Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree...

Our class Christmas party was a HUGE success! Thank you to all the parents for supplying delicious treats and buying/making Christmas gifts for our gift exchange. It was truly a pleasure to spend time with our friends and just being together!! The gift exchange was definitely the highlight because each present was so thoughtful. It was a great exercise in putting yourself in someone else's shoes and thinking about their wants and needs! I'm going to close now with a wish that you and your family have a wonderful holiday!!
Merry Christmas! Feliz Navidad! Mele Kalikimaka!!!

Below you will see pictures from our class gift exchange!

Response from our soldiers!

Towards the beginning of the school year, I told you about some various soliders that we would be writing to. Some soldiers were stationed overseas, some were stationed here in our state, and some were training to become specialists in their military career. We wrote letters around Veterans Day to thank these soldiers for their duty and service to our country.

Since that time, we have received responses from two of our soldiers.

One is Jelena's uncle, Michael Smith. He is a Sergeant First Class in the US Army. Currently he is stationed in Tuscon, Arizona. Below you will find his letter to our class. He included a description of his daily activities and explained his job in more detail. Also he took time to answer the students' questions.

Dear Mrs. Tremonti & 5^th Grade Class,

            I want to say thank you all for the letters that were given to me.  I truly appreciate the time that you put into your letters. They are extremely appreciated.  I wanted to take this time to share information about myself and answer the questions you have asked of me.

To tell you all a little bit about myself, I grew up in Winslow, AZ. I was born in Tucson, AZ.  My mother has worked in Holbrook for nearly 30 years.  I am quite fond of Northern AZ but I am not a fan of the cold weather that you all experience in that environment.  After graduating from high school, I left for the Army and I have remained in the military for the past 16years.  I am a “lifer “as they say and I plan on staying in the military until I am able retire.

            In my time in the military, I have traveled all over the world.  I have lived in Europe and have been as far as Indonesia.  I have been to the Middle East, having visited Kuwait and Iraq.  Currently I am assigned to a military aviation flight training school, where they teach pilots to fly the Apache Helicopter, Blackhawk helicopter, and the Light Utility Helicopter.  Unfortunately, I do not fly helicopters but I have flown in all of the aircrafts.  I am not personally a fan of flying. I am actually scared of flying and prefer to be on the ground.

            Working in the military is nothing like what many of your parents do in their day to day jobs.  We are assigned many jobs that we may have to perform.  Some of the jobs are what we do every day and others are what we are assigned to do from time to time.  My actual job that I perform is like being an accountant for my organization.  I spend money for the items that are needed for my organization.  I also ensure that my Soldiers that work for me are properly trained in their duties and are physically fit.  The one job that I enjoy the most is solving problems.  I am a great problem solver  and I believe that there are only solutions to obstacles we all face.

As an assigned duty of mine, I am a casualty notification officer.  In this duty, I have to inform a Soldier’s loved one(s) that their Service Member has passed away.  This job is extremely difficult but as a Soldier you honor their sacrifice that they made as respectfully as possible.  I am also assigned numerous other jobs that are required of me within my day to day operating functions.  I have a fleet of vehicles that I manage; I am responsible for shipping and receiving of materials, similar to a warehouse manager.  I am basically the guy that you would go to in order to buy whatever you need so you didn’t have to spend your own money for your supplies. 

In my spare time I am a student, similar to all of you.  I am going to school to obtain my degree in business management.  I am almost complete with all of my studies but it has taken me a long time, being as I am a part time student and take a class every chance that I am able.  I will achieve this one goal that I have set for myself and that is to get my degree. All my time put into it will be worth it all.

As for what I truly enjoy doing when I am able to is spending time with my family.  I appreciate every moment I get to spend with my family who are near and far.  I enjoy working out with my Soldiers and participating in Crossfit, a gym I go to.  My son and I do a lot of running together and participate in 5k races every chance we get.  I play X-Box 360 with my son and yes we play games that are rated M.  I enjoy living in Tucson, but I must say I miss the small town atmosphere.  I enjoy watching movies and lounging around when I am not busy.  When it comes to candy I am a fan of red vines and a healthy trail mix. 

