Behind the Scenes - Week of November 12

Weekly Spotlight:
*No school on Monday - Veteran's Day.
*Spelling pretest on Tuesday.
*Chapter 5, lesson 1 (open-book) social studies quiz on Tuesday.
*SE Map due on Thursday.
*Chapter 2, lesson 3 (open-book) science quiz on Thursday.
*Bears Spirit Day on Friday.
*TFK quiz on Friday.
*Spelling test and challenge test on Friday.
*Bingo Night on Friday - Hope to see many of you there!!

Coming Attractions:
*John Lynn - "Life on the Appalachian Trial" In-School Presentation on Monday, November 19.
*Weekly vocabulary quiz on Tuesday, November 20.
*Chapter 1 (lesson 3) and Chapter 2 (lessons 2 and 3) Science Test on Tuesday, November 20.
*No school on Wednesday, November 21.
*No school on Thursday, November 22.  Happy Turkey Day!
*No school on Friday, November 23.
*Roller Skating Party on Monday, November 26.
*Fourth Grade Field Trip and In-School Learning Experiences money due by Wednesday, November 28.

Homeroom Happenings:
Spelling - We will take a spelling pretest on Tuesday.  On Friday, regular spellers will take the weekly test.  Challenge spellers will take their alternate tests on Friday.

English - Your child now has their English contract in their English pocket.  Our new unit is on Sentences.  We will begin with lesson 1 on Wednesday.  This lesson will review sentences vs. fragments.  We will also explore the four different kinds of sentences this week:  statements, questions, commands, and exclamations.

Reading - We will continue reading A Family Apart.  Ask your child about this historical fiction novel.  This week we will also work on our second week of vocabulary.  The children will define the words on Tuesday.  They should review the definitions and think of examples for each.  We will take a quiz on these words on Tuesday, November 20.  Finally, the children should read their weekly TFK magazine.  The children will take a quiz on this magazine on Friday.  They are allowed to use their magazine during the quiz.

Science - Our focus this week will be on metamorphosis.  The children will take an open-book quiz on chapter 2, lesson 3 on Thursday.  We will also fill out a "how to study" sheet on Thursday.  Our test will be on Tuesday, November 30.  The test will cover chapter 1, lesson 3 and chapter 2, lesson 2 and 3.

Social Studies - On Tuesday, the children will take an open-book quiz on chapter 5, lesson 1.  This will conclude our unit on the Northeast Region.  The children will receive a Southeast map assignment on Tuesday.  It will be due on Thursday.  The Southeast Map test will be on Thursday, November 29.  They will need to correctly locate and identify all the Southeast states.  They can identify the capitals for 1/4 point bonus each.  We will explore the land of the Southeast by making an elevation diagram.

Mrs. Sulima's Math Spotlight:
Monday - No school, Veteran's Day.
Tuesday - Understanding Division.  HW: WB 26.
Wednesday - Division Patterns and Review of Exponents.  HW:  WB 27.
Thursday - Order of Operations.  HW:  WB 38.
Friday - Three-digit quotients.  HW:  Finish WB 28 (if not finished in class).

MAP Practice Sites:
http://www.sowashco.k12.mn.us/ro/pages/studentlinks/map/reading.htm

http://www.sowashco.k12.mn.us/ro/pages/studentlinks/map/

http://www.sowashco.k12.mn.us/ro/Pages/studentlinks/math/4-5math.htm

http://www.belleplaine.k12.mn.us/se3bin/clientgenie.cgi?schoolname=school357&statusFlag=goGenie&geniesite=133&myButton=g5plugin&db=g133_b545

http://www.linnmar.k12.ia.us/schools/westfield/westweb/NWEA_Math_RIT_Sites.html

http://www.linnmar.k12.ia.us/schools/westfield/westweb/NWEA_Rdg_RIT_Sites.html

Behind the Scenes - Week of November 5

Weekly Spotlight:
*No school on Monday.
*No school on Tuesday - Teacher Institute.
*Vocabulary quiz on Wednesday.
*Chapter 2, lesson 2 science quiz on Thursday.

