January 4th - 8th

Important Dates . . .
January 4 -- Classes Resume after Winter Break
January 11-15 IOWA Week
January 18 -- M.L. King's Birthday -- No School

Language Arts
We are continuing to build our skills from recognizing and identifying sentences to identifying two main parts of a sentence. Beginning this week students will learn how to locate the subject and predicate of a sentence.

Reading
We will not only be working on our fluency, phonics and phonemic awareness, but will be building on our skills by working specifically on our vocabulary skills in a very structured way. Your child will be coming home with 7 words that will be studied during the week in class and should be reviewed at home. On the page I will be senting home each Monday there will be suggestions on how you can work with your child & have them get extra practice.

Please keep reading 20 minutes a night for the Independent Reading Program! Starting January each 20 minute increment read counts for a point up to 20 points. I am strongly encouraging your child to learn to love to read! Your help is greatly appreciated! You may just note the time read in increments of 20 minutes in the pages read section. Please sign on the date the reading was accomplished. This orange folder should be turned in every Monday to make sure they are staying on track. The Independent Reading Folder should be turned in at the end of the month to ensure they can attend the lunch reading party. Keep reading!

Spelling
Practice pages will be assigned for the upcoming week's list on Friday to give additional study time. Over the weekend would be a good time to discuss the meaning of the words. Although we work on meaning typically on Fridays and Mondays, help from home is greatly encouraged! They will be receiving them daily as an assignment. A test over the lesson will be given every Friday. Please try to help your child study if you see they are not performing as well as you'd expect on the weekly test. One strategy you can use to help is: Picture words - Draw a picture and write your words in the picture.

Science
The children have begun Chapter 9, Matter. We will continue with Lesson 2 this week, “What are Solids?” We have discussed and written 3 definitions on notecards in this lesson. Including these words in conversation at home would be helpful to better understand the meaning. Then we will continue on to Lesson 3, “What are Liquids?” There is a lot of information to know. Please review lessons when possible. The information will be found in their science folder in their binder. This will help when the test arrives.

Math (Mrs. K's Math class only)
We will continue focusing on numbers – ordinal and place value and applying it to everyday situations. The children will be encouraged to use various manipulatives and strategies to achieve understanding of place value; whether it be understanding through money, unfix cubes, other tangible objects, 100's chart, and various place value charts.

Daily Homework
Reading - 20 minutes and fill in Independent Reading Folder Log
- practice reading poems given to work on fluency
Spelling - Practice Page nightly & study words with parents nightly

*Please check your child's homework and sign assignment notebook when complete.
**If your child is having difficulties with their homework please send a note and I will help them during free time

December 14th - 18th

Important Dates . . .
December 15th - 3rd Grade Bowling
December 17th - 4th Grade Bowling
December 18th - Independent Reading Program folders due
December 21 -- Winter Break Begins
January 4 -- Classes Resume after Winter Break

Christmas Theme Unit
We will be working on Christmas related activities and lessons in all areas. In reading and social studies we will be completing a Christmas webquest. In Language Arts we are focusing on capitalization rules this week. We will be working with a Christmas spelling list to build vocabulary and practice spelling. There will be no test this week, but students will still complete practice pages nightly.

Reading
We will read various Christmas stories this week. The first tells about the history and customs behind Christmas. The next few relate to the theme of Christmas, but we will be focusing more on story elements like character, plot, setting and summarizing throughout these short stories.

Please keep reading 20 minutes a night for the Independent Reading Program! You may just note the time read in increments of 20 minutes in the pages read section. Please sign on the date the reading was accomplished. This orange folder should be turned in every Monday to make sure they are staying on track. The Independent Reading Folder should be turned in this Thursday to ensure they can attend the lunch reading party. Keep reading!

Spelling
Practice pages will be assigned for the upcoming week's list on Friday to give additional study time. Over the weekend would be a good time to discuss the meaning of the words. Although we work on meaning typically on Fridays and Mondays, help from home is greatly encouraged! They will be receiving them daily as an assignment. A test over the lesson will be given every Friday.

Please try to help your child study if you see they are not performing as well as you'd expect on the weekly test. One strategy you can use to help is: Reading a Christmas story locating their spelling words within the story or Writing a Christmas letter to a long-distance family member using many of their spelling words.

Science
The children are two lessons into Chapter 9, Matter. We will revisit this unit upon our return in January. There is a lot of information to know in this chapter. Please review vocabulary cards over the next few weeks when possible. The information will be found in their science folder in their binder. This will help when the test arrives mid January.

Math (Mrs. K's Math class only)
We will continue focusing on numbers – ordinal and place value and applying it to everyday situations. The children will be encouraged to use various manipulatives and strategies to achieve understanding of place value; whether it be understanding through money, unfix cubes, other tangible objects, 100's chart, and various place value charts.

Daily Homework
Reading
- 20 minutes for 15 days this month
- fill in Independent Reading Folder Log
-turn in Independent Reading Folder Log Thursday
Spelling
- Practice Page nightly & study words with parents

*Please check your child's homework and sign assignment notebook when complete.
**If your child is having difficulties with their homework please send a note and I will help them during free time

December 7th - 11th

Important Dates . . .
December 8th – Last day to turn in gifts for our holiday service project
December 9th - Drury Lane field trip
December 15th - 3rd Grade Bowling
December 17th - 4th Grade Bowling
December 18th - Independent Reading Program folders due
December 21 -- Winter Break Begins
January 4 -- Classes Resume after Winter Break

Don't forget our Special Holiday Project!
Each year Prairieview School adopts needy families of cancer patients who struggle financially. Specific information about this project and our family was handed out. Have you seen this yet? If not, please ask your child about it. The economy is difficult right now, but if you are able to brighten Christmas for this family in any way, it would be greatly appreciated! All gifts are due by December 8th.

Miss Pellin's Blog for information about her family: http://mpellin.blogspot.com/
Mrs. Cushing's Blog for information about her family: http://cushingscorner.blogspot.com/

Language Arts
We are continuing to build our skills from recognizing and identifying sentences to identifying two main parts of a sentence. Beginning this week students will learn how to locate the subject and predicate of a sentence.

Reading
We will continue our study of Charles Dickens story, "A Christmas Carol". We will continue focusing on story elements like character, plot, setting and summarizing throughout this study. This study will better prepare us for our field trip this Wednesday. We will explore new vocabulary and compare and contrast the story with the play.

Please keep reading 20 minutes a night for the Independent Reading Program! You may just note the time read in increments of 20 minutes in the pages read section. Please sign on the date the reading was accomplished. This orange folder should be turned in every Monday to make sure they are staying on track. The Independent Reading Folder should be turned in at the end of the month to ensure they can attend the lunch reading party. Keep reading!

Spelling
Practice pages will be assigned for the upcoming week's list on Friday to give additional study time. Over the weekend would be a good time to discuss the meaning of the words. Although we work on meaning typically on Fridays and Mondays, help from home is greatly encouraged! They will be receiving them daily as an assignment. A test over the lesson will be given every Friday. Please try to help your child study if you see they are not performing as well as you'd expect on the weekly test. One strategy you can use to help is: Words without Vowels - Write your words replacing all vowels with a line.

