WEEK OF JANUARY 3

Too Good For Drugs
We will be starting the "Too Good for Drugs" (T.G.F.D.) program which is sponsored by the DuPage County Sheriff's department. Officer Millie Stejskal will visit our classroom weekly to discuss issues such as making good choices, peer pressure, and substance abuse. Students will earn a participation grade for Science/Health by completing assignments on time and demonstrating appropriate behavior. More detailed information will be sent home after our first session on Wednesday, January 5.


Subject Update:

• English - The students will learn about pronouns. Pronouns are words that can be used in place of common or proper nouns in sentences.
• Science - After Winter Break, we will begin a physical science unit, "Properties of Matter."
• Social Studies - Tension started to build between the colonists and the British government when King George III made the Proclamation of 1763. As we head into Chapter 8 in January, we will hear how this tension got worse when King George III decided to tax the colonists to help pay off debt created by the French and Indian War.
• Mrs. Strong's Spelling Class - We will work with Lesson 14 words starting Monday, January 3. The students will be assigned homework during the week to practice their words. A final test will be given Thursday, January 6. (No Spelling/Reading groups on Friday.)
• Mrs. Strong's Reading Class - When we come back from break, we will be learning more about the structure of a story through story mapping.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - The students will continue in Chapter 10 after Winter Break. We will quickly review about perimeter and area of polygons, then learn how to find the circumference and area of circles.

Mark Your Calendar:

Dec. 18 - Jan. 2 - Winter Break!

Jan. 5 - T.G.F.D. (Session 1)

WEEK OF DECEMBER 13

Holiday Service Project Reminder
Don't forget about our Holiday Service Drive organized by our Project Challenge students. We are looking for donations such as new toys, new games, toiletries, and food for the needy families in the Darien area. All donations are due on Monday, December 13. Thank you for opening up your hearts to help make the holidays a happy one for those who are less fortunate!


Subject Update:

• English - The students should be preparing for the Unit 2 Nouns Test scheduled for Tuesday, December 14. Then we will put the finishing touches on our expository writing pieces.
• Science - We will complete an activity to apply some of the ideas we have learned about adaptations and human interactions with ecosystems.
• Social Studies - The students will review about the Spanish, French, and English fighting for control of the land in North America. The Chapter 7 Test is scheduled for Wednesday, December 15.
• Mrs. Strong's Spelling Class - We will not have a spelling lesson next week.
• Mrs. Strong's Reading Class - Students will draw conclusions while finishing up our work with "A Boy Called Slow." We will also practice summarizing and predicting with skill pages and fictional reading material.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - The students will begin Chapter 10 about perimeter, area, and circumference.

Mark Your Calendar:

Dec. 13 - Holiday Service Project Donations Due!

Dec. 13 - All School Concert (9:30 a.m.)

Dec. 13 - Cadet Band/Choir Concert (7 p.m. at LV)

Dec. 16 - 5th Grade Bowling (9-11 a.m.)

Dec. 18 - Jan. 2 - Winter Break!

WEEK OF DECEMBER 6

Junior Achievement Has Come to an End
During session 4 and 5, Mr. Blocker discussed many more business concepts. He also shared many examples of well-known entrepreneurs, such as Milton Hershey and George Ferris, who used the resources readily available to them to create something new and amazing. The students learned a wealth of information, and we thank Mr. Blocker for his time and dedication to bring this great program to our classroom!

Paper Recycling Fundraiser Reminder
Just a reminder that we can now raise money for our district by recycling paper! Please collect any paper you are going to throw away or recycle (no cardboard) and either send it to school with your child or drop it off at the green and yellow "Paper Retriever" bin in the Lakeview parking lot.

Holiday Service Project Reminder
The students of Project Challenge are participating in a Lion's Club Holiday Drive. Please donate new toys, new games, toiletries, and non-perishable food for the needy families in the Darien area. If you wish to participate, you will need to bring the donations in by December 13.


Subject Update:

• English - The students will apply spelling rules to form plural nouns correctly. They will also recognize the difference between singular and plural possessive nouns and learn how to write them correctly in possessive phrases.
• Science - We will do a fun, hands-on activity called "Deadly Links" to review the ideas from Lesson 3. Then students will prepare for the Chapter 6 Test on Thursday, December 9!
• Social Studies - The students will learn about Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet exploring the Mississippi River. This led to new French colonies in North America. We will also begin reading about the French and Indian War as the British, French, and Native Americans fought for control of a large part of North America.
• Mrs. Strong's Spelling Class - We will work with Lesson 13 words starting Monday. The students will be assigned homework during the week to practice their words. A final test will be given Friday.
• Mrs. Strong's Reading Class - This week, all fifth graders will review the skill of drawing conclusions. They will also be introduced to the skill of author's purpose. Students will learn how to read a text and decide if it was written to persuade, inform, or entertain. They will use the acronym PIE to help them remember these three important terms.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - The students will learn about tesselations and identify shapes that can tesselate on a plane. Then students should be ready for the Chapter 7 Test on Thursday, December 9!

Mark Your Calendar:

Dec. 13 - Holiday Service Project Donations Due!

Dec. 13 - All School Concert (9:30 a.m.)

Dec. 13 - Cadet Band/Choir Concert (7 p.m. at LV)

Dec. 16 - 5th Grade Bowling (9-11 a.m.)

Dec. 18 - Jan. 2 - Winter Break!

WEEK OF NOVEMBER 22 AND 29

Junior Achievement
During session 3, Mr. Blocker discussed production. The students had fun assembling ballpoint pens to better understand how to make a product as efficiently as possible.

Fullersburg Woods Talk
On Tuesday, November 23, a presenter from Fullersburg Woods will be coming to talk with the 5th graders about ecosystems. They will focus on food chains, the energy pyramid, and how everything in our world is connected. This fits in great with Chapter 5-6 of our science!

Paper Recycling Fundraiser Comes to Prairieview
We are happy to announce that we can now raise money for our district by recycling paper! Please collect any paper you are going to throw away or recycle (no cardboard) and either send it to school with your child or drop it off at the green and yellow "Paper Retriever" bin in the Lakeview parking lot (near the fence by the Prairieview playground). The bin is available for drop offs 24/7. The more paper we recycle, the more money we can make! Do something good for our schools AND the environment!

Holiday Service Project
The students of Project Challenge grades 3-5 are participating in a Lion's Club Holiday Drive. We are looking for donations such as new toys, new games, toiletries, and food for the needy families in the Darien area. If you wish to participate, you will need to bring the donations in by December 13. Remember that some of these families live right here in Darien. So let's help these families have a happy holiday season!


Subject Update:

• English - The students will finish up some work on expository writing. Then we will begin a unit on nouns. Students will learn how to identify nouns in sentences and determine if nouns are common or proper.
• Science - We will read about ecosystems changing over time and how those changes affect the organisms living there.
• Social Studies - The Chapter 6 Test is scheduled for Tuesday, November 23! Then the students will learn about the Spanish expanding New Spain during the 1500s and 1600s by establishing colonies in Florida and New Mexico.
• Mrs. Strong's Spelling Class - We will work with Lesson 12 words starting Monday, November 29. The students will be assigned homework during the week to practice their words. A final test will be given Friday, December 2.
• Mrs. Strong's Reading Class - We will continue to review summarizing, drawing conclusions, inferencing, identifying author generalizations, visualizing, and word work with vocabulary words using our realistic fiction novels until December 2nd. Next week, we will review main ideas and details using our skills workbook. Our work with extended response will continue as well.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - The students will complete some activities to review and enrich our knowledge of polygons and line segments. A Chapter 7, Lessons 5-7 Homework Review (open-note) is planned for Tuesday, November 30. Then we will get into congruence, transformations, and symmetry.

