday, September 20 from 6:30 - 8pm. There will be information on what we will work on this year as well as camp information. The PTO will present and you will have opportunities to volunteer in the building.

NWEA 
The testing window will begin soon. When I know the dates of our math and reading testing I will post it on the "Important Dates" link on the blog.

PLTW 
We will be starting Project Lead The Way this week. Your child will have this class on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 8:55 - 9:55 all of first semester.

Homework
Students will have homework most nights. It should take about an hour to complete this. There will be a math page that will follow what was done in class that day or the previous day. With the remaining time students should read for half an hour and do some other type of academic work. Other options are things like Xtramath or Khan Academy.

Week 1 - September 6 - 9

Welcome to Mrs. Embry's Fifth grade class!

I'm very excited to start a new school year at Pattengill. I'm looking forward to getting to know all of the students.  Please be sure to visit this page for updates, information on the classroom and the school, and resources that could be helpful. 

Planners - Please be sure to check and sign your child's planner daily. The homework will be listed daily.

Curriculum Night - This year Curriculum Night will be on Tuesday, September 20th from 6:30 - 8pm. Meet first in the cafeteria then go to the classrooms.

ELMAC Intern - My class will be joined this year by Chrisara Moore. She is an intern with the University of Michigan. Read more about Ms. Moore in the opening day letter. 

Week 37 - June 13 - 17

It's so hard to believe that this is my last post for this school year! We have a busy week coming up. Thank you for all of the field trip forms, baby pictures, volunteering, donations to the classroom, and everything else that you have given, not just these past few weeks, but this entire year. 

I have started collecting items that need to be returned for use next year. Please have your child check at home this week for any items such as social studies books, scissors, or math templates. Also, please be sure to check for any chapter books from any of the fifth grade teacher libraries. We usually use our own money to purchase these books and we need them for future classes.

Monday - Buhr Pool Field Trip - We will be walking to Buhr Pool on Monday. We will leave around 9:30 and return around 3:30pm. This walk is about a mile so the students should be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes. Please send sunscreen along with your child and remind him or her the importance of reapplying sunscreen throughout the time we are there. The students should have a sack lunch with them. There are vending machines available for treats during the time that we are there but this does not replace the need for a lunch. The students will be given a deep end swim test early on when we get there.
- swimsuit and towel
- sack lunch
- comfortable walking shoes
- sunscreen
- money for vending machines (optional)

Tuesday - Dairy Queen - We will be walking to Dairy Queen after lunch on Tuesday. Lunch will be like any typical Tuesday. Everyone will be allowed to purchase 1(one) item at DQ. Most items, up to a medium size, can be purchased for less than $5. If your child is not able to bring money, please let me know and I will be sure that he or she gets a treat. Again, your child should wear comfortable walking shoes.

Wednesday - Rolling Hills Water Park - We will take a bus to Rolling Hills, leaving around 9:30 and returning around 2:30. Students should bring a sack lunch to eat before going into the park. If your child wants to bring a football, frisbee, or something like that, they may. There will be time to play before going in to swim. There is a snack bar at Rolling Hills. Your child may buy a snack to eat at the concession stand during our time there if he or she wishes. There are often long lines for this. Here is a link to the available concessions: http://www.ewashtenaw.org/government/departments/parks_recreation/rollinghills/waterpark/info-pages/concessions
Please be sure to bring:
- swimsuit and towel
- sack lunch
- sunscreen
- money for lockers (optional - students can share these) $.50 for each time it's opened
- money for concession stand (optional)

Promotion rehearsal will take place when we return from the water park.

Thursday - Game Day - On this day students are allowed to bring in hand held devices and play appropriate games. They are responsible for anything that they choose to bring in. This will take place during part of the morning. The promotion ceremony will begin at 2pm in the cafeteria. Please be sure that you do not park in the circle part of the front parking lot. Students may choose to bring a change of clothes so that they have something a little nicer to wear during the promotion ceremony.

Friday - Final Assembly - We will hold our annual end of the year flag ceremony followed by a whole school assembly. School ends at 12:02pm. 

Week 35 - May 31 - June 4

 I hope everyone was able to enjoy the extended weekend.

Writing - We are working on a short biography that is due this Friday. The students will need to do some research at home as well as work on it at school. They are to present it to the class in whatever creative way they would like. They should be sure to get their idea ok'd with me. Students are also working on their end of the year speeches. This speech should be about 1 minute long and include thoughts and memories of the school year. 


Lost items - Now is the time to begin looking for lost items, both at school and at home. We have an extensive lost and found located in front of the main office. There are many items there that will be donated should they not be claimed by the end of the year. The office even has eye glasses! Please remind your child to look for anything. 

If your child has any books at home that belong to the school or any of the fifth grade teachers (either pink tape on the spine or a teacher's name inside or on the end) please send these home. The classroom books are usually purchased with our own money and it's great to have a full library for the following year.



Math - The students will continue to work on math through the end of the year. Each student will be focusing on his or her particular area(s) of need. Please support your child completing any work during this busy time of year.

Field trip forms - I will be sending home a packet with 3 field trip forms included. This will cover our activities from Monday - Wednesday the final week of school. Please be sure to keep notes about what is needed for each trip (sack lunch, money, swim suits, sunscreen, etc.). 

Week 34 - May 23 - 27

Writing - We are working on a short biography for the next few weeks. The students will need to do some research at home as well as work on it at school. They are to present it to the class in whatever creative way they would like. They should be sure to get their idea okd with me.

Math - We are finishing up Unit 7. For the next few weeks we will be reviewing outcomes that the students will need to reach by the end of the year. We will also be reviewing ones that may have been a challenge throughout the year. Your child should continue to work on Xtramath, if applicable, and Khan Academy. All students will know the correct area that he or she should be working on based on NWEA results.

Social Studies - We are studying Manifest Destiny and the Westward movement in the 1800s. Students will be taking a Kahoot to cover this information. If you aren't familiar with this, ask your child! It's a fun way to show what you learned about a subject. 

Baby Pictures - Due date is May 31. At the end of the year we like to have a slide show that includes baby pictures of our fifth graders. If you have not already done so, please email me a picture of your child as a baby/toddler. If you only have a hard copy you can send it in, I'll scan it and send it back.

Field Trip Reminder - UM Art Museum on Tuesday, May 17th. Students should have a sack lunch to eat once we return from the field trip.

Lunch with a loved one - Come eat lunch with your child on Thursday, May 19th. You can also buy tickets to or volunteer for the Ice Cream Social that same day!



Baby Pictures - At the end of the year we like to have a slide show that includes baby pictures of our fifth graders. If you have not already done so, please email me a picture of your child as a baby/toddler. If you only have a hard copy you can send it in, I'll scan it and send it back.

Writing - Your child will be researching a person for a biography. I am encouraging the students to think of a creative way to present the information to the class. The students need to choose a person, get approval, and let me know in the next week how they are thinking of presenting. This should be a fun project for them!