Week of 11/1/10 - 11/5/10

Highlights for the Week of 11/1/10 - 11/5/10 in Mrs. Bell's Classroom!

Mrs. Bell's Homeroom Class

English - Chapter 2 - Nouns

Our new unit in English is nouns. We will begin by taking a look at the definition of a noun, then continue on to common and proper nouns, and singular and plural nouns. Ask your child about the new Schoolhouse Rock song that is being sung in our room!

Social Studies - Chapter 5 - People of the Northeast

Students will finish creating the Northeast portion of their U.S. maps early in the week. Then we will move on to chapter 5, People of the Northeast. The first lesson in that chapter will focus on the Narragansett people.

Science - Chapter 2 - Life Cycles of Plants and Animals

Plants that reproduce by means other than seeds is the topic for this week. Our studies will include a look at ferns and tubers (potatoes). There will be a QUIZ on lesson 2 of this chapter the week of 11/8.

Mrs. Bell's Reading Class

Reading

Mysteries will continue to be the focus in reading for all fourth grade students next week. We will review bocabulary words that are typically associated with mysteries. While reading other mystery stories, students will review the format of a mystery and continue using the reading strategies of monotoring and clarifying to understand story maps. A story map is a strategy that uses a graphic organizer to help students learn the elements of a book or story. By identifying story characters, plot, setting, problem and solution, students read carefully to learn the details.

Spelling - More Short & Long Vowels

The final test for this lesson will be on Friday, 11/5. The print/cursive sheet and workbook pages or contract work is also due on that day.

Mrs. Bell's Math Class

We will begin the week with a look at multiplication facts from through 12. Students will be creating their own multiplication facts table, and should be practicing their facts at home. There will be a QUIZ on lessons 1-5 of chapter 4 on 11/4.

FYI...

Don't forget...no school on Tuesday, 11/2 due to teachers' institute.

Book Club orders are due on Friday, 11/5. If you would like to order online, our class activation code is HDNTK. Order forms & an information letter were sent home with your child.

A huge thank you goes out to all of the parents who gave of their time and talents to make our Halloween celebration a success. I'm wishing all of my little "goblins" a happy & safe Halloween!

Mrs. Karen Bell

Week of 10/25/10 - 10/29/10

Highlights for the week of 10/25/10-10/29/10 in Mrs. Bell's Classroom

Mrs. Bell's Homeroom Class

English-Capitalization & Punctuation

We have completed this unit, and will have the TEST on Thursday, 10/28. To prepare for the test, students should review the practice and workbook pages, and the textbook. The next unit that we will study in English is nouns.

Social Studies-Chapter 4 - Land & Water in the Northeast

The TEST for this region is scheduled for Tuesday, 10/26. Students have received a study guide to help them prepare for the test.

Science-Chapter 2 - Life Cycles of Plants and Animals

We will continue to study the life cycles of plants in lesson 2 of this chapter. Students will focus on the life cycles of plants with and without seeds.

Mrs. Bell's Reading Class

Spelling - Theme 1 Review

This week's spelling list will contain words from the first theme in our reading text. Included in this group are words with long and short "a","e", "i", "o", "u", and homophones. The final test will be on Friday, 10/29, and workbook pages will be collected that same day.

Reading

Mysteries will be the focus in reading for all fourth grade students this week. We will begin by learning vocabulary words that are typically associated with mysteries, such as "suspect", "evidence" and suspense". Students may practice the definitions of the vocabulary words by completing a crossword puzzle at the following website:

http://www.eduplace.com/kids/hmr06/gr4/activities/pdf/gr4_th1_xword.pdf.

All students will read & study, "The Case of the Purloined Pachyderm". While reading this mystery and other mystery stories, studeents will be studying the format of a mystery, and using the reading strategies of monitoring and clarifying.

Mrs. Bell's Math Class

The TEST for chapters 2 & 3 will be on Monday, 10/25. Students were given a study guide so that they will know what to focus on while preparing for the test. We will begin the chapter 4 which covers multiplication and division facts, on Tuesday. The first concepts that we will look at are relating operations and multiplication and division facts through 5.

