WEEK OF JANUARY 4

Happy Holidays!
I wish you all a safe and healthy holiday season. I hope you are able to spend some quality time with family and friends, and may you return to school refreshed and ready to learn in 2010!

Reminder From the Lunchroom
Please be advised that beginning January 4, 2010, there will be a price increase for school lunches. The new cost will be $2.50 per meal.


Subject Update:

• Spelling - Lesson 15 focuses on words ending in -ery.
• English - The students will continue working on expository writing. We will review the structure of an expository essay when we return from break. Then we will work on developing our own expository writing pieces.
• Reading - We will introduce another reading strategy in January - clarifying. We will also provide students with information about our January reading project. If you want to plan ahead, students could look for a good realistic fiction book to read after returning from break!
• Science - Students will be learning about primary and secondary succession of a forest. We will watch a neat video to help us better understand the changes over time as a forest develops.
• Social Studies - As we begin Chapter 7, we will hear about the struggle between the Spanish and other Europeans for control of North America.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - The students will be starting Chapter 11 on number theory. This short chapter will provide us with more skills necessary for working with fractions. We will practice finding multiples and factors of numbers and learn the difference between prime and composite numbers.

Mark Your Calendar:

Jan. 4 - School Resumes

Jan. 11 - 14 - IOWA TESTING!

WEEK OF DECEMBER 14

Prairieview Holiday Service Project - Thank You!
Thank you to each of the families who supported our service project in some way. We were able to provide a number of gifts for each member of our "adopted" cancer patient family. I am overwhelmed by the generous spirit of our school community!

Bowling and Tivoli Movie Day Reminders
Your child may choose to bring money the day of bowling for purchasing food and drinks from the snack bar. Please think about the amount of money you send with your child - we have lunch scheduled soon after we return from the alley! Also, although we will be eating lunch early on the day we go to the Tivoli for the movie, school lunches will be available.

Note From the Lunchroom
Please be advised that beginning January 4, 2010, there will be a price increase for school lunches. The new cost of a school lunch will be $2.50 per meal.


Subject Update:

• Spelling - We will not have a spelling lesson this week.
• English - Students will be reviewing how to write a strong introductory paragraph for an expository writing piece. Then they will learn how to write the body and concluding paragraphs. We will focus on the structure of the piece before Winter Break, and work on developing our own ideas for an expository essay when we return in January.
• Reading - We will finish reading the novel, Night of the Twisters. The students will continue to practice asking "thin" and "thick" questions before, during, and after reading. We will end with some small group discussions to think more deeply about the characters and events of the book. On Friday, we will play a new game called "Vocabulary Taboo" to review the words we learned while reading!
• Science - The students are working on storyboards to show how a wild animal might adapt to an unknown object entering its habitat.
• Social Studies - We will work on map skills this week. Students will practice locating places using latitude and longitude.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - The students will be reviewing certain skills which will help when we move into fractions after Winter Break. It may be a good idea to brush up on basic multiplication (and division) facts over break - it will help greatly when it comes to finding equivalent fractions and determining if fractions are in lowest terms!

Mark Your Calendar:

Dec. 17 - 5th Grade Bowling (a.m.)

Dec. 18 - Tivoli Movie Day

Dec. 19 - Jan. 3 - Winter Break!

WEEK OF DECEMBER 7

Prairieview Holiday Service Project
Please notice the reminder flyer sent home with your child Thursday. Several students have mentioned that they plan to bring items on Monday, but as of now, we have only a few gifts in our collection box. If you are not able to shop for a gift, please consider sending a cash donation which would allow me to shop Tuesday evening for any items still needed for our family. Thank you in advance for your generosity. Donations are due Tuesday, December 8!!

Parent/Teacher Conferences
I hope that all of you found our time together as informative and productive as I did. Thank you for your insight and requests for suggestions that can be done at home to ensure the success of your child! Please remember that you may contact me at any time to discuss questions or concerns that arise as we continue through the year together.


Subject Update:

• Spelling - Lesson 14 focuses on words formed by joining prefixes to roots.
• English - Students will be finishing up their study of nouns. We will review plural nouns, learn about singular and plural possessive nouns, then prepare for the unit test. The Unit 2 Nouns Test is scheduled for Friday, December 11!
• Reading - We have introduced an exciting story entitled, Night of the Twisters, by Ivy Ruckman. The students will continue to practice the skill of self-questioning, as well as review the other reading skills covered so far this year, as we read this novel. Since we are reading a book together this month, there will not be a December book project.
• Science - The students will review the ideas from lesson 1 early in the week. Then they will begin a small project based on the picture book, The Great Fuzz Frenzy. This humorous story involves a group of prairie dogs that must adapt to a strange object - a tennis ball - being dropped into their tunnel. The story clearly shows the habitat of the prairie dogs and some of their unique behaviors while adapting to something new in their environment. The students will be challenged to develop a story board to show how another wild animal might adapt to a strange object entering their little corner of the world.
• Social Studies - Students will review all about colonial life as we prepare for the chapter test. The Chapter 6 Test is scheduled for Wednesday, December 9!
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - The students will "evaluate" addition and subtraction problems to determine if they should use mental math, paper and pencil, or a calculator to solve. Then we will learn how to decide if an estimate or exact answer is needed when solving word problems. The Chapter 6 Test is scheduled for Thursday, December 10!

Mark Your Calendar:

Dec. 8 - PV Holiday Service Project Donations Due!

Dec. 17 - 5th Grade Bowling

Dec. 18 - PV Tivoli Movie Day

Dec. 19 - Jan. 3 - Winter Break!

WEEK OF NOVEMBER 30

Prairieview School Service Project
Please make sure you review the service project information that went home with your child, and think about how your family might participate in this year's efforts. Don't forget that all donations need to be at school by Tuesday, December 8th! Thank you in advance for your generosity.


Subject Update:

• Spelling - Lesson 13 focuses on the prefixes dis, un, in, and mis.
• English - Students will start the next unit on nouns. A noun names a person, place, thing, or idea. The first few lessons have students identifying nouns in sentences, distinguishing between common and proper nouns, and applying rules to spell plural nouns correctly.
• Reading - We will introduce the reading strategy of self-questioning. Good readers think of questions before, during, and after reading. These questions could be "thin" or "thick." Thin questions are ones that can be answered by information right there in the text. Thick questions require thinking beyond the words of the text. We will be practicing these two types of questions together as we read about hurricanes and tornadoes. November Book Project - The Biography Shape Book project (along with the biography that was read) is due Monday, November 30!!
• Science - The students will be learning about plant and animal populations, competition, and adaptations.
• Social Studies - We will read about daily life in colonial times. We will learn how education, religion, free time, and certain foods were important to people in the colonies.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - Students will begin Chapter 6 about addition and subtraction of decimals.

Mark Your Calendar:

Nov. 30 - Dec. 3 Parent/Teacher Conferences

Dec. 1 - Yearbook Orders Due!

Dec. 1 - Report Cards

Dec. 4 - No School

Dec. 8 - Prairieview School Service Project - Donations Due!

WEEK OF NOVEMBER 16 and 23

Junior Achievement Program - Thank You to Mr. Laviste
Our Junior Achievement program has come to its end. We learned a lot about natural, capital, and human resources, starting and running a business, and the concept of supply and demand. Thank you, Mr. Laviste, for volunteering your time to bring us this valuable learning experience!

Yearbooks,... Get Your Yearbooks Now!
Please notice the yearbook order form sent home with your child. Now’s the time to place your orders. (Prairieview yearbook orders were not paid at registration!) Yearbooks are $10.00 and the deadline for orders is Tuesday, December 1, 2009. Please make checks payable to Lifetouch, and please make sure your student’s name, teacher’s name, and grade level are marked on the order form.


Subject Update:

• Spelling - Lesson 12 focuses on the suffix -ous.
• English - We will continue to learn about the use of quotation marks to show a speaker's exact words. Students will practice using capital letters, quotation marks, and other punctuation correctly when writing quotations. We will review the whole unit on capitalization and punctuation later in the week. The Unit 5 Test is scheduled for Tuesday, November 24!
• Reading - We will continue to work on the skill of making inferences. Next week, the students will focus on making inferences about characters. They will use the details given in a text to help them "infer" certain traits that describe the characters well. November Book Project - Students should be taking notes while reading their chosen biographies. The notes can then be used to write rough drafts for each page of the shape booklet. Don't forget, this project is due Monday, November 30!!
• Science - The students will be introduced to some of the important concepts from Chapter 6 - predator/prey relationship, competition, and structural and behavioral adaptations - while watching a wonderful video about barn owls. Then students will have the chance to perform both a virtual and hands-on owl pellet dissection. As you can see, we have some exciting activities ahead of us!
• Social Studies - The students should be thinking about the skills they possess, and how those skills could be put to use to make homemade items for our classroom trade fair. By participating in our trade fair, students will gain a deeper understanding of supply and demand, as well as develop a better understanding of the bartering and trading that went on during colonial times. Please refer to the hand-outs for participation expectations!
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - The students will learn how to compare and order decimals next week. They will also "draw conclusions" by thinking about the details given in word problems. The Chapter 5 Test is scheduled for Thursday, November 19!

