Winter break is actually here?!! It is hard to believe that we have arrived at the end of December! I hope that everyone has a safe and happy holiday break and a great start to the new year! I'm sure that no one is quite read to think about this just yet, but here is a preview of the week we return from winter break.
*Language Arts & Reading: The first two days of the week will be review of some of the skills that we have been practicing over the first few months of school. On Wednesday, we will begin the implementation of a new program titled Language!. This program integrates reading, writing, spelling, vocabulary, grammar, and phonics into each daily lesson. We will be using this program three times a week to start.
*Math: We will begin our measurement unit this week, after two days of review with time and money.
*Science: Habitats and biomes are the focus of the next science unit. We will begin by learning about tundras, rainforests, and deciduous forests this week.
*Things to Remember
*MAPs testing, in both reading and math, will be taken on Tuesday and Wednesday
See you next year! :-)
Friday, December 21, 2012
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Snowflake Experiment
Here is a picture of our snowflake experiment results! It was awesome to see how our pipe cleaner snowflakes crystallized overnight!
December 17-21st
Welcome to the final school week of 2012! It is difficult to believe how quickly the holidays have arrived!
*Language Arts: Writing and phonics will be the main focuses of Language Arts this week. We will be completing an adjective writing activity about snow, as well as, writing a holiday poem.
*Reading: We will be reading an assortment of holiday stories this week, including "The Perfect Gift", "Holiday Lights", and reading about Santa Claus traditions around the world (and locating these countries on a map).
*Math: We will be completing holiday graph, addition, subtraction, and money packets throughout the week.
*Science: In science, we will be completing a mini-unit on the five senses.
*Social Skills: File folder games on reading, writing, grammar, and science will be done during 8th period this entire week.
*Dates to Remember:
-Tuesday: DGS Choir Concert 9AM
-Thursday: Community trip to Five Below (9:15-10:30am)
*Spirit Week Activities
-Monday: Pajama Day
-Tuesday: Twin Day
-Wednesday: Wear your favorite sunglasses
-Thursday: Christmas sweater day
-Friday: Wear your favorite holiday hat
Thursday, December 6, 2012
December 10th-14th
*Language Arts: We will both read and use the article, "Gliding Stars", to practice phonics, grammar, comprehension, and vocabulary this week.
*Reading: We will finish up our independent mystery novels. We will have a matching quiz over the mystery vocabulary that we have been practicing in class this coming Friday.
*Math: We are continuing to practice writing checks and balancing our checkbooks.
*Science: We will wrap up our body unit on Tuesday and then finish the week completing a snowflake experiment. I will post pictures of the experiment after it is complete!
*Social Skills:We will be watching a video on active listening on Monday spend the remainder of the week learning/discussing our Person of the Month: Rosa Parks.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Monday, December 3, 2012
December 3rd-7th
It was wonderful to welcome December with such beautiful weather this weekend! I wouldn't mind if this lasted through the winter! :)
Here is a quick peek at our agenda for the week.
*Language Arts: We will finish up our sentence unit on Wednesday with a short quiz. The remainder of the week, we will be working in our Phonics books and on Tumble Books.
*Reading: We will read the final two chapters of Jigsaw Jones: The Case of the Food Fight on Monday and begin previewing and reading our independent novels the remainder of the week.
*Math: There will be a 10 question quiz on time on Tuesday and then we will learn how to write checks beginning on Thursday.
*Science: The digestive system will be the focus of our week in Science. We will complete several small experiments/models to help us understand how this body system works. We will also finish up our human sketches, which will be sent home next week.
*Social Skills: This week, we are viewing short video clips on making choices, dealing with stress, and listening. Using these clips, we will discuss how to deal/cope with these situation and discuss the appropriate choices to make.
Have a wonderful week!
Here is a quick peek at our agenda for the week.
*Language Arts: We will finish up our sentence unit on Wednesday with a short quiz. The remainder of the week, we will be working in our Phonics books and on Tumble Books.
*Reading: We will read the final two chapters of Jigsaw Jones: The Case of the Food Fight on Monday and begin previewing and reading our independent novels the remainder of the week.
*Math: There will be a 10 question quiz on time on Tuesday and then we will learn how to write checks beginning on Thursday.
*Science: The digestive system will be the focus of our week in Science. We will complete several small experiments/models to help us understand how this body system works. We will also finish up our human sketches, which will be sent home next week.
*Social Skills: This week, we are viewing short video clips on making choices, dealing with stress, and listening. Using these clips, we will discuss how to deal/cope with these situation and discuss the appropriate choices to make.
Have a wonderful week!
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Lung Models
Today, we learned about the respiratory system in Science and made our own lung models! We all learned a lot about how we breathe and had fun doing it!
This is what each part of the model represents.
Cup=rub cage
Plastic tube= nose and airway
Inside balloon=lungs
Outside balloon= diaphragm
Friday, November 16, 2012
November 19th-November 30th
With next week being a short week, I am including a description of our curriculum for the next two weeks in this blog!
*Week of November 19th-November 23rd
-Language Arts: Punctuation and Capitalization Review
-Reading: Thanksgiving Scholastic Reader and Thanksgiving essay
-Math: Time review (hour and half-hour) and Thanksgiving math packets (addition and subtraction)
-Science: Squanto and the Pilgrims voyage on the Mayflower
-Life Skills: Discussing "What does it mean to be thankful?"
*Week of November 26th-November 30th
-Language Arts: We will be learning about the four types of sentences: declarative, exclamatory, interrogative, and imperative. There will be a quiz over the types of sentences the following Wednesday (December 5th).
-Reading: We will be finishing up Jigsaw Jones: The Case of the Food Fight. In continuing with our mystery unit, the students will be reading an independent mystery novel. The novel choices are Cam Jansen: Snowy Day Mystery, Boxcar Children: The Castle Mystery, and Horrible Harry's Secret.
-Math: This week, we will continue to practice time, more specifically focusing on time to the quarter hour and minute.
-Science: Our body unit focus for the week will be on the Circulatory System and Respiratory System. We will conduct an experiment for each system and them color, cut-out, and paste the system organs onto our body diagrams hanging in the classroom.
-Social Skills: This week, we are reading a story, Gliding Stars, and relating the story to our own lives, as well as, discussing the various parts of a newspaper.
*Dates to Remember*
-No School: November 21st-23rd
Have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving!!!! Enjoy the time with your families!
*Week of November 19th-November 23rd
-Language Arts: Punctuation and Capitalization Review
-Reading: Thanksgiving Scholastic Reader and Thanksgiving essay
-Math: Time review (hour and half-hour) and Thanksgiving math packets (addition and subtraction)
-Science: Squanto and the Pilgrims voyage on the Mayflower
-Life Skills: Discussing "What does it mean to be thankful?"
*Week of November 26th-November 30th
-Language Arts: We will be learning about the four types of sentences: declarative, exclamatory, interrogative, and imperative. There will be a quiz over the types of sentences the following Wednesday (December 5th).
-Reading: We will be finishing up Jigsaw Jones: The Case of the Food Fight. In continuing with our mystery unit, the students will be reading an independent mystery novel. The novel choices are Cam Jansen: Snowy Day Mystery, Boxcar Children: The Castle Mystery, and Horrible Harry's Secret.
-Math: This week, we will continue to practice time, more specifically focusing on time to the quarter hour and minute.
-Science: Our body unit focus for the week will be on the Circulatory System and Respiratory System. We will conduct an experiment for each system and them color, cut-out, and paste the system organs onto our body diagrams hanging in the classroom.
