CMIT South Elementary School

Dear CMIT South Elementary Tiger Families,

I hope this newsletter finds you well and that your week has gotten off to a great start. As we head into the latter half of the semester, I wanted to take a moment to address some important updates and reminders regarding upcoming events and school-related matters.

Men Make a Difference Day:

We are excited to announce that next Thursday, November 2nd, we will be celebrating "Men Make a Difference Day" here at CMIT South Elementary. This special day aims to recognize and appreciate the positive impact that male role models have on our student's lives. We encourage fathers, grandfathers, uncles, brothers, and other male figures to join us for a day of interactive activities, mentorship, and engagement. This is a wonderful opportunity to strengthen the bonds between our students and their male role models. More details are available at the following link. I ask that the men of CMIT South Elementary sign up and register to attend this annual awesome event.

Registration link for Men Make a Difference Day - https://forms.gle/T6zykGGfjuxqmowd9

Health and Safety: Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease

As we prioritize the health and well-being of our students and staff, it is essential to remain vigilant regarding contagious illnesses. Recently, we have noticed a few cases of Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease within our school community. Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease is a common viral illness, particularly among young children. Please take note of the following preventive measures to help minimize the spread of the disease:

1. Frequent handwashing: Encourage your child to wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water, especially before meals, after using the restroom, and after participating in physical activities.

2. Covering mouth and nose: Teach your child to cover their mouth and nose with a tissue or elbow when coughing or sneezing to prevent the spread of germs.

3. Avoiding close contact: If your child is displaying symptoms such as fever, sore throat, mouth sores, or rash, please keep them at home until they are no longer contagious. Consult a healthcare professional for guidance on when your child can return to school.

4. Disinfection: Regularly disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home, such as doorknobs, light switches, and toys, to reduce the risk of infection.

We appreciate your cooperation in maintaining a healthy environment for all our students and staff. If you have any concerns or questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to the school nurse or our administrative team.

Field Trips

At CMIT South Elementary, we strive to provide every student with opportunities to participate in field trips and other enriching educational experiences. To ensure that all families have an equal chance to take part in these activities, we kindly request that those who qualify for the Free and Reduced Meals Program complete the necessary forms. These forms help us assess eligibility for financial assistance and ensure that no student is left behind due to financial constraints. If you believe your family may qualify or need assistance with the application process, please contact our front office, and we will be more than happy to assist you.

We value your partnership and commitment to your child's education. Thank you for taking the time to stay informed and engaged in our school community.

Register here for Free and Reduced Meals -

Grading and Quarter-End

We are quickly approaching the end of 1st quarter with 25% of the school year behind us. The last day for students to turn in late work was Thursday, October 26, 2023. That is 5 days before the end of the quarter on November 2, 2023. November 3, 2023, is a half day from home asynchronous for students as teachers are entering and finalizing grades for the 1st quarter.

Finally thank you for all the support and warm well wishes for Principal’s Appreciation Month, for staff, students, families, Prince George’s County Public Schools, and the Chesapeake Lighthouse Foundation I have felt a great deal of love and support that continues to validate my why in serving our school community. Have an amazing week!

Sincerely,

Ronald A. Miller, Jr

Principal

Chesapeake Math & IT Academy South Elementary

Kindergarten students are beginning to engage in reading and math small groups to receive differentiated instruction that caters to their specific academic needs. Small groups will continue throughout the school year. Independent activities (homework) will be issued to all scholars on Monday 10/30. Packets are given bi-weekly and will include all work that should be completed and a list of supplemental websites that students can explore at home. Please support students in completing the activities.

ASYNCHRONOUS HALF-DAY (11/3)- All scholars will work from home on this day and complete assignments virtually. Students will have a few reading and math iXL assignments to complete that will be assigned on the day of. Students are expected to complete this work by 12:00pm to be marked present on the day.

FIELD TRIP- We have our first field trip to the Maryland Science Center, set for Thursday, November 9th. Please inform your child’s teacher if they will need a bagged school lunch. All lunches from home should be sent in a disposable bag, with no glass containers/bottles, and no food that needs to be heated up. All students should wear their gym uniform, including a gray t-shirt.

Thank you for your assistance!

IMPORTANT KINDERGARTEN DATES-

NOVEMBER 3- Half-Day Asynchronous Learning (no in-person school)

NOVEMBER 9- Field Trip

NOVEMBER 10- No school for students

Reading Updates:

UNIT 1 WEEK 6- Project Based Inquiry

At the end of each unit, students will get the chance to apply what they have learned about GOING PLACES in the WEEK 6 Project: Let’s Go! Students will research art and history museums and write and draw about which one is better.

