SJF English: Grades 5 and 6

May 14-18

What a fantastic spirit week! Thank you to student council for all of their efforts.

Congratulations to Sophia, the Mathletics champions and iPad winner! We are so proud of you!

In fifth grade students will continue to study the Civil War, including the Anaconda Plan and ways that technology of the day changed the way war was fought.

This week in sixth grade we will finish listening to Number the Stars. A final test on the book will be Tuesday, May 22. A short study on children of the Holocaust will begin next week.

The week’s forecast looks fantastic. Enjoy your week,

Mrs. Alfultis

Spirit Week has arrived! Lots of fun to be had!

Congratulations to our homeroom for winning the fifth grade Mathletics competition! All of our students worked so hard. Prizes will be issued soon

The fifth graders will continue to study the Union and Confederate Armies and the early battles of the Civil War. We will also use the iPads to study further the Underground Railroad.

The story Number the Stars continues. Many students are eager to just buy the book and read the ending! We will finish Chapter 14 this week.

Enjoy your week,

Mrs.Alfultis

Mathletics is off to a terrific start! Thanks for all you’re doing to bolster enthusiasm.  

A special congratulations to Sophia who will be representing our homeroom in the live competition.  All week Sophia and Betsy were fighting for the top position. Their efforts have been outstanding. I hope all of our students in Room 201 will continue to put in a few minutes a day to help in the homeroom competition this week.

This week, students are studying important people leading up to the Civil War and the strengths and weaknesses of both the Union and Confederate Armies. Students are asking terrific questions and seem genuinely interested in the issues and ultimately the war that divided our country.

I’m so impressed with the sixth graders’ attention while listening to the book, Number the Stars. Students have mapped the countries found in the book and those countries under German occupation during World War II. Students have been most thoughtful with the material, especially the focus on the Holocaust. A quiz on Chapters 1-5 will be Wednesday.

On Friday, one of SJF’s most beautiful traditions, the crowning of Mary, will begin at 11. It will be a half-day session for students.

Enjoy your week,

Mrs. Alfultis

I know a note went home describing our major fundraiser for the year, but I just want to remind you that the Mathletics Competition begins on Sunday at 1:00 pm CST. Points for the homeroom will accrue all week (from Sunday 4/22 until Sunday 4/29). I know we have many talented math students in Room 201. Let’s all do our part to help in the homeroom competition!

Sponsorship forms have been coming in. If you haven’t turned yours in just yet, it’s not too late!  Thanks so much!

Welcome back! The students are back and refreshed for the final 35 days of school.

This week the fifth graders will be covering the Mexican War and Texas (including the Alamo) and Manifest Destiny.  At the end of the week, we will have a quiz covering select material in Unit 5: A New Nation. I’ve included the following questions from the study guide.

Unit 5: A New Nation Study Guide

1. What were Thomas Jefferson’s two greatest contributions as President of the United States?

2. Name two ways the Louisiana Purchase changed America.

3. What were the three goals of the Lewis and Clark expedition? Did they accomplish all three goals?

4. How did Sacajawea help Lewis and Clark on their expedition?

5. Name one of the three causes of the War of 1812.

6. Who wrote the Star Spangled Banner?

7. Write three things you know about the Star Spangled Banner (besides who wrote it). 

8. Explain the Gold Rush in two sentences.

9. The Alamo was a 13-day siege (battle) between the Texans and Mexican Army, in which all 184 Texans involved were killed. Who took on the Mexican Army a month later, telling his troops, “Remember the Alamo!”?

10. What is Manifest Destiny?

The sixth graders are finishing their research paper presentations, which went longer than expected. Completed folders with final grades will go home this week. I have been most pleased with the students’ effort.

During the presentations, many of the sixth graders showed interest in World War II and the Holocaust. As a result, I have decided that our final writing project of the year will coordinate with a listening activity. The class will be listening to the book, Number the Stars. Besides short paragraph writing, students will also be required to answer essay questions and complete vocabulary assignments for each chapter.

Enjoy your week,

Mrs. Alfultis

Easter Week

Welcome to Holy Week and also the shortest school week of the year.

The Springfield Trip last week went well, despite the drizzle. The students behaved and the chaperones were terrific. A huge THANK YOU to the chaperones for all of their help, kindness, and patience throughout the trip. You’re so appreciated!

This Wednesday, we will have an Easter prayer service in church at 1:15. All are welcome.