Science
The children have begun Chapter 9, Matter. We will continue with Lesson 1 this week, “What is Matter?” We have discussed and written 3 definitions on notecards in this lesson. Including these words in conversation at home would be helpful to better understand the meaning. Then we will continue on to Lesson 2, “What are Solids?” There is a lot of information to know. Please review lessons when possible. The information will be found in their science folder in their binder. This will help when the test arrives.

Math (Mrs. K's Math class only)
We will continue focusing on place value and applying it to everyday situations. The children will be encouraged to use various manipulatives and strategies to achieve understanding of place value; whether it be understanding through money, unfix cubes, other tangible objects, 100's chart, and various place value charts.

Daily Homework
Reading - 20 minutes for 15 days this month
- fill in Independent Reading Folder Log
- practice reading poems given to work on fluency
Spelling - Practice Page nightly & study words with parents

*Please check your child's homework and sign assignment notebook when complete.
**If your child is having difficulties with their homework please send a note and I will help them during free time

November 30th - December 4th

November 30th – December 4th
Important Dates . . .
November 30 -- December 4 -- P/T Conferences
December 1 -- Report Cards
December 1 – Yearbook deadline
December 4 -- P/T Conferences -- No School

Yearbook:
Now's the time to place your orders. Yearbooks are $10.00 and the deadline for your orders is Tuesday, December 1, 2009. Please make checks payable to Lifetouch. Please make sure your student's name, teacher's name and grade level are marked on the order form. If you have multiple students, please fill out one for each child. Yearbook order forms went home with your child on November 12th and there are a few extra envelopes available; please try not to lose them. If your child loses it, you can send an envelope with the following information on it: student's name, teacher's name and grade level along with a check made payable to Lifetouch for $10.00. It is very important that you put the information on the envelope; Lifetouch does not know who your child's teacher is. Prairieview Yearbook orders are not paid for at registration.
Language ArtsWe are continuing to build our skills from recognizing phrases and sentences to identifying attributes of sentences. They should be able to identify that a sentence has two parts: a who or what part that tells who or what the sentence is about and a does what part that tells what the who or what does. Students have been able to work in partners and generate sentences including those parts accurately.

Reading
We will begin the study of Charles Dickens story, "A Christmas Carol". We will continue focusing on story elements (character) and summarizing throughout this study. This will better prepare us for our field trip next Wednesday. We will explore new vocabulary and compare and contrast the story with the play.

Please keep reading 20 minutes a night for the Independent Reading Program! You may just note the time read in increments of 20 minutes in the pages read section. Please sign on the date the reading was accomplished. This orange folder should be turned in every Monday to make sure they are staying on track. The Independent Reading Folder should be turned in at the end of the month to ensure they can attend the lunch reading party. Keep reading!

Spelling
Practice pages will be assigned for the upcoming week's list on Friday to give additional study time. Over the weekend would be a good time to discuss the meaning of the words. Although we work on meaning typically on Fridays and Mondays, help from home is greatly encouraged! They will be receiving them daily as an assignment. A test over the lesson will be given every Friday. Please try to help your child study if you see they are not performing as well as you'd expect on the weekly test. One strategy you can use to help is: Sound Words - Use a tape recorder and record your words and their spelling. Then listen to your tape, checking to see that you spelled all the words correctly.

Math (Mrs. K's Math class only)
We will continue focusing on place value and applying it to everyday situations. The children will be encouraged to use various manipulatives and strategies to achieve understanding of place value; whether it be understanding through money, unfix cubes, other tangible objects, 100's chart, and various place value charts.

Daily Homework
Reading
- 20 minutes and fill in Independent Reading Folder Log
- practice reading poems given to work on fluency
Spelling - Practice Page nightly & study words

*Please check your child's homework and sign assignment notebook when complete.
**If your child is having difficulties with their homework please send a note and I will help them during free time

November 23rd - November 27th

Important Dates . . .
November 25, 26, 27 -- Thanksgiving Holiday -- No School
November 30 -- December 4 -- P/T Conferences
December 1 -- Report Cards
December 1 -- Deadline for Yearbooks

Yearbook:
Now's the time to place your orders. Yearbooks are $10.00 and the deadline for your orders is Tuesday, December 1, 2009. Please make checks payable to Lifetouch. Please make sure your student's name, teacher's name and grade level are marked on the order form. If you have multiple students, please fill out one for each child. Yearbook order forms went home with your child on November 12th and there are a few extra envelopes available; please try not to lose them. If your child loses it, you can send an envelope with the following information on it: student's name, teacher's name and grade level along with a check made payable to Lifetouch for $10.00. It is very important that you put the information on the envelope; Lifetouch does not know who your child's teacher is. Prairieview Yearbook orders are not paid for at registration.

Independent Reading Program
Please keep reading 20 minutes a night for the Independent Reading Program! You may just note the time read in increments of 20 minutes in the pages read section. Please sign on the date the reading was accomplished. This orange folder should be turned in every Monday to make sure they are staying on track. The Independent Reading Folder should be turned in next Monday, November 30th, to ensure they can attend the lunch reading party. Keep reading!

Thanksgiving Theme Unit
Since there are only two days this week, we will be working on Thanksgiving related activities and lessons in all areas. In reading and social studies we will be completing a Thanksgiving webquest. We will be working with a Thanksgiving spelling list to build vocabulary and practice spelling. There will be no test this week, but students will still complete practice pages nightly.


Daily Homework
Reading - 20 minutes and fill in Independent Reading Folder Log
- practice reading poems given to work on fluency
Spelling - Practice Page nightly & study words

*Please check your child's homework and sign assignment notebook when complete.
**If your child is having difficulties with their homework please send a note and I will help them during free time

November 16th - November 20th

Important Dates . . .

November 19 – Picture Retakes
November 25, 26, 27 -- Thanksgiving Holiday -- No School
December 1 -- Report Cards
November 30 -- December 4 -- P/T Conferences

Yearbook:
Now's the time to place your orders. Yearbooks are $10.00 and the deadline for your orders is Tuesday, December 1, 2009. Please make checks payable to Lifetouch. Please make sure your student's name, teacher's name and grade level are marked on the order form. If you have multiple students, please fill out one for each child. Yearbook order forms went home with your child on November 12th and there are a few extra envelopes available; please try not to lose them. If your child loses it, you can send an envelope with the following information on it: student's name, teacher's name and grade level along with a check made payable to Lifetouch for $10.00. It is very important that you put the information on the envelope; Lifetouch does not know who your child's teacher is. FYI - Prairieview Yearbook orders are not paid for at registration.

Language Arts
We are continuing to build our skills from recognizing phrases and sentences to identifying attributes of sentences. They should be able to identify that a sentence has two parts: a who or what part that tells who or what the sentence is about and a does what part that tells what the who or what does.

Reading
We are working on story elements and decoding skills. The story element being focused on is character. Students need to work on recall of information and details relating to characters. Also, we will be working on paragraph or short story summaries. To do this we will be focusing on key words in sentences to better help us retell that sentence.


Please keep reading 20 minutes a night for the Independent Reading Program! You may just note the time read in increments of 20 minutes in the pages read section. Please sign on the date the reading was accomplished. This orange folder should be turned in every Monday to make sure they are staying on track. The Independent Reading Folder should be turned in at the end of the month to ensure they can attend the lunch reading party. Keep reading!