-Social Skills: This week, we are reading a story, Gliding Stars, and relating the story to our own lives, as well as, discussing the various parts of a newspaper.
*Dates to Remember*
-No School: November 21st-23rd
Have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving!!!! Enjoy the time with your families!
Friday, November 9, 2012
November 12th-16th
Here is a look at the exciting week ahead!
*Language Arts: Our focus of the week is identifying complete vs. incomplete sentences. We also will be adding in review of capitalization and punctuation rules.
*Reading: We are beginning our first novel of the school year, Jigsaw Jones: The Case of the Food Fight!! We will finish previewing the novel on Tuesday and complete an activity using the book's Table of Contents. I am very excited to say that we will be reading this novel completely on the computer!
*Math: We are continuing to learn about time next week, focusing on telling time to the hour and half-hour.
*Science: We will learn about the nervous system this week. We will spend a lot of time focusing on the brain and how we learn.
*Social Skills: We are taking a community trip to Walmart on Thursday! We will be completing a scavenger hunt in the store using resources in the store to locate each item.
*Reminders*
-No School- Monday, November 12th
-Walmart Community Trip- Thursday, November 15th (9:15-10:45am)
Please remember to thank a veteran this weekend for their service to our country!
*Reading: We are beginning our first novel of the school year, Jigsaw Jones: The Case of the Food Fight!! We will finish previewing the novel on Tuesday and complete an activity using the book's Table of Contents. I am very excited to say that we will be reading this novel completely on the computer!
*Math: We are continuing to learn about time next week, focusing on telling time to the hour and half-hour.
*Science: We will learn about the nervous system this week. We will spend a lot of time focusing on the brain and how we learn.
*Social Skills: We are taking a community trip to Walmart on Thursday! We will be completing a scavenger hunt in the store using resources in the store to locate each item.
*Reminders*
-No School- Monday, November 12th
-Walmart Community Trip- Thursday, November 15th (9:15-10:45am)
Please remember to thank a veteran this weekend for their service to our country!
Thursday, November 1, 2012
November 5th-9th
*Weekly Reminders
No School-Monday, November 5th
Teacher Institute, No School- November 6th
PE fundraiser kickoff- Thursday, November 7th
Language Arts: We will be wrapping up our homonym and homophone unit, with a short in-class quiz on Thursday.
Reading: Our mystery unit is beginning this week and we will be learning about what makes a mystery. We also will begin previewing the novel we will be reading as a class, Jigsaw Jones: The Case of the Food Fight.
-Math: Our focus in math will be on time for the next few weeks. We will begin with learning about how time affects our daily lives and telling time to the hour and half hour.
-Science: We will be learning about muscles this week and how they assist us in our daily lives.
-Social Skills: Stress is present in each area of our lives. This week, we will be talking about what stresses us out and how we can cope with this stress.
Have a wonderful week!!!!
Thursday, October 25, 2012
October 29th-November 2nd
Here's a look at the spooky week ahead..... :)
*Language Arts: We will be learning about homophones this week through the use of flashcards, matching activities and stories!
*Reading: Our skill of the week is comparing and contrasting. Each day, we will be reading short stories and answering both comprehension and compare/contrast questions about them. We also will be listening to the story of "The Three Little Pigs" and comparing/contrasting it to the "Big Bad Wolf is Good" book.
*Math: We will be spending one week practicing and identifying shapes in real-life situations.
*Science: With the start of a new quarter, we will be switching our 4th period class to Science. We are beginning a human body unit, focusing specifically on bones, this week.
*Social Skills: With Halloween on Wednesday, we will be discussing Trick-or-Treating and candy safety.
Have a fun and safe Halloween!
*Reminders*
-Thursday, November 1st-Parent Teacher Conferences (for those parents who did not meet with me at the October conferences)
*Language Arts: We will be learning about homophones this week through the use of flashcards, matching activities and stories!
*Reading: Our skill of the week is comparing and contrasting. Each day, we will be reading short stories and answering both comprehension and compare/contrast questions about them. We also will be listening to the story of "The Three Little Pigs" and comparing/contrasting it to the "Big Bad Wolf is Good" book.
*Math: We will be spending one week practicing and identifying shapes in real-life situations.
*Science: With the start of a new quarter, we will be switching our 4th period class to Science. We are beginning a human body unit, focusing specifically on bones, this week.
*Social Skills: With Halloween on Wednesday, we will be discussing Trick-or-Treating and candy safety.
Have a fun and safe Halloween!
*Reminders*
-Thursday, November 1st-Parent Teacher Conferences (for those parents who did not meet with me at the October conferences)
Friday, October 19, 2012
October 22-26th
Here is a peek at the week ahead!
*Language Arts: We are continuing our grammar unit this week learning about antonyms. We will begin to review both synonyms and antonyms as the week continues, and take a short quiz on Thursday.
*Reading: The skill of the week is sequencing. We will be working on sequencing puzzles, stories, and paragraphs to reinforce this skill.
*Math: This week, we will be practicing selecting items from a store and calculating their total prices. We will use worksheets, hands-on activities, and computer games to enhance this skill.
*Social Studies: We will be finishing up our government unit this week. We will be learning about what it means to be a good citizen. We also will be taking a look at how our government branches work together on a daily basis.
*Social Skills: Our focus this week will be on eating healthy and MyPlate (which replaced the food pyramid).
Reminders
*Friday is the end of Quarter 1!
Have a great weekend!!
*Language Arts: We are continuing our grammar unit this week learning about antonyms. We will begin to review both synonyms and antonyms as the week continues, and take a short quiz on Thursday.
*Reading: The skill of the week is sequencing. We will be working on sequencing puzzles, stories, and paragraphs to reinforce this skill.
*Math: This week, we will be practicing selecting items from a store and calculating their total prices. We will use worksheets, hands-on activities, and computer games to enhance this skill.
*Social Studies: We will be finishing up our government unit this week. We will be learning about what it means to be a good citizen. We also will be taking a look at how our government branches work together on a daily basis.
*Social Skills: Our focus this week will be on eating healthy and MyPlate (which replaced the food pyramid).
Reminders
*Friday is the end of Quarter 1!
Have a great weekend!!
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
October 15th-19th
Here is a preview of next week's curriculum....
*Language Arts: We are beginning to use the Read Naturally program this week. I hope that you had the opportunity to read the description of the program I sent home last week. We will all be reading the story, "Dogs", altogether so that we practice the daily routine/expectations. We also will begin our synonyms unit on Tuesday.
*Reading: Our skill focus for this week is Main Idea. We will be reading level appropriate text during the week and have an in-class "pop quiz" on Friday.
*Math: With our community trip to McDonalds on Thursday, we will be spending time in math investigating prices and items on the menu. We will create our own menus and determine the cost of our meal. We also will be spending time on determining the amount of money (in dollars only) to give the cashier for total bills.
*Social Studies: On Monday and Tuesday, we will be creating our own law and presenting the law in a persuasive speech to the class. The remainder of the week will be learning about the roles of the Judicial Branch and discussing what is fair vs. unfair.
*Social Skills: We will be reading about and discussing the importance of always washing your hands and caring for yourself when sick.
Have a great weekend!
*Language Arts: We are beginning to use the Read Naturally program this week. I hope that you had the opportunity to read the description of the program I sent home last week. We will all be reading the story, "Dogs", altogether so that we practice the daily routine/expectations. We also will begin our synonyms unit on Tuesday.
*Reading: Our skill focus for this week is Main Idea. We will be reading level appropriate text during the week and have an in-class "pop quiz" on Friday.