Mark Your Calendar:

Nov. 23 - Picture Retakes

Nov. 23 - 5th Grade Fullersburg Woods Talk

Nov. 23 - Junior Achievement (Session 4)

Nov. 23 - Report Cards

WEEK OF NOVEMBER 15

Looking Ahead to 2nd Trimester
Please remember that here at Prairieview, we suggest that students set personal goals for the grades they would like to earn each trimester, and then work towards those goals the entire trimester. Students are NOT given opportunities for extra credit assignments; however, teachers may provide bonus points on various assignments throughout the year. Also, the late
homework procedure for 2nd Trimester is as follows:
1 day late - minus 15%
More than 1 day late until unit test is taken - minus 25%
After unit test is taken - a zero is entered in the grade book

Junior Achievement
During session 2, Mr. Blocker discussed the three types of resources - natural, capital, and human. He also continued to talk about supply and demand. We look forward to next week when Mr. Blocker will share about production.


Subject Update:

• English - The students will continue to work on expository writing.
• Science - We will read about symbiosis and predator-prey relationships.
• Social Studies - We will be learning more about everyday life in the colonies, including how children studied and played, religion, and common meals. The Chapter 6 Test is scheduled for Tuesday, November 23!
• Mrs. Strong's Spelling Class - The Lesson 11 pretest will be given on Monday. The students will be assigned homework during the week to practice their words. A final test will be given Friday. *Please note that all pretests and tests must be written in cursive starting 2nd trimester! Some students may need extra practice of handwriting at home to ensure proper letter formation on these tests.
• Mrs. Strong's Reading Class - We will continue our work with extended responses using questions from our realistic fiction novel, The Kid in the Red Jacket. Furthermore, we will continue to review summarizing, drawing conclusions, inferencing, identifying author generalizations, and visualizing. We will continue our word work with vocabulary words as well.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - The students will learn about different types triangles, quadrilaterals, and other polygons as we move ahead in Chapter 7.

Mark Your Calendar:

Nov. 12 - End of 1st Trimester

Nov. 15 - Prairieview PBIS Recognition Assembly

Nov. 17 - Junior Achievement (Session 3)

WEEK OF NOVEMBER 8

Trade Fair Tidbits
What a creative group of students! I was amazed at the variety of handmade items available for trade at our trade fair. I hope the students shared some of their experiences with you and talked about how "supply and demand" affected their trading.

Conference Reminders
I will be sending an email reminder of your conference date and time soon. If you did not sign up for a conference at Curriculum Night, I will assign you a time that is still open. Please respond promptly so that I can make necessary changes to the schedule and offer time slots that become available. Thanks in advance for your help!


Subject Update:

• English - The students will be working on expository writing. This will allow students to practice and apply their skills in writing different types of sentences using correct grammar, capitalization, and punctuation.
• Science - Now that we have taken a close look at the barn owl, we will read about other organisms and how they compete and survive in an ecosystem.
• Social Studies - We will learn more about early colonial life as we read about cities, towns, and farms. The students will learn how these areas were alike and different.
• Mrs. Strong's Spelling Class - The Lesson 10 pretest will be given on Monday. The students will be assigned homework during the week to practice their words. A final test will be given Friday.
• Mrs. Strong's Reading Class - We will begin writing extended responses this week. The strategy for writing a good response is to remember the letters IEIEIE, which stands for Idea, Evidence, Interpretation, Evidence, Interpretation, and Extension. Fifth graders should be familiar with this technique. Furthermore, we will continue to review the skills of summarizing, drawing conclusions, inferencing, identifying author generalizations, and visualizing while reading the novel The Kid in the Red Jacket.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - The students will learn how to identify different types of lines (perpendicular, parallel, and skew). There is a homework review activity scheduled for Wednesday, November 10. Then we learn about different types of polygons.

Mark Your Calendar:

Nov. 10 - Junior Achievement (Session 2)

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

Nov. 12 - End of 1st Trimester

WEEK OF NOVEMBER 1

Junior Achievement
During our first session with Mr. Blocker, he introduced the class to many core concepts used in business today. One of the ideas covered was supply and demand. This ties in beautifully with what the students are currently doing in Social Studies as they plan and prepare for our upcoming trade fair!

Halloween Festivities
We all had fun during the parade and parties Friday afternoon. A special thanks to Mrs. Scheiblein for coordinating the party for us, and thank you also to Mrs. Daly, Mrs. Silva, Mrs. O'Connor, and Mrs. Mate for attending/running the activities. A final thank you goes to the Zowaski family who provided drinks. I hope everyone enjoys even more Halloween fun over the weekend!


Subject Update:

• English - Students should be preparing for the Unit 5 Capitalization and Punctuation Test scheduled for Wednesday, November 3.
• Science - Did the students tell you about their virtual owl pellet dissestion? Although the students thought that experience was pretty cool, next week they will get the opportunity to dissect a real owl pellet. Each student will identify the prey eaten by their owl, then we will work to draw some conclusions about the data gathered as a class.
• Social Studies - To better understand about working and trading in the colonies, students will participate in a classroom trade fair on Thursday, November 4. Students have all received information about trade fair expectations and grading to share with parents. We will be making the special signs for our trade fair on Wednesday.
• Mrs. Strong's Spelling Class - The Lesson 9 pretest will be given on Monday. The students will be assigned homework during the week to practice their words. A final test will be given Friday.
• Mrs. Strong's Reading Class - This week, we will review all the skills we have studied so far this school year. Specifically, we will be summarizing, drawing conclusions, inferencing, identifying author generalizations, and visualizing while reading a realistic fiction novel.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - We will be jumping ahead in the textbook to Chapter 7: Plane Geometry. The students will begin by identifying and naming points, lines, rays, planes, and angles.

Mark Your Calendar:

Nov. 2 - No School (Teacher Institute Day)

Nov. 10 - Junior Achievement (Session 2)

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

Nov. 12 - End of 1st Trimester

WEEK OF OCTOBER 25

Junior Achievement
Our class will be starting Junior Achievement on Wednesday. Our Junior Achievement volunteer, Mr. Blocker, 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.

Costume Parade/Halloween Party
Students need to bring their costumes to school on Friday. Please understand that costumes might need to be simplified for school purposes since students need to be able to change in a short amount of time. Also, students will be changing in classrooms designated for either girls or boys. Washrooms will not be available for costume changing. Finally, please remember that no weapons, even fake, are allowed at school.


Subject Update:

• English - Students will review how to write quotations using correct capitalization and punctuation. Then students will begin to review all of Unit 5 to prepare for the test scheduled for Wednesday, November 3.
• Science - We will preview some of the Chapter 6 concepts such as predator-prey relationships and adaptations by studying the barn owl.
• Social Studies - We will prepare for the Chapter 5 Test scheduled for Tuesday, October 26. Then we will take a closer look at colonial life in the next chapter.
• Mrs. Strong's Spelling Class - The Lesson 8 pretest will be given on Monday. The students will be assigned homework during the week to practice their words. A final test will be given Friday.
• Mrs. Strong's Reading Class - During our CORE reading, we will continue to analyze and complete various types of analogies. We will also continue our work on the skill of drawing conclusions and making inferences while reading fictional texts.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - The students will learn how to solve decimal equations. There will be an open-note activity on Tuesday to assess student understanding of lessons 7-10. Then we will spend a day reviewing all of the various concepts from the chapter to prepare for Thursday's Chapter 3 Test.

