WEEK OF APRIL 7

Enjoy Your Spring Break!
I hope everyone enjoys some rest and relaxation during the week off from school. If the weather cooperates, perhaps we all can head outside for fresh air and sunshine. See you again in April!

Naper Settlement
A special thanks to Mrs. Daly, Mrs. Kenyeri, and Mr. Rabig for joining us on our trip to Naper Settlement. The students enjoyed visiting the one-room school house, print shop, blacksmith, and other places during the experience. Ask your child about "churning" butter, filling their dance card, and printing a souvenir bookmark.


Subject Update:

• Spelling - The Lesson 24 pretest will be given on Monday. The students will be assigned homework during the week to practice their words, and a final test will be given on Friday. *Students may only print 5 words "just in case." Please continue to work on cursive letter formation at home!
• English - The students have been working on an acrostic poem for their Me Front Page newspapers. After break, we will review the use of quotation marks to help us write another article called, "Heard It on the Street." Students need to bring in an 8x10" photo of themselves by April 9 for this special project as well.
• Reading - Ni Hao! Hello from China! 5th graders will be learning about this interesting country in the weeks ahead as we use trade books, the Internet, and other resources to gather information. Students will also practice paraphrasing, or putting the information in their own words. 3rd Trimester Reading Project - Students should be reading their fantasy stories in order to complete a Photo Story script by Wednesday, May 7! You may want to help your child create a timeline for completing the reading and script; and encourage him/her to take notes on post-its about the main characters, setting, and plot to help remember key details for the script.
• Science - Students will begin Chapter 15 about energy. In the first lesson, they will learn the difference between the two main forms of energy: potential and kinetic.
• Social Studies - We will continue to read about events in Boston that brought the colonies and Britain closer to war. We will learn more about the Boston Tea Party and what the colonists refer to as the Intolerable Acts.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - We are moving ahead into Chapter 8 about fractions and decimals. Students will understand that fractions are a way to express division, determine common factors and the GCF of a set of numbers, identify equivalent fractions and simplest form, and problem solve using factors and multiples.

Mark Your Calendar:

March 29 - April 6 - SPRING BREAK!

April 11 - Spirit Day - Wear Your Favorite Hockey Shirt!

April 17 - T.G.F.D. Graduation (8:30 - 9:30 a.m.)

WEEK OF MARCH 24

Too Good For Drugs Program
During our last session of T.G.F.D., Deputy Seward played a game to review all of the information learned over the many weeks of the program. Don't forget that students were assigned a "Promise Letter" that needs to be completed by Wednesday, March 26!
Save the date: Too Good For Drugs Graduation will be Thursday, April 17th from 8:30-9:30 a.m.


Subject Update:

• Spelling - The Lesson 23 pretest will be given on Monday. The students will be assigned homework during the week to practice their words, and a final test will be given on Friday. *Students may only print 5 words "just in case." Please continue to work on cursive letter formation at home!
• English - The students will finish their A to Z Adjectives Books. We also hope to start our "Me Front Page" newspapers featuring stories and other articles written about themselves.
• Reading - Students will be working on paraphrasing and summarizing activities. 3rd Trimester Reading Project - Fantasy book choices have been approved for almost every student. The next step is to read and complete a Photo Story script by Wednesday, May 7! You may want to help your child create a timeline for completing the reading and script; and encourage him/her to take notes on post-its about the main characters, setting, and plot while reading to help remember key details to include in the script.
• Science - Students will review for the Chapter 14 Test scheduled for Wednesday, March 26!
• Social Studies - Did your student tell you which role they played (a colonist, a tax collector, a member of Parliament, or the King) in our "Trouble Over Taxes" activity? Now that they understand why many colonists were angry about taxes imposed by the king and Parliament, we will read how events in Boston brought Britain and the colonies closer to war.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - The Chapter 6 Test is scheduled for Tuesday, March 25!

Mark Your Calendar:

March 28 - Naper Settlement Field Trip

March 29 - April 6 - SPRING BREAK!

April 17 - T.G.F.D. Graduation (8:30 - 9:30 a.m.)

WEEK OF MARCH 17

Thank You Chaperones
A special thanks to Mrs. Morrison, Mrs. Arlt, Mrs. Lawrence, and Mrs. Meyer for joining us on our field trip to the Museum of Science and Industry. The "Colorful Chemistry" lab fit beautifully with our current study of matter and chemical reactions. The kids were engaged in the hands-on activities, and enjoyed visiting some of the other exhibits.