• Gather and evaluate resources

• Compose opinion pieces

• Participate and share research projects

• Speak audibly and express ideas clearly

• Communicate conclusions and identify ways to take action

Math Updates:

TOPIC 3- Numbers 6 to 10 (continued)

Essential Understanding: Counting tells how many are in a set, or group, no matter which order the objects are counted. The number said when counting a group is the total. Counting is cumulative.

• There is more than one way to show a number

• Counting tells how many are in a set or a group, no matter which order the objects are counted

• The last number said when counting a group is the total number

• Use objects, drawings, and numbers to represent numbers in different ways

• Vocabulary: six, seven, eight, nine, ten

Science Updates:

TOPIC 2 LESSON 1- Senses (continued)

Essential Question: How can you classify different objects?

• Name the five senses

• What can our senses tell us about structure and function

• We observe using the senses

Vocabulary: senses, structure, function

Social Studies Updates:

CHAPTER 2 LESSON 1- Our Country and State (continued)

Essential Question- What does it mean to be American?

• I will know about America

• There are 50 states in our nation

• Discuss the people who live in our country

Vocabulary: nation

Health Updates:

OCTOBER TOPIC: The Five Senses

Lesson 4: Problems with the senses

• List problems that people can have with their senses

• Develop empathy for people with physical challenges

• Practice being helpful to those in need

• Discuss the kinds of problems people would have if the senses were impaired Vocabulary: senses, impaired, need, challenges

You guys are awesome. You always come through with supporting the instructional programs at our school. The Character Day Parade was successful because you made it happen. With that said, please continue to promote reading at home. Read to your children, and have them read to you. Doesn't matter if it is a picture book. Please take the time to encourage and support this subject/skill.

First Grade Team

Oral and written /reading comprehension across genres.

Foundational skills, phonics, spelling, journal writing, handwriting practice.

Shout out to all of our students who participated in our Anti-Bullying Spirit Week, you all looked great! STEM Fair questions are due on October 25th as well. Your topic should’ve been approved by your teacher in order to move forward.

Please note that there are 2 weeks left in 1st quarter. All missing and makeup assignments must be turned in by Thursday, October 26th. Reach out to your child’s teacher regarding makeup opportunities.

We are wrapping up Unit 1. In week six we will be focusing on project based inquiring writing a research paper.

Many classes have began Topic 3 - Adding within 100 using strategies. Continue to utilize your class CANVAS site and optional homework packet to study.

Students are working through Topic 2 People, Places and Nature.

Good day, Amazing Parents!

The end of the quarter is quickly approaching. Please begin reviewing assignments in Canvas and Schoolmax to ensure your scholar is up to date on assignments. We had a great time at the Book Character Parade. Please be sure that your scholar submitted the Book Parade Character Analysis Assignment, where students should have described their character’s traits in the graphic organizer. Character traits can be determined based on what they say, think, and do. Reach out to your child’s Reading teacher if you have any questions. Finally, parents please be sure to communicate with your child’s teacher regarding volunteering for our upcoming field trip to Cox Farm. All PGCPS volunteer requirements must be met. All chaperones are expected to report to the school by 8:10 a.m. We are looking forward to having you.

Reading Updates:

This week in Reading, students focused on finishing the first draft of their narrative. A personal narrative is a fun, short story about something they have experienced like a family vacation, the first day of third grade, or an exciting day at a sporting event. We walked through the drafting, editing, and revising steps of The Writing Process. We are looking forward to publishing our Narrative within the upcoming weeks. You can support your child by ensuring that they finish each section designated for each day. Finally, this week we finished working with Realistic Fiction by taking a quiz on Cocoliso.

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STEM Corner:

Students should have picked a topic and should be working on identifying a question to investigate as well as developing a hypothesis. The Question and Hypothesis is due on Wednesday, October 25, 2023. Click here to access the STEM Packet. An electronic copy of the packet is available in Canvas for students to complete and submit.

Social Studies Updates:

This week students finished Chapter 2 Lesson Review on Climate and took the end of the week Quiz.

Health Updates:

The theme for October is All About the Eyes. Students are discussing the different parts of the eyes, how they work, and why they are important to us. Ask your scholar if they can name at least 3 different parts of the eye.

We have finished our noteworthy ninth week of school! This past Friday we got a chance to have our Character Parade. We were so excited to see the great book character costumes that were created by our scholars. On Thursday we had a hygiene assembly where our scholars learned proper ways to care for and clean their bodies. Thank you to all those who participated in the Candy Wars, your donation helped with the Fall Festival. During this past week, our scholars received many kudos and compliments from the administration and other teachers in the building because of their behavior and efforts. We are very proud of how strongly our scholars are finishing the first quarter. We are looking forward to the growth that will be made by our scholars this year!!