*Math: With our community trip to McDonalds on Thursday, we will be spending time in math investigating prices and items on the menu. We will create our own menus and determine the cost of our meal. We also will be spending time on determining the amount of money (in dollars only) to give the cashier for total bills.
*Social Studies: On Monday and Tuesday, we will be creating our own law and presenting the law in a persuasive speech to the class. The remainder of the week will be learning about the roles of the Judicial Branch and discussing what is fair vs. unfair.
*Social Skills: We will be reading about and discussing the importance of always washing your hands and caring for yourself when sick.
Have a great weekend!
Friday, October 5, 2012
October 8th-October 12th
After we enjoy a nice three day weekend, here is a look at the days that will follow!
*Language Arts: We will be finishing up our verb unit this week. We will review on Tuesday and Wednesday with a quiz on Thursday. Friday we will continue to work on Phonics.
*Reading: After learning and identifying the five story elements last week, we will be creating our own story wheels including story elements in a story of student choice.
*Math: This week we will be studying the dollar bills. Each day we will focus on one specific bill and practice counting and identifying it.
*Social Studies: We will finish the Executive Branch of our Government Unit on Wednesday and begin the Legislative Branch on Thursday.
*Social Skills: We will begin the week by watching a SafeSide Internet safety video. Thursday and Friday we will discuss being patient with expectations of ourselves and others.
Have a wonderful three day weekend!
*Language Arts: We will be finishing up our verb unit this week. We will review on Tuesday and Wednesday with a quiz on Thursday. Friday we will continue to work on Phonics.
*Reading: After learning and identifying the five story elements last week, we will be creating our own story wheels including story elements in a story of student choice.
*Math: This week we will be studying the dollar bills. Each day we will focus on one specific bill and practice counting and identifying it.
*Social Studies: We will finish the Executive Branch of our Government Unit on Wednesday and begin the Legislative Branch on Thursday.
*Social Skills: We will begin the week by watching a SafeSide Internet safety video. Thursday and Friday we will discuss being patient with expectations of ourselves and others.
Have a wonderful three day weekend!
Friday, September 28, 2012
October 1st-5th
It amazing that we are beginning the month of October!!! Let fall begin....
Here is a look at our schedule for next week.
*Language Arts: We are beginning a unit on verbs this week. Throughout the week, we will be learning about singular/plural nouns, helping verbs, and irregular verbs.
*Reading: For the next two weeks, we will be learning about and identifying story elements. The five story elements are main character, setting, plot, problem, and solution. We will be using the stories of the "Three Little Pigs" and "Goldilocks and the 3 Bears" as examples in identifying the story elements.
*Math: We will be reviewing coins and dollars in the next two weeks. This week will specifically focus on the penny, nickel, dime, and quarter.
*Social Studies: We will be finishing up our chapter book on Abraham Lincoln and creating a timeline of his life.
*Social Skills: Students will be viewing two videos this week: one on stranger safety and one on Internet safety. We will be discussing the rules and restrictions that keep us safe and how they affect us both at school and at home.
*Reminders*
Thursday, October 4th is Parent Teacher conferences. If you have not already signed up for a conference time, I encourage you to please do so. If you have any questions, please call or email me.
Have a great week!
Friday, September 21, 2012
September 24-28th
Here is a sneak peek at the week ahead!
*Language Arts: Students will be receiving new spelling words on Monday and will be learning/practicing punctuation throughout the week.
*Reading: Our final readers theater of this quarter will be "Postcards from Bosley Bear". This story is about a bear who goes on vacation to Washington D.C.. He write postcards, about his vacation, to his four president buddies on Mount Rushmore.
*Math: This week we are focusing on using store advertisements to determine the cost when purchasing several items at a time, as well as, making change. Students will be seeing more homework in math this week.
*Social Studies: Our focus in the government unit this week will be Abraham Lincoln. We will be reading a chapter book about Abraham Lincoln's life and completing activities to go along with our reading. We will also be sharing our President reports in class on Monday.
*Reminders*
-Friday, September 24th- 11:30am Early Dismissal
Have a wonderful week!
*Language Arts: Students will be receiving new spelling words on Monday and will be learning/practicing punctuation throughout the week.
*Reading: Our final readers theater of this quarter will be "Postcards from Bosley Bear". This story is about a bear who goes on vacation to Washington D.C.. He write postcards, about his vacation, to his four president buddies on Mount Rushmore.
*Math: This week we are focusing on using store advertisements to determine the cost when purchasing several items at a time, as well as, making change. Students will be seeing more homework in math this week.
*Social Studies: Our focus in the government unit this week will be Abraham Lincoln. We will be reading a chapter book about Abraham Lincoln's life and completing activities to go along with our reading. We will also be sharing our President reports in class on Monday.
*Reminders*
-Friday, September 24th- 11:30am Early Dismissal
Have a wonderful week!
Friday, September 14, 2012
September 17-21st
Happy Constitution Day weekend!
*Social Studies: On Monday, we will be celebrating Constitution Day in class! Since we are already in the midst of our government unit, we will dedicate class on Monday to learning and playing games about the Constitution During the remainder of the week, we will continue to learn about the executive branch and a few of the more "famous" presidents.
*Language Arts: This week we are going to practice using capitalization correctly. We also will briefly review the reading rule, "When two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking."
*Reading: We will continue to read our Readers Theater play "Camping Constitution" this week. We also will continue to write in our writers notebooks and read in Tumble Books.
*Math: We will continue our money unit this week. We will learn about how to manage our money and determine if we are able to purchase items based on their prices. We also will prepare for our community outing on Thursday by preparing a list and checking prices.
*Reminders**
-Community Outing to CVS on Thursday, September 20th (We will be walking.)-
Have a wonderful weekend!
*Social Studies: On Monday, we will be celebrating Constitution Day in class! Since we are already in the midst of our government unit, we will dedicate class on Monday to learning and playing games about the Constitution During the remainder of the week, we will continue to learn about the executive branch and a few of the more "famous" presidents.
*Language Arts: This week we are going to practice using capitalization correctly. We also will briefly review the reading rule, "When two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking."
*Reading: We will continue to read our Readers Theater play "Camping Constitution" this week. We also will continue to write in our writers notebooks and read in Tumble Books.
*Math: We will continue our money unit this week. We will learn about how to manage our money and determine if we are able to purchase items based on their prices. We also will prepare for our community outing on Thursday by preparing a list and checking prices.
*Reminders**
-Community Outing to CVS on Thursday, September 20th (We will be walking.)-
Have a wonderful weekend!
Friday, September 7, 2012
September 10th-14th
Here is a peek at the schedule for next week!
*Language Arts: We will be wrapping up our noun unit this week. The noun quiz has actually been moved back a day, to Thursday. A study guide will be coming home Tuesday.
*Reading: This week, will will be reading another Readers Theater, Camping Constitution. This reading will continue to go along with our Social Studies unit.
*Math: This week, we will be learning about greater than and less than. There will be a short pop quiz on Friday over this skill.
*Social Studies: Our focus this week will be on a brief overview of the three branches of government. We will begin focusing more specifically on the executive branch at the end of the week. Students will be choosing a president to complete a report about, as well. Class time will be allotted next week for students to work on this.
Have a great weekend!
*Language Arts: We will be wrapping up our noun unit this week. The noun quiz has actually been moved back a day, to Thursday. A study guide will be coming home Tuesday.
*Reading: This week, will will be reading another Readers Theater, Camping Constitution. This reading will continue to go along with our Social Studies unit.
