Pleasant Hill Intermediate School

                                          1204 E. 163rd Street                  
                                       Pleasant Hill, MO  64080
                                              816-540-3156                 
                                               November 2012

Important Dates 11/7/12 - Education Foundation Fundraiser Kick-off 11/9/12 - No School - Prof. Devel. 11/11/12 - Veteran’s Day 11/12-16/12 - Fall Harvest Food Drive 11/13/12 - PTO-5th Grade Performance @ IS Gym 11/16/12 - Mid-term 11/21-23/12 - No School - Thanksgiving Break 11/29/12 - DARE Graduation @ PHIS Gym 12/12/12 - Choirs - Perform @ Crown Center 12/17/12 - Assembly at HS PAC 12/19/12 - 3 HR Early Release 12/20/12-1/3/12 - Winter Break

5B TEAM NEWSLETTER Joel Nichols Visit

Purple day specials:
Haight-Computer/Art
Lucht-Art/Computer
Murray- Music/PE
Gold day specials:
Haight:  Music/PE
Lucht:  PE/Music
Murray-Computer/Art

WEATHER IS CHANGING!  PLEASE MAKE SURE STUDENTS ARE DRESSED APPROPRIATELY FOR OUTDOOR RECESS.  



Science-Social Studies--Mr. Haight, Ms. Love, Ms. Meyer
Science -  We are starting the properties of elements such as weight, mass, density, buoyancy, etc.  We also will be studying the periodic table.


Social Studies - We are finishing ch. 3 & 4 on Spanish explorers and colonies.  We will test next Tuesday, Nov. 6th.  We also will be creating a timeline on Portuguese and Spanish explorers.  We will then start looking at French and English exploration and settlement of North America.  


Math--Mrs. Lucht, Ms. Love, Ms. Meyer
This is the week we have been waiting for.  We are having Pumpkin Math October 31 on Halloween.  Please remember that they need their lids cut out and place back on their
pumpkin.  Leave the seeds inside.  We will be doing graphing, plotting pairs, weighing,
measuring, predicting, averaging. The pumpkins need to be here tomorrow.  It is a great activity to learn a ton of math.  Thanks to you parents for helping and for getting the pumpkins.  We are also starting algebra and working hard in class to understand variables and expressions.  The students will be experts soon.  Thanks so much for your support. Joy Lucht



Communication Arts--Mrs. Murray, Ms. Love, Ms. Meyer
We will be focusing on main idea and supporting details for the next couple of weeks.  We will also be spending each week doing a mini-writing lesson.  I have also found a great website that allows the students do do several vocabulary activities.  I will be using my jogtheweb account to set up weekly review activities.  The students can then practice at home if they have internet access.  This week we are using the topic of snakes to help us practice and create our own snake non-fiction summaries.  Next week we will go on a virtual field trip to Washington D.C. to learn about national monuments and civil rights memorials.  Students will also be needing to replenish their pencils.  Thanks for your continued support.

Pleasant Hill Intermediate School

                                          1204 E. 163rd Street                  
                                       Pleasant Hill, MO  64080
                                              816-540-3156                 
                                               November 2012

Important Dates 11/7/12 - Education Foundation Fundraiser Kick-off 11/9/12 - No School - Prof. Devel. 11/11/12 - Veteran’s Day 11/12-16/12 - Fall Harvest Food Drive 11/13/12 - PTO-5th Grade Performance @ IS Gym 11/16/12 - Mid-term 11/21-23/12 - No School - Thanksgiving Break 11/29/12 - DARE Graduation @ PHIS Gym 12/12/12 - Choirs - Perform @ Crown Center 12/17/12 - Assembly at HS PAC 12/19/12 - 3 HR Early Release 12/20/12-1/3/12 - Winter Break

5B TEAM NEWSLETTER Joel Nichols Visit

Purple day specials:
Haight-Computer/Art
Lucht-Art/Computer
Murray- Music/PE
Gold day specials:
Haight:  Music/PE
Lucht:  PE/Music
Murray-Computer/Art

WEATHER IS CHANGING!  PLEASE MAKE SURE STUDENTS ARE DRESSED APPROPRIATELY FOR OUTDOOR RECESS.  



Science-Social Studies--Mr. Haight, Ms. Love, Ms. Meyer
Science -  We are starting the properties of elements such as weight, mass, density, buoyancy, etc.  We also will be studying the periodic table.


