Week of March 3, 2008

We have had a very busy week. We are consumed with writing, particularly expositories and extended responses, in order to be ready for ISATS. I am very proud of the writing the students are handing in. TGFD essays were also handed in today and I'm anxious to read them! Don't forget, TGFD graduation is next Friday, 1:00, in the gym. All are invited to attend!!
Monday is Pulaski Day; there will be no school. Also, this is the final week of the trimester. Report cards will be going home on 3/11. Third trimester begins – can you believe it?

Please encourage your child to participate in Family Book Club Night, which is being held on April 9. A letter went home Wednesday about it. I am the 5th grade teacher representative and I can't emphasize enough the importance of reading and discussion. Also, girls who are interested in Girl Scouts can still be a part of the experience!! Email me if your daughter is interested and I can refer you to the appropriate person. Meetings will be starting in March.

Coming up next week:

Spelling: Lesson 21 – Test Friday

Reading: We continue planning and writing our expositories. We will also do numerous short, timed expositories and planning sheets to get the students used to being timed when writing and planning.

Language Arts: More extended responses and work in our ISAT workbooks will occur this week.

Social Studies: We will begin Chapter 10 this week entitled Forming a New Government. We will read Lesson 1 and begin note-taking using an outline format. We will also listen to the Preamble, a very catch Schoolhouse Rock song. We will all be singing it by heart in a few weeks!

Science: We will plan on having an open book Science quiz on Tuesday covering activities from our You and Your Body books. We'll start writing an “owner's manual” on either the skeletal, muscular, or circulatory system later in the week.

Math: (Mrs. Klacza's math students, only) Chapter 11 is quite long so there will be a checkpoint quiz on Wednesday, and a chapter test on Friday. Lots of reviewing will occur in between.

A Book is a Treasure: Please remind your child to read and get those book reports completed. Book reports must be finished by March 4 in order to participate in the reading party.

Important Notes:
3/3 Pulaski Day holiday
3/7 TGFD Graduation
3/10 start of ISAT testing week
Week of 3/10 – Conference week – Day off on Friday
4/9 Family Book Club Night

Have a terrific week! Mrs. Klacza

Week of February 25

We are now finally approaching the end of February and ISAT's are just a few weeks away. Hence, we've been doing a lot of practicing in Room 208! The Fifth Grade teachers attended a writing workshop on Tuesday and we learned a lot of interesting, useful methods which will come in handy!

We also had time to enjoy our “sports theme” marble-mania party on Friday for good behavior. The students (and teachers) enjoyed the Home Run Inn pizza and a terrific movie. The students earned this party, and truly deserved it.

Please check your child's backpack for an important letter regarding Spring conferences.

Coming up next week:

Spelling: Lesson 20 – Test Friday

Reading: We will study the art of expository writing this week and next. We have started our new read-aloud book, The Graduation of Jake Moon. It's a story about a boy and his grandfather with Alzheimer's Disease. Some of the students have already read it but it's worth repeating! I warned the students that I may need the kleenex box!

Language Arts: More extended responses and other ISAT practice questions, along with a lesson on similes and metaphors, will occur this week.

Social Studies: We will continue our circle books on Lesson 3. Jeopardy review will be on Tuesday, and the test for Chapter 9 will be on Wednesday, 2/27.

Science: We will continue the circulatory system and we'll watch “Do the Circulation” this week.

TGFD: Sadly, we are finished with TGFD. Please talk to your child about the essay they are all expected to write which is due on or before 2/29. Graduation is Friday, 3/7 at 1:00 here at PV. You are all invited to attend!

Math: (Mrs. Klacza's math students, only) Checkpoint Quiz on Monday! We have reviewed and, hopefully, the students are ready. We will then continue with Chapter 11, specifically, perimeter, area, and volume. We'll also have some ISAT practice!

A Book is a Treasure: Please remind your child to read and get those book reports completed. Book reports must be finished by March 4 in order to participate in the reading party.

Important Notes:

*Friday's spirit day will be “wear your shirt backwards” day
*3/3 Pulaski Day holiday
*3/7 TGFD Graduation
*3/10 start of ISAT testing week
*Week of 3/10 – Conference week

Have a terrific week! Mrs. Klacza

Week of 2/18/08

Will it ever stop snowing? I know it is only February, but I'm ready for Spring! Our week was long and busy. Our Iowa tests consumed us from Monday through Thursday. The students were cooperative and on-task. Nice job!! Thank you to Sara G. and her parents for sending in the delicious Clementines for the entire class on Tuesday. I think they made us smarter!!

Also, a big thank you goes out to Nick's parents (Dad was great) and Abbey's Mom (always great) for throwing a sensational Valentine's Day party. Thank you, too, to Kelsey's mom and Jon's mom for providing the food and beverages. The sundae bar was awesome and the students loved the gatorade! Oh, and those bananas... yummy (both Jon and Joe provided those! I guess you have to be here to understand the relevance of the banana...) We are also busily preparing for our good behavior marble party which will take place on Friday, 2/22. Notes will be going home today (Friday) regarding the movie and food choice.

Coming up next week:

Spelling: Lesson 19 – Test Friday

Reading: Activities that will prepare us for ISAT tests will be on the menu this week. Has your child told you about our read-aloud book, Hana's Suitcase? It takes place during the Holocaust and it is fascinating!

Language Arts: More extended responses, along with analogy practice, will occur this week.