Spelling
Practice pages will be assigned for the upcoming week's list on Friday to give additional study time. Over the weekend would be a good time to discuss the meaning of the words. Although we work on meaning typically on Fridays and Mondays, help from home is greatly encouraged! They will be receiving them daily as an assignment. A test over the lesson will be given every Friday. Please try to help your child study if you see they are not performing as well as you'd expect on the weekly test. One strategy you can use to help is: Sound Words - Use a tape recorder and record your words and their spelling. Then listen to your tape, checking to see that you spelled all the words correctly.


Science
Last week we wrapped up lesson 3 of our Introduction Unit: Inquiry Skills; therefore, the test will be Wednesday, November 18th. Please re-read the unit (p.1-37) with your child this weekend to help refresh their memory of the information learned prior. The information listed on the study guide is a must to study for understanding what is expected on the test. Many of the questions are taken directly from the vocabulary cards, notes, and quiz in their Science Folder in their binder. There is a lot of information to know. You should have been reviewing the notes and vocabulary cards all along, so this should make it an easier weekend of studying.



Math (Mrs. K's Math class only)
We will continue focusing on place value and applying it to everyday situations. The children will be encouraged to use various manipulatives and strategies to achieve understanding of place value; whether it be understanding through money, unfix cubes, other tangible objects, 100's chart, and various place value charts.



Daily Homework
Reading - 20 minutes and fill in Independent Reading Folder Log
- practice reading poems given to work on fluency
Spelling - Practice Page nightly & study words
Science – Introductory Unit Test Wednesday


*Please check your child's homework and sign assignment notebook when complete.
**If your child is having difficulties with their homework please send a note and I will help them during free time

November 9th - November 13th

Important Dates . . .
November 11 -- Veteran's Day -- No School
November 19 – Picture Retakes
November 25, 26, 27 -- Thanksgiving Holiday -- No School
December 1 -- Report Cards
November 30 -- December 4 -- P/T Conferences

Language Arts
We are continuing to build our skills from recognizing phrases and sentences to identifying attributes of sentences. They should be able to identify that a sentence has two parts: a who or what part that tells who or what the sentence is about and a does what part that tells what the who or what does.

Reading
We are working on story elements and decoding skills. The story element being focused on is character. Students need to work on recall of information and details relating to characters.

Please keep reading 20 minutes a night for the Independent Reading Program! You may just note the time read in increments of 20 minutes in the pages read section. Please sign on the date the reading was accomplished. This orange folder should be turned in every Monday to make sure they are staying on track. The Independent Reading Folder should be turned in at the end of the month to ensure they can attend the lunch reading party. Keep reading!

Spelling
Practice pages will be assigned for the upcoming week's list on Friday to give additional study time. Over the weekend would be a good time to discuss the meaning of the words. Although we work on meaning typically on Fridays and Mondays, help from home is greatly encouraged! They will be receiving them daily as an assignment. A test over the lesson will be given every Friday. Please try to help your child study if you see they are not performing as well as you'd expect on the weekly test. One strategy you can use to help is: X Words - Write two words having one common letter so they criss-cross.

Science
We will wrap up lesson 2 and move onto lesson 3 in our introductory chapter this week, Inquiry Skills. This is otherwise known as the skills to use when following the steps in the Scientific Method. There is a lot of information to know. Please review notes and vocabulary cards when possible. The information will be found in their Science folder in their binder. This will help when the test arrives.

Science at Home: There are plenty of opportunities to do science experiments at home. Together think of a question to ask, such as what dissolves in water, what floats or sinks, etc. Then come up with a hypothesis and an experiment plan. Have your child write the steps of the experiment and try it (Hint: if you need assistance the science folder is a good place to help you). Remember to record data during the experiment. Help your child come up with a conclusion and share your findings with family members.

Math (Mrs. K's Math class only)
We will continue focusing on place value and applying it to everyday situations. The children will be encouraged to use various manipulatives and strategies to achieve understanding of place value; whether it be understanding through money, unfix cubes, other tangible objects, 100's chart, and various place value charts.

Daily Homework
Reading - 20 minutes and complete Independent Reading Folder Log
- practice reading poems given to work on fluency
Spelling - Practice Page nightly & study words

*Please check your child's homework and sign assignment notebook when complete.
**If your child is having difficulties with their homework please send a note and I will help them during free time

November 2nd - November 6th

Important Dates . . .
November 11 -- Veteran's Day -- No School

Language Arts
We are continuing to build our skills from recognizing phrases and sentences to identifying attributes of sentences. They should be able to identify that a sentence has two parts: a who or what part that tells who or what the sentence is about and a does what part that tells what the who or what does.

Reading
We are working on story elements and decoding skills. The story element being focused on is character. Students need to work on recall of information and details relating to characters.

Please keep reading 20 minutes a night for the Independent Reading Program! Due to some confusion, you may just note the time read in increments of 20 minutes in the pages read section. This orange folder should be turned in every Monday to make sure they are staying on track. Keep reading!

Spelling
Practice pages will be assigned for the upcoming week's list on Friday to give additional study time. Over the weekend would be a good time to discuss the meaning of the words. Although we work on meaning typically on Fridays and Mondays, help from home is greatly encouraged! They will be receiving them daily as an assignment. A test over the lesson will be given every Friday. Please try to help your child study if you see they are not performing as well as you'd expect on the weekly test. One strategy you can use to help is: Popsicles - Make words using popsicle sticks.

Science
We will continue our introductory chapter this week. This chapter highlights information that students can use throughout the year. We will review Lesson 1 this week, “What are Tools for Inquiry?” We have discussed the definition of the root word of inquiry: inquire (to ask a question). Then we will continue in our introductory chapter, lesson 2. There is a lot of information to know. Please review lessons when possible. The information will be found in their Science folder in their binder. This will help when the test arrives.

Math (Mrs. K's Math class only)
We will move on to Chapter 3, Place Value and apply it to everyday situations.

Daily Homework
Reading - 20 minutes and complete Independent Reading Folder Log
- practice reading poems given to work on fluency
Spelling - Practice Page nightly & study words

*Please check your child's homework and sign assignment notebook when complete.
**If your child is having difficulties with their homework please send a note and I will help them during free time

October 26th - October 30th

Important Dates . . .
October 29 – Independent Reading Program folders due
October 30 -- Teacher Institute -- No School
November 11 -- Veteran's Day -- No School

3rd Grade Notes:
Third Grade will be taking a field trip to Downers Grove as part of our Social Studies unit about our city. A permission slip for the Downers Grove field trip was sent home. The signed permission slip was due on Friday, October 23rd. You may also send $7.50 along with the signed permission slip to cover the cost of a Giordano's (Downers Grove) pizza lunch. If you do not wish to have your child participate, please send a cold lunch on the day of the field trip (no money is necessary). Everyone will eat at Giordano's restaurant (cold or pizza). If you would like, though it is not necessary, you can also send $5-$8 in cash on the day of the field trip. Your student can spend this money at any of the downtown Downers Grove shops. Each student will be responsible for their own money.

In addition, the 3rd graders from my room will be joining 4th graders for the Christmas Carol production at Drury Lane on December 9th. This field trip will be a culminating activity with our literature study of the Christmas Carol. Permission slips and $8.50 are due asap.