Mark Your Calendar:

Oct. 27 - Junior Achievement (Session 1)

Oct. 29 - Costume Parade and Halloween Party

Nov. 2 - No School (Teacher Institute Day)

WEEK OF OCTOBER 18

MAPS Testing
Students have been doing a great job concentrating and putting forth their best efforts during our MAPS testing. There is one more test to complete on Thursday, October 21.

Leaf Project Reminder
Don't forget to bring in your prepared leaves on Monday, October 18th!


Subject Update:

• English - Students will learn how to use quotation marks, other punctuation, and capital letters correctly when a speaker's exact words come at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of a sentence.
• Science - The students will review about energy and ecosystems to prepare for the Chapter 5 Test scheduled for Wednesday, October 20! Students will also use their prepared leaves to create a "Leafy Critter."
• Social Studies - We will learn about the 13 English colonies established along the east coast of North America. These colonies were divided into three regions. We will read to discover how the regions were alike and different, and how religion played a role in the founding of new colonies in these regions.
• Mrs. Strong's Spelling Class - The Lesson 7 pretest will be given on Monday. The students will be assigned homework during the week to practice their words. A final test will be given Friday.
• Mrs. Strong's Reading Class - Our CORE reading skill this week is analogies. All fifth grade students will learn how to analyze and complete various types of analogies. In addition, all students will begin focusing on the important skills of drawing conclusions and making inferences while reading a fictional text.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - The students will complete an open-note homework review covering Chapter 3, Lessons 4-6 on Monday. Then we will move on to dividing with decimals and some problem solving where we need to interpret the remainder of our division work. *Reminder: There are many new concepts being taught in this chapter. I am trying to break it into three different sections to assess student understanding throughout the chapter before getting to the final test. You may want to check in with your child to find out how they are moving along in this chapter.

Mark Your Calendar:

Oct. 20 - Early Dismissal (11:00 a.m.)

Oct. 21 - MAPS Test: Math

Oct. 21 - Prairieview Fall Book Fair (6:30 - 8:00 p.m.)

Oct. 22 - Bus Driver Appreciation

WEEK OF OCTOBER 11

MAPS Testing
There is a new testing system being employed by the district this year. MAP stands for Measures of Academic Progress. These tests will be taken beginning next week, in the areas of Language, Reading, and Math. Students will take a series of multiple choice tests in each area on the computer. The program computes a score, which is then placed along a continuum to show each student's individual progress. It will even be able to show what particular areas each student excels at, and the areas in which they may need some additional support. We are hopeful that this new system will make our instruction for our students even better!


Subject Update:

• Spelling - Due to MAPS testing, there will be no spelling lesson.
• English - Students will recognize the importance of commas when we read, "Eats, Shoots, and Leaves." Then they will learn different ways to use commas correctly. Students will also learn how to write interjections.
• Mrs. Strong's Reading Group will continue to work on identifying main idea and supporting details with various texts. Students will also continue their "word work" with homophones and homographs.
• Science - The students are learning how energy transfers from one organism to another in food chains and food webs. Also, please notice a green packet of information sent home with your child Friday. It explains how to collect and prepare leaves for a special fall leaf project we will complete in a few weeks. Leaves are due October 18!
• Social Studies - We will learn how more English colonies were eventually established because people left England in search of religious freedom.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - The students will review about metric measurement and scientific notation, and learn about multiplying decimals. *NOTE: There are many new concepts being taught in this chapter. I am trying to break it into three different sections to assess student understanding throughout the chapter before getting to the final test. Several students struggled on our first (open note) homework review. You may want to check in with your child to find out how they are moving along in this chapter.

Mark Your Calendar:

Oct. 11 - No School (Columbus Day)

Oct. 12 - MAPS Test: Language Arts

Oct. 15 - MAPS Test: Reading

Oct. 20 - Early Dismissal (11:00 a.m.)

Oct. 21 - MAPS Test: Math

WEEK OF OCTOBER 4

Reminder - Student Progress Check
Friday, October 1 marked the 1st trimester midpoint. Please be sure to check your child's progress via ParentConnect if you have not done so already. If a student is working below grade level expectations, a progress report for those subject areas below expectations will be coming home via U.S. mail. Please review, sign, and return those as soon as possible.


Subject Update:

• Spelling - The Lesson 6 pretest will be given on Monday. The students will be assigned homework during the week to practice their words. A final test will be given Friday.
• English - We will be starting Unit 5 about capitalization and punctuation. It begins with a review of the punctuation used with each of the four types of sentences. Then we will identify and capitalize proper nouns and adjectives, and learn how to write many common abbreviations correctly.
• Reading - This week our core reading group (homeroom) will be learning about homonyms/homographs and multiple meaning words. Mrs. Strong's skill-based reading group will focus on identifying main idea and supporting details within nonfiction text.
• Science - The students are currently learning how plants are able to produce their own food through the process of photosynthesis. Students should be able to explain how different structures (parts) of the plant help it get water, carbon dioxide, and sunlight to complete this process.
• Social Studies - We will review about the first successful English colony of Jamestown. Then we will hear how the search for a Northwest Passage led to the founding of Dutch and French colonies in North America. Thank you to the Daly family for sending in some great "artifacts" for us to display in the classroom. It will help us get a better understanding of early colonial times!
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - The students are learning how to estimate the sums, differences, products, and quotients of problems involving decimals. As we practice adding and subtracting decimals next week, students will be able to apply estimation as a strategy for checking if their sums or differences are reasonable. Late in the week, we will get into scientific notation and multiplying with decimals.

Mark Your Calendar:

Oct. 1 - Check Student Progress

Oct. 11 - No School (Columbus Day)

Oct. 20 - Early Dismissal (11:00 a.m.)

WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 27

Student Progress Check
Friday, October 1 marks the 1st trimester midpoint. Please be sure to check your child's progress via ParentConnect. Parents will only receive progress reports if a student is working below grade level expectations or if a parent has requested a report.


Subject Update:

• Spelling - Review Lesson 5 pretest will be given on Monday. The students will be assigned homework during the week to practice their words. A final test will be given Friday.
• English - We will be finishing up the unit by correcting run-on sentences. Students will take the Unit 1 Test on Thursday, September 30. Students may want to review using the extra practice sections on p. 55 - 62 in the English textbook.
• Reading - This week our core reading group will be learning about generalizations in texts and recognizing the difference between fact and opinion. Our skill-based reading groups will also focus on the skills of generalizing and fact vs. opinion. We will read aloud "Intown Animals" to begin identifying generalizations together, and then enjoy another story entitled "Grizzly Bear Family Book" to continue working on the skill.
• Science - We will review the tools and inquiry skills used by scientists, as well as the scientific method, to prepare for the "Getting Ready for Science" Chapter Test scheduled for Tuesday, September 28. Students should review their notes, class assignments, and text to prepare for this first science test! The "Review and Test Preparation" at the end of the chapter would be very helpful for students to try at home!! Then we will begin Chapter 5 about energy and ecosystems.
• Social Studies - We will hear about England's first attempt to start a colony in the Americas. Unfortunately, this colony at Roanoke Island did not turn out to be a success. We will also read about the Battle of the Spanish Armada.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - We have been learning how to solve algebraic equations involving addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Students should be preparing for a Chapter 2 Test on Tuesday, September 28. Then we will move into Chapter 3 about decimals.

Mark Your Calendar:

Sept. 30 - Picture Day!

Oct. 1 - Check Student Progress

Oct. 11 - No School (Columbus Day)

WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 20

Did You Know?
Our science text can be accessed online at thinkcentral.com. Check out the Prairieview page of the district website for instructions on how to access, as well as a quick link to the site!

Reminder from the Gym
The PE study guide for the soccer test went home Friday. Have you seen it yet? If not, please ask your child about it. The PE soccer test will be Wednesday. Please help your child review for this test.


