Ms. Gagliardi's Class

Mari Mancusi book order.pdf

Week of May 6th

Hello Families!

May is a busy month as we wrap up elementary school. This week students have the end of the year 5th Grade field trip.

Important Dates this Week:

Reading: In reading this week, we will be starting our new unit. In this unit, we will be focusing on just book club. We will be doing Fantasy Book Clubs. Students will have readings and notes due on our meeting dates. We will be meeting on Fridays. In addition to the reading and notes, students will have one additional book club assignment a week. This assignment will be chosen from their Unicorn Menu. There are many activities to choose from. Students will have 1 activity due a week for the next 4 weeks. In total, their activities must add up to at least 100 points. Students will also do an additional group activity each week on Friday during class time over their book club book.  This is the last week of Book Club!

Writing: This week in writing, we will continue our research project. The driving question for this project is, "How did events/people impact the United States in the 20th and 21st Centuries?" Each student will have a different topic to research. Students have developed deep research questions to begin the research process. Then, students researched their topics using their approved research questions. This week, students will finish developing a thesis statement and graphic organizer and begin to think about how to share their learning with the class.  Students will present to their class about their research topics starting next week! 

Social Studies: We will finish our Civil War unit. On Monday, students' reviews for this unit are due. We will go over them in class. Then on Tuesday, we will do a handful of review games before our field trip. Students test over the Civil War will be on Wednesday, May 8th. 

From PTA

We reached our Pony Up Fall Fundraising Goal- and it's time to celebrate!!

Our Popsicle Glow Party is Monday, May 6th!


Please have your child wear white or neon and get ready to celebrate during their specials on Monday with games and fun lighting up the way!


Check out the sign up HERE to see how you can help (this will be a fun one to watch!)!

From PE-

Sommer Parents,


We need your help! Our annual Field day will be on Friday, May 17th! In order to make this day run smoothly, we are in need of parent volunteers to help run each of the stations. Please sign up below if you can commit to helping us at any of the following times on that day.


8:15 - 9:55 am 2nd & 4th

10:10 - 11:50 am PK, K, 1st

12:45 - 2:25 pm 3rd & 5th


Field Day Volunteer Sign Up 


Please note: If you would like to walk around with your child during their field day time, please do not volunteer to help during that time frame, as you will need to stay at your assigned station. 


Thank you for supporting Patsy Sommer PE and making this day a blast for our students! 


Coach Krusely, Coach Park, & Coach A


From the 5th Grade Room Parents

The end of the school year is quickly approaching, and planning is underway to make the rest of the year memorable. Details for your child's respective recognition ceremony will be shared as soon as they are finalized. Below, you will find a Google link to a slideshow that will be featured during your child's ceremony. Each child will have a slide of two photographs.  


IMPORTANT

***Please edit one of the template slides, one slide per child.  Enter your child's name as you wish to see their name on their recognition certificate, along with a picture of them as an infant/toddler and a current photograph of them now. You may contact your homeroom parent or Amelia Hinton (chavezamelia@gmail.com) should you need assistance or have any questions.


We are asking parents to complete this by May 5th to ensure all photographs, slides, and certificates are ready in time for the recognition ceremony on May 22nd.


Gagliardi - Hentges - slideshow


Thank you for your time, attention, and help.


From 3rd Grade 


Third Grade is excited to announce the return of the Economics Fair! Bring your quarters and come shop at the fair on Tuesday, May 14th. Students are working hard to create upcycled products to raise money for Texas Humane Heroes. Items sold will cost between $0.25-$1.00 so quarters work best, but students will have change for dollar bills. Thank you for supporting Third Grade and Texas Humane Heroes!  

On top of all of the amazing learning we are doing, some important dates are also coming up. They are:


Mari Mancusi book order.pdf

Week of April 29th

Hello Families!

We are officially entering the craziness of the end of the school year. Starting this week, I will put the key dates for the week at the top of the website. 

Important Dates this Week:

Reading: In reading this week, we will be starting our new unit. In this unit, we will be focusing on just book club. We will be doing Fantasy Book Clubs. Students will have readings and notes due on our meeting dates. We will be meeting on Fridays. In addition to the reading and notes, students will have one additional book club assignment a week. This assignment will be chosen from their Unicorn Menu. There are many activities to choose from. Students will have 1 activity due a week for the next 4 weeks. In total, their activities must add up to at least 100 points. Students will also do an additional group activity each week on Friday during class time over their book club book.  

Writing: This week in writing, we will continue our research project. The driving question for this project is, "How did events/people impact the United States in the 20th and 21st Centuries?" Each student will have a different topic to research. Students will start developing deep research questions to begin the research process. Then, students will begin researching their topics using their approved research questions. Their research and bibliography will be due at the beginning of this week. Then, students will start developing a thesis statement and graphic organizer and begin to think about how to share their learning with the class.  

Social Studies: We will continue our Civil War unit. We will talk about events during the Civil War, and then we will talk about the effects of the Civil War and Reconstruction. On Monday, students will get the review for this unit. The review is Due next Monday, May 6th. Students test over the Civil War will be on Wednesday, May 8th. 

From PE-

Sommer Parents,


We need your help! Our annual Field day will be on Friday, May 17th! In order to make this day run smoothly, we are in need of parent volunteers to help run each of the stations. Please sign up below if you can commit to helping us at any of the following times on that day.


8:15 - 9:55 am 2nd & 4th

10:10 - 11:50 am PK, K, 1st

12:45 - 2:25 pm 3rd & 5th


Field Day Volunteer Sign Up 


Please note: If you would like to walk around with your child during their field day time, please do not volunteer to help during that time frame, as you will need to stay at your assigned station. 


Thank you for supporting Patsy Sommer PE and making this day a blast for our students! 


Coach Krusely, Coach Park, & Coach A


From the 5th Grade Room Parents

The end of the school year is quickly approaching, and planning is underway to make the rest of the year memorable. Details for your child's respective recognition ceremony will be shared as soon as they are finalized. Below, you will find a Google link to a slideshow that will be featured during your child's ceremony. Each child will have a slide of two photographs.  


IMPORTANT

***Please edit one of the template slides, one slide per child.  Enter your child's name as you wish to see their name on their recognition certificate, along with a picture of them as an infant/toddler and a current photograph of them now. You may contact your homeroom parent or Amelia Hinton (chavezamelia@gmail.com) should you need assistance or have any questions.


We are asking parents to complete this by May 5th to ensure all photographs, slides, and certificates are ready in time for the recognition ceremony on May 22nd.


Gagliardi - Hentges - slideshow


Thank you for your time, attention, and help.


From 3rd Grade 


Third Grade is excited to announce the return of the Economics Fair! Bring your quarters and come shop at the fair on Tuesday, May 14th. Students are working hard to create upcycled products to raise money for Texas Humane Heroes. Items sold will cost between $0.25-$1.00 so quarters work best, but students will have change for dollar bills. Thank you for supporting Third Grade and Texas Humane Heroes!  

On top of all of the amazing learning we are doing, some important dates are also coming up. They are:


Week of April 22nd

Hello Families!

Reading: In reading this week, we will be starting our new unit. In this unit, we will be focusing on just book club. We will be doing Fantasy Book Clubs. Students will have readings and notes due on our meeting dates. We will be meeting on Fridays. In addition to the reading and notes, students will have one additional book club assignment a week. This assignment will be chosen from their Unicorn Menu. There are many activities to choose from. Students will have 1 activity due a week for the next 4 weeks. In total, their activities must add up to at least 100 points. Students will also do an additional group activity each week on Friday during class time over their book club book.  

Writing: This week in writing, we will continue our research project. The driving question for this project is, "How did events/people impact the United States in the 20th and 21st Centuries?" Each student will have a different topic to research. Students will start developing deep research questions to begin the research process. Then, students will begin researching their topics using their approved research questions. Their research and bibliography will be due at the beginning of next week.

Social Studies: We will continue our Civil War unit and discuss the causes of the Civil War. Then, we will compare the North and the South during the Antebellum period. 

From PE- FIELD DAY

WHAT IS FIELD DAY?

This is a fun day organized by our P.E. teachers. Students will have the opportunity to play a variety of fun games while practicing some of the skills they have been working on all year. This year we are excited to mix in water activities!

 

WHERE IS FIELD DAY?

We use as much of our school's outdoor space as possible, along with our gym and cafeteria.

 

HOW CAN I HELP?

Save the date! We will need a lot of volunteers to help run and monitor our fun-filled stations. More information will be sent out in the next couple of weeks.


From the 5th Grade Team

Have a question about Middle School Transition?


From the 5th Grade Room Parents

The end of the school year is quickly approaching, and planning is underway to make the rest of the year memorable. Details for your child's respective recognition ceremony will be shared as soon as they are finalized. Below, you will find a Google link to a slideshow that will be featured during your child's ceremony. Each child will have a slide of two photographs.  


IMPORTANT

***Please edit one of the template slides, one slide per child.  Enter your child's name as you wish to see their name on their recognition certificate, along with a picture of them as an infant/toddler and a current photograph of them now. You may contact your homeroom parent or Amelia Hinton (chavezamelia@gmail.com) should you need assistance or have any questions.


We are asking parents to complete this by May 5th to ensure all photographs, slides, and certificates are ready in time for the recognition ceremony on May 22nd.


Gagliardi - Hentges - slideshow


Thank you for your time, attention, and help.


On top of all of the amazing learning we are doing, some important dates are also coming up. They are:


Week of April 15th

Hello Families!


Reading: In reading this week, we will be starting our new unit. In this unit, we will be focusing on just book club. We will be doing Fantasy Book Clubs. Students will have reading, and notes due on our meeting dates. We will be meeting on Fridays. In addition to the reading and notes, students will also have one additional book club assignment a week. This assignment will be chosen from their Unicorn Menu. There are many activities to choose from. Students will have 1 activity due a week for the next 4 weeks. In total, their activities must add up to at least 100 points. Students will also do an additional group activity each week on Friday during class time over their book club book.  

Writing: This week in writing, we will be beginning our research project. The driving question for this project is "How did events/people impact the United States in the 20th and 21st Centuries?" Each student will have a different topic to research. Students will start developing deep research questions to begin the research process. Then at the end of the week, students will begin researching their topics using their approved research questions. Their research and their bibliography will be due next week.

Word Study: For word study this week, we will focus on -Flect/Flex.  Students will be given a list of 10 -Flect/Flex words that they should learn. These words will be a good review for their Science STAAR next week. Students will have words glued into their notebooks and will have access to a Quizlet to study as well. They will have an affix quiz on Thursday, April 18. The quiz will cover Rupt, Join/Junct/Jug, Frail/Fract/Frag, and this week's affix, Flect/Flex.

Social Studies: We will continue our Civil War unit by talking about Supply and Demand. Then we will talk about the Underground Railroad by reading Henry's Freedom Box. Finally, we will learn about the causes and effects of the Civil War. 

From PE- FIELD DAY

WHAT IS FIELD DAY?

This is a fun day organized by our P.E. teachers. Students will have the opportunity to play a variety of fun games while practicing some of the skills they have been working on all year. This year we are excited to mix in water activities!

 

WHERE IS FIELD DAY?

We use as much of our school's outdoor space as possible, along with our gym and cafeteria.

 

HOW CAN I HELP?

Save the date! We will need a lot of volunteers to help run and monitor our fun-filled stations. More information will be sent out in the next couple of weeks.


From PTA

Calling all young chefs: You are challenged to create your very own healthy snack recipe to compete against fellow Sommer Stallions on April 18th at 6 p.m. in the school cafeteria following the PTA general meeting. Judges will reward individuals from PK-2nd (lower grades) and 3rd-5th (upper grades) with one of the following awards: Most Original, Most Delicious, Healthiest, Most Creative, Quickest Snack, Best Presentation, Most Detailed, Sweetest, Most Savory, and Most Flavor. Get your creative juices flowing and accept the challenge. This will be a fun new event, and we hope to see you there! 

You can always see more details on upcoming events and how to join the PTA on our PTA Website.

Have a great week!

From the 5th Grade Team

Have a question about Middle School Transition?


On top of all of the amazing learning we are doing, some important dates are also coming up. They are:


Week of April 8th

Hello Families!

