Maritime Museum and Bike Trip

GoPro Friends Good Will Sail

We had a packed week with Parent Meeting and Friends Good Will field trip.  Next week Thursday we are set to do the bike trip!  Again contact us if you’d like to volunteer, ride a bike, or drive a vehicle.  If you can’t attend we can always use a donated individually wrapped snack for our aid stations. 

Friends Good Will weather was perfect! The kids all had a great experience living history on the waters of South Haven.  We toured the shipwreck museum and the kids did a great on the scavenger hunt with the staff. 

Bike Trip, remember we meet at Helder Park and pick up at Helder Park.  We stay out of the Quincy traffic. Please remember to double check the working order of your child’s bike, and make sure they have a helmet that fits them.  Good shoes are definitely helpful instead of flip flops.

 I can…

Describe Point of View, first person and third person.

Write a personal narrative using sensory details.

Locate biotic and abiotic factors of an ecosystem.

Meeting, Wetlands, Field Trips

Fifth Grade Parent Meeting scheduled for Sept. 22 at 5:30pm this week!

I hope the kids are starting to get into the groove.  We had a great week and they really enjoyed getting in the wetlands and learning about animals characteristics. 

We took a surprise field trip to the Van Raalte Civil War encampment on Friday afternoon.  We were unsure if we could go until late this week, but luckily we pulled it off at the last minute.

Next week is a big one!  We have our Friends Goodwill Sailing / Michigan Maritime visit.  Please read the note that is attached to the email or the paper copy coming home.  There is some important information on there. The biggest is a late pick– up at school.  We usually return around 5:45-6pm. Thank you again for all your support, we are trying to make your fifth graders last year of elementary one of the best!  

 I can…

Compare and Contrast characters in a story.

Write a personal narrative using sensory details.

Describe physical and behavioral characteristics of living organisms.

Welcome Back to School!

I can’t believe the first week is already in the books!  We had a lot of fun getting to know each other last week.

Last week we enjoyed reading some letters from last years fifth graders, exploring the wetland area, getting acquainted with the scientific method via the Coke and Pepsi taste test, and finally our water melon eating competition Friday afternoon.  Fun was had by all for sure!

  This week we will be back to business.  The big change this year is I will be teaching science to all three classes, Mrs. Greshaw will teach Math, and Mr. Carrell will teach Social Studies.  The kids will rotate through most days.  We all will be teaching our own Language Arts.  This will help the students be more prepared for the changing of rooms at middle school.  There will be more information at our upcoming Parent Meeting scheduled for Sept. 22 at 5:30pm.

 I can…

Compare and Contrast characters in a story.

Write a personal narrative using sensory details.

Describe physical and behavioral characteristics of living organisms.

Rocket Building, 5th Grade Graduation, and Summer Pool Party!

Thank you parents for all your support this year!  REMINDER:  Tomorrow is 5th grade graduation.  We will begin around 10 am.  There will be cake and refreshments post ceremony.  You are welcome to take your student with you after the ceremony.  Just please sign out with the office.

Attached are some photos of the rockets being built!  I was too busy being the announcer and rocket launcher to take video.  Rest assured fun was had by all!  

MR. BRAYMER'S CLASSROOM

 END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR

POOL PARTY

SATURDAY,  JULY 25

1:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Please save the date for a pool party to celebrate the end of Elementary School and the beginning of Middle School!   This will be a drop off party (just like last year, if you had Mr. Braymer for a teacher). Please plan on having your lunch before coming, as we will be eating dinner here, before your parents pick you up. We will provide hot dogs, buns, condiments and lemonade.  If you could bring a dish to pass; chips, side dish or a dessert that would be great.  When your parents drop you off make sure that they see me before they leave, so that I can get a contact phone number in case of an emergency.   

We do also have one pond, which can be used for swimming and fishing, we have bass, channel catfish and a few sunfish.  So bring your fishing pole if you would like to fish and have your name on it, so that we don't get them mixed up.  We will have worms/bait here, so no need to bring any. Last year we caught quite a few bass and ended up transferring a few to the Quincy Wetlands later that evening! Our other pond we use for kayaking, we do have one kayak here that will be available to use and we also have life jackets. 