Social Studies - We are finishing ch. 3 & 4 on Spanish explorers and colonies.  We will test next Tuesday, Nov. 6th.  We also will be creating a timeline on Portuguese and Spanish explorers.  We will then start looking at French and English exploration and settlement of North America.  


Math--Mrs. Lucht, Ms. Love, Ms. Meyer
This is the week we have been waiting for.  We are having Pumpkin Math October 31 on Halloween.  Please remember that they need their lids cut out and place back on their
pumpkin.  Leave the seeds inside.  We will be doing graphing, plotting pairs, weighing,
measuring, predicting, averaging. The pumpkins need to be here tomorrow.  It is a great activity to learn a ton of math.  Thanks to you parents for helping and for getting the pumpkins.  We are also starting algebra and working hard in class to understand variables and expressions.  The students will be experts soon.  Thanks so much for your support. Joy Lucht



Communication Arts--Mrs. Murray, Ms. Love, Ms. Meyer
We will be focusing on main idea and supporting details for the next couple of weeks.  We will also be spending each week doing a mini-writing lesson.  I have also found a great website that allows the students do do several vocabulary activities.  I will be using my jogtheweb account to set up weekly review activities.  The students can then practice at home if they have internet access.  This week we are using the topic of snakes to help us practice and create our own snake non-fiction summaries.  Next week we will go on a virtual field trip to Washington D.C. to learn about national monuments and civil rights memorials.  Students will also be needing to replenish their pencils.  Thanks for your continued support.

Pleasant Hill Intermediate School

                                           1204 E. 163rd Street                  

Pleasant Hill, MO  64080

                                              816-540-3156                 
                                            October 2012

Important Dates 10/3/12 - Picture Retakes 10/5/12 - Homecoming - 3 HR Early Release 10/12/12 - End of 1st Quarter 10/15-18/12 - Parent/Teacher Conferences 10/19/12 - No School 10/23/12 - IS/MS Choir Concert 11/9/12 - No School - Prof. Devel. 11/11/12 - Veteran’s Day 11/12-16/12 - Entertainment Card Fundraiser 11/13/12 - PTO-5th Grade Performance @ IS Gym 11/21-23/12 - No School - Thanksgiving Break

5B TEAM NEWSLETTER                       Meet Me At The Pole

PLEASE CONTACT MRS. MURRAY IF YOU HAVE NOT ARRANGED A PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCE TIME!!!

Purple day specials:
Haight-Computer/Art
Lucht-Art/Computer
Murray- Music/PE
Gold day specials:
Haight:  Music/PE
Lucht:  PE/Music
Murray-Computer/Art

 
WEATHER IS CHANGING!  PLEASE MAKE SURE STUDENTS ARE DRESSED APPROPRIATELY FOR OUTDOOR RECESS. 


Science-Social Studies--Mr. Haight, Ms. Love, Ms. Meyer
Science -
We will be studying organ systems such as the circulatory and respiratory systems for the next two weeks culminating in a test over chapters 2 and 3.


Social Studies -  
We will be researching a Native American tribe and creating a Google presentation on that tribe that we will present to our class.  Then we will be studying the explorers from Marco Polo to Spanish, French, Dutch, and English explorers.


Math--Mrs. Lucht, Ms. Love, Ms. Meyer
In math, we are adding and subtracting decimals.  We have completed some activities on adding decimals by creating a decimal puzzle using grid paper. We colored each piece a different color to visually see how to add decimals. We also created silly recipes showing food labels showing weights as a decimal.  We will be completing and testing on this unit next week.  We will also be completing a cumulative review.  Our next unit is multiplication and we will be investigating more than one strategy in double digit multiplication. My favorite strategy is lattice.  We will also look at distributive property.  On Fridays, we do learning centers and one station will be ipad math.  We will be working hard together to succeed at fifth grade math.
By October 12, the students need to have 5 Accelerated Math tests.  They can do practices at home online.  They may also come to math club on Tuesday and Wednesday at 7:25 a.m.  Homework club with Mrs. Meyer is Thursday night after school from 3:30-4:30 p.m. for extra help and they can do accelerated math then.  Thanks so much for your support.  Let me know any concerns.  The students do have homework at night and I appreciate your help.



