Mrs. Krezel's Class News

2008-05-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Krezel's News
Week of June 2 - June 5, 2008

What a wonderful two months this has been for me! I want to thank each of you for sharing your precious child with me as they finished their fifth grade journey. I know each and every student has so many special and wonderful talents to share not only in their time at Lakeview but throughout their lives! All the best to each family! Have a safe and super summer!

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 the exact amount. Checks can be made out to Prairieview. There is a limited supply. Prairieview yearbook orders were not paid at registration. A flyer was sent out in November and orders were due by Monday, December 3, 2007.

Center Cass School District #66 is in the process of implementing an Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) mandate, Response to Intervention (RTI). RTI is an array of procedures that can be used to determine if and how students respond to specific changes in instruction. RTI provides an improved process and structure for school teams in designing, implementing, and evaluating educational interventions.Please look for the additional information on RTI, which will be included with your child’s end of the year Report Card.

Dates to Remember...
* Book Celebration lunch and movie, Monday
* Fun Pack Raffle, Tuesday
* School Picnic, Wednesday
* LAST DAY, Dismissal 9:30

2008-04-28T06:50:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Krezel's News
Week of April 28 - May 2, 2008

This week our blog will be short and sweet ...

Spelling
The rule for this week's lesson is when adding a prefix, all you have to do is add the prefix to the beginning of the base word and there you have it ... the new word! There are no spelling changes! The Lesson 32 TEST will be on Friday. The Words to Know this week are ...would, wrote, your, and you're. The written homework for this week is Workbook pages 139-140, which will be due on Thursday.

Language ( for Mrs. Krezel's group )
I am sure by now your child has told you we are finished with the English textbook. Hurray! This week we are going to enjoy some very instructional word usage and creative language expression games. No homework!

Reading
We will continue reading Jacob's Rescue together in class. As we are reading, we will be reviewing the parts of a narrative using the technique of story mapping. There will be several in-class assessments given this week. These will be testing basic comprehension of simple texts. No homework!

Social Studies
The week will begin with lesson three - Another War with Britain. Students will be working on a neat checker review note project for this lesson. The week will end with a review of the chapter. It is in your child's best interest to begin studying essay questions as soon as possible, as this test will be a little more difficult than those taken in the past. The Chapter 11 test is scheduled to be on Tuesday, May 6th.

Science
Have you ever heard the expression "go fly a kite"? We are literally going to be doing that this week! What fun we are having with this unit learning about lighter-than-aircrafts and heavier-than-aircrafts!

Math ( for Mrs. Krezel's students )
This week we will begin our study of fractions. There are many new concepts and vocabulary that will be introduced. It is vital that everyone gives their closest attention to in-class instruction and homework is completed as it is given. There will be written homework on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. We will also be learning about the relationship between fractions and decimals.

Dates to Remember...

Book Reports are due this Wednesday, April 30th.

Wednesday, April 30th is the last day to turn in boxtops!

2008-03-07T07:26:00.000-08:00

Mrs. Napolitano's News
Week of March 10 th

ISAT TESTING
The week has finally come for ISAT testing. We have worked very hard all year preparing your child for these big tests. Please make sure your child gets a good night of sleep and eats a healthy breakfast so they are ready for their test. It is also important that your child arrives to school on time because we are beginning a test first thing every day.

Attention Girls interested in Girl Scouts
Meeting dates will be March 12th, April 2nd, 9th & 16th.

READING
We will begin our unit on China. I am encouraging your child to bring in anything they may have from China to share with the class. March book reports will be due Wed. March 19th.

LANGUAGE ARTS
This week students will be finishing up their poetry books. Their books will be due Tuesday, March 18th.

SOCIAL STUDIES
At the Constitutional Convention, a group of leaders wrote the Constitution, a new plan for a stronger national government. This week we will be learning about the Preamble. We will be breaking apart the Preamble and working on a fun project to help the students understand what the words mean.

SCIENCE
We finished our weather unit and students will be working on their final project for this unit. For this project, students will need to pick 4 questions and answer and illustrate each one completely. They will be making this into a flip book. Ask your child which 4 questions they chose to do. This project will be due Thursday, March 13th

MATH (Mrs. Napolitano's Class Only)
This week there will be no math class all week due to ISAT testing.

IMPORTANT DATES
3/14 NO SCHOOL/Conferences
3/16 Center Cass District 66 PTO Fund Raiser
Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who! 12-4
3/20 NO SCHOOL

2008-02-29T08:36:00.000-08:00

Mrs. Napolitano's News
Week of March 3rd

CAN YOU HELP OUT?

We are in need for some more anti-bacterial wipes for the classroom. If you could donate some to the class that would be greatly appreciated!

SAVE THE DATE

On Friday, March 7th we will have our Too Good For Drugs graduation at 1:00 in the PV gym. All parents and guests are invited to attend.

Family Book Club Night
The two books selected for this evening are The Homework Machine by Dan Gutman or The Liberation of Gabriel King by K.L. Going. Sign up and enjoy this night discussing the book with your child.

Attention girls interested in Girl Scouts
Meeting dates will be March 12th, April 2nd, 9th & 16th.

READING
We will be working in our ISAT book this week. Students will also be reading passages , answering multiple choice questions, and a final question that requires them to provide an extended response answer. So far, students have been doing a wonderful job turning their question around and using text proof from the author to support their answer.

LANGUAGE ARTS
This week we will be focusing on expository writing to be prepared for ISAT week. Ask your child what they have learned about expository writing and what types of prompts they have received. I am encouraging students to broaden their vocabulary both in spoken and written language to make them more proficient writers.