Coming Attractions:
*No school on Monday, Nov. 12 - Veteran's Day.
*Bingo Night on Friday, Nov. 16 - Mrs. Sulima will be there.
*No school Nov. 21 through 23 - Thanksgiving Break
*Rollerskating Party on Monday, Nov. 26, 3:45-6:30.

Homeroom Happenings:
English - The children will take the next English pretest.  We will also share our enrichment from Unit 3.

Spelling - Due to the shortened week, we will not have a spelling unit this week.

Reading - We will begin a new novel this week - A Family Apart by Joan Lowery Nixon. This (historically accurate) heroic tale follows the adventures of six children who are sent out west on the Orphan Train by their impoverished mother in hope that they will find a better life. Frances Mary, the eldest of the Kelly children, shepherds her siblings through the Orphan Train trip and struggles to find them good homes. Frances Mary and Petey are adopted by the Cummings' and find themselves involved in the Underground Railroad movement. This book, as well as the accompanying activities, will challenge your child in various ways. Be sure to ask your child about this story. Find out more about the Orphan Train and other historical events that we will encounter while reading A Family Apart. Visit these websites: 
http://www.orphantraindepot.com/OrphanTrainHistory.html
http://www.childrensaidsociety.org/about/history/orphan-trains
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/orphan/
http://www.kidskonnect.com/subjectindex/16-educational/history/274-orphan-trains.html

Science - The children will take an open book quiz on chapter 2, lesson 2 on Thursday.  We will also continue lesson 3.

Social Studies - We will learn about a Northeast Native American tribe - The Narragansett.

Mrs. Sulima's Math Spotlight:
Monday - No school.
Tuesday - No school.
Wednesday - Review for Chapter 2 test.  HW:  Study for Chapter 2 test tomorrow.
Thursday - Chapter 2 Test with Extended Response.
Friday - Pretest and "Math Square" celebration.

MAP Practice Sites:
http://www.sowashco.k12.mn.us/ro/pages/studentlinks/map/reading.htm

http://www.sowashco.k12.mn.us/ro/pages/studentlinks/map/

http://www.sowashco.k12.mn.us/ro/Pages/studentlinks/math/4-5math.htm

http://www.belleplaine.k12.mn.us/se3bin/clientgenie.cgi?schoolname=school357&statusFlag=goGenie&geniesite=133&myButton=g5plugin&db=g133_b545

http://www.linnmar.k12.ia.us/schools/westfield/westweb/NWEA_Math_RIT_Sites.html

http://www.linnmar.k12.ia.us/schools/westfield/westweb/NWEA_Rdg_RIT_Sites.html

Behind the Scenes - Week of October 29

Weekly Spotlight:
*Spelling pretest on Monday.
*Last Book Club discussion on Monday.
*Chapter 4, lesson 3 Social Studies quiz on Monday.
*Parent Teacher Conferences on Monday, after school.
*Parent Teacher Conferences on Tuesday, after school.
*Unit 3 Verb test on Wednesday.
*Halloween Parade at 1:00 on Wednesday.
*Halloween Party from 1:30-2:20 on Wednesday.
*Time For Kids Quiz on Friday.
*Spelling test for regular and challenge spellers on Friday.
*Chapter 4 Social Studies test on Friday.

Coming Attractions:
*No school on Monday, Nov. 5.
*No school on Tuesday, Nov. 6 - Teacher Institute.
*Vocabulary quiz on Wednesday, Nov. 7.
*No school on Monday, Nov. 12 - Veteran's Day.
*Bingo Night on Friday, Nov. 16 - Mrs. Sulima will be there.
*No school Nov. 21 through 23 - Thanksgiving Break
*Rollerskating Party on Monday, Nov. 26, 3:45-6:30.

