Reminders & Classroom News

March 18th-22nd: Spring Break 🏝️

April 2nd-4th: ELA CMAS Testing (8:45-10:30 a.m.)

April 8th-11th: Math CMAS Testing (8:45-10:30 a.m.)

April 15th: Young AmeriTowne Field Trip 💼

April 16th-18th: Science CMAS Testing (8:45-10:30 a.m.)

April 19th: No School

April 22nd: Heritage Multicultural Fair (8:30-9:30 a.m.) 🇵🇱

April 30th: HawkQuest FREE in-school Field Trip (1:30-2:30) 🦅

Young AmeriTowne

The fifth-grade classes will be taking a field trip to Young AmeriTowne on Monday, April 15, 2024.

Young AmeriTowne is a unique hands-on curriculum in free enterprise that introduces students to the basic principles of our economic system, banking, and government. Students will have the opportunity to run their own town after receiving preliminary instruction in the classroom. We will be teaching activities and lessons designed to help students learn the concepts of the free enterprise system. In addition, students will learn about banking and how to use their own checking accounts. Other lessons include how the government works, developing laws, and even organizing primary and general elections for mayor and judge of Young AmeriTowne. There are different shops that will be run completely by the students. Each shop serves a unique purpose in the economy. Some of the shops include a radio station, a snack shop, and a TV station just to name a few.

BUS AND FIELD TRIP COST

Please go into My School Bucks to pay the

field trip fee and to sign the permission slip.

Please do this by Friday, April 5, 2024.

LINK to pay in My School Bucks (MSB Parent App if on phone)

Our wonderful PTO contributed $750 to help with the cost of transportation!

VOLUNTEER INFORMATION

Volunteer Opportunity 1

This is an exciting opportunity for our fifth-grade students. We will need volunteers to conduct YAT job interviews at Heritage Elementary on Friday, April 5th from 1:20-2:55 PM.

Volunteer Opportunity 2

We will also need volunteers on the day of the field trip who can meet us at Belmar Young AmeriTowne. Volunteers will be expected to arrive a half hour early the day of the field trip at the facility. You will need to use your own transportation. In addition, field trip volunteers will also need to come to Heritage on Friday, April 12th from 1:20 pm to 2:20 pm to help facilitate shop meetings.
Please be aware that, per Young Ameritowne policy, you are not placed in the same shop as your child.

If there is an overflow of volunteers, we will conduct a lottery. If you would like to volunteer for this field trip, please sign up using the following sign-up genius link. If interested, please sign up on the Sign Up Genius by Friday, March 22nd by 8:30 AM. We plan on letting you all know by the end of March 22nd who was chosen in the lottery so you have time to plan.

Sincerely,

Jillian Holtz, Kristie Peters, Erin Howard, and Lisa Livesay

CMAS TESTING!!

The month of April begins our standardized testing for this school year. We have been completing practice tests and prepping for this all year long. This is an important time for our school to "show what we know" and strive to do our very best!

Please try to ensure your child is present at school for ALL testing dates/times. Avoid scheduling appointments during those testing windows. Our testing schedule goes as follows:

April 2-4: ELA CMAS Testing (8:45-10:30 am.)

April 8-11: Math CMAS Testing (8:45-10:30 am.)

April 16-18: Science CMAS Testing (8:45-10:30 am.)

With standardized testing comes anxiety and stress. Please remind your kids of a few things:

This is NOT a grade! Yes, we will be getting the results and we do use it as a piece of data, but it is only one out of the many we look at. All they need to do is their best.
Speed does not equal a good grade. Take your time! Be mindful of the time you have left, as well.
Getting a good night's sleep and eating something before school will help you get through the test easier.
Have a positive attitude! Instead of thinking how awful the test will be, try to say positive things to yourself: "I can do this! I only have to do my best."

Thank you for your support! I know they will ROCK the test!

WHat we are Learning

We begin Unit 4 asking the question: What can people do to bring about a positive change? We began with reading a quick biography of Susan B. Anthony and learned how her perseverance managed to win the vote for women back in the early 1900s. Next, we read about Ruby Bridges and how the simple act of standing your ground, even at age six, can make a profound difference. The students are working on pulling out details to support the author's purpose.

We have begun measurement conversions in math. We have only been working with customary units of measurement and will continue with the metric system when we return from break. Here are a few wonderful videos to review for metric conversions of measurement:

Converting Metric Units of Length

Converting Metric Units of Capacity

Converting Metric Units of Mass

Our next unit of science is called "Chemical Magic". In this unit, students investigate the properties of matter by dissolving everyday chemicals to make solutions and by exploring simple yet surprising chemical reactions. Through these investigations, students begin to build conceptual models for the particulate nature of matter.

We are simultaneously preparing for Young AmeriTowne. The 5th graders have learned how to balance a checking account, what a debit card is, how to properly write a check and fill out a withdrawal slip, and all about the 3 Branches of Government. When we return, we will have our Primary and General Election for Mayor and Judge. If your child is interested in running for either, they must prepare a 1 minute speech to be read for the Primary Election. Primary Election is scheduled for Tuesday, March 26th.

CMAS is our focus, as we prepare to write to the best of our abilities. We are using mock testing formats to help get the kids used to seeing the verbage and format the tests use. Playing games while we complete the work makes it much more fun!