We've made it to Reading STAAR week. I know all of the kids are going to do their very best tomorrow and I am proud of all the hard work they have put in to review over the last couple of weeks. 

Reading/Writing: We will take our STAAR on Tuesday, April 8th. There will be no school on Wednesday. On Thursday, we are excited to attend a virtual author visit with Gordon Korman! On Friday, we will officially launch our final round of book club for the year. We will be doing Fantasy Book Clubs. Students will have readings and notes due on our meeting dates. We will be meeting on Fridays. In addition to the reading and notes, students will have one additional book club assignment a week. This assignment will be chosen from their Unicorn Menu. There are many activities to choose from. Students will have one activity due a week for the next four weeks. In total, their activities must add up to at least 100 points. Students will also do an additional group activity each week on Friday during class time over their book club book.  

Social Studies: We will then begin our Civil War unit by talking about the invention of the Cotton Gin. As part of our learning, we will talk about how the cotton gin impacted the supply and demand of cotton in the south.

Word Study: For word study this week, we will focus on -Flect/Flex.  Students will be given a list of 10 -Flect/Flex words that they should learn. These words will be a good review for their Science STAAR next week. Students will have words glued into their notebooks and will have access to a Quizlet to study as well. They will have an affix quiz on Thursday, April 18. The quiz will cover Rupt, Join/Junct/Jug, Frail/Fract/Frag, and this week's affix, Flect/Flex.

From Mrs. Elarms:

Solar Eclipse - April 8th

We will be hosting a viewing party for the Eclipse on April 8th.We will have a pair of glasses for all students and staff, thanks to the National Science Foundation. Permission slips have been sent home and every student will need to have a permission slip to participate. We will have our 5th graders seated with our PreK and Kinder students, and 4th graders will sit with 1st graders to set good examples and help ensure glasses are kept on. Parents are also invited to attend with your student(s).

 

Please note, the office will be closed from 12:00-2:00PM on April 8th. If you will be checking your student out early, you will need to sign them out before 12:00.

 

Please click HERE for more information regarding day-of plans.


From PTA

You can always see more details on upcoming events and how to join the PTA on our PTA Website.

Have a great week!

From the 5th Grade Team

Have a question about Middle School Transition?


On top of all of the amazing learning we are doing, some important dates are also coming up. They are:

Week of April 1st

Hello Families!

It is officially on the one-week countdown to the RLA STAAR. Kids have been working so hard to reinforce their understanding of key concepts.  

Reading/Writing: In reading this week, we will be reviewing for the STAAR. In particular, we will focus on Nonfiction, Poetry and Fiction. Finally, students will review key vocabulary they need to know for STAAR. I have made a Quizlet set of all these words that students can study and we will play some vocab bingo with them as well. Students will also be working on combining their Reading and Writing skills through extended constructed responses. 

Grammar:  This week for grammar, we will be reviewing editing sentences. We will look at different STAAR like grammar passages and questions. 

Word Study: For word study this week we will focus on -Frail/Fract/Frag.  Students will be given a list of 10 -Frail/Fract/Frag words that they should learn. Students will have words glued into their notebooks and will have access to a Quizlet to study as well. They will have an affix quiz Thursday, April 18. The quiz will be over Rupt, Join/Junct/Jug, Frail/Fract/Frag and next week's affix Flect/Flex.

From Mrs. Elarms:

Solar Eclipse - April 8th

We will be hosting a viewing party for the Eclipse on April 8th.We will have a pair of glasses for all students and staff, thanks to the National Science Foundation. Permission slips have been sent home and every student will need to have a permission slip to participate. We will have our 5th graders seated with our PreK and Kinder students, and 4th graders will sit with 1st graders to set good examples and help ensure glasses are kept on. Parents are also invited to attend with your student(s).

 

Please note, the office will be closed from 12:00-2:00PM on April 8th. If you will be checking your student out early, you will need to sign them out before 12:00.

 

Please click HERE for more information regarding day-of plans.



From PTA

You can always see more details on upcoming events and how to join the PTA on our PTA Website.

Have a great week!



From the 5th Grade Team

Have a question about Middle School Transition?


About Reunion Ranch

At the end of the year, we will be attending our last field trip to Reunion Ranch on May 7th.  This is the event that all parents are invited to.  We would love it if you could join, but parents have to be approved through the district.  If you haven’t already done so, please go to this link, Field Trip Volunteer, and complete it before April 5, 2024.  We can not guarantee that you will be permitted to attend if the District doesn’t have ample time to complete your application.


On top of all of the amazing learning we are doing, some important dates are also coming up. They are:

Week of March 25th

Hello Families!

Happy last week of March! 

Reading: In reading this week, we will be reviewing for STAAR. We will start the week by reviewing important vocabulary. Then, we will review the point of view. In particular, we will tell the difference between 3rd person limited and 3rd person omniscient. Then, we will review some other passages for Nonfiction and Argumentative. Students will also start having a reading passage and 5-6 questions for homework each night until STAAR. This will count as their 30 minutes of reading. It is important they are done because we will go over the passage in class each day. 

Writing: We will continue our ECR unit, which will be focused on the testing genre of Extended Constructed Responses (ECRs). This week, we will start by grading some ECRs as a class to help students understand the rubric. Then we will once again plan an ECR to ensure we restate the question, include transition words, and have direct text evidence. This is important because they are major portions of the ECR rubric. Then, we will work on drafting ECRs. We will end the week by grading classmates' ECRs to provide them with feedback.

Grammar/Word Study: This week, we will review different forms of punctuation and complete revising and editing passages similar to those students will see on STAAR. 

For word study this week, we will focus on -rupt.  Students will be given a list of 10 -join/junct/jug words that they should learn. Students will have words glued into their notebooks and access to a Quizlet to study. They will have a quiz in 4 weeks over all the words we are learning this month.

Social Studies: We will be finishing our next unit, Manifest Destiny. This week, we will discuss the Chinese Exclusion Act and the Transcontinental Railroad. Students will also have time to work on their review for the Manifest Destiny Unit. This review will be due Wednesday, March 27th. Students will have a Social Studies Assessment Thursday, March 28th.

From Mrs. Elarms:

Solar Eclipse - April 8th

We will be hosting a viewing party for the Eclipse on April 8th. We will have a pair of glasses for all students and staff, thanks to the National Science Foundation. Permission slips will be coming home soon. Each student will need to have a permission slip to participate. We will have our 5th graders seated with our PreK and Kinder students, and 4th graders will sit with 1st graders to set good examples and help ensure glasses are kept on. Parents are also invited to attend with your student(s). More details coming soon.


From PTA

Time is running out to purchase and edit 5th-grade recognition ads to go in the yearbook! This is for 5th-grade parents who would like to add a special recognition ad for their child. You only have the option to choose this if your child is a 5th grader. Once you go in to purchase your yearbook, you can scroll down under the customizable pages, and you’ll see a rectangular box with the title “Celebrate with an ad.” Then click buy a yearbook ad. When purchasing the ad it takes you to a page to edit the ad. You don’t have to edit it now and you will have the option to go back into it to change it after you’ve purchased it. At the top, it says, “Please confirm that you have finished editing your ad and it is ready to print.”  It’s confusing because it makes you click “I confirm my ad is complete”. Click this to purchase the ad. Here's an article that can help you with creating and buying your recognition ad.   

https://treering.my.site.com/HelpUSA/s/article/Creating-and-Buying-a-Recognition-Ad-for-Your-Child


From the 5th Grade Team

Have a question about Middle School Transition?


About Reunion Ranch

At the end of the year, we will be attending our last field trip to Reunion Ranch on May 7th.  This is the event that all parents are invited to.  We would love it if you could join, but parents have to be approved through the district.  If you haven’t already done so, please go to this link, Field Trip Volunteer, and complete it before April 5, 2024.  We can not guarantee that you will be permitted to attend if the District doesn’t have ample time to complete your application.


On top of all of the amazing learning we are doing, some important dates are also coming up. They are:

Tuesday, May 7th, 2024- Reunion Ranch Field Trip 

Week of March 18th

Hello Families!

I hope everyone had an excellent spring break. I relaxed, and my mom came out to visit. It was a great time!

 Reading: In reading this week, we will continue our unit that focuses on making connections across different genres. Students will be asked to connect their texts to other things they have learned in History, Science, or another Text. Students will also practice comparing different types of texts. This week, we will be comparing nonfiction and fiction texts, as well as nonfiction and poetry. Students will also be reviewing POETS to analyze these poems.

Writing: We will continue our ECR unit, which will be focused on the testing genre of Extended Constructed Responses (ECRs). This week will plan an ECR to ensure we restate the question, include transition words, and have direct text evidence. This is important because they are major portions of the ECR rubric. Then, we will work on drafting ECRs. We will end the week by grading classmates' ECRs to provide them with feedback.

Grammar/Word Study: We will be talking about Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases.We will use them to describe when, where and which one. 

For word study this week we will focus on -vit/viv.  Students will be given a list of 10 -join/junct/jug words that they should learn. Students will have words glued into their notebooks and access to a Quizlet to study. They will have a quiz in 5 weeks over all the words we learn in the next 4 weeks. 

Social Studies: We will continue our unit on Manifest Destiny. This week, we will review why people journeyed west, including elbow room and the gold rush. Then, we will discuss the ethical issues related to westward expansion. We will start with the Trail of Tears and how this impacted the Native Tribes. Students will also be getting their review for the Manifest Destiny Unit. This review will be due next Wednesday, March 27th. Students will have a Social Studies Assessment next Thursday, March 28th. 

From Mrs. Elarms:

Solar Eclipse - April 8th

We will be hosting a viewing party for the Eclipse on April 8th. We will have a pair of glasses for all students and staff, thanks to the National Science Foundation. Permission slips will be coming home soon. Each student will need to have a permission slip to participate. We will have our 5th graders seated with our PreK and Kinder students, and 4th graders will sit with 1st graders to set good examples and help ensure glasses are kept on. Parents are also invited to attend with your student(s). More details coming soon.


From PTA

Time is running out to purchase and edit 5th-grade recognition ads to go in the yearbook! This is for 5th-grade parents who would like to add a special recognition ad for their child. You only have the option to choose this if your child is a 5th grader. Once you go in to purchase your yearbook, you can scroll down under the customizable pages, and you’ll see a rectangular box with the title “Celebrate with an ad.” Then click buy a yearbook ad. When purchasing the ad it takes you to a page to edit the ad. You don’t have to edit it now and you will have the option to go back into it to change it after you’ve purchased it. At the top, it says, “Please confirm that you have finished editing your ad and it is ready to print.”  It’s confusing because it makes you click “I confirm my ad is complete”. Click this to purchase the ad. Here's an article that can help you with creating and buying your recognition ad.   

https://treering.my.site.com/HelpUSA/s/article/Creating-and-Buying-a-Recognition-Ad-for-Your-Child


From the 5th Grade Team

Have a question about Middle School Transition?


About Reunion Ranch

At the end of the year, we will be attending our last field trip to Reunion Ranch on May 7th.  This is the event that all parents are invited to.  We would love it if you could join, but parents have to be approved through the district.  If you haven’t already done so, please go to this link, Field Trip Volunteer, and complete it before April 5, 2024.  We can not guarantee that you will be permitted to attend if the District doesn’t have ample time to complete your application.


On top of all of the amazing learning we are doing, some important dates are also coming up. They are:

Week of March 4th

Hello Families!

Happy week before Spring Break! It is crazy to believe we are already wrapping up the 3rd nine weeks of school.

Reading: In reading this week, we will be starting a new unit that focuses on making connections across different genres. Students are going to be asked to make connections from their texts to other things they have learned in History, Science, or in another Text. Students will also practice comparing different types of texts. This week, we will be comparing two nonfiction texts and nonfiction with fiction. 

Writing: We will continue our ECR unit, which will be focused on the testing genre of Extended Constructed Responses (ECRs). This week will be focuson how to plan an ECR to make sure that we restate the question, include transition words, and have direct text evidence. This is important because they are major portions of the ECR rubric. 

Grammar: This week, We will discuss conjunctive adverbs. In particular, we will focus on however. These conjunctive adverbs will play an essential role in the ECRs we will be planning. 

