Week of 3/31/08 - 4/4/08

HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE WEEK OF 3/19/07 – 3/23/07

SPELLING – Lesson 24 – Words ending with “-ar”. Words to Know are: would - you're. The final test on Friday will have 10 words from this week's list, 6 from last week's list, and the 4 words to know. Checklist work is due Friday, 4/4.

READING
We will continue our exploration of China. This unit will focus on independent reading and note taking skills. At the end of the week students will create their own personal panda bear for our fifth grade "Pandas on Parade".

“Bite into a Good Book” Program
It's never too early to give a book talk! Students must give one book talk for the trimester in order to meet his/her reading goal!

LANGUAGE ARTS
We will be finishing the verbs unit this week. The unit 3 TEST is scheduled for Friday, 4/4. We will also finish the final editions of our personal newspapers.

SOCIAL STUDIES
Students will be working on a group activity that focuses on the meaning of the words to the Preamble to the constitution. We will begin by sharing the picture book, We the Kids. After discussing the words written by our forefathers, students will illustrate those words to create a pictoral interpretation of this document!

SCIENCE - “You and Your Body”
Students will begin the user's manual project which will cover the skeletal, circulatory, or muscular system. It will be due on Monday, 4/7.

MATH - Mrs. Bell's Class

We will continue our study of fraction operations with a focus on least common multiples, estimating fraction sums and differences, and addition and subtraction of fractions and mixed numbers with unlike denominators.

FYI

Friday, 4/4, is PV spirit day!

Have a Relaxing & Safe Spring Break!

Mrs. Karen Bell

Week of 3/17/08 - 3/21/08

HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE WEEK OF 3/17/08 - 3/21/08

SPELLING
Lesson 23 – Forms of the prefix “ad”. Final test will be on Thursday , 3/20. "Words to Know" are whole-won't. Checklist work is due 3/20.

READING/WRITING

We will continue our work on the "Me Front Page" project this week by writing long and short term goals. Students will begin typing the final editions of their newspapers. We will also share a TFK this week. There will be a comprehension QUIZ on the TFK on Thursday, 3/20. Finally, we will introduce our China unit.

“Bite into a Good Book” Program

Students must ALWAYS have as silent reading book with them at school!

ENGLISH

More irregular verbs and verb phrases with "have" are our topics this week.

SOCIAL STUDIES

We will continue with Chapter 10, Lesson 1 by reviewing our notes. Ask you child if he/she can sing the Preamble song!

SCIENCE - "You and Your Body"
We're "looking at lungs" with some work in our book and vocabulary.

MATH - Mrs. Bell's Class

Solving fraction equations is our final topic this week before the midchapter QUIZ on Wednesday, 3/19. We'll end the week with some fun math for spring.

FYI

I enjoyed meeting with many of you during Spring conferences!

Don't forget - no school on Friday, 3/21. Spring break begins the following Monday, 3/24.

Spirit days for next week are as follows: Wednesday, 3/19 - Wear your TGFD Tshirt & Thursday, 3/20 - in honor of "March Madness" - favorite college attire!

Enjoy your 3 day weekend!

Mrs. Karen Bell

Week of 3/10/08 - 3/14/08

HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE WEEK OF 3/10/08 - 3/14/08

SPELLING
Lesson 22 - The prefix "com". Words to know are when - who. Checklist work is due on Thursday, 3/13.

READING/WRITING

Students will be starting a new writing project called the "Me Front Page". The project involves creating a newspaper page with autobiographical information written in many different styles. We will be completing the acrostic poem and lead story written in third person this week.

“Bite into a Good Book” Program

Contracts for third trimester were sent home for your signature last week. I’m hoping that we will finish the year with 100% of the children meeting their goal!

LANGUAGE ARTS

Verbs is the word! We will be looking at verb agreement with be & have, contractions with the word "not", and irregular verbs.

SOCIAL STUDIES
We begin lesson 1 in chapter 10 on Thursday. This chapter focuses on how our new nation struggled to form a government, and how the constitution was written. Ask you child to sing our new song, "The Preamble", for you!

SCIENCE - You & Your Body
We will not be starting a new chapter in this unit until ISAT testing is completed.

MATH - Mrs. Bell's Class

There will be no instruction in the fifth grade math classes this week. My math students will be taking their ISAT math tests with under my supervision on Monday through Wednesday.

FYI
ISAT testing will take place the entire week of March 10th. It will be a challenging week for the students, but I feel confident that they are well prepared and have the skills they need to be successful. I hope that each child will be well rested and relaxed for the tests.

Report cards for 2nd trimester will be given to your child on Tuesday.

Parent-Teacher conferences are this week for those who requested a conference

No school on Friday!


Mrs. Karen Bell