4th Grade Notes:
A permission slip went home last week regarding “all” field trips for 4th grade that will be taken this year. Please sign the form (on each line) and return the form with one check by October 27th.

Halloween Party:
Halloween is right around the corner. We will “not” be having the typical Halloween party. On October 29th, we will begin our afternoon at 12:30 with the annual parade. The afternoon will then consist of a snack, assembly, and pumpkin decorating contest. Your child can bring in things from home to help decorate their pumpkin. We will “not” be carving pumpkins. In addition, if you child would like to bring in something to pass out to the class on that day, it is fine. We will be “sending” home these items.

Language Arts
We will be working on various language arts skills through DOL activities and other various Halloween themed activities. They will be expected to build on their skills from recognizing phrases and sentences to identifying attributes of sentences.


Reading
Through the theme of Halloween we will be reading about the history behind the holiday and reading a few plays as a class. Students will be expected to recall of information and details relating to information read and discussed.

Please keep reading 20 minutes a night for the Independent Reading Program! Due to some confusion, you may just note the time read in increments of 20 minutes in the pages read section. This orange folder should be turned in every Monday to make sure they are staying on track. The final turn in day for the month will be Wednesday, October 29th. Keep reading!

Spelling
Practice pages will be assigned for the upcoming week's list on Friday to give additional study time. Over the weekend would be a good time to discuss the meaning of the words. Although we work on meaning typically on Fridays and Mondays, help from home is greatly encouraged! They will be receiving them daily as an assignment. A test over the lesson will be given every Friday. Please try to help your child study if you see they are not performing as well as you'd expect on the weekly test. One strategy you can use to help is: Halloween Colored Words - Write your words in orange and black.

Science
We will continue to link our introductory chapter to the Halloween Pumpkin Science. The students will have to apply actual science to pumpkins this week.

Math (Mrs. K's Math class only)
We will continue focusing on various basic math skills as they relate to Halloween. The children will work on graphing, patterns, fractions, calendar concepts, and addition.

Daily Homework
Reading - 20 minutes and complete Independent Reading Folder Log
- Independent Reading Folder Log due 10/30
- practice reading play part
Spelling - Practice Page nightly & study words

*Please check your child's homework and sign assignment notebook when complete.
**If your child is having difficulties with their homework please send a note and I will help them during free time.

October 19th - 23rd

Important Dates . . .
October 21 -- Early Dismissal @ 11 a.m.
October 22 -- Chapter 1 Math Test
October 29 – Independent Reading Program folders due
October 30 -- Teacher Institute -- No School

3rd Grade Notes:
Third grade will be taking a field trip to Downers Grove as part of our Social Studies unit about our city. The permission slip for the Downers Grove field trip was sent home recently. The signed permission slip is due on Friday, October 23rd. You may also send $7.50 along with the signed permission slip to cover the cost of a Giordano's (Downers Grove) pizza lunch. If you do not wish to have your child participate, please send a cold lunch on the day of the field trip (no money is necessary). Everyone will eat at Giordano's restaurant (cold or pizza). If you would like, though it is not necessary, you can also send $5-$8 in cash on the day of the field trip. Your student can spend this money at any of the downtown Downers Grove shops. Each student will be responsible for their own money.

4th Grade Notes:
A permission slip went home last week regarding “all” field trips that will be taken this year. Please sign the form (on each line) and return the form with one check by October 27th.


Language Arts
We are continuing to build our skills from recognizing phrases and sentences to identifying attributes of sentences. They should be able to identify that a sentence has two parts: a who or what part that tells who or what the sentence is about and a does what part that tells what the who or what does.

Reading
We are working on story elements and decoding skills. The story element being focused on is character. Students need to work on recall of information and details relating to characters.

Please keep reading 20 minutes a night for the Independent Reading Program! Due to some confusion, you may just note the time read in increments of 20 minutes in the pages read section. This orange folder should be turned in every Monday to make sure they are staying on track. The final turn in day for the month will be Wednesday, October 29th. Keep reading!

Spelling
Practice pages will be assigned for the upcoming week's list on Friday to give additional study time. Over the weekend would be a good time to discuss the meaning of the words. Although we work on meaning typically on Fridays and Mondays, help from home is greatly encouraged! They will be receiving them daily as an assignment. A test over the lesson will be given every Friday. Please try to help your child study if you see they are not performing as well as you'd expect on the weekly test. One strategy you can use to help is: Choo-Choo Words - Write the entire list end-to-end as one long word, using different colors of crayon or ink for different words.

Science
The children will begin with an introductory unit of study for the science text. This will highlight information that students will use throughout the year. We will continue with Lesson 1 this week, “What are Tools for Inquiry?” We have discussed the definition of the root word of inquiry: inquire (to ask a question). Including this word in conversation at home would be helpful to better understand the meaning.

Math (Mrs. K's Math class only)
Chapter 1 test will be this Friday. They will continue focusing on basic addition, but now adding three numbers for our last lesson. The children are using various techniques to achieve the sum; whether it be a numberline, touchpoints, manipulatives, make a ten, addition table or memory.

Daily Homework
Reading - 20 minutes and complete Independent Reading Folder Log
- practice reading poems given to work on fluency
Spelling - Practice Page nightly & study words
Math – Chapter 1 Test Friday
- practice counting, one to one correspondence, and addition facts with sums up to 20

October 12th - 16th

Important Dates . . .
October 12 -- Columbus Day -- No School
October 21 -- Early Dismissal
October 29 – Independent Reading Program folders due
October 30 -- Teacher Institute -- No School

Trimester Midpoint:
If you haven't already, please take a few minutes to check your child's grades in each subject.

Language Arts
We are wrapped up the Level I unit on sentences. We will advance our knowledge in this area with Levels II and III. Students build their skills from recognizing phrases and sentences to identifying attributes of sentences. They should be able to identify that a sentence has two parts: a who or what part that tells who or what the sentence is about and a does what part that tells what the who or what does.

Reading
We are working on phonics and sight word reading skills daily. They will continue working throughout the week practicing a poem focusing on fluency. This poem is introduced on Monday and they are to read it to me on Friday without any assistance. It is important to keep practicing nightly! Also, they will continue sorting information independently into categories to find the main idea.
Please keep reading 20 minutes a night for the Independent Reading Program! Due to some confusion, you may just note the time read in increments of 20 minutes in the pages read section. This orange folder should be turned in every Monday to make sure they are staying on track. The final turn in day for the month will be Wednesday, October 29th. Keep reading!

Spelling
Practice pages will be assigned for the upcoming week's list on Friday to give additional study time. They will be receiving them daily as an assignment. A test over the lesson will be given every Friday. Please try to help your child study if you see they are not performing as well as you'd expect on the weekly test. One strategy you can use to help is: Delicious words - Write your words in whipped cream, peanut butter,or anything you can eat!

Science
The children will begin with an introductory unit of study for the science text. This will highlight information that students will use throughout the year. We will begin with Lesson 1 this week, “What are Tools for Inquiry?” This lesson will be continued next week.

Math (Mrs. K's Math class only)
We will continue focusing on basic addition facts for a couple more lessons. The children are using various techniques to achieve the sum; whether it be a numberline, touchpoints, manipulatives, make a ten, addition table or memory.