Subject Update:

• Spelling - Lesson 4 pretest will be given on Monday. The students will be assigned homework during the week to practice their words. A final test will be given Thursday (since there is no school on Friday).
• English - We will be identifying simple predicates, learning about "you" as the implied subject in imperative sentences, and learning how to use conjunctions correctly.
• Reading - This week our core reading group will continue word work with prefixes, suffixes, and roots. Our skill-based reading groups will continue to read tall tales to identify the parts of a narrative and distinguish between details that are exaggerated and details that are realistic. Students will also continue to use visualization to better understand the characters, setting, and events in these stories.
• Science - We will review the inquiry skills used by scientists before learning about the scientific method in Lesson 3.
• Social Studies - On Monday we will review for the Chapter 4 Test scheduled for Tuesday, September 21! Students have been encouraged to review their notes, assignments, and text to prepare well for this first test! Then we will learn how certain European countries struggled to found colonies in the New World.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - We will review about algebraic expressions, and then learn how to solve algebraic equations. Ask your child about the difference between an expression and an equation.

Mark Your Calendar:

Sept. 24 - No School (Teacher Institute Day)

Sept. 30 - Picture Day!

WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 13

Magazine Drive Kick-Off
Please look for a packet of information in your child's backpack on Monday regarding our Magazine Drive. This is a huge fundraiser for our district and we appreciate your support!

Student Progress
Parents should monitor student progress using ParentConnect. It is suggested that you and your child review grades weekly to note any achievements or areas of weakness that may need attention. If you do not see graded work in the "Keep at Home" part of your child's binder, you should find it in the subject area folders. Many graded papers are kept in subject area folders until the end of a unit so they may be used as study tools for tests.


Subject Update:

• Spelling - Lesson 3 pretest will be given on Monday. The students will be assigned homework during the week to practice their words. A final test will be given Friday.
• English - We will be identifying the subjects and predicates in sentences. The subject tells who or what the sentence is about, and the predicate tells what is or what happens.
• Reading - This week our core reading group will focus on the skill of affixes and roots. An affix is a small word part that can be added to the beginning, middle, or end of a root word. Students will learn the meaning of various affixes and how to put them together with a root word. They will then apply this skill to find the definition of both familiar and unfamiliar words in context.
  Our skill-based reading groups will begin on Monday. Students will find out Monday morning who their skill-based reading teacher is. During skill-based reading we will be using Tall Tales to practice visualization and to look at story structure.
• Science - Lesson 2 introduces the different inquiry skills scientists use. The students will also learn the difference between an experiment and a simple investigation.
• Social Studies - The students will continue to learn about the Spanish conquests in the New World. Later in the week, we will hear about life in New Spain as the Spanish begin to settle these new lands. The Chapter 4 Test is scheduled for Tuesday, September 21!
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - We will learn to find, describe, and extend patterns in a sequence of numbers. Then we will review for the Chapter 1 Test scheduled for Wednesday, September 15. Chapter 2 will then introduce us to the world of algebra!

Mark Your Calendar:

Sept. 13 - Magazine Drive Kick-Off

Sept. 24 - No School (Teacher Institute Day)

WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 7

5th Grade Curriculum Night
Don't forget that 5th Grade Curriculum Night is Tuesday, September 7 at 6:30 p.m. It will begin with a brief presentation by Principal Schultz in the multi-purpose room. Parents will then have the opportunity to visit the classrooms and sign up for homeroom conferences that evening. I look forward to seeing you all there!


Subject Update:

• Spelling - A pretest will be given on Tuesday. The students will be assigned homework during the week to practice their words, and a final test will be given Friday.
• English - We will begin Unit 1 by distinguishing the difference between complete sentences and fragments. Then we will identify the four types of sentences - declarative, imperative, interrogative, and exclamatory.
• Reading - This week in reading we will be focusing on context clues. The students will learn how to identify words within the context of a story.
• Science - We will continue to learn about the tools used by scientists. Students will complete an investigation in order to experience some of the tools hands-on.
• Social Studies - The students have learned about Columbus discovering the "New World." Next, the students will learn about the events leading up to Spain establishing a colony in North America.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - We will learn about the order of operations and different math properties. Students will also learn how to evaluate problems before solving them in order to choose an appropriate method of computation (mental math, paper and pencil, or a calculator).

Mark Your Calendar:

Sept. 6 - No School (Labor Day)

Sept. 7 - 5th Grade Curriculum Night (6:30 p.m.)

WEEK OF JUNE 1

End of Year Picnic
Our "Summer Olympics" school picnic day is Tuesday, June 1st. Hot dogs, chips, water, and ice cream will be served. If any student cannot eat hot dogs or prefers something else, they may bring a sack lunch that day. We look forward to a fun time outdoors!

Yearbooks
Yearbooks will be handed out to students on June 2nd. Any students who did not purchase a yearbook may do so on a first-come-first-serve basis on June 2nd; 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 12, 2009 and orders were due by Tuesday, December 9, 2009.

Notes from Mrs. Strong

• Thank you to my students for a terrific year! I hope all of you have a relaxing summer. I encourage you to read some great books, visit some new places, and spend some quality time with friends and family. I welcome news about your summer adventures, so please keep in touch this summer! I am just an email away!
• Thank you to the parents of my students for a terrific year! I appreciated all of the support you gave to your students and me. It helped bring about their many achievements and successes in 5th grade. Best of luck to you and your students as you venture across the parking lot to Lakeview next year!

Week of May 24

Sack Lunch for 5th Grade Bowling Day
Since the 5th graders are bowling in the morning, students will need to bring a sack lunch on Friday, May 28. Parents are also asked to limit snack money in order to prevent overindulging. All too often, students return to school with upset stomachs. The main objective of this activity is to encourage enjoyment of social exercise. Thank you in advance for your help!


Subject Update:

• Spelling - We will continue working with the Lesson 34 word list which focuses on words with silent g or h in certain letter combinations. There will not be a test over these words.
• English - The students have learned about adverbs and adverbial phrases and clauses. Now they will apply all they have learned this year about grammar as they complete a "Mix-N-Match" booklet.
• Reading - We will continue to review all of the reading strategies taught this year.
• Science - The students will continue to learn about our solar system. Ask your child whether Earth is an inner planet or an outer planet.
• Social Studies - We will learn about George Washington as our country's first president.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - The students will have a "Perimeter, Area, and Volume Review" on Monday. Then we will revisit various concepts taught throughout the year.

Mark Your Calendar:

May 24 - Lakeview Choir Assembly

May 28 - 5th Grade Bowling (a.m.)

May 31 - No School (Memorial Day)

June 1 - All School Picnic

June 2 - Last Day of School & Report Cards

WEEK OF MAY 17

5th Grade Lakeview Parent Night
Please remember that 5th grade parents are invited to a meeting at Lakeview on Monday, May 17 at 6:30 p.m. The purpose of this meeting is for parents to meet the faculty and administration at Lakeview, learn about the curriculum and programs offered at the middle school level, and tour the building. This meeting is for parents only; students will visit Lakeview during the school day on Tuesday, May 18.