SOCIAL STUDIES
Chapter 10 is on Forming a New Government. The new nation struggled to govern itself under the Articles of Confederation. The Articles of Confederation created a central government but allowed the states to have “freedom and independence.”

SCIENCE
This week we will be taking a look at weather forecasting. Students will be introduced to their final project for our weather unit. For this project, students will need to pick 4 questions and answer and illustrate each one completely. They will be making this into a flip book. Ask your child which 4 questions they chose to do.

MATH (Mrs. Napolitano's Class Only)
This week we will have our Chapter 11 Test on Measurement on Wednesday, March 5th. We then will be doing a review packet for ISAT testing and also be working on t-charts.

IMPORTANT DATES
3/3 NO SCHOOL- Casimir Pulaski Day
3/7 Too Good For Drugs Graduation 1:00 PV
3/14 NO SCHOOL/Conferences
3/16 Center Cass District 66 PTO Fund Raiser
Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who! 12-4
3/20 NO SCHOOL

2008-02-22T08:04:00.000-08:00

Mrs. Napolitano's News
Week of February 25th

CAN YOU HELP OUT?
We are in need for some more anti-bacterial wipes for the classroom. If you could donate some to the class that would be greatly appreciated!

SAVE THE DATE
On Friday, March 7th we will have our Too Good For Drugs graduation at 1:00 in the PV gym. All parents and guests are invited to attend.

READING
This week we will be typing our “Me Front Page” project. Many children have brought in their 8 x 10 picture and have started that part for the project. If you child has not brought in their picture they need to do this ASAP. This week we also will be working in our ISAT book on plot, subplot, and setting. We also will be doing another extended response to a story.

LANGUAGE ARTS
This week students will continue to work on their poetry books. In our ISAT book we will be focusing on different genres. Ask your child what their favorite genre is. We also will be focusing on expository writing.

SOCIAL STUDIES
Students presented their Revolutionary Projects last week. I was very impressed on how unique each project was. Our Chapter 9 Test will be Wednesday, Feb. 27th.

SCIENCE
Students will understand that a front is an area where two different air masses make contact. We also will learn that highs and lows are caused by the unequal heating of the earth. Last, we will understand that the atmosphere is the layer of gases which surround the earth.

MATH (Mrs. Napolitano's Class Only)
This week we will find the perimeter of a polygon. Then, we will find the area of rectangles and squares. Next, we will determine the area of parallelograms and triangles. Finally, we will measure the volume of solid figures. There will be a checkpoint quiz on Tuesday, March 4th on pages 464-465. Chapter 11 test will be Thursday, March 6th.

IMPORTANT DATES
2/28 Spring Pictures
3/3 NO SCHOOL - Casimir Pulaski Day
3/7 Too Good For Drugs Graduation 1:00 PV
3/11 Report Cards
3/14 NO SCHOOL/Conferences
3/24 Spring Break Begins
3/20 NO SCHOOL

2008-02-14T06:39:00.000-08:00

Mrs. Napolitano's News
Week of February 18th

I would like to thank all the parents who planned and attended our Valentine's Day party. We all had a wonderful time!

SAVE THE DATE

On Friday, March 7th we will have our Too Good For Drugs graduation at 1:00 in the PV gym. All parents and guests are invited to attend.

READING
This week we will continue to work on ISAT extended response questions. We also will be working on a “Me Front Page” project that will be all about your child. This project will include a lead story, major achievement, poem, quotes, and short/long range goals. Your child needs to bring in an 8 x 10 picture ASAP for this project. I prefer this picture to be from this year or last year. You will get this picture back in perfect condition. You will be able to see this final project at the Open House in April.

LANGUAGE ARTS
This week students will continue to work on their poetry books. They will be typing each poem and have illustrations for each poem. This is a perfect chance for your child to scrap book for this book.

SOCIAL STUDIES
Revolutionary project due Wed. February 20th. With help from France and Spain, the Continental Army won the American Revolution. Other nations helped the Americans by contributing ships, soldiers, money, and other needed supplies. Students will be making circle books to go with their notes this week for lesson 3. Chapter 9 Test will be Wed. Feb. 27th.

SCIENCE
We have been learning about basic types of clouds. See if your child can tell you the three main types. We also will understand that precipitation is the falling of moisture from clouds to the surface of the earth. The four forms of precipitation are rain, snow, sleet, and hail. Did you know that every snowflake is a variation of a six-sided crystal structure. Last week we went outside on Monday to catch snowflakes. Ask your child what type of snowflakes they caught.

MATH (Mrs. Napolitano's Class Only)
This week we will be working with metric units of capacity and mass. We also
will be looking at Celsius and Fahrenheit. There will be a checkpoint quiz on Friday, February 22nd on pages 448-449. This quiz will be on eight lessons so students should begin studying as soon as possible.

IMPORTANT DATES
2/18 President's Day - NO SCHOOL
3/3 Casimir Pulaski Day - NO SCHOOL
3/7 Too Good For Drugs Graduation 1:00 PV
3/14 NO SCHOOL/Conferences
3/16 Center Cass District 66 PTO Fund Raiser Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who! 12-4
3/21 NO SCHOOL
3/24 Spring Break Begins

2008-02-08T08:19:00.000-08:00

Mrs. Napolitano's News
Week of February 11h

IOWA TESTING
This week we will be giving IOWA tests Mon- Thurs. Make-up tests for absentees will take place on Friday. It’s important that