Weeks of 11/21/16 - 11/25/16 and 11/28/16 - 12/2/16

Today is the end of Trimester 1. What a wonderful first one-third of the year we’ve had!!  Grades will be finalized soon.  

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving break with your families.  This blog will include information for the two days next week and also the following week. Happy Thanksgiving!!

Coming up in the next two weeks:

Spelling:   The homework will not be due until Monday, 11/28 (The test will also be on that day.)  I’ve been encouraging the kids to get it done by Tuesday so it won’t get lost in the holiday shuffle.  We will do an inventory on Tuesday, 11/29 to see where everyone places for trimester 2.  New words will come home on 12/5.

Reading & Language Arts:  We are wrapping up our unit on Fairy Tales, Myths, and Legends.  We’ll be starting the next unit, Culture and Traditions, the week of 11/28. First, we’ll explore and close read “Circle of Life” from the Lion King.  Then, later in the week, I’ll introduce Literature Circles to the students.  

Please keep reading and filling out the November reading log.  It will be due on or before December 1.

Social Studies:  We’ll continue reading about Modern Day Downers Grove.  There will be a culminating test taking place after we read, but I’m not sure of the date yet.  I’m tentatively planning on either 11/30 or 12/1.  If we do 11/30, it’ll be before we head off for our field trip.  I’ll keep you posted.  

Science:   We are on hiatus while we learn about Downers Grove.

Mrs. Klacza's Math Class:  This week we’ll continue Unit 3 on multi-digit addition and subtraction.  On Friday, 12/2, a pretest/study guide will come home.  It will be due on 12/6.  We’ll go over it carefully.  The test for Unit 3 is planned for Wednesday, 12/7.

Important Dates:  

11/23 - 11/25 - Thanksgiving break

11/30 - DG field trip for Klacza/Lopez

12/7 - Early Dismissal (11:35)

Have a great weekend!!

Week of 11/14/16 - 11/18/16

Today is Veterans’ Day and we had a wonderful assembly honoring our own veterans (those who have a connection to our Panthers.)  There weren’t a lot of adult dry eyes in the house!  If you are a veteran, thank you! Please ask your child about this wonderful assembly!

We have one more week to go in Trimester 1.  Please make sure you keep an eye on your child’s grades.  

Coming up next week:

Spelling:   New spelling lists will be coming home on Monday.  Completed menu/homework will be due on or before 11/28.  Please make sure your child does one activity from each column.  A test on your child’s list will be on 11/28, as well.   

Reading & Language Arts:  Today there is a fun activity coming home.  Students are asked to “disguise” a turkey using any materials they can find.  The turkey and the letter describing this activity is coming home today.  They are due on or before Wednesday.  We will then start a writing assignment to go along with the disguised turkey.  We’ll also be writing a turkey cinquain next week.  

Please keep reading and filling out the November reading log.  It will be due on or before December 1.

Social Studies:  We will finish our Downers Grove history unit this week.  A study guide will be going home Monday and a quiz on the history of DG will take place on Wednesday.  We’ll then start reading about modern day Downers Grove.   Our DG field trip will be on November 30.

Science:   We are on hiatus while we learn about Downers Grove.

Mrs. Klacza's Math Class:  This week we’ll continue Unit 3 on multi-digit addition and subtraction.  We have been learning different methods to find an answer.  On Tuesday, students will be completing a short “work sample” and on Thursday, there will be a short checkpoint quiz.  

Important Dates:  

11/23 - 11/25 - Thanksgiving break

11/30 - DG field trip for Klacza/Lopez

Have a great weekend!!

Week of 11/7/16 - 11/11/16

Wow, what a week this has been!!   First, a glorious Halloween was had by all. Thank you to all the moms who contributed!  Then, two days of conferences followed.  Thank you to all the parents who came out to see me and discuss our awesome children!  Lastly, what a wonderful World Series our city experienced! Congratulations to all the Cubs fans reading this blog. Now, back to normal...

Coming up next week:

Spelling:   Completed menu/homework will be due on or before 11/11.  Please make sure your child does one activity from each column.  A test on your child’s list will be on 11/11, as well.

Reading & Language Arts:  Our Haunted House argumentative essays are done and handed in.  We’ll have another writing assignment starting in a week or two.  In the meantime, we’ll finish up myths and learn about cause and effect.

Please keep reading and filling out the November reading log.  It will be due on or before December 1.

Social Studies:  We will continue our Downers Grove unit this week.  We’ll be learning about E.H. Prince and the pond named after him.  Ask your child about the clever way he talked people into buying one of his houses!  We’ll then learn about Casper Dicke and the Tivoli Theater.  After we read about the history of DG, we’ll learn about modern day Downers.  Our DG field trip will be on November 30.

Science:   We finished Chapter 9 and will be on hiatus until further notice.  

Mrs. Klacza's Math Class:  This week we’ll continue Unit 3 on multi-digit addition and subtraction.  We have been learning different methods to find an answer.  There will be a checkpoint quiz on Thursday, 11/10.  It will be on rounding to the nearest 10 and the nearest 100.

Important Dates:  

11/7 - Day off (conferences)

11/8 - Day off (Teacher’s Institute)

11/23 - 11/25 - Thanksgiving break

11/30 - DG field trip for Klacza/Lopez

Have a great, long weekend!!