Pleasant Hill Intermediate School

                                               1204 E. 163rd Street                  

                                            Pleasant Hill, MO  64080

                                                    816-540-3156                 

                                                     December 2013

Important Dates 12/20/13 - 3 HR Early Release/Teacher P.D. 12/23/13 - 1/6/14 - Winter Break 1/20/14 - No School - MLK Jr Day 1/28/14 - District Spelling Bee - HS PAC at 5:00 pm

5B TEAM NEWSLETTER Lt. Kevin Tieman, DARE Guest Speaker

PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR STUDENT HAS APPROPRIATE WARM CLOTHING FOR RECESS.  OUR RECESS TIME IS 11:30A.M. AND OUR PLAYGROUND IS VERY COLD!!!  

Our spelling bee contestant for 5B is Connor Harden!  Way to go CONNOR!! The district bee is 1/28/14 at the HS PAC!!!

On Thursday, December 19, we will be showing The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.  Mrs. Murray, Mr. Haight, Mrs. Lucht and Mrs. Dyer’s students have been reading the book and will be watching the video.  Students may bring in a drink of their choice as we will have popcorn for the event.  We will begin our movie at approximately 2:00pm until 3:00pm.  This is another of Team 5B’s traditions!!!

We would like to invite you to our winter celebration assembly on Friday, December 20, 2013.  We have a morning of fun events for our students.  If you are available to attend, please join us!  This is a brief schedule of what we will be doing that morning.

8:45-9:05              Choir Performs

9:10-9:30              Minute to Win It

9:35-9:55              PIE OR PRIZE GAME

10:00-10:15         Band Performs

10:15-10:30         Staff Ugly Sweater Contest

10:30-10:45         Ugly sweater parade led by winner of contest

STUDENTS ARE INVITED TO WEAR AN UGLY CHRISTMAS SWEATER OR THEY CAN WEAR A COSTUME IF THEY HAVE PURCHASED A TICKET FOR THE PIE OR PRIZE GAME!!!

AT 10:45  we will dismiss back to our classrooms for our own class activities.  

Communication Arts--Mrs. Murray, Ms. Love, Mrs. Dyer

We have been working on main idea and supporting details.  With this comprehension skill, came a chance to use research at the students’ reading levels and they are creating iBooks.  I am super excited for our first chance to do this using BOOK CREATOR.  If your family is not an iPhone, iPad, or iPod family, do not fret, we will be able to send home a copy of this for you to see.  The book creator app is AMAZING and students can type, add photos from the internet or own drawings, and add their voice to the book.  There is a way that we can save this to their google drive.  Students should be emailing their mini projects to their own accounts that way you all have a way to see their hard work.  During this project the students used questioning skills to figure out what they are researching, used skimming, main idea and details, the writing process with sloppy copy, revising, editing, and various iPad apps that they are familiar with to enhance their project.  They will receive a 6 trait grade for their writing grade.  For my fast finishers next week, they will work on exploring holidays of other cultures.  When second semester begins, we will be ready for week 3 Unit 2.  I have implemented a homework activity with each “Treasures Week”.  Your student is coming home with a book that is related to our main selection.  They will need to read this. The more connected texts they can read will allow practice for their weekly comprehension skill.  They will also have a front and back sheet that has the comprehension, spelling, grammar and vocabulary skill for the week that needs to be practiced.  This homework will then be given a sticker on their personal chart (when completed and turned in in a timely manner).  After they have collected 4 stickers, they will be awarded a free recess time.  Homework is essential for practice of new skills.  I feel that it is like when you are in a sport, competitive dance, music or art activity that requires practice to become the best.  This is their practice that allows them to be the BEST!!! I will also send home a weekly letter that gives a summary of all of this for each TREASURES week.  Our Treasures week is approximately 7 days.  Have a great winter break with your student!  I am looking forward to 2014 and all it will bring to our school family!!!

Math--Mrs. Lucht, Ms. Love, Mrs. Dyer  

In Math, we are testing on our unit on decimals.  The students have

done very well with the rigor of the math and decimals.  We had a

great time learning to complete our checkbook registers.  There was a

real connection to real life with decimals, money, and sports

statistics. On Monday, we begin a fraction unit.  We will begin

fractions with an activity on music and whole, half, quarter, eighth,

and sixteenth notes.  I so appreciate the support I get from all of

you for homework in math.  We mostly are able to complete it in class

but it is great when you support us at home.  They have extra help

with math club on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at 7:25 a.m.  There

is also study buddies with Ms. Dyer on Wednesdays from 3:30-4:30 p.m.

