December 16, 2016

Ms. Zurales' Class News

ELA After break we will continue our Culture and Traditions Unit. We will br writing a New Year's resolution and reading be reading The Keeping Quilt. We will also continue with literature circles. Don't forget to read for 20 minutes per night. December reading logs are due on January 3rd.

LANGUAGE ARTS We will finish dictionary skills.

SPELLING  A spelling test was given today. New words sorts will go home on Tuesday, Jan. 3rd. 

MATH Ms. Zurales' math class is working with measurement. We will be investigating liquid volume and then they will have hands on opportunities to estimate mass, liquid volume, and length. They will also be solving measurement-related story problems. There will be a checkpoint quiz on time, Thursday, Jan 5.

Science When we return, students will begin learning about the properties of matter. In our first lesson we will learn what matter is.

Important Dates & Announcements

12/19-1/2 Winter Break
1/3 - December Reading Log due
1/5 - Math Checkpoint quiz on  Time
1/10 - MAPS Reading
1/11 - MAPS Math
1/16 - No School - Martin Luther King's Day

December 9, 2016

Ms. Zurales' Class News

ELA Next week we will continue our Culture and Traditions Unit. We will be reading Twas the Night Before Christmas and illustrating what the author wants his reader to visualize in their heads. We will also continue with literature circles. Students will also participate in many fun holiday projects. Don't forget to read for 20 minutes per night. December reading logs are due on January 3rd.

LANGUAGE ARTS We will focus on dictionary skills.

SPELLING  Homework (3 items on the menu, 1 from each column) is due on Friday, December 16, which is also the date of the test. 

MATH Ms. Zurales' math class began the unit on Measurement and Fractions. A  pre-test was given on Thursday. Next week we will review telling time, elapsed time, and learn about the difference between mass and weight. Students will be estimating, measuring and comparing mass. 

SOCIAL STUDIES Next we will finish discussing the services our local government provides, then we will learn about community leaders. 

Important Dates & Announcements

***Make sure your child wears/brings gym shoes on Wednesday for the bowling field trip. Thank you!***

12/9 -  Bowling Field Trip and A Christmas Carol Permission Slips due
12/13 - Performance of A Christmas Carol Field Trip
12/14  -  Bowing Field Trip
12/16 - 3 Spelling HW activities due and Test
 1/3 - December Reading Log due

December 2, 2016

Ms. Zurales' Class News

ELA Next week we will do a close read on Twas the Night Before Christmas. We will also continue with literature circles. Don't forget to read for 20 minutes per night. December reading logs went home on Thursday.

LANGUAGE ARTS We will focus on quotation marks.

SPELLING  A Spelling test was given today. On Monday, a new sort will go home. Homework (3 items on the menu, 1 from each column) is due on Friday, December 16, which is also the date of the test. 

MATH Ms. Zurales' math class will have the Unit 3 test on December 7th. A study guide went home on Thursday. It is due on Tuesday, Dec. 6th. Please have your child complete it and then review it with your child. The next unit will be on Measurement and Fractions.

SOCIAL STUDIES The quiz on Modern Day DG will be on Tues, 12/6. Please make sure your child knows the concepts on the study guide. Most of the test is fill in the blank. Next we will be studying local government.

Important Dates & Announcements

12/6  - Modern Day Downers Grove Quiz
12/7  - Unit 3 Math Test 
12/7 - Teacher Institute
12/9 -  Bowling Field Trip and A Christmas Carol Permission Slips due
12/13 - Performance of A Christmas Carol Field Trip
12/14  -  Bowing Field Trip
12/16 - 3 Spelling HW activities due and test

November 18, 2016

Ms. Zurales' Class News

ELA Next week we will be finishing up a few Thanksgiving writing projects. The following week our ELA unit will focus on cultures. We will be doing a couple of close reads. We will also begin literature circles during Daily 4 stations. Don't forget to read for 20 minutes per night. November Reading logs our due on December 1st.

LANGUAGE ARTS We will continue pronouns.

SPELLING  A new sort went home on Monday. Homework (3 items on the menu, 1 from each column) is due on Friday, December 2, which is also the date of the test. 

MATH Ms. Zurales' math class will practice rounding using distance to the nearest ten and hundred. The following week, they will use data to complete calculations with 3 and 4 digit numbers. They will use rounding to help gauge the reasonableness of their answers. The Unit 3 test is scheduled for December 7th.

SOCIAL STUDIES The test on the History of DG will be on Monday, 11/21. Please make sure your child knows the people and concepts on the study guide. Our field trip to tour Downers Grove is on Tuesday. Please make sure your child dresses for the weather. We will be walking around outside for much of the day. We are learning about Modern Day Downers Grove. This week week discussed the importance of the location of DG and its government. 