*Math: This week, we will be learning about greater than and less than. There will be a short pop quiz on Friday over this skill.
*Social Studies: Our focus this week will be on a brief overview of the three branches of government. We will begin focusing more specifically on the executive branch at the end of the week. Students will be choosing a president to complete a report about, as well. Class time will be allotted next week for students to work on this.
Have a great weekend!
Friday, August 31, 2012
September 3rd-7th
We have survived the first week back at school!!
As we move into week two, we will be starting more of the regular academic routines. Here is a brief look at the week ahead.
*Language Arts: This week, we will be continuing our focus on nouns. We will be learning about common/proper nouns and singular/plural nouns. There will be a test over all nouns on Wednesday, September 12th. Students will also receive the first spelling list of the year!
*Reading: Our Readers Theater play this week is titled "The Pledge of Allegiance" and directly relates to our Social Studies unit. Students have already received their scripts and part assignments but are not expected to rehearse over the weekend.
*Math: Our main focus this week in math will be spending vs. saving money and discussing how the price of items are determined. We will create a class store and price each item using the conclusions we reached in our discussions.
*Social Studies: On Tuesday, students will be introduced to our current event assignment, which students will begin completing on a weekly basis. I will provide a list of recommended websites/sources to aid students in locating articles to use. We also will make vocabulary flashcards for the first part of our government unit and take a "virtual fieldtrip" to Washington D.C.
--Reminders--
*No School on Monday, September 4th- Labor Day
*Our class MAP testing will be Wednesday and Thursday morning.
Have a wonderful 3-day weekend!!
As we move into week two, we will be starting more of the regular academic routines. Here is a brief look at the week ahead.
*Language Arts: This week, we will be continuing our focus on nouns. We will be learning about common/proper nouns and singular/plural nouns. There will be a test over all nouns on Wednesday, September 12th. Students will also receive the first spelling list of the year!
*Reading: Our Readers Theater play this week is titled "The Pledge of Allegiance" and directly relates to our Social Studies unit. Students have already received their scripts and part assignments but are not expected to rehearse over the weekend.
*Math: Our main focus this week in math will be spending vs. saving money and discussing how the price of items are determined. We will create a class store and price each item using the conclusions we reached in our discussions.
*Social Studies: On Tuesday, students will be introduced to our current event assignment, which students will begin completing on a weekly basis. I will provide a list of recommended websites/sources to aid students in locating articles to use. We also will make vocabulary flashcards for the first part of our government unit and take a "virtual fieldtrip" to Washington D.C.
--Reminders--
*No School on Monday, September 4th- Labor Day
*Our class MAP testing will be Wednesday and Thursday morning.
Have a wonderful 3-day weekend!!
Friday, August 24, 2012
Welcome 2012-2013 School Year
Welcome to Lakeview!
It was so wonderful to see everyone at Open House this afternoon!
I have attached a copy of my parent letter to my blog. I will both be sending this home on Monday and reviewing it in detail at Open House on August 30th. There have been some changes made to the curriculum this year to allow students to participate in both an academic and functional curriculum.
I am looking forward to working with everyone this year!
http://www.scribd.com/doc/103822679/Curriculum-Parent-Letter-2012?secret_password=12rbz2b8x7w91bhp0clz
It was so wonderful to see everyone at Open House this afternoon!
I have attached a copy of my parent letter to my blog. I will both be sending this home on Monday and reviewing it in detail at Open House on August 30th. There have been some changes made to the curriculum this year to allow students to participate in both an academic and functional curriculum.
I am looking forward to working with everyone this year!
http://www.scribd.com/doc/103822679/Curriculum-Parent-Letter-2012?secret_password=12rbz2b8x7w91bhp0clz
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Friday, May 25, 2012
May 28th-June 1st
We are officially entering the final "full" week of the school year! It is definitely going to be a busy week!
*Reading: We are going to be exploring the world and traditions of King Tut using the book, "Tut's Mummy".
*Math: During this week, we will be creating our own number booklets to represent all that we have learned this year, as well as, reading the book "Monster Musical Chairs".
*Readers Theater: Our final play of the year is "Elephants in the Wild."
*Science: Our science for the week will compliment our book in reading about ancient Egypt.
*Important Dates*
Monday, May 28th- Memorial Day No School
Wednesday, May 30th- Talent Show 1:15
Thursday- 4th grade bowling 12:15
5th grade party- morning
Friday- 5th grad bowling 9:00am
Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!
*Reading: We are going to be exploring the world and traditions of King Tut using the book, "Tut's Mummy".
*Math: During this week, we will be creating our own number booklets to represent all that we have learned this year, as well as, reading the book "Monster Musical Chairs".
*Readers Theater: Our final play of the year is "Elephants in the Wild."
*Science: Our science for the week will compliment our book in reading about ancient Egypt.
*Important Dates*
Monday, May 28th- Memorial Day No School
Wednesday, May 30th- Talent Show 1:15
Thursday- 4th grade bowling 12:15
5th grade party- morning
Friday- 5th grad bowling 9:00am
Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!
Thursday, May 17, 2012
May 21-May 25th
As the weeks left in the school year are dwindling, it seems that we have a lot of fun activities going on this week.
*Reading: We will be using both TumbleBooks and StoryLineOnline to listen to various stories and complete activities on comprehension and retelling summaries.
*Math: Each day, we will be reading a math related book and completing an activity to go with them. Some of the books include, "Pigs will be Pigs", " Spaghetti and Meatballs for All", "How Much is a Million", and Math Fables".
*Science: This week we are finishing up our Favorite Animal Project and will be presenting to the class on Wednesday.
*Readers Theater: Our play for the week will be "Where the Wild Things Are." We will be watching the movie for the play on Friday and comparing/contrasting the play and movie.
Important Dates
Tuesday, May 22th at 1:00pm: 5th grade visit to Lakeview
Thursday, May 24th: Zoo Fieldtrip- Please remember to bring a sack lunch and dress appropriate for the weather.
Friday, May 11, 2012
May 14-May 18th
As we move into the final few weeks of school, we have some busy days ahead!!!
Here is the schedule for next week.
*Math: We will be both reading and using the book, "Alexander Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday" to review what we know about money and how money can be spent.
*Reading: We will finish up our novel, " Cam Jansen: the Mystery of the Television Dog" on Tuesday and finish the week with reading activities that co-inside with "Alexander Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday". (Example activities include Fact vs. Opinion and question verses statement sentences.)
*Science: Throughout this entire week, students will be choosing their favorite animals, researching them, and presenting what they have learned about their animals in class. The final project is due on Wednesday, May 23rd. Students will receive the rubric for this project on Monday.
*Readers Theater: Our play for the week is "Chicken Little". We will be reading the original story on Monday, as well as, watching the cartoon video on Thursday/Friday.
*Special Activities/Reminders*
-Choir & Band Concert- Monday @ 9am
-Visit with our Pen pals at Lakeview- Wednesday @ 9:30
-Early Dismissal day- Friday
-Solar eclipse: Sunday, May 20th (Since we learned about the solar system earlier this year, we will spend a little time on Friday discussing more details about this.)
Happy Mother's Day to all moms! Enjoy your weekend!!!
Here is the schedule for next week.
*Math: We will be both reading and using the book, "Alexander Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday" to review what we know about money and how money can be spent.
*Reading: We will finish up our novel, " Cam Jansen: the Mystery of the Television Dog" on Tuesday and finish the week with reading activities that co-inside with "Alexander Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday". (Example activities include Fact vs. Opinion and question verses statement sentences.)
