Happy Summer!

To all my students, and their families...

Thank you for an AMAZING year in 4th grade!

You have been an exceptional classroom family...

full of of curiosity, humor,  & compassion.

You will ALWAYS have a special place in my heart :)

I hope that you have a safe and relaxing summer.

Good luck in 5th grade, and be sure to come back

 and visit me whenever you have a chance!

Mrs. Karen Bell

Don't Forget...

6/3 - Prairieview Picnic - Lunch provided by PTO - In the interest of ensuring that all students remain safe 
     while having fun during the school picnic, gym shoes will be the only acceptable foot wear of the day.  
     Little toes and feet cannot play when bruised and abraded. If feet are not in proper attire, students will 
     not be allowed to participate in outdoor activities.  Thank you.

6/4 - Bowling field trip (12:25-2:15) - Brunswick is offering a concession special: 2 slices of cheese 

        pizza & a 16 oz. drink for $3.23 (including tax)

6/5 - Last day of school - Students dismissed at 9:30

Week of 5/27/13 - 5/27/13

Highlights for the Week of 5/27/13

 in Mrs. Bell's Classroom

Spelling 
We have finished spelling...be sure to continue practicing the spelling rules that we have studied this year !

Reading - Strategies Review

I am thrilled with the results of our Peg Kehret book clubs. (See the pictures of the club meetings at the end of the blog). The children's skills in writing summaries, predictions and connections improved greatly as the clubs progressed. And...I think we have finally perfected the art of writing a "Think and Search" question.  I was also very pleased with the response to the books that they read.  I had many students tell me, "This is the best book I have ever read!", and "Do you have any other Peg Kehret books?". This author has written many suspenseful books that will capture your child's imagination.  I encourage them to look for her books at your local library. This week we will review all of the reading strategies using a Time for Kids magazine that is about an ocean on Jupiter's moon.. Students will be taking the comprehension QUIZ for the issue on Thursday, 5/30

English-Pronouns

Possessive pronouns, contractions with pronouns, and homophones will be the topics that we will study in English this week.

Social Studies - The West - Luau
We have completed our study of the regions of the United States, and will celebrate with a Hawaiian Luau on Friday.  The menu for our luau includes Hawaiian fruit salad, roasted pork and Hawaiian Punch. Students will make leis and grass skirts to wear while learning how to hula dance. Aloha!

Science - What are Some Sources of Electricity?

We will finish our study of electricity with a look at how energy is produced. Students will take an open note/book QUIZ on lesson 3 of chapter 15 on Wednesday.

Mrs. Bell's Math Class - Multiplication

We will revisit multiplication topics with a look at patterns in multiplication, how to estimate products, and multiplying 2 digit by 2 digit numbers.  Students will take a QUIZ on lessons 1,2 & 4 of chapter 9 on Thursday.

Don't forget...
May 27 -- Memorial Day -- No School

June 4 - Bowling Field Trip - 12:10-2:15
June 5 -- Last Day of School






Congratulations to our class on winning the BOX TOPS PIZZA PARTY!!!  The party is scheduled for Thursday, 5/30.  PTO will provide 2-3 slices of pizza and a drink for your child that day.  Please feel free to send any side items that your child might like if you think that won't be enough for lunch.

The PV picnic is scheduled for Monday, June 3.  The PTO is asking that students NOT wear flip flops that day due to the scheduled activities.

Peg Kehret Book Club Meetings...

Enjoy your holiday weekend! 
Mrs. Karen Bell

Week of 5/20/13 - 5/24/13

Highlights for the Week of 5/20/13

in Mrs. Bell's Classroom

Spelling - Review

This week's spelling lesson will be a review list. Students must earn a 100% on the pretest to qualify for challenge work. The final TEST on this lesson will be given on Friday, 5/24. The workbook pages OR challenge work will also be collected that day.

Reading - I Can Apply Reading Strategies

Author Peg Kehret

The Peg Kehret book clubs are going extremely well.  I am very pleased and impressed with how the student discussions have developed. Students will have their third book club meeting on Monday, 5/20, and their fourth, and final, meeting is scheduled for Thursday, 5/23.

English-Pronouns

Subject and object pronouns, and correct use of the pronouns, "I and Me" are the topics that we will study in English this week.



Social Studies 
Students will work on creating their final region project, which will be to create a word cloud about the West using tagxedo.com. Their word cloud will include the names of the states in the West, and information about the geography, climate, sights and resources of the region.  On Friday, we will create a "suitcase" in which your child will pack up all of his/her regional projects to bring home.

Science - Magnets

We will study how magnets work, and how they relate to electricity.  Students will take an open note/book QUIZ on lesson 2 of chapter 15 on Thursday, 5/23.

Mrs. Bell's Math Class - Fractions / Multiplication

The TEST on chapter 15 is scheduled for Wednesday, 5/22. The next unit that we will focus on is multiplication of two digit numbers by one digit numbers.We will begin with a look at multiplication patterns and how to estimate using patterns.

Don't forget...

