Week of 3/3/08 - 3/7/08

HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE WEEK OF 3/3/08 - 3/7/08

SPELLING
Lesson 21 – Words with “ei". The Words to Know will be a special list of words associated with the circulatory system. Menu work will be due on Friday, 3/7.

READING
We will also to prepare for ISAT testing with work on reading passages, answering multiple choice questions and writing an extended response. ISAT tests are scheduled for the week of March 1oth.

“Bite into a Good Book” Program
We have set our 3rd Trimester goals! The reading celebration is tentatively scheduled for Friday, March 9th. Please watch for a separate sheet to come home about the reading celebration, tentatively scheduled for Friday, 3/7.

LANGUAGE ARTS/WRITING

We will continue our study of verb tenses by completing a project entitled, "Today is Tomorrow's Yesterday" in which students will practice writing in past, present and future tense. We will also focus on honing our expository writing skils for the ISAT tests.

SOCIAL STUDIES

The Circle books notetaking activity is due on Tuesday, 3/4. The chapter 9 TEST is scheduled for Thursday, March 6th.

SCIENCE - "You & Your Body"
On Tuesday, 3/4, students will be taking an open note quiz that covers activities 2 & 4 in the You and Your Body book.

MATH - Mrs. Bell's Class

Multiplication & division of mixed numbers & fractions will be covered this week. Ask your child if he/she can tell you the definition of reciprocal! We will finish out the week with ISAT practice.

FYI

Family Book Club Night is scheduled for April 9th. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to share literature with your child and other families! The registration sheet went home with your child this week...check the backpack!

Fifth grade girls have been invited to join a new Girl Scout program that has been designed to fit into families' busy lives. Ask your daughter about this exciting new program!


Happy Holiday Weekend!

Mrs. Karen Bell

Week of 2/25/08 - 2/29/08

HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE WEEK OF 2/25/08 - 2/29/08

SPELLING
Lesson 20 – Words ending in “ary”. Words to know are wear - what. Menu work is due on Friday, 2/29.

READING

We will continue to prepare for ISAT testing by practicing our reading comprehension and expository writing skills.

“Bite into a Good Book” Program

We will be setting our independent reading goals for the third trimester. Your child will be bringing home his/her reading contract for your signature this week!


ENGLISH

Our study of verbs will continue with a look at past and future tense verbs.

(from www.google.com)

SOCIAL STUDIES
Chapter 9 – Lesson 1 - The Declaration of Independence, George Washington & Valley Forge are topics that we will be covering in class. We will also be taking an in depth look at what General Washington’s troops experienced when we read Lynne Cheney’s book, When Washington Crossed the Delaware, and students have a chance to write letters home from the point of view of Washington’s troops.

SCIENCE - “You & Your Body”
"Do the Circulation" is the theme this week. We will have an activity in which students experience how exercise influences heart rate.

MATH - Mrs. Bell's Class

We will take a break from the textbook for a "mini-unit" that reviews the concepts of mean, median, mode & range. At the end of the week we will begin our study of chapter 6, Fraction Operations.

FYI
We have finished the "Too Good for Drugs" program in our classroom. The graduation for students is scheduled for March 7th at 1:00. Parents are welcome to attend!

Mrs. Karen Bell

Week of 2/18/08 - 2/22/08

HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE WEEK OF 2/18/08 – 2/22/08

SPELLING
Lesson 19 – “VAC” Words - (Words that have one Vowel in an Accented last syllable with one final Consonant). Words to Know are: usually - water. Menu work is due on Friday, 2/22.

READING
We will continue preparing for ISAT testing with look at literary genre, which is the last lesson in the unit of "Literary Purpose and Technique". Students will be taking a mastery TEST for the completed unit on Friday, 2/22.

“Bite into a Good Book” Program

February 22nd is the DEADLINE for completing projects. Students

should remember that they receive a reading grade for this program.

ENGLISH
We will continue our study of verbs with a look at linking verbs, and verb tense.

(from www.google.com)

SOCIAL STUDIES
The Declaration of Independence is our first topic in social studies this week, as we begin Chapter 9. We will also begin studying the early battles of the Revolutionary War, and the role of George Washington in these events.