Subject Update:

• Spelling - Lesson 34 focuses on words with silent g or h in certain letter combinations. Due to a few extra activities in our schedule, there will not be our usual end of week test over these words. Instead, we will work with the words form this list over the next two weeks.
• English - The students will write another persuasive essay early in the week. Then they will begin to learn about adverbs.
• Reading - We will continue to review our reading strategies as students participate in small group discussions for the novel, CRASH. Our final activity will be a game of Jeopardy to test our knowledge of important vocabulary, characters, and events from the story! On Thursday, May 20, our class will visit Lakeview's library to check out summer reading books at the middle school level. Encourage your child to find some good books to keep practicing those reading skills this summer!
• Science - The students will continue to learn what makes up our solar system. Our solar system includes the sun and all planets and other objects that revolve around it.
• Social Studies - We have learned how delegates from the 13 states tried to create a stronger, central government when writing the U.S. Constitution. Next, we will read about ratifying, or approving, the Constitution. The Chapter 10 Test is scheduled for Friday, May 21!
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - The students will apply the formulas for area to help them find the surface area of 3-dimensional figures. Later in the week, we will learn about volume and how it is different than perimeter and area measurements.

Mark Your Calendar:

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

May 19 - 5th Graders Visit Lakeview

May 20 - School Spring Concert Assembly

WEEK OF MAY 10

Character Counts Gym Shoe Collection
Don't forget to send in your old gym shoes next week. Shoes that are no longer usable will be sent to the Nike recycling center to be made into new items such as floor mats. Shoes that can be reused will be donated to people in need. Please keep the pairs of shoes together by tying or placing together in a plastic bag. Thanks in advance for helping us show that "character counts" at Prairieview School!


Subject Update:

• Spelling - Lesson 33 focuses on words that use y as a short or long vowel.
• English - The students will take the Unit 3 Verbs Test on Tuesday, May 11. Then they will work on persuasive writing.
• Reading - We will continue to review all of the strategies taught this year as we finish the book CRASH. The students are doing a fantastic job responding to this book in their reading spirals, and we look forward to some great post-reading discussions in small groups.
• Science - We are learning about the phases of the moon and eclipses. Ask your child which phase of the moon is the one we cannot see!
• Social Studies - The students are learning how the Constitution helped create a stronger national government for our country.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - We have discovered formulas to find the areas of squares and rectangles. Next week, we will learn how to find the areas of triangles, parallelograms, and irregular shapes.

Mark Your Calendar:

May 11 - Bubble Wonder Assembly

May 13 - 5th Graders to LV for "Oklahoma" Matinee

May 14 - Early Dismissal (11:00 a.m.)

May 17 - 5th Grade Parent Meeting about LV

May 18 - 5th Graders Visit to LV

WEEK OF MAY 3

Project Challenge Fundraiser
Students involved in Project Challenge have organized a fundraiser to support the ASPCA, a foundation working to stop animal cruelty. From now through May 28th, these students will be selling Smencils (scented pencils) for $1 apiece each morning in all of the grade level areas. Project Challenge students ask that you please support this worthy cause!

Goodbye Mrs. Cuzzone, Welcome Back Mrs. Swaekauski
It is bittersweet to announce that Mrs. Cuzzone's time with us has come to an end as Mrs. Swaekauski joins us again, back from her maternity leave. We thank Mrs. Cuzzone for her time and efforts in our classroom, and know that Mrs. Swaekauski will have a smooth transition back as we finish the school year.


Subject Update:

• Spelling - Lesson 32 focuses on words spelled with the prefixes in/im, sub/sup, ob/op, and ad/ap.
• English - The students will learn about some verb phrases that are often written incorrectly. They will also learn about verbs that are commonly misused, such as sit/set, let/leave, and can/may. The Unit 3 Verbs Test is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, May 11th.
• Reading - We will continue to use the reading comprehension strategies and skills taught throughout this school year as we read the novel, CRASH.
• Science - The students will review some of the cycles experienced by our Earth. Then we will investigate how craters are formed as we look to compare the Earth with the moon.
• Social Studies - We will continue to hear about our new country's government. Some Americans pushed for a stronger national government while others were happy with their stronger state governments.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - There is a short Chapter 23 Test over perimeter scheduled for Tuesday, May 4th. Then we will begin to explore area in Chapter 24.

Mark Your Calendar:

May 3-7 - Teacher Appreciation Week

May 11 - Bubble Wonder Assembly

May 13 - 5th Graders to LV for "Oklahoma" matinee

May 14 - Early Dismissal (11:00 a.m.)

WEEK OF APRIL 26

Student Progress Check
Parents should be reviewing grades throughout the trimester using ParentConnect. Since we are about halfway through our final grading period, it would be a good time to check your student's progress and discuss any concerns or acknowledge any accomplishments found. Student's achieving below grade level expectations should be receiving progress reports for the particular subject area(s) via U.S. mail. As always, contact me if you have any questions!

5th Grade Talent Show
Wow! A quick "shout out" to Jared for his performance on the piano keyboard during the 5th Grade Talent Show this past Friday. The class is proud to have such talent among us!


Subject Update:

• Spelling - Lesson 31 focuses on words with the prefix ex.
• English - The students will continue their study of verbs. Next week, we will have more practice of the present tense as we make verbs agree with our subjects, determine the correct forms of be and have to use with different subjects, use contractions with not, and recognize the correct way to write irregular past tense verbs.
• Reading - We will continue to review the various reading strategies taught this year using the novel CRASH. Students have had some great discussions regarding some of the central themes to be found in the book and the traits our characters have portrayed so far. Thanks to parents for helping students think about the significance of our names - it helped to build some background knowledge before reading about the names of our two main characters, Crash and Penn.
• Science - Now that we have learned about cycles on Earth, Chapter 13 will discuss cycles in space. The first lesson will tell about Earth's movement and the sun creating our different seasons.
• Social Studies - The students will take the Chapter 9 Test on Tuesday, April 27. Then we will hear about the building of our new nation.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - We will find the perimeter of polygons and circles in Chapter 23. Students will be reviewing some of our work with algebraic equations as we develop formulas for the perimeter of some particular shapes.

Mark Your Calendar:

May 3-7 - Teacher Appreciation Week

May 14 - Early Dismissal (11:00 a.m.)

May 17 - 5th Grade's Lakeview Parent Night

WEEK OF APRIL 19

GeoSpace Program - Thanks Volunteers!
We would like to thank Mrs. Casey, Mrs. Brackett, and Mrs. Gonzales for helping with our GeoSpace program. It really helped to have several sets of extra hands in creating our spaces.

Spring Open House and Book Fair Tidbits
I enjoyed seeing so many families at our Spring Open House. We had been working diligently on several projects to share with you that evening, and it was wonderful to receive such positive feedback about them! A special thanks to the families of Brad, Maya, Jared, and Eva for generously donating gift certificates towards the purchase of books for our classroom library. Those new titles will be on the shelves soon!

Earth Day Celebration
Due to our early dismissal on Thursday, we will be celebrating Earth Day on Friday, April 23. Students might choose to wear their Earth Day t-shirts or pack a "no-trash" lunch to celebrate this special day.


Subject Update:

• Spelling - Lesson 30 focuses on words ending with -or.
• English - The students will continue to learn about verbs. We will apply spelling rules to help us form the present and past tenses, and use the helping verb "will" to write verbs in the future tense.
• Reading - We will continue to reinforce the reading strategies taught throughout the year as we begin the novel, CRASH, by Jerry Spinelli.
• Science - The students will review about the Earth's oceans to prepare for the Chapter 12 Test scheduled for Wednesday, April 21!
• Social Studies - The next lesson will discuss how other nations helped the Americans in their fight against the British. We will also discover how this war finally came to an end.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - The students will learn about customary and metric units for measuring temperature. A test over Chapter 22 is scheduled for Thursday, April 22!

Mark Your Calendar:

April 20 - Check Student Progress on ParentConnect

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

April 23 - Celebrate Earth Day!

WEEK OF APRIL 12

Spring Open House and Book Fair
Please visit our classroom Thursday, April 15 between 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. during Prairieview's annual Spring Open House and Book Fair. The students will have several recent activities and projects on display for you to view.