Social Studies: We will be continuing our next unit, Manifest Destiny. This week, we will discuss Lewis and Clark's expedition through the newly purchased Louisiana Territory. Students will start by reading different articles, including biographies about Lewis, Clark, and Sacagawea and a primary source document written by Thomas Jefferson. 

From Ms. Gagliardi and Mrs. Hentges

Our Patsy Sommer Stallion Stampede is currently going! This year, our school is raising funds for school improvements and staff support. We are trying to raise funds for our school, and if you’d like to, we invite YOU to help!


Here’s how you can support Patsy Sommer:

1. Register on mybooster.com tonight. It’s so easy!

2. Share about our fundraiser with your family and friends using the SHARE BUTTON on mybooster.com.

3. Give a donation, if you are able.


Thank you for supporting our school!. We can’t wait for the Patsy Sommer Stallion Stampede happening on 03/06/2024!

From the 5th Grade Team

Have a question about Middle School Transition?


About Reunion Ranch

At the end of the year, we will be attending our last field trip to Reunion Ranch on May 7th.  This is the event that all parents are invited to.  We would love it if you could join, but parents have to be approved through the district.  If you haven’t already done so, please go to this link, Field Trip Volunteer, and complete it before April 5, 2024.  We can not guarantee that you will be permitted to attend if the District doesn’t have ample time to complete your application.


On top of all of the amazing learning we are doing, some important dates are also coming up. They are:


Week of February 26th

Hello Families!

Unbelievably we are almost to March. We have 2 more weeks until spring break.  

Reading: In reading this week, we will review important argumentative skills before our Argumentative Assessment on Thursday, February 29. Then we will start our next unit which is all about comparing across genres. We will start by comparing images and comparing paragraphs. This book club round will be historical fiction or literary nonfiction books. Students' book club reading, sticky notes, double-entry notes using at least one content imperative with an icon, and reading responses are due Friday. I encourage you to check in with your child about their book and if they are working on this assignment. It does count as their 30 mins of reading at night.  This round of Book Club will go until March 10th. 

Writing: In writing this week, we will continue learning about 3 very important persuasive techniques. They are Ethos, Pathos, and Logos. Students will work to use Ethos, Pathos, and Logos to enhance their own writing. Then at the end of the week, we will review restating the question. This will launch our next unit, which will be focused on the testing genre of Extended Constructed Responses. 

Grammar/Word Study: We will be talking about conjunctive adverbs this week. In particular, we will focus on however. This will be particularly important to use as we work on argumentative writing. 

For word study this week we will focus on -vit/viv.  Students will be given a list of 10 -vit/viv words that they should learn. Students will have words glued into their notebooks and will have access to a Quizlet to study as well. They will have an affix quiz this Friday, March 1. The quiz will be over this week's words and last week's. 

Social Studies: We will be continuing our unit, Manifest Destiny. This week, we will discuss the first major land acquisition- The Louisiana Purchase. Students will work to tell why this purchase was significant to the United States. Students will also use their knowledge to create a map of the economy in the North, South, and West United States in the 1800s. 


From Ms. Gagliardi and Mrs. Hentges

Our Patsy Sommer Stallion Stampede kicked off today! This year, our school is raising funds for school improvements and staff support. We are trying to raise funds for our school, and if you’d like to, we are inviting YOU to help!


Here’s how you can support Patsy Sommer:

1. Register on mybooster.com tonight. It’s so easy!

2. Share about our fundraiser with your family and friends using the SHARE BUTTON on mybooster.com.

3. Give a donation, if you are able.


Thank you for supporting our school!. We can’t wait for the Patsy Sommer Stallion Stampede happening on 03/06/2024!

From the 5th Grade Team

Have a question about Middle School Transition?


About Reunion Ranch

At the end of the year, we will be attending our last field trip to Reunion Ranch on May 7th.  This is the event that all parents are invited to.  We would love it if you could join, but parents have to be approved through the district.  If you haven’t already done so, please go to this link, Field Trip Volunteer, and complete it before April 5, 2024.  We can not guarantee that you will be permitted to attend if the District doesn’t have ample time to complete your application.


On top of all of the amazing learning we are doing, some important dates are also coming up. They are:


Week of February 19th

Hello Families!

I hope you are all enjoying the 3-day weekend. Teachers were busy learning today. 

 This week, we will start by talking about Author's Purpose and the many reasons authors write. Once we have this knowledge, we will use it to determine the audience for different persuasive writing. We will also talk about how the audience will impact the persuasive technique used. This book club round will be historical fiction or literary nonfiction books. Students' book club reading, double-entry notes using at least one content imperative with an icon, and research are due Friday. I encourage you to check in with your child about their book and if they are working on this assignment. It does count as their 30 mins of reading at night.  This round of Book Club will go until March 8th. 

Writing: In writing this week we will continue learning about 3 very important persuasive techniques. They are Ethos, Pathos, and Logos. 

These are the techniques writers use to convince their readers to do or believe in something. Students will be learning which each type is, then they will be working to identify which technique is used in different examples, we will be looking at both writing and advertisements while working on these skills. 

Grammar/Word Study: We will be talking about using quotation marks this week. This will be a grammatical topic we focus on for a couple of weeks. This week we will be focusing on using quotation marks, internal punctuation, and a comma to show direct quotes.  

For word study this week we will focus on -bio.  Students will be given a list of 10 -bio words that they should learn. Students will have words glued into their notebooks and will have access to a Quizlet to study as well. They will have an affix quiz next Friday, March 1. The quiz will be over this week's words and next week's. 

Social Studies: We will be starting our next unit, Manifest Destiny. This week we will be focusing on answering the driving ethics question- "Was Manifest Destiny good or bad? Why?" We will be asking students to look at this question from multiple perspectives and think about how different groups (native tribes, and pioneers) as well as animals and nature (if they could talk) would view Manifest Destiny. As part of this, we will analyze the image of American Progress by John Gast.

From Mrs. Elarms

Hi class families! I hope you’ve seen the information about the upcoming 

Patsy Sommer Stallion Stampede fundraiser for our school that kicks off on 02/26/2024! We’re excited for this year’s fitness and character-building fundraiser! The school’s goal is to raise funds for school improvements and staff support.


Watch this video featuring YouTube Trick Shot stars, Dude Perfect!


In order for us to START strong - please register your family on MYBOOSTER.com NOW! Don’t wait!

From the 5th Grade Team

Have a question about Middle School Transition?


About Reunion Ranch

At the end of the year, we will be attending our last field trip to Reunion Ranch on May 7th.  This is the event that all parents are invited to.  We would love it if you could join, but parents have to be approved through the district.  If you haven’t already done so, please go to this link, Field Trip Volunteer, and complete it before April 5, 2024.  We can not guarantee that you will be permitted to attend if the District doesn’t have ample time to complete your application.


On top of all of the amazing learning we are doing, some important dates are also coming up. They are:

Week of February 12th

Hello Families!

I hope you all are enjoying the Lunar New Year/ Superbowl Sunday.

This is a crazy week for us in 5th grade! 

Due to the craziness, we will introduce less new content than normal. We'll hopefully have some good times and pockets of normalcy this week :)  

Reading:  At the beginning of the week, we will be taking the Reading STAAR Interim before the students' STAAR test in April. This will be important data for the teachers as we determine what we need to review from the year. Then, we will continue to identify Claims, Arguments, and Evidence in passages. This book club round will be historical fiction or literary nonfiction books. Students' book club reading, sticky notes using depth and complexity icons, and double-entry notes using at least one content imperative are due Friday. I encourage you to check in with your child about their book and if they are working on this assignment. It does count as their 30 minutes of reading at night.  This round of Book Club will go until March 8th. 

Grammar: We will discuss using quotation marks this week. We will focus on this grammatical topic for a couple of weeks. This week, we will use quotation marks, internal punctuation, and a comma to show direct quotes.  

Social Studies: This week, we will be focusing on the difference between Primary and Secondary sources. 

From the 5th Grade Team

Have a question about Middle School Transition?


About Reunion Ranch

At the end of the year, we will be attending our last field trip to Reunion Ranch on May 7th.  This is the event that all parents are invited to.  We would love it if you could join, but parents have to be approved through the district.  If you haven’t already done so, please go to this link, Field Trip Volunteer, and complete it before April 5, 2024.  We can not guarantee that you will be permitted to attend if the District doesn’t have ample time to complete your application.


Valentine's Day

We are excited to celebrate Valentine’s Day with our 5th graders this year, including continuing our new tradition of a friendship dance. During the morning of Valentine’s Day, students will enjoy a snack while passing out and opening their Valentines.  In the afternoon, 5th grade will gather for a 30-minute dance party before specials.   Please understand that this is for students only so they can enjoy celebrating as a class. 

A few FYIs:


From PE Coaches:

As part of the RRISD 4th and 5th grade Health Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) requirements, classes on maturation and hygiene will be provided for 4th and 5th grade students. Boys and girls will be separated for the instructional program.  


Per HB 1525, districts must receive parent permission for your student to participate in the lessons. Parents MUST opt-in and MUST complete the form in order for the student to participate in the Always Changing videos.


The date set is for Friday, February 16th, and students will gather during their special time. Again, boys and girls will be separated.


Thank you,

Coach Park & Coach Krusely


On top of all of the amazing learning we are doing, some important dates are also coming up. They are:


Claims, Counter Claims, Arguments, Evidence.pdf
Key- Forming A Nation Review 2021

Week February 5th

Hello Families!

Happy February!

Reading: This week in reading, we will be starting our Argumentative Unit. We will be talking about 4 of our important vocabulary words and then working to identify them in passages. We will be talking about Claims, Counter-claims, Arguments, and Evidence. We will be doing Frayer Models over each of these words. On Tuesday we will finish up our Poetry Book Club books. The next book club round will be historical fiction or literary nonfiction books. Students' book club reading, sticky notes using depth and complexity icons, and double-entry notes using at least one content imperative are due Friday February 16th. I encourage you to check in with your child about their book and if they are working on this assignment. It does count as their 30 mins of reading at night.  This round of Book Club will go until March 8th. 

Writing: In writing this week we will be digging a little deeper into claims and counterclaims. Students will be asked to develop their own claims about a subject. Then students will be asked to come up with a counterclaim over a classmate's claim. We will also be reading the book You Don't Want a Unicorn as a mentor for good claims and counterclaims.

Grammar: We will be talking about using quotation marks this week. This will be a grammatical topic we focus on for a couple of weeks. This week we will be focusing on using quotation marks, internal punctuation, and a comma to show direct quotes.  

Social Studies: This week will be finishing up our Forming a Nation Unit. We will be looking closely at one specific effect, Francis Scott Key's Star-Spangled Banner, which would later become our National Anthem.  We will be having a Social Studies Assessment Thursday, February 8th. Students got a study guide that is due this Wednesday, February 7th.  Students have their study guide, notecards, notes, videos and games posted in Schoology to help them study. 

From the 5th Grade Team

Have a question about Middle School Transition?


About Reunion Ranch

At the end of the year, we will be attending our last field trip to Reunion Ranch on May 7th.  This is the event that all parents are invited to.  We would love it if you could join, but parents have to be approved through the district.  If you haven’t already done so, please go to this link, Field Trip Volunteer, and complete it before April 5, 2024.  We can not guarantee that you will be permitted to attend if the District doesn’t have ample time to complete your application.


Valentine's Day

We are excited to celebrate Valentine’s Day with our 5th graders this year, including continuing our new tradition of a friendship dance. During the morning of Valentine’s Day, students will enjoy a snack while passing out and opening their Valentines.  In the afternoon, 5th grade will gather for a 30-minute dance party before specials.   Please understand that this is for students only so they can enjoy celebrating as a class. 

A few FYIs:


From PE Coaches:

As part of the RRISD 4th and 5th grade Health Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) requirements, classes on maturation and hygiene will be provided for 4th and 5th grade students. Boys and girls will be separated for the instructional program.  


Per HB 1525, districts must receive parent permission for your student to participate in the lessons. Parents MUST opt-in and MUST complete the form in order for the student to participate in the Always Changing videos.


The date set is for Friday, February 16th, and students will gather during their special time. Again, boys and girls will be separated.


Thank you,

Coach Park & Coach Krusely


On top of all of the amazing learning we are doing, some important dates are also coming up. They are:

Week of January 29th

Hello Families!