Important Dates & Announcements

11/21 - History of Downers Grove Test
11/22 - Downers Grove Field Trip - Dress for the weather!
12/1   - November Reading Log Due
12/2   - 3 Spelling HW activities due and test
12/7   - Math Test

November 11, 2016

Ms. Zurales' Class News

ELA Next week we will finish working with the skill with cause and effect. Students will be bringing home a turkey to decorate or  "disguise". These are due on Wednesday. A letter with all the specifics went home today. In class we will be writing a paper on how to disguise a turkey. 

Don't forget to read for 20 minutes per night.

LANGUAGE ARTS We will begin pronouns.

SPELLING  A test was given today. A new sort will go home on Monday. Homework (3 items on the menu, 1 from each column) is due on Friday, December 2, which is also the date of the test. 

MATH Ms. Zurales' math class  will continue building strategies they learned to solve 3 digit story problems, both addition and subtraction. They will be completing a work sample on Tuesday and a checkpoint quiz on Thursday. 

SOCIAL STUDIES We will finish our learning packet on the history of Downers Grove early next week.  The test on the History of DG will be on Monday, 11/21. A study guide will be going home on Monday. Next, we will be learning about Modern Day Downers Grove. 

Important Dates & Announcement

We will be going on a field trip to Downers Grove History Museum on Tuesday, Nov. 22. We will be gone for the entire day. I am looking for 1 more volunteer. Please email me   and let me know if you are interested! Thanks in advance for volunteering! 

Permissions slips for the Downers Grove Field Trip were due today. If you have not sent your child's in, please do so on Monday!

11/11 - Field Trip Permission Slip due
11/21 - History of Downers Grove Test
11/22 - Downers Grove Field Trip
12/2  -  3 Spelling HW activities due and test

November 4, 2016

Ms. Zurales' Class News

ELA Next week we will be working with cause and effect. Also, on Friday our classroom activities will focus on the meaning and significance of Veteran's Day. We will be making cards for our Veterans. We will continue Daily 4 stations, which include Lexia and Raz-Kids. November Reading Logs went home this week. Don't forget to read for 20 minutes per night.

LANGUAGE ARTS We will finish adverbs.

SPELLING  A new sort went home on Monday. Homework (3 items on the menu, 1 from each column) is due on Friday, November 11, which is also the date of the test. 

MATH Ms. Zurales' math class will develop new strategies and adjust some of the strategies they learned to solve 3 digit story problems, both addition and subtraction.

SOCIAL STUDIES We will continue to learn about the history of Downers Grove, specifically, the underground railroad.

Important Dates & Announcement

We will be going on a field trip to Downers Grove History Museum on Tuesday, Nov. 22. We will be gone for the entire day. I am looking for 2 volunteers. Please email me by Friday, Nov. 4th if you are interested. I will put all names in a hat. I will let you know by Wednesday, Nov. 9th who is chosen. Thanks in advance for volunteering! 

Permissions slips for the Downers Grove Field Trip went home today. Please return them by Friday, November 11.

Thank you to our Halloween party volunteers: Mrs. Rizzo, Mrs. Dixon, Mrs. Warren, Mrs. Kasai and The Howard Family. Whether you helped with the activities and/or sent in snacks, it was appreciated! The students had a great time.

11/11 - Field Trip Permission Slip due
11/11 - 3 Spelling Activities due and Test
11/11 - Veteran's Day Assembly

October 28, 2016

Ms. Zurales' Class News

ELA Students finished writing their argumentative piece in which they are persuading their audience to buy their haunted house. Next week we will be working on finding evidence to answer questions from a text. We will continue Daily 4 stations, which include Lexia and Raz-Kids. October Reading Logs are due on Tuesday!

LANGUAGE ARTS We will focus adverbs.

SPELLING Students took an assessment today. A new sort will go home on Monday. Homework (3 items on the menu, 1 from each column) is due on Friday, November 11, which is also the date of the test. 

MATH Ms. Zurales' math class took the Unit 2 assessment today. A pretest on Unit 3 will be given on Monday. Next, students will be introduced to the concepts of rounding 2 and 3 digit numbers to nearest ten and the nearest hundred. They will develop new strategies and adjust some of the strategies they learned to solve 3 digit story problems.

SOCIAL STUDIES We will continue to learn about the history of Downers Grove. We will learn about Chief Waubonsee and Israel Blodgett.

Important Dates & Announcement

Please send your child's costume in a bag, clearly marked with their name. No weapons are allowed. Make sure it is easy to get on and off. Students will be changing in the classroom, boys in one room, girls in another.

Conferences are being held on Tuesday and Wednesday next week. There are still a few spots open. Please make sure to sign up. I look forward to meeting you!

We will be going on a field trip to Downers Grove History Museum on Tuesday, Nov. 22. We will be gone for the entire day. I am looking for 2 volunteers. Please email me by Friday, Nov. 4th if you are interested. I will put all names in a hat. I will let you know by Wednesday, Nov. 9th who is chosen. Thanks in advance for volunteering!

10/31 Halloween Party (1:10-2:10) & Parade (2:10)
11/1   October Reading Log due & Parent/Teacher Conferences
11/2 Parent/Teacher Conferences