Final Thoughts about T.G.F.D. Graduation
Thank you to all of the parents who were able to join us at the T.G.F.D. graduation ceremony. I think it is important to remember the advice given by Dr. Tiede and Deputy K that day. They said that the program should be a foundation - a starting point for family conversations about the value of making good decisions and staying drug-free. Deputy K certainly laid a firm foundation of facts and strategies, and I know with your continued guidance our students will do well in the future.


Subject Update:

• Spelling - Lesson 29 focuses on contractions and compound words.
• English - The students will be putting the final publishing touches on their Me Front Pages and starting our next grammar unit on verbs. A verb is a word that tells an action or state of being.
• Reading - We will be reviewing all of the reading strategies taught this year as we read a short story about Yo Yo Ma, a world-renown cellist who has an interesting cultural background. We will also be finishing up our "Postcards from the Far East" projects by Thursday.
• Science - The students will read about the forces that shape shorelines.
• Social Studies - We will review the events, people, and harsh conditions during the Revolutionary War. We will read a picture book about Washington crossing the Delaware to help students really visualize the conditions for the American soldiers. This will help them with an assignment later in the week.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class -We will continue with customary and metric measurement. Math class will only meet Thursday and Friday due to the GeoSpace program schedule.

Mark Your Calendar:

April 13 - Mrs. Strong's GeoSpace Program (8:15 - 10:15)

April 15 - Prairieview Spring Open House and Book Fair

WEEK OF APRIL 5

T.G.F.D. Graduation
Please remember that parents are invited to the Too Good For Drugs graduation ceremony on Friday, April 9 at 9:00 a.m. I am very proud of the students and their efforts during the T.G.F.D. program. I sincerely hope the students will keep the promises they have made to make good decisions and stay drug-free in the future!

Help Needed!
I need a few volunteers to help with our GeoSpace program scheduled for Tuesday, April 13 in our classroom from 8:15 - 9:15 a.m. No special skills are needed! Please email or call as soon as possible if you are interested.


Subject Update:

• Spelling - Lesson 28 focuses on combining Greek word parts to form words. Knowing the meaning of the word parts helps you understand the meaning of the words created from them.
• English - The students will continue working on their "Me Front Page" articles. The students will be visiting the computer lab to begin the publishing process as well.
• Reading - We will focus primarily on summarizing, and touch on the other reading strategies, as we continue our unit on China. Students will be given instructions about a final project - "Postcards from the Far East." This activity will be in place of the monthly reading project for April.
• Science - The students will continue to learn about the movement of the ocean.
• Social Studies - We will read about Washington taking command and some of his victories. This will include the famous story of Washington crossing the Delaware to lead a surprise attack on the Hessians in Trenton.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - We will learn about customary and metric units of measurement as we begin Chapter 22.

Mark Your Calendar:

April 5 - School Resumes

April 9 - T.G.F.D. Graduation

April 13 - GeoSpace Program

April 15 - Prairieview Spring Open House and Book Fair

WEEK OF MARCH 22

Too Good For Drugs (T.G.F.D.) Program
Deputy K met with students to review the various lessons and discuss their final T.G.F.D. assignment. The students received a hand-out describing a "promise letter" that needs to be completed by Wednesday, March 24. They also received an invitation for the T.G.F.D graduation ceremony to be held on Friday, April 9.

Naper Settlement Field Trip Reminders
Please make sure your child dresses for the weather on Tuesday as some portions of the program will take place outdoors. Also, your child will need a disposable lunch on the day of the trip!


Subject Update:

• Spelling - Lesson 26 is a review of lessons 19-25. The format of the test is different than our regular weekly tests. Students will need to apply the rules or patterns taught in previous lessons in order to identify the misspelled word in a row of words. You may want to practice identifying misspelled words in a similar format using words from lessons 19-25.
• English - The students will be working on an acrostic poem and lead story about themselves to begin a "Me Front Page" writing project. Most of this writing work will be done in the classroom.
• Reading - As we continue our study of China, we will be focusing on using non-fiction text to practice the reading strategy of clarifying. March Reading Project - The "Exploring Expository" booklet (along with the non-fiction book that was read) is due Monday! Also, instead of a book project in April, we will be completing a culminating activity on China.
• Science - The students will be learning about the waves in the ocean. We will also learn about currents and tides.
• Social Studies - We will read about the American colonies declaring their independence from Britain in July 1776.
• Mrs Strong's Math Class - The students will continue to practice adding and subtracting fractions and mixed numbers. A "Math Quest" covering these concepts is scheduled for Wednesday, March 24!

Mark Your Calendar:

March 23 - Naper Settlement Field Trip

March 27 - April 4 - Spring Break

April 9 - T.G.F.D. Graduation Ceremony

WEEK OF MARCH 15

Conferences Review
I appreciated the chance to meet with many of my homeroom and math parents during the week of parent/teacher conferences. There were some great discussions regarding current progress and future goals for students. As we move into 3rd Trimester, please remember that you can contact me at any time if questions or concerns arise.

Volunteers Needed
I need 4 parents to chaperone our Naper Settlement field trip on Tuesday, March 23 from 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Please email or phone if you are available and willing to join us!


Subject Update:

• Spelling - Lesson 25 focuses on words with silent letters.
• English - We will do some activities to reinforce and enrich our knowledge of adjectives. Students will also use adjectives to write an acrostic poem about themselves.
• Reading - Students will continue clarifying using non-fiction texts throughout the week with our focus on China. We will also use the internet to learn about the giant panda, an important feature of China's wildlife. March Book Project - The students should be finishing the reading of their chosen non-fiction books. The next step is to write the rough draft for each page of the "Exploring Expository" booklet. Students should check the directions and grade sheet frequently to make sure all expectations are being met. This project is due on or before March 22!
• Science - We have learned about the salinity of ocean water and how this affects the freezing point. Next we will take a look at the ocean floor.
• Social Studies - The students will review the events that have led up to the start of the American Revolution. The Chapter 8 Test is scheduled for Wednesday, March 17!
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - The students will take the Chapter 19 "Quest" (quiz/test) on Tuesday, March 16. Then we will jump back to Chapter 13 about adding and subtracting fractions.

Mark Your Calendar:

March 18 - T.G.F.D. Session 8

March 23 - Naper Settlement Field Trip

March 27 - April 4 - Spring Break

WEEK OF MARCH 8

ISAT Testing Week - DONE!
I am so proud of the students for their diligent, hard work during a long week of testing. They took their time and kept their focus - they deserve a little rest this weekend!

Too Good For Drugs (T.G.F.D.) Program
This week Deputy K showed a power point presentation to provide information about inhalants and marijuana. The students were given fact sheets on both of these topics which need to be reviewed with a parent. These sheets need to be signed by a parent and returned by Thursday, March 11.

Parent/Teacher Conferences
If you requested a conference with either your child's homeroom and/or math teacher, you should have been contacted with a date and time to confirm. Please understand that conferences are scheduled for 15 minute time slots. It is necessary to end on time so teachers can remain on schedule for the next parents. Thanks in advance for your cooperation.


Subject Update:

• Spelling - Lesson 24 focuses on words ending in -ar.
• English - The students will learn more about proper adjectives before reviewing for the test. The Unit 4 Adjectives Test is scheduled for Thursday, March 11.
• Reading - We will be focusing on clarifying as we identify main idea and details in non-fiction text. The students will be exploring the great land of China as we review this reading strategy. March Reading Project - The students have selected expository books to explore this month. The project directions, grading expecations, and rough draft sheets have been distributed and reviewed with students. This project is due on or before Monday, March 22!
• Science - Chapter 12 will tell us about Earth's oceans as we continue this unit about "Cycles on Earth and in Space."
• Social Studies - We will finally learn how the fighting between the well-trained British army and colonist militias began with a "shot heard around the world."
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - The students will begin Chapter 19 which continues our study of geometry. It will teach all about plane and solid figures.