Daily Homework
Reading - 20 minutes and complete Independent Reading Folder Log
- practice reading poems given to work on fluency
Spelling - Practice Page nightly & study words
Math - practice counting, one to one correspondence, and addition facts with sums up to 20

*Please check your child's homework and sign assignment notebook when complete.
**If your child is having difficulties with their homework please send a note and I will help them during free time.

October 5th - 9th

Important Dates . . .
October 6 – Progress Reports (D's & F's only) mailed home
October 12 -- Columbus Day -- No School
October 21 -- Early Dismissal
October 29 – Independent Reading Program folders due
October 30 -- Teacher Institute -- No School

Trimester Midpoint:
Please take a few minutes to check your child's grades in each subject.

Language Arts
We are wrapped up the Level I unit on sentences. We will advance our knowledge in this area with Levels II and III. Students build their skills from recognizing phrases and sentences to identifying attributes of sentences. They should be able to identify that a sentence has two parts: a who or what part that tells who or what the sentence is about and a does what part that tells what the who or what does.

Reading
We are working on phonics and sight word reading skills daily. They will continue working throughout the week practicing a poem focusing on fluency. This poem is introduced on Monday and they are to read it to me on Friday without any assistance. It is important to keep practicing nightly! Also, they will continue sorting information independently into categories to find the main idea.

Please keep reading 20 minutes a night for a minimum of 20 days in the month to complete the Independent Reading Program! Due to some confusion I have made a new sheet, you may just note the time read in increments of 20 minutes. This orange folder should be turned in every Monday to make sure they are staying on track. The final turn in day for the month will be Wednesday, October 29th. Keep reading!

Spelling
Practice pages will be assigned for the upcoming week's list on Friday to give additional study time. They will be receiving them daily as an assignment. A test over the lesson will be given every Friday. Please try to help your child study if you see they are not performing as well as you'd expect on the weekly test. One strategy you can use to help is: Pyramid Words - Write your words adding or subtracting one letter at a time. The result will be a pyramid shape of words.

Social Studies
The children will complete their study of Unit 1 this week. They should be able to explain that they live in a town which is part of a state that belongs to a country. Then the larger part is how a country is part of a continent which is part of the world; hence, Lesson 5: Our Country in Part of Our World. To study for the test they may want to remember the phrase Never Eat Soggy Waffles to remember North, South, East, & West. We will review on Wednesday and Thursday. The study guide will go out on Wednesday. The test is scheduled for Friday. On Wednesday I can send home books; however, the worksheets and vocabulary cards are a great start and mainly what they will need to know for the test.

Math (Mrs. K's Math class only)
We will continue focusing on Make a Ten strategy. Then we will work on basic addition facts for a couple of lessons. The children are using various techniques to achieve the sum; whether it be a numberline, touchpoints, manipulatives, or memory.

Daily Homework
Reading - 20 minutes and complete Independent Reading Folder Log
- practice reading poems given to work on fluency
Spelling - Practice Page nightly & study words
Math - practice counting, one to one correspondence, and addition facts with a sum of 10
Social Studies – Unit 1 Test :) on Friday

*Please check your child's homework and sign assignment notebook when complete.
**If your child is having difficulties with their homework please send a note and I will help them during free time.

September 28th - October 2nd

Important Dates . . .
September 30 – Independent Reading Program folders due
October 12 -- Columbus Day -- No School
October 21 -- Early Dismissal
October 30 -- Teacher Institute -- No School

Please check home folders each night for papers and notes. Signing the assignment notebook upon your child completing all homework would be greatly appreciated.

Language Arts
We are wrapped up the Level I unit on sentences. We will advance our knowledge in this area with Levels II and III. Students build their skills from recognizing phrases and sentences to identifying attributes of sentences. They should be able to identify that a sentence has two parts: a who or what part that tells who or what the sentence is about and a does what part that tells what the who or what does.

Reading
We are continuing with brief assessments of each child's skills. It's nice to see each child's individual strengths in the area of reading! We are working on phonics and sight word reading skills daily. This week they will work independently on sorting information into categories to find the main idea. Please keep reading 20 minutes a night for the Independent Reading Program! Due to some confusion, you may just note the time read in increments of 20 minutes in the pages read section. This orange folder should be turned in every Monday to make sure they are staying on track. The final turn in day for the month will be Wednesday, September 30th. Keep reading!

Spelling
Practice pages will be assigned for the upcoming week's list on Friday to give additional study time. They will be receiving them daily as an assignment. A test over the lesson will be given every Friday. Please try to help your child study if you see they are not performing as well as you'd expect on the weekly test. One strategy you can use to help is: Surround words - Write your words on graph paper and outline in colors.

Social Studies
The children will learn the meaning of the word capital. They will also learn that they live in a state and a country and that both places have capitals. We will also continue working on directions on a compass rose. They learned the phrase Never Eat Soggy Waffles to remember North, South, East, & West. Working on directions (right & left too!) as you are traveling throughout the community will better help them apply their knowledge into everyday situations.

Math (Mrs. K's Math class only)
We will continue focusing on Make a Ten strategy. Then we will work on basic addition facts for a couple of lessons. The children are using various techniques to achieve the sum; whether it be a numberline, touchpoints, manipulatives, or memory.

Daily Homework
Reading - 20 minutes and complete Independent Reading Folder Log
- practice reading poems given to work on fluency
Spelling - Practice Page nightly & study words
Math - practice counting, one to one correspondence, and addition facts with a sum of 10

*Please check your child's homework and sign assignment notebook when complete.
**If your child is having difficulties with their homework please send a note and I will help them during free time.

September 21st - 25th

Important Dates . . .
September 22 -- Early Dismissal @ 11 a.m.
September 30 – Independent Reading Program folders due

Please check home folders each night for papers and notes. Signing the assignment notebook upon your child completing all homework would be greatly appreciated.

Language Arts
We are advancing well through the unit on sentences. It looks like we will wrap up this unit by the end of the week. Also, we will continue focusing on each individual child's knowledge of personal information. Handwriting will continue to be important whether it be a structured lesson or in every day writing.

Reading
We are continuing with brief assessments of each child's skills. It's nice to see each child's individual strengths in the area of reading! We are working on phonics and sight word reading skills daily. This week they will work independently on sorting information into categories to find the main idea. Please keep reading 20 minutes a night for the Independent Reading Program! Due to some confusion, you may just note the time read in increments of 20 minutes in the pages read section. This orange folder should be turned in every Monday to make sure they are staying on track. The final turn in day for the month will be Wednesday, September 30th. Keep reading!

Spelling
Practice pages will be assigned for the upcoming week's list on Friday to give additional study time. They will be receiving them daily as an assignment. A test over the lesson will be given every Friday.

Social Studies
The children will be expanding their knowledge from neighborhoods make up communities to identifying different types of living communities. They should be able to differentiate between an urban, rural, and suburban community. Also, they are working on directions on a compass rose. They learned the phrase Never Eat Soggy Waffles to remember North, South, East, & West. Working on directions (right & left too!) as you are traveling throughout the community will better help them apply their knowledge into everyday situations.

Math (Mrs. K's Math class only)
We will begin the week with continuing on the strategy of doubles. We will also be focusing on Make a Ten strategy. The children are using various techniques to achieve the sum; whether it be a numberline, touchpoints, manipulatives, or memory.

