Friday, March 28, 2014

Reading and Language Arts When we come back from break we will have a writing workshop. We will be discussing informational writing. Students will be writing about the animal they researched that lives in the rain forest.

Reading Logs  Please continue to log minutes with your child in their March reading log. Logs are due Monday, April 7th.

Ozzie's Reading Club  All students are official members of the Ozzie Reading Club. If they continue to read and log their minutes for the next 8 weeks they will receive a ticket to the Kane County Cougars minor league baseball game. Make sure to send in the log when it is complete.

Spelling  Look for your child's word sort to come home on Monday, April 7th. Students should choose a different activity from the Weekly Spelling Activity Card to complete each night to help them master their spelling words for the week. Once your child has completed the activity, please fill out the spelling homework sheet, indicating which activity they chose, initial it, and have them return it the following day. This will help them prepare for the assessment. Students will study these words for 2 weeks. An assessment will not be given until Thurs, April 17th.

Math Students will continue the chapter on Time. They will describe times of events as A.M. or P.M., determine how time has passed from start to finish, practice telling time to the nearest 5 minutes, and understand relationships of units of time (weeks, months, years).

Flash Cards  Students should be practicing their addition facts with their flash cards and Rocket Math fact sheets. Weekly timed tests are given.

Here is a website where you can make fact timed tests:
  http://www.mathfactcafe.com/build/

Science  We began a unit on the Rain Forest. The students played a game which introduced them to words that will be used in our discussions of the rain forest. We also identified and labeled the different parts of a map and where most of the rain forests are located. Next we will discuss what a rain forest is and identify the different layers.

Animal Information Sheet due TUESDAY, APRIL 8TH
Poster due TUESDAY, APRIL 15TH

Important Dates & Announcements

March Dates to Remember

31 - Spring Break begins

April Dates to Remember

  7 - Classes Resume

17 - Early Dismissal @12pm
18 - No School 

30 - Feed My Starving Children 6-7:30pm @ the Aurora location. More info to           follow after break

Friday, March 21, 2014

Reading Next week we will read a fable about how the birds and animals play ball to decide who is better. The birds don't allow the bat on their team, but he ends up winning the game for the animals. The comprehension strategies and skills are cause and effect and summarize.

Reading Logs  Please continue to log minutes with your child in their March reading log. Logs are due Monday, April 7th.

Ozzie's Reading Club  All students are official members of the Ozzie Reading Club. If they continue to read and log their minutes for the next 8 weeks they will receive a ticket to the Kane County Cougars minor league baseball game. Make sure to send in the log when it is complete.

Language Arts Next week students will finish their narratives and then we will focus on plural possessive nouns.

Spelling Look for your child's word sort to come home on Monday. Please keep the Weekly Spelling Activity Card in your child's green folder once they have completed the nightly activity. Students are being asked to choose a different activity from the Weekly Spelling Activity Card to complete each night (Mon-Thurs) to help them master their spelling words for the week. Once your child has completed the activity, please fill out the spelling homework sheet, indicating which activity they chose, initial it, and have them return it the following day. This will help them prepare for the assessment on Friday.

Math Next week we will begin a chapter on Time. Students will tell and write time to the hour, half hour, quarter hour, and to the nearest 5 minutes.

Flash Cards  Students should be practicing their addition facts with their flash cards and Rocket Math fact sheets. Weekly timed tests are given.

Here is a website where you can make fact timed tests:
  http://www.mathfactcafe.com/build/

Science  We will finish up studying Our Earth with a chapter test on Tuesday. A study guide will go home on Monday. Please help your child review this and all lesson worksheets and vocabulary cards. Our next unit of study is the Rain Forest.

