Week of 6/1/09 - 6/5/09

We are down to the wire now. One week to go; can you believe it? We had a great week with Robert Crown on Wednesday, our 5th Grade Celebration on Thursday, and bowling on Friday! We'll be celebrating some summer birthdays next week: Jenna on Tuesday, Jeremiah on Wednesday, Sheryl on Thursday, and Arica on Friday. Lastly, please ask your child if he or she knows where all their textbooks are. We are collecting them next week and I will be giving out fines for damaged/lost books. A few words from the office...

YEARBOOKS: will be handed out to students on June 5th. Any students who did not purchase a yearbook may do so on a first-come-first-serve basis on June 5th; they will go on sale after morning announcements. The cost will be $10.00 and children wishing to purchase should have exact amount. Checks can be made out to Prairieview. There is a limited supply. Prairieview yearbook orders were not paid for at registration. A flyer was sent out on November 13, 2008 and orders were due by Monday, December 1, 2008.

Coming up this week:

Mrs. Klacza's Reading Class:

Spelling: We are done with Spelling!

Reading: It looks like everyone has met their reading goals this trimester, Bravo!! I am planning the reading celebration for Monday. We will be regrouping and writing our crazy narratives this week, also.

Language Arts: We will be writing “I am...” poems this week.

Mrs. Klacza's Math Class:

We will do some multiplication review this week, specifically, with decimals.

Mrs. Klacza's Homeroom:

Social Studies: This week we are reading and discussing the Civil War.

Science: We continue the study of the ocean this week.

Important Notes:
6/4 – Field Day and Picnic (last full day of school)
6/5 – Last Day of School

Have a great weekend! Mrs. Klacza

Week of 5/25/09 - 5/29/09

What an exciting week we had starting with Mrs. Fish bringing her chicks to PV so we could hold them and learn a few things about our fine feathered friends. We enjoyed the 4th and 5th grade concert on Thursday. Today (Friday) we were visited by Ginger Zee, the weekend meteorologist at Channel 5 news. She was interesting and articulate and taught us a few things about meteorology. Ask your child about it!

Just a reminder that Wednesday we will be going to Robert Crown and each child will need a sack lunch! Happy Memorial Day to everyone. Let's remember what this day stands for and fly our flags proudly.

Coming up this week:

Mrs. Klacza's Reading Class:

Spelling: Lesson 33: no pretest this week due to the shortened week - Test on Friday.

Reading: The students will be writing a letter as a child of the holocaust to a fictional person in the United States. They must use factual information from Hannah's Suitcase and Jacob's Rescue. The assignment and rubric will be handed out on Tuesday. IMPORTANT!!! All book reports must be in by Friday! I am planning a reading celebration on June 1. Also, remind your child that there is a grade involved with the reading program.

Language Arts: We are writing poetry this week and also getting together in our groups to write a funny narrative. The students used a grid and different words and phrases to come up with some unlikely possibilities for stories, so they should be interesting... Ask your child about that activity!

Mrs. Klacza's Math Class:

We have finished our study of perimeter, area, and volume. Due to the shortened week and activities such as Robert Crown and bowling, we will only be meeting on Tuesday and Thursday. We will review on Tuesday with a test planned for Thursday.

Mrs. Klacza's Homeroom:

Social Studies: We will read about The Golden State of California and design ads to try to lure people to come out to the west during the gold rush.

Science: We continue our study of the ocean, specifically, waves. An open book assessment is planned for Tuesday.

Important Notes:
5/25 – Memorial Day (day off)
5/27 – Robert Crown field trip (need a sack lunch)
5/28 - 5th Grade celebration
5/29 – Bowling trip
6/4 - Field day and picnic (last full day of school)
6/5 – Last Day of School

Have a great weekend! Mrs. Klacza

Week of 5/18/09 - 5/22/09

We had a very busy week which included a trip to Lakeview to watch the dress rehearsal of Guys and Dolls. The fifth graders got a nice preview of life at LV. We will visit once again on Monday for a formal visit and tour. The parent visit is Monday night. I also enjoyed watching our children perform in the cadet band and with the choir. They are so talented! On Thursday, 5/21, there will be a repeat performance at 1:15 here at PV.

Please remember to watch the Channel 5 news this weekend and catch Ginger Zee, the weekend meteorologist. She will be at PV to give a weather presentation to the fifth grade on May 22. There is a note coming home about it!

Coming up this week:

Mrs. Klacza's Reading Class:

Spelling: Lesson 32: more prefixes - Test on Friday.

Reading: We continue Hannah's Suitcase and Jacob's Rescue. I am thrilled with the amount of discussion we have had regarding children of the Holocaust. The students tell me they are having discussions at home, also! Wonderful!! After we complete all the vocabulary this week, I've planned a vocab.quiz for Thursday.