Mark Your Calendar:

March 8 - 11 - Parent/Teacher Conferences

March 9 - Report Cards

March 11 - "Wheel of Wisdom" Assembly

March 12 - No School

WEEK OF MARCH 1

Too Good For Drugs (T.G.F.D.) Program
In session 6, Deputy K showed a power point presentation that provided facts about alcohol. The students received a "Facts about Alcohol" sheet that needs to be reviewed with a parent. This sheet should be returned on or before Thursday, March 4 with a parent signature.

ISAT Testing
The students will be taking the ISAT tests throughout the week. Please make sure your students gets plenty of rest and a nutritious breakfast each morning. Also, students should bring a healthy snack to enjoy before testing each day. A little "brain food" boost may be helpful to keep our energy up and going!


Subject Update:

• Spelling - There will be no spelling lesson this week.
• English - Students will review how to compare using adjectives and learn the correct forms to use when comparing with good and bad. On Friday, the students will take the writing portion of the ISAT test.
• Reading - We will be reviewing all of the strategies used in reading for preparation during the ISATs. The students will take the reading portions of the ISAT from Tuesday through Thursday. March Reading Project - We will be introducing the March reading project to the students. Look for information about "Exploring Expository" coming home with your child on Tuesday.
• Science - The students should be preparing for the Chapter 11 test on Wednesday, March 3. This test was announced and written on the Assignment Board last Wednesday, and I encouraged everyone to get an early start with preparation during the weekend!
• Social Studies - We will continue on through Lesson 3 about the beginning of the American Revolution.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - The students will take the math portions of the ISAT in their math classrooms from Tuesday through Thursday.

Mark Your Calendar:

March 1 - No School (C. Pulaski Day)

March 2 - 5 - ISAT Testing

March 4 - T.G.F.D. Session 7

March 5 - End of 2nd Trimester

WEEK OF FEBRUARY 22

Conference Forms
Conference forms were sent home last week. This form is an opportunity for parents to request a conference with homeroom and/or math teachers during the week of March 8. Please return these forms as soon as possible so that I can schedule all requests and confirm dates/times with parents.

Too Good For Drugs (T.G.F.D.) Program
Deputy K showed the students a very informative slide show presentation about tobacco. The students were then given a "Facts about Tobacco" sheet that needs to be reviewed with a parent. These sheets need to be returned with a parent signature by Thursday, February 25.

Spring Picture Day
Spring pictures will be taken on Thursday, February 25. All students will be photographed on this day (unless a parent notifies the teacher otherwise), and there are no orders or money due at this time! When the portrait package is ready, it will be sent home with your child so that you may look before you buy. If you do not choose to purchase, you will simply return the entire package. If you decide to purchase pictures, you will send a check for the ones purchased and return any pictures you do not wish to keep.


Subject Update:

• Spelling - Lesson 23 focuses on words with the prefix ad.
• English - We will continue to learn about adjectives. The students will learn how to use articles and demonstratives correctly, as well as how to use adjectives correctly to make comparisons.
• Reading - The students will continue to review the various reading strategies in the ISAT testing format. February "Poetry Ponderings" Project - Students should be selecting their favorite poems, copying them accurately into their folders, and recording their thoughts about each one. Students should be checking the directions and grading sheet frequently to make sure they are meeting project expectations! Projects are due on or before Friday, February 26!
• Science - We will be tracking the weather this week as we learn how weather conditions can be used to predict future weather patterns. We will read about the instruments used to measure air conditions, types of air masses, and warm and cold fronts.
• Social Studies - Paul Revere will make his famous ride to warn colonists that the British are coming in the next lesson. The students will also read how the American Revolution begins with the battles at Lexington and Concord.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - The students will finish Chapter 18 about geometric figures. We will identify the parts of a circle, determine if figures are congruent or similar, and work with symmetry. The Chapter 18 Test is scheduled for Friday, February 26!

Mark Your Calendar:

Feb. 25 - Spring Pictures

Feb. 25 - T.G.F.D. (Session 6)

March 1 - No School (C. Pulaski Day)

March 2-5 - ISAT Testing

WEEK OF FEBRUARY 15

Too Good For Drugs (T.G.F.D.) Program
The topic for discussion this past Thursday was peer pressure. Deputy K talked about different situations in which 5th graders might experience this kind of pressure and provided many great strategies for dealing with it. The family activity sheet needs to be returned with a parent signature by Thursday, February 18!

Valentine's Day Party
Thank you to Mrs. Burton, Mrs. Walsh, and Mrs. Connor for planning a fabulous party. The games were quite entertaining to watch - you will have to ask your child about the different game stations. Also, thanks to Mrs. Laviste, Ms. Smith, and Mrs. Burton for providing drinks and treats.


Subject Update:

• Spelling - Lesson 22 focuses on words with the prefix com.
• English - The students will be proofreading their expository essays written about their role models, making necessary revisions, and writing final copies. Then we will begin our study of adjectives. Adjectives are words that describe nouns or pronouns. They tell what kind or how many.
• Reading - We will work on our reading strategies while answering questions in multiple choice and extended response format to practice for ISAT testing. February Reading Project - Now that the students have spent some time simply enjoying poetry in the classroom, the students will receive more information about the "Poetry Ponderings" reading project. They will receive directions, a rough draft worksheet, and the grading expectations on Monday. They will also be given their final copy poetry folders. This project is due Friday, February 26!
• Science - The students will review about the water cycle and factors that may affect it. Then we will learn how weather conditions can be measured and how weather can be predicted.
• Social Studies - In Lesson 1, the colonists were protesting against Britain's new tax laws, "No taxation without representation!" Tensions are building between Britain and the colonists. In Lesson 2, we will read how the colonists really start to rebel.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - Students will review about points, lines, and angles, then learn about polygons and circles.

Mark Your Calendar:

Feb. 15 - No School (President's Day)

Feb. 17 - Kids on the Block Assembly

Feb. 18 - T.G.F.D. (Session 5)

WEEK OF FEBRUARY 8

Too Good For Drugs (T.G.F.D.) Program
Deputy K talked about making good decisions in life and how making the right choice is not always easy. The students were given homework that involves a family discussion of various decision-making situations. This sheet must be shown to Mrs. Strong with a parent signature by Thursday, February 11 to show that the family discussion has been completed.

Reminder - Check Grades on ParentConnect
Please remember to check grades through ParentConnect each week to monitor your child's progress. Also, please email or call me if any questions or concerns arise.

Valentine's Day Party
Our Valentine's Day Party will be held on Friday, February 12 at 1:30. Students may bring valentines for their classmates. Please understand that students will only be able to exchange within their own classrooms. Also, if students choose to bring valentines, they should bring one for every student in their classroom. I will send a class list home with students on Monday.


Subject Update:

• Spelling - Lesson 21 focuses on words spelled with ei.
• English - Students will learn about and practice various literary techniques. Knowing how to write sentences with alliteration, onomatopoeia, simile/metaphor, and personification will enhance their writing skills.
• Reading - We will be doing some activities to help us prepare for ISAT testing in March. Also, students will be reading poetry as we introduce our February book project. (A parent letter will go home Monday with more information.) As a nice tie-in to English, poetry will also provide some great examples of the literary techniques we will be working on!
• Science - Students will learn about the water cycle and how it relates to weather in the next lesson.
• Social Studies - We are reading about the trouble over taxes following the end of the French and Indian War. We will emphasize how one event causes another, and then that event causes the next (and so on) throughout this lesson.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - On Monday, students will review about fractions to prepare for the Chapter 12 Test on Tuesday. Then, we will take a break from fractions to check out some geometric ideas in Chapter 18.