Important Dates & Announcements

March Dates to Remember

28 - School Wide Reading Reward Day - Springing Books to Life Day - Wear bright        colors.
31 - Spring Break begins

April Dates to Remember

  7 - Classes Resume

17 - Early Dismissal @12pm

Friday, March 14, 2014

Reading and Language Arts We began discussing personal narrative writing this week. We are writing about a special place. To activate prior knowledge, we read Arthur in New York by Marc Brown and Froggy Goes to Hawaii, by Jonathon London.We used a brainstorming web to generate ideas for different kinds of places. They began filling out a graphic organizer. Next week, students will focus on writing an introduction, beginning, middle, end, and a conclusion. Students will work on adding details and choosing words that show how they feel. We will edit our narratives and write a final copy.

Reading Logs  Please continue to log minutes with your child in their March reading log. 

Ozzie's Reading Club  All students are official members of the Ozzie Reading Club. If they continue to read and log their minutes for the next 8 weeks they will receive a ticket to the Kane County Cougars minor league baseball game. Make sure to send in the log when it is complete.

Spelling No spelling next week due to the short week.

Math Students will find and record the total value for money amounts greater than $1.00, and solve word problems involving money by using the strategy act it out. A chapter test on Money Use will be at the end of next week. Check your child's assgnment notebook next week for the exact date.

Flash Cards  Students should be practicing their addition facts with their flash cards and Rocket Math fact sheets. Weekly timed tests are given.

Here is a website where you can make fact timed tests:
  http://www.mathfactcafe.com/build/

Social Studies: We will begin the unit, Our Country Today. Students will explore how local government works to make communities better and safer places to live.

Science  We will continue learning about Our Earth. Students will read and learn about fossils. They will communicate how tools can help people obtain information and make work easier  by participating in the lab Uncovering Fossils.

Important Dates & Announcements

March Dates to Remember

17 - No School

18 - Teacher Institute/Election Day

31 - Spring Break

April Dates to Remember

  7 - Classes Resume

17 - Early Dismissal @12pm

Friday, March 7, 2014

Reading Next week we will read aloud Officer Buckle and Gloria, by Peggy Rathmann. This is a story about Napville Elementary School's students who ignore Officer Buckle's safety tips. Then one day a police dog named Gloria accompanies him when he gives safety speeches.The comprehension strategies and skills are drawing conclusions, and monitor/clarify.

Language Arts Our grammar lesson will focus on pronouns. We will also revisit dictionary skills, specifically looking at guide words to determine where words belong.

Reading Logs  Please continue to log minutes with your child in their March reading log. 

Congratulations to those students who read for 21 days during the month of February. We celebrated with lunch in the classroom, popsicles and The Magic School Bus Movie, In The City. A coupon for a free personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut was also handed out. 

Ozzie's Reading Club  All students are official members of the Ozzie Reading Club. If they continue to read and log their minutes for the next 8 weeks they will receive a ticket to the Kane County Cougars minor league baseball game. Make sure to send in the log when it is complete.

Math Students will add and subtract money, problem solve using the strategy predict and test, use coins to show a dollar in a variety of ways,and make change.

Flash Cards  Students should be practicing their addition facts with their flash cards and Rocket Math fact sheets. Weekly timed tests are given.

Here is a website where you can make fact timed tests:
  http://www.mathfactcafe.com/build/

Social Studies:  Students will learn about Robert Fulton and his work as an inventor. We will review Unit 6, People and Places in History and a test will be given on Tuesday. A review sheet will be sent home on Monday. Please look over the review sheet and workbook pages with your child to prepare for the test.

Science  We will continue learning about Our Earth. Students will read and learn about rocks, sand and soil. They will draw conclusions about the harness of rocks and recognize the Earth's surface is made up of different solid materials.

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Star Student of the Week  Julianna was our star student of the week. When she is at school she enjoys reading and recess. When she is at home she likes to play video games, do gymnastics and read. When she grows up she would like to be a doctor for soldiers. Julianna is a star because she is awesome. Thanks for sharing Julianna!