May 22 - Lizzadro Field Trip (See details below)
May 27 - Memorial Day -- No School

June 4 - Bowling Field Trip - 12:10-2:15
June 5 -- Last Day of School

On Wednesday, 5/22, our class will be taking a field trip to the Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Arts. We will be leaving school at 9:30 and returning around 12:00. Your child MUST BRING A SACK LUNCH that day. 

Mrs. Karen Bell

Week of 5/13/13 - 5/17/13

Highlights for the Week of 5/13/13

in Mrs. Bell's Classroom

Spelling - Silent Consonants

This week's spelling list will focus on words that have silent consonants. The final TEST on this lesson will be given on Friday, 5/17. The workbook pages OR challenge work will also be collected that day.

Reading - I Apply Reading Strategies

Author Peg Kehret

The date of the first meeting of our Peg Kehret Book Clubs is Tuesday, 5/14. During the meetings, students will use their discussion sheets to guide the conversations about the books that they are reading.  Students will take turns being the group leader, who is responsible for controlling the discussion. I will be observing two groups at each meeting, and students will be graded on the how well they participate in the discussion, and how well they listen and respond to others.  The second meeting is scheduled for Thursday, 5/16.

English-Adverbs / Pronouns

The Adverbs & Prepositions TEST is scheduled for Thursday, 5/16. Students should review the practice pages and textbook pages 234-245 while preparing for the test. The review at the end of the chapter on pages 250-254 is also helpful. The last unit in English this year will be pronouns. Students will be taking the pretest to qualify for challenge work for the Pronouns unit on Friday. 

Social Studies - Time for Kids - "Too Much Stuff"
On Wednesday, students will be taking a comprehension QUIZ on the Time for Kids magazine discussed in class on Monday, 5/13. They may use the magazine to complete the quiz.  

Science - Electricity

Students will complete a lab that investigates how conductors and insulators work with electricity.  On Thursday, they will take an open note/book QUIZ on lesson 1 of chapter 15. Magnets and electricity is the next topic in science.

Mrs. Bell's Math Class - Understanding Fractions & Mixed Numbers

We have taken "baby steps" towards learning how to simplify fractions.  The concepts that have been covered include finding factors, prime and composite numbers, finding greatest common factor, and finally, simplifying.  I am anticipating that we will have one more lesson on this topic on Monday. Then we will move on to comparing and ordering fractions, reading and writing mixed numbers, and ordering and comparing mixed numbers.  I have tentatively scheduled a QUIZ on lessons 1-3 of chapter 15 for Wednesday, 5/15. I will send an email if the date changes. Look for the chapter 15 test to be scheduled for the week of 5/20.

Don't forget...

5/17 - Early Dismissal - Students will be dismissed at 11:00 

Mrs. Karen Bell

Week of 5/6/13 - 5/10/13

Highlights for the Week of 5/6/13

in Mrs. Bell's Classroom

Spelling - Unusual Spellings

This week's spelling list will focus on words that have unusual spellings. The final TEST on this lesson will be given on Friday, 5/10. The workbook pages OR challenge work will also be collected that day.

Reading - I Can Apply Reading Strategies

Peg Kehret

The third, and final, book club meeting for the novel, Number the Stars, is scheduled for Tuesday, 5/7. During the next unit in reading, we will once again spend time participating in  Book Clubs with various novels by the author, Peg Kehret.  Students will have the opportunity to read a novel at their own learning and interest level and discuss the novel in cooperative learning groups.  They will continue to improve their comprehension skills by applying the reading strategies of summarizing, connecting, predicting and questioning.

English- Adverbs

Comparing with adverbs, and using "good and well" will be the topics in English this week.  Students will independently complete a review of lessons 1-3 of the unit on Friday.

Social Studies -  The Tlingit
After completing the West region portion of the United States map, we will move on to study the Native Americans of the region, The Tlingit. We will focus on the history and culture of the group, and finish the week by creating masks similar to those created by the Tlingit.

Watt's Up?

Science - Electricity
Students will work in small groups to create a poster that shows how to light a bulb 4 different ways using only a wire, a battery and a light bulb. We will also study the difference between series and parallel circuits, and participate in a lab where students create both types of circuits.

Mrs. Bell's Math Class - Fractions

 We will continue our study of equivalent fractions with a look at how to find simplest form. The topic will be introduced with the concept of Greatest Common Factor (GCF)and prime/composite numbers. Students will apply what they learn about GCF when reducing fractions to simplest form.  We will also focus on comparing and ordering fractions.

FYI...

May 17, 2013 - Early Dismissal - Students dismissed at 11:00
May 27, 2013 - Memorial Day -- No School

In an effort to make the transition to 5th grade as smooth as possible, the fourth grade teachers will be enforcing the 5th grade policy for late work during the month of May.
The policy is as follows:

Any assignment that is late, but not taken for a grade, will receive a late slip. The student will have one point taken out of his/her homework bank. (NO CHANGE)

Any assignment that is late and taken for a grade will receive a late slip. No points will be lost from the homework bank. If the assignment is turned in one day late, the final grade will be reduced by 10%. If the assignment is more than one day late, but turned in before the unit test, the final grade will be reduced by 25%. If the assignment is not turned in before the unit test, the final grade will be a zero.

Mrs. Karen Bell