Communication Arts--Mrs. Murray, Ms. Love, Ms. Meyer
We will be taking our common assessment the week of October 8-12.  Tentatively it will be on October 11.  Our students will be taking this on the clickers.  We get faster results with using the clickers and it motivates the students to use technology.  We will begin Unit 2 with our students the following week.  I am very pleased with the progress the students are making.  I am still accepting the students tree brochures.  With this being a project with both communication arts and computers, it does take a little bit longer with collaboration. It was a learning experience for all of us.  I will not deduct points for the students who have not turned them in.  I would like for the brochures to be handed in no later than Oct. 10 for grading on the first quarter grade card.  We will be reading the following selections for Unit 2:  Shiloh, Rattlers!, Maya Lin Architect of Memory, The Night of San Juan, and Black Cowboy Wild Horses A True Story.  Students will need to have access to a dictionary for Vocabulary Cartoons, which will be homework if they do not get these completed in class.  A school age appropriate website to use is www.wordcentral.com .  Please feel free to contact us if there are any questions.  Thanks so much.  

Student Teacher- Mrs. Yount
Next week is my last week working in the Pleasant Hill School District as a student teacher. I have enjoyed all the children immensely. I am hopeful that when I have my own classroom of students, they are as wonderful as your children. They have taught me so much about myself as a teacher, and I hope they have also learned from me. I have been blessed to work with children that are excited about learning and are not afraid to share their ideas. Their thought processes amaze me daily and as parents you should be very proud. Since I live in Pleasant Hill and manage the Pleasant Hill Pool in the summertime, I am sure I will have other opportunities to engage with your children.  Thank you for sharing your children with me.

Pleasant Hill Intermediate School

                                           1204 E. 163rd Street                  

Pleasant Hill, MO  64080

                                              816-540-3156                 
                                            September 2012

Important Dates 9/14/12 - Mid-Term -3 HR Early Release 9/25/12 - 5th Grade Field Trip to the Coterie                 Theatre 10/3/12 - Picture Retakes 10/5/12 - Homecoming - 3 HR Early Release 10/12/12 - End of 1st Quarter 10/15-18/12 - Parent/Teacher Conferences 10/19/12 - No School 10/23/12 - IS/MS Choir Concert

5B TEAM NEWSLETTER                       2012-2013 PHIS Student Council Representives

Purple day specials:
Haight-Computer/Art
Lucht-Art/Computer
Murray- Music/PE
Gold day specials:
Haight:  Music/PE
Lucht:  PE/Music
Murray-Computer/Art

We will be attending “Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie”  at the Coterie theatre on September 25, 2012.  The cost will be $3.50. Thank you to the PTO for their $2.00 per child contribution against the cost of the ticket. The permission slips will be emailed (or hard copies if no email).  If students need sack lunches from school, they need to let the Rooster time teacher know ASAP so the lunchroom can prepare these.  Parents may join us, however you will need to drive separately.  One parent per homeroom can pay the school price to attend, after that, they will need to pay the full cost of the ticket.  First come, first serve!!!

Science-Social Studies--Mr. Haight
Science - We will have our first test over classification on September 10, 2012.  The students will have a study guide to help them with this. They will have over the weekend to study this!  We will then be studying cell structures.   

Social Studies -  
We are studying Native American Regional Cultures.  We will be producing powerpoint presentations on a Native American Tribe.  They will be receiving a scoring guide with the expectations for this.

Math--Mrs. Lucht
In math, we are studying place value and have finished some foldables for place value from thousandths place to hundred billions.  We also have completed a vocabulary contract where they chose how to define ten words with flashcards, crossword puzzle, and Marazano definition sheets.   They will test over place value on Wednesday, Sept.5.  We will do a review right before the test.  On Fridays, we do learning centers which will include ipods, smart board activities, and real life connections in groups.  We are beginning addition, subtraction which will include commutative property, associative property, distributive property, and identity property. We will do layered curriculum where students will have choices for a variety of activities.  It will include powerpoint, puzzle maker, flash cards, etc.  The students become very engaged when they get to chose how they learn a topic.  Also, you will notice that we are doing weekly writing about math.  We actually write in sentences explaining mathematical concepts.  This is difficult for students at first, but it will get easier as we practice.  Thursdays is our Accelerated Math Day.  Students may do practices at home.  Please use your home connect.  Your child should have brought you home the home connect information. Thank you so much for your support at home.  Please contact me with any concerns.






