Weekly Reminders: *Lesson 23 spelling pretest on Monday.
*Chapter 8 open book/notes social studies test on Monday.
*Midwest Map test on Tuesday.
*Midpoint Accelerated Math Evaluation on Tuesday.
*Project Challenge after school on Tuesday.
*Chapter 2 open book/notes science test on Wednesday.
*Pronoun test on Thursday.
*Lakeview Library visit on Thursday. Volunteers should wait for us on the benches outside the office around 12:55.
*Spring Pictures of Thursday.
*Lesson 23 spelling test on Friday.
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Spring Picture Day - Thursday, February 26, 2009
All students will be photographed. Please notify your student's teacher if you do not want an individual portrait taken of your child.
Look Before You Buy: Send no money now - View your portraits before you buy. Your finished portrait package will be sent home for review. Simply return any un-used portrait sheets with your payment.
Look Before You Buy: Send no money now - View your portraits before you buy. Your finished portrait package will be sent home for review. Simply return any un-used portrait sheets with your payment.
Plan Ahead:
*No school on Monday, March 2 - Casimir Pulaski Day.
*ISAT Testing on March 3, 4, 5, 6, & 9.
*Conference Week is March 9-11. If you would like to meet with me regarding homeroom or math, please contact me as soon as possible so I can arrange a time for you.
Classroom Happenings:
Science: The children will review with Ms. Pluta on Tuesday for the Chapter 2 open book.notes test which will be on Wednesday. We will wait until the week of March 2 to begin chapter 3 on adaptations.
Items to review for the chapter 2 test:
*What is heredity?
-Key vocabulary: trait, heredity, gene, nature vs. nurture.
*What are some life cycles of plants?
-Key vocabulary: photosynthesis, life cycle, embryo, germinate, seedling stage, flowering stage, pollinate, sporesclone, tuber, and grafting.
*What are some life cycles of animals?
-Key vocabulary: marsupials, infant stage, direct development, molting, metamorphosis, complete metamorphosis, and incomplete metamorphosis.
Social Studies: The children will take an open book/notes test on chapter 8 on Monday. Ms. Pluta will begin chapter 9 with the students this week. This chapter reviews history and people of the midwest. Don't forget that we will take the Midwest test on Tuesday. The children have had plenty of time to study these states. Spelling of state names does count! Your child can also earn 1/4 bonus for each correct capital city.
Items to review for the chapter 8 test:
*How were the Great Lakes formed?
*How are the Great Lakes connected to the Atlantic Ocean?
*Define waterway, canal, lock, and barge.
*Why was the flow of the Chicago River changed?
*What are the advantages of shipping by water?
*What was the landscape and climate of the Badlands 67 million years ago?
*Define erosion and prairie.
*What types of life live in a prairie?
*Why did the climate of the Badlands change?
*Why is the Midwest an important agricultural region?
*Why do some farmers irrigate their crops?
*How does the rainfall in the Midwest affect growth of crops?
*What are 10 crops of the Midwest?
*What are some of the crops in the Central Plains and the Great Plains?
Accelerated Math: Most of the week will be spent on preparation for ISAT testing. On Tuesday, the children will take the midpoint evaluation. This will not be taken as a grade, but it will be one of the items we will look at when we are deciding if a child qualifies for advanced math in fifth grade. Our main focus for the week will be math extended responses. Fourth graders are allowed to use their calculator during the entire math ISAT test. Many of the students have misplaced their calculators or they are no longer working. Please ask your child about their calculator. If they need a new one, please send it as soon as possible.
Spelling: This weeks words have either "ch" or "tch". Don't forget to take the time to practice your words in cursive.
English: Our pronoun lessons will end on Tuesday. Ms. Pluta will do a review of pronouns on Wednesday. The children will take the pronoun test on Thursday. This unit is only 7 lessons. If your child received 90% or higher on the pretest, they will need to decide whether or not they are taking the test for a higher grade. Enrichments will be due on the day of the test. We will not begin our next unit until after ISAT testing.
Reading: We will continue our Flat Stanley unit this week. On Monday, each child will bring the letter to be sent and Stanley home. Please mail or deliver these letters as soon as possible. I am hoping that we can have all our Stanley's back to Prairieview before spring break. The children will each design their own flat self. We will begin writing a creative story about being flat. ISAT tests are approaching quickly. The children will practice writing an extended reading response. We have a recipe that we follow. Ask your child about our recipe.
We will visit Lakeview Library on Thursday. If you are one of the volunteers, please arrive around 12:55. Wait for us on the benches outside the office.