FYI...
The Halloween celebration will be on Friday, 10/29. The traditional PV parade will begin at 1:00, and parties will start at 1:30. Thank you to all the parents who are helping to make this a special afternoon for our classroom!

Mrs. Karen Bell

Mrs. Karen Bell

Week of 10/18/10 - 10/22/10

Highlights for the Week of 10/18/10-10/22/10 in Mrs. Bell's Classroom!

Mrs. Bell's Homeroom Class

English - Capitalization & Punctuation

We are approaching the end of chapter 5 with a look at quotation marks and titles. The review and TEST on this unit is scheduled for the week of 10/25.

Social Studies - The Plentiful Sea

Our focus in social studies will be on the resources of the Chesapeake Bay. Ask your child what problems are being faced by the fishermen who make their living by working in the Bay.

Science - Life Cycles of Plants & Animals

Our new science unit begins with the study of the life cycle of plants. We will be conducting an investigation to discover how light affects the germination of radish seeds. Students will also look at the process of photosynthesis.

Mrs. Bell's Reading Class

Spelling - No Lesson this week!

Due to scheduling conflicts with the MAPS testing, there will be no spelling lesson this week.

Reading - The Parcel Post Kid

This week, all fourth grade students will read the story of The Parcel Post Kid, by Michael O. Tunnel. This piece is a nonfiction story set in 1914, which tells the take of a young girl whose parents mail her to her grandmother because it is cheaper than paying her train fare. While reading the story, students will be reviewing the strategies and skills that we have studied so far this year, with particular emphasis on predicting and making inferences.

Mrs. Bell's Math Class

Working backwards to solve story problems will be our skill for this week. Our next TEST is tentatively scheduled for Monday, 10/25. This test will not only cover chapter 3, but will contain some review questions from concepts mastered in chapter 2. Look for a study guide to come home with your child on Wednesday.

FYI...

MAPS will continue this week.

The Halloween Celebration is scheduled for Friday, 10/29.

Have a relaxing weekend!

Mrs. Karen Bell

Week of 10/11/10 - 10/15/10

Highlights for the Week of 10/11/10 - 10/15/10 in Mrs. Bell's Classroom!

Mrs. Bell's Homeroom Class:

English - Capitalization & Punctuation

We will be focusing on abbreviations & the correct use of commas.

Social Studies - The Beautiful Northeast

The resources and products of the Northeast region are our topics for the week.

Science - Classifying Animals

Students will have a QUIZ on chapter 1, lesson 3 on Tuesday, 10/12. Students will be allowed to use their textbooks for the quiz.

Mrs. Bell's Reading Class

Reading - Questioning & Noting Details

In reading this week, the students will focus on noting details in a story. They will learn that details may give information, explain ideas, and reveal characters' feelings. They will also work on the Question comprehension strategy.Good readers ask themselves questions about important ideas as they read. The students will practice asking questions about the text that can be answered as they read the text and finish the story. We willbe using short text passages to practice this skill.

Spelling - Homophones

This week's lesson will be a list of "homophones", which are words that are pronounced the same, but have different meanings. The final test for the week will be on Friday, 10/15. Workbook pages and/or contract work & the print/cursive sheets will also be collected that day.

Mrs. Bell's Math Class

Students will be taking a QUIZ on Tuesday, 10/12 that will cover lessons 1-3 of Chapter 3. Topics for the quiz include properties of addition, addition expressions and addition equations. Then, we will be moving on to using the problem solving strategy of working backwards and using patterns to find a rule. Our next test is tentatively scheduled for the week of 10/18.

Don't forget...

NO SCHOOL on Monday, 10/11, due to Columbus Day.

Next week students in fourth grade will be taking the MAP assessment. The MAP assessment is a new tool for our district that will provide teachers an effective means for determining students' proficiency in reading, language and math. The test will be given in three parts, on three different days, with the first test taking place on Wednesday. The MAP assessment is replacing Iowa testing in District 66.

Enjoy your holiday weekend!

Mrs. Karen Bell