*Science: Throughout this entire week, students will be choosing their favorite animals, researching them, and presenting what they have learned about their animals in class. The final project is due on Wednesday, May 23rd. Students will receive the rubric for this project on Monday.
*Readers Theater: Our play for the week is "Chicken Little". We will be reading the original story on Monday, as well as, watching the cartoon video on Thursday/Friday.
*Special Activities/Reminders*
-Choir & Band Concert- Monday @ 9am
-Visit with our Pen pals at Lakeview- Wednesday @ 9:30
-Early Dismissal day- Friday
-Solar eclipse: Sunday, May 20th (Since we learned about the solar system earlier this year, we will spend a little time on Friday discussing more details about this.)
Happy Mother's Day to all moms! Enjoy your weekend!!!
Friday, May 4, 2012
May 7th-May 11th
This is the schedule for next week!
*Reading: We are continuing to read Cam Jansen: The Mystery of the Television Dog. We should finish chapters 3-7. We will be focusing on making predictions and using clues in the story to determine what might happen next in the story.
*Math: This is the final week that we will be practicing adding and subtracting money values. We will use shopping ads Wednesday through Friday to practice adding purchase totals.
*Science: We will be finishing up reptiles on Monday and learn about amphibians, fish, and insects during the remainder of the week.
*Spelling: Our spelling words this week will be animals.
Have a wonderful week!
Friday, April 27, 2012
Spelling words Next Week
I forgot to add the schedule for spelling in my blog for next week. We are spending two weeks learning and practicing the contractions spelling words that students have had this week. If students received an 8/10 or better on their spelling test today, they will not have any spelling homework throughout the next week and will not be required to take a spelling test next Friday. If students earned less than 8 words correct on their spelling test this week, they will have the same spelling words to study again next week. ALL students will continue practicing contractions in school this coming week.
Please email me with any questions!
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
April 30th - May4th
**TUESDAY and FRIDAY this week, we will be taking the final MAPS assessments for the year. Reading will take place on Tuesday and Math will be on Friday. If you have any questions or are interested in obtaining your student's score before they are sent home, please call or email me at any time.
Here is the schedule for this upcoming week.
*Math: On Tuesday, students will be having a quiz on identifying the amount of money that needs to be paid when only bills are available for use. The remainder of the week, we will be using store advertisements to find total cost of items.
*Reading: Our target skill of the week is making predictions. We will review this skills Monday and Tuesday and then begin a new class novel, "Cam Jansen: Mystery of the Television Dog", on Wednesday and use this skill.
*Readers Theater: The readers' theater play of the week is "Animals of the Grassland". This story follows six grassland animals and how they live and adapt to their environment.
*Science/S.S.: We are continuing with our animal unit and will focus on both mammals and birds this week.
Have a great weekend!!
Friday, April 20, 2012
Earth Day Pen Pal Visit
Our pen pals from Lakeview came over to visit us this morning. In celebration of Earth Day, we made our own recycled paper!! It was a lot of fun!!
April 23-27
Here is a look at our upcoming week!
*Reading: Our skill of the week is cause and effect. Throughout the week we will be using picture and sentence matching activities, as well as two stories, to find the cause and effect in various situations.
*Math: Again this week, we are continuing to practice finding change, using our calculator, when making purchases (Monday and Tuesday). The remainder of the week, we will practice determining how much money will need to pay for an item if we only have bills (no change).
*Social Studies/Science: From now until the end of the school year, we will be working on a combined Social Studies and Science unit on animals/habitat. We will begin by reviewing the continents and biomes until we begin facts about specific animal groups in two weeks. To wrap up this unit, we will be taking a fieltrip to Brookfield Zoo on May 24th.
*There will be no Readers' Theater play this week.
**Things to Remember**
-Wednesday, April 25th is an early dismissal
-During this entire week, students can bring in used books to donate to Book Worm Angels (see flyer that came home Friday)
*Reading: Our skill of the week is cause and effect. Throughout the week we will be using picture and sentence matching activities, as well as two stories, to find the cause and effect in various situations.
*Math: Again this week, we are continuing to practice finding change, using our calculator, when making purchases (Monday and Tuesday). The remainder of the week, we will practice determining how much money will need to pay for an item if we only have bills (no change).
*Social Studies/Science: From now until the end of the school year, we will be working on a combined Social Studies and Science unit on animals/habitat. We will begin by reviewing the continents and biomes until we begin facts about specific animal groups in two weeks. To wrap up this unit, we will be taking a fieltrip to Brookfield Zoo on May 24th.
*There will be no Readers' Theater play this week.
**Things to Remember**
-Wednesday, April 25th is an early dismissal
-During this entire week, students can bring in used books to donate to Book Worm Angels (see flyer that came home Friday)
Thursday, April 12, 2012
April 16th-20th
Here is a sneak peek at next week's agenda! :)
*Math: We will continue to practice counting $1-$20 bills, in addition, to finding the correct amount of change.
*Reading: We are going to read several "Earth Day" stories, including "The Lorax" and write summaries and response journals for how we, and others, can impact/influence the environment.
*Readers Theater: Our play for this week is titled "Pop, Poppity, Pop!" This is about group of friends who have a taste for popcorn. Students will be learning about the five sense in conjunction with this play and practice descriptive writing addressing these senses.
*Science: In celebration of Earth Day which is on April 22nd, we are going to continuing learning about weather, recycling, and what makes our planet healthy. We will be making recycled paper with our pen pals on Wednesday, too!
*Spelling: All of our words this week will be related to Earth Day.
Have a wonderful week!!!!
*Math: We will continue to practice counting $1-$20 bills, in addition, to finding the correct amount of change.
*Reading: We are going to read several "Earth Day" stories, including "The Lorax" and write summaries and response journals for how we, and others, can impact/influence the environment.
*Readers Theater: Our play for this week is titled "Pop, Poppity, Pop!" This is about group of friends who have a taste for popcorn. Students will be learning about the five sense in conjunction with this play and practice descriptive writing addressing these senses.
*Science: In celebration of Earth Day which is on April 22nd, we are going to continuing learning about weather, recycling, and what makes our planet healthy. We will be making recycled paper with our pen pals on Wednesday, too!
*Spelling: All of our words this week will be related to Earth Day.
Have a wonderful week!!!!
Thursday, April 5, 2012
April 9th-April 13th
Throughout this entire week, I am "on call" for jury duty. Since I am not sure when, if at all, I will be in this week, please contact either Diane Micek (dmicek@ccsd66.org) or Judy Lattimer (jlattimer@ccsd66.org) with any immediate questions or concerns. I will be checking my email in the evening if you need anything else.
Here is the curriculum outline for the week:
*Reading: This week, we will be reading a News-2-You story about the United States Post Office and the upcoming changes that will be soon taking place. Students will complete daily comprehension, language, and writing activities that relate to this topic.
*Math: We are continuing to practice counting $1, $5, and $10 bills this week. We also will be completing various money and graphing activities related to our Post Office reading.
*Science: This week, students will be completing an in class collage of one season. Students will choose their season on Tuesday and have both Tuesday and Wednesday to find pictures and descriptive words using computers and magazines. Thursday and Friday, the students will have work time to cut out and put their final collages together. The project will be collected before they leave on Friday. A rubric/description of the project will be sent home on Tuesday.
*Readers Theater: Due to a few scheduling conflict this week, students will not have a readers theater play to read this week. Instead, we will be reading an in class story and complete activities that strengthen reading comprehension, vocabulary, and fluency (which mirrors the goals of readers theater).