Mark Your Calendar:

Nov. 19 - Picture Retakes

Nov. 20 - End of 1st Trimester

Nov. 25 - 27 - No School (Thanksgiving Break)

Nov. 30 - Dec. 4 - Parent/Teacher Conference Week

Dec. 1 - Report Cards

WEEK OF NOVEMBER 9

Robert Crown Field Trip Notes
Your child received an informational booklet from the Robert Crown Center. This booklet reviews information learned during the Michael or Linda program, depending on which program your child attended. It may serve as a valuable tool for parents, as the students may have questions following their field trip experience.


Subject Update:

• Spelling - Lesson 11 focuses on words formed by adding the suffix -ly to adjectives ending with -al. When you add the suffix -ly to the adjectives, they become adverbs.
• English - The students will review the many uses of commas. Then we will learn how to use quotation marks correctly. Writing quotations correctly can be difficult for students because it requires the correct use of commas, capital letters, and end marks, too. We will spend several days on quotation marks to focus on the three places a quotation may appear in a sentence: at the beginning, the end, or in the middle.
• Reading - We will introduce another important reading skill - making inferences. We will model this skill using a short story, "Art of the Needle and Loom." Then the students will practice making inferences while reading a story about the boyhood of Sitting Bull, a leader of the Lakota Souix people. November Book Project - All of the students' book choices have been approved. The next step for students is to read the biography and make notes on the designated worksheet. Students should be reading a little each night in order to finish the biography and project by the end of the month!
• Science - The Chapter 5 Test is scheduled for Tuesday, November 10! We will play a review game on Monday to help students prepare. The next chapter will continue our study of ecosystems as we learn how ecosystems change over time, both naturally and as a result of human activities.
• Social Studies - The students will learn about life in the colonies. The 13 colonies produced a wide variety of goods and developed valuable trade routes. Please look for information next week about a classroom trade fair!!
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - We will begin Chapter 5 about decimals. The students will learn about the place values of decimals (through the thousandths place). They will also learn how to read and write decimals correctly, identify equivalent decimals, and compare and order decimals.

Mark Your Calendar:

Nov. 10 - Junior Achievement (5th session)

Nov. 11 - No School (Veteran's Day)

Nov. 12 - Character Counts Assembly

Nov. 19 - Picture Retakes

Nov. 20 - End of 1st Trimester

WEEK OF NOVEMBER 2

Halloween Happenings
We had a lot of fun during our Halloween festivities! Everyone got in the spirit of things with the costume parade. Then we headed to the rooms to decorate our pumpkins. We would like to thank Mrs. Casey and Mr. Gonzales for helping us decorate our pumpkins while listening to some "terror-ific" tunes. Also, thanks to Mrs. Walsh and Mrs. Kasher for supplying treats and drinks. We must congratulate Cannon for his prize-winning pumpkin. It must have been a difficult decision for those judges, though, since we saw many creative and amazing pumpkins! Ask your student about the storyteller at the end of the day. Maybe your child could retell the story of the talking skull to you,... if you dare to hear it!

Robert Crown Field Trip
Since we may get back after our normal lunch period begins, we are requesting that the students bring a sack lunch on the day of the field trip - Friday, November 6.


Subject Update:

• Spelling - Lesson 10 focuses on words ending in consonant + y and vowel + y. The students will learn and apply spelling rules to add the suffixes -ed, -es, and -ing. (We are skipping Lesson 9.)
• English - The students will be learning ways to use commas. Commas can be used to separate items in a list, directly address someone, or interject a thought. We will also do some creative writing at the end of the week as we write our own tall tales. This activity will strengthen our writing skills while demonstrating our knowledge of tall tale elements.
• Reading - We will read a few more tall tales to identify exaggerated and realistic details, as well as visualize the interesting characters, settings, and events. November Book Project - Students will receive information about the November "Biography Shape Booklet" project on Monday. Please look for the parent letter regarding book choices that needs to be returned (with the chosen biography) by Thursday!
• Science - The students will learn about the energy pyramid and nitrogen cycle. We should be ready to test over Chapter 5 during the week of November 9th.
• Social Studies - We will do some review activities early in the week. On Monday, we will review using the same true/false format the students will use on the upcoming test. On Tuesday, we will play "Colonial Bingo" to review about the early colonies in North America. The Chapter 5 Test is scheduled for Wednesday, November 4!
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - Students will do some problem solving using the "predict and test" method (also known as "guess and check"). We will review expressions, equations, functions, inequalities, order of operations, and the predict and test strategy for the Chapter 4 Test on Thursday, November 5!

Mark Your Calendar:

Nov. 3 - Junior Achievement (Session 4)

Nov. 6 - Robert Crown Field Trip (Sack Lunch!)

Nov. 10 - Junior Achievement (Session 5)

Nov. 11 - No School (Veteran's Day)

Nov. 19 - Picture Retakes

WEEK OF OCTOBER 26

Halloween Reminders
Don't forget that our Halloween festivities will be held on Thursday, October 29! We will start with a costume parade at 12:30 followed by pumpkin decorating and snacks in our classroom at 1:00. An assembly featuring a storyteller will end our afternoon celebration.

Students will be changing into costumes in classrooms designated for boys or girls. Please understand that students will not be able to visit the washrooms for changing or application of make-up.

Please remember that students need to gather and bring items for decorating the pumpkins donated by our PTO. Some materials may be provided by parents helping with the celebration, but it is asked that students provide their own materials as well. Keep in mind that no sharp objects or carving utensils will be allowed. Be creative - you never know what everyday items in your home could help create the most amazing pumpkins!


Subject Update:

• Spelling - Due to our Halloween festivities and no school on Friday, we will not have a spelling lesson this week.
• English - Students will learn how to write common abbreviations and titles correctly.
• Reading - Students will enjoy reading another tall tale as they identify exaggerated details and visualize the interesting characters. Reading Project - Mystery Puzzle Projects are due Wednesday, October 28! Students will need to turn in the mystery book along with the puzzle pieces in a ziploc bag.
• Science - We will read about food chains and the flow of energy from producers to consumers to decomposers.
• Social Studies - Students will read about the original 13 colonies. They will complete a map of the 13 colonies to identify the New England, Middle, and Southern colonies. Students will also discover how the resources of each area of colonies is different.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - We will learn how to write and work with equations, functions, and inequalities.

Mark Your Calendar:

Oct. 27 - Junior Achievement (Session 3)

Oct. 28 - Robert Crown Parent Meeting (PV 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.)

Oct. 29 - Halloween Festivities (12:30 - 2:20 p.m.)

Oct. 30 - No School (Teacher Institute Day)

WEEK OF OCTOBER 19

Art to Remember
Art to Remember packets recently went home with your child. Please notice that the packet (with or without orders) is due back at school by Tuesday, October 20th!


Subject Update:

• Spelling - Lesson 8 is a review of lessons 1-7. The students will be tested over words from these lessons in a different way than our regular lesson tests. Students will need to understand and apply the spelling rules taught in previous lessons in order to identify a misspelled word in a row of words. You may want to practice identifying misspelled words in a similar format using the words from lessons 1-7.
• English - The students will begin the week reviewing what they have learned about writing fantastic introductory paragraphs for expository essays. Then we will begin Unit 5 about capitalization and punctuation.
• Reading - We will begin to focus on another important reading skill - visualizing. Students will learn to use story details to help them understand or "picture" the text. While working on this reading skill, students will be reading many tall tales. The characters, settings, and events in tall tales are wildly exaggerated - providing wonderful details to help us visualize the stories. Reading Project - Students should be finishing up the reading of their mysteries and starting to complete their rough draft story maps.
• Science - We will continue to learn about plants producing their own food. We will even sing a little song to help us remember the things plants need in order to make food through the process of photosynthesis!
• Social Studies - The students will discover that many early English setters came to North America in search of religious freedom. We will read about the Pilgrims and the Puritans.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - We will learn the order of operations and how to solve problems involving variables. We will also discuss certain math properties and try to show examples of each using algebraic equations!!

