Sulima's Spring Scoop

I hope you all have a relaxing spring break. An updated blog, for the week of April 5, will be posted sometime over spring break. I will miss you all!
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Mrs. Sulima

Sulima's Scoop - Week of March 22

Weekly Reminders:

*Lesson 28 spelling pretest on Monday.

*Students receive "Invention Convention" letter, contract, & grading rubric on Monday.

*Chapter 17 science test on Tuesday.

*Southwest Map test on Tuesday.

*Marshmallow Mania Extra Credit Projects due on Wednesday.

*Marshmallow Mania Contest on Thursday.

*Students return signed invention contract on Thursday (for teacher approval).

*Louis Braille comprehension & vocabulary quiz on Thursday.

*Chapter 10 open-book social studies quiz on Friday.

*Lesson 28 spelling test on Friday.

Plan Ahead:

*Spring Break - Week of March 29. Students return to school on Monday, April 5.

*Inventions, contract (with a neatly-drawn colored diagram on back), and grading rubric due on Tuesday, April 13.

*Spring Open House on Thursday, April 15. Inventions will be displayed in the fourth grade classrooms during this event.

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Thank You:

*We would like to thank Mrs. Awad, Mrs. Burrows, Mrs. Cione, Mr. Meyer, Mrs. Morton, and Mrs. Spencer for joining us on our field trip to the Museum of Science and Industry. The children had a wonderful time and were able to do many hands-on activities to review what we have learned about simple machines.

Homeroom Happenings:

Science - On Tuesday, the children will take the chapter 17 Simple Machines test. After spring break, we will continue our final unit of the school year on Earth Science.

Review these items for the test:

~Define work, simple machine, lever, and fulcrum.

~Explain how a lever changes the way work is done.

~Give three examples of levers.

~Define pulley and wheel-and-axle.

~Explain how a pulley changes how work is done.

~Explain how a wheel-and-axle changes how work is done.

~Define inclined planes, screw, and wedge.

~Explain how an inclined plane changes the way work is done.

~Explain how a screw changes the way work is done.

~Explain how a wedge changes the way work is done.

~Great website: http://www.edheads.org/activities/simple-machines/

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*Invention Convention - The children will receive an informative letter, contract and rubric on Monday for our annual Invention Convention. They will need to brainstorm an everyday problem and develop an invention to solve this problem. On Thursday, the children will need to bring in their signed completed contract for my approval. They should not begin building their invention until they have my approval.

Social Studies - The children will take the Southwest map test on Tuesday. They will need to know the location and correct spelling of the four states in the Southwest. As before, the children will have the opportunity to earn 1/4 point bonus for each correct capital. This week, we will also continue chapter 10. In this chapter, we will explore the environment & climate of the Southwest. Chapter 10 is only 3 short lessons. We will take an open-book quiz on lessons 1-3 in chapter 10 on Friday. This way we can start on chapter 11 when we return from spring break.

Spelling - We will work on lesson 28 this week. This lesson adds the prefixes "un" and "in" to words. Students should practice their words in cursive for the test on Friday.

English - We will take a break from the English textbook for the next few weeks. Instead, we will be working on expository writing. The children will be writing a five-paragraph essay that will be displayed at the spring open house.

Reading - Fourth grade students will be reviewing the strategies of clarifying and inferring this week. We will be using a biograpghy called Louis Braille, The Boy Who Invented Books for the Blind. The vocabulary will include: pinpricks, patterns, succeeding, discouraged, simplified, and institute. This reading selection is from our anthology. It is included in a theme called Problem Solvers. The children will have an open-story comprehension & vocabulary quiz on Thursday.

Accelerated Math Menu:

Monday: Mixed Numbers & Improper Fractions. H.W. Daily Review 102 (#1-13).

Tuesday: Comparing & Ordering Fractions. H.W. Review for open-book checkpoint on Friday.

Wednesday: No math - 2 classes will be going to the Museum of Science and Industry.

Thursday: No math - 2 classes will be going to the Museum of Science and Industry.

Friday: Open-book checkpoint on factors, prime numbers, composite numbers, prime factorization (using exponents), greatest common factor, equivalent fractions, least common denominators, mixed numbers, improper fractions, and comparing/ordering fractions.