Daily Homework
Reading - 20 minutes and complete Independent Reading Folder Log
Spelling - Practice Page nightly & study words
Math - practice counting, one to one correspondence, and addition facts with a sum of 10

*Please check your child's homework and sign assignment notebook when complete.
**If your child is having difficulties with their homework please send a note and I will help them during free time.

September 14th - 18th

Important Dates . . .
every Fri. Spirit Day – Favorite team or PV apparel
September 22 -- Early Dismissal @ 11 a.m.

Your child is continuing doing a great job adjusting to the routine of their new grade. Please check home folders each night for papers and notes. Signing the assignment notebook upon your child completing all homework would be greatly appreciated.

Language Arts
We are beginning a unit on sentences this week. Be sure to ask your child questions about what he has learned about sentences. One way to work at home with your child in this area is to read a story with them. As you read together, have your child point to the sentences and track the entire sentence from beginning to end. When your child reaches the end of a sentence, ask if it is a telling or an asking sentence. Also, we will continue focusing on each individual child's knowledge of personal information. Handwriting will continue to be important whether it be a structured lesson or in every day writing.

Reading
We are continuing with brief assessments of each child's skills. It's nice to see each child's individual strengths in the area of reading! We are working on phonics and sight word reading skills daily. Also, they will continue sorting information into categories to find the main idea. Please keep reading 20 minutes a night for the Independent Reading Program!!!

Spelling
Practice pages will be assigned for the upcoming week's list on Friday to give additional study time. They will be receiving them daily as an assignment. A test over the lesson will be given every Friday.

Social Studies
The children will be learn to recognize the diversity in communities. Also, they will learn how communities change over time. One way to apply what we are learning is when you are out in the community, have your child identify things such as what makes up their neighborhood and how many neighborhoods make up a community.

Math (Mrs. K's Math class only)
We began working on understanding addition and then moved on to a strategy called counting on. The students needed a review of these concepts as complete independence was not achieved; therefore, we will begin the week with a review of these concepts and move on to the strategy of doubles. The children are using various techniques to achieve the sum; whether it be a numberline, touchpoints, manipulatives, or memory.

Daily Homework
Reading - 20 minutes and complete Independent Reading Folder Log
Spelling - Practice Page nightly & study words
Math - practice counting, one to one correspondence, and addition & subtraction math facts

*Please check your child's homework and sign assignment notebook when complete.
**If your child is having difficulties with their homework please send a note and I will help them during free time.

Thank You!
I would like to extend a belated thank you to all of the parents who were able to attend Curriculum Night. I enjoyed sharing information with you about the 2009-2010 school year. A few parents who were unable to attend sent in requests for 1st Trimester conferences. I will be sending home times available for conferences next week.

September 7th - 11th

Important Dates . . .
September 7 -- Labor Day -- No School
September 22 -- Early Dismissal


Your children are doing a great job adjusting to the routine of their new grade. Please help
them remember to bring their binder and assignment notebook to school every day. Parents
should be checking home folders each night for papers and notes.

Language Arts
We have begun our Language Arts curriculum focusing on each individual child. They have created acrostic poems and written about themselves with guidance. Also, we have focused on handwriting. The students will continue to work in this area for quite sometime. Next week we will begin grammar instruction.

Reading
I will continue assessing each child's skills for proper instruction. I look forward to seeing each child's individual strengths in the area of reading! We will continue sorting information into categories to find the main idea. Please keep reading 20 minutes a night for the Independent Reading Program!!!

Spelling
Practice pages will be assigned for the upcoming week's list on Friday to give additional study time. They will be receiving them daily as an assignment. A test over the lesson will be given every Friday.

Social Studies
Our first lesson will be Living in a Neighborhood. We will identify ways people work together in the classroom and community by obeying rules and laws, and how rules and laws can be changed.

Math (Mrs. K's Math class only)
We began by a few days of pre-assessment in a variety of areas. Then, we began working on addition strategies that focus on counting on and using doubles to add sums to 18. We are working on the following addition strategies: counting on, using doubles, using doubles plus 1, and making 10 to find sums. Students are using various techniques to achieve the sum; whether it be a numberline, touchpoints, manipulatives, or memory.

Daily Homework
Reading - 20 minutes and complete Independent Reading Folder Log
Spelling - Practice Page nightly & study words
Math - practice counting, one to one correspondence, and addition & subtraction math facts
*Please check your child's homework and sign assignment notebook when complete.
**If your child is having difficulties with their homework please send a note and I will help them during free time.

Week of August 31st - September 4th

Important Dates . . .

September 1 -- 3rd Grade Curriculum Night 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
September 3 -- 4th/5th Grade Curriculum Night 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
September 4 -- Book orders due
September 7 -- Labor Day -- No School
September 22 -- Early Dismissal


Welcome to the beginning of another new and exciting year! By this week, your child should be bringing in a healthy snack to school each day. Also, I would like each child to have an appropriate silent reading book to keep in their desk for a daily silent reading time.

This week our class began with earning "Classroom Cash”. A student can earn a dollar by showing good behavior, good classroom performance, remembering to get a signature when needed, showing good character, following directions, etc. They will be able to buy rewards and special prizes. They are able to pick out of a prize bin on Friday afternoons. Donations throughout the year for stickers, pencils, and other items of interest are always appreciated!

Curriculum Night is scheduled for Tuesday, September 1st for 3rd graders and Thursday, September 3rd for 4th graders, starting at 6:30 p.m. in the multipurpose room. This is a very important evening that will highlight some important classroom information. After being dismissed from the gym, please come to my room versus the homeroom. I hope you can make it! If you need to contact me, the easiest way is through email – jkrasno@ccsd66.org

How to keep up with the right blog! We are into the second week of school now and you are probably wondering, "What blog should I read?" Here is the answer to your question: "Mrs. Krasnodebski's Blog" - for most academic classes. "Mrs. Beseth's Blog" - if your child is in her math class. "Mrs. Cushing's Blog" or "Miss Pellin's Blog" - mainly referring to the class events like parties and the such. Does that begin to help you out? If not please email me.

New Autism Language Center

NEW AUTISM LANGUAGE CENTER, BY YOUR SIDE, OPENS IN BURR RIDGE ON OCTOBER 5TH

Facility features a unique “home” design and four comprehensive language programs

Burr Ridge, IL — BY YOUR SIDE, a unique speech and language therapy center, dedicated to providing speech and language therapy to children and young adults with autism , will open October 5th in Burr Ridge. The center, led by Julie Martin, M.A., a licensed and certified speech language pathologist specializing in the area of autism, will head the center that teaches communication strategies and social skills to cope within the demands of everyday life. The floor plan of BY YOUR SIDE is set up to promote and create a natural environment, the first of it’s kind in the Chicagoland area. The center is made up of rooms found in a home with subtle accommodations (e.g. safety corners, visual/picture cues) to support the child with autism. The facility also includes instruction rooms which are specifically created for one on one teaching of skills in a room free of all stimuli. Language concepts, communication strategies and social skills are then taught within the activities of each of the “home” rooms. The center features a den, kitchen, play room, activity room, indoor playground, individual therapy rooms and quiet sensory room.

BY YOUR SIDE’s philosophy includes the belief that language is the foundation of all communication and is embedded in every facet of life. Communication is not restricted by time, place or person. Improvement of language skills is directly correlated to quality of life and ability to participate in its activities. These skills must be taught in a natural and relevant environment providing direct instruction and opportunities for generalization with a variety of communication partners.