*At this time teachers are no longer accepting any late work from the first quarter. All missing work was due by Thursday, October 26, 2023.* Students are only able to submit work late if they have an excused absence or other arrangements were made with their teacher.

On Friday, November 3, 2023, this day will be asynchronous. This means that students will not come to school and will not have to log in virtually for class. Students will be given activities to complete by their teachers. Any assignment that students have to complete will be given to students on Thursday, November 2, 2023.

Each week we suggest checking your scholar's browser history and YouTube history. This is to make sure that your scholar isn’t going to a site or watching videos that you would not approve of. Teachers are limited to only seeing activity on your scholar’s screen when they are in class. We utilize a system called Hapara that allows us to prevent access to certain sites. We are asking that you check your scholar's computer history weekly.

The fourth-grade teachers dressed up as characters from the book written by Laura Numeroff.

Crusoe- If You Give a Pig a Pancake

Felton- If You Give a Cat a Cupcake

Holloway- If You Give a Mouse a Brownie

Ramsey- If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

This week: Students concluded our text “Twins in Space,” by showing they were experts. Students composed a response that compared and contrasted life on Earth with life in space using the information gained from our reading and what was viewed in a video. Students continued their mastery by completing a quiz and answering questions related to the text.

Next week: We will begin reading our next text “Barbed Wire Baseball.” In this biography, we will read about the real life of Zeni, a Japanese American who was sent to an internment camp after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. We will work on the skills of monitoring our inner conversations, vocabulary, and the text structure of chronological order. Students will also begin to receive spelling words and will have spelling homework.

This week students finished exploring 2-2 “Estimating Sums and Differences” in this lesson students learned to find the sum or difference using a mental math by estimating and rounding. This week we also began exploring 2-3 “Adding whole” and 2-4 Greater Numbers”, in this lesson students are learning how to add multi digits numbers using several different strategies.

Please check Schoolmax and Canvas with your scholar to ensure completion of assignments.

This week students' are exploring different forms of energy and how they transfer! We will be focusing on heat energy and how it flows from hot objects to cold ones. Furthering our understanding of Topic 1 Energy and Motion.

STEM Fair Reminder:

All students were given a hard copy of the STEM FAIR Packet, a downloadable copy was also added to Canvas. STEM FAIR Questions and Hypothesis was Due Wednesday October 25, 2023. STEM FAIR Procedures and Materials is due November 8, 2023 STEM FAIR Projects are due Wednesday January 17, 2024

This week: Students read Lesson 4: People and the Land and answered text dependent questions that showed understanding of how people adapt to and change their environment to meet their needs.

Next week: Students will create and present a brochure of one of the 5 regions in the United States that includes natural resources, climate and weather, recreational activities, and adapting to land.

Hi everyone!

We are moving right along in 5th grade! Please check the assignment calendar on our google site to see what upcoming assignments students may have. We have been having tests, quizzes, and homework, so we want to make sure students are keeping up with their work. Report cards come out shortly! Students should click on their homeroom teacher’s name to see their assignments. Here is the link to the 5th-grade website for those who need it: https://sites.google.com/pgcps.org/5thgradeclasssite/home

A reminder that we are happy to have volunteers come in to assist us with different things throughout the year, so if you are interested, please make sure your volunteer requirements are completed.

We are in October focusing on our character trait, kindness! We want to promote kindness in any way we can, whether the act be big or small! Students participated in an anti-bullying awareness assembly this week as well.

We had SO much fun with our character day parade this week! We will be sending out a Google Drive Folder of pictures shortly.

We are working on section 5 of unit 1 about informational text. In this section, students will read a story called Picturesque Journeys. We have new spelling words and we will be continuing section 5 next week. Unit 1 will be wrapping up shortly so we will have a test coming soon.

Students are in the third unit of Math which is about multiplying multi-digit whole numbers. Homework will be posted on the assignment calendar as we get started so keep an eye out!

Students are in the first unit of Science, in lesson 3 which is about properties of matter. Homework will be posted on the assignment calendar as we get started so keep an eye out!

Students are working in chapter 2 in our Social Studies textbook on exploration. Chapter 2 lesson 2 is about Spanish explorers!

Students are in the first unit of Health which is about first aid.

Lego:

Hello,

This week in Legos and Robotics, we are launching our balloons. Students will use Legos to build a basket and determine how many helium balloons are needed to float the Legos in the air.

Maker’s Lab:

This week in the maker's lab we started Balloon Rockets. The purpose of this experiment is to measure and analyze the relationships between the volume of air in a balloon and the distance, speed, and average acceleration of its travels. During this project, the students competed to see whose balloon traveled the furthest and the fastest. For all that didn't get to do the project this week, we will get to do it next week.

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