Reading: In reading, we will be focusing on inferring in poetry. The ability to infer or read between the lines is an important skill in all genres. Students will be asked to take the text evidence and their background knowledge to make an inference.  This is a skill that will also be on their poetry assessment. Our assessment has been moved to Thursday, February 1, 2024. Students will have an optional poem passage that they can use to study for their test. They can complete POETS over this poem and answer the 5 questions. Students will also be finishing their poetry book club books this week. Ourfinal meeting will be next Tuesday, February 6, 2024.

Writing: In our poetry unit we will be starting a PBL project with the driving question "How can I use poetry to express my identity?" Students will be using all of the elements of poetry that we are learning about in writing and using them to write their own poems. Each poem they write will need to focus on a piece of the student's identity. We will start the week off by discussing what slam poetry is. Then we will discuss line breaks and start drafting our identity poems. At the end of the PBL, students will be picking one poem they have written to perform in a class-wide poetry slam. Our in-class poetry slam will be Friday, February 2, 2024. Parents are welcome to come and watch their children perform. Please just email me in advance so that I can plan seating accordingly. 

Grammar/Word Study: We will be talking about using quotation marks this week. This will be a grammatical topic we focus on for a couple of weeks. This week we will be focusing on using a dialogue tag and a comma to show that someone is talking. 

We will be developing our vocabulary this week using Flocabulary. Students will wear a name tag on Wednesday saying "ask me what _____ means" This will encourage them to teach their word to others. 

Social Studies: This week will continue talking about the Bill of Rights in Social Studies. Students need to be able to not only name the rights guaranteed by the different amendments but also give situations where these rights apply. We will be learning about amendments. Students will be taught a Hand Jive to help them memorize the rights of the Bill of Rights. I encourage you to ask your child to show it to you. Then, students will sketch and tell to explain how the Bill of Rights impacted them today.  At the end of the week we will be talking about the causes and effects of the War of 1812. We will be looking closely at one specific effect, Francis Scott Key's Star-Spangled Banner, which would later become our National Anthem.  We will be having a Social Studies Assessment Thursday, February 8, 2024. Students have a study guide that is due next Wednesday, February 7th.  

From the 5th Grade Team

Have a question about Middle School Transition?


About Reunion Ranch

At the end of the year, we will be attending our last field trip to Reunion Ranch on May 7th.  This is the event that all parents are invited to.  We would love it if you could join, but parents have to be approved through the district.  If you haven’t already done so, please go to this link, Field Trip Volunteer, and complete it before April 5, 2024.  We can not guarantee that you will be permitted to attend if the District doesn’t have ample time to complete your application.


Valentine's Day

We are excited to celebrate Valentine’s Day with our 5th graders this year, including continuing our new tradition of a friendship dance. During the morning of Valentine’s Day, students will enjoy a snack while passing out and opening their Valentines.  In the afternoon, 5th grade will gather for a 30-minute dance party before specials.   Please understand that this is for students only so they can enjoy celebrating as a class. 


A few FYIs:


On top of all of the amazing learning we are doing, some important dates are also coming up. They are:

Week of January 22nd 

Hello Families!

Reading: In reading, we will be focusing on analyzing poetry. We use an acronym, POETS, to help with poetry analysis. Each letter will include one step of the poetry analysis: Preview, Occasion, Emotion, Theme, and Sensory and Figurative language. This will require reading through the poem multiple times to understand it deeply. As we read through the poems we will be inferring about skills like the emotion of the speaker, themes, and mood. We will start the week doing this as a whole class, then students will work on it in partners, and finally, students will try it independently. This is a skill that will also be on their poetry assessment next Wednesday, January 31, 2024. Students will also be asked to analyze one of their book club poems for next week's book club meeting. 

Writing: In our poetry unit, we will be starting a PBL project with the driving question, "How can I use poetry to express my identity?" Students will be using all of the elements of poetry that we are learning about in writing and using them to write their own poems. Each poem they write will need to focus on a piece of the student's identity. We will start the week off by discussing what slam poetry is. Then we will discuss line breaks and start drafting our identity poems. At the end of the PBL, students will be picking one poem they have written to perform in a class-wide poetry slam. 

Grammar/Word Study: We will be talking about irregular verbs. Because there are so many types of irregular verbs, we will be grouping them and talking about some of the different unusual rules they follow. 

For word study this week our root is -mal/male. Students will be given a list of 10 -mal/male words that they should learn. Students will have words glued into their notebooks and will have access to a Quizlet to study as well. Students will have an affix quiz this Friday, January 26th. This quiz will cover both this week's affix words and last week's.

Social Studies-  In social studies, we are talking about forming our Nation after the Revolutionary War's end. We will also be talking about how the 3 branches "check" each other and make sure that no one branch becomes too powerful.  Then, we will be talking about the Bill of Rights in Social Studies. Students need to be able to not only name the rights guaranteed by the different amendments but also give situations where these rights apply. At the beginning of the week, we will be learning about amendments. Students will be taught a Hand Jive to help them memorize the rights of the Bill of Rights. I encourage you to ask your child to show it to you. Then, at the end of the week, students will sketch and explain how the Bill of Rights impacted them today. Students will also have an open note check over what they have learned so far in this unit. 

Announcements:

From Ms. Gagliardi

Please check with your child that they still have a complete set of colored pencils. Many students are missing many pencils. If this is the case, please get them a new set. We will be using colored pencils heavily in my classroom starting this week. 

From the 5th Grade Team

Have a question about Middle School Transition?


About Reunion Ranch

At the end of the year, we will be attending our last field trip to Reunion Ranch on May 7th.  This is the event that all parents are invited to.  We would love it if you could join, but parents have to be approved through the district.  If you haven’t already done so, please go to this link, Field Trip Volunteer, and complete it before April 5, 2024.  We can not guarantee that you will be permitted to attend if the District doesn’t have ample time to complete your application.


On top of all of the amazing learning we are doing, some important dates are also coming up. They are:

POETS.pdf

Bill of Rights Hand Jive

Hand Jive.mp4
Three Branches of Govt.pdf

Week of January 15th

Hello Families! 

I hope you are staying warm over this crazy cold front. 

Reading: In reading, we will be focusing on Poetry. Students will be learning about two more important elements of poetry this week. We will start the week by talking about sensory language. Sensory language is language that appeals to one or more of the five senses. The most common type of sensory language is imagery. Students will be reading two different poems to find examples of sensory language and what it helps them to picture in their minds. Students will also be asked to find examples of sensory language in their book club books this week. The other important element of poetry we are learning this week is Rhyme Scheme. This is the pattern of rhyming words within different poems. This can help us to identify the type of poetry. At the end of the week, students will be working to identify the types of poetry of different poems. There are 5 types of poetry we focus on in 5th grade- Narrative, Free Verse, Ode, Humorous and Lyrical.

Writing: In our poetry unit we will be starting a PBL project with the driving question "How can I use poetry to express my identity?" Students will be using all of the elements of poetry that we are learning about in writing and using them to write their own poems. Each poem they write will need to focus on a piece of the student's identity. We will start the week off by discussing what slam poetry is. Then we will discuss line breaks and start drafting our identity poems. At the end of the PBL, students will be picking one poem they have written to perform in a class-wide poetry slam. 

Grammar/Word Study: We will be talking about indefinite pronouns this week. Indefinite pronouns are not clearly defined and don't refer to a specific noun in the text.  

For word study this week our root is -ben/-bene/-bon. Students will be given a list of 10 -ben/-bene/-bon words that they should learn. Students will have words glued into their notebooks and will have access to a Quizlet to study as well. Students will have an affix quiz next Friday, January 26th. This quiz will cover both this week's affix words and next week's.

Social Studies-  In social studies, we are talking about the forming of our Nation after the end of the Revolutionary war. This week we will start talking about the government that is set up in the Preamble to the Constitution how our government runs. We will also be learning about each of the 3-branches of government. Students will need to know about who is part of each branch and the jobs that they do for our country.  

Announcements:

From Ms. Gagliardi

Please check with your child that they still have a complete set of colored pencils. Many students are missing many pencils. If this is the case, please get them a new set. We will be using colored pencils heavily in my classroom starting next week. 

From the 5th Grade Team

Have a question about Middle School Transition?


About Reunion Ranch

At the end of the year, we will be attending our last field trip to Reunion Ranch on May 7th.  This is the event that all parents are invited to.  We would love it if you could join, but parents have to be approved through the district.  If you haven’t already done so, please go to this link, Field Trip Volunteer, and complete it before April 5, 2024.  We can not guarantee that you will be permitted to attend if the District doesn’t have ample time to complete your application.


On top of all of the amazing learning we are doing, there are also some important dates coming up. They are:


Week of January 8th

Hello Families!

We have a busy week ahead of us as we start digging into poetry. 

Reading: In reading, we will be focusing on Poetry. At the beginning of the week, students will learn about one of this genre's key elements, figurative language. We will be talking about similes, metaphors, hyperbole, onomatopoeia, personification, and alliteration. Students will have an opportunity to review these types of figurative language and how they affect the poem. Students will also be asked to find examples of figurative language in their book club books this week. This book club will be novels in verse or poetry books. Students' book club reading, sticky notes over figurative language, and double-entry notes are due Friday. I encourage you to check in with your child about their book and if they are working on this assignment. It does count as their 30 minutes of reading at night. 

Writing: Our poetry unit for We will be starting a PBL project with the driving question "How can I use poetry to express my identity?" Students will be using all of the elements of poetry that we are learning about in writing and using them to write their own poems. Each poem they write will need to focus on a piece of the student's identity. We will start the week off by discussing what makes up our identities. At the end of the PBL, students will be picking one poem they have written to perform in a class-wide poetry slam. 

Grammar/Word Study: We will be talking about collective nouns this week.  Collective nouns are unique in that even though they are made up of many, they are a single group paired with singular verbs.

We will be developing our vocabulary this week using Flocabulary. Students will wear a name tag on Wednesday, saying, "Ask me what _____ means." This will encourage them to teach their word to others. 

Social Studies: 

In social studies, we are talking about our nation's formation after the end of the Revolutionary War. We start by talking about the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation (AoC) and will be talking about the Constitutional Convention. We will talk about the key plans proposed at the Convention and the Great Compromise that helped form our current government. We will also talk about two key founding fathers, James Madison and George Mason. 

Announcements:

From Ms. Gagliardi

Please check with your child that they still have a complete set of colored pencils. Many students are missing many pencils. If this is the case, please get them a new set. We will be using colored pencils heavily in my classroom in two weeks. 

From the 5th Grade Team

Have a question about Middle School Transition?

On top of all of the amazing learning we are doing, there are also some important dates coming up. They are:

Instrument Discovery Day
ContentImperatives1Page-1.pdf

Week of January 4th

Hello Families! 

I hope you all had a restful winter break and got to enjoy time as a family. I am excited to start our second semester together. 

Reading: In reading this week, we will be learning about the Content Imperatives. These icons get partnered with the depth and complexity icons for even deeper thinking. We will start using the content imperatives along with our other icons during our book club assignments. Students will be getting new book club books on Thursday. This book club will be novels in verse or poetry books. Students' book club reading, sticky notes over figurative language, and double-entry notes are due next Friday. I encourage you to check in with your child about their book and if they are working on this assignment. It does count as their 30 minutes of reading at night.  This round of Book Club will go until February 6th.

We will also meet with our kinder reading buddies on Friday as a fun way to start the semester. We will read with them, and we will also help to remind them about campus expectations. 

Writing: This week we will be focusing on coming up with one word goals for the year. This is based on the book One Word for Kids by Dan Britton, Jimmy Page, and Jon Gordon. I encourage you to talk to your child about their word on Friday. We will be checking in on how we are doing with these words throughout the rest of the school year. 

Social Studies: 

In Social Studies this week, we will start to talk about what happened in the United States after the end of the American Revolution. This will lead into our next unit about Forming a Nation. 

Announcements:

From Ms. Gagliardi

Please check with your child that they still have a complete set of colored pencils. Many students are missing many pencils. If this is the case, please get them a new set. We will be using colored pencils heavily in my classroom in two weeks. 

From the 5th Grade Team

Have a question about Middle School Transition?

