Behind the Scenes - Week of April 2

I hope everyone has a wonderfully relaxing Spring Break!


Weekly Spotlight:
*We will return to school on Monday, April 2.
*Spelling pretest on Monday.
*Spelling test on Thursday.
*Chapter 16, lesson 3 Social Studies quiz on Thursday - open book.
*No school on Friday.


Coming Attractions:
*Inventions and Contract due on Tuesday, April 10.
*Adjective Test on Tuesday, April 10.
*Spring Open House on Thursday, April 12.


Homeroom Happenings:
Science - The children will explore the force of gravity.  Our key words are:  gravity, gravitation, weight, and friction.  Children should be working on their inventions.  Inventions are due on Tuesday, April 10.  They will also need to turn in their contract, colored and labeled diagram, and grading rubric.


Social Studies - We are taking the week off to work on Open House Preparations.


English - The children will finish a unit on Adjectives this week.  We will make comparisons (er and est), compare with more or most, and compare with good and bad.  We will fill out the "how to study" sheet on Thursday.  Our Adjective test will be on Tuesday, April 10.


Spelling - We will take our pretest on Monday and final test on Thursday.


Reading - Our focus in reading next week will be on understanding different genres, specifically Pourquoi tales. Pourquoi is a French word meaning "why." Pourquoi tales are stories that tell how, long ago, something in nature came to be. Often times, these tales contain animals or natural forces that speak or have personalities.

Mrs. Sulima's Math:
Monday:  Adding fractions with like and unlike denominators.
Tuesday:  Adding Mixed Numbers.
Wednesday - Quiz on adding fractions and mixed numbers with like and unlike denominators.
Thursday - Subtracting fractions with like and unlike denominators.
Friday - No School.

Behind the Scenes - Week of March 19

Weekly Spotlight:
*Spelling pretest on Monday.
*Introduction to Invention Convention on Monday.
*No school on Tuesday - Teachers' Institute.
*Chapter 10 Social Studies Test on Wednesday.
*Invention Contract due Thursday.
*Chapter 4, lessons 5-8 Check Your Progress Math quiz on Friday (open book/notes).
*Spelling test on Friday.
*Reading Vocabulary Test on Friday.


Coming Attractions:
*Spring Break - Week of March 26-30.
*Return to school on Monday, April 2.
*No school on Friday, April 6.
*Spring Open House/Book Fair/Ice Cream Social on Thursday, April 12, from 6:30-8:00


Homeroom Happenings:
Science - We will finish chapter 15 this week.  The children will have a take-home quiz covering all of chapter 15 on Thursday night.  The quiz is open-book and notes.  The children will have time to start the quiz in class.  It will be due on Friday.  We will begin a new study of simple machines when we return from Spring Break.

In addition to finishing Chapter 15 in the text, we will begin working on our “Invention Convention” project. The students will be asked to identify a problem in their lives and come up with an invention that helps solve this problem. Think simply. This does not have to be a complex invention. An informational letter, project timeline/calendar, rubric, and contract will be handed out in science class on Monday, March 19^th. All students will be expected to complete this assignment. The contract, or plan, for the invention is due in class on Thursday, March 22^nd. I will then meet with each student to make sure they are on the right track. Once I confirm they are on the right track, students are free to begin constructing their invention. Inventions aren't due until after spring break, but the construction of the invention will need to be done at home.

Social Studies - Our chapter 10 test will be on Wednesday at 1:20.  Please reschedule band lessons, if they conflict.  To review for this test, please study the following concepts:
-Describe how the Grand Canyon was carved out by erosion caused by the Colorado River.
-Describe how erosion by water, wind, and sand continues to shape the Grand Canyon.
-Explain the the Grand Canyon is a magnificent landform that provides beauty and adventure.
-Explain why the Grand Canyon has been made a national park.
-Key Words:  adobe and pueblo
-Describe different climates found in the Southwest.
-Describe how the saguaro has adapted to a desert climate.
-Explain why the saguaro is important to desert animals.
-Key Words:  arid and savanna
-Identify a nonrenewable natural resource in the Southwest.
-Describe how the technology of the Southwest has impacted the United States.
-Key Words:  gusher and refinery
-Essay Questions:  1)  How do oil and technology play an important role in the economy of the Southwest?  2) What is the Grand Canyon and why do so many people travel to the Grand Canyon each year?  3) How does the climate of the Southwest vary? 


English - We will begin our unit on Adjectives.  This week we will cover the following lessons:  What is an adjective?,  Adjectives after Be, Using a, an, and the, and Making Comparisons with adjectives.  We will finish this unit after Spring Break.


Spelling - Our pretest will be on Monday and our final test will be on Friday.  Students with 100% on the pretest will not have to take the test on Friday.  They will choose challenge words to work with throughout the week.  Challenge spellers may take a test on the 2 Bonus Words on Friday to raise their score to 21/20.