SCIENCE - "You and Your Body”

"Do the Circulation" is our new Schoolhouse Rock song that accompanies the new unit in science - "The Pumping Heart". We will be focusing on the importance of the circulatory system at the end of this week.

MATH - Mrs. Bell's Class
Our last lesson in Chapter 4 will be multiplying fractions by whole numbers. We will also review for the Chapter 4 TEST, which is scheduled for Thursday, 2/21.

FYI

On behalf of the children, I would like to thank all of the parents who planned and attended our Valentine's Day party. We all had a wonderful time!


We’ve survived the Iowas! Enjoy your weekend!

Mrs. Karen Bell

Weed of 2/11/08 - 2/15/08

HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE WEEK OF 2/11/08 – 2/15/08

IOWA TESTING

This week we will be taking the IOWA Tests of Basic Skills. Testing is every day Monday – Thursday. Make-up tests for absentees will take place on Friday. It’s important that your child is well rested and has a healthy breakfast, so that he/she is prepared to do his/her best on the tests. Also, due to the testing, our academics will be “lighter” next week…

SPELLING
Lesson 17 - Review. Words to know are thought - until. Menu work will be due on 2/15.

READING
We will take a break from ISAT preparation to read and discuss this week's Time for Kids. Students will take a comprehension QUIZ for this issue on Friday, 2/15.

“Bite into a Good Book” Program
The February 22nd deadline is drawing near. Students must have completed their book summaries and have given a book talk by that date in order to reach their reading goal for the trimester.

ENGLISH
We will begin the study of verbs this week with a look at action verbs, direct objects, and main & helping verbs.

(from www.google.com)

SOCIAL STUDIES
Students will be typing their final paragraphs for the Patriot/Loyalist books this week, and construction their final projects. Most of the work will be done in class, with the final copy due on 2/15.

MATH - Mrs. Bell's Class

Due to IOWA testing, we will only have three days of math this week. There will be a second QUIZ for Chapter 4 on Tuesday, 2/12. At the end of the week we will take a look at the addition and subtraction of fractions with like decimals.

FYI

Our Valentine’s Day celebration is scheduled for February 14th at 1:30. Students have received a class list for valentine distribution. If your child is bringing valentines to distribute, please have him/her bring one for each member of our class.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Mrs. Karen Bell

Week of 2/4/08 - 2/8/08

PLEASE NOTE CHANGES TO OUR SCHEDULE DUE TO THE SNOW DAY ON 2/1

HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE WEEK OF 2/4/08 – 2/8/08

SPELLING
Lesson 17 – NONE this week!

READING

Part 2 our our QUIZ for the story Katie's Trunk will be on Monday, 2/4. Students will be writing an extended response to a question about the story. We will be practicing our skills for ISAT testing. This week we will review author's purpose, and poetic devices

“Bite into a Good Book” Program
The deadline for the reading program is February 22nd. Students should ALWAYS have a silent reading book with them at school.

ENGLISH / WRITING

The final copies of the persuasive essays will be due on Wednesday, 2/6. Students will be given time in class to begin writing the final copy on 2/4. Some work must be completed at home.

SOCIAL STUDIES
We will be reviewing and preparing for the Chapter 8 TEST, which is scheduled for Thursday, February 7th. I recommend that students use a variety of study tools to prepare for the test, including notetaking sheets and workbook pages. This test will include the following sections: multiple choice, “Who Am I?” (identifying important people studied in Chapter 8), “Where Am I?’ (matching events with the location that they occurred), and sequencing order of events that led to the beginning of the American Revolution.

SCIENCE - “You and Your Body”

We will be wrapping up our study of our "multi-talented" muscles.

MATH - Mrs. Bell's Class

The study of simplest form and comparing & ordering fractions are our topics for this week. Our second midchapter QUIZ for chapter 4 is tentatively scheduled for 2/12.

FYI
Congratulations to the winners of our classroom spelling bee! First place was won by Avaliese and our first runner up is Rebekah O. All students did well during the classroom competition. I was very proud of the good sportsmanship that I observed throughout the process.

Don't forget - NO SCHOOL on Tuesday 2/5 for Teachers' Institute, and Thursday, 2/7 is an early dismissal day. Students will be dismissed at 11:00

Have a wonderful weekend!

Mrs. Karen Bell