Mark Your Calendar:

Oct. 20 - Junior Achievement (Session 2)

Oct. 21 - Early Dismissal (11:00 a.m.)

Oct. 22 - Prairieview Book Fair

Oct. 27 - Junior Achievement (Session 3)

Oct. 28 - Robert Crown Parent Night (PV 6:30 p.m.)

Oct. 30 - No School (Teacher Institute Day)

WEEK OF OCTOBER 12

Robert Crown Field Trip
On Tuesday, I will send home the permission slip for the Robert Crown Field Trip. Please complete and return the bottom portion of the form by Friday, October 16th.


Subject Update:

• Spelling - Lesson 7 focuses on words with soft and hard g sounds.
• English - Students have learned that expository writing needs to start with a strong introductory paragraph. They learned that they must "hook" the reader, or rather grab the reader's attention, with their very first sentence. Next week, we will work on adding sentences to our introductory paragraph that "reel the reader in" and finally "release" the main idea to the reader.
• Reading - We will do some final activities focusing on summarizing stories. October Book Project - Students should currently be reading their mystery books. While reading, students may want to jot a few notes on a post-it like we practiced in class. This will help them complete their rough draft on the story map worksheet. Don't forget the project and book need to be turned in by Wednesday, October 28!
• Science - We will begin our next Science unit "Interactions Among Living Things." Chapter 5 will discuss energy and ecosystems.
• Social Studies - Students will learn how the search for the Northwest Passage led to the founding of French and Dutch colonies in North America.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - Students should review Chapter 3, Lessons 1-4 for a quiz scheduled on Wednesday, October 14! Then we will move ahead to Chapter 4 about algebraic expressions and equations.

Mark Your Calendar:

Oct. 12 - No School (Columbus Day)

Oct. 13 - 5th Grade Assembly about Disabilities

Oct. 13 - Junior Achievement - Session 1 (rescheduled)

Oct. 21 - Early Dismissal (11:00 a.m.)

Oct. 22 - Prairieview Book Fair

WEEK OF OCTOBER 5

Junior Achievement
We will begin our Junior Achievement program this week. Our Junior Achievement volunteer, Mr. Laviste, will be visiting our classroom over the next several weeks to present lessons about creating and running a business. The sessions will teach students different concepts such as supply and demand, use of resources, cost of business, and profit. This program shows students real-world applications of several ideas from Social Studies.

Halloween Party Changes
By now you should have received an email regarding the changes this year for our Halloween festivities. I think the students will enjoy the activities planned. Room parents, you should be receiving a separate email regarding your role in the day. Please let me know if you have any questions.


Subject Update:

• Spelling - Lesson 6 focuses on the plural forms of words ending in s, z, x, ch, and sh.
• English - The students will be introduced to expository writing. We will determine the differences between narrative and expository writing, and then learn how to write a great introduction for an expository piece.
• Reading - We will continue our work with summarizing. Ask your student to summarize a chapter book they are currently reading. They should be able to tell you who, when, where, and what is happening in the story. Also, you should have seen a letter come home about the October "Mystery Book Puzzle" project. The mystery book choice and parent signature letter is due Monday, October 5!
• Science - Students should be finishing up their Paper Airplane Projects in order to share results on Monday. Also, we will be reviewing the tools, skills, and process used by scientists to prepare for the "Getting Ready for Science" Chapter Test on Wednesday, October 7!
• Social Studies - We will learn about the founding of England's first permanent settlement in North America in 1607 - Jamestown.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - Students will begin Chapter 3 about division. We will learn and apply a series of steps to find quotients when dividing by 1-digit. Our Mad Minute Mondays have come to an end, but students should continue to review basic facts throughout the rest of the year!

Mark Your Calendar:

Oct. 6 - Check Student Progress on ParentConnect

Oct. 8 - Jr. Achievement (Session 1)

Oct. 12 - No School (Columbus Day)

WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 28

Help Needed
For a future Social Studies activity, we will need pieces of brown paper bags. If you have any large brown grocery bags that you can donate to our classroom, please send them to school with your student on Monday or Tuesday. Thanks in advance for your help!

Bus Monitor Applications
Students who are interested in becoming bus monitors received applications on Friday. Please be sure to complete and return the applications by Wednesday, September 30!

Say Cheese!
Picture day is scheduled for Thursday, October 1. Please remember that all students will have their pictures taken that day for use in the school yearbook. Even if you are not ordering pictures, please bring your best smile!


Subject Update:

• Spelling - Lesson 5 focuses on words formed by a prefix and root.
• English - The students will review all about sentences to prepare for the Unit 1 Test. Many students still have some difficulty identifying simple subjects and simple predicates. You may want to focus more attention on those concepts during your study time. There is a great "Extra Practice" section on pages 55-62 that may be helpful to review those concepts as well as the other concepts from this unit. The Unit 1 "The Sentence" Test is scheduled for Friday, October 2!
• Reading - We will continue to work with summarizing. Book Project Reminder: September "Memory Bag" book projects are due Wednesday, September 30!! Students must have the bag with 5 items, the final copy worksheet, and the book ready to turn in on that day!!
• Science - The students will learn about the scientific method in Lesson 3. This is a series of steps that scientists use when performing an experiment.
• Social Studies - On Monday, we will play a review game to help students prepare for the Chapter 4 Test scheduled for Tueday, September 29! Later in the week, we will begin the next Chapter about different European countries trying to establish colonies in America.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - We will finish up Chapter 2 by enriching our understanding of multiplying larger numbers and doing some problem solving. The Chapter 2 Test is scheduled for Thursday, October 1!

Mark Your Calendar:

Sept. 29 - Final Magazine Turn-in Day

Oct. 1 - Picture Day

WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 21

Checking Student Grades
Please remember that you may check student progress throughout the trimester using ParentConnect. I encourage you and your child to check grades weekly and set goals for future progress. As always, if you have any questions or difficulty checking grades online, don't hesitate to contact me.

Lunch in the Library
Please notice the flyer that went home with your child Friday. It tells about an exciting new opportunity for students to share about the books they have been reading. The first meeting is in October, so there's plenty of time for students to read or think about a book they would like to share. This would be a great way for students to hear about other books they might enjoy reading.

Good Personal Habits
Mrs. Heckman will be talking to the 5th graders on Tuesday about healthy hygiene habits. Did you know the #1 way to prevent sickness is simply washing your hands? Mrs. Heckman will share this along with other tips for staying healthy as we move into flu season.


Subject Update:

• Spelling - Lesson 4 focuses on prefixes that end with a vowel.
• English - Students will be learning about subjects in imperative sentences, conjunctions, and correcting run-on sentences.
• Reading - We will be continuing our work with summarizing. Students are learning to identify the characters, setting, and plot of a story using a story map graphic organizer. Then the information on the story map can be used to write a summary in paragraph form. Don't forget that our September book project is due Wednesday, September 30! Students should be finishing their books and working on the rough draft worksheet. Please check in with your students to make sure they are on target for their deadline!
• Science - Students are learning about the inquiry skills used by scientists. Ask your child how we used many of these skills (observing, measuring, recording, etc.) in our Wild Guess/Prediction Investigation with pennies and dimes!
• Social Studies - We will read about life in New Spain and how Spain gained great wealth from their settlements in the New World.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - Students will continue working in Chapter 2 about multiplication of whole numbers. We will explore different ways to multiply larger numbers.

Mark Your Calendar:

Sept. 22 - Early Dismissal (11:00 a.m.)

Sept. 22 - Magazine Turn-in Day

Sept. 22 - Healthy Hygiene Habits Talk with Mrs. Heckman

Sept. 24 - Magazine Turn-in Day

Sept. 25 - Character Counts Assembly

WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 14

Online Science Textbook
Next week, I will be giving the students directions for accessing the science textbook online. Students should keep these directions in the science folder of their binders to use when needed at home. Students will have a choice of using the online textbook or bringing home their textbook for assignments or test preparation. You may want to try accessing the online text prior to actually needing it! As always, please contact me if you have any difficulties or questions.

Magazine Drive Kick-Off
Please notice the Magazine Drive packet that was sent home with your child on Friday. Students attended a special assembly to hear how they can sell magazines to raise money for the school and earn themselves prizes.


