Sarah had a great last two months of school.
She continued to do very well on spelling tests and word of the day quizes.
Sarah did not have much homework this year. Occasionally she had a math worksheet, and she studied spelling words each week, and throughout the year she worked some on big projects at home.
She tells us she does not like math very much, but she does well at it. We received a note from the school in May telling us that Sarah has already been selected to be in the "Advanced Math" classes in middle school next year.
I went on the Topeka field trip with Sarah and all the other 5th graders from her school in April. We left bright and early one morning, riding the bus with other students, parents, and teachers.
Our first stop was the Brown vs. Board of Education museum. Then on to the state capitol building.
Although we were a little rushed through the tour of the capitol due to our time schedule and having to visit three places while on the field trip, it was still an enjoyable tour. We had a singing tour guide who was excellent at telling us all kinds of great Kansas facts. The only thing we missed that we wished we could have seen/done was go up into the capitol's dome.
Sarah's teacher was absent the day of the field trip to Topeka due to a family emergency, so the other 5th grade teacher in her building walked around part of the day with her class. Pictured below is Sarah's class in the Governor's office with the other 5th grade teacher.
After we left the capitol we went to the Kansas History Museum. We ate a quick sack lunch out on the lawn and then went into the building to look around.
Outside the museum there were some vendors and Kansas info booths to visit. There was also a small petting zoo that our friends, Gary and Connie own and had set up for kids to enjoy. We walked over and got to pet several of their animals and visited with Connie for awhile.
Sarah: When I got to pet the animals, riding in the caged elevator at the capitol, and riding the bus to and from Topeka.
Sarah: P.E. because I like playing games and sports. The teacher is nice and funny. Everyone likes him.
Sarah: The officer would come into our classroom and teach us about no smoking, taking care of our bodies, no drinking, no tobacco, and no drugs. Then he showed us short videos about kids at school dealing with problems and stuff. At the end of DARE we all wrote an essay about what we learned.
The school held a DARE Graduation for all of the 5th grade students. Four students were selected to read their essays and the officer spoke to the audience, then certificates were awarded to each 5th grade student who completed the program.
Below, Sarah's class with their DARE certificates.
Tell me one thing you liked about music class.
Sarah: I liked the "free days". A free day is earned when a bell on a chart in the classroom moves to the top. On free days we get to choose a game to play while the teacher sits at her desk. Games might be musical spots, hide the bean bag (this is the worst game ever because I was usually the one picked by the teacher to find the bean bag and I couldn't find the bag and so the whole class would laugh, then the teacher would yell at me if I couldn't find it. It was super embarrassing. Some kids even cried during hide the bean bag because the teacher would yell at them when they couldn't find the bean bag), and a basketball game. We usually picked musical spots because it was the funnest.
5th grade field day was held on Wednesday, May 2nd. The weather was nice that morning so they could all be outside.
Sarah was in the tennis ball throw, shuttle relay, 75m run, 100m run, and 150m run.
Sarah and her friend, Brooke, were partners for the shuttle relay. They are both fast so this was a great partnership! Brooke led off and Sarah anchored.
Sarah and Brooke ran hard and were able to beat all the other teams. Way to go girls!
Sarah's friends below, left to right, Hannah, Nereli, Sarah, Brooke, and Savannah.
The last event of the day was the tug-of-war. They did one class vs. the other, girls vs. girls, and boys vs. boys, and the whole class vs. the other whole class.
Pull hard girls!
Sarah got first place in the shuttle run relay and the 150m run. Sarah got second place in the 75m run, 100m run and tug-of-war.
All of the 5th graders had to come up with an invention in April. Then in May they had to create/make the invention at home and make a tri-fold board to tell all about their invention. Then they had to present their inventions to all of the 5th grade and the teachers. Lastly, they set up all of the inventions and tri-fold boards in the gym and held an invention fair for the whole school and family members to come and view their work.
Sarah came up with the idea of "TRASHKETBALL" for her invention. Eric helped Sarah with the invention and I helped her with the tri-fold board.
Lots of her classmates had some great ideas for inventions too. I liked Sarah's friend Lauren's invention of the "Wagon Store". It was a cool way to have kids in the wagon and haul all of your stuff without piling it on top of your kids.
Popee and Nanee got to come to the Invention Fair.
Tell me about TRASHKETBALL.
Sarah: I made Trashketball because I thought it would help kids have fun throwing away their trash and not be a distraction to other kids in the classroom. When kids get up to throw away trash it is annoying and a distraction to the students and the teacher. Trashketball hooks onto desks, tables, or chairs.
Another end of the year project that the 5th graders worked on in small groups was Math Homes. These were homes created in boxes. Each student was responsible for a room in the home, and had to measure and create all of the details for their room using things brought in from home. The Math Homes could only be worked on at school. Sarah created the bedroom and the rooftop garden. She also helped her group with the surrounding yard. The Math Homes were also displayed at the Invention Fair.
Below is Sarah's group's Math Home.
Below, the bedroom Sarah created.
Below, side view of the home her group created.
Below, the rooftop garden.
Below, the back view of the back side of their group's math home.
Sarah: Italian Dunkers and Taco Burger.
The annual spring fun run was held on May 11th, in the afternoon.
Kindergarten and 1st grade ran a half mile race. 2nd - 5th grades ran a 1 mile race.
On your marks. Get set. Go!
Sarah had a good position on the starting line. She got out good and quickly established a place toward the front of the pack.
Sarah got into a pace and needed to hang on to her position.
Sarah had not been running in the spring. and was nervous before the race about keeping up and falling too far back. She shouldn't have been nervous. She ran hard and fought off and back to keep her spot and work her way up.
She always amazes me at the end of her races as she kicks it into high gear and sprints to the finish.
She took second place out of all the 5th grade girls for this fun run with a time of 7 minutes and 44 seconds (7.44). This was her PR for her 5th grade year. Her fastest mile time was run in 4th grade, a 7.42.
The second to the last day of school is always our school's school wide field trip to the zoo. We had a big group of 2nd and 5th graders to walk around with this year.
Above, left to right, Lila, Raina's little sister, Haylee, Phoebe, Raina, Brooke, Silas, Sarah, Molly, and Bella.
Sarah's 4th 9 weeks and Final Grades reflected an EXCELLENT year academically for her. She worked hard and did very very well in 5th grade and in all of her elementary years. One look at that report card gives me a "full mommy heart". Sarah is smart and strives to do her best in all areas at school.
The last day of elementary school for Sarah...Popee and Nanee came to watch the talent show and see the end of the year festivities at the school assembly. It was a fun morning.
When I went to pick up the girls on the last day I wanted to be sure to take a picture of Sarah with her teachers that are still at the building teaching. All of them are still there but one. Her 1st grade teacher moved a couple years ago and teaches for a different district now. Below, left to right, Sarah's Kindergarten teacher, 2nd grade teacher, Sarah, 3rd grade teacher, 4th grade teacher, and 5th grade teacher. All of these ladies were great teachers. They each cared for our daughter and family. They had a hand in molding Sarah and challenging her to reach her potential. Thank you, ladies, for being a smiling face, a guiding hand, a warm handshake and hug, a shining light, and a cheerleader for our daughter. We are thankful for each one of you! You helped make Sarah's elementary years positive for her and our family.
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