The one piece of advice that I can offer to all of you is to take your studies seriously.  Without an education you will have a difficult time obtaining a job and getting the things that you may want when you get older.  If I had a choice to do things differently in my life I would have gone straight to college after I graduated.  Take your education seriously and learn all that you can because you will take what you learn now and put it to use when you start your career.

I hope that I have answered everyone’s questions and if I have not, please let your teacher know and she can email me and I will respond back to you.  Thank you all again for the letters that were provided to me.  They were all a pleasure to read and thank you all for your kind words.

                                                Very Respectfully,

                                                Michael A Smith

                                                Sergeant First Class

                                                United States Army

    
We also received a response from Sgt Ashley Barber. Ashley is a friend of mine from Alabama. She is currently in the US Army and is training to work in EOD (Explosive Ordinance Division). Her job training will be similar to a movie the parents might have seen, The Hurt Locker. To quote www.goarmy.com, "Explosive ordnance disposal specialist Soldiers are the Army’s preeminent tactical and technical explosives experts. They are warriors who are properly trained, equipped and integrated to attack, defeat and exploit unexploded ordnance, improvised explosive devices and weapons of mass destruction." In civilian speak, they keep bombs from blowing up by disarming them or by studying how to dispose of them properly. She is currently home on leave to see her children before leaving for a year to other trainings in Virginia and Florida. She also sent a response via facebook just thanking the students for their letters. In particular she loved Jadin's letter because he asked her whether she likes Halo or Juggernauts more. Ashley responded by saying, "Halo, every time." We will track Ashley's training and write to her again in the future. 

If you know of any other active military that might enjoy receiving letters from our class, please email me (or leave a comment below) with their address and some general information about their career. The kids have really enjoyed following through with these letters. Some have even considered a career in the military. I think it's great to continue this communication and get to know other people in different careers!

  

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

With our first snowfall of the year, I think Christmas is settling in. Tomorrow is our class party and Secret Santa gift exchange. I know we are all looking forward to spending the day eating yummy treats and watching The Polar Express! Maybe it will snow again, making movie magic!

To kick off our Christmas spirit, Hulet had its annual Christmas Concert earlier this month. I had added a short line in one of our Peek-at-the-Weeks about sending in photos from the concert, but I didn't receive any feedback. Lucky for you I was practically born with a camera in my hand and happened to capture a few photos! I'm looking forward to singing a few favorites together as a class and spreading the cheer!!

What's a Christmas concert without Santa?

The soloists! (They were magnificent!)

These fellas are having a great time. :)

Volcanoes

In Science class last week we worked on volcanoes. We were learning about volcanoes using our videos, smartboard lessons, and building a small scale volcano. But the kids in our class took an interesting step with their volcanoes. They made it into a real science experiment. Not a simple "can I make it spew?", but a science problem wondering why each volcano reacted differently.

Here are a few of their thoughts:

What went wrong in our volcano is it was small, but it was too small. I think the Kool-Aid that we put in it messed it up and probably it didn't have enough vinegar. Also maybe some of the clay. It also didn't have enough baking soda so that's why it didn't explode! --Kyle

 

I think that Tyler's worked because it was small and I think that ours didn't erupt because it was small at the top by the bottom it was big. I think that's why my group's didn't erupt because it was too big and it was too wide at the top. It was really fun!--Natasia

I thought mine worked because ours was small and everyone's was bigger. We also used a lot of vinegar and baking soda so that's why I think mine worked but no one else's worked. --Tyler

I predict that the volcano is way too wide and it does not matter how big the volcano or how tall it is. It is that volcanoes sometimes don't erupt! It doesn't matter of the length and how wide it is because it is still a volcano. --Orin

 I thought it went bad. I think it went bad because there was clay in the bottle. Tyler's volcano erupted because his was shorter and there was no clay by the bottle top.--Dominic

After hearing each student's conclusions, we retested their volcanoes. Only one group had a new outcome.

