Week of 6/1/2009 - 6/5/2009

Highlights for the Week of 6/1/09 - 6/5/09 in Mrs. Bell's Classroom

Mrs. Bell's Reading Class

Spelling - Lesson 32 - "More Prefix Forms"

We will have a lesson in spelling this week, but there will be no test. Students will study various prefixes, and their meanings. Daily work will be due on 6/2.

Reading - "The Fab Four from Liverpool"Our study of the Beatles continues! We will read the story of how the Beatles came to be a group, and how Lennon and McCartney collaborated as song writers.

"Bite into a Good Book" - Independent Reading Program

Congratulations to students who made their goal for the third trimester! We will be celebrating their achievements with a pizza party during lunch/recess on Monday, 6/1. Mrs. Bell will be providing pizza. Students must bring their own drinks, and may bring a HEALTHY snack to share, if they wish. Please return the movie permission slip on or before Monday, 6/1.

English - Prepositions

We will dabble in prepositions this week. Students will be introduced to prepositions and perpositional pharases.

Mrs. Bell's Math Class

We will begin the week with an enrichment activity that focuses on simple interest. Students will retake the Inventory of Skills test that they were given the first week of school. It should be interesting to see the results!

Mrs. Bell's Homeroom

Social Studies

We are moving out of the textbook and on to a TFK that focuses on the involvement of the U.S. in Afghanistan.

Ask your child about the Great Mail Race activity that our class is participating in!

FYI...

Thank you to all of the parent volunteers who have been so helpful to our class this year. I truly appreciate the efforts of our copy moms, field trip chaperones, and all of you who have given so generously of your time & talents!

The LAST DAY OF SCHOOL is Friday, June 5th. Students will be dismissed at 9:30.

Mrs. Karen Bell

Week of 5/25/09 - 5/29/09

Highlights for the Week of 5/25/09 - 5/29/09 in Mrs. Bell's Classroom

Mrs. Bell's Reading Class

Spelling - Lesson 31 - The prefix "ex"
The final test this week will be on THURSDAY, 5/28. Daily work will also be due that day. Words to Know this week are your-you're.

Reading - "The Fab Four from Liverpool"

We will be doing a study of a short nonfiction piece that chronicles the early beginnings of the Beatles. Students will be introduced to vocabulary, and view news clips reporting the Beatles popularity and their first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show. We will then focus on the theme of the text which focuses on the writing relationship between John Lennon & Paul McCartney. I will be very curious to see how many students know who this very famous musical group is!

"Bite into a Good Book" - Independent Reading Program
We have completed the program for the year. Students who have reached their goal will be invited to a reading celebration scheduled for the week of 6/1.

English - Adverbs

We will complete our study of adverbs with a look at the use of negatives. There will be a QUIZ over adverbs on Thursday, 5/28.

Mrs. Bell's Math Class

Due to our Robert Crown & bowling field trips, we will only have two days of math this week. Students will take the Chapter 8 TEST on Tuesday, 5/26. On Thursday, the tests will be returned, and we will have our traditional post-test "fun" day. During the week of 6/1, we will have an extension activity that will introduce students to simple interest and principal, which builds on the concept of percent that we just completed.

Mrs. Bell's Homeroom

Social Studies

We will be completing our study of the U.S. at the age of 50 with a look at the Industrial Revolution, and other changes that took place during this era.

Science - Energy & Ecosystems

We will be taking notes on lesson 3 of Chapter 6 which focuses on how people affect ecosystems. Students will take the OPEN NOTE ASSESSMENT for this lesson on Friday, 5/29.

FYI...

The fifth grade field trip to Robert Crown is Wednesday, 5/27. Students MUST bring a sack lunch to school that day.

The bowling field trip will be the morning of Friday, 5/29.

Have a safe & relaxing holiday weekend!

Mrs. Karen Bell

Week of 5/18/09-5/22/09

Highlights for the Week of 5/18/09 - 5/22/09 in Mrs. Bell's Class

Mrs. Bell's Reading Class

Spelling - Lesson 30 - Words spelled with "or"

The final test for this lesson will be on Friday, 5/22. "Words to Know" are whole-writing. Daily work will be due on Thursday, 5/21, & Checklist work will be collected on 5/22.

Reading - Poetry

Students will independently assess a poem on 5/18. We will spend the rest of the week writing an original poem to share with the class.