Halloween News:  On Wednesday, we will have our Halloween Parade and Party.  The party volunteers have put together a "SPOOK"tacular event.  If your child would like to dress up for the parade and party, they should bring their costume in a bag.  The children will have a short time (5-10 min.) to change into their costumes.  They will not be allowed to go to the washroom to change.  Girls and boys will be changing in two separate classrooms.  I discussed with the children the need to bring simple costumes, possibly one that can go over the clothes they are wearing.  They should be able to put on the costume themselves.  There will not be a lot of time for putting on make-up either.

Homeroom Happenings:
Spelling - NEW PROCEDURE!!!  This week, we will begin the 2nd Quarter Spelling Procedure.  We will continue to take a spelling pretest on Monday (or the first day of the week).  If your child misses 2 or less words, they will become a challenge speller.  Challenge spellers will choose alternate words to practice throughout the week.  This list will include any words missed on the pretest.  These words should be new and challenging to your child.  They will still need to do 3 challenge activities throughout the week.  On Friday, they will take their challenge spelling test (10 words).  They will get 1/4 point added to their pretest score for each word spelled correctly.

English - We have completed our unit on verbs.  The children will take the Unit 3 test on Wednesday.  Many children received a 90% or higher on the pretest.  They have the choice of taking the test for a higher grade or keeping their pretest score.  If your child is not taking the test, they will need to work on something quietly at their desks.  All English enrichment projects are due on the day of the test.

Science - This week, we will focus on photosynthesis and the life cycles of plants.  The children should review their notes each night.  They will take a chapter 2, lesson 2 quiz on Wednesday, Nov. 7.  This quiz will be open book.

Social Studies - On Monday, the children will take a quiz on chapter 4, lesson 3.  This quiz will be open book.  We will also fill out a "how to study" sheet.  The test on chapter 4 will be on Friday.  We will play a review game on Thursday to prepare for this test.Here are items to review for the test:
*Key words: glacier, gorge, hydropower, hydroelectricity, lighthouse, peninsula, vineyard, bog, sap, mineral, quarry, bay, inlet, watermen, & crab pot.
*Identify the two Great Lakes between which Niagara Falls is located.
*Identify the two main features for which Niagara Falls is known.
*Identify the three mountain ranges in the northeastern part of the Appalachian Mountains.
*Identify the two states in the Northeast that do not border the Atlantic Ocean.
*Identify key steps in the production of maple syrup.
*Explain why grapes grow well in certain areas of the Northeast.
*Identify the largest of the Finger Lakes.
*Explain why water is essential to the production and growth of cranberries.
*Define the name of the people who fish Chesapeake Bay.
*Explain how pollution from a factory gets into Chesapeake Bay.
*Explain why Chesapeake Bay is important to the Northeast.
*Describe actions a resident of the Chesapeake Bay area could take to help preserve the bay.

Reading - Second Quarter Addition:  After analyzing our homeroom MAP data, I have noticed that vocabulary is a weakness.  We will begin weekly vocabulary lists.  On Tuesdays, we will be writing the words and definitions.  The following Tuesday, the children will take a quiz on these words.  They will need to match the definition with the word.  Also, they will be asked to use a few of the words in sentences.  They will not know ahead of time which of the words will be chosen for sentences.  Have your child come up with sentences for each word using the meaning we write down in class.
We will spend most of our reading time learning about the election process, the 2 main candidates for President, and each candidates' beliefs on issues including economy, education, and a few more.

Mrs. Sulima's Math Spotlight:
Monday:  Zeros in the Multiplier.  HW:  WB 22 & review for chapter 2, lesson 5-8 quiz tomorrow.
Tuesday:  Chapter 2, lesson 5-8 quiz.  HW:  None.
Wednesday:  No math due to Halloween Parade and Party.
Thursday:  Multiplying with Money.  HW:  WB pg. 23.
Friday:  Fill out "How to Study" sheet.  Extended Response example.  HW:  Study for Chapter 2 test on Thursday, Nov. 8.



www.studiesweekly.com/vote