I thought it was great to ask those higher level questions and ask the kids to figure out and try it again! We had a wonderful time making volcanoes! Let's just hope we never have to experience it in real life!!! 

Christmas Party

Dear Parents,

We are having a Christmas party on the 20^th of December. We will be having treats, watching a movie, and playing board games (Jelena & Kobi are bringing them). Students are welcome to wear pajamas or bring bedding (pillows/blankets) for the movie portion. The people bringing snacks and drinks are:

·         Cookies: Ellie, Tyler

·         Popcorn balls: DeVonta

·         Rice Krispie Treats: Cameron, Kobi

·         Drinks: Jelena, Kyle, Madison

·         Brownies/Cupcakes?: Nishoni

·         Pretzels: Orin, Zavion

·         Chips: Adrian, Gabrielle

·         Candy: Nevaeh

·         Fruit: Dominic, Natasia, Jadin

·         String Cheese: Donovan

·         Fruit Snacks: Marie

·         Hot Chocolate: Mrs. T

(If you need to switch, or if your child’s name isn’t listed, let me know what works)

                                                                              Sincerely,
                                                                              Jelena & Kobi

Parents,

We will also be having a gift exchange and we will have a five dollar limit. Instead of buying something for your Secret Santa you could also make a homemade gift. Each person has drawn a name and will be coming home with a paper attached about that person and some ideas for a gift. Please do not feel like you have to buy everything on that list!! It is just a guideline. (If you are having trouble financially and will not be able to purchase anything, please let Mrs. Tremonti know and we will figure something out!) Remember though that homemade gifts are often times the BEST ONES!! Gift exchange will be on December 20^th. If you might be absent from school, bring your present early and we will exchange before you leave! Please have presents labeled so we know who to give it to! Merry Christmas!

                                                                                    Sincerely,

                                                                                    Mrs. Tremonti

GRADES ARE DUE TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!! :)

It's the final countdown!!!! Grades are due tomorrow at Hulet and we want to make sure each child has turned in everything they are missing or current assignments due on Friday!!!

1. Memorize Preamble
Preamble (School House Rock)
Another Link
2. L11-16 Spelling packets!

3. Study for Reading Counts test on Tuck Everlasting

4. L11-14 Grammar Packets!

5. Science--Read Earthquakes finish paper

6. ANY LATE WORK!!!

Homework Alert!

Grades are due on Friday! If you are missing any late work, please turn it in tomorrow!!!!!

Homework!
Memorize Preamble
Study for Lesson 16 Spelling Test!! (use spellingcity.com for help!)
LATE WORK!!!!
Any extra credit Science/SS you are working on.


Please don't wait until the last minute! It will make Mrs. Tremonti very sad. :(

Homework Alert!!!

Hello Parents! We have some assignments this week that need to be completed!!!

1. Vocabulary Worksheet; Vocabulary test tomorrow!
2. Poetry Art (you should have your Cinquain, Acrostic, Haiku, & Limerick poetry pictures done).
3. LATE WORK!!!
4. SS artwork


Parents--
I handed out grades today! You can discuss these grades. I have had several of you contact me about your child! I don't mind answering your questions!!!

Kids Korner Santa workshop is this week. If you want your child to purchase things, please send money in an envelope/wallet. They must be responsible for their own money and gifts. Kids Korner has been kind enough to give each student a drawstring bag where they can store their goodies. We will be going as a class at 11:15 tomorrow, but after that they will be about to go on their own during recesses.

Please talk to your child tonight about homework!! It's all due on Friday!!

Fuel Up to Play 60: Super Bowl Breakfast Recipes

I have already posted our pictures from our breakfast winners, Natasha & Cameron, but I wanted to share with you their recipes as well.

I hope you will find time to try these delicious treats!