Sulima's Scoop - Week of March 15

Weekly Reminders:
*Chapter 17, lesson 2 open-book science quiz on Monday.
*Max and Erma's District fundraiser on Monday.
*Museum of Science and Industry field trip on Tuesday.
*Roller Skating Party on Tuesday, 3:45-6:30.
*Chapter 9 social studies test on Wednesday.
*Verb test on Thursday.
*Chapter 17, lesson 3 open-book science quiz on Thursday.
*Lesson 26 review spelling test on Friday.
*Tanya's Reunion comprehension/vocabulary quiz on Friday.

Plan Ahead:
*Southwest Map test on Tuesday, March 23.
*Chapter 17 Science Test on Tuesday, March 23.
*Extra Credit Science Project due on Wednesday, March 24.
*Catapult Contest on Thursday, March 25.
*Spring Break ~ Week of March 29.

Homeroom Happenings:
Science - The children will take the chapter 17, lesson 2 open-book quiz on Monday. On Tuesday, we will explore all 6 simple machines in the Simple Machines Lab at the Museum of Science and Industry. During the rest of the week, we will focus on chapter 17, lesson 3. This lesson covers inclined planes, screws, and wedges. The chapter 17, lesson 3 open-book quiz will be on Thursday. We will also fill out our "how to study" sheet for the chapter 17 test which will be on Tuesday, March 23.

Social Studies - The children will take the chapter 9 test on Wednesday. This week we will also begin our study of the Southwest region. The children will be taking the Southwest map test on Tuesday, March 23. As usual, your child will need to locate and label the states in the Southwest. Spelling of state names will count. They can also earn 1/4 point for each correct capital. This test should not be too difficult since there are only 4 states in the Southwest.
To study for the chapter 9 test review the following items:
*Keywords ~ fur trade, mission, trading post, sod, drought, Dust Bowl, mound, steamboat, hub, transcontinental railroad, & Interstate highway system.
*Describe early Ojibwa culture.
*Describe the ways Ojibwa culture has changed since the mid-1600s.
*Describe why the French came to the Midwest in the 1600s.
*Identify the roles of Louis Jolliet and Jacques Marquette in the fur trade.
*Explain the role fur trading played in the development of towns in the Midwest.
*Explain some events that forced Native American tribes in the Midwest to give up their land.
*Compare and contrast a home built out of sod and one built with logs.
*Explain the difficulties settlers faced in farming the land and their ultimate success.
*Describe the causes and long-term effects of farming the prairie, including the Dust Bowl.
*Describe Cahokia as the early trading center of the Midwest.
*Identify the goals of the Lewis and Clark expedition.
*Identify the role of the steamboat in shipping.
*Describe the advantages of railroad as compared to steamboats.
*Explain the role the government played in developing superhighways that became the Interstate highway system.

Spelling - This week we will be working with lesson 26. This is a review lesson. We will not be taking a pretest. The test on Friday will be the format where the child needs to find the word in each line that is spelled incorrectly. The children should focus on the rules of lessons 19-25.

English - On Monday, we will finish our unit on verbs with a lesson on contractions. We will also fill out our "how to study" on Monday. The test on Verbs will be on Thursday. All enrichment will be due on the day of the test. We will not begin our next unit for a few weeks. Instead, we will be working on expository writing.
To Review for the English test review the following concepts:
*Action Verbs
*Main Verbs and Helping Verbs
*Present, Past, and Future Verbs
*Subject-Verb Agreement
*Spelling Present Tense Verbs
*Spelling Past Tense Verbs
*The Past Tense with Helping Verbs
*Irregular Verbs
*The Special Verb "be"
*Contractions with "not"

Reading - Fourth grade students will be reviewing making connections and summarizing this week. We will be using a realistic fiction story called Tanya's Reunion to practice these reading strategies. The children will also need to practice the story vocabulary throughout the week and will be taking a comprehension/vocabulary quiz on Friday. During the quiz, the children may refer back to the story.

Accelerated Math Menu:
Monday ~Greatest Common Factor. H.W. Daily Review pg. 97.
Tuesday ~ No Math - My class will be visiting the museum today.
Wednesday ~ Fraction Sense. H.W. Daily Review pg. 101 #1-8 & pg. 104 #1-8.
Thursday ~ Five minute multiplication test for grade. Fractions in lowest term. H.W. Daily Review pg. 105.
Friday ~ Least Common Multiple & Least Common Denominator. H.W. None.