Here is the link to view Bill Bellis's weather report on news broadcast Wednesday evening! The picture he took during his visit with us Wednesday was included during his report!
http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/weather/Copy_of_chicago-weather-report-forecast-020120404?CMP=201204_emailshare
**Reminders**
Open House is this Thursday from 6:30-8:00pm. Hope to see everyone there!
Have a wonderful Easter weekend!
Here is the curriculum outline for the week:
*Reading: This week, we will be reading a News-2-You story about the United States Post Office and the upcoming changes that will be soon taking place. Students will complete daily comprehension, language, and writing activities that relate to this topic.
*Math: We are continuing to practice counting $1, $5, and $10 bills this week. We also will be completing various money and graphing activities related to our Post Office reading.
*Science: This week, students will be completing an in class collage of one season. Students will choose their season on Tuesday and have both Tuesday and Wednesday to find pictures and descriptive words using computers and magazines. Thursday and Friday, the students will have work time to cut out and put their final collages together. The project will be collected before they leave on Friday. A rubric/description of the project will be sent home on Tuesday.
*Readers Theater: Due to a few scheduling conflict this week, students will not have a readers theater play to read this week. Instead, we will be reading an in class story and complete activities that strengthen reading comprehension, vocabulary, and fluency (which mirrors the goals of readers theater).
Here is the link to view Bill Bellis's weather report on news broadcast Wednesday evening! The picture he took during his visit with us Wednesday was included during his report!
http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/weather/Copy_of_chicago-weather-report-forecast-020120404?CMP=201204_emailshare
**Reminders**
Open House is this Thursday from 6:30-8:00pm. Hope to see everyone there!
Have a wonderful Easter weekend!
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Naper Settlement
On Friday, the 5th graders visited Naper Settlement! We had a great time learning about pioneer life in the late 1800s!
Thursday, March 22, 2012
April 2-April 6
Here is the schedule for the week we return from Spring Break.
*Math: We will continue to practice counting $5, $10, and $20 bills this week.
*Readers Theater: Our readers theater play for the week is "It Wasn't My Fault." This play follows a boy named Murdley Gurdson as he tries to find who is at fault for dropping an egg onto his head.
*Reading: This week we are going to read four different reading passages (poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and informative text) and practice summarizing.
*Science: We are continuing with our weather unit and learning about the four seasons.
*REMINDERS
-Classes resume on Monday April 2nd
-No School on Friday, April 6th
Have a wonderful and safe Spring Break!! I can't wait to hear all about it when you return on the 2nd!!
*Math: We will continue to practice counting $5, $10, and $20 bills this week.
*Readers Theater: Our readers theater play for the week is "It Wasn't My Fault." This play follows a boy named Murdley Gurdson as he tries to find who is at fault for dropping an egg onto his head.
*Reading: This week we are going to read four different reading passages (poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and informative text) and practice summarizing.
*Science: We are continuing with our weather unit and learning about the four seasons.
*REMINDERS
-Classes resume on Monday April 2nd
-No School on Friday, April 6th
Have a wonderful and safe Spring Break!! I can't wait to hear all about it when you return on the 2nd!!
Thursday, March 15, 2012
March 19th-March 23rd
I hope that everyone has had the opportunity to get outside and enjoy this weather!! Here is the tentative schedule for this coming week.
*Reading: The goal this week, is to finish our current novels. We will be reading/sharing our novels with partners and focus on finding the main idea of each chapter.
*Math: We are continuing to practice adding dollars and cents this week. There will be a short quiz on Friday.
*Spelling: This week, we will have Spring themed Spelling words.
*Science: We are continuing our weather unit this week. Due to a last minute schedule change, the vocabulary quiz, which was scheduled for Friday will be moved to Thursday, March 22nd.
*Readers Theater: Our play for this week is "The Spider Spins A Web".
**In the week following spring break, we will be completing an experiement that requires empty 2 liter bottles. If you have any you would like to donate, please send them in at any time.**
**REMINDERS**
-No School on Tuesday, March 20th: Teacher Institute
-Naper Settlement Fieldtrip on Friday, March 23rd! BRING A PAPER BAG LUNCH!!!!
Have a wonderful week!
*Reading: The goal this week, is to finish our current novels. We will be reading/sharing our novels with partners and focus on finding the main idea of each chapter.
*Math: We are continuing to practice adding dollars and cents this week. There will be a short quiz on Friday.
*Spelling: This week, we will have Spring themed Spelling words.
*Science: We are continuing our weather unit this week. Due to a last minute schedule change, the vocabulary quiz, which was scheduled for Friday will be moved to Thursday, March 22nd.
*Readers Theater: Our play for this week is "The Spider Spins A Web".
**In the week following spring break, we will be completing an experiement that requires empty 2 liter bottles. If you have any you would like to donate, please send them in at any time.**
**REMINDERS**
-No School on Tuesday, March 20th: Teacher Institute
-Naper Settlement Fieldtrip on Friday, March 23rd! BRING A PAPER BAG LUNCH!!!!
Have a wonderful week!
Thursday, March 8, 2012
March 12th-March19th
Well we are back to having a full 5 day week! Here is a peek at the schedule!
*Reading: We are continuing to work through our novels this week. Everyone has been working very hard!! Our first novels should be completed by the end of the week!
*Math: This week, we will be using grocery store ads and menus to practice identifying prices and adding two prices together. We will practice setting up the decimals correctly in problem form and then use a calculator to find our totals. For those of us that master the adding decimals skill before the end of the week, we will practice the addition without the calculator.
*Science: On Monday, we will begin our weather unit. This week will be spent practicing weather vocabulary terms and how different forms of weather effect our daily lives. There will be a vocab quiz on Friday.
*Spelling: Our spelling words this week will all be related to St. Patrick's Day.
*Readers Theater: Our readers theater play is a collection of fun facts about St. Patrick's Day.
Enjoy your three day weekend!
*Reading: We are continuing to work through our novels this week. Everyone has been working very hard!! Our first novels should be completed by the end of the week!
*Math: This week, we will be using grocery store ads and menus to practice identifying prices and adding two prices together. We will practice setting up the decimals correctly in problem form and then use a calculator to find our totals. For those of us that master the adding decimals skill before the end of the week, we will practice the addition without the calculator.
*Science: On Monday, we will begin our weather unit. This week will be spent practicing weather vocabulary terms and how different forms of weather effect our daily lives. There will be a vocab quiz on Friday.
*Spelling: Our spelling words this week will all be related to St. Patrick's Day.
*Readers Theater: Our readers theater play is a collection of fun facts about St. Patrick's Day.
Enjoy your three day weekend!
Friday, March 2, 2012
March 5th-March 9th
Here is the schedule for our three day week! :)
*Reading: We will be either finishing up our first novel or beginning our second novels throughout this week. Everyone has been doing a great job with their novels!!!
*Math: This week, we will be using menus and store ads to practice recognizing prices and identifying the correct amount of money that we will owe to buy certain items.
*Readers Theater: Our readers' theater play for the week is titled " Me First!" It is the story of a boy who wants to be first in everything that he does...that is, until he meets the Sandwitch! We will be learning about and practicing homophones in conjunction with this story.
*Spelling: There will be no spelling words this week!!!
*REMEMBER*
-No School on Monday, March 5th for Pulaski Day!
-Parent Teacher Conferences this week
-Report Cards issue Wednesday, March 7th
-No School on Friday, March 9th
*Reading: We will be either finishing up our first novel or beginning our second novels throughout this week. Everyone has been doing a great job with their novels!!!
