Week of 10/29/12 - 11/2/12

Highlights for the Week of 10/29/12

 in Mrs. Bell's Classroom!

Spelling - More Short and Long Vowels
The final test for this week's lesson will be on Friday, 11/2. Cursive and workbook pages or challenge work will also be collected that day.

Reading
Mysteries will be the focus in reading next week. We will begin by learning vocabulary words that are typically associated with mysteries, such as “suspect”, “evidence” and “suspense”. All students will read and study “The Case of the Purloined Pachyderm”.  While reading this mystery, and other mystery stories, students will be studying the format of a mystery, and using the reading strategies of monitoring and clarifying. Students will take mystery vocabulary  QUIZ on 11/1.

English - Capitalization and Punctuation
We will continue this unit with a look at how to use quotation marks, and writing quotations.

Social Studies - Election 2012
Students will be learning about the presidential candidates. We will begin by taking a look at their personal and professional lives, including their education and families.  Then, we will move on to the important issues in the election such as taxes, education, taxes and health care.  Students will compare and contrast the ideas held by each of the candidates on these topics.  On Friday, we will hold an election in our room, and a winner will be declared!


 
Science - What are the Life Cycles of Plants and Animals?
This week, we will finish the lesson about life cycles of animals with a look at metamorphosis. Students will take an open note/book QUIZ on lesson 3 of chapter 2 on Friday, 11/2.  We will also spend some time reviewing a Time for Kids magazine that takes a look at how eating insects has become popular !  The comprehension QUIZ for this magazine will also be on 11/2.  Please make sure that your child has his/her magazine at school that day.

Many students have been asking about how to access the online Science textbook.  The steps are as follows:

From the internet, go to http://www.thinkcentral.com
On the left side of the menu choose SCIENCE AND HEALTH
From the books, choose HSP SCIENCE
On the next screen choose: State: ILLINOIS;  District: CENTER CASS 66; School: PRAIRIEVIEW
User name is your child's ID number WITHOUT THE LEADING ZERO
Password is ccsd66
When you get to the main page, choose LIBRARY, and the book will come up for your child to view.

Math - Mrs. Bell's Math Class
We will continue learning multiplication facts by moving on to the facts for fives - twelves. Watch for the letters that give details about the program to come home with your child.

Don't forget...
Week of 10/29 - Parent/Teacher Conferences (Homeroom Students)
November 5 - Conferences - No School
November 6 - Teacher's Institute - No School

Have a "Spook-tacular" Halloween!
Mrs. Karen Bell

Week of 10/22/12-10/25/12

Highlights for the Week of 10/22/12

 in Mrs. Bell's Classroom !

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. Students must score 100% on the pretest to do challenge work.  The final test will be on Friday, 10/28, and homework will also be collected that same day.

Reading - I Can Predict and Make Inferences

This week, we will be reading the story of The Parcel Post Kid, by Michael O. Tunnel. This piece is a nonfiction story set in 1914, which tells the tale 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.

English - Capitalization & Punctuation

This week's topics in English will include abbreviations and commas in a series.  Students will be taking an independent assessment on Monday which will cover capitalization of people, pets, places, and things.

Social Studies - The Northeast
Students will be doing some descriptive writing in Social Studies this week. They will be imagining what it would be like to take a "road trip" through the Northeast, and writing a descriptive paragraph about the experience. The assignment will also require two illustrations to go with the paragraph. Look for the assignment sheet for this activity to come home on Monday. The rough draft is due on Thursday, 10/24, and the final copy will be collected on Monday, 10/29. On Thursday we will have our "Northeast Feast", when students will get to sample some of the products of the region, including cranberries, grapes and maple syrup.  "Chef Bell" will be whipping up some pancakes to go with the syrup :-)

Science - Life Cycles of Animals

The life cycles of different animals is the new topic in science. Students will be taking an open note/book QUIZ on lesson 3 of chapter 23 on Monday, 10/29.

Math - Mrs. Bell's Math Class
Chapter 4 begins on Monday.  This chapter focuses on multiplication and division facts.  We will review our facts using a program called "Multiplication Facts in 7 Days", although we will stretch the system to a longer period of time.  Look for a letter explaining the system to be sent home with your child on Monday. I will also be sending home flash cards with students whose parents were unable to attend curriculum night.  Please use the flash cards to review facts with your child.

Don't Forget...