Subject Update:

• Spelling - Lesson 3 focuses on using the suffix -er to form singular and possessive nouns.
• English - Students will learn about simple subjects and predicates. The simple subject tells exactly who or what a sentence is about. The simple predicate tells exactly what is or what happens in the sentence. We will reinforce our knowledge of simple subjects and predicates by creating subject/predicate poems at the end of the week.
• Reading - Good readers make logical predictions based on both story details and personal knowledge. Providing "personal knowledge" to support predictions is often more difficult than finding details in the text, so that will be our focus early in the week. Later in the week we will introduce our next comprehension strategy - summarizing. September Reading Project - students should be finishing their books and starting to complete the rough draft page! Remember that students should be working a little each night in order to complete the project by the end of the month. I will be providing a final copy worksheet soon.
• Science - We will be reviewing about the inquiry tools used by scientists before learning about the inquiry skills they use. Ask your child to tell you about 2 tools that can be used to measure something and 2 tools that cannot.
• Social Studies - Students will learn about Spanish conquistadors establishing colonies in North and South America.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - The Chapter 1 Test is scheduled for Tuesday, September 15! Students should review their notes and various assignments to help them prepare for the test. Then we will begin Chapter 2 about multiplication of whole numbers. Please remember that students should be reviewing basic facts at home in order to meet our challenging goal of 30 facts on Mad Minute Monday!

Mark Your Calendar:

Sept. 22 - Early Dismissal (11:00 a.m.)

Sept. 22 - 1st Magazine Turn-in Day

Sept. 24 - 2nd Magazine Turn-in Day

WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 8

Notes About Curriculum Night
Thank you to all of the parents who were able to attend Curriculum Night. I appreciated the time to review our 5th grade policies, curriculum, and some of my classroom routines and expectations. If you missed this event, you should find all of this information in your child's binder. Please carefully review it all, then return the bottom portion of the policy sheet and your child's Information Sheet as soon as possible. Also, please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.


Subject Update:

• Spelling - Lesson 2 will focus on words with the suffix -able. There will not be a pretest this week since we do not have school Monday. Also, I gave students the Lesson 2 list on Friday in case they wanted to start reviewing their words. Don't forget, they will be tested on Friday!
• English - We will be reviewing the four types of sentences. Students have "flippy" notes to help them remember the new fancy fifth grade words for those four types. Then, we will be learning about subjects and predicates. Get your voices warmed up,... we will be learning a special song to help us remember those two necessary parts of a sentence!
• Reading - Students will continue previewing and predicting using details from the story and their own personal knowledge. Also, we will do some Word Work with synonyms and antonyms. September Book Project Reminder - student book choices were approved and they should be reading 20 minutes each day to finish their books in the next few weeks.
• Science - We will get hands-on and try out some of the tools scientists use as we read and take notes about them. Do you know what forceps are or why they are used??
• Social Studies - Students have read about Christopher Columbus's discoveries and how his voyages led to the Columbian Exchange as well as other explorers to the New World. Students will write letters to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella next week pretending to be Columbus telling about his adventures and requesting funds for another voyage.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - Students will estimate sums and differences and use estimation to check if answers are reasonable. We will also do some problem solving using the "working backwards" strategy.

Mark Your Calendar:

Sept. 7 - Labor Day (No School)

Sept. 11 - Magazine Drive Kick-Off

Sept. 11 - Back-to-School Bingo (7 - 8:30 p.m.)

Sept. 22 - Early Dismissal (11:00 a.m.)

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WEEK OF AUGUST 31

Our First Week Together
We are off to a fantastic start to 5th grade! We have had a chance to get to know each other, review rules and expecations, and have a little fun along the way. Hopefully your child has shared with you some of their first experiences of their final year at Prairieview. Let's continue to move forward with a positive attitude and strive to do our best!

5th Grade Curriculum Night
Don't forget that 5th Grade Curriculum Night is Thursday, September 3 from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. I look forward to discussing the curriculum, as well as some of the expectations and routines set for our classroom. If you are not able to attend, please look for information that will be sent home with your child next Friday.

FYI - Intramurals
4th and 5th grade intramural games will be starting the week of September 14th. Permission slips will be handed out next week. Forms are due to Ms. Stainman by Friday, September 4th.


Subject Update:

• Spelling - Lesson 1 will focus on adding suffixes to silent -e words. The students will receive detailed information about our weekly spelling routine on Monday, but please note that students will be tested over their spelling words each Friday!
• English - We have begun the year with some simple writing activities to exercise our creative minds. Next week, we will begin learning about sentences. Students will distinguish between complete sentences and fragments, and they will learn to identify the four types of sentences.
• Reading - We begin the year working on the strategy of predicting. We will be predicting outcomes by using details given in the story and our personal knowledge. We will also confirm or revise our predictions as we read.
• Science - What is a scientist? What tools does a scientist use? We will learn the answers to these questions next week!
• Social Studies - The students will be learning about the early history of the United States. We will begin with Chapter 4 "Spain Builds an Empire."
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - We will begin the year with Chapter 1 about place value. The students will learn how to write and work with numbers through the billions period.

Mark Your Calendar:

Sept. 3 - 5th Grade Curriculum Night

Sept. 7 - No School (Labor Day)

WEEK OF JUNE 1

5th Grade Celebration - WOW!
The 5th graders had a surprise celebration Thursday. It began with a special assembly featuring the Jessie White Tumblers. The tumbling assembly was absolutely amazing! It was followed by some fun with friends outside, and finally snacks and drinks. At the conclusion of the festivities, each student received a Lakeview Spartans book bag including a congratulatory certificate and "Things To Do" locker magnet. My class and I thank the parents who helped to make the event a success!

Yearbook Details
Yearbooks will be handed out to students on June 5th. Any students who did not purchase a yearbook may do so on a first-come-first-serve basis on June 5th; they will go on sale after morning announcements. The cost will be $10.00 and children wishing to purchase should have the exact amount. Checks can be made out to Prairieview. There is a limited supply. (Prairieview yearbook orders were not paid for at registration. A flyer was sent out on November 13, 2008 and orders were due by December 1, 2008.)

Last Week Reminders
Please check your bookshelves, and maybe even under the beds, for any books that may need to be returned to our classroom library. Also, I seem to be missing one of my bags that I sent home with absent work. If you find any of these items, kindly bring them back to school ASAP!


Subject Update:

Science and Social Studies (Homeroom)

• Science - Students will learn how humans affect ecosystems in both positive and negative ways.
• Social Studies - We will read about a new kind of revolution - the changes in industry and inventions that helped poeple meet their needs.

Language Arts Block

• Spelling - No spelling lesson this week.
• English - The students will finish their Mix-N-Match books that review the parts of speech covered throughout the school year.
• Reading - We will finish reading the novel CRASH. We will hold a discussion about the key points of the book and the way the characters changed and developed throughout the story. We will also play a fun game to challenge students to recall important details from the book.

Math Classroom

• Math - We will finish the year off with some data and graphing activities.

Mark Your Calendar:

June 2 - Lakeview Library Summer Reading Info

June 4 - All-School Picnic and Assembly

June 5 - Last Day of School - Report Cards
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WEEK OF MAY 26

Meteorologist Ginger Zee and the 5th Grade
Ginger Zee gave a fantastic presentation for our 5th graders about weather and working as a meteorologist. She will be letting us know when she plans to show the pictures of our 5th graders during her report - watch for more information next week!

Bowling Day Suggestion
The students are encouraged to bring a sack lunch on Friday, May 29th, the 5th graders day to go bowling. Since many students bring money for snacks at the bowling alley, they often fill up and cannot eat all of their lunches. If they bring a lunch from home, they will be able to bring any excess food home again at the end of the day. Thanks in advance!


Subject Update:

Science and Social Studies (Homeroom)

• Science - The students will continue to observe our model pond ecosystem in order to note any changes over time. We will also review about primary and secondary succession before learning ways people affect ecosystems.
• Social Studies - We will begin Chapter 12 about our growing nation. The first lesson is about the U.S. turning 50!

Language Arts Block

• Spelling - Lesson 32 focuses on words with the prefixes im, ob, sub, and ad. There will not be a test on Friday since it is a shortened week.
• English - The students will review the different parts of speech learned throughout the year. They will work again with nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and prepositions as they create a "Mix-N-Match" booklet.
• Reading - We will continue to read the novel CRASH. Ask your student to summarize the chapters read so far, and ask them to describe Crash Coogan and Penn Webb for you. To which character does your child relate best? Why? Remember, it is important to keep up with nightly reading assignments to do well on daily class work!!