Too Good For Drugs Program
During our 9th session of T.G.F.D., Deputy Seward talked about the dangers of inhalants. Students received a fact sheet about inhalants that should be shared and discussed with a parent. Also, students recently received information about a "Promise Letter" that needs to be completed by Wednesday, March 26!
Save the date: Too Good For Drugs Graduation will be Thursday, April 17th from 8:30-9:30 a.m.

3rd Trimester Notes
As students head into the final trimester of the year, they may want to set some goals based on their 2nd Trimester progress. Also, please make note of the late homework procedure for the 3rd Trimester...
1 day late = minus 25%
More than 1 day late, until the unit test is taken = minus 50%
After end of unit = 0% earned
*Ungraded late work = 2 point deduction from bank of "Homework Completion" points for that subject


Subject Update:

• Spelling - No Spelling lesson next week since we are only in school 3 days!
• English - The students will be creating an A to Z Adjectives Book to enhance our work with adjectives. Students will be encouraged to find a wide variety of adjectives and learn a few new words that can be used as adjectives along the way.
• Reading - Students will continue to work with cause and effect. 3rd Trimester Reading Project - I introduced our "Fantasy Photo Story" project on Tuesday. Students received hand-outs and viewed sample projects. Their fantasy book choice is due on Thursday, March 20!
• Science - Students are now learning about chemical properties and changes.
• Social Studies - We are reading about the colonists protesting taxes put in place by the King and Parliament. "No taxation without representation!" Ask your child what is meant by this protest cry.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - We will divide decimals by powers of 10 and review Lessons 10-14. The Chapter 6 Test will be scheduled the week of March 24th.

Mark Your Calendar:

March 17 - No School (Conferences)

March 18 - No School (Teacher Institute)

March 21 - Spirit Day - Dress Like Twins

March 21 - Too Good For Drugs (Session #10)

March 28 - Naper Settlement Field Trip

March 29 - April 6 - SPRING BREAK!

WEEK OF MARCH 10

Important Tid Bits
1)  Don't forget either a sack lunch or $10 to purchase a lunch on Friday for our Museum of Science and Industry Field Trip!
2) Save the date: Too Good For Drugs Graduation will be Thursday, April 17th from 8:30-9:30 a.m.
3) We are asking students to bring in a donation of $1-3 toward a gift of appreciation for Deputy Seward.

Too Good For Drugs Program
During our 8th session of T.G.F.D., Deputy Seward shared a power point presentation about marijuana. Students learned some of the myths people believe about this substance, and then learned the actual facts about it. Students received a myth/fact sheet about marijuana that should be shared and discussed with a parent.

I.S.A.T. Testing Almost Complete
Students will be taking their final I.S.A.T. test on Monday (unless a student has been absent from school and needs to make up testing). It is important for students to get a good night's sleep, eat a well-balanced breakfast, and attend school on time. Also, students may choose to bring a second snack to enjoy after testing. Please encourage your child to finish up doing his/her best!


Subject Update:

• Spelling - The Lesson 22 pretest will be given on Monday. The students will be assigned homework during the week to practice their words, and a final test will be given on Thursday (since Math is scheduled early on Friday and then we leave for our field trip for the remainder of the day). *Students may only print 5 words "just in case." Please continue to work on cursive letter formation at home!
• English - The Unit 4 Adjectives Test is scheduled for Wednesday, March 12! Then we will have some fun with a "Hinky Pinky" adjectives activity.
• Reading - Students will finish up their work with historical fiction and cause/effect. 3rd Trimester Reading Project - I will introduce our "Fantasy Photo Story" project on Tuesday. Students will receive hand-outs with expectations of the project, and I will show several examples from former students!
• Science - Students will learn mixtures and solutions next week.
• Social Studies - Chapter 8 will help us understand the many factors that led to the Revolutionary War. In the first lesson, we will read how there was trouble over taxes in the colonies.
• Mrs. Strong's Math Class - We will continue with division of decimals: dividing them by whole numbers, other decimals, and powers of 10.

Mark Your Calendar:

March 10 - I.S.A.T. Testing

March 10-14 - Spring Conference Week

March 13 - Too Good For Drugs (Session 9)

March 13 - End of 2nd Trimester

March 14 - Museum of Science and Industry Field Trip