On top of all of the amazing learning we are doing, there are also some important dates coming up. They are:

Week of December 11th

 Hello Families!

We've made it to the last week of the Semester. I can't wait to celebrate with the kids on Thursday. 

Reading:  Throughout the week, we will be reading some holiday classics including The Polar Express, The Night at Los Posadas, and The Grinch. On Monday we will be making choices for our next round of book club. We will read books in verse. Students will get their book club books in January after the break. I'm also excited to say that students will be meeting with their kinder reading buddy on Wednesday to practice our reading fluency. Mrs. Hentges's class has a library on Monday; my homeroom will have library on Tuesday. 

Writing: In writing, students will finish revising and editing their writing to add details by exploding a moment and checking spelling and grammar. Then, they will publish the final draft of their writing. 

Social Studies: This week we will review some of the battles of the American Revolution. We will do this by watching some Liberty's Kids episodes. 

Grammar and Word Study: 

We will not have a grammar skill this week. 

For word study, we will review the affixes we've learned so far this year. 

On top of all of the amazing learning we are doing, some important dates are also coming up. They are:

We also have important announcements: 

From PTA

Hello Sommer parents!  Here are the instructions for uploading photos to share with the yearbook team.  Please upload your images in the proper folders, so we can create an awesome yearbook!   


1.  Log-in to your https://www.treering.com account. 

2.  Scroll down to the “Share School Photos” section and click “Upload School Photos”. 

3.  Click on the folder that you are wishing to add photos to. 

4.  Click the green “Add Photos” button. 

5.  Choose where you would like to upload your photos from and choose the photo. Please tag or name the person/people in the photo.  You can also add a caption, any additional information is always helpful!  

6.  Click “Save a Copy To My Photos”.  That way you can use those photos for your personal pages, if you choose to do so.   

7.  Click “Done”!  


Each grade-level folder contains separate folders for each class.  Click on your child’s grade, then the appropriate class folder, and then select “Add Photos” in the green box in the upper right corner.  


Pre-k Folder: 

https://web.treering.com/school/249846/2023/school-content/school-photos/304277373


Kindergarten Folder: 

https://web.treering.com/school/249846/2023/school-content/school-photos/303563941


First Grade Folder: 

https://web.treering.com/school/249846/2023/school-content/school-photos/303563964


Second Grade Folder:

https://web.treering.com/school/249846/2023/school-content/school-photos/303563968


Third Grade Folder: 

https://web.treering.com/school/249846/2023/school-content/school-photos/303563975


Fourth Grade Folder: 

https://web.treering.com/school/249846/2023/school-content/school-photos/303563996


Fifth Grade Folder: 

https://web.treering.com/school/249846/2023/school-content/school-photos/303564005


Here’s a link with a video that can assist you with uploading photos.  If you have any further questions, please email the yearbook team: sommeryearbook@gmail.com. 


Thank you,

Mara Crow


Week of December 4th

Hello Families!

We have just two more busy weeks before winter break. If you know you are going to be leaving early for the break, please let Mrs. Hentges and me know. 

Reading: We will be finishing up our Drama unit this week. Students will have an assessment of Drama and Fiction on Tuesday, December 5th. The reading test will be three passages: one fiction text, one drama, and one revision and editing passage. 

Writing: In writing, students will take their small moments and draft their personal narratives. Students will go through the writing process, drafting first an intro, then body paragraphs, and finally a conclusion. Then, students will start to revise and edit their writing to add details by exploding a moment and checking spelling and grammar.

Grammar and Word Study: This week, we will be learning about comparative and superlative adjectives in grammar. These special descriptive words will help to enhance students' writing.

For word study this week, our root is -script/scrib. Students will be given a list of 10 -script/scrib words that they should learn. Students will have words glued into their notebooks and will have access to a Quizlet to study as well. Students will have an affix quiz on Monday, December 11th. I have moved this quiz so that they won't have an affix quiz and a Social Studies Assessment on the same day. This quiz will cover both this week's affix words and last week's.  

Social Studies: We are finishing our conversation about the American Revolution this week. We will be learning about the Battle of Yorktown and the Treaty of Paris that ended the American Revolution. This week, students have a review for their American Revolution Assessment that is due on Thursday.  Students will have an assessment over the American Revolution on Friday, December 8th. 

On top of all of the amazing learning we are doing, some important dates are also coming up. They are:

We also have important announcements:

From Sommer:

 

Items not picked up by December 14th will be donated at the end of the semester.

The following is a list of items currently in our lost and found:

100 lost items hanging on racks

13 water bottles

7 lunch boxes

5 food containers

4 gloves

4 hair accessories

2 umbrellas

2 helmets

1 ice pack

1 necklace

1 belt

1 hat

1 blanket

1 book

From PTA:

 Patsy Sommer is working to brighten the holiday season for our neighbors in need.  Please see the below from the PTA. 


We are excited to partner with the Williamson County Brown Santa Program again to provide holiday gifts for underprivileged kids throughout Williamson County. Many townships host Blue Santa programs to provide for their less-fortunate residents; Wilco Brown Santa services all the unincorporated areas of Williamson County which don't have access to Blue Santa programs. 


Sommer will host a Gift Drive from Monday, November 27th to Wednesday, December 6th.  It's 10 Days of Giving! The Brown Santa program provides gifts for male and female infants through eighteen-year-olds. Good gift options are: toys, board games, books, puzzles, art supplies, makeup, skincare, nail polish kits, sports equipment, bluetooth speakers, earbuds, and much more. The urgent need items are requested especially for tweens and teens, but of course toys for the littles are always appreciated too.  


All donations must be brand new and unwrapped. A large donation bin will be located in the main office; additionally, homeroom parents will provide a donation box in each classroom. Take advantage of Black Friday sales to purchase a gift donation to send in with your child after Thanksgiving break!


You can also participate in the Brown Santa Adopt-A-Family program, donate items through their Amazon wish list, or make an online monetary donation.  Visit the website for more info.


Brown Santa website - https://www.wcbrownsanta.com/?fbclid=IwAR1aGjwUnf0r8RMAkpov36RHUBl4vQ8F1VDLbJzt1Pjm85z2PhPaPYpHEms

Brown Santa Amazon wishlist - https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/314J2GSRBA2HN?ref_=wl_share


Let's work together to brighten the holiday season for our neighbors in need.  Sommer Stallions Serve!

Week of November 27th

Hello Families!

I hope everyone had an enjoyable Thanksgiving Break with lots of time for family. 

Reading: In reading this week, we will start our unit on Drama. At the beginning of the week, we will talk about the characteristics of drama that make it unique, including Character Tags, Scenes, and Stage Direction. Then, we will take a closer look at stage directions and what they can tell us about different characters in a drama. At the end of the week, we will start looking at different scripts. We will figure out their plots and themes.  Students will have a Reading Assessment next Tuesday, December 5th. This assessment will cover Fiction and Drama. 

Writing: In writing, students will take their small moments and draft their personal narratives. Students will go through the writing process, drafting first an intro, then body paragraphs, and finally a conclusion. Then, students will start to revise and edit their writing to add details by exploding a moment and checking spelling and grammar. 

Grammar and Word Study: In grammar this week, we will be looking at word choice. Students will work on revising sentences to pick the best possible word for the context. 

For word study this week, our root is -graph. Students will be given a list of 10 -graph words that they should learn. Students will have words glued into their notebooks and will have access to a Quizlet to study as well. Students will have an affix quiz on Friday, December 8th. This quiz will cover both this week's affix words and next week's. 

Social Studies: We will start this week by reviewing the causes of the American Revolution that we learned about before Thanksgiving break. Then, we will be talking about the midnight ride and the Battles of Lexington and Concord. This marks the official start of the American Revolution. We will be learning about Yankee Doodle and the Declaration of Independence. During this conversation, we will discuss the purpose of this document as well as how it impact America in the future. Finally, we will talk about some of our important founding fathers. This week, students will be given a review to start preparing for their American Revolution Assessment.  Students will have an assessment over the American Revolution on Friday, December 8th.

On top of all of the amazing learning we are doing, some important dates are also coming up. They are:

We also have important announcements:

From Ms. Gagliardi and Mrs. Hentges:

As we approach Winter Break, we would appreciate it if families let us know about any school your children might be missing. This will allow us to plan ahead. Thank you to families who have already let us know!

From PTA:

UPDATES FROM PTA! 

Please learn more about all things PTA and upcoming events on our PTA WEBSITE. 

Also, please be sure to Renew your annual membership ($10 & obligation free) to support all the wonderful programs PTA brings to our campus, and enjoy some Membership Discounts &  Perks along with it. 


World Of Sommer: Friday, 12/1, 5 - 7:30 pm

We are only 2 weeks away from our wonderful World of Sommer Event! 

With 8 cultural booths, 13 performances, 4 activity stations, henna tattoo, sugar skull face painting, board games, regional snacks, student art displays, food trucks and more, you do not want to miss this fun, free community event!!! See flyer for more info! 

We still have many opportunities to participate and help make this event a success! 

We can't wait to see you and your family on December 1st!

 - Mili Gupta, PTA DEI Chair


Clothes Closet Volunteers Needed!!  

We have (2) more RRISD Clothes Closet shifts in 2023 and we need a few volunteers.  The next shifts are December 9th and 13th. During a shift you help unpack, sort, hang and organize clothing for our RR families in need. Click HERE to learn more and sign-up! 

HERE is a video to learn more about this wonderful RRISD program that our PTA participates in. 


Sommer's Lost & Found is FULL!! 

Please check Lost & Found for your child's misplaced items! Last day to collect before the holiday break is December 14. 


Toy Collection Drive for Brown Santa. 

Boxes will be outside classrooms/ at the front office from November 27th - December 6th to donate to Williamson County's Brown Santa Toy Drive. Please bring UNWRAPPED gifts to help those in need. See Flyer.


Spirit Wear Holiday Sale Underway

See Flyer or click HERE to shop now!


Purchase your Yearbook! 

Purchase and learn more about personalizing your 2023- 24 yearbook HERE! 


Special THANKS and Recognition for: 

Elements of Drama.pdf
Copy of Yankee Doodle
Traditional Literature Notes.pdf
Loyalists vs Patriots.pdf

Week of November 13th

Hello Families!

Happy Diwali to those who celebrated over the weekend. We are in the final countdown to Thanksgiving Break, just a couple more days. 

Reading: In reading this week, we will be building from Characterization (last week's skill) to Character Relationships. These two skills go together because a character's traits can affect their relationships with other characters. We will also learn about the different types of traditional tales and what makes them unique. We will end the week talking about the different points of view. We are also meeting over book clubs on Friday. This book club will be realistic fiction books. Students' book club reading, sticky notes over evidence of theme, double-entry notes, theme chart, and response planning are due Friday. I encourage you to check in with your child about their book and if they are working on this assignment. It does count as their 30 mins of reading at night.  This is our final meeting on these Book Club Books. 

Writing: In writing, Students will take their small moment and will be drafting their personal narratives. Students will go through the writing process drafting first an intro, then body paragraphs, and finally a conclusion. Then students will start to revise and edit their writing to add details by exploding a moment and checking spelling and grammar. 

Grammar/Word Study: We will be finishing talking about conjunctions this week with a mini-project. Students will work in groups to create a character to represent two conjunctions. Their character should represent the purpose of the connection. For example, the "And" character might be greedy, always wanting more things. This would represent that "and" adds more information to a sentence. 

We will be developing our vocabulary this week using Flocabulary. Students will wear a name tag on Wednesday, saying, "Ask me what _____ means." This will encourage them to teach their word to others. 

Social Studies: We will be continuing our American Revolution unit. This week, students will be learning about the different perspective leading up the American Revolution, the loyalists and the patriots. Then, we will talk about one patriot group, The Sons of Liberty. Finally, we will discuss the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party. 

On top of all of the amazing learning we are doing, some important dates are also coming up. They are:

We also have important announcements:

From Ms. Gagliardi and Mrs. Hentges:

As we approach Thanksgiving Break, we would appreciate it if families let us know about any school your children might be missing. This will allow us to plan ahead. Thank you to families who have already let us know!

From PTA:

We wanted to share a few important dates coming up and provide details for each.  

Lastly, in case you missed it, our website address has changed!  Please bookmark our new link http://sommer.ch2v.com. 