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Important Dates & Announcements

March Dates to Remember

12 - Parent/Teacher Conferences

13 - Parent/Teacher Conferences

17 - No School

18 - Teacher Institute/Election Day

31 - Spring Break

April Dates to Remember

  7 - Classes Resume

17 - Early Dismissal @12pm

Thursday, February 27, 2014

Reading Next week we will read aloud It Could Still be a Worm, by Allan Fowler. This book is a simple introduction to the earthworm, roundworm, flatworm, and other kinds of worms. We will also read aloud Plants that Eat Animals, by Allan Fowler. A variety of carnivorous plants, including Venus's-flytrap, sundew, pitcher plant, and bladderwort are described. The comprehension strategies and skills will focus on main idea and details, and wondering to make sense of a non fiction text. 

Language Arts Our grammar lesson will focus on proper nouns and compound words. We will also revisit dictionary skills. 

Reading Logs  Please continue to log minutes with your child in their February reading log.  Reading Logs are due Monday, March 3.

Ozzie's Reading Club  All students are official members of the Ozzie Reading Club. If they continue to read and log their minutes for the next 8 weeks they will receive a ticket to the Kane County Cougars minor league baseball game. Make sure to send in the log when it is complete.

Math Our chapter test on "Count Money" will be Tuesday. The next chapter is "Use Money". Students will compare amounts of money, problem solve using the strategy act it out, and add and subtract money.  

Flash Cards  Students should be practicing their addition facts with their flash cards and Rocket Math fact sheets. Weekly timed tests are given.

Here is a website where you can make fact timed tests:
  http://www.mathfactcafe.com/build/

Social Studies:  Students are learning about different devices that people use to communicate with one another. They will also explore how people travel over great distances.

Science  We will begin the unit Our Earth. Students will read and learn about changes to Earth's surface. 

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Star Student of the Week  Lauren was our star student of the week. When she is at school she enjoys reading and math. When she is at home she likes to play with her cats, roller blade and watch the movie Frozen. When she grows up she would like to be an actress. Lauren is a star because she is good at roller blading. Thanks for sharing Lauren!

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Important Dates & Announcements

Conferences will be scheduled on a as needed basis. Elizabeth Ide will be using an online sign up sheet. An email was sent out to invite you to sign up for conferences. If you do not receive an invitation, but would like to schedule a conference, please email me. 

February Dates to Remember

28 - County Institute Day - No School

March Dates to Remember

  6 - Field Trip to Rialto Square Theater - Send a sack lunch

12 - Parent/Teacher Conferences

13 - Parent/Teacher Conferences

17 - No School

18 - Teacher Institute/Election Day

31 - Spring Break

April Dates to Remember

  7 - Classes Resume

17 - Early Dismissal @12pm
18 - No School - Good Friday

February 21, 2014

Reading Next week we will read aloud The Name Jar, by Yangsook Choi. It is about a young girl from Korea who is anxious about making friends, and worried that no one will be able to pronounce her name. When introducing herself at school, she decides to pick a new name,but doesn't know which name to choose. The comprehension strategies and skills will focus on inferring, sequencing and predicting. 

Language Arts Our grammar lesson will focus on nouns that change the spelling in the plural and pronouns.

Reading Logs  Please continue to log minutes with your child in their February reading log.

Ozzie's Reading Club  All students are official members of the Ozzie Reading Club. If they continue to read and log their minutes for the next 8 weeks they will receive a ticket to the Kane County Cougars minor league baseball game. Make sure to send in the log when it is complete.

Six Flags Read to Succeed  Don't forget to log your minutes. To participate, you need to read for fun for a total of six hours or 360 minutes and turn in your completed log by February 24. When this is complete you will qualify for a free ticked to Six Flags theme park.

Math We will continue the chapter on Money. Students will count collections of coins and problem solve using the strategy make a list.

Flash Cards  Students should be practicing their addition facts with their flash cards and Rocket Math fact sheets. Weekly timed tests are given.

Here is a website where you can make fact timed tests:
  http://www.mathfactcafe.com/build/

Social Studies:  Students are learning about artifacts and how they provide useful information about the past and how people still use some of the things that were made by others long ago.

Science  We will continue learning about animal life cycles. A chapter test on animals will be given next week. Check your child's assignment notebook for the exact date and study guide. 

