Week of March 31, 2008

It is a beautiful Thursday and Spring has arrived! It may not seem so this weekend, however, since there is a very good chance of snow. Ah, well, pretty soon we'll be complaining about how hot it is...

Congratulations to those students who met their reading club goals. We will be having a lunchtime celebration on Friday, April 4. We will be celebrating with a “healthy treat” party and a mystery cartoon. A note is going home today with a request for healthy treat contributions. After all the chocolate bunnies and peeps I'll be eating in the next few days, I need the “healthy” back in my diet!! I wish you all a wonderful Easter and a terrific Spring Break.

Coming up next week (after Spring Break):

Spelling: Lesson 24 – Test Friday

Reading: We will finish up our Me Front Page activity. We will then begin the study of China. Reading, discussion, and research will be occurring in Room 208. We will also be seeing a slide show on China presented by Mrs. Bouton. The students will be creating pandas this week which will eventually be "on parade" in the hallway! Many of you may remember the Cows on Parade which were a big hit in Chicago a few years ago -- same concept!!

Language Arts: We continue our study of adjectives with a tentative test date of April 10.

Social Studies: We will continue reading and taking notes on Chapter 10 this week, specifically Lessons 2 and 3. Does your child know the Preamble yet??

Science: The students will choose one of the systems we studied to create their own Owner's Manual. They may choose the skeletal, muscular, or circulatory system.

Math: (Mrs. Klacza's math students, only) We will continue Chapter 6, Dividing by 2 digit divisors. I am planning a test for Friday, April 4.

Important Notes:
4/4 Reading Club Celebration with Healthy Treats during lunch
4/9 Family Book Club Night
4/4 Spirit Day will be Prairieview colors and gear
4/11 Spirit Day will be baseball day (Go Sox)

Have a terrific week! Mrs. Klacza

Week of March 17, 2008

ISAT week is over and we count the days until Spring Break! I feel like the students are already showing signs of spring fever... I keep reminding them that we have almost a full trimester left to go and I expect them all to work hard!

It was nice to see many of our parents at conferences. Please feel free to contact me by email or phone if you ever have any concerns or questions.

Coming up next week:

Spelling: Lesson 23 – Test Thursday

Reading: We continue our Me Front Page activity. They are coming along nicely; you will see them at Open House in April!

Language Arts: Back to the Book!! English book, that is. We will begin the study of adjectives.

Social Studies: We will continue reading Chapter 10 this week, specifically, Lesson 2. The students will be working on a “preamble” activity in groups of 2 or 3. They will be interpreting and illustrating each individual section of the Preamble to the Constitution.

Science: Well, unfortunately, we are saving our Owners' Manuals until after spring break. ISAT's got in the way a bit. We will read about the lungs from our You and Your Body books.

Math: (Mrs. Klacza's math students, only) We will begin Chapter 6, Dividing by 2 digit divisors. I am tentatively planning a checkpoint quiz for Thursday, 3/20. I'm hoping we can get it under our belts before the break.

Important Notes:
3/13 (Thursday) Pizza Lunch and The Bee Movie to celebrate the end of ISAT's
4/9 Family Book Club Night
3/21 Day off; Week of 3/24 – Spring Break

Have a terrific week! Mrs. Klacza

Week of March 10, 2008

The first full week of March is just about finished and I keep waiting for Spring... Well, at least the snow is melting. Congratulations to Sara G. on writing a fabulous TGFD essay! She will be reading it at our graduation later today. Also, I look forward to seeing many of you next week during Spring conference week.

We will be taking ISAT tests next week which will include Reading, Writing, and Math. Please make sure your child gets a good night's sleep every night and eats a good, healthy breakfast each morning. Report cards will be going home on Tuesday, 3/11. Third trimester begins...

We are almost finished with our wet wipes in Room 208. If you wouldn't mind adding us to your shopping list, I'd really appreciate it. I do prefer the pop-up kind! Please encourage your child to participate in Family Book Club Night, which is being held on April 9. The books they can choose are both wonderful; I don't know which one I liked more!!

Coming up next week:

Spelling: Lesson 22 – Test Thursday

Reading: ISAT's

Language Arts: We will begin our “All About Me” project. Students will need to bring in an 8x10 picture of themselves to school. They will develop a newspaper front page on themselves.

Social Studies: We will continue reading Chapter 10 this week entitled Forming a New Government. We will cover Lesson 2 entitled "Debate in Philadelphia."

Science: We'll continue writing an “owner's manual” on either the skeletal, muscular, or circulatory system this week. We made our own “blood” this past week – ask your child about it!

Math: (Mrs. Klacza's math students, only) We finished Chapter 11 and will not start Chapter 6 until the week after ISAT's. Students will come to my class to take their Math ISAT's this coming week.

Important Notes:
*3/10 ISAT testing week
*Week of 3/10 – Conference week – Day off on Friday
*3/20 (Thursday) Pizza Lunch to celebrate the end of ISAT's
*4/9 Family Book Club Night
*3/21 Day off; Week of 3/24 – Spring Break

Enjoy your week! Mrs. Klacza