*Math: This week, we will be using menus and store ads to practice recognizing prices and identifying the correct amount of money that we will owe to buy certain items.
*Readers Theater: Our readers' theater play for the week is titled " Me First!" It is the story of a boy who wants to be first in everything that he does...that is, until he meets the Sandwitch! We will be learning about and practicing homophones in conjunction with this story.
*Spelling: There will be no spelling words this week!!!
*REMEMBER*
-No School on Monday, March 5th for Pulaski Day!
-Parent Teacher Conferences this week
-Report Cards issue Wednesday, March 7th
-No School on Friday, March 9th
Friday, February 24, 2012
February 27-March 2nd
It's hard to believe that we are entering into the final week of February! Time is flying by quickly!
*Reading/Language Arts: This week, we are continuing to read our individual novels. The target skills we will be practicing are characters, setting, and identifying main events and sequencing them. (Friday is also Dr. Seuss's birthday so we will read and complete activities for a few of his books! :)
*Math: In math, we will continue to work on identifying and counting coins. We also will practice writing coin amounts in words, dollars, and cents. From there, we will add various coin amounts to find the total amount of money.
*Science: Due to schedule changes this past week, we did not finish the solar system unit on Friday. We will discuss current NASA missions and other space trivia this week.
*Readers' Theater: Our upcoming play is titled "Camp Hate-It." This story is about a young boy who goes to summer camp and wishes that he was home with movies and video games.
Important Dates:
Tuesday, February 28th is an Early Dismissal Day (11:00am)
Thursday, March 1st is the 4th grade field trip to Argonne National Laboratory
Friday, March 2nd is the end of Trimester 2!!!
Have a great week!!
*Reading/Language Arts: This week, we are continuing to read our individual novels. The target skills we will be practicing are characters, setting, and identifying main events and sequencing them. (Friday is also Dr. Seuss's birthday so we will read and complete activities for a few of his books! :)
*Math: In math, we will continue to work on identifying and counting coins. We also will practice writing coin amounts in words, dollars, and cents. From there, we will add various coin amounts to find the total amount of money.
*Science: Due to schedule changes this past week, we did not finish the solar system unit on Friday. We will discuss current NASA missions and other space trivia this week.
*Readers' Theater: Our upcoming play is titled "Camp Hate-It." This story is about a young boy who goes to summer camp and wishes that he was home with movies and video games.
Important Dates:
Tuesday, February 28th is an Early Dismissal Day (11:00am)
Thursday, March 1st is the 4th grade field trip to Argonne National Laboratory
Friday, March 2nd is the end of Trimester 2!!!
Have a great week!!
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Friday, February 17, 2012
February 20-24th
This is our schedule for the upcoming 4 day week!
*Reading: On Tuesday, we will begin reading our novels. Each student will receive a novel packet that includes several graphic organizers that we will use to practice several reading skills throughout the books.
*Math: We are going to start practicing coins and money this week. The week will begin with coin review and will continue to get more difficult as we add various coin values.
* Science: As we finished learning about the planets this past week, we will be learning about comets, asteroids, and satellites.
*Readers Theater: Our Reader's Theater play for the week is "The Best Way to Pull A Tooth". This story is about a boy who does not want his loose tooth to come out!
Have a wonderful three day weekend!! Happy President's Day!!
*Reading: On Tuesday, we will begin reading our novels. Each student will receive a novel packet that includes several graphic organizers that we will use to practice several reading skills throughout the books.
*Math: We are going to start practicing coins and money this week. The week will begin with coin review and will continue to get more difficult as we add various coin values.
* Science: As we finished learning about the planets this past week, we will be learning about comets, asteroids, and satellites.
*Readers Theater: Our Reader's Theater play for the week is "The Best Way to Pull A Tooth". This story is about a boy who does not want his loose tooth to come out!
Have a wonderful three day weekend!! Happy President's Day!!
Thursday, February 9, 2012
February 13th- 17th
Here is a brief look at the upcoming week!
*Social Studies: During Social Studies this week, we will be reviewing the sun and eight planets in our Solar System. There will be a short quiz on Thursday before we begin learning about the asteroids, comets, etc. the following week.
*Reading: Starting on February 21st, each student will begin reading(in class)a novel/chapter book at their reading level. They will not be given a formal test to assess their comprehension of the story, rather they will demonstrate their learning by completing various reading strategy graphic organizers. Following the completion of each chapter, students will choose one activity of their choice from the reading packet they will receive. Some of the strategies included are sequencing, identifying main ideas and details, identifying the setting, character maps, and vocabulary. In order to prepare for this, we will be using Jan Brett stories in the classroom this week and completing these same activities.
*Math: In celebration of Valentine's Day, we will be completing several different Valentine's Day math activities. We will continue to practice addition and subtraction, along with graphing and reading/creating tables and charts.
*Readers Theater: Instead of reading our usual reader's theater play this week, we will be using this time to read both Valentine's Day and winter related stories to practice our comprehension skills and strategies.
Have a wonderful Valentine's Day!
*Social Studies: During Social Studies this week, we will be reviewing the sun and eight planets in our Solar System. There will be a short quiz on Thursday before we begin learning about the asteroids, comets, etc. the following week.
*Reading: Starting on February 21st, each student will begin reading(in class)a novel/chapter book at their reading level. They will not be given a formal test to assess their comprehension of the story, rather they will demonstrate their learning by completing various reading strategy graphic organizers. Following the completion of each chapter, students will choose one activity of their choice from the reading packet they will receive. Some of the strategies included are sequencing, identifying main ideas and details, identifying the setting, character maps, and vocabulary. In order to prepare for this, we will be using Jan Brett stories in the classroom this week and completing these same activities.
*Math: In celebration of Valentine's Day, we will be completing several different Valentine's Day math activities. We will continue to practice addition and subtraction, along with graphing and reading/creating tables and charts.
*Readers Theater: Instead of reading our usual reader's theater play this week, we will be using this time to read both Valentine's Day and winter related stories to practice our comprehension skills and strategies.
Have a wonderful Valentine's Day!
Friday, February 3, 2012
February 6th-February 10th
Here is the schedule for this upcoming week! :)
*Reading: In reading, we will be finishing up The Black Lagoon book series. We will be working on our final project, where we will be creating our own "creature from the black lagoon", on Thursday and Friday.
*Math: In math, we will continue to practice using our calculators in solving word problems. As the week progresses, the problem difficulty will increase. Our overall goal for the week will be to identify if a word problem is addition or subtraction when presented with a mix of problems.
*Science: We are continuing our Solar System unit full force. We will learn about the final five planets: Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
*Readers Theater: Our play of the week is "Messy Jessie." This silly play is about a girl who keeps both her clothes and bedroom a mess!
Have a wonderful week!
*Reading: In reading, we will be finishing up The Black Lagoon book series. We will be working on our final project, where we will be creating our own "creature from the black lagoon", on Thursday and Friday.
*Math: In math, we will continue to practice using our calculators in solving word problems. As the week progresses, the problem difficulty will increase. Our overall goal for the week will be to identify if a word problem is addition or subtraction when presented with a mix of problems.
*Science: We are continuing our Solar System unit full force. We will learn about the final five planets: Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
*Readers Theater: Our play of the week is "Messy Jessie." This silly play is about a girl who keeps both her clothes and bedroom a mess!
Have a wonderful week!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
January 30th-February 3rd
I cannot believe how quickly these weeks are flying by! Here are the curriculum topics for this coming week!