Language Arts: After reviewing Unit 7 on adverbs and prepositions, a test is planned for Tuesday. We will do some narrative writing after Unit 7 is finished.

Mrs. Klacza's Math Class:

We will work on Chapter 24 this week which includes area, volume, and more perimeter!

Mrs. Klacza's Homeroom:

Social Studies: We will start Chapter 13 this week entitled: People Moving West. Our first lesson focuses on the establishment of the state of Texas.

Science: We continue our study of the oceans, specifically, waves.

Important Notes:
5/18 – Students visit LV (afternoon) and LV Parent meeting (6:30 p.m.)
5/22 – Ginger Zee presentation
5/25 – Memorial Day (day off)
5/27 – Robert Crown field trip

Have a great weekend! Mrs. Klacza

Week of 5/11/09 - 5/15/09

I'd like to thank everybody for making Teacher's Appreciation Week a joy. From the delicious homemade food at lunch to the gifts to the handmade cards and letters, it was all greatly appreciated and enjoyed. I've said it before and I'll say it again, District 66 has wonderful families!

I wish a Happy Mother's Day to all the moms this weekend. Put your collective feet up and relax! My daughter will be graduating this weekend from Eastern Illinois University; what a wonderful Mother's Day gift! (Her twin brother graduates next weekend from U of I.) The time goes so quickly; relish every moment with your child.

Coming up this week:

Mrs. Klacza's Reading Class:

Spelling: Lesson 31: prefix ex - Test on Friday.

Reading: We are reading two novels at one time: Hannah's Suitcase and Jacob's Rescue. Both deal with children of the Holocaust. I am reading Hannah's Suitcase aloud to the students. Jacob's Rescue is being read and analyzed by the whole class. The students are answering three questions per chapter in their spiral journals. There is also a lot of interesting vocabulary words in this book that the students are responsible for defining. We are having some great discussions on this moment in history. Ask your child about it!

Language Arts: This week we continue the study of adverbs and prepositions. I have told the children that this is probably the most difficult chapter in the entire English book. I am considering a tentative test date of 5/19.

Mrs. Klacza's Math Class:

After studying perimeter and circumference, I am planning a Chapter 23 test on Thursday, 5/14. Don't worry, it is a very short chapter!

Mrs. Klacza's Homeroom:

Social Studies: We continue chapter 12 this week entitled “Times of Change.” Lesson 3 will be started on Monday called “The Struggle for Reforms.” I have the Chapter 23 test planned for Friday, 5/15.

Science: After reading about the ocean floor, this week we will create our very own ocean floors using construction paper and glue.

Important Notes:

5/11 – Band/Choir concert at LV
5/14 - 5th grade goes to Lakeview to see Guys and Dolls
5/18 – LV Parent meeting
5/25 – Memorial Day (day off)
5/27 – Robert Crown field trip

Have a great weekend! Mrs. Klacza

Week of 5/4/09 - 5/8/09

We had a full, 5 day week and for some reason, it seemed to fly! It must be because we are so busy in the fifth grade. It is also officially May and I'm looking at another jam-packed calendar for next week. I know how busy everyone is now with baseball, softball, soccer, etc., etc., but let's try to stay focused here at PV so our semester grades will be awesome!

We've talked about ways to stay healthy with all the health concerns in the news recently. The students were reminded to cough or sneeze into their sleeves or, if they do so in their hands, to wash those hands! On that note, frequent hand washing is a must. We have lots of wet wipes in the classroom but no hand sanitizer. If anyone would like to send some in, it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Coming up this week:

Mrs. Klacza's Reading Class:

Spelling: Lesson 30: -or words - Test on Friday.

Reading: After comparing and contrasting The Night of the Twisters novel and movie, the students will be working on their book projects early in the week, illustrating and writing about the various elements of the book. We will then start a new novel, Jacob's Rescue, which is also based on the true story of a young, Jewish boy during the Holocaust.

Language Arts: We are on to Adverbs!! We'll meet Lolly and determine the difference between an adverb and an adjective.

Mrs. Klacza's Math Class:

After a Chapter 22 test on Tuesday, we will start Chapter 23 on perimeter.

Mrs. Klacza's Homeroom:

Social Studies: We will start a new chapter (12) this week entitled “Times of Change.” Our country is growing and a new “revolution” is beginning: the industrial revolution.

Science: We have begun the study of oceans and will specifically learn about the ocean floor this week.

Important Notes:
5/11 – Band/Choir concert at LV
5/18 – LV Parent meeting
5/25 – Memorial Day (day off)

Have a great weekend! Mrs. Klacza