Math Classroom

• Math - The students are reviewing about perimeter, area, and volume. We have created a note sheet with the different formulas learned for these measures and how to label them. Students should prepare for a Perimeter, Area, and Volume Test on Thursday, May 28!

Mark Your Calendar:

May 25 - No School (Memorial Day)

May 27 - Robert Crown Field Trip

May 29 - 5th Grade Bowling

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WEEK OF MAY 18

Meteorologist Visit to 5th Grade
The 5th grade students have a special assembly with meteorologist Ginger Zee on Friday, May 22. Students should watch Ginger Zee this Saturday or Sunday on NBC Chicago News from 6-10 a.m., or 5 p.m., or 10 p.m. Be sure to pay attention to the tools she uses and the kind of information she gives about the weather!

Lakeview Visit and Parent Meeting
On Monday, May 18, the 5th graders will visit Lakeview in the afternoon to hear about life at the middle school. The students will also be taken in small groups to tour the building. Hopefully, this will help alleviate any 6th grade jitters the students may have as they look ahead to the next school year. The "Parent Night" for Lakeview is also scheduled Monday at 6:30 p.m. Be sure to attend if you have any questions regarding the "big move" to Lakeview!


Subject Update:

Science and Social Studies (Homeroom)

• Science - The students will finish their story boards about a population of animals adapting to some foreign object entering their world. Then students will learn how ecosystems change over time.
• Social Studies - We will review about our earliest presidents, the new land acquired for the United States, and the War of 1812 as we prepare for the Chapter 11 Test on Wednesday, May 20.
  

Language Arts Block

• Spelling - Lesson 31 focuses on words with the prefix ex.
• English - The students will review prepositions early in the week. Then we will review all about adverbs and prepositions to prepare for the Unit 7 Test scheduled for Thursday, May 21.
• Reading - We will continue reading the novel CRASH. It is important for students to complete nightly reading assignments so that they do well on our daily class activities!
  

Math Classroom

• Math - The students will review lessons 1-7 about area of polygons before learning about volume. The Perimeter, Area, and Volume Test is tentatively scheduled for Friday, May 22.

Mark Your Calendar:

May 18 - 5th Graders Visit Lakeview

May 18 - Lakeview Parent Meeting (LV 6:30 p.m.)

May 22 - Meteorologist Ginger Zee 5th Grade Assembly

May 25 - No School (Memorial Day)

WEEK OF MAY 11

Happy Mother's Day!
I would like to wish all you moms a wonderful Mother's Day. I hope you are able to enjoy some time relaxing with your families.


Subject Update:

Science and Social Studies (Homeroom)

• Science - The students will hear a story about the adventures of a prairie-dog population when a tennis ball suddenly enters their underground world. How will the animals adapt to this unusual object in their habitat? Students will discover the answer before creating their own "what if" scenarios with a population of animals.
• Social Studies - We will be discussing the travels of Lewis and Clark as we read more about "Jefferson Looking West."

Language Arts

• Spelling - Lesson 30 focuses on words that end with -or.
• English - The students will learn to use negatives correctly in sentences. Then we will learn about prepositions and prepositional phrases.
• Reading - We introduced the realistic fiction novel, CRASH, to the class. This story will offer some great topics for discussion as we practice the many reading skills addressed throughout the school year. It will be important for your child to complete their nightly reading assignments in order to do well on the daily class activities!

Math Classroom

• Math - The students will relate the perimeter and area of rectangles, use formulas to find the area of triangles and parallelograms, and find the surface area of 3-D figures. Note: Students will be allowed to use calculators for chapter reviews and the test, but homework should be completed using paper and pencil. This will reinforce our work with multiplication of whole numbers and provide some practice of multiplication of decimals!

Mark Your Calendar:

May 11: PV Spring Cadet Band and Choir Concert (LV 7:00 p.m.)

May 12: All-School Assembly about Wellness with Staley the Bear!

May 14: 5th Grade to LV to see "Guys and Dolls" Production

May 18: 5th Grade Visit to Lakeview

May 18: 5th Grade Parent Meeting for Lakeview (LV 6:30 p.m.)

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WEEK OF MAY 4

Healthy Habits
We have discussed the importance of hand washing and other good hygiene habits in the classroom. With the recent concerns about the spread of the flu, we have reminded students to cover their mouths and noses when coughing or sneezing, and encouraged them to make use of the moist towelletes and hand-sanitizer in our classroom before eating snack and/or lunch.


Subject Update:

Science and Social Studies (Homeroom)

• Science - The students have completed their owl pellet dissection. Next, we will begin reading about animal adaptations, competition within a population, and types of symbiosis.
• Social Studies - We are currently reading about George Washington, our nation's first president. During the week ahead, we will also learn about some of the accomplishments of Thomas Jefferson.

Language Arts Block

• Spelling - Lesson 29 focuses on contractions and compound words.
• English - We have just introduced adverbs. Students are learning how to identify them in sentences. As we move ahead, students will learn how to compare with adverbs as well as take a closer look at the difference between adverbs and adjectives.
• Reading - The students will continue to practice making connections to the texts they read. Also, in lieu of an individual book project for May, the students will be reading a realistic fiction novel as a class. We will use the novel to reinforce reading skills learned throughout the year such as understanding vocabulary, predicting, summarizing, and connecting.

Math Classroom

• Math - The students will continue to explore circumference (the perimeter of a circle) early in the week. Then students will complete a "Chapter 23 Homework Review" to show their understanding of perimeter before moving to Chapter 24 about area and volume.

Mark Your Calendar:

May 4-8: Teacher Appreciation Week

May 11: Band/Choir Spring Concert

May 18: Lakeview Parent Meeting (6:30 p.m.)
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WEEK OF APRIL 27

Prairieview Food Drive Reminder
Don't forget that the food drive ends Monday, April 27th! This collection is a great way to show that our school community cares for others. Also, the grade level that brings in the most items will receive a special reward!

Check Student Progress
Please remember that we have reached the last 6 weeks of school. Check student progress on ParentConnect! As always, if you have any questions or concerns, contact your child's teacher(s).


Subject Update:

Science and Social Studies

• Science - The students have been learning about the barn owl as we preview some of the concepts in Chapter 6. Ask your child to tell you about some of the adaptations this animal has for catching prey. Also, your student had a chance to perform a "virtual" dissection of an owl pellet. Students should now know the steps for their "live" owl pellet dissection on Wednesday!
• Social Studies - The Chapter 10 Test is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28th! Students should review the Preamble of the Constitution along with the key ideas from the chapter.

Language Arts Block

• Spelling - Lesson 28 focuses on Greek word parts. (We will skip Lesson 27.)
• English - The Unit 3 Verbs Test is scheduled for Wednesday, April 29! We will be reviewing in class on Monday and Tuesday. At the end of the week, we will introduce adverbs. Adverbs are words that tell when, where, or how an action takes place.
• Reading - The students will continue to work on writing good connections. Connections should include three things: the part of the book they are connecting to; something in their life, in the world, or in another text that it reminds them of; and an explanation of how those relate.

Math Classroom

• Math - The students will learn about perimeter in Chapter 23. They will learn formulas to find the perimeter of different kinds of polygons. This will review some of our work with algebraic expressions from earlier in the school year.

Mark Your Calendar:

April 27: Prairieview Food Drive Ends

April 28: Imagination Theater - All School Assembly

May 4-8: Teacher Appreciation Week
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WEEK OF APRIL 20

Spring Open House - Thanks for Visiting!
Thank you to all of the families who were able to visit Prairieview for the Spring Open House and Book Fair. It was nice to see so many students proudly sharing the products of their most recent school assignments and projects. Also, thank you for the generous gift certificates many of you gave toward our classroom library. I will have many new titles hitting the bookshelves soon!


Subject Update:

Science and Social Studies

• Science - The students will learn about interactions between organisms in an ecosystem as we begin Chapter 6.
• Social Studies - We will hear about the ratification of the U.S. Constitution in the next lesson. Many students have recited the Preamble for me, earning themselves a Preamble pencil and knowledge that will help them on the Chapter 10 Test (which will be sometime during the week of April 27). For those students who have not memorized it yet, keep practicing!