BY YOUR SIDE offers four programming options to address the varying needs of the autism spectrum. Frequency and intensity of the program is unique to each individual and determined by the therapy team which includes the family as an important member of that team.

The Intensive Therapy program, ABA and verbal behavior, is intended for children or young adults who have behaviors that interfere with learning. The program will focus on teaching an array of functional skills to help increase language, play and socialization within the demands of everyday life.

The Language Builder program is created to teach fundamental language and communication skills to allow the child to have foundational knowledge to cope and communicate in academic and social routines using a combination of individual and group therapy.

The Augmentative Communication program is intended for children and young adults who currently have access to communication devices but are not realizing the full potential of the device.

The Social Circles program is intended for children and young adults who have adequate language skills but have difficulty navigating through conversation and social interactions.

BY YOUR SIDE’s carefully developed setting paired with a well-cultivated team consisting of many qualified and devoted professionals, promises to deliver winning results. Individuals enrolled in the center’s unique programs will receive one on one nurturing from an experienced and committed staff of therapists.

Julie Martin M.A. is a licensed and certified speech language pathologist specializing in the area of autism. With over 8 years of working with students with moderate to severe autism ranging in ages from 4 years to 19 years, she has experience in a variety of therapy models and techniques including ABA, discreet trial, verbal behavior, PECS, Greenspan’s Floortime, and structured teaching. She has a passion for literacy and its ability to enrich language and communication skills. She has experience with a variety of types and forms of augmentative and alternative communication including sign language, literacy, static and dynamic displays. She has spent the last five years developing the speech and language program at the Autism Comprehensive Educational program at Elim Christian Services. In addition to her responsibilities as speech language pathologist she was an active member of the literacy committees of both ACE and Elim Christian Services. She presented at the Illinois Speech and Hearing Association (ISHA) annual conference. Julie was invited to present her therapy model as a best practice philosophy to the Illinois State Board of Education conference for non-public schools which was enthusiastically received. Julie has dedicated the last five years of her profession to developing therapy delivery models and methods that improve the language and communication skills of students with autism.

Laura O’Rourke holds a Master of Science degree in special education and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. She has over 10 years of experience working with children and has worked as a behavior therapist with children who have autism since 2002. Her primary experience is with challenging behaviors and Applied Behavioral Analysis. She has also received training in TEACCH, Floortime, discreet trial training, and PECS. Laura has experience as a home ABA consultant. Laura has worked closely with speech language pathologists over the past four years to create programs that address both the behavior and communication needs present in children with autism.

With hours of operation 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, BY YOUR SIDE accommodates a variety of schedules. The enthusiasm and dedication of the BY YOUR SIDE staff, coupled with state of the art facilities and programs, create an ideal environment for optimal instruction and learning. The center is currently conducting complimentary in-home program evaluations ($225.00 value) through October 5th, 2009. The facility is located at 361 Frontage Road in Burr Ridge. For more information or to schedule an evaluation, please call 888-288-7667 or visit BY YOUR SIDE’s website at http://www.byyoursideautismcenter.com/.

Welcome! August 2009

Welcome!

I hope everyone had a wonderful summer! I am happy to be coming back and are ready for a great year. I would like to welcome those students who are returning and those who are new with us this year. I am thrilled to announced that your child will also be working with Mrs. Micek, who had assisted in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades at both Elizabeth Ide and Prairieview schools over the last 10 years; so, she comes with a wealth of knowledge!

We are all looking forward to working with your child and helping him/her to achieve at his/her full potential. I will be discussing your child's academic history with his/her classroom teachers in preparation for the upcoming year. The parent-teacher relationship is vital to your child's success in school. By working together, we can help your child have a very fulfilling learning experience.

We hope to see you at the Open House on Monday, August 24th . My classroom is located in the 4th grade wing on the second floor. Please come by between 9am and 11am to check out your new classrooms and your new teachers. Please bring all classroom supplies with you at this time. All of your supplies should be labeled with your name.

.

Mrs. Krasnodebski may be reached during school hours at (630) 783-5068. You may leave a voice mail message. Your call will be returned as soon as possible. I may also be reached at my respective e-mail address: jkrasno@ccsd66.org . I tend to be able to respond more quickly when sent a email. Throughout the year, I will communicate with the home through notes in the assignment notebook, my blog, telephone calls, progress reports, school newsletters and report cards. I will also be available for parent-teacher conferences, as they are needed.

My teaching is based on the premise that all students can learn, despite any obstacles in their path. For that reason, our students receive instruction and support both in the resource room and in the general education classroom. Your child will receive an educational program that encompasses the goals and instructional strategies outlined in his/her Individualized Education Program (IEP). We will work very hard to help your child complete all of his/her goals and objectives. If you have any questions regarding your child's academic performance, please do not hesitate to contact me.

My room is a classroom like all of the rest. In order to function, it must have rules and policies that ensure fair treatment for teachers and students alike. The specific rules and consequences of our classroom will be established as a class and signed within the first few weeks. If you have any questions regarding the rules, I will be happy to answer any of your questions. Once again, I would like to welcome everyone back from summer vacation. The 2009-2010 school year is going to be a great experience for your child! I would like to thank you in advance for your support and commitment throughout the year.

Best Wishes,

Mrs. Krasnodebski

June 1st - 5th

Important Dates . . .
June 1st – Movie Monday afternoon
June 2nd – Board Game Tuesday
June 3rd- Beach Party Assembly for 4th grade – Wear your Hawaiian Gear http://www.daverudolf.com/
June 4th – Field Day and PTO Sponsored Picnic – a hot dog lunch will be provided to your child
June 5th – Report cards issued – dismissal at 9:30 - Last Day of 2008/2009 School Year

Math
For the last few days we will continue on with “long division”. You should find an accompanying packet in your child's math folder. We will be using this as a supplement to the chapter. This can be a challenging chapter. Please remind your children to keep studying those facts now and over the summer!

In closing of the year . . .
I sincerely thank you for the opportunity to work with your child. It was a pleasure working with all of the children and families this year and seeing the growth and progress that I have in each and every student. We created such wonderful fourth grade memories. I wish you a great summer together!

May 25th - 29th

Important Dates . . .
May 25 - Memorial Day - No School
June 5 - Last Day of 2008/2009 School Year

Math
This week we will start Chapter 11, which leads us to “long division”. You should find an accompanying packet in your child's math folder. We will be using this as a supplement to the chapter. This can be a challenging chapter. Please remind your children to keep studying those facts!

May 18th - 22nd

Important Dates . . .
May 25 - Memorial Day - No School
June 5 - Last Day of 2008/2009 School Year

Math
We have hit a few bumps in the road at lesson 10.6 -10.7, but will continue our study of multiplying by two numbers in Chapter 10. As you have seen, this chapter continues to build on and extend multiplication concepts. The Chapter 10 Test will be this Friday, May 22nd.

If your child is struggling with their facts, which many are, they will have difficulty in this chapter. It is imperative that your child knows their basic facts. Students can study both independently or with another person. A great website to practice their facts is: http://www.multiplication.com/ .