*Reading: We are continuing our author study unit by looking at Mike Thaler and the "Black Lagoon" series. I am very excited about teaching with these books because they offer a humorous and imaginative point of view for students to see. Our skill focus with these book will be comparing fact vs. fantasy (compare/contrast).
*Reader's Theater: This week, we continue with another funny play titled, "The Silly Wishes." A man who always seems to complain about everything is granted three wishes by an elf. Do you think you can predict what this woodsman might wish for?
*Math: This week in math, we will be practicing our calculator skills. Almost all people seem to have a calculator within their reach these days, whether on their phone, iPod, computer, etc. Since we all have access to this technology, it is very important that we know how to use them to help us be successful individuals.
*Social Studies: We are beginning to delve further into our unit on the Solar System! We will start with the Sun on Monday and begin to work through the planets the remainder of the week. As we learn about each star/planet, we will be adding a representation of it to our individual solar system models!
*Spelling: In the spirit of Groundhog's Day, our spelling words this week will all relate to this "holiday"!
Have a wonderful weekend!!
*Reading: We are continuing our author study unit by looking at Mike Thaler and the "Black Lagoon" series. I am very excited about teaching with these books because they offer a humorous and imaginative point of view for students to see. Our skill focus with these book will be comparing fact vs. fantasy (compare/contrast).
*Reader's Theater: This week, we continue with another funny play titled, "The Silly Wishes." A man who always seems to complain about everything is granted three wishes by an elf. Do you think you can predict what this woodsman might wish for?
*Math: This week in math, we will be practicing our calculator skills. Almost all people seem to have a calculator within their reach these days, whether on their phone, iPod, computer, etc. Since we all have access to this technology, it is very important that we know how to use them to help us be successful individuals.
*Social Studies: We are beginning to delve further into our unit on the Solar System! We will start with the Sun on Monday and begin to work through the planets the remainder of the week. As we learn about each star/planet, we will be adding a representation of it to our individual solar system models!
*Spelling: In the spirit of Groundhog's Day, our spelling words this week will all relate to this "holiday"!
Have a wonderful weekend!!
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Social Studies Projects!!!
This week, we concluded our Continents Unit in Social Studies with our culminating project. The students did a fabulous job!!!
Friday, January 20, 2012
January 23-27th
We concluded our MAP testing this week and are very proud with the individual progress that we all made.
Here is an overview of this coming week....
*Math: We are continuing to work on telling time. We have created our own clocks and will be using those to practice throughout the week.
*Reading: We will continue to work in our groups this week. Monday through Friday, we will be working on our own "Eric Carle-like" stories. These should be complete by the end of the week. Those students reading "The Secret Garden" will be moving into the final chapters of the book and will compare and contrast several of the characters from the beginning to the end of the book.
*Reader's Theater: Our new play for the week will be "The King of Everything's Cat." This is a very humorous play about how a King decides on a name for his new cat.
*Social Studies: We will continue working on our Continent projects this week. They are due on Thursday. The students will have both Monday and Tuesday to work on them in class and any remaining work will be homework.
*Pen Pals: On Wednesday, our pen pals from Lakeview will be coming to visit us and participate in a few winter activities.
Reminders:
-Wednesday, January 25th is an 11:00 dismissal.
Have a great week!!
Here is an overview of this coming week....
*Math: We are continuing to work on telling time. We have created our own clocks and will be using those to practice throughout the week.
*Reading: We will continue to work in our groups this week. Monday through Friday, we will be working on our own "Eric Carle-like" stories. These should be complete by the end of the week. Those students reading "The Secret Garden" will be moving into the final chapters of the book and will compare and contrast several of the characters from the beginning to the end of the book.
*Reader's Theater: Our new play for the week will be "The King of Everything's Cat." This is a very humorous play about how a King decides on a name for his new cat.
*Social Studies: We will continue working on our Continent projects this week. They are due on Thursday. The students will have both Monday and Tuesday to work on them in class and any remaining work will be homework.
*Pen Pals: On Wednesday, our pen pals from Lakeview will be coming to visit us and participate in a few winter activities.
Reminders:
-Wednesday, January 25th is an 11:00 dismissal.
Have a great week!!
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Upcoming Movie Night!
Prairieview's next movie night is on Friday,February 3rd! We will be viewing "Mr. Popper's Penguins." Permission slips are due on Wednesday, February 1st.
Friday, January 13, 2012
January 16-20th
In math this week, we are continuing to work on telling time. We will be using the clocks that we made last week to practice.
In reading, we are continuing to work in our groups. Those of us reading "The Secret Garden" will continue through the next few chapters next week focusing on vocabulary and comprehension. We are really enjoying this story! The second group will continue reading the work of Eric Carle and, by the end of the week, we will begin writing our own "Eric Carle" stories. A formal rubric will be going home on Wednesday.
In Social Studies we will begin our continents project. This project will be completed mostly in school, but some work will be required outside of school. I will be uploading a rubric within the next few days.
Both the 4th and 5th grade grade-level spelling bee will be occurring this week. Fourth grade on Tuesday afternoon and fifth grade on Wednesday. We will be there to cheer on our other classmates!
Finally, we will be completing our Math MAPS testing on Wednesday morning. The students will have minimal homework on Tuesday so that they can get to bed extra early in preparation for the testing.
Have a wonderful three day weekend!!!
In reading, we are continuing to work in our groups. Those of us reading "The Secret Garden" will continue through the next few chapters next week focusing on vocabulary and comprehension. We are really enjoying this story! The second group will continue reading the work of Eric Carle and, by the end of the week, we will begin writing our own "Eric Carle" stories. A formal rubric will be going home on Wednesday.
In Social Studies we will begin our continents project. This project will be completed mostly in school, but some work will be required outside of school. I will be uploading a rubric within the next few days.
Both the 4th and 5th grade grade-level spelling bee will be occurring this week. Fourth grade on Tuesday afternoon and fifth grade on Wednesday. We will be there to cheer on our other classmates!
Finally, we will be completing our Math MAPS testing on Wednesday morning. The students will have minimal homework on Tuesday so that they can get to bed extra early in preparation for the testing.
Have a wonderful three day weekend!!!
Thursday, January 5, 2012
January 9th-13th
I hope that everyone enjoyed their winter break! As we begin 2012, we look forward to attaining new goals and learning all that we can to help us become successful and independent individuals.
As some of us continue reading the novel, "The Secret Garden" this week, the rest of the class will be starting an author study on Eric Carle. We already know and love his books so we are going to dedicate this week to identifying and analyzing his word choice, illustrations, and story characteristics (characters, setting, etc.)!!
In math, we will be returning to the addition and subtraction what we ended with before winter break. Our Readers' Theater play for the week will be the "Otters and the Octopus". Finally, in Social Studies, we will return to the final part of our continents unit.
Volunteers are needed for Market Day on Saturday, January 7th. Please arrive at 8:00am if you are available.
Have a wonderful week!
As some of us continue reading the novel, "The Secret Garden" this week, the rest of the class will be starting an author study on Eric Carle. We already know and love his books so we are going to dedicate this week to identifying and analyzing his word choice, illustrations, and story characteristics (characters, setting, etc.)!!
In math, we will be returning to the addition and subtraction what we ended with before winter break. Our Readers' Theater play for the week will be the "Otters and the Octopus". Finally, in Social Studies, we will return to the final part of our continents unit.
Volunteers are needed for Market Day on Saturday, January 7th. Please arrive at 8:00am if you are available.
Have a wonderful week!
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