Language Arts Block

• Spelling - Lesson 26 reviews lessons 19-25.
• English - The students will learn about verbs and verb phrases that are commonly misused. These include verbs that form contractions with have (Ex. could've, not could of), let and leave, learn and teach, sit and set, and can and may.
• Reading - We will be creating our last few "Postcards from the Far East" as we conclude our unit on China. Students will also read a text about Yo-Yo Ma, a musician whose family originated from China.

Math Classroom

• Math - Students will learn about elapsed time and the units of measurement for temperature before reviewing for the Chapter 22 Test scheduled for Thursday, April 23.

Mark Your Calendar:

April 21 - Check Student Progress at ParentConnect

April 24 - Early Dismissal (11:00 a.m.)
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WEEK OF APRIL 13

Too Good For Drugs Graduation
Please remember that the TGFD Graduation will take place Monday, April 13th from 8:45 - 9:45 a.m. in the Prairieview gym. The students will receive a certificate and pin as recognition of their completion of the program. Also, three students have been chosen to read their TGFD essays during the ceremony. We congratulate Andrew from our homeroom as being one of the students chosen - well done!

Spring Open House/Book Fair
Please join us the evening of Thursday, April 16th from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. for the annual Spring Open House and Book Fair. Student work will be on display in classrooms and hallways - come see all that has kept us busy lately, then visit the book fair to check out the selection of great books!


Subject Update:

Science and Social Studies (Homeroom)

• Science - The students will review about food webs and how they are affected when there are changes within an ecosystem as we read a wonderful story entitled "Wolf Island." The Chapter 5 Test is scheduled for Thursday, April 16th!
• Social Studies - We are learning about the early government of the United States and some of its weaknesses. The next lesson will tell us how leaders met in Philadelphia to discuss changes toward a more powerful central government. Ask your child about my challenge for them to recite the Preamble of the Constitution! "We the People of the United States..."

Language Arts Block

• Spelling - Lesson 25 focuses on words with silent letters.
• English - The students are working to complete their "Me Front Page" projects so that you can view them at the Spring Open House. As we put the finishing touches on those, we also continue to work on verbs. Students will learn about contractions formed from verbs and the word "not" as well as irregular verbs.
• Reading - Students will receive information about a final project for China on Monday, April 13th. This project will be in lieu of the monthly book project that is usually assigned.

Math Classroom

• Math - Students will review units of linear measurement before working with units of capacity, weight, and mass.

Mark Your Calendar:

April 13 - TGFD Graduation (8:45 - 9:45 a.m.)

April 16 - Spring Open House/Book Fair (6:30 - 8:00 p.m.)

April 21 - Check Student Progress at ParentConnect

April 24 - Early Dismissal (11:00 a.m.)
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WEEK OF APRIL 6

Family Book Club Night
Are you looking for a great book to read? Is your child looking for a way to stay busy over Spring Break? Then look into the Family Book Club Night at Prairieview School on Wednesday, April 29. Go to the District 66 website, click on "Prairieview," and read more about this exciting event! You can print a registration form and return it after the break. (Please note that the registration deadline has been extended!)

Thanks for the Help
Thanks to our volunteers for GEOSPACE! The class enjoyed learning more about solid figures and creating them from their "nets." The students made some really imaginative spaces with their solid figures!

Too Good For Drugs (TGFD) Program
An invitation went home this week about the TGFD Graduation on Monday, April 13th. Please mark your calendars for this event. I look forward to reading through the students' essays about what they learned through this experience.


Subject Update:

Science and Social Studies (Homeroom)

• Science - The students will learn about energy being passed through an ecosystem. They will also learn how different food chains are connected to form food webs.
• Social Studies - Chapter 10 will show us how the newly formed United States had new problems to solve after the Revolutionary War finally ended. How would they govern themselves? Would slavery continue in this new country? These questions and more will be answered as we continue to learn about our country's history.

Language Arts Block

• Spelling - No lesson due to a shortened week.
• English - The students will continue learning about verbs as they work with subject and verb agreement. They will also continue working on their "Me Front Page" projects as they write about their short-term and long-term goals and begin writing personal achievement stories.
• Reading - Students will learn how the dragon is important to Chinese culture and create a colorful dragon of their own. Students will also get the supplies for creating their Panda on Parade. There will not be a book project for April! Instead, there will be a final project using all of the information we have gathered about China. Details to follow soon!

Math Classroom

• Math - The students will explore customary and metric units of measurement as we begin Chapter 22.

Mark Your Calendar:

March 28 - April 5 - SPRING BREAK!!

April 7 - No School (Teacher Institute Day)

April 10 - No School

April 13 - TGFD Graduation (8:45 - 9:45 a.m.)

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WEEK OF MARCH 23

Too Good For Drugs (TGFD) Program
During Session 9 of the program, Deputy K provided students with the expectations of the TGFD essay that all students must complete by Friday, March 27th. The students have been told that they will receive a separate participation grade for this final assignment. Points will be given for completing the essay on time, using the correct format, including accurate information learned during the program, and neatness of writing or typing. Please mark your calendars for TGFD Graduation on Monday, April 13 from 8:45 - 9:45 a.m.


Subject Update:

Science and Social Studies (Homeroom)

• Science - The students will review about producers and consumers before learning about the three types of consumers and food chains.
• Social Studies - We are reading about some key battles of the Revolutionary War. Next, we will learn about the ways African Americans and women contributed to the Patriot cause. The Chapter 9 Test is scheduled for Friday, March 27th!

Language Arts Block

• Spelling - Lesson 24 focuses on nouns and adjectives with the ending -ar.
• English - We will continue our study of verbs as we learn to write them correctly in the present, past, and future tenses. The students have made some nice progress on their "Me Front Page" lead stories and acrostic poems. Next, students will gather quotes - words spoken by friends, family, teachers, etc. - all about them!
• Reading - The students will learn about the economy and history of China. Students will also decide on a theme for their "Pandas on Parade." We look forward to reviewing the March book projects due Monday, March 23!

Math Classroom

• Math - The students are adding and subtracting fractions with common and uncommon denominators. Next, we will take it a step further to add and subtract mixed numbers. The students will have a little "quest" over this information on Thursday, March 26!

Mark Your Calendar:

March 25 - Geospace Program (12:15 - 2:15 p.m.)

March 27 - All School Movie at the Tivoli!

March 28 - April 5 - SPRING BREAK

April 7 - No School (Teacher Institute Day)

April 10 - No School

April 13 - TGFD Graduation (8:45 - 9:45 a.m.)
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WEEK OF MARCH 16

Parent/Teacher Conferences
It was nice to sit down with so many of you to discuss the progress of your students. Please remember that whether you met with me at conferences or not, I always welcome your questions and/or concerns.

Too Good For Drugs (TGFD) Program
We did not have a session this past week due to early dismissal on Thursday and no school on Friday. Students will meet with Deputy K again on Thursday, March 19. He will be talking about an essay that all students need to complete before graduation from the program. Please watch for an invitation to come home about TGFD Graduation on Monday, April 13.


Subject Update:

Science and Social Studies (Homeroom)

• Science - The students learned how plants make their own food through the process of photosynthesis. They will be reading how this is important to consumers (animals that eat plants or other animals).
• Social Studies - Students will put the final touches on their Patriot/Loyalist books. As we begin Chapter 9, students will read about the colonists declaring independence from England.

Language Arts Block

• Spelling - Lesson 23 focuses on forms of the prefix ad.
• English - We will begin our unit on verbs. As time allows, we will be completing our acrostic poems for the "Me Front Page." Don't forget, each student needs to bring in an 8" x 10" picture for part of this project. The pictures will be returned to students as soon as this part of the project is completed!
• Reading - The students will be continuing their study of China. They will read together about the country's land, climate, and wildlife. Then they will independently research more about giant pandas. March Book Project - students should be reading their non-fiction books! Remember that this project is due Monday, March 23rd!

Math Classroom

• Math - Students will be learning about solid figures before a "quest" over Chapter 19 on Thursday, March 19!

Mark Your Calendar:

March 16 - Character Counts Assembly

March 18 - All School Assembly

March 25 - GEOSPACE Program (12:15 - 2:15 p.m.)

March 27 - All School Movie at the Tivoli!

March 28 - Spring Break!!
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WEEK OF MARCH 9

Thanks to Students and Parents - ISAT Week Complete!
Thank you to students for trying your best and keeping positive during our week of ISAT testing. Thanks also to all the parents who volunteered to send healthy snacks for the students. They helped everyone keep energized and focused!