I’m so grateful for all of you at St. John Fisher. From my family to yours, have a relaxing and prayerful Easter.

Enjoy your week and next week’s Spring Break!

Mrs. Alfultis

It has cooled off considerably today, but the weather this week looks promising for our Springfield trip on Thursday.

Just a reminder, the fifth graders will be going to the Book Fair on Wednesday.

This week the fifth graders will be studying Illinois, its history and important figures. Please review the letter about Springfield that went home last week (or the blog post below) with your child. It answers many important questions about the trip. The excitement is building!

I wish I had a video camera to tape the wonderful presentations from the sixth graders; they have been quite impressive. We have many talented speakers in this class, and their confidence in front of the classroom amazes me! For students who are less confident (I was one of those students when I was in 6^th grade), those students may use note cards to help them present. Student presentations will continue this week. Final grades for the Research Paper and Presentation will be given on April 16^th, the day we return from Spring Break.

Enjoy your week,

Mrs. Alfultis

March 19-23

This week we will be studying key points in Illinois history in preparation for the Springfield trip next week. This is a copy of the parent letter that went home yesterday. In case it was missed, here you are:

On Thursday, March 29^th, we will be heading to Springfield! Here are a few reminders for the day and also for Friday, March 30^th.

 * Hemisphere Travel will be running the trip for us. We will have our own tour guides who will help guide us through the various sites: The New Capitol Building, Illinois State Museum, and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum.

*  Students should arrive at the lot no later than 6:00 a.m.  We will depart from the St. John Fisher parking lot at 6:10 a.m.

*  We will be returning at 9:00 p.m. Please be on time when picking up your child. No student will be allowed to leave without a parent (no matter how close one may live to school).

* Students will bring a bag lunch. No aluminum cans are allowed. All drinks must be in a plastic bottle with a cap. We will stop for dinner on our way home at a buffet style restaurant in Springfield. The cost of dinner is included in the price of the trip.

*  Students will be allowed to bring spending money (optional) as we do stop at a souvenir shop and there is a gift shop at the museum.

*  Books, cameras, handheld games, CD players, iPod/iPad/iTouch, and backpacks are allowed; however, Hemisphere Travel and St. John Fisher School and employees are not responsible for items.

*  Students are required to wear their St. John Fisher gym uniform. Absolutely no baseball hats will be allowed, as they are not permitted on our tour stops.

*  Please remind your child about the importance of good manners on this trip. It is important that we show respect to our tour guides, bus drivers, chaperones, and teachers. We are representing SJF, and student behavior should reflect that pride.

*  On Friday, March 30^th, students are allowed to arrive at school between 10:00 and 10:15 a.m. Class will begin for the fifth graders at 10:20, and they will be eating lunch at their normal time, 11:25.

Any questions, just let me know! Enjoy this GORGEOUS weather!

Mrs. Alfultis

What a beautiful day for a parade! I can’t help but think that our newest angel in heaven sent us the gift of sunshine.

This week in Social Studies we will be covering the contributions of Thomas Jefferson’s Presidency, namely the Louisiana Purchase and the expedition of Lewis and Clark. In addition, students will examine the victories and defeats of the War of 1812.

In English, students have turned in their second drafts of their papers including citations. Students should now work on their power point presentation, as presentations begin on March 23^rd. Rather than read their papers, students will be giving an informative speech on their research paper topic.  

Enjoy your week and these wonderful temperatures,

Mrs. Alfultis

            This blog post is bittersweet for many reasons. I was lucky enough to have Conner Lowry in my class for three years, during his sixth, seventh, and eighth grade years. To say he was a character is an understatement. I loved having him in my class. Truly.

            When he came back to visit during his years at Brother Rice, I was so pleased to see the young man he had become. Still a character, his bright smile and warm personality reinforced the goodness he possessed.

            When I heard he had become a Marine, like my own Father, the pride continued.

            Last Thursday changed my life. The sadness that was felt by the staff at SJF, myself included, was almost haunting. Grief has somewhat overshadowed our days since the news of Connor’s death.

            This Sunday during the return of the Southside Irish Parade, there will be a float remembering Connor. All over the neighborhood I see trees tied with ribbons and people printing t-shirts reading Connor’s Parade. I’m so proud of Connor and his service to our nation, and I’m proud of our SJF community. We really know how to pull together when faced with such a tragedy. Along with our community, I will continue to pray for Conner’s family.

            Godspeed, Conner, and Semper Fi. We love you.