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