Week of 5/28/18

Highlights for the Week of 5/28/2018
in Mrs. Bell's Classroom

Spelling & Reading

NO Spelling or Reading this week! Please encourage your child to read at least 20 minutes per day during the summer. The public libraries in the area all have marvelous Summer Reading Programs that encourage children to read during the break. Be sure to check them out!

Social Studies - The West

The chapter 12 TEST in Social Studies is scheduled for 5/29. A study guide was sent home with your child on Thursday.

We will also prepare for our classroom luau, which is the Western region feast, scheduled for 5/31. Students will learn about the history of the luau, make their own grass skirts and feast on the traditional luau foods of Hawaiian chicken, salmon, pineapple, Hawaiian bread and Hawaiian punch! We will have fun hula dancing and watching the Disney film, Lilo & Stitch. 

Science - Simple Machines

Marshmallows were flying through the hallway last Wednesday as we took our catapults for a test drive. The creativity of our scientists was amazing!

Silly Scientists!

Mrs. Bell's Math Class - Finding Circumference and Area of Circles

Students will learn how to find circumference and area of a circle using Pi. Our last day of math is Thursday, 5/31. On Wednesday, we will have a Pi day celebration - reviewing what we have learned about circles as we enjoy some special pi/pie of our own!

FYI...

5/28 - Memorial Day - No School
6/1  - Field Day / Picnic / Talent Show
6/4 - Last Day of School - Students Dismissed at 11:00 

Mrs. Karen Bell

Week of 5/21/18

Highlights for the Weeks of 5/21/2018
in Mrs. Bell's Classroom

Spelling - Roots

This week's spelling list contains words with the Greek/Latin roots of mega, ped, sub and meter.  We will study and apply the meanings of these roots. The final TEST is scheduled for Friday, 5/25. This is the last spelling lesson of the year.

Reading- Unit 2 - "Journeys" - A Poetic Journey

An open book comprehension QUIZ for the novel Love That Dog is scheduled for Wednesday, 5/23. Students will also read a Time for Kids magazine in which the main article looks at what life is like for children in a Kenyan refugee camp. A comprehension QUIZ on the magazine is scheduled for Thursday, 5/24. 

English - Poetry

Students will write a color poem, a creature alliteration poem and a personal poem of choice. Poetry books must be submitted on or before 5/29.

Social Studies - The West

The West map QUIZ will be on Tuesday, 5/22. We will continue our study of the West with a look at the climate and resources of the region. Look for the chapter 12 TEST to be scheduled the week of 5/28.

Science -  Simple Machines
Catapults are due 5/23. Please ask your child to see the project description sheet. 

Mrs. Bell's Math Class - Unit 7 - Division & Decimals

We will continue to study a variety of strategies for division including division with money and division with clocks. A fraction division CHECKPOINT is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, 5/23.

FYI...

We finally had a chance to spend some time in our PV "Fab Lab" this week. Below are some photos of students creating and collaborating...

5/28- Memorial Day - No School
6/4- Last Day of School

Mrs. Karen Bell

Week of 5/14/2018

Highlights for the Weeks of 5/14/2018
in Mrs. Bell's Classroom

Spelling - Words with "kn", "gn" & "wr"

This week's spelling list consists of words that contain silent letters such as knob, gnome, and wreck.  The final TEST is scheduled for Friday, 5/18.

Reading- Unit 2 - "Journeys" - A Poetic Journey
We are coming to the end of our novel study. I am so proud of the growth that I have seen in the reading skills of the students. Their ability to interpret and make inferences about text has grown in leaps and bounds from the beginning of the year. So many of them have told me that they love this book. Who would have thought that poetry could be so much fun?


An open book comprehension QUIZ for the novel is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday,  5/23.

English - Poetry

Students will be writing a concrete poem, a five senses poem and a Cinquain poem. We will also learn about hyperbole...a type of figurative language that involves exaggeration.

Social Studies - The West

The final stop on our journey through the regions of the U.S. will be the West. We will begin with a look at the geography and climate of the region. Students will also create their own map of the West region. Look for the West map QUIZ to be scheduled the week of 5/21.

Science - Simple Machines

Students will learn about how simple machines make our lives easier.  Look for a Catapult project description sheet to come home on Thursday. 

Mrs. Bell's Math Class - Unit 7 - Division & Decimals
This week in math we will continue our study of division strategies. A division CHECKPOINT is scheduled for Thursday, 5/17.

FYI...
5/18 - Early Dismissal - Students dismissed at 11:00

5/28 - Memorial Day - No School
6/4 - Last Day of School

Mrs. Karen Bell

Week of 5/7/2018

Highlights for the Weeks of 5/7/2018
in Mrs. Bell's Classroom

Spelling - Words with "ought & "ound"

This week's spelling list consists of words that have the letters "ought" and "ound". We will also revisit using context clues to determine the meanings of unknown words. The vocabulary focus will be on various types of figurative language. The final TEST is scheduled for Friday, 5/19

Reading- Unit 2 - "Journeys" - A Poetic Journey

We have begun a novel study of the book Love that  Dog, by Sharon Creech. Love that Dog is a free verse poem written in a 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.

English - Poetry

To coincide with our novel study, students will create their own original book of poetry. They will be writing poems in several formats and will include a variety of figurative language that we have studied throughout the year. This project will be completed via Google Classroom. 

Below is a photo of students acting as teachers as we reviewed the literary components of poetry...

Social Studies - The Southwest "Wrap Up"
Students will complete the Southwest portion of the U.S. Map.

Science - How Does your Body Think & Move? / Simple Machines

The chapter 4 TEST is scheduled for Wednesday, 5/9. The next unit in science will be simple machines.

On Wednesday, 5/3, students participated in a hands-on learning program about electricity and magnets that was presented by the SciTech Museum in Aurora.  Below are some photos of them having fun while learning...

Mrs. Bell's Math Class - Unit 7 - Division & Decimals

The Unit 6 TEST is scheduled for Monday, 5/7. After that, we will begin Unit 7 with a look at partial quotients. 

FYI...

5/28 - Memorial Day - No School
6/4 - Last Day of School

We can't believe that the school year is almost over! "Ry Guy" is thinking about all the fun that he had in 4th Grade!

                                                    Mrs. Karen Bell