"Bite into a Good Book" - Independent Reading Program

The deadline for reaching your third trimester reading goal is 5/22.

English - Adverbs

We will begin our unit on adverbs with a look at the purpose of adverbs, comparing with adverbs & the difference between adjectives and adverbs.

Mrs. Bell's Math Class

We will focus on usage of percents with a look at discounts, tips and interest. The chapter 8 TEST is TENTATIVELY scheduled for Tuesday, 5/26.

Mrs. Bell's Homeroom Class

Social Studies

The chapter 11 TEST will be on Monday, 5/18. Then, we'll move on to...Happy Birthday U.S.A.! We will begin our study of chapter 12 by focusing on our nation's history as it turns 50 years old. This era includes the presidency of Andrew Jackson & the Industrial Revolution.

Science - Ecosystems & Change

This week we will study the process of succession in ecosystems. The open note ASSESSMENT for Chapter 6 / Lesson 2 will be on Friday, 5/22.

FYI...

On Monday afternoon, the fifth grade will be taking a trip to visit Lakeview. Students will take a tour of the building, meet the teachers and administration, and get a feel for being a middle school student.

Don't miss the Open House for fifth grade parents at Lakeview on Monday, 5/18 at 6:30 p.m.

There will be an all school concert at PV the afternoon of 5/21 at 1:15.

On Friday morning, fifth grade will have a visit from meteorologist Ginger Zee, who will make a presentation about weather, which is part of our science curriculum. In order to prepare for her visit, she has asked all of the students to watch her on one of her broadcasts this weekend. This will help the students to become familiar with what she does during her weather forecast. Please make a point to watch Ginger Zee deliver the weather at some point over the weekend. You will find her on NBC Chicago on Saturday or Sunday, between 6 & 10 a.m., as well as between 5 & 10 p.m.

Enjoy Your Weekend!

Mrs. Karen Bell

Week of 5/11/09 - 5/15/09

Highlights for the Week of 5/11/09 - 5/15/09 in Mrs. Bell's Classroom

Mrs. Bell's Reading Class

Spelling - Lesson 29 - Compound Words & Contractions

The final test for this lesson will be on Friday, 5/15. "Words to Know" are until - where. Starting this week, we will no longer have a vocabulary words on our spelling tests. Checklist work is due on Friday, 5/5.

Reading - The Kid in the Red Jacket / Poetry

Students have spent the week of 5/4 preparing their books for The Kid in the Red Jacket. They were given four days of class time (45 minutes each day) to complete the book, which was accomplished by many of the students. The final copy is due on Monday, 5/11. Any student whose book was not completed at the end of reading on 5/8 was allowed to take his/her book home to finish it. It must be turned in completed on 5/11 to get full credit.

(from www.google.com)

The new unit that we will begin on Monday is Poetry. Students will read and study different poems, and learn about the elements of poetry such as rhythm, rhyme, mood & phrasing. Each student will receive a poem on Monday, 5/11 that they will read to the class on 5/15. Students are required to practice reading the poem three times per day, and to have the "listener" sign a record sheet that it has been read aloud.

"Bite into a Good Book" - Independent Reading Program
I am very concerned about the number of students who do not have silent reading books with them at school. Please ask your child to show you the book that he/she is reading during our silent reading times.

English - Verbs

We will complete the unit on verbs and test this week. The TEST is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, 5/14. Next on our agenda...adverbs!

Mrs. Bell's Math Class

We will continue with our study of ratios and proportions by taking a look at similar figures, indirect measurement and scale drawings and maps. The Midchapter QUIZ for chapter 8 will be on Thursday, 5/14. Percents will be covered at the end of the week.

Mrs. Bell's Homeroom

Social Studies
We will leave Lewis & Clark & move onto the War of 1812. Students will study the causes of that war, the battles, and the writing of the Star Spangled Banner, which will complete chapter 11. The chapter 11 TEST is TENTATIVELY scheduled for Monday, 5/18.

Science - Ecosystems & Change

After learning about adaptations, students will create their own story about a human object that lands in an unfamiliar setting. Students will create a story board describing the adaptations that the object has to make in order to survive. We will also have the chapter 6 / lesson 1 OPEN NOTE ASSESSMENT on Wednesday, 5/13.

FYI...

Robert Crown permission slips were due on Friday, 5/8.

Mrs. Karen Bell