Week of 6/1/15

Highlights for the Week of 6/1/15

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, 6/5. The workbook pages OR challenge work will also be collected that day.

Reading - I Can Answer Text Dependent Questions

The TFK comprehension QUIZ is scheduled for Tuesday, 6/2. Students should read the Time for Kids magazine to prepare for the quiz, and must have the magazine at school on Tuesday when taking the quiz.

English-Pronouns

Subject pronouns, object pronouns, and correct use of the pronouns, "I and Me" are the topics that we will study in English this week. Students will independently complete a GRADED REVIEW of lessons 1-4 in chapter 6 on Friday.

Social Studies - The West / The Tlingit 

The chapter 12 TEST will be on Monday, 6/1. We will spend the rest of the week studying the Tlingit - the Native American group from the West region. We will also prepare for our classroom luau, which is the Western region feast, scheduled for 6/4.  Students will learn about the history of the luau, make their own grass skirts and feast on the traditional luau foods of barbecued pork, salmon, fruit salad and Hawaiian punch! We will have fun hula dancing and watching the Disney film, Lilo & Stitch. Watch for a movie permission slip to come home on Monday.

Science - Simple Machines / Catapult Project
The catapults are due on Thursday, 6/4. This is an at home project that should be completed with parent support. Below are some pictures of students learning how pulleys change the way that work is done...

Mrs. Bell's Math Class - Geometry / Circles

Early in the week, we will review geometric terms such as line, point, line segment, ray and angles. We will also learn how to use a protractor to measure and draw angles. Circles will be the topic for Wednesday. Students will learn how to find circumference and area of a circle using Pi. The last day of math will be 6/4. On that day we will have a Pi day celebration - reviewing what we have learned about circles as we enjoy some apple pie.

Don't forget...

June 4 - Classroom Luau
June 5 - Bowling Field Trip - 12:10-2:15

June 9 -- Last Day of School - Students dismissed at 11:00

For the bowling field trip, Brunswick is still offering a concession special...:)  2 slices of cheese pizza with a 16 oz. drink will be $3.00 (plus tax). Students may bring their own bowling balls and/or shoes if they have them.

Mrs. Karen Bell

Week of 5/25/15

Highlights for the Week of 5/25/15

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, 5/29. Spelling activities will be assigned in Google Classroom: Homeroom/Spelling.

Reading - Love That Dog / Time for Kids

We will finish our careful read of the novel, Love That Dog. Students will take a comprehension QUIZ for Love that Dog on Wednesday, 5/27. They may use their books for the quiz. We will also read a Time for Kids magazine that focuses on the topic of saving reefs.

English - Poetry & Pronouns

The poetry project will finish with students writing a personal poem. For the personal poem, they may choose any format that we have studied. They will also create the cover for the book and submit it.  Students will take the pretest for Pronouns on Thursday, and we will begin the new English unit on Friday.

Social Studies - The West 

We will finish our study of the West with a look at the climate and resources of the region. The chapter 12 TEST is scheduled for the week of 6/1. Look for a study guide to come home with your child on 5/28.

Science - How Do a Pulley and Wheel & Axle Help People Work?

Students will complete a pulleys activity on Monday, and take an open note/book QUIZ on lesson 2 of chapter 17 on Thursday, 5/28.

Mrs. Bell's Math Class - Topic 14 & 15

We will finish Topic 14 with a look at the problem solving skill of working backwards. Then, we will move on to line plots and perimeter/area in Topic 15. A QUIZ on Topic 14 & 15 is scheduled for Friday, 5/19.

Don't forget...
May 25- No School - Memorial Day
June 9 - Last day of school

Happy Memorial Day!

Mrs. Karen Bell

Week of 5/18/15

Highlights for the Week of 5/18/15

 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, 5/22.  Spelling activities will be assigned through Google Classroom / Homeroom Spelling.

Reading - Journeys Unit - Love that Dog
We will continue our novel study of Love That Dog. Ask your child to tell you about the journey of the main character, Jack, and how he learns to love poetry. We will also read a Time for Kids magazine that focuses on the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II. Students will take a comprehension QUIZ on the TFK magazine on Friday, 5/22.


English- Poetry / Pronouns

The poetry project will continue. Students will write poems in the following formats: Concrete, Cinquain, Color and "Five W's".  We will review hyperbole - a type of figurative language that includes exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally. All work for the poetry book will take place in Google Classroom / Homeroom English.

Social Studies - The West - A Land of Mountains
The final region on our journey across the U.S. is The West. Students will create a map of the West, and take a map QUIZ on Thursday, 5/21. We will also study the geography of the West, including the mountains and how they impact the climate in the area. 

Science - Simple Machines
Our new unit of study in Science is simple machines.We will begin with a look at the lever, and how it makes work easier. Students will participate in several hands on activities that will demonstrate this concept.

Mrs. Bell's Math Class - Topic 14 - Measurement Units & Conversions
Converting customary units, metric units and their conversion, and units of time will be our focus this week. 

