Dear CMIT South Elementary Tiger Families,

What an exciting week we have had at CMIT South! From celestial events to vibrant parades, our school community continues to shine brightly.

Solar Eclipse Viewing

We kicked off the week with the incredible opportunity to witness the start of the solar eclipse. It was a marvelous educational moment for our students, who, equipped with their eclipse glasses, learned about this rare astronomical phenomenon. A huge thank you to all the teachers and staff who made this safe and informative viewing experience possible.

MCAP Spirit Week

Our MCAP Spirit Week began with dress downs for “Exercising our Brain”, “Being RED-y” “Shining Bright in Neon”and ended with a flourish thanks to the Vocabulary Day Parade held this past Friday. Students showcased their creativity and enthusiasm all week, then participated in our grand finale parading their favorite vocabulary words with imaginative costumes. It was a delightful display of learning and spirit, setting a positive tone for the week!

MCAP Family Night

A special thank you goes to Mrs. Crusoe, Mr. Metin, and Mrs. Chandler for their informative presentations at the MCAP Family Night. Their efforts helped prepare our 3rd-5th grade families for what to expect during the upcoming assessments. It’s wonderful to see our community coming together to support our scholars.

Assessments Update

Our 3rd-5th graders are gearing up to demonstrate their skills in Reading and Math. We are confident that our scholars are well-prepared and ready to show what they've learned throughout the year. Let's cheer them on as they approach these important weeks!

FOAM FUN RUN Pledge Drive

Please continue to share our FOAM FUN RUN Pledge Drive links with friends and family. Your support is crucial as the proceeds will go towards our exciting school-wide field trip to Liberty Sports Park in May. Let’s keep the momentum going and make it a memorable event for our students!

Looking Ahead

As we continue through MCAP Spirit Week, let’s maintain our energy and focus. Remember, school starts promptly at 8:00 AM, so please ensure that your children arrive on time to participate in all scheduled activities.

Thank you for your ongoing support and participation. Let’s make the next week even more successful!

Sincerely,

Mr. Ronald A. Miller, Jr.

Principal

Chesapeake Math & IT Academy South Elementary

Prince George’s County Public Schools

April is World Autism Month! It is a time dedicated to raising awareness, understanding, and acceptance for individuals on the autism spectrum.

Hazel Health Services Coming to CMIT South Elementary

What is Hazel Health?

Hazel Health has partnered with Prince George's County Public Schools to provide access to quality healthcare services for all students, at no cost to families, this school year. Students can be referred by the school counselor or their parent/guardian. A designated person at the school or a parent/guardian can initiate a video visit with a Hazel health care provider while your child is at school or at home to provide either physical or mental health services. Therapy sessions with Hazel Health are a safe space and are private and confidential.

How can your child receive services?

Waitlists for mental health services for children are sometimes long or sometimes as parents it's tough to find the time to take our children to appointments which makes it difficult for them to receive the immediate support they need. Hazel Health is geared to bridge that gap. Students are able to receive these services free, virtually and while in school. If you have any questions please feel free to visit their website https://www.hazel.co/ or reach out to me.

Reading Updates:

Then and Now- What can we learn from the past?

In Unit 4, students will be reading many narrative nonfiction and fiction texts

about the past and the present. They will learn to understand the importance of reading two different types of texts; each author discusses the theme, or important idea, in his or her

own way.

This week we will:

• Find important details about pieces of information in narrative nonfiction.

• Identify and read common high-frequency words by sight.

• Phonological Awareness: Middle Sounds; Blend and Segment Sounds; Count Words

• Phonics: Short Oo /o/ and Long Oo /ō/

• High-Frequency Words: find, over, again

Math Updates:

Count Numbers to 100

Your child is learning to work with larger numbers through 100. In this topic, he or she will learn to count and read numbers to 100. Your child will also learn to use a hundred chart to recognize patterns when counting by tens and ones. Numbers are counted and written in a specific sequence on a hundred chart. Students will use a hundred chart to count to 100. Counting patterns can be seen in a hundred chart in both the rows and columns. Some patterns can also be heard when counting aloud. Students will practice counting forward, beginning at any number, count by tens, and solve problems involving counting.