**************************************************************Star Student of the Week  Dennis was our star student of the week. When he is at school he enjoys math. When he is at home he likes to build with his legos. When he grows up she would like to be an airplane mechanic. Dennis is a star because he tries his best at school. Thanks for sharing Dennis!

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Important Dates & Announcements

Conferences will be scheduled on a as needed basis. Elizabeth Ide will be using an online sign up sheet. On February 27th an email will be sent out to invite you to sign up for conferences. If you do not receive an invitation, but would like to schedule a conference, please email me. 

February Dates to Remember

22 - Snowflake Ball
24 - Six Flags Read to Succeed Logs are due
27 - Field Trip Money is Due
27 - Jump Rope For Heart Envelopes are due

28 - County Institute Day - No School

March Dates to Remember

12 - Parent/Teacher Conferences
13 - Parent/Teacher Conferences
17 - No School-Conferences

18 - Teacher Institute/Election Day

31 - Spring Break

April Dates to Remember

  7 - Classes Resume

17 - Early Dismissal @12pm
18 - No School - Good Friday
24 - Spring Open House and Book Fair

  

Friday, February 14, 2014

Reading Next week we will be focusing on biographies. The students will read the biographies of Ellen Ochoa, Theodore Roosevelt and Wilma Rudolph. They will learn that a biography is s true story about someone's life. Then they will choose a famous person, read their biography, and write a time line of the most important events in this famous person's life.The comprehension strategies and skills will focus on understanding a biography and evaluate.

Language Arts We will discuss nouns and pronouns.

Reading Logs  Please continue to log minutes with your child in their February reading log.

Ozzie's Reading Club  All students are official members of the Ozzie Reading Club. If they continue to read and log their minutes for the next 8 weeks they will receive a ticket to the Kane County Cougars minor league baseball game. Make sure to send in the log when it is complete.

Six Flags Read to Succeed  Don't forget to log your minutes. To participate, you need to read for fun for a total of six hours or 360 minutes and turn in your completed log by February 24. When this is complete you will qualify for a free ticked to Six Flags theme park.

Math We will begin our next chapter Money on Tuesday. Students will determine the value of coins, including pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters and half dollars. 

If you have not already, please send the following coins in a small container or ziploc bag clearly marked with your child's name for our next unit, Money:

20 pennies
10 nickels
10 dimes
7 quarters


Please send them in with your child onTuesday!


Flash Cards  Students should be practicing their addition facts with their flash cards and Rocket Math fact sheets. Weekly timed tests are given.

Here is a website where you can make fact timed tests:
  http://www.mathfactcafe.com/build/

Social Studies:  Students are learning about some of the important local and national landmarks that tell about our country's past.

Science  Next week we complete an activity on classifying animals. We will begin learning about animal life cycles.

**************************************************************Star Student of the Week  Brooke was our star student of the week. When she is at school she enjoys reading, Daily 5, recess and lunch. When she is at home she likes to read, play games and play with her dog. When she grows up she would like to be an owl seeker. Brooke is a star because she is helpful with everything. Thanks for sharing Brooke!

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Important Dates & Announcements

I would like to give a big thanks to  Mrs. Rivera for planning a wonderful Valentine's Day party. Thank you to all our party helpers: Mrs. Kerfin, our party helper and bringing in donuts, Mrs. Kenyeri for sending cookies, Mrs. Mendoza for sending fruit, Mrs. Stewart and Mrs. Murthy for sending juice and Mrs. Clair for sending plates and napkins. We appreciate all your support!

February Dates to Remember

17 - President's Day - No School

20 - Spring Picture Day

22 - Snowflake Ball
24 - Six Flags Read to Succeed Logs are due
27 - Jump Rope For Heart Envelopes are due

28 - County Institute Day - No School

March Dates to Remember

17 - Conference Day - No School

18 - Teacher Institute/Election Day

31 - Spring Break

April Dates to Remember

  7 - Classes Resume

17 - Early Dismissal @12pm
18 - No School - Good Friday
24 - Spring Open House and Book Fair