Reading - Next week in reading, students will be focusing on the skills of identifying fact and opinion, and evaluating. A fact is a statement that can be proven to be true. An opinion tells what a person thinks, believes or feels. Good readers should be able to identify when an author is using a fact or an opinion in a story. Evaluating text involves considering how well the author expresses and supports ideas. Students will be practicing these skills while reading the third story in our “Heroes” theme, Lou Gehrig, The Luckiest Man.


Mrs. Sulima's Math:
Monday - Finish LCM and LCD.  Lesson on Mixed Numbers.
Tuesday - No School - Teachers' Institute.
Wednesday - Fractions Greater Than or Equal to One.
Thursday - Compare and Order Fractions.
Friday - Check Your Progress Quiz on lessons 5-8.

Behind the Scenes - Week of March 12

Weekly Spotlight:
*Spelling Pretest on Monday.
*Roller Skating Party on Monday.
*ISAT Testing on Tuesday and Wednesday.
*Gloria Estefan vocabulary quiz on Friday.
*Spelling Test on Friday.


ISAT Testing Schedule:
Monday - No testing. Make-ups from last week.
Tuesday - Math Part 3 & Reading Part 3.
Wednesday - Science Part 1 & Science Part 2.
Thursday - Make-ups.


Coming Attractions:
*Teacher Institute on Tuesday, March 20.
*Spring Break - March 26-30.


Homeroom Happenings:
Science - We will finish our lesson on sources of electricity.  The children will explore electromagnets & magnetic fields this week.  At the end of the week, we will begin our next lesson on uses of electricity.


Social Studies - Students will finish their desert slide shows this week.  These slide shows will be on display for the spring open house.  We will also work on lesson three which explores oil and technology.  The children will fill out a "how to study" sheet on Friday.  Our chapter 10 test will be on Wednesday, March 21.


English - The children will take the next English pretest.  We will begin a new unit during the week of March 19.


Spelling - NEW SPELLING PROCEDURE for third trimester!!!  The children will be taking a spelling pretest on Monday.  Students that receive 100% will become challenge spellers.  They will not take a test on Friday, but they will need to use their chosen words to complete 3 activities.  These activities will be due Friday.  There will be two bonus words on our spelling tests now.  Children can earn 1/2 point for each bonus word spelled correctly.


Reading - Next week, students will read about Gloria Estefan, a famous singer whose acts of kindness have made her a hero to many people. Our strategy will be making judgments. Making judgments involves deciding whether or not a character's actions are appropriate for a situation. Readers can ask themselves, “Do I agree with this? Is this right or fair?


Mrs. Sulima's Math Spotlight:
Monday - Review of factors, prime, composite, and prime factorization.  Greatest Common Factor (GCF).
Tuesday - ISAT Testing, Part 3.  The children will complete 2 Extended Response problems.
Wednesday - No math due to Science ISAT testing.
Thursday - Fraction Sense and Fractions in lowest terms.
Friday - Chapter 4, lessons 1-4 Open-book quiz.  Begin lesson on LCM and LCD.

Behind the Scenes - Week of March 5

Weekly Spotlight:
*No school on Monday - Casimir Pulaski Day
*No spelling test this week.
*Parent Teacher Conferences on Tuesday & Wednesday.
*ISAT testing on Wednesday & Thursday.
*No school on Friday.


Coming Attractions:
*Roller Skating party on Monday, March 12.
*ISAT testing on Tuesday, March 13 & Wednesday, March 14.
*No school on Tuesday, March 20 - Teacher Institute.
*Spring Break - Monday, March 26 - Friday, March 30.


ISAT Testing:
Tuesday - No testing.
Wednesday - Math Part 1 & Reading Part 1
Thursday - Math Part 2 & Reading Part 2
Interactive ISAT Sample Tests can be found with the following link:  http://metacat2.com/iltestlinks.html


Homeroom Happenings:
Science - We will begin exploring sources of energy.  The children will review kinetic and potential energy.  We will also continue to review for the science ISAT test.  Review these vocabulary words for the science ISAT test:  http://quizlet.com/10093150/4th-grade-isat-science-vocabulary-flash-cards/


Social Studies - Students who are behind on their Desert slide shows will use the classroom computers, during silent reading, to catch up.


English - We will use our English time to prepare for ISAT testing.


Spelling - We are taking the week off.


Reading - ISAT prep & ISAT testing.  Great Links:  http://rockingtheisat.blogspot.com/ & http://quizlet.com/7722103/4th-grade-isat-reading-vocabulary-flash-cards/


Mrs. Sulima's Math Spotlight:
Monday - No school.
Tuesday - Review extended response.  Practice with fractions.  Great Link:  http://rockingtheisat.blogspot.com/
Wednesday - ISAT testing in math classrooms.
Thursday - ISAT testing in math classrooms.
Friday - No school.