Saturday November 1

This week we read a story about Roberto Clemente ( perfect story for World Series week). In math we are working hard to divide two and three digit numbers by two digit divisors. The students are realizing how very important it is to have those basic multiplication/division facts down, because that is where many of the errors arise. It may sound like a broken record, but practice, practice practice....  Today is All Saints Day so this past week each fifth grade student researched and presented information on a special saint which they wished to share with the class. This was a great way to learn about 18-19 different saints. Tomorrow is God's Portion Day. The Fifth Grade Class Basket (there is a boy's and a girl's one) are terrific. Come on out and bid on some great items.   Mrs. Wolf

Saturday October 25

All the fifth grade teachers thank you all for your attendance and support at conferences last week. It was good to be able to discuss your child's growth since the beginning of the school year. This week we begin many new units. More work will start with double digit division. Keep stressing working slowly, checking work and practicing of facts.  Next Saturday is All Saints Day and the fifth graders are each learning about a special saint to share with the class this week. God's Portion Day is next weekend. Hope everyone can come out to enjoy this wonderful event  to benefit Newman Catholic School. Mrs. Wolf

Sunday October 19

We have had a busy last few weeks. Basic Skills test are completed and we have spent the last week tying up units  as the first quarter ends. We finished our "Environments" unit in Science and have put away the bugs, beetles and plants; only the goldfish remain. The next unit will be on "Levers and Pulleys". We will start that when we return from the quarter break. We also finished the first Anthology in reading and will be spending the two days this week doing "end of theme" tests for comprehension and skills. Note: there will be no spelling or story test this week. In math we finished our first division chapter. We continue on now with dividing larger numbers and dividing by two digit numbers. It is very important to keep practicing those division facts for we will be using them from now on regularly! In Religion we are studying the saints as we approach All Saints Day  on November 1. Conferences are Monday and Tuesday afternoon/evening. We look forward to visiting with you regarding the progress your child has made in this first quarter.   Mrs. Wolf

Saturday October 4

What a week it was! We ended the week with a fabulous field trip to the Big Island Rendevous in Albert Lea Minnesota. I'm sure your child has filled you in. This culminating activity to our Sign of the Beaver novel provided the students  a first hand look at early settler life. There were many different stations to visit where they learned about fur trading, candlemaking, early homesteading, buttermaking, maple syrup making, Norwegian immigrant life, among others. The students were great and asked many wonderful questions throughout. They learned so much.

In math we took the multiplication test and begin a chapter on division next week. We will not have rotation next week because of Iowa Tests of Basic Skills. There will still be a spelling test however. Regarding ITBS, most tests be completed in the mornings, so we would appreciate students arriving on time and well rested. Thanks so much!

Conference request sheets were sent home last week. Please return them as soon as possible. Conference time is approaching!  Mrs. Wolf

Saturday September 27

We enjoyed the wonderful weather this past week. It made for great recess times as well as ample sunshine for the science experiments in Mrs. Wolf's room. The students are halfway through determining if different levels of salinity affect plant growth. They also this week experimented to see what the optimal salinity level is for hatching brine shrimp. In math we continue working on estimating, and two and three (coming on Monday) digit multiplication. Again, practicing basic math facts daily is a must! We will be having a test this coming week. A good way to prepare for this is to write out practice problems for your child. Students are using their computer skills to type their paragraphs in writing and also to search for pictures of nature for their creation bible verse. We are all looking forward to our field trip next week. Watch for the report on it. ITBS tests will be taken the week of  October 6. These are very important tests for your child, so we appreciate your not scheduling appointments for them during this time and also making sure your child gets a good night's sleep and breakfast before the days of the test.

It has also been exciting to welcome two new students (Mr. Klatt and Mrs. Wolf's classes) who joined fifth grade since school started.   We are happy to have them  (as well as the other five new  students who joined us at the start of the year!)  Mrs. Wolf

Sunday, September 21

We continue working on our multiplication. Practice, practice, practice are the words to remember in this regard. In science we look forward this week to setting up a brine shrimp hatchery. Watch for our results next week. We concluded our water tolerance experiments which showed that the most desirable conditions were wet or very wet.  We have also set up a new experiment in which the student investigate the effects of different salinity (salt) levels in the water use in planting seeds. 