The children may want to begin practicing 5-minute division tests. We will begin these after spring break. Click here for free printable division sheets. http://themathworksheetsite.com

List of units covered during third trimester:
*Fraction Concepts
*Addition, subtraction, multiplication, & division of fractions
*Dividing by 2-digit numbers
*Multiplying and dividing decimals
*Ratio and Percent

Sulima's Scoop - Week of March 8

Weekly Reminders:

*Welcome to the Third Trimester.

*Parent Teacher conferences on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

*ISAT make-up testing on Monday-Wednesday.

*Chapter 17, lesson 1 open-book science quiz on Tuesday.

*Report Cards issued on Tuesday.

*Chapter 11 ~ Measurement checkpoint on Wednesday.

*Lesson 25 spelling test on Thursday.

*Lou Gehrig vocabulary/comprehension quiz on Thursday.

*No school on Friday.

Plan Ahead:

*100 minute chart for week of March 8 due on Monday, March 15.

*Chapter 17, lesson 2 open-book science quiz on Monday, March 15.

*District Eat-Out Fundraiser on Monday, March 15 at Max & Erma - YUMMY!

*Museum of Science and Industry Field Trip on Tuesday, March 16.

*Rollerskating Party on Tuesday, March 16.

*Chapter 9 social studies test on Wednesday, March 17.

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Raise a Reader:
Look for the flyer that was sent home Friday. It announces a reading incentive program that Prairieview is encouraging called “Raise a Reader.” Parents sign up your child starting Monday, March 8th by going to:
http://www.parents.com/reading/prairieviewschooldowil
All students who sign up will get to put their first name and teacher's name up on the bulletin board in the front hallway. So join the fun and keep reading!

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Museum of Science & Industry Field Trip:

I would like to thank Mrs. Awad, Mrs. Burrows, Mr. or Mrs. Meyer, Mrs. Morton, and Mrs. Spencer for volunteering to chaperone our field trip on Tuesday, March 16. If I am able, I would love to have one additional parent come with. If you are available, please let me know.

Please remember that your child can bring a sack lunch or approximately $8.00 to purchase lunch in the museum food court. The children will not be allowed to buy items at the gift shops or participate in activities that cost money.

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Homeroom Happenings:

Science - We will continue working on chapter 17 ~ Simple Machines. There will be an open-book assessment on lesson 1 on Tuesday. The lesson focuses on the lever, but it also introduces all 6 simple machines. We will then move onto lesson 2. In this lesson we will explore the pulley and wheel-and-axle.

Social Studies - Our study of the midwest will continue. On Wednesday, we will fill out a "how to study" sheet for the chapter 9 test. This test will be on Wednesday, March 17.

Spelling - Due to a four-day week with Friday off, we will not take a spelling pretest this week. The words this week all have "ture". The list will be sent home on Friday to give the children a head start on studying. The spelling test will be on Thursday.

English - We will continue our unit on verbs. The lessons we will cover are past tense verbs with helping verbs/irregular verbs (covered on the same day) and the special verb be. We will finish our unit on verbs and take the unit test during the week of March 15.

Reading - The fourth grade students will be reviewing the skills of previewing/predicting and visualizing. We will be using a picture-book biography called Lou Gehrig ~ The Luckiest Man to review these skills. The children will also need to review the vocabulary in this biography. They will take a vocabulary/comprehension quiz on Thursday.

Accelerated Math Menu:

Monday - We will continue our measurement unit by reviewing Celsius and Fahrenheit. H.W.
Daily Review pg. 131.

Tuesday - Finding the area of Parallelograms and Triangles. H.W. Daily Review pg. 135.

Wednesday - Checkpoint (open-book/notes). H.W. None.

**We will not take a test on Chapter 11. The checkpoint will count as the final grade.**

Thursday - We will begin our fractions chapter with an exploration of Factors, Composite, and Prime Numbers. H.W. #10 on Daily Review pg. 96 (need 100 chart) – be ready to discuss on Monday.

Friday - No school.