Communication Arts--Mrs. Murray and Ms. Meyer
My student teacher, Michele Yount will be taking over the class for the next few weeks.  Look for a letter from her to be sent home with your student as an introduction!  We are working on Tall tales.  The students will be creating their own tall tale on Friday, Sept. 7, 2012.  This will be a fun activity for them, as they will have experienced several tall tales.  The next week 3 lessons will include a tree brochure.  We will be sending home scoring guides for this as the time draws near.  

Thank you for all of the “Wish List Gifts” for our classroom.  The students are LOVING the fun pens for planners and for grading purposes.  





Student Teacher- Mrs. Yount
As Mrs. Murray and Ms. Meyer have stated, I will be taking over the class for the next few weeks. I have already had the opportunity to present lessons to the classroom and I am very excited about the upcoming activities. We have currently been working on tall tales and the students will be creating their own tall tell next week. I created a tall tell of my own and it would be nice if your child shared it with you. Additionally, we have been working on identifying the plot and setting of a story. Hopefully as your child reads more, while incorporating the reading strategies they have been introduced to, they will continue to make great strides in expanding their vocabulary and increasing their comprehension.

Pleasant Hill Intermediate School

                                           1204 E. 163rd Street                  

Pleasant Hill, MO  64080

                                              816-540-3156                 

  August 2012

Important Dates 8/14/12-1st Day of School 8/23/12-Fall Pictures 8/31-9/3/12-No School, Labor Day Weekend

5B TEAM NEWSLETTER

Please see our blog for our back to school video!!!

Purple day specials:
Haight-Computer/Art
Lucht-Art/Computer
Murray- Music/PE
Gold day specials:
Haight:  Music/PE
Lucht:  PE/Music
Murray-Computer/Art

Science-Social Studies--Mr. Haight
Science - We will  begin the year with life processes and the classification of plants and animals.  We will have a short quiz over life processes at the end of the first week of class.  This will be more of an open book type of quiz.


Social Studies - We will begin with the Native American settlement of the Americas and early cultures such as the Mound Builders and the Anasazi.  We also will be memorizing the locations of the continents and oceans.


Math--Mrs. Lucht
Welcome to 5th grade team B math. I look forward to working with you and count it a privilege to teach your children.  In math, we will begin with place value.  We will be making a foldable for place value this week. Accelerated Math is an individualized math program and we will be sending a letter home about that this week. We will begin math club Sept. 4th at 7:25 am.  This will be for extra math practice and help with homework. Most homework should be done in class.  There will be times where they will have some extra practice at home.  Please contact me for any questions or concerns. I so look forward to working with you this school year.
Sincerely, Mrs. Lucht

Communication Arts--Mrs. Murray
Welcome to our school and my class!!!  I am so excited to introduce myself to my new students and parents!  I am Rebecca (Becky) Murray!  This is my 6th year in Pleasant Hill and my 12th year teaching!  I look forward to introducing some extra hands in our classroom this year!  Ms. Sharon Meyer will be in our classroom during 1st and 4th hour.  This will be her 29th year.  We are both very excited to be co-teaching as a CWC class this year.  I am also excited that we will have a student teacher, Mrs. Michele Yount.  She will be with us for 8 weeks.  Our first 2 weeks will be getting used to the routines in communication arts.  I will have your student for Reading, writing, grammar, spelling and vocabulary all rolled into 84 minutes of FUN!!!  We will be spending these 2 weeks on class expectations, procedures, individual and group assignments and how small group reading and centers will look in our class.  We will be working on character, plot, context clues, sentences and fragments, short vowel spelling words, and types of sentences.  We will also be taking a pretest common assessment to place us on the “Right track” this year to Moving on UP!!! Please feel free to email me with any questions or concerns.  rmurray@pleasanthillschools.com

Student Teacher- Hi! I am Mrs. Michele Yount and I am looking forward to spending time and teaching your children these next eight weeks. Many children may recognize me from the Pleasant Hill Pool “American Red Cross Learn to Swim Program” where I have taught for the last thirteen years. I look forward to taking my experiences working with children in an aquatic environment and transferring it to a classroom setting.