In homeroom, we are reading Best Christmas Pageant ever and loving the

story.  We are also reading A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.  We

are learning many new vocabulary words.  Please encourage your child

to read nightly at home.  Thanks so much.  Have a Merry Christmas!

Mrs. Lucht

Science-Social Studies--Mr. Haight, Ms. Love, Mrs. Dyer

Social Studies -

We will take our 2nd quarter common assessment over ch. 3-5 next Wednesday, 12/18.  After the New Year we will start a layered curriculum unit over the 13 colonies.  This will contain a multitude of different activities.

Science -

We will be starting ch. 2 on  the parts and types of cells, organs, and organ systems.

Pleasant Hill Intermediate School

                                               1204 E. 163rd Street                  

                                            Pleasant Hill, MO  64080

                                                    816-540-3156                 

                                                     November 2013

Important Dates 11/20/13 - Roving Chef 11/26/13- Lucht, Haight, Dyer and Murray Reader’s Theatres at 2:30. 11/27 - 12/2/13 - Thanksgiving Break 12/11/13 - Choir Performance @ Crown Center 12/17/13 - Band Performance @ PAC 6:30 pm 12/20/13 - 3 HR Early Release/Teacher P.D. 12/23/13 - 1/6/14 - Winter Break

5B TEAM NEWSLETTER Playing Shark Ball in P.E.

Communication Arts--Mrs. Murray, Ms. Love, Mrs. Dyer

This week we have been working on DARE essays in Communication arts.  We also started Unit 2:  Discoveries.  We will be reading an excerpt from Shiloh during Week 1 Unit 2.  The students will be focusing on the skill inferencing, grammar will be nouns, vocabulary will be synonyms, and spelling will be compound words.  The students are doing much better with writing their reading logs!  Keep up the hard work on this.  We will be starting a mini-research project on Snakes using the Big 6 as a plan for research.  We are going to be working on QAR and 7 Keys to Comprehension as well!  This will really let us know what our students understand while they are reading.

Math--Mrs. Lucht, Ms. Love, Mrs. Dyer  

November Newsletter

Dear Parents, We have just completed a unit on division and completed

our testing. We will continue to review over the year.  Our new unit

is on decimals.  Do not forget the internet site to get help with Go

Math.  Also, your child would benefit from math club on Tuesdays and

Wednesday mornings at 7:25.  We practice math that we have covered and

go over homework and eat donuts.  Not a bad deal, huh?  Please contact

me at school with any concerns.  The students have daily homework in

math and do have some time at school to complete it.  They can finish

it at home.  Also, it would be great to help your child review math

facts by playing math fact games on computer or just flash cards.

Thank you for your support.

I wanted to thank all the parents who helped with Pumpkin Math and

really made it a success for us.  We covered many math concepts that

day. Sincerely, Mrs. Lucht

Science-Social Studies--Mr. Haight, Ms. Love, Ms. Dyer

Science - We are working on the classification system.  We are finishing up vertebrates and will be starting invertebrates, fungi, and plants.

Social Studies - We are beginning European exploration.  We will mainly be focusing on the exploration and colonization of America.

Pleasant Hill Intermediate School

                                               1204 E. 163rd Street                  

                                            Pleasant Hill, MO  64080

                                                    816-540-3156                 

                                                     October 2013

Important Dates 10/7-11/13 - Scholastic Book Fair 10/9/13 - Picture Re-Takes in the AM 10/18/13 - End of First Quarter 10/24/30/13 - Parent/Teachers Conferences 10/29/13 - Evening Conferences 11/1/13 - No School

5B TEAM NEWSLETTER Playing Crab Soccer in P.E.

IF YOU HAVE NOT SCHEDULED A PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCE, PLEASE CONTACT MRS. MURRAY TO DO SO.  WE DO GROUP CONFERENCES.  I WILL BE EMAILING A TEMPLATE (ON WEDNESDAY) THAT HAS ANY AVAILABLE TIME SLOTS AVAILABLE.