10/25 - Early Dismissal - Students dismissed at 11:00
11/29 - PICTURE RETAKES

Mrs. Karen Bell

Week of 10/15/12 - 10/19/12

Highlights for the Week of 10/15/2012 
in Mrs. Bell's Classroom! 

Spelling - Homophones
This week's spelling list will consist of homophones, which are words that sound the same, but are spelled differently & have different meanings. The final test for the week will be on Friday, 10/19. Workbook & cursive pages or challenge work will also be collected that day.

Reading - "I Can Note 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.  We will be reading both fiction and nonfiction passages as we work on these skills. On Friday, students will complete an independent assessment using this skill.

English - Capitalization & Punctuation

We continue our study of capitalization & punctuation with a look at how to write the names of people, pets, places and things. 

Social Studies - The Beautiful Northeast

We have finished the last lesson in chapter 4, so students will be taking the TEST on Monday, 10/15.  Then, we will begin working on creating individual U.S. maps that will be a year long Social Studies project.

Science - Life Cycles of Plants and Animals

Students will make their last observation for our "Sprouting Seeds" investigate on Wednesday. The lab report for that activity will be collected on Thursday, 10/18. On Thursday, we will read and discuss this week's Time for Kids magazine, which highlights the travels of the Mars Rover.  Students will be taking a comprehension QUIZ on the TFK on Friday, 10/19. They MUST have their magazine at school that day.

Math - Mrs. Bell's Math Class

Students will be taking a QUIZ on lessons 1-3 of chapter 3 on Monday, 10/15.  The quiz will cover properties of addition, writing and evaluating expressions, and addition & subtraction equations. There will be a new lesson on Tuesday, which will take a look at how to find a rule.  If all goes as planned, the chapter 3 TEST will be on Thursday, 10/18.  I will send an email if I have to adjust our schedule.

Don't Forget...

October 25- Early Dismissal - 11:00

The Prairieview Book Fair is scheduled for Thursday, 10/18 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. Classrooms will not be open that evening.

Mrs. Karen Bell

Week of 10/8/12 - 10/12/12

Highlights for the Week of 10/8/12 
in Mrs. Bell's Classroom!

Spelling
Due to the 4 day week, there will be NO spelling lesson this week.

Reading - Text Organization
We will continue focusing on the reading strategy of text organization. Many non-fiction authors organize their selections in time order. They also use features such as headings, pictures, captions, and charts to help the reader better understand the information. Students will independently complete an assessment on this topic on Tuesday.  We will also take a peek at syllabication.

English - Capitalization and Punctuation
Our new unit in English is Capitalization and Punctuation (Chapter 5). On Wednesday, students will be taking a pretest that will assess their expertise in the topics that we will study. Students who demonstrate proficiency on the pretest will have the opportunity to do independent challenge work in place of the regular lessons. The first topic in this unit will be writing correct sentences. Be sure to ask your child what happens when punctuation takes a vacation!

Social Studies - "The Beautiful Northeast"

We will finish the last lesson in chapter 4 this week.  The TEST is tentatively scheduled for Monday, 10/15. Students will be receiving a study guide for the test, and should focus on reviewing the textbook pages, workbook pages & notes to prepare for the test.

Science - What are Some Life Cycles of Plants?
Photosynthesis and life cycles of plants are the first two topics that we will study in our new science unit. We will be conducting an investigate to find the answer to the question, "Does a Plant Need Light to Germinate?".  We will also be reading the 9/28 edition of the Time for Kids magazine which looks at exploration of the Earth's poles.  Students will be taking a comprehension QUIZ on the articles in the magazine on Friday, 10/12. It is IMPERATIVE that your child bring his/her TFK to school that day to use while taking the quiz.


Math - Mrs. Bell's Math Class
Time to start chapter 3 - "Using Addition and Subtraction for Algebra".  We will begin by studying 3 properties of addition and subtraction - the associative, commutative & identity properties.  Then, we will move on to the study of writing expressions and equations.A QUIZ on lessons 1-3 of this chapter has been tentatively scheduled for Friday, 10/12.

Don't forget...

10/8 - No School - Columbus Day

10/12 - PV Movie Night - Permission slips are due by 10/10

10/18/12 - Mark your calendar for the PV Book Fair from 6:30-8:00.  Classrooms will not be open, but you can support your PTO by attending the fair!


Enjoy the long weekend!
Mrs. Karen Bell