Too Good For Drugs (TGFD) Program
In session 8 of the program, students viewed a slide show presentation about the dangers of using marijuana and inhalants. Students need to review the two fact sheets with parents, then return them to school with a parent signature by Thursday, March 12th.


Subject Update:

Science and Social Studies (Homeroom)

• Science - Students will begin Chapter 5 - Energy and Ecosystems. This chapter will focus on how living things interact with one another in the environment. Students will learn how energy flows from the sun to plants to animals.
• Social Studies - The students will take the Chapter 8 Test on Tuesday, March 10th! The rest of the week will be spent putting our Patriot/Loyalist books together.

Language Arts Block

• Spelling - Due to early dismissal on Thursday and no school on Friday, there will be no spelling lesson this week!!
• English - Students will begin work on a project called a "Me Front Page." They will be putting their writing skills to use in order to design a newspaper page about them. Please start searching for an 8x10 picture of your child to send to school. We will need it the week of March 16th.
• Reading - We will be starting our unit on China. Students will use a variety of resources to gather information about this interesting country. Students should be sharing information about the March reading project with parents. This months project, an "Exploring Expository" booklet, will be due Monday, March 23! Please help your child budget his/her time in order to complete this booklet on time.

Math Classroom

• Math - Students will continue to learn about geometry in Chapter 19. This chapter begins with a look at different types of triangles and quadrilaterals.

Mark Your Calendar:

March 9 - 12 - Parent/Teacher Conferences

March 10 - Report Cards

March 12 - Early Dismissal (11:00 a.m.)

March 13 - No School
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WEEK OF MARCH 2

ISAT Week
The students will be taking ISAT tests the mornings of March 3-6. Please make sure your child is well-rested and eats a nutritious breakfast each day. Parent volunteers are helping to provide healthy snacks for the students, but you may send your child with his/her own snack if you wish.

GEOSPACE Program Help Needed
I will need 3 parent volunteers to help with the GEOSPACE program scheduled for Wednesday, March 25 from 12:15 - 2:15 p.m. This experience is brought right to our school by the DuPage Children's Museum, and the instructors will let you know how you may help the day of the program. No experience necessary!

Too Good For Drugs (TGFD) Program
In session 7 of the program, students viewed a slide show presentation about alcohol. Students need to review the "Facts about Alcohol" sheet with parents, then return it to school with a parent signature by Thursday, March 5th.


Subject Update:

Science and Social Studies (Homeroom)

• Science - The students have learned a lot in our Earth Science unit "Cycles on Earth and in Space." We learned about weather and the water cycle, we studied about the Earth's oceans, and we explored the Earth, moon, and beyond! Next we will be starting our Life Science unit "Interactions Among Living Things."
• Social Studies - We will be learning about the battles of Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill. The students will continue to work on the last pages of their Patriot/Loyalist books.

Language Arts Block *Much of this time will be used for testing!

Since students will be testing during this time, they are encouraged to have a silent reading book each day. Students will have the opportunity to share their "Poetry Ponderings" projects with their classmates between testing sessions. There will be no spelling lesson this week.

Math Classroom *Much of this time will be used for testing!

The students will be testing during most of this time. We will do some fun review and enrichment activities as time allows.

Mark Your Calendar:

March 2 - No School (C. Pulaski Day)

March 3 - 6 - ISAT Testing

March 5 - Too Good For Drugs (Session 8)

March 6 - End of 2nd Trimester
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WEEK OF FEBRUARY 23

Too Good For Drugs (TGFD) Program
In session 6 of this program, the students watched a video that illustrated the negative affects of tobacco use. Please ask your child about this video and have them share some of the information learned from it.

Spring Pictures
On Thursday, February 26, all students will be photographed for Spring Pictures. With these pictures, you "look before you buy." When the portrait packages are ready, they will be sent home for review. Then you will decide if you want all, some, or none of the photos. You only pay for the photos you decide to keep. Bring your smile Thursday!


Subject Update:

Science and Social Studies (Homeroom)

• Science - The students are learning about our solar system in Lesson 3. The Chapter 13 Test is scheduled for Friday, February 27th!
• Social Studies - Ask your students about their "letters home to England" relating some of the events from Lessons 1-2. Next we will read about Paul Revere's famous ride and the shot heard 'round the world as the Revolutionary War begins.

Language Arts Block

• Spelling - Lesson 22 focuses on words with the prefix com.
• English - The students will be writing another expository essay. The students will use a graphic organizer to get all of their ideas in order before writing a rough draft.
• Reading - We will continue to work on writing extended responses. We will also practice answering questions to "functional" reading passages. Functional reading is the type of reading we do to "function" in life. It includes recipes, newspapers, procedures, directions, magazine articles, etc. Don't forget that this month's reading project, the "Poetry Ponderings" journal is due Friday, February 27!

Math Classroom

• Math - The students will learn about congruent and similar figures as well as forms of symmetry. The Chapter 18 Test is scheduled for Wednesday, February 25!

Mark Your Calendar:

Feb. 25 - Character Counts Assembly

Feb. 26 - Spring Pictures

Feb. 26 - Too Good For Drugs (Session 7)

March 2 - No School (C. Pulaski Day)

March 3-6 - ISAT Testing

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WEEK OF FEBRUARY 16

Thank You to Party Parents
We had a "sweet" time at our Valentine's Day Party thanks to the help of many parents who volunteered their time and/or talents. We appreciate all your efforts!

Too Good For Drugs (TGFD) Program
In session 5 of this program, the students learned about tobacco. Students were asked to share a "Facts about Tobacco" sheet with parents. It includes a definition of tobacco, some of the negative effects it has on the body, and some interesting statistics.


Subject Update:

Science and Social Studies (Homeroom)

• Science - The students will learn about lunar and solar eclipses. There will be an open book/note assessment on Wednesday to review Lesson 2.
• Social Studies - The students will continue to work on their Patriot/Loyalist books by typing rough drafts and adding paragraphs about the Intolerable Acts. We will do a fun activity to create a "chain of events" of all the issues covered so far in the chapter.

Language Arts Block

• Spelling - There will be no spelling lesson this week!
• English - Students will work on the support and concluding paragraphs of their expository essays. The students are encouraged to find ways to incorporate the different literary techniques (simile, metaphor, onomatopoeia, etc.) to make their writing more interesting.
• Reading - We will be preparing for ISATs by reading a variety of texts and responding to them in the same format as the test. Students will also be assembling their poetry journals and viewing many examples of how to write the poems "as they appear in the book" and how to complete the "Ponderings" pages. The Poetry Journal is due Friday, February 27th!

Math Classroom

• Math - The students will review about points, lines, angles, and polygons before exploring circles.

Mark Your Calendar:

Feb. 16 - No School (Presidents' Day)

Feb. 19 - Too Good For Drugs (Session 6)

Feb. 20 - Family Bingo Night (7-8:30 p.m.)

Feb. 25 - All School Assembly

Feb. 26 - Spring Pictures

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WEEK OF FEBRUARY 9

Thank You to Field Trip Helpers
Thank you so much to the parents who joined the class for the Naper Settlement trip. The class enjoyed seeing and doing some of the things that were common to life in the 1800's.

Too Good For Drugs (TGFD) Program
In session 4 of this program, students learned about negative peer pressure and various strategies to deal with it. Students should complete the "Peer Pressure Situations" activity with a parent. The activity sheet with parent signature is due by Thursday, February 12th!

Valentine's Party Information
The Valentine's Party is Friday, February 13th. If a student chooses to give Valentines to classmates during the party, he/she must bring one for each student in his/her homeroom. Please note that students will not be allowed to deliver Valentines to students in other classrooms.


Subject Update

Science and Social Studies (Homeroom)

• Science - Lesson 2 will compare the Earth and the moon. We will begin with a quick investigation on "Making Craters." Did you know that craters on the moon last indefinitely because there is no erosion? It's true - there is no erosion because of the lack of atmosphere and lack of water!
  
• Social Studies - The students will read how events in Boston brought Britain and the colonies closer to war. We will continue to work on our Patriot/Loyalist projects as we learn more about the events leading to the Revolutionary War.

Language Arts Block

• Spelling - Lesson 21 focuses on words spelled with ei.
• English - Students will continue to learn about literary techniques used to make writing more interesting. We will also revisit our work with expository writing. The students will review how to write great introductions as we develop body and concluding paragraphs.
• Reading - The students have received information about the February book project - a poetry journal. The students' first task is to read a variety of poetry books. They should read poems by different authors and different kinds of poems before they decide which ones are their favorites! In class, we will be identifying literary techniques such as alliteration, onomatopoeia, simile and metaphor, and personification in the poems we read.