My Grandpa's Smoothies with Oatmeal
By: Cameron

1 carrot
1 banana
1 apple
1 orange
2 small handfuls of fresh spinach
1 cup Ocean Spray 100% Cranberry Pomegranate Juice
1 cup fat free milk
3 small handful frozen blueberries
1/2 cup oatmeal

Blend until smooth. Add a small about of milk or juice if it is too thick. Makes 2-3 large glasses.



Cinnamon Stick and Mexican Vanilla Oatmeal
By: Natasha

1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp. Mexican Vanilla
1Tbsp. Brown Sugar
1 cup Oatmeal
3 cups lowfat milk

Add milk to pan. Add cinnamon stick and brown sugar. Bring just to a boil and add oatmeal. Cook over low heat for 20 minutes. Serve with more milk if desired. Makes 2 servings.

Creature Reports

At the end of our study of ecosystems, each student was required to create a poster, powerpoint, or smartboard about their animal. We focused primarily on the animal's habitat, fighting skills, whether it is a predator or a prey, the height and weight of the animal, and added 10 fun facts about that animal. Each student had to then present their report to the class.

PowerPoint is a new program for a lot of students. If you have access to this program at home, via the chapter houses, or at the library, encourage your child to use it! They will become more familiar with the buttons and will find it much easier to use the next time they have a report!

Take a look at some of our creature reports!

Ecosystem: Ocean

Starfish by Gabrielle
Squids by Ellie
Sharks by Jadin
Sea Turles by Nevaeh
Adrian did a poster on stingrays instead of doing a powerpoint!

Ecosystem: Forest
Mexican Grey Wolf by Kobi
Sun Bears by Jelena
Squirrels by Marie
Grey Wolf by Donovan


Ecosystem: Tundra
Moose by Kyle
Polar Bear by Nishoni
Reindeer by DeVonta
Arctic Fox Poster by Natasia

Ecosystem: Savanna
Elephant by Natasha
Cheetahs by Zavion
Lions by April
Rhino by Dominic
Cameron created a poster on the African Elephant

All of these students did a great job! If you don't see your student's name listed, please speak with them about whether or not they completed their work. A few powerpoints weren't included on the blog because they weren't finished.

Missing Work/Homework ALERT!

Parents--
We have been working on our missing work for this 2nd quarter, but it hasn't all been turned in yet. If you can, talk with your child tonight about missing work. They will need to complete it and turn it in before December 14th if they want it graded. If it's not turned in by Friday, December 14th, the zero (or in some cases low grade) will stand. Thank you for your help!


Homework Alert!

• Spelling Lesson 15. DUE TOMORROW!!
• Science Draw, Label, & Color Earth's Layers (was due Tuesday!!!)
• SS/Government Homework with parents! (was due Tuesday!!!) 

Students participating in the Hulet Christmas Concert tomorrow night will STILL need to have this homework done tonight to avoid owing recesses tomorrow!

Breakfast at Tremonti's

You might remember an old classic "Breakfast at Tiffany's," but in this classroom we refer to it as Breakfast at Tremonti's. In our class breakfast on Thursday, we were fortunate enough to have Natasha and Cameron create a delicious breakfast recipe using oatmeal. I know I am personally not a fan of the rolled oats as a breakfast, but Cameron and Natasha's recipes had my mind blown!! We are so proud of these two girls and their delicious make-overs of this boring breakfast food.

Cameron created an oatmeal smoothie which consisted of things you might not expect: carrots, spinach, blueberries, pomegranate. It was delicious!

Natasha used an original oatmeal recipe, but added her own vanilla and cinnamon to make it extra sweet!

Not only did they win for 5th grade at Hulet, but they will be entered to win tickets to next year's Super Bowl in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Cameron & Natasha with their tasty oatmeal treats!

Passing out our treats!

Natasha passing out her treats!

 

Adrian and Nevaeh enjoying Natasha's treat!

Marie and Zavi enjoying Cameron's shake and Natasha's oatmeal!

You can tell this group is hungry!!

You can see it in their faces--Orin, Nishoni, April, Madi, and Kyle love it!

Gobble! Gobble! Blue Group loves Natasha's oatmeal too!