May 11th - 15th

Important Dates . . .
May 11 – Robert Crown Center field trip
May 25 - Memorial Day - No School

Math
We will continue our study of multiplying by two numbers, Chapter 10. As you have seen, this chapter continues to build on and extend multiplication concepts. If your child is struggling with their facts, they will have difficulty in this chapter. It is imperative that your child knows their basic facts. Periodically, there will be “multiplication facts check-ups”. Students can study both independently or with another person. A great website to practice their facts is: www.multiplication.com .

May 4th - 8th

Important Dates . . .
May 25 - Memorial Day - No School

Math
On Monday, we will go over our Chapter 9 test and continue onward with Chapter 10. As you will see, Chapter 10 continues to build on and extend multiplication concepts. It is imperative that your child knows their basic facts. Periodically, there will be “multiplication facts check-ups”. Students can study both independently or with another person.

Week of April 27th - May 1st

IMPORTANT NEWS:
April 29 -- Family Book Club (Prairieview)
April 30 -- PTO Dining Out Fundraiser (click for details)

Math
This week we are wrapping up Chapter 9 - “Multiplying by 1-digit Numbers”. Once again, please encourage your child to be reviewing both their multiplication and division facts daily at home. If your child is struggling with their facts, they will have great difficulty the remainder of the year in math.

Week of April 20th- 24th

IMPORTANT NEWS:
April 21st – Rollerskating Party
April 24th – Early Dismissal

Math
We are still working in Chapter 9 - “Multiplying by 1-digit Numbers”. Once again, please encourage your child to be reviewing both their multiplication and division facts. We will be finishing the chapter next week with a test.

April 13th - April 17th

Dates to Know . . .
April 16th -- Open House/Book Fair @ 6:30 p.m.
April 24 -- Early Release

April is National Poetry Month, and there's no better way to teach kids to love reading and writing than with hilarious poems. Below is a sample from one of the latest kids poetry book titled Rolling in the Aisles.

Spring Will Be Pretty

Spring will be pretty, just give it a week,

When flowers are blooming down by the creek.

Bees will be buzzing as trees start to bud,

But for the moment I'm covered with mud.

Snow has been melting, since winter is through,

Replacing the whiteness with puddles of goo.

I stepped off the sidewalk and into the ooze.

Next thing I knew, I stepped out of my shoes!

Mud on my ankles and mud on my clothes.

I stumbled face-first and got mud up my nose.

Spring will be pretty, but I must confess,

The first days of spring are a muckety mess!

- Dave Crawley

Math
We will be continuing with Chapter 9 - “Multiplying by 1-digit Numbers” this week. Students should be reviewing their multiplication and division facts. Memorization will make multiplying by two digit numbers and long division a much easier task.


Reading - Small Group
This week we will begin a a new, very humorous novel titled The Magic Finger by Roald Dahl. Your children should thoroughly enjoy it! They will be utilizing all of their reading strategies learned in reading class throughout the year while reading the novel. Below is the summary:

The Gregg family loves hunting, but their eight-year-old neighbor can't stand it. After countless pleas for them to stop are ignored, she has no other choice -- she has to put her magic finger on them. Now the Greggs are a family of birds, and like it or not, they're going to find out how it feels to be on the other end of the gun.

April 6th - 10th

Dates to Know . . .
April 6 -- Classes Resume
April 7 -- Teacher's Institute -- No School
April 10 -- No School
April 16th -- Open House/Book Fair @ 6:30 p.m.
April 24 -- Early Release

Math
On Monday we will begin with one lesson in the next chapter of study, Chapter 21. This is an extension in our study of "Geometry". The students will learn about solid figures. They will identify different solid figures and compare the edges, faces and vertices of different solid figures.

We will begin Chapter 9 - “Multiplying by 1-digit Numbers” this week. Students should be reviewing their multiplication and division facts. Memorization will make multiplying by two digit numbers and long division a much easier task.

Week of March 23rd - March 27th

Dates to Know . . .
March 27th – Tivoli Theater
March 31st – First day of Spring Break
April 6th - Classes Resume
April 7th – Teacher Institute – No School
April 10th – No School
April 16th - Open House

Math
On Monday we will begin the next chapter of study, Chapter 20 - "Motion Geometry". This will be a brief chapter covering the first three lessons and ending with a quiz on Thursday before Spring Break. Please review concepts with your child nightly.

Students should be reviewing their multiplication and division facts. Memorization will make multiplying by two digit numbers and long division a much easier task. This chapter will begin a week or so after break.

Week of March 16th - 20th

Math

We will wrap up our study of Chapter 19 this week - “Lines, Rays, Angles, and Plane Figures.” There is a lot of information to know. Please review the concepts daily. Due to the day off of school and shortened math period on Thursday, the Chapter 19 test will probably be either Friday, March 20th or Monday, March 23rd.

Week of March 9th - 13th

Mark your calendar...
March 9 - March 12 - Conferences
March 10 - Report Cards Issued
March 12 - Early Dismissal
March 13 - No School

Math
We will continue with our study of Chapter 19 this week - “Lines, Rays, Angles, and Plane Figures.” There is a lot of information to know. Please review the concepts daily. The Chapter 19 test will probably be "next" week.

Week of March 2nd - 6th

Mark your calendar...
March 2 - No School
March 3 - March 6 - ISAT Testing (2 tests per day)
March 6 - End of the Second Trimester
March 9 - March 12 - Conferences
March 10 - Report Cards Issued
March 12 - Early Dismissal
March 13 - No School

ISAT testing will begin on Tuesday, March 3rd and continue through Friday, March 6th. Fourth grade takes ISAT tests in the the subjects of: Reading, Math, Science. There will be two tests given per day. One test will occur each morning, and one test will take place after lunch. Parents can play an important role in getting students ready for the these tests. Here are some suggestions on how parents can help their children prepare for the ISAT tests:
*Make sure your child gets a good night's sleep before the tests
*Make sure your child eats a healthy breakfast each day
*Send a healthy snack and/or drink with your child daily
*Let your child know that he/she should take the test seriously and do his/her best

Math
Due to ISAT testing, we will not be meeting with our math students. Please be sure that your child has a calculator to use during testing. If your child does not have one at school, please send one in next week. Classes will resume on Monday, March 9th.

Week of February 23rd - 27th

Math
We will continue with our study of Chapter 19 this week - “Lines, Rays, Angles, and Plane Figures.” Also, we will engage in several problem solving activities with an extended response (t-charts). The students will receive short and long response assessments for homework during the week. Finally, we will be working on an accumulative review of math this week.

Mark your calendar...
2/26 - Spring Picture Day
3/2 - No School - Casimir Pulaski Day
Week of March 3 - ISAT Week
Week of March 9 - Conference Week

Week of February 16 - 20

Math
This week in math we will begin our geometry unit, Chapter 19 - Lines, Rays, Angles, and Plane Figures. We will introduce important vocabulary throughout the week. The students will identify, describe, and draw points, lines, line segments, rays and planes. They will also measure and classify angles. They will draw right, acute, obtuse, and straight angles. Also, we plan on engaging in problem solving activities with an extended response (t-charts).

Mark your calendar...
2/16 - No School - Presidents' Day
2/26 - Spring Picture Day
3/2 - No School - Casmir Pulaski Day
Week of March 3 - ISAT Week
Week of March 9 - Conference Week