Math Classroom

• Math - The students will be exploring geometry in Chapter 18. We will begin by identifying points, lines, angles, and polygons.

Mark Your Calendar:

Feb. 11 - District Spelling Bee

Feb. 12 - Too Good For Drugs (Session 5)

Feb. 13 - Valentine's Party (1:30 p.m.)

Feb. 16 - No School (President's Day)

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WEEK OF FEBRUARY 2

Spectacular Spellers
Congratulations to Andrew (our classroom winner) and Sara (runner-up) for being the last ones standing in our classroom spelling bee! Andrew and Sara will represent our class in the 5th Grade Spelling Bee on Tuesday, February 3rd. We wish them the best of luck!

Too Good For Drugs (TGFD) Program
Students learned how to make good decisions for themselves in session 3 of the program. The students have a decision making activity that should be completed with families by Thursday, February 5th.


Subject Update:

Science and Social Studies (Homeroom)

• Science - We explored time and space relationships by modeling how the Earth revolves around the sun and the moon revolves around the Earth. We also showed how the Earth and moon both spin, or rotate. Ask your child about the conclusions of our investigation. Next, we will read how the Earth's movements cause day and night.
• Social Studies - The students have begun working on American Patriot/British Loyalist picture books. This project will allow students to better understand the different points of view on various issues of the American Revolution. Students have received information about the project, as well as the grader that will be used to evaluate the final product.

Language Arts Block

• Spelling - Lesson 20 focuses on the ending -ary.
• English - The students will learn how to use literary techniques in their writing. The techniques, such as alliteration and onomatopoeia, make writing more interesting.
• Reading - We will be introducing the February reading project - a poetry journal. We will begin this project by reading various poems at school and at home. In the classroom, we will compare and contrast poetry to other forms of writing. We will also link this instruction to our work in English by identifying the different literary techniques used in the poems. The figurative language used in poetry will provide opportunities to monitor our comprehension as we explore this genre.

Math Classroom

• Math - The students should review fraction concepts to prepare for the Chapter 12 Test on Tuesday, February 3rd! I have encouraged students to practice putting fractions in simplest form (or lowest terms) since that tends to be an area where students make mistakes.

Mark Your Calendar:

Jan. 31 - Mrs. Strong's Winter Party

Feb. 3 - 5th Grade Spelling Bee

Feb. 4 - Naper Settlement Field Trip (Sack Lunch!)

Feb. 5 - Too Good For Drugs Program (Session 4)

Feb. 5 - All School Assembly
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WEEK OF JANUARY 26

Winter Party - Rescheduled!!!
A new invitation went home with students - our classroom winter party has been rescheduled for Saturday, January 31st from 1-3:00!

Chaperones Needed for Naper Settlement
I need a few more parent volunteers for our trip to Naper Settlement on Wednesday, February 4th. If you are interested, please send an email or note to let me know.

Too Good For Drugs (TGFD) Program
Students learned about communication skills during session 2 of the program. Students should complete the communication skills "charades" activity with their families to practice sending and receiving non-verbal messages.


Subject Update:

Science and Social Studies (Homeroom)

• Science - The students will learn about "Earth, Moon, and Beyond" in Chapter 13. The first lesson will help us understand how Earth's orbit affects the seasons.
• Social Studies - We will read about the taxes that Britain imposed on the colonies and how the colonists protested against them.

Language Arts Block

• Spelling - Lesson 19 will focus on VAC words. A VAC word has a single vowel before a single consonant in an accented final syllable. (We will skip Writing Lesson 18.)
  English - Students will learn about proper adjectives. Then we will review Unit 4 in order to prepare for the Adjectives Test on Wednesday, January 28!
• Reading - We will continue to work on the "clarifying" strategy. The students should now understand that good readers will reread, look at pictures (or other additions to the text), or even read on to help them understand the text. *Don't forget: Students should now be working on the scrapbook page projects. Book projects are due on or before Friday, January 30!

Math Classroom

• Math - Students will continue to learn about fractions as we work with mixed numbers and improper fractions, compare and order fractions, and relate fractions to decimals.

Mark Your Calendar:

Jan. 28 - Classroom Spelling Bee

Jan. 29 - Too Good For Drugs Program (Session 3)

Jan. 31 - Mrs. Strong's Winter Party (rescheduled from Jan. 24)

Feb. 4 - Naper Settlement Field Trip

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WEEK OF JANUARY 19

Iowa Testing - DONE!
Your child deserves a pat on the back for a job well done. It was a long week of testing, and the students worked hard. Thank you to PTO for providing some healthy treats on Friday in celebration of the completion of Iowa tests.

Too Good For Drugs (TGFD) Program
Students received a letter from Deputy K to let parents know more about the program. Students are asked to discuss the information and develop a family goal by Thursday, January 22nd.


Subject Update:

Science and Social Studies (Homeroom)

• Science - The students will continue to learn about the forces that shape shorelines. The Chapter 12 Test is scheduled for Friday, January 23rd!
• Social Studies - Chapter 8 "The Road to War" will tell about events leading up to the American Revolution. Lesson 1 will show how British taxes imposed on colonists led to greater cooperation among colonies.
  

Language Arts Block

• Spelling - Lesson 17 will review words from lessons 10-16.
• English - Students will learn how to use adjectives to compare people, places, or things. We will review many spelling rules to add -er or -est to short adjectives when making comparisons. We will use the words more or most before long adjectives when comparing. Students will also learn how to use forms of good and bad to compare.
• Reading - We will begin working with another reading strategy - clarifying. The students will learn that the skill of clarifying involves monitoring their reading for understanding. Good readers will reread and look at pictures (or other additions to the text) to help them understand what has been read before moving ahead. *Don't forget: Students should be reading approximately 20 minutes each night in order to finish their realistic fiction book and have time to complete the scrapbook page project. Your child's goal should be to have their book read by Friday, January 23!

Math Classroom

• Math - We have begun Chapter 12 on fraction concepts. We are learning how to read, write, and represent fractions as part of a whole or part of a group. Students will learn how to find equivalent fractions and reduce fractions to simplest form.

Mark Your Calendar:

Jan. 19 - No School (M. L. King Day)

Jan. 20 - Inauguration Day - Wear Red, White, and Blue!

Jan. 20 - 2nd Trimester Midpoint - Check Student Progress!

Jan. 21 - Classroom PRACTICE Spelling Bee

Jan. 22 - Too Good For Drugs Program (Session 2)

Jan. 24 - Mrs. Strong's Winter Party

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WEEK OF JANUARY 12

Iowa Testing Week
Your child will be taking the Iowa tests on basic skills this week. Please make sure your child is well rested and has a nutritious breakfast. Also, be sure to send a healthy snack/drink to school each day.

Too Good For Drugs (TGFD) Program
All 5th grade students participate in this drug, alcohol, and tobacco awareness program sponsored by the DuPage County Sheriff's Office. Over the next 10 weeks, your student will participate in weekly sessions designed to give them skills to deal with pressures experienced during adolescence.


Subject Update:

Science and Social Studies (Homeroom)

• Science - The students will complete a simple investigation to discover the effects of waves on a beach. Then we will read to learn about different features along the shore, ways humans deal with erosion along the shore, and mysteries of the deep ocean.
• Social Studies - The students will learn about the French and Indian War. The Chapter 7 Test is scheduled for Friday, January 16th!

Language Arts Block

• Spelling - There will be no spelling lesson due to Iowa testing.
• English - The students will begin their study of adjectives. Students will be reviewing their knowledge of nouns as we identify adjectives in sentences because adjectives describe people, places, or things. An adjective answers the questions "what kind" or "how many."
• Reading - Due to Iowa testing during our Language Arts block, students will have more time to focus on the reading of their chosen realistic fiction novels. Remember that students should be reading approximately 20 minutes each night in order to finish the book and have time to complete the scrapbook page project. Your child's goal should be to have their book read by Friday, January 23!

Math Classroom

• Math - We will review about multiples, factors, divisibility rules, and prime and composite numbers on Monday to prepare for a Chapter 11 (Lessons 1-4 only) Quiz on Tuesday! Much of our math time the rest of the week will be taken up with Iowa testing. Our next chapter will cover fractions.

Mark Your Calendar:

Jan. 12 - 16 - IOWA Testing

Jan. 15 - Too Good For Drugs Program (Session 1)

Jan. 19 - No School (M. L. King Day)

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