Some games will be set up too, if anyone needs/wants a break from the water activities, last year we had kick ball, volleyball and horseshoes.  

We will also have a few parents here, helping out with life-guarding both the pool and pond to keep everyone safe.  

“Oreo” is in the River / Camp Notes / Spring Fling

Oreo getting released into the river

Mr. Braymer showing Lude a small adult male sturgeon

We completed our mission.  Last weekend we released “Oreo” into the Black River.  The second year of Sturgeon in the Classroom is complete.  We were featured in SRCN Outdoors Segment.  Interestingly, I saw Oreo in the river on Sunday after the release while working with MSU’s research team.  The lead professor said it had to be our fish as all other juvenile fish were released in the fall and wouldn’t be in the river anymore.  Oreo was about 6km down river from the release site.  It was a very cool experience! 

The Camp notes came home yesterday so please rescue them from backpacks if you haven’t seen them yet.  Also, the medication forms need to be filled out and sent back asap.

Spring Fling is tonight!  If you can help us out in anyway we’d love to see you, thank you in advance for helping to support our school! 

Next week Friday is Field Day and then the following week is camp.  The year is really winding down quickly!  This will be one of the last newsletters of the year.  There is a Braymer’s Class Pool Party tentatively planned at the Ohse’s July 25th.  More information coming!

 I can…

Describe how objects in the solar system affect Earth.

Do Observational Writing and Push my Thinking about early America.

Use the customary system and metric system as a unit of measurement.

Solar System and Sturgeon Release

Garrett Cook donated his birthday money to our Sturgeon Project! 

Young 5's visitors get an up close look at our G.L. Sturgeon "Oreo."

It’s been a short week.  The kids did a great job on the Unit 7 Math test.  The class average was 86%!  Nice work team.  We are continuing our science switch, and will continue for the next two weeks.

Thank you to all who donated to the “Animal Lover” Spring Fling Theme Basket fundraiser.  We have a nice looking basket now and hopefully it will be a high bidder at the Spring Fling night coming up next week Friday.

Sturgeon Guard is this weekend!  Look for some pics and video next week of our adventure to see the adult spawning run and the release of our classroom sturgeon “Oreo.”  It will be a sad day Monday when we return to an empty fish tank.  Although, we did our best to raise, keep the fish alive, healthy, and growing.  Putting it back in the ecosystem healthy was our ultimate goal.  Mission accomplished!

The Sturgeon Wristbands have been selling nicely and we have raised about 200 dollars so far!  That will definitely get us what we need to continue the program next year!  Thanks again for all your support!

 I can…

Describe how objects in the solar system affect Earth.

Do Observational Writing and Push my Thinking about early America.

Use the customary system and metric system as a unit of measurement.

Solar System , Tulip Time ,Health Talk, and Sturgeon Release

The kids have done a great job selling Sturgeon Wristbands so far this week.  We have raised over 100 dollars already!  We need about 120 dollars per year just to feed the sturgeon as we need order a special kind of food online.  We will also need replacement filters, a new water testing kit, and we’d love to have an actual top to our tank instead of whiteboards.  We have never had a budget for this project.  It has all been out of pocket, or donations.  So thank you for all you do to support the cause!   We have been learning about the Solar System and space.  The kids are going to Mrs. Greshaw for activities each afternoon, and I have been teaching life science to Mr. Carrell’s class.  We will continue this schedule for the next couple of weeks.  Tulip Time 1/2 days are scheduled for next Wed. and Thurs.  We return to a full day on Friday.  Coming up next week we will continue to review for Unit 7 Math test on Algebra, Coordinate Planes, and Order of Operations.  I am planning to have the kids take the math test on Wed. morning. 

Also, the “health talk” will be next Friday May 8th at 2:15pm.  The girls will be in Mrs. Greshaw’s room and the boys will be in my or Mr. Carrell’s room. 

 I can…

Describe how objects in the solar system affect Earth.

Do Observational Writing and Push my Thinking about early America.

Solve coordinate graphing equations.