Remember that the permission slip for the Big Island Rendevous is due this coming Friday, September 26.       Mrs. Wolf

Friday September 12- Week 4

We finally had our first full week of school. It was good to finally get an entire week of scheduling in. Lots going on in the curricular area

In reading we finished reading The Sign of the Beaver and putting  finishing touches on project books. The students did a great job on their Native American art project (parfleche). These will becoming home in the next few weeks. As a culminating activity the students will go on a field trip to Albert Lea on October 3 for the Big Island Rendevous. Be looking for the permission slip in the Monday take home folder. Next week we begin our first Anthology in reading.  With this comes work on vocabulary. Students will receive a vocabulary list each Monday. There will be a vocabulary test each Friday.

We had our first math test today. Next week we start work on multiplication. Practicing basic facts daily is a must so if your child says "No homework tonight"  please try to work 5-10 minutes   on  multiplication and division facts.

In science we planted more seeds and are measuring water tolerance of different plants. While these are growing, we will begin studying aquatic life. The students were instantly drawn to various aquariums in the room with different fish and water plants. Come back next week to find out what we learned.

We hope you read the flyer sent home about entering the online Woodman technology give away. We encourage all to enter often (you can do so daily). Hopefully Newman can win some great technology equipment.  Mrs. Wolf

Friday September 5- Week 3

Hello again...We hope you all take time  to read the brown parent  connection article which will be sent home next Monday in the Monday take-home folder ( some of you may have received yours at the end of this week). It is an excellent article on peer approval, cliques and other situations which fifth grade students often find themselves faced with. The article gives many practical pointers and strategies which parents can use to deal with these difficult and often painful situations.

We continue to add to our daily schedule. This week the students who are involved in band began their group and individual lessons from Mr. Barnes. Mrs. Lursen also has begun a 5th grade choir and percussion ensemble to the list of electives offered to students this year. Practice in each of these began this week. It is not uncommon to hear the tapping and humming in the classroom!

In math we continue to work on estimating and adding/subtracting whole numbers. Next week we will take our first test on these concepts.  In reading we are nearing the end of the the novel The Sign of the Beaver. Students are really enjoying this look into another culture and time period, as well as  the friendship between a pioneer boy and a  young Native American.

Exciting discoveries took place in science. Students concluded that barley must like cool dry conditions so our terrarium was definitely not the most preferrred environment for it. Later this week we experimented with beetles and sowbugs to see what was their preferred environment . Again, after a controlled experiement, students learned that sow bugs like moist, dark places while the darkling beetles likes it dark and dry. Students are learning to ask great questions. Pictures from science are on another page of this website. Be sure and check them out ! 

Mrs. Wolf's room has many new additions. Besides the plants, bugs, and beetles, there are also now, fish (Lewis&Clark, Bubbles, Mimi, and Oscar).

The hamster  has arrived and has been named Oreo.

Next week begins our first FULL week of school. See you next week. Mrs. Wolf

 Saturday August 30  - Week 2

Classroom routine is beginning to fall into place. We spent a good deal of time discussing what behaviors students felt would help them become responsible classroom members who respect each other and are in charge of their learning. Student generated lists were made up identifying above the line behaviors, below the line behaviors, and bottom line behaviors. Students also generated list of what "their job" is and what the "teacher's job" is. We feel starting off the year with these expectations will enhance the spiritual, intellectal, and academic growth of each student.

In Science we are determining optimal growing situations for a variety of plants. The students are amazed as they measure the daily growth of corn, radish, pea, clover,  and barley seeds. Some of the corn plants have grown 2 inches or more in one day!. They are puzzled as to why the barley is not growing. hmmmm...... wonder if it has something to do with the fact that the terrarium is very moist and wet. Some students are experimenting with leaving the cover off to see if they can offer a drier environment. We'll keep you posted.

In reading we are enjoying reading The Sign of the Beaver. Students are  begining to work on a special project which requires them to plan a "Wilderness Survival" of their own. Their first job was to pick a month and pack one backpack of supplies to last a month in the wilderness. Next they will have to design their cabin. It is interesting to see what different students put in their backpacks. There seems to be everything from matches, flashlights, and fishing hooks, to books and a few battery operated TV sets!

Our new Religion books have  strong components of social justice issues and also a connection to our Catholic Catechism principles. This first week we explored  the different ways and places where we can pray. Next week we will be looking at Creation  and how we can show our thankfulness to God by being good stewards of the earth.  Mrs. Wolf