Have a great last week before the Thanksgiving Break.

I wanted to let you know that I will be placing a class scholastic order for those who are interested. Unlike previous years where teachers could set the due date, Scholastic now sets the date. This is to ensure delivery in time for the holidays. The due date will be November 24, 2023. If you are interested in purchasing any books, please have your order in by then. 


You can choose to have your books shipped to your home or delivered to me with our class order.

  

Class Order Due Date: 11/24/2022

 

Shop Our Class Page: https://orders.scholastic.com/P8397

 

Shop Digital Flyers for Our Grade with Your Child: https://clubs.scholastic.com/grade5.   Paper filers also went home last week in Thursday Folders. 


Please share the Class Page link with extended family and friends. All orders also earn FREE Books for our class.

 

Thank you for your support!

Week of November 6th

Hello Families! 

Happy November! And Happy Early Veterans Day! 

Reading: In reading this week, we will working on our inferring skills. We will start the week by talking about what an inference is. Students will practice using their background knowledge and text evidence to make an inference.  Then later in the week, students will be working to infer characters traits. This is important because many times a character's traits impact the conflict in the story. We are also meeting over book clubs on Friday. This book club will be realistic fiction books. Students' book club reading, sticky notes over unanswered questions, double-entry notes, and character trait chart are due Thursday. I encourage you to check in with your child about their book and if they are working on this assignment. It does count as their 30 mins of reading at night.  This round of Book Club will go until Thanksgiving Break. 

Writing: In writing, Students will take their small moment and will be drafting their personal narratives. Students will go through the writing process drafting first an intro, then body paragraphs, and finally a conclusion. Then students will start to revise and edit their writing to add details and check spelling and grammar. 

Grammar/Word Study: We will be talking about conjunctions and compound sentences over the next couple of weeks.  This week, the focus will be on using a comma and "so" to combine cause and effect. 

For word study this week our root is -miss/mit. Students will be given a list of 10 -miss/mit words that they should learn. Students will have words glued into their notebooks and will have access to a Quizlet to study as well. Students will have an affix quiz on Thursday, November 9th. This quiz will cover both this week's affix words and last week's. 

Social Studies: We will be continuing our American Revolution unit. This week students will be talking about the taxes that King George passed for the colonies. Students will work in groups to learn about and present one of the Acts. We will also be learning some important language of the discipline including: propaganda, monopoly, and taxation.We will be making paper flashcards for students to study within this unit. Please go over these notecards at home to help them study. This Social Studies Unit will have a test at the end. 

On top of all of the amazing learning we are doing, some important dates are also coming up. They are:

We also have important announcements:

From Ms. Gagliardi and Mrs. Hentges:

As we approach Thanksgiving Break, we would appreciate it if families let us know about any school your children might be missing. This will allow us to plan ahead. 

From Mrs. Mensing

On Monday, December 4th, we are hosting author Varsha Bajaj for our 3rd-5th grade students.  Her book Thirst is nominated this year for a Texas Bluebonnet Award. 


Born to a large family in Mumbai, Varsha Bajaj first came to the United States in 1986 as a graduate student. She worked as a counselor before becoming a writer. To learn more about her and her work, you can visit her website. 

If you would like to order one of her books, please see the image or click on THIS LINK and order BEFORE November 13th.

From PTA

We wanted to share a few important dates coming up and provide details for each.  

Lastly, in case you missed it, our website address has changed!  Please bookmark our new link http://sommer.ch2v.com. 

Have a great week!

Inferences.pdf
list_of_character_traits.pdf
Varsha Bajaj - Author Visit PreOrder Form.pdf
Theme.pdf
HG_Color Version and Key.pdf

Week of October 30th 

Hello Families!

Happy Halloween Week! May your costumes be spooky and your candy be yummy. 

Reading: In reading this week, we will be continuing to work on Summarizing fictional texts. To do this we will be using the Somebody, Wanted, But, So, Then strategy. This will connect well to the plot of stories as well. Students will use this strategy to pick the best summary from a group of options. Students will also work to add to a paragraph to complete the fiction summary. We will also be reviewing context clues this week and working to identify unknown words. We will end the week talking about what theme is. Students' book club reading, sticky notes over unknown words, parts of the plot, double-entry notes, and a reading response are due Friday.  This round of Book Club will go until Thanksgiving Break.

Writing: This week, students will finish publishing their nonfiction graphic novel. Students' graphic novels are due on Tuesday 10/31. We will then be starting Personal Narratives. We will talk about the elements of personal narratives, and then we will be using those elements to write our own narratives. At the end of the week,  will be brainstorming our Small Moments and the theme or lesson we learned from this moment.

Grammar/Word Study: We will be talking about conjunctions and compound sentences over the next couple of weeks.  This week, the focus will be on using a comma and "but" to combine contrasting ideas. 

For word study this week, our root is -port. Students will be given a list of 10 -port words that they should learn. Students will have words glued into their notebooks and will have access to a Quizlet to study as well. Students will have an affix quiz next Thursday, November 9th. This quiz will cover both this week's affix words and next week's. 

Social Studies: We will be starting our new unit this week. We will be learning about the American Revolution. Students will be learning about the 1st cause of the American Revolution- the French and Indian War. Then, we will be talking about the taxes that King George passed for the colonies. This will be another major cause of the American Revolution.  We will be making paper flashcards for students to study within this unit. Please go over these notecards at home to help them study. This Social Studies Unit will have a test at the end. 

On top of all of the amazing learning we are doing, some important dates are also coming up. They are:

We also have important announcements:

From PTA:

Sommer Families,

We wanted to share a few important dates coming up this week and some events coming up soon.  

Lastly, our website address has changed!  Please bookmark our new link http://sommer.ch2v.com. 

Have a great week!

Update from the PTA

Hello Sommer families!  


It’s time to purchase your yearbook and get 10% off.  The deadline to receive 10% off is October 31st, 2023!  You may choose hard or soft cover, and you can add 2 free customizable pages.  You will have plenty of time to customize these over the next 4 months.  Don’t miss out on getting a discount!  The flyer with all the information you need is attached to this email.  Contact Sommeryearbook@gmail.com if you have any questions, and check out our website for more PTA Info at:  http://sommerpta.my-pta.org

Week of October 23rd

Hello Families!

Happy Red Ribbon Week! I am excited to talk about healthy life choices for a stellar future this week. 

Reading: In reading this week, we will be starting our fiction unit. To start this unit, we will be talking about the Plot, which is the structure of all fictional stories. We will talk about the parts of a plot and then work to put a story on a plot diagram. Then, students will be putting a story on a plot diagram independently. Later in the week, we will be working on Summarizing fictional texts. To do this, we will be using the Somebody, Wanted, But, So, Then strategy. This will connect well to the plot of stories as well. Students will work to write their own summaries using this strategy. 

Writing: This week, students will have an opportunity to conference with me about their nonfiction drafts. Then, they will revise and edit their writing based on the writing goal that they set for themselves. We will publish this piece of writing as a nonfiction graphic novel. So this week, we will also spend some time talking about the elements of nonfiction graphic novels. Students' graphic novels are due on Tuesday 10/31.

Grammar/Word Study:

This week in grammar, we will be reviewing subject a predicate. This is the base of all simple sentences. This is important ground work before we move into compound sentences next week. 

We will be developing our vocabulary this week using Flocabulary. Students will wear a name tag on Wednesday, saying, "Ask me what _____ means." This will encourage them to teach their word to others. 

Social Studies: In social studies, students will have a Social Studies Assessment on Wednesday, October 25th, 2023. We will spend the beginning of the week reviewing for their assessment. Students will be provided a study guide and can also bring home their notebooks to study. Reviews are due on Tuesday so that we can go over them in class. 

On top of all of the amazing learning we are doing, some important dates are also coming up. They are:

We also have important announcements:

From PTA

Hi Sommer Families,

World of Sommer is coming and we need YOU! We wanted to share some very important dates coming up soon.  If you have any questions, please contact our DEI Chair (Mili Gupta) here.

                    Meeting ID: 736 896 9531
                    Passcode: SommerPTA
                    Click HERE to join Zoom.


Plot.pdf
Red Ribbon Week Dress Up Days 2023
Sommer Robotics Flyer
Red Ribbon Week Dress Up Days 2023

Week of October 16th

Hello Families!

I hope you had a good weekend, and are enjoying the cooler weather. I for one enjoyed a wonderful weekend outside at ACL fest. 

Reading: In reading this week, students will test on Tuesday 10/18. Later in the week, we will be starting our fiction unit. To start this unit, we will be learning key vocabulary for the unit. We are also about to start our next round of book club. This book club will be realistic fiction books. Students will vote for their books Wednesday and then get books on Friday. This round of Book Club will go until Thanksgiving Break. 

Writing: This week, students will have an opportunity to conference with me about their nonfiction drafts. Then they will revise and edit their writing based on the writing goal that they set for themselves. We will publish this piece of writing as a nonfiction graphic novel. So this week, we will also spend some time talking about the elements of nonfiction graphic novels. Students' graphic novels are due on Tuesday 10/31.

Grammar/Word Study:  This week, for grammar, we will continue to focus on capitalizing proper nouns. This is a review skill from previous grades, which is very important as we continue into 5th grade. 

This week, our root is -sect. Students will be given a list of 10 -sect words that they should learn. Students will have words glued into their notebooks and will have access to a Quizlet to study as well. Students will have an affix quiz this Friday, October 20. This quiz will cover both this week's (sect) and last week's (ject) affix words.

Social Studies: In social studies, we will be comparing the New England, Middle, and Southern colonies. We will talk about the differences in the reason for founding, geography, economy, and government. Then, students will do a mini-research project over one of the 13 original colonies. Students will be asked to learn about the people, government, reasons for settling, and problems in the colony. Students will then present this information to their classmates. Students will have a Social Studies Assessment next Wednesday, October 25th, 2023. Students will be provided a study guide and can also bring home their notebooks to study. 

 On top of all of the amazing learning we are doing, some important dates are also coming up. They are:

We also have important announcements:


No Place for Hate - 2nd Coalition Meeting (Open to all 4th and 5th grade students)

Friday, October 20th at 7:10 am in the cafeteria 

See you next Friday 

Mrs. Hollis & Mrs. Macre

A note from the TAG Teachers- 

Discussing TAG Testing for Students Not Already in TAG Monday, October 23, from 5:30 - 6:30 pm, in the Cafeteria.

We will share information about TAG and the testing and referral process. Prior to the meeting, please refer to the TAG Team Website for available information and dates. We will be happy to answer questions after a brief presentation. If you are unable to attend, the presentation will be posted on our website afterward.

Week of October 9th

Hello Families!

Hope you are all having another great 3-day weekend. It was nice to meet with many of you on Monday, and I am excited to meet with the rest of you throughout the next two weeks. 

Reading: In reading this week, we will start by continuing our work on Summarizing. This week, we will be focusing on adding to a paragraph to create a complete summary. Then, we will practice with context clues. This is a review from previous years. Students will be asked to determine the meaning of words. We will end the week by talking about test-taking strategies. These will be the last big skill before our Nonfiction Assessment next week. Students will test next week on Tuesday, 10/17.

Writing: This week, students will start the week by setting a writing goal for themselves. They will pick one of the 6 traits of writing as a focus. Then, they will continue drafting their nonfiction essays. Students will have an opportunity to conference with me over their nonfiction writing, with a focus on their writing goal. 

Grammar/Word Study:  This week, for grammar, we will be thinking about Parts of Speech. There are 8 parts of speech- nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, conjunctions, interjections, and prepositions. 

This week, our root is -ject. Students will be given a list of 10 -ject words that they should learn. Students will have words glued into their notebooks and will have access to a Quizlet to study as well. Students will have an affix quiz this Friday, October 20. This quiz will cover both this week's (ject) and next week's (sect) affix words.

Social Studies: This week in Social Studies, we will be learning about famous colonists. This will include William Bradford, Anne Hutchinson, William Penn, John Smith, and Roger Williams. Students will be able to tell about the different colonists and how they impacted their colony. At the end of the week, we will be focusing on the life of colonists during this time period. 

