Week of 2/25/13-3/1/13

Highlights for the Week of 2/25/13

 in Mrs. Bell's Classroom

Spelling - Words with a Prefix or Suffix
This week's spelling lesson will focus on words that have prefixes and suffixes. The cursive/workbook pages OR challenge work will be collected on Friday, 3/1. The final test for the lesson will also be that day.

Reading 
Preparation for next's week's ISAT test will be our focus this week.  We will review reading strategies that we have studied all year, and revisit testing strategies. We will practice how to skim text to find answers to multiple choice questions, and how to write an extended response.  

English- Verbs
The TEST for chapter 2 of English (Verbs) is scheduled for Wednesday, 2/27. Challenge work will also be collected that day. If your child is looking for extra practice to prepare for the test, be sure to check out pages 125-135 in the textbook.

Social Studies - The Ojibwa
We will finish our study of the Ojibwa with a QUIZ on Monday, 2/25. Students will also have an opportunity to sample wild rice, which was a staple in the diet of the Ojibwas. The next region that we will visit on our journey across the U.S. is the Southwest. 

Science - ISAT Preparation

This week we will touch on the topics of states of matter, space, simple machines, rocks & minerals and color and light in preparation for the ISATs.

Mrs. Bell's Math Class - Lines, Rays, Angles & Plane Figures

The chapter 19 TEST is scheduled for Monday, 2/25. We will spend the rest of the week preparing for the ISAT tests that will take place the week of 3/5.

Don't Forget...

ISAT testing begins next week. Please make sure your child gets plenty of sleep and eats a healthy breakfast each day before coming to school!

Mrs. Karen Bell

Week of 2/18/13-2/22/13

Highlights for the Week of 2/18/13

in Mrs. Bell's Classroom

Spelling - Words with "-ed" & "-ing" Endings
This week's spelling lesson will focus on words that end with the suffixes "-ed" & "-ing". The cursive/workbook pages OR challenge work will be collected on Friday, 2/22. The final test for the lesson will also be that day.

Reading - I Can Understand the Elements of Poetry & Use Figurative Language
We will continue working on the poetry project by studying, and writing, the following types of poems: Cinquain, Five Senses, Color, Concrete, and Who, What, When and Where. We will also take a look at hyperbole and onomatopoeia. Practicing for the ISAT tests will also be a priority for the week. We will review the reading and test taking strategies that we have studied this year.

English- Verbs
Our study of verbs continues with a look at past tense verbs that need helping verbs, and irregular verbs.  Look for the verbs test to be scheduled the week of 2/25.




Social Studies - The Ojibwa
The next topic that we will study in Social Studies is the Native Americans of the Midwest region, The Ojibwa. We will focus on their culture, and how it has developed from the past into the present.

Science - How Does Your Body Think & Move?

We will complete our study of the muscular system on Tuesday.  On Wednesday, 2/20, students will take an open note/book QUIZ on lesson 2 of chapter 4. We will also spend time preparing for the science portion of the ISAT test by reviewing a number of science topics.

Mrs. Bell 's Math Class - Lines, Rays, Angles & Plane Figures
We will finish chapter 19 by taking a look at classifying triangles and quadrilaterals and circles.  Students will take a QUIZ on lessons 1-5 of chapter 19 on Wednesday, 2/20. Look for the chapter 19 test to be scheduled the week of 2/25. In addition to our daily lessons, we will also be incorporating ISAT Practice.

Don't Forget...

February 19th - President's Day - No School
February  26 - Early Dismissal

Mrs. Karen Bell 

Week of 2/11/13 - 2/15/13

Highlights for the Week of 2/11/13

 in Mrs. Bell's Classroom

Spelling - Compound Words
This week's spelling lesson will focus on Compound Words. The cursive/workbook pages OR challenge work will be collected on Friday, 2/15. The final test for the lesson will also be that day.

Reading - I Can Understand the Elements of Poetry & Use Figurative Language
The Reading Response Web project for Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing will be collected on Monday, 2/11. In reading this week, our target genre will be poetry as we focus on the different elements of poetry. This will include figurative language such as similes, metaphors, personification, and alliteration. We will begin writing our poetry books, which will consist of 9 poems, each of a different format.

English- Verbs
On Monday, students will complete a short "show what you know" exercise that reviews subject/verb agreement. Spelling present and past tense verbs are the other two topics that we will cover.



Social Studies - The Midwest
Students will complete their Midwest poster project, which will be collected on Tuesday.  We will also spend time completing the Midwest portion of our United States Maps.  The topic of this week's Time for Kids is the presidential inauguration, so we will spend some SS time on reading and discussing the issue.  The comprehension QUIZ for the TFK is scheduled for Thursday, 2/14.

Science - How Does Your Body Think and Move?
Dem bones, dem bones...This week we will begin our study of the skeletal system.  We will look at the purpose of this system, and how joints move in different ways.

Mrs. Bell's Math Class - Lines, Rays, Angles and Plane Figures
As we move on to chapter 19, we will take a look at the basics of geometry. Concepts that we will study include lines, rays, angles, planes & how to measure & classify angles.Students will take a QUIZ on lessons 1-4 of chapter 19 on Friday, 2/15. 

Don't Forget...
Our Valentine's Day celebration will be on Thursday, 2/14 at 1:30. If your child chooses to bring cards to share, please be sure that he/she has a card for every student in our classroom. Any edible treats that accompany cards will be sent home to be eaten. 


February 18 - President's Day - No School
February  26 - Early Dismissal

Mrs. Karen Bell 

Week of 2/4/13 - 2/8/13

Highlights for the Week of 2/4/13

in Mrs. Bell's Classroom

Spelling - More VCCV Words
This week's spelling lesson contains words with the VCCV (Vowel-Consonant-Vowel-Consonant) pattern. The cursive/workbook pages OR challenge work will be collected on Friday, 2/8. The final test for the lesson will also be that day.

Reading - I Can Apply Reading Strategies & Use Figurative Language
Our work in reading this week will focus on the final project for Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. Students will be working on the "Reading Response Web" which combines a number of the strategies that we have practiced into a poster. The project will be assigned in stages.  Some time will be given in school to work on it, but they should expect to also work on the project at home. The completed project will be due on Monday, 2/11.  Students will also take a comprehension TEST that covers the entire novel on Friday, 2/8. Students should review the packets we have used during the novel study, focusing on the vocabulary words, how the problem/solution text organization pattern was used, character traits, and figurative language(similes, metaphors & alliteration).

English- Verbs
We will kick off the week with a look at verb tenses (past, present & future), and finish with subject/verb agreement.

Social Studies - The Midwest
The Chapter 8 TEST is scheduled for Wednesday, 2/6. A study guide will be sent home with your child. The cross-curricular writing project for the Midwest is a travel poster.  Ask your child to see the project sheet that accompanies it. It will be sent home on 2/7.

Science - How Does your Body Think and Move?
The nervous system is the next area we will focus on in science.  We will study what different parts of the brain control, and take a look at images of a real brain. Then, we will study how the brain sends messages to different parts of the body.

Mrs. Bell's Math Class - Interpret & Graph Data

We will begin the week with a QUIZ over lessons 1-3 of chapter 8. The quiz will include bar graphs and circle graphs. Then, we will take a look at coordinate grids and line graphs. The TEST for chapter 8 will be on Thursday, 2/7.  

Don't Forget...

February 14th - Valentine's Day - Classroom parties
February 18th - President's Day - No School
February 26th - Early Dismissal

Mrs. Karen Bell