Social Studies: I have spiral bound all the Patriot/Loyalist books and they look great. I will get them graded very soon. We will continue reading, discussing, and taking notes on Chapter 9, “Winning the Revolution.” We will specifically be making circle books on Lesson 3. Tentative test date for Chapter 9 is 2/27.

Science: We will begin the circulatory system this week.

TGFD: After this week, there is only one more week of TGFD. Please talk to your child about the essay they are all expected to write which is due on or before 2/29. Graduation is Friday, 3/7 at 1:00 here at PV. You are all invited to attend!

Math: (Mrs. Klacza's math students, only) We will continue the study of measurement with Chapter 11. This week we will focus on the metric system. We'll review for the checkpoint quiz on Friday and have our checkpoint on Monday 2/25.

A Book is a Treasure: Please remind your child to read and get those book reports completed. Book reports must be finished by March 1 in order to participate in the reading party.

Important Notes:
* Friday's spirit day (2/22) will be “clash day”
* 2/18 Presidents' Day holiday
* 3/3 Pulaski Day holiday
* 3/7 TGFD Graduation
* 3/10 start of ISAT testing week

Have a terrific week! Mrs. Klacza

Week of February 11, 2008

We did not have a typical week since we had a Teachers' Institute and an early dismissal, but we were very busy and accomplished many important things. I want to remind all of you that this coming week the students will be taking the Iowa tests. We will spread them out over four days. Please make sure your child gets plenty of sleep and eats a good breakfast each morning. Furthermore, if any parents would like to send in a healthy snack early in the week for the students to enjoy before or after a particular test, that would be most appreciated. There are 23 students, one grateful teacher, and one super aide!!

Also, remind your child to buy or make valentines! The big day is Thursday and we'll be trading valentines and having a party at the end of the school day. I will be sending home a list of names on Monday.

Coming up next week:

Spelling: Lesson 17 (Review lesson) – Test Friday

Reading: We will be working on a St. Valentine reading assignment to get us ready for the 14th! The rest of the week will include activities that will prepare us for ISAT tests.

Language Arts: There will be more writing practice this week. Ask your child about the “hamburger” for extended responses. We may have some time to revisit the world of idioms, antonyms, homonyms, homophones, and synonyms.

Social Studies: We will continue reading, discussing, and taking notes on Chapter 9, “Winning the Revolution.” Due to the snow day and making up our TGFD lessons, I have extended the due date on our Loyalist/Patriot books. They will be due on Monday.

Science: We will continue our study of the muscles and complete a fun activity on reaction time.

TGFD: We are past the half-way point of our Too Good For Drugs program. Please remind your student that I am taking points on the homework and it counts as a science grade.

Math: (Mrs. Klacza's math students, only) We will continue the study of measurement with Chapter 11. Since we are taking math Iowa's this week, there will be a couple days without a math class. I will miss them!!

Important Notes:
* Friday's spirit day will be “wear Red for Valentine's Day”
* Week of 2/11 – Iowa tests given (healthy breakfasts/good sleep!)
* 2/14 Valentine's Day parties in classroom
* 2/18 Presidents' Day holiday

* 2/22 Six Flags Reading Program sheets due

* 3/3 no school
* A reminder from the office regarding notes:
Please label items coming to office with:
1. Student's name
2. Teacher's name
3. Item inside

Have a great week! Mrs. Klacza

Week of February 4

I am sitting at home on this very snowy "snow day" blogging on my computer. Many things will have to be "adjusted" so bear with us and enjoy this very beautiful day.

Fifth Grade has really kicked into high gear! We have been busily working on our Patriot/Loyalist projects, persuasive essays, and geometry! Sara G. and Kyle were our class winners for the Spelling Bee. The Fifth Grade bee was to take place on Friday (snow day) and it will be rescheduled. I'm not sure of the day yet, but as soon as I know, I'll let the students know.

Coming up next week:

Spelling: Due to the snow day and the Teacher Institute, I have decided to eliminate Spelling this week. We will focus on Lesson 17 next week.

Reading: We will be working on improving our extended response skills this week using our Voices of the Revolution unit in our “Reader.” We will supplement with ISAT practice lessons and TFK.

Language Arts: Persuasive essays have been completed and handed in. We will be revisiting the world of idioms, antonyms, homonyms, homophones, and synonyms.

Social Studies:We will have to take our Chapter 8 test on Monday. BE PREPARED! We will then begin reading, discussing, and taking notes on Chapter 9, “Winning the Revolution.” Our Loyalist/Patriot books will be illustrated and assembled this week, also. They will be due on Friday.

Science: We conclude our study of the Skeletal System and are set to begin learning about our multi-talented muscles!

TGFD: We are just past the half-way point of our Too Good For Drugs program. I am amazed at how many students forget to do their homework! Please remind your student that I am taking points on the homework and it counts as a science grade. Unfortunately, we had to miss our Friday lesson with Deputy K; I'm sure it will be rescheduled.

Math: (Mrs. Klacza's math students, only) We begin the study of measurement with Chapter 11. This week we will cover elapsed time, units of length, and capacity.

Important Notes:
*Friday's spirit day will be Prairieview colors or clothing
*2/5 Institute Day – no school for District 66 students
*2/7 Early Dismissal at 11:00
*Week of 2/11 – Iowa tests given
*2/14 Valentine's Day parties in classroom

Have a terrific week! Mrs. Klacza