Mark Your Calendar:

Feb. 11 - T.G.F.D. Session 4

Feb. 12 - Valentine's Parties (1:30 p.m.)

Feb. 15 - No School (President's Day)

WEEK OF FEBRUARY 1

Too Good For Drugs (T.G.F.D.) Program
Deputy K was not able to visit our classroom as scheduled this week. We will look forward to session #3 about decision-making next Thursday.


Subject Update:

• Spelling - Lesson 20 focuses on words ending in -ary.
• English - The students will finish their study of pronouns. The Unit 6 Pronouns Test is scheduled for Thursday, February 4!
• Reading - We will continue to work on making good connections to texts. We will also begin practicing some extended responses to our reading. February Book Project - The students will be exploring poetry during the month of February. There will be a "Poetry Ponderings" project introduced later in the month.
• Science - The students will learn about the water cycle and different factors that can affect it.
• Social Studies - Chapter 8 "The Road to War" brings us to an exciting part of our history. The English colonists become angry at their king because he is ordering them not to settle west of the Appalachians and wants them to pay taxes to help the country recover from debt. What kind of trouble will this cause in the colonies??
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - The students will do a little more practice of comparing and ordering fractions. Then they will be learning how to relate fractions to decimals.

Mark Your Calendar:

Feb. 2 - No School (Teacher Institute Day)

Feb. 4 - T.G.F.D. Session #3

Feb. 4 - District Spelling Bee

Feb. 11 - T.G.F.D. Session #4

Feb. 12 - Valentine's Day Party

WEEK OF JANUARY 25

Too Good For Drugs Program
During Session 2 of T.G.F.D., Deputy K discussed different ways people communicate and the importance of good communication between family members. The homework due by next Thursday is a family game of charades to review about communication skills.


Subject Update:

• Spelling - Lesson 19 focuses on VAC words. VAC words have a single Vowel before a single Consonant in an Accented final syllable. You must double the final consonant when adding a suffix that begins with a vowel.
• English - The students will continue to learn about pronouns as they replace possessive nouns with possessive pronouns and use contractions with pronouns correctly. They will also learn how to avoid using double subjects in sentences and when you may use the pronouns we and us along with nouns in sentences.
• Reading - We will be introducing another important reading comprehension skill - making connections to texts. There are three types of connections that can be made while reading: text-to-self, text-to-text, or text-to-world. January "Scrapbook" Reading Project - The students should be finished with their books and working on the final product. All students received their scrapbooks and index cards to use for the captions and photos. Please remember that the book and project must be turned in by Friday, January 29!
• Science - Students will begin our next unit "Cycles on Earth and in Space." Chapter 11 tells us about weather and the water cycle.
• Social Studies - We will finish reading about the French and Indian War. Students should begin to prepare for the Chapter 7 Test scheduled for Thursday, January 28!
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - The students have begun to learn about fractions in Chapter 12. This week, they will learn about equivalent fractions and how to reduce fractions into lowest terms (or simplest form).

Mark Your Calendar:

Jan. 28 - T.G.F.D. Session 3

Feb. 2 - No School (Teacher Institute Day)

WEEK OF JANUARY 18

Too Good For Drugs (T.G.F.D.)
Deputy K met with the students for their first session of the Too Good For Drugs Program on Thursday. He discussed the importance of making good decisions and setting goals for themselves. Students were asked to share information about the program with parents and set a family goal together. This assignment (with parent signature) needs to be completed by Thursday, January 21.

Classroom Spelling Bee
Congratulations to Nauris for winning our Classroom Spelling Bee. Also, congratulations to Nadia for being our close runner-up. Both of these students will participate in the 5th Grade Level Bee on Thursday, January 21. Best of luck, spellers!


Subject Update:

• Spelling - Lesson 17 is a review of lessons 10-16. As you may recall from the last review lesson, the students will be tested in a different way than our usual weekly tests. Students will need to apply the rules and/or spelling patterns from the previous 7 lessons in order to identify a misspelled word in a row of words. You may want to practice finding misspelled words in a similar format to prepare for Friday's test.
• English - We look forward to reading through the students' expository pieces and providing some constructive feedback. Meanwhile, we will dive into a new grammar unit on pronouns. Pronouns can take the place of nouns in sentences.
• Reading - The students will work on building vocabulary by creating words with roots and affixes. Students will determine the meaning of larger words by thinking about the meanings of roots, prefixes, and suffixes. January "Scrapbook" Book Project - Students should be finishing up their realistic fiction stories this week. Don't forget that the book and project must be turned in by Friday, January 29!
• Science - We will review Tuesday about ecosystems to prepare for the Chapter 6 Test on Wednesday, January 20!
• Social Studies - The students will learn about the French exploring and claiming the land around the Mississippi River.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - We will be doing some work with prime factorization and learning a neat Venn Diagram method for finding LCM and GCF that I recently discovered. We hope to begin Chapter 12 on fraction concepts at the end of the week.

Mark Your Calendar:

Jan. 18 - No School (M. L. King's Birthday)

Jan. 19 - Check Student Progress on ParentConnect!

Jan. 21 - 5th Grade Level Spelling Bee

Jan. 21 - T.G.F.D. Session 2

WEEK OF JANUARY 11

IOWA Testing
The students will be taking the IOWA series of tests from Monday, January 11 through Thursday, January 14 during the morning. Please remind students of the importance of doing their best on these assessments!

Too Good For Drugs
We will be starting the "Too Good for Drugs" (TGFD) program which is sponsored by the DuPage County Sheriff's department. Officer David Kovotsky will visit our classroom weekly to discuss issues such as making good choices, peer pressure, and substance abuse. Students will earn a participation grade for Science/Health by completing assignments on time and demonstrating appropriate behavior. More detailed information will be sent home after our first session on Thursday afternoon.

Classroom Spelling Bee
We will hold two practice spelling bees and one "official" classroom spelling bee this week. The official classroom bee will determine a winner and alternate for the 5th Grade Spelling Bee on January 21. Students received information and word lists before Winter Break.


Subject Update:

• Spelling - Lesson 16 focuses on words spelled with ch or rh.
• English - The students have completed an expository organizer about their favorite place for a vacation. The next step will be to develop their ideas into a complete essay.
• Reading - We will continue to work on clarifying information as we read. We will reinforce this skill as we read and take notes in Science and Social Studies. January "Scrapbook" Book Project - Student book choices have been approved, so they should now be dedicating about 20 minutes each night for reading. Remember that the project and book need to be turned in on or before January 29!
• Science - The students are learning ways that humans affect ecosystems. This helps us understand the importance of protecting our environment. We should be ready to test over Chapter 6 the week of January 18.
• Social Studies - We are reading about the Spanish colonies in Florida and New Mexico. We will discover that this led to uprisings between the Spanish and the Native Americans living on that land.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - The students have learned about multiples, factors, divisibility rules, and prime and composite numbers. It is important that students understand the difference between multiples and factors! We will review early in the week to help students prepare for a quiz over the concepts from Chapter 11, Lessons 1-4 on Friday, January 15. Students will have 2 days to review at home since they will be completing IOWA math tests in class on Wednesday and Thursday.

Mark Your Calendar:

Jan. 11-14 - IOWA Testing

Jan. 14 - Too Good For Drugs (TGFD) Session 1

Jan. 15 - Classroom Spelling Bee

Jan. 18 - No School (M. L. King's Birthday)