On top of all of the amazing learning we are doing, some important dates are also coming up. They are:

We also have important announcements:

A note from the TAG Teachers- 

Discussing TAG Testing for Students Not Already in TAG Monday, October 23, from 5:30 - 6:30 pm, in the Cafeteria.

We will share information about TAG and the testing and referral process. Prior to the meeting, please refer to the TAG Team Website for available information and dates. We will be happy to answer questions after a brief presentation. If you are unable to attend, the presentation will be posted on our website afterward.


A note about the Book Fair- 

Book Fair is in full swing; please see the flyer or check out the Book Fair Website. 


If you would like to donate a book to our class, there are a couple of ways to do that. 



Week of October 2nd

Hello Families!

Reading: In reading this week, we will start one of the most important skills of the year, Summarizing. On Monday, we will talk about the characteristics of a nonfiction summary. Then, throughout the rest of the week, we will discuss how to use these characteristics to pick the best summary option. Students will be picking the best summary for different gross articles. We will also finish this round of Book Club on Friday, October 6th. Students have reading, sticky notes, double-entry notes, and a reading response due for this meeting. 

Writing: This week, students will have an opportunity to conference with me over their plan for their nonfiction writing. Then, they will start drafting their nonfiction writing. During the drafting process, students will focus on learning transition words. 

Grammar/Word Study:  This week, for grammar, we will be thinking about Parts of Speech. There are 8 parts of speech- nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, conjunctions, interjections, and prepositions. 

We will be developing our vocabulary this week using Flocabulary.

Social Studies: This week in Social Studies, we will continue the colonization unit. We will start by talking about the Mayflower Compact. Then, we will be learning about the Virginia House of Burgesses. This is important because it was one of the first representative governments in the Americas. 

On top of all of the amazing learning we are doing, some important dates are also coming up. They are:

We also have an important announcement:

Be greeted with a high-five 

and a rad sticker!


To those who live too far away, choose to park and walk/bike from a closer location. Meet up with your Patsy Sommer friends at either location and do it together:

Waters Edge Pool & Trail Point (9600 Billingham Trail) 

-- ~9 min walk/3.5 min bike -- ~1/2 mile -- meet up @ 7:10 a.m.

Oak-brook Recreation Center  (16900 Morgan Trail)

-- ~20 min walk/~8 min bike -- 1.2 mile -- meet up @ 7:00 a.m.

Avery Ranch Morningside Park (10121 Morgan Creek Dr.)

-- ~25 min walk/~10 min bike -- 1.5 mile -- meet up @ 7:00 a.m.

Champion Park & Trail Point (3830 Brushy Creek Rd.)

-- ~25 min walk/~10 min bike -- ~1.5 mile @ 7:00 a.m.


If you live close to the school, consider hosting a meetup at your home with your friends and neighbors. RRHS football players and cheerleaders will be at the school ready to cheer you on and pass out your participation sticker to wear for the day.

Week of September 25th

Hello Families!

Reading: We will be continuing our Nonfiction unit this week. The skill focus for this week will be central idea. For central idea, we will be using a strategy called Boxes and Bullets. We will be using some of our reading consumables to read passages and identify the central idea and supporting details. Students will record Central Idea and Details on sticky notes made into the Boxes and Bullets graphic organizer (see below for examples)

Writing: This week in writing, we will be continuing our work on developing our nonfiction writing. We have already picked a topic and written Thesis statements. This week, we will plan out the central idea and details of each section of our writing. We will be making some connections to reading because our nonfiction writing will actually be writing nonfiction graphic novels.

Grammar/Word Study: This week, for grammar we will be thinking about Parts of Speech. There are 8 parts of speech- nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, conjunctions, interjections, and prepositions. 

This week, we will learn about the root -dict. This means to speak or say. Students will be given 10 words using this root to learn the meaning of. Students will have a word study quiz on Friday, September 29th over last week's words and this week's. 

Social Studies: We are starting our colonization unit in Social Studies. We will be starting the unit by reading the book Encounter by Jane Yolen. Students will think about the different perspectives presented in the book (colonists and native tribes). Then, students will use the ethics and paradox depth and complexity icons to dig deeper into those perspectives. Then, we will learn about one type of government- a Monarchy. Finally, we will talk about the Mayflower Compact. 

On top of all of the amazing learning we are doing, some important dates are also coming up. They are:

We also have an important announcement:

A Note From PTA

Hello Stallion Parents! 


STAY UP TO DATE ON ALL THINGS PTA BY CHECKING OUR WEBSITE FREQUENTLY AND FOLLOWING US ON FACEBOOK! 


Read below for a few of the QUICKLY approaching highlights, and always feel free to reach out with any questions! 


1. Pony UP Fall Fundraiser: 

Our once-a-year, No-Hassle Fall Fundraiser will be taking place September 12-29, with four quarterly classroom competitions/ prizes!! Please see attached flyer!


2. Healthy Lifestyles - Building Healthy Bodies Mural:

Students are invited to share a picture prioritizing their overall health. Each grade level will have a pyramid of pictures, shining bright on the wall outside of the cafeteria and gym for all to see. Examples of a picture to submit may include: playing a sport; hiking with family; cooking/baking a healthy item; or celebrating a happy event. There are many possibilities. Pictures are accepted September 4th-October 20th and passed along to their P.E. coaches. You may also email your child’s picture to (sommerptahl@gmail.com)


3. Diversity, Equit-y and Inclusion (DEI) Committee (formerly Multicultural):   See flyers below! 

- Focus-On- Country' Display beginning this month where YOU help showcase a country 

- Preparations for this year's large Multicultural Event- Passport to Somme- have already begun! We'd love (and NEED) family participation to make this event a success! 


4. 1st General Membership PTA Meeting followed by CLUB INFO NIGHT 

Join us on Thursday, September 21 at 5:30 pm in the Sommer Cafeteria for our first General PTA Meeting of the year. Then stick around to learn about clubs at Sommer and meet other interested parents. Hope to see you there!


5. Movie Night: 

Our first PTA Sponsored Movie Night will be Friday, October 13 after our General PTA Meeting in the cafeteria! VOTE NOW on our PTA Facebook Page to vote on which movie we show BEFORE Sunday, September 10th! 


Want to get more involved, have fun, make friends, bring a smile to your child's face....  

Fill out the General Volunteer interested form found HERE or on our WEBSITE today! And please make sure you have renewed your annual Sommer PTA Membership! 


Thank you! 

Sommer PTA

Week of September 18th

Hello Families!

I hope everyone is enjoying the cooler weather and the rain. 

Reading: We will be continuing our Nonfiction unit this week. The skill focus for this week will be nonfiction text structures and the author's purpose. These are review skills from previous grades. At the beginning of the week, we will be taking notes on author's purpose and the 5 text structures. As part of the notes, students will be identifying keywords to help them know which structure their reading is in. Then in the middle of the week, students will be reading different nonfiction passages and working with a partner to identify their text structure and the author's purpose for the texts. We will end the week by reviewing everything we have learned so far about Nonfiction Texts. I am also excited to say that we will have our first official Book Club meeting on Friday, September 22nd. Students have reading, sticky notes, and double-entry notes due for this meeting. 

Writing: In writing this week we will be brainstorming topics for our expository nonfiction writing. To do this, students will create an expert list to see what topics they are already knowledgeable on. This writing will not be researched, so students must pick a topic they are "experts" in. Then, we will be working on drafting thesis statements. Students' thesis will be the guide for their expository writing. 

Grammar/Word Study: This week, we will learn about the root -spec. This means to see or look. Students will be given 10 words using this root to learn the meaning of. Students will have a word study quiz on Friday, September 29th over this week's words and next week's. 

 We will continue to focus on capitalizing proper nouns. This is a review skill from previous grades, which is very important as we continue into 5th grade. 

Social Studies: 

This week is Constitution Week. We will be spending this week discussing our Constitution and the process our founding fathers went through to get it ratified. This will be great background building for digging deeper into the Constitution later this year. We will also learn about some of the important symbols in the United States including the Bald Eagle, Liberty Bell, and Uncle Sam. 

On top of all of the amazing learning we are doing, some important dates are also coming up. They are:

We also have an important announcement:

A Note From PTA

Hello Stallion Parents! 


STAY UP TO DATE ON ALL THINGS PTA BY CHECKING OUR WEBSITE FREQUENTLY AND FOLLOWING US ON FACEBOOK! 


Read below for a few of the QUICKLY approaching highlights, and always feel free to reach out with any questions! 


1. Pony UP Fall Fundraiser: 

Our once-a-year, No-Hassle Fall Fundraiser will be taking place September 12-29, with four quarterly classroom competitions/ prizes!! Please see attached flyer!


2. Healthy Lifestyles - Building Healthy Bodies Mural:

Students are invited to share a picture prioritizing their overall health. Each grade level will have a pyramid of pictures, shining bright on the wall outside of the cafeteria and gym for all to see. Examples of a picture to submit may include: playing a sport; hiking with family; cooking/baking a healthy item; or celebrating a happy event. There are many possibilities. Pictures are accepted September 4th-October 20th and passed along to their P.E. coaches. You may also email your child’s picture to (sommerptahl@gmail.com)


3. Diversity, Equit-y and Inclusion (DEI) Committee (formerly Multicultural):   See flyers below! 

- Focus-On- Country' Display beginning this month where YOU help showcase a country 

- Preparations for this year's large Multicultural Event- Passport to Somme- have already begun! We'd love (and NEED) family participation to make this event a success! 


4. 1st General Membership PTA Meeting followed by CLUB INFO NIGHT 

Join us on Thursday, September 21 at 5:30 pm in the Sommer Cafeteria for our first General PTA Meeting of the year. Then stick around to learn about clubs at Sommer and meet other interested parents. Hope to see you there!


5. Movie Night: 

Our first PTA Sponsored Movie Night will be Friday, October 13 after our General PTA Meeting in the cafeteria! VOTE NOW on our PTA Facebook Page to vote on which movie we show BEFORE Sunday, September 10th! 


Want to get more involved, have fun, make friends, bring a smile to your child's face....  

Fill out the General Volunteer interested form found HERE or on our WEBSITE today! And please make sure you have renewed your annual Sommer PTA Membership! 


Thank you! 

Sommer PTA

Non Fiction Text Features Chart.pdf

Week of September 11th 

Hello Families!

I hope everyone had a good weekend. I know I for one enjoyed watching football this weekend! 

Reading: We will be starting our Nonfiction unit this week. The skill focus for this week will be nonfiction text features. Students will work to understand the purpose of the text features and the information they provide readers. We will look at an article where the words are removed with just the text features left behind. This will show us the important role text features play. Then we will look at the passage with the words added back in. Finally, students will add their own text features to an article that is missing them. I am also excited to say that we will be starting our first round of book club at the end of this week. For this first round, we will be reading graphic novels and discussing them. Students will get their books on Friday and create their group's reading schedule. Then we will have our first official meeting on Friday, September 22nd.  

Writing: In writing, we will start the week by doing our writing benchmark for the beginning of the year. This information will help to form writing goals in this unit. For this, students will be asked to write about a nonfiction topic. This will help to determine what students know about nonfiction writing. 

Grammar/Word Study: We will continue to focus on capitalizing proper nouns.  This week, the focus will be on capitalizing organization names. This will be an important stepping stone as we prepare for next week's lesson on acronyms. 

For word study, students will be learning some new vocabulary this week using the tool Flocabulary. Throughout the year students will be encouraged to find these words in their reading and to use them in their writing. 

Social Studies:  On Monday, we will learn about the events of September 11th, 2001. We will discuss this event and then read The Survivor Tree by Marcie Colleen. Then, we will be finishing up our Thinking Like a Geographer unit this week. Students will be completing a Performance Assessment. This Assessment has two parts. In the first part, students will use different resources to create a map of the United States. Their map will include a title, compass rose, key, labeled regions,  largest cities, major economic activity, and resources of the regions.  In the second part of the performance assessment, students will plan an essay explaining at least two population changes they noticed in the US between 1790 and today. They will also explain why they believe these changes happened. 

On top of all of the amazing learning we are doing, some important dates are also coming up. They are:

We also have an important announcement:

A Note From PTA

Hello Stallion Parents! 


STAY UP TO DATE ON ALL THINGS PTA BY CHECKING OUR WEBSITE FREQUENTLY AND FOLLOWING US ON FACEBOOK! 