Don't forget...

5/25 - No School - Memorial Day

Mrs. Karen Bell

Week of 5/11/2015

Highlights for the Week of 5/11/15

 in Mrs. Bell's Classroom

Spelling - Final /ər/, /l/ or /əl/

This week's spelling list will focus on words that end with the /ər/, /l/ or /əl/ sounds. The final test on this lesson will be given on Friday, 5/15. Spelling activities will be assigned through Google Classroom.

Reading - Journeys Unit - Love that Dog
Originally, I had planned to begin the novel study of Love that Dog last week, but our schedule got backed up, so we will begin the week of 5/11. Love that Dog is a free verse piece written in diary format. It is written from the perspective of a young boy who resists poetry assignments from his teacher. Throughout his journey, he learns to appreciate, and to enjoy the art of poetry. As we read this book, we will continue to examine the literary elements of poetry, and students will create their own poetry book.

English- Poetry / Pronouns

To coincide with our novel study, students will begin creating their own original book of poetry. They will be writing poems in several formats, and will be including a variety of figurative language that we have studied throughout the year. This project will be completed using the Chromebooks via Google Classroom. Students will also take the Pronouns pretest on Thursday, 5/14.

Social Studies - The Navajo
We will study the Native Americans of the Southwest, the Navajo.Students will learn about the Navajo culture and traditions of the past and present.

Science - Human Body Presentations
Partners will finish creating their Human Body Slide presentations. Students will be presenting on 5/14. They will be given time on Monday and Wednesday for final preparations and practicing. The next topic that we will study in Science will be Simple Machines.

Mrs. Bell's Math Class - Topic 13 - Extending Fraction Concepts

We will finish this topic with a look at the problem solving strategy of drawing pictures. The Topic 13 TEST is scheduled for Wednesday, 5/13. We will begin Topic 14, Measurement Units and Conversions, on Thursday. 

Ava leads the class in a game that practices comparing decimals.

FYI...

We love collaborating with our Chrome books!  Below are pictures of partners working together to create their Human Body Presentations...

Mrs. Karen Bell

Week of 5/4/15

Highlights for the Week of 5/4/2015

in Mrs. Bell's Classroom

Spelling - Three Syllable Words
This week's spelling list will focus on three syllable words. The final TEST on this lesson will be given on Friday, 5/1. The assignments for this lesson will be on Google Classroom.

Reading - Journeys Unit
We will begin a novel study of the book Love that  Dog, by Sharon Creech. Love that Dog is a free verse piece written diary format. It is written from the perspective of a young boy who resists poetry assignments from his teacher. Throughout his journey, he learns to appreciate, and to even enjoy the art of poetry. As we read this book, we will continue to examine the literary elements of poetry, and students will create their own poetry book.

As a class we have worked VERY hard on our close reading skills this year. Students have shown tremendous perseverance as they tackled difficult task to find meaning. I am BEYOND proud of how well they have done, and how we have progressed in the past year.

I am so pleased to share the following video with our Team Bell families. These students are discussing a poem to determine theme, mood, poetic elements and figurative language. During this portion of their discussion, they are talking about author's perspective and point of view, which is a topic that I did not prompt them to think about, but one that we have studied this year. All of the small group discussions had similar discussions to this one.

English-Adverbs 

The Adverbs & Prepositions TEST is scheduled for Thursday, 5/7. 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 (I can't believe I am typing the LAST!!!) unit in English this year will be pronouns.

Social Studies - The Southwest
The chapter 10 TEST will be on Tuesday, 5/5. Students should refer to the study guide, textbook pages 300-313 and the workbook / review pages in their binder to help them study. We will begin our study of the Navajo the week of 5/11.

Science - Human Body Research / Presentation Project
Students will work in pairs to research a body system, and to create a slide presentation about their system that will be presented to the class.  They will be given time in school to work on the project, but they should expect that some of the work will also be done at home.

Mrs. Bell's Math Class - Topic 13 - Extending Fraction Topics
The concepts that we will study in math this week include fractions & decimals on the number line, equivalent fractions & decimals, decimal place value, comparing decimals and using money to understand decimals. Students will take a QUIZ on lessons 1-6 of Topic 13 on Wednesday, 5/6.

Don't forget...

May 15 - Early Dismissal - Students dismissed at 11:00
May 25 - No School - Memorial Day

PARCC testing is scheduled for the week of 5/4. We will take the reading test on Monday, and the math tests on Tuesday and Wednesday. We have talked as a class about the importance of remembering our class motto, "Do your best!" on these tests. The children are well prepared for this, and I hope that they do not feel any unnecessary anxiety regarding taking the test. Please see that your child comes to school well rested and having eaten a healthy breakfast. 

Preparations for Open House kept us busy during the week of 4/27. We had many opportunities for independent/small group work to occur as others worked on the Southwest projects. Please enjoy these pictures of your children making good choices during our "workshop" time.

Mrs. Karen Bell