(rmurray@pleasanthillschools.com)

Communication Arts--Mrs. Murray, Ms. Love, Mrs. Dyer

We have been working on reading skills such as compare/contrast, main idea and supporting details,  character, plot  and setting.   In grammar we have reviewed sentence types, subjects and predicates, compound sentences, and complex sentences.  Next week we will be finishing up a nonfiction week of Space.  The students have been creating pic collages and using safari on the iPad to integrate technology.  We will be comparing and contrasting planets using

research and non fiction text.  The students will then write a letter to someone sharing out this information about space and planets this week.  Please continue to have your student read and support their reading goal.  Next quarter our goal will look differently.  I will email this information out this Friday.  Thanks for all you do.  Becky Murray and Sharon Dyer

Math--Mrs. Lucht, Ms. Love, Mrs. Dyer  

In math, we have just completed our first unit and had chapter 1 test.

We are beginning a unit on division.  You will notice that there is

only two grades per week.  te are doing lots of math practice in class

and they will have  homework each night.  There should be time to do

that in class for homework,  but there may be a few problems leftover.

For extra help, please know that we have math club on Tuesday and

Wednesday mornings at 7:25 a.m. and study buddies on Wednesday after

school with Ms. Dyer from 3:30-4:30.

I would like to make you aware that we will be doing Pumpkin Math on

October 31 in the science lab.  Each student needs a pumpkin with the

lid cut out to finish that project that day.  I need parents help with

this so please let me know if you are available.  I will be sending a

hard copy home to let you know all the details.

If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me or call me at

school.  Sincerely, Joy Lucht

Science-Social Studies--Mr. Haight, Ms. Love, Ms. Dyer

Social Studies -

Social Studies   We will take our first Social Studies test over Native Americans on Wednesday, 10-16.  We will then do a short project on reservations and the pros and cons of reservation life before beginning a unit on European exploration.

Science -

Science   We will be starting chapter 1 on the classification of living things.  We will specifically focus on vertebrates, particularly mammals.

Pleasant Hill Intermediate School

                                               1204 E. 163rd Street                  

                                            Pleasant Hill, MO  64080

                                                    816-540-3156                 

                                                     September 2013

Important Dates 9/20/13 - 3 HR Early Dismissal - Professional Development 9/27/13 - 3 HR Early Dismissal - Homecoming 10/7-11/13 - Scholastic Book Fair 10/9/13 - Picture Re-Takes in the AM 10/18/13 - End of First Quarter 10/24/30/13 - Parent/Teachers Conferences 10/29/13 - Evening Conferences 11/1/13 - No School

5B TEAM NEWSLETTER Science Experiment for 5B

Midterm is Friday, September 20.  Midterms will be emailed on Friday. 

Communication Arts--Mrs. Murray, Ms. Love, Mrs. Dyer

We had our first MAP quiz in Mrs. Murray and Mrs.  Dyer's class.  The kids have also created pic collages and sticky notes grammar on the iPads.  Soon we will have a blog where you can view all of our creations!  We will begin our study of tall tales on Monday, Sept. 16.  Our next Map quiz will be on Sept. 24.  The kids have also set their first quarter goal of reading pages.  We collected data and based on that data the students set their own goal for first quarter.  They should be recording their pages in their planner.  Please help by signing this for them as an accountability check.  We also completed our first writing assignment that was our baseline for writing assessments.  The writing grade is comprised of 75% writing assignments and 25% grammar and spelling assignments.  This will be a little different than in the past, because we are putting a huge emphasis on writing proficiently.  Nightly homework is reading.  As for spelling and other class work, it will be done in class unless they need extra time to finish.  Please feel free to contact us if there are questions regarding anything.  We appreciate your support for lifelong readers and writers.

Math--Mrs. Lucht, Ms. Love, Mrs. Dyer  

We are already almost ready for mid-term.  We have been working hard studying place value and patterns, properties of math, powers of 10 and exponents, and multiplication patterns.  Your child will have some homework, but it will be limited. They do have time to complete their homework in class.  There may be some leftover for home.  There is math club on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at 7:25 until 8:00 a.m.  We do math games, eat donuts, and go over our homework and get help.  I could so use parents to help buy donuts.  I just buy the donuts in the bag.  Also, on Wednesday after school, 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Ms. Dyer has Study Buddies to get help with homework or projects or make up testing. Make sure your child is picked up on time. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me!!  Thank you so much for your support!!  Mrs. Lucht

Science-Social Studies--Mr. Haight, Ms. Love, Ms. Dyer

Social Studies - We are studying Native American cultures.  We will look at the connection between environment and lifestyle.  We should test over that (ch. 2) in approximately two weeks.  Then we will do a powerpoint presentation over a specific Native American tribe.

Science - We are looking at the periodic table and how it is organized.  We will then be looking at the phases, or states, of matter.  We should test over ch. 11 within the next two weeks.