Read below for a few of the QUICKLY approaching highlights, and always feel free to reach out with any questions! 


1. Pony UP Fall Fundraiser: 

Our once-a-year, No-Hassle Fall Fundraiser will be taking place September 12-29, with four quarterly classroom competitions/ prizes!! Please see attached flyer!


2. Healthy Lifestyles - Building Healthy Bodies Mural:

Students are invited to share a picture prioritizing their overall health. Each grade level will have a pyramid of pictures, shining bright on the wall outside of the cafeteria and gym for all to see. Examples of a picture to submit may include: playing a sport; hiking with family; cooking/baking a healthy item; or celebrating a happy event. There are many possibilities. Pictures are accepted September 4th-October 20th and passed along to their P.E. coaches. You may also email your child’s picture to (sommerptahl@gmail.com)


3. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee (formerly Multicultural):   See flyers below! 

- Focus-On- Country' Display beginning this month where YOU help showcase a country 

- Preparations for this year's large Multicultural Event- Passport to Somme- have already begun! We'd love (and NEED) family participation to make this event a success! 


4. 1st General Membership PTA Meeting followed by CLUB INFO NIGHT 

Join us on Thursday, September 21 at 5:30 pm in the Sommer Cafeteria for our first General PTA Meeting of the year. Then stick around to learn about clubs at Sommer and meet other interested parents. Hope to see you there!


5. Movie Night: 

Our first PTA Sponsored Movie Night will be Friday, October 13 after our General PTA Meeting in the cafeteria! VOTE NOW on our PTA Facebook Page to vote on which movie we show BEFORE Sunday, September 10th! 


Want to get more involved, have fun, make friends, bring a smile to your child's face....  

Fill out the General Volunteer interested form found HERE or on our WEBSITE today! And please make sure you have renewed your annual Sommer PTA Membership! 


Thank you! 

Sommer PTA


A Note From Nurse Stephanie:

Please see the linked letter regarding our mandatory yearly spinal screenings. Spinal screenings will be conducted on ONLY 5th-grade girls on Wednesday, September 13th, or Thursday, September 14th. If you choose to exempt your student from the screening, please provide current documentation of the physician's spinal screening results or a notarized affidavit stating that this screening conflicts with religious tenets. Do not hesitate to reach out to me directly if you have any questions!

Week of September 4th

Hello Families! 

I hope everybody enjoyed the holiday 3-day weekend. 

Reading/Writing:

We will be combining our reading and writing skills this week to learn how to write reading responses. This is an important way to practice our metacognition.  We connect our reading response to the depth and complexity icons through different prompts. To start practicing this skill we will review different response examples and rate them on the rubric. Then we will write a response as a class over a read-aloud book. At the end of our learning for the week, students will be asked to write their own response about a depth and complexity prompt using evidence from the text. This will help support one of the new STAAR components on Evidence-Based Writing. We will continue to do responses throughout the year over our book club books. 

Grammar/Word Study: This week, we will be learning about the root -man/manu. This means hand or handily. Students will be given 10 words using this root to learn the meaning of. Students will have a word study quiz on Friday, September 8th over this week's words and last week's. 

 We will continue to focus on capitalizing proper nouns. This is a review skill from previous grades, but one that is very important as we continue into 5th grade. 

Social Studies:  This week students will be learning about the regions of the United States.  Students will work in groups to research the landforms, history, people, resources, and challenges of their region. We will be presenting to the class later in the week. Finally, Students will be completing a Performance Assessment. This Assessment has two parts. In the first part, students will use different resources to create a map of the United States. Their map will include a title, compass rose, key, labeled regions,  largest cities, major economic activity, and resources of the regions.  In the second part of the performance assessment, students will plan an essay explaining at least two population changes they noticed in the US between 1790 and today. They will also explain why they believe these changes happened.  This Performance Assessment will be started this week and finished next week. 

On top of all of the amazing learning we are doing, some important dates are also coming up. They are:

We also have an important announcement:

A Note From Nurse Stephanie:

Please see the linked letter regarding our mandatory yearly spinal screenings. Spinal screenings will be conducted on ONLY 5th-grade girls on Wednesday, September 13th, or Thursday, September 14th. If you choose to exempt your student from the screening, please provide current documentation of the physician's spinal screening results or a notarized affidavit stating that this screening conflicts with religious tenets. Do not hesitate to reach out to me directly if you have any questions!

Response Rubric

Double Entry Notes

Week of August 27th

Hello Families!

We are excitedly entering September and are looking forward to some really fun learning coming up.

Reading: This week we continue to focus on purposefully talking, thinking, and writing about or reading. This is an important way to share and deepen our thinking. We will practice purposeful talk in small groups about our reading. We will record our thinking using double-entry notes. This is when we record a quote from the text on the left side of the paper and our elaborated thoughts with icons on the right side. 

Writing: In Writing this week, students will focus on our first published writing of the year. Students will be writing poems about their favorite parts. This writing will be inspired by the mentor text "The Best Part of Me" by Wendy Ewald. By the end of the week, students will have this writing published in the hallway along with a picture of their favorite part. 

Grammar/Word Study: This week, we will start our study of Greek and Latin roots. Each week, students will learn a different root to help them learn new vocabulary words. This also helps students' spelling as they learn those word parts. This week we will be learning about the root -ped. This means foot. Students will be given 10 words using this root to learn the meeting of. Next week, we will learn another root and students will have a word study quiz on Friday, September 8th. 

At the end of the week, we will start our first grammar focus of the year. We will focus on capitalizing proper nouns. This is a review skill from previous grades, which is very important as we continue into 5th grade.

Social Studies: In Social Studies, we will work on interpreting maps. This will help us to learn about important geographical features in the United States. We will also be looking at some of the major US cities. This will also lead to discussions about why people settle in certain areas over others. 

On top of all of the amazing learning we are doing, some important dates are also coming up. They are:

We also have an important announcement:

From Ms. Gagliardi and Mrs. Brown:

We can’t wait to see everyone for parent night on Wednesday. The time has been changed to 4:30-5:15 pm to accommodate the many Cedar Valley Parents we have. We will be meeting in Mrs. Brown's room (A210).  As this is a chance to share information with you, please understand that we have a lot to cover and won’t be able to have conferences with anyone.  If you want us to know anything specific about your child, please email both of us:  corianna_gagliardi@roundrockisd.org  AND  dana_brown@roundrockisd.org.  Feel free to email us with any questions/concerns as well.  Parent conferences will be in October, and we will send a signup email in October.  If you are unable to make parent night, please do not worry.  We will send our presentation out to all parents. 

From Mrs. Nelson and Mrs. Garia:

Sommer 3rd, 4th, & 5th Grade Families!

  Do you like to perform?  If you like to sing(solo and/or in a group), then the Sommer Stallion Choir is exactly the group for you!  We  would like to invite 3rd, 4th and 5th graders to audition for the 2023-2024 Stallion Choir.  Rehearsals are held every Tuesday and Thursday(2:55-4:00) beginning Tuesday, September 12th.   Over the years, the choir has performed at school functions, morning assemblies, as well as performing a major musical at the end of every school year.   We are proud to announce that this year’s musical will be Junie B. Jones, Jr.  So,  If you have a passion to sing, act and perform, sign-up now!  This select group will be limited to 80 members.  If you were a choir member last school year, you are required to submit a new audition video.   By completing the online form your child IS showing interest in becoming a member of our choir. 

 Click the link below to find out exactly what all you need to submit.  

Click here to find out how to apply/audition for the 23-24 Stallion Choir

Deadline to apply is Wednesday, September 6th at 3pm!


A Note From Nurse Stephanie:

Please see the linked letter regarding our mandatory yearly spinal screenings. Spinal screenings will be conducted on ONLY 5th-grade girls on Wednesday, September 13th, or Thursday, September 14th. If you choose to exempt your student from the screening, please provide current documentation of the physician's spinal screening results or a notarized affidavit stating that this screening conflicts with religious tenets. Do not hesitate to reach out to me directly if you have any questions!



From PTA:

Spirit Wear Store

Back-to-school Spirit wear sale is going on now. CLICK HERE The items are currently 30% off. You can put any of the designs/logos on any of the styles(T-Shirts, Hoodies, Baseball caps, etc,.)

Join US

Instagram: @patsysommerpta

Facebook: Patsy Sommer Elementary PTA

Website: http://sommerpta.my-pta.org


From the Cafeteria:

I wanted to make sure that everyone is aware if your child's account balance falls into the negative, they will receive a sun butter and jelly sandwich. This can make for some very sad kiddos, so please be sure to keep their lunch accounts up to date. You can do this through www.myschoolbucks.com 


Also, if you were set to receive free and/or reduced lunch last year, remember that you have to reapply each year. The grace period is about to end, so please be sure to reapply by CLICKING HERE.


From the 5th Grade Teachers:

With the weather continuing to be sweltering, we ask for your help in keeping kids safe. Please send your child to school each day with a water bottle. Also please talk to your child about taking their jacket off during recess. We had some 5th graders wearing their jackets as they played soccer last week. We appreciate your help in this manner. 

Week of August 21st

Hello Families!

We are starting our second week of school. We are excitedly looking forward to some really fun learning coming up.

Reading: This week we are focusing on purposeful talking, thinking, and writing about or reading. To start we will be learning about the depth and complexity icons that can help guide our thinking.  Purposeful talk can be done both in-person and through online Schoology discussions. This is a great way to share and deepen our thinking. We will practice purposeful talk in small groups about our reading. Once we know how to talk about our reading, we will then start jotting about our reading. We will do this on sticky notes including our thoughts and one of the depth and complexity icons we learned about at the beginning of the week.

Writing: In writing, we will be working on brainstorming in our Writer's Notebooks. Students will brainstorm about their writer's heart and writing territories. Students will have a chance to brainstorm and then write long on these ideas. These ideas are important because a writer's notebook is a place writers can return to when they are stuck or don't know what to write about. We will also start our first published writing of the year. Students will be writing about their favorite part. This writing will be inspired by the mentor text "The Best Part of Me" by Wendy Ewald.

Social Studies: This week, students will be learning about key vocabulary and characteristics of geography. Students will then apply these components to a map of their favorite place. 

On top of all of the amazing learning we are doing, some important dates are also coming up. They are:

We also have an important announcement:

From Ms. Gagliardi:

I want our classroom to represent the students and the families that occupy it all day long. I would be honored if you could send ONE 4x6 photograph of your student with their family to display in our classroom. Please know that though we will send home the photos at the end of the school year, they may have staples or push-pin holes in them. You may send a digital photo for me to print on your behalf if you need or do not want to send an original photo. I will send what photos I receive to the printer by Friday, August 25th at 4pm. I have told your students about this as well, so hopefully they will bring it up with you. 


From PTA:

Spirit Wear Store

Back-to-school Spirit wear sale is going on now. CLICK HERE The items are currently 30% off. You can put any of the designs/logos on any of the styles(T-Shirts, Hoodies, Baseball caps, etc,.)

Join US

Instagram: @patsysommerpta

Facebook: Patsy Sommer Elementary PTA

Website: http://sommerpta.my-pta.org


From the Cafeteria:

I wanted to make sure that everyone is aware if your child's account balance falls into the negative, they will receive a sunbutter and jelly sandwich. This can make for some very sad kiddos, so please be sure to keep their lunch accounts up to date. You can do this through www.myschoolbucks.com 


Also, if you were set to receive free and/or reduced lunch last year, remember that you have to reapply each year. The grace period is about to end, so please be sure to reapply by CLICKING HERE.


From the 5th Grade Teachers:

With the weather continuing to be sweltering, we ask your help in keeping kids safe. Please send your child to school each day with a water bottle. Also please talk to your child about taking their jacket off when we go to recess. We had some 5th graders wearing their jackets as they played soccer last week. We appreciate your help in this manner. 


Use the quizlet set below to study important terms in our Thinking Like a Geographer Unit.

Week of August 7th

Hello Everyone! This is my 9th year at Sommer as a 5th-grade teacher. I am so excited to be working with you this year! Supply drop-off will be Thursday, August 10, 2023. A-M will be 3:30-4:30 pm. N-Z will be 4:45-5:45 pm.