Math vocabulary: pattern, ones, tens, column, decade, hundred chart

Science Updates:

Needs of People

In this section, students will begin to explore what people need to survive. They will also discover that humans share many biological traits with animals, including anatomy and behavioral characteristics. They will recognize that there are patterns in the needs of living things; for example, all living things need food and water. They will also recognize that all living things follow patterns in their life cycles. Students will be introduced to science practices, such as making observations, analyzing data, and using models.

Science vocabulary: survive, shelter

Social Studies Updates:

Geography of the Neighborhood- Our Home and Neighborhood/Safe neighborhoods

• Describe the absolute location of a place, using an address.

• Recognize that people live in neighborhoods

• Identify different ways people get from place to place.

• Recognize that traffic rules keep us safe.

• Identify different traffic rules and how they keep us safe.

We will discuss that places, and their relative advantages and disadvantages, can change over time. We will also build backgrounds by asking children what they know about their community and encouraging them to share what they know about where they live.

Social Studies vocabulary: street, address, absolute location, neighbor, transportation, traffic symbols, ramp

Health Updates:

Getting Sick

Describes being healthy, how germs make us sick, health helpers who keep us well or get well, caring for others who are sick.

Health vocabulary: sick, well, germs, wash, microscope, energy, healthy

Upcoming Dates to Remember:

April 10th: NO SCHOOL

April 25th: Field trip

April 26th: Earth Day project due

Grade level blurb:

Dear Families,

Thank you for supporting the teaching-learning environment. As you support te completion of homework, teach positive behavior, and encourage learning, you are setting the foundation for lifelong learning. You guys are so creative: Thanks for supporting Vocabulary Day! These activities build memories and friendships. Thank You for all that you do.

Reading Updates:

Essential Question: What can people from the past teach us about helping others?

Genre: Biography

Vocabulary Words: vote, views, leaders, rights

Sight words: carry, going, been, words, does

Phonics: Diphthongs /oi/, /oy/

Spelling Words: boy, join, spoil, boil, joy, going, been

Language and Conventions: Compound Words

Math Updates:

Topic 9 ( Comparing 2- digit numbers)

Topic 8 ( Tens/Ones)

Science Updates:

Living/Nonliving things

Social Studies Updates:

Geography

Maps

Health Updates:

Wellness

Grade level blurb:

1. Please check SchoolMax weekly for up-to-date grades.

2. 2nd Grade will be taking a field trip to The Botanical Gardens in Washington, DC. Monday, April 22nd. During this trip, students will explore plants in nature as it relates to our science unit of Plants and Animals. Field trip money and permission slips have been collected.

3. Please continue to review your class' digital agenda for homework updates. Your scholar should also have these written in their personal agenda as well. Digital agendas are being used to support the home-school connections. Attached is the digital agenda for each teacher. Please refer to these for important due dates and assignments:

Ms. Womack

Mrs. Valera

Ms. Barboza

Reading Updates:

We will focus on biography as our genre of text for Unit 4 week 4. Our story of the week is titled “One Plastic Bag.” Students will work this week to identify text structure (chronological events) and making and confirming predictions.

Our phonic focus and spelling words will focus on the prefixes un-, re-, pre-, dis.

Math Updates:

Students have begun Topic 10, adding within 1,000. In this unit, students will focus on the following strategies for addition: open number line, place-value blocks, and partial sums. Please refer to CANVAS for additional support with these strategies. Please also remember that students should be completing homework pages as lessons are learned in class. Please refer to your homeroom digital agenda for additional information.

Science Updates:

Students are focused on plant and animal life cycles. We are witnessing this first hand through observing the butterfly life cycle.

Social Studies Updates:

We are wrapping up Topic 4 - People who supply our goods and services and moving onto Topic 5. In this Topic, we will focus on the essential question, “What can we do to make a difference?” Students will explore what makes a hero and who some famous heroes are!

Health

We are beginning a new topic related to taking care of our Great Bodies! Students will learn about why drugs are dangerous and how to keep our bodies safe.

Grade level blurb:

Happy Testing Season Amazing Parents! April 30, 2024 marks the beginning of the testing season. Please be sure that students are reporting to school on time everyday. We are in the process of planning the last field trip. More details are forthcoming. Here are some important dates to keep in mind.

• 4/29 - 5/3 - MCAP Testing (We are looking forward to 100% third grade attendance this week!)

• Earth Day- April 22, 2024

Reading Updates:

Fleet/Lewis- This week we continued working on Biographies by reading Frederick Douglass. Students were able to identify the Main Ideas and supporting details. They were able to also analyze parts of the story and make inferences on what the author was trying to convey to readers.

Mathews/ Madison-

This week, students did a close read of Granddaddy's Turn. They participated in a classroom game where they worked as a team to match character traits with characters from stories we’ve read in the past.

Students

• Identified the purpose of Historical Fiction using the text entitled Granddaddy's Turn: A Trip to the Ballot

• to entertain using events from the past

• inform readers about important events from the past

• Analyzed characters in the story based on the character’s thoughts, actions, dialogue, and feelings

• Identified synonyms and antonyms for academic vocabulary words:

• Figured

• Complain

• Patience

• Temper

• Remembered

• Engaged with the text to make text to text, text to self, and text to real world connections

Math Updates:

Fleet/Lewis-

This week we have worked on understanding fractions. We have learned how to partition shapes, and understand the whole. Next week we will continue with fractions and work on fraction equivalency (topic 13).

Mathews/Madison - Students have continued learning about fractions! We have introduced this material in order to prepare for state testing. There will not be a unit test for this content, but there may be an upcoming quiz within the next two weeks.

Science Updates:

Fleet/Lewis-

This week we have learned about the solar eclipse as well as reviewed what we know about adaptations and survival. Students have received their study guides and the test will be on Wednesday, April 17th. Students have also received instructions for their adaptations project. This will be due on Friday, April 19th.

Mathews/Madison - Students are continuing to learn about life cycles and inheriting traits! Specifically, students have learned about how an animal or plant’s environment affects their traits, as well as the difference between the life cycles of various plants and animals! A Topic 5 unit test will take place later next week.

Social Studies Updates:

Fleet/Lewis- We continued with the same topic this week. Please stay tuned for next week’s update in Social Studies.

Mathews/Madison

Students identified the three branches of the government and began unpacking the different responsibilities of each branch. We also discussed the importance of having a government through the use of a rap song.

Health Updates:

In the month of April we will be discussing “Things You May Catch.” Students will compare communicable and non-communicable disease, your body’s defense system, keeping clean and healthy, and how medicines help prevent and cure illness.

Grade level blurb:

Hello Tiger Family,

We have now entered the 4th and final quarter of the school year. This quarter will be busy with testing, career day, club showcases, and field day. Please be on the lookout for information regarding our end of the year activities. We thank all the students who participated in our yearly Vocabulary Parade. Students had an opportunity to learn new vocabulary words from one another.

Next week 4th grade students will begin their MCAP testing. Our wonderful Professional School Counselor, Ms. Chandler gave a Testing Anxiety Lesson with all fourth grade students to give them some strategies for anxiety. Please read the information below to help prepare your scholar for testing week.

MCAP Testing

4th graders will begin taking the MCAP Assessment beginning Tuesday April 16- 20 with their homeroom teachers. Students will be taking two sessions each day. It is imperative that students arrive to school each day of testing by 8:00. If students miss just one session they will have to go into a make-up group and will miss class time to do make -up testing. Makeup testing will not occur for most students until the week on May 6, 2024. To prepare we will have students complete practice tests online and we will also discuss good testing strategies. Use this time to discuss with your scholar the importance of taking their time and trying their best on this assessment. Finally students should not talk to you about the questions on the test or what they were asked to do. The test is a secure document, not even teachers can talk about what is on the test.

This is a friendly reminder that late work is only accepted if a student has an excused absence! If a scholar is absent and does not bring a note they will earn a 0 on the assignment that was missed. Please read the reminders to ensure that you are partnering with your scholars to make them successful for school.

Fourth Grade Reminders:

Please check SchoolMax weekly to see scholar’s updated grades. Canvas is a Learning Management System in which scholars utilize to complete assignments and get access to materials.The grades provided in SchoolMax are those that will be used to calculate progress reports and report cards.

If your scholar is absent, please share a note with the homeroom teacher within 3 days of your scholar returning back to school. In order for students to receive make-up work you must provide a note stating; the student’s name, the date of absence, and reason for absence. Work is provided to students upon their return to school with an absence note.

Each week we suggest checking your scholars 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. 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.

Reading Updates:

This Week: Students spent this week integrating information from two different sources. During MCAP one of the main things students must do is integrate information from two sources in order to write knowledgeably about the subject. Students read two texts that explore the different types of adaptations animals have and how they use them to survive in their environments.

Next Week: Students will be taking MCAP. We will spend Monday ensuring that student computers are functioning correctly and answering any questions students may have. We also will use Monday to make sure the classroom is set up for testing and ensure that students have an opportunity to complete testing anxiety activities to prepare for MCAP. During this week students will not have homework.

Math Updates:

This week students are closing Topic 5, 4.NBT.B.6. Our focus this week, using the various division strategies to solve multi step word problems. This week we also began preparing for MCAP beginning on April 15. Some of the topics/skills we will be covering this week and next week are; Factors and divisibility, fractions, geometry and angles.

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

Science Updates:

In Science we will continue closing out Topic 2 by preparing for the Topic 2 test next week.

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

Social Studies Updates:

This week: Students began reading Chapter 4 Lesson 3 People and the Economy. Students are exploring how individuals and families make economic decisions.

Next week: Students will finish reading Chapter 4 Lesson 3 and begin looking at advertisements.

Health Updates:

In health we are learning about our Digestive Systems! How does our digestive system contribute to the overall function of our bodies? What can we do to promote a healthy digestive system?

Grade level blurb:

Hi everyone! We are in the month of April, and we are focusing on our character trait, ambition! We want to be ambitious in any way we can, especially in Q4!

We are getting prepared to plan our trip to Camp Schmidt at the end of the year for our 5th grade students and we are so excited! We are going to need lots of parent volunteers, both men and women, so if you are interested in coming, please reach out to Ms. McDonagh. The date will be June 3-4, so stay tuned for further info!

Our 5th grade promotion ceremony is planned for Friday, June 7 at 9:00am! We will have lots of information coming out about this soon, but we are so excited to honor and celebrate our hardworking scholars! Please keep this date available!

We have been having tests, quizzes, and homework, so we want to make sure students are keeping up with their work. 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

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 would love it if people wanted to come in and volunteer during lunch times for students, so let us know if you are interested.

MCAP testing is coming soon!! 5th grade will be testing April 23-26 for math and reading. Teachers are posting resources for students to start preparing and studying academic vocabulary. Please help students prepare for this assessment in any way possible!

Reading Updates:

We are working on unit 3 week 5 and our section is about realistic fiction. We also are working on our spelling words for this section about syllable patterns! We will be spending time in class also to work on MCAP prep!

Math Updates:

Students are in unit 9 of Math which is about dividing fractions. Homework will be posted on the assignment calendar as we get started so keep an eye out!

Science Updates:

Students are working on unit 5 of Science, about the human impact on Earth’s systems. Homework will be posted on the assignment calendar as we get started so keep an eye out!

Social Studies Updates:

We are working on chapter 9 now about the Civil War. We are working on Chapter 9 lesson 1 this week!

Updates from the Art Room!

This week, 5th grade made a small collage with their tablemates’ names in preparation for their final project of elementary school. Below are the results!

PE:

Hello,

This week in PE we continued our lesson on balance. Next week we will develop our teamwork skills and understand the importance of collaborative efforts, both within teams and with partners.

2023-2024 School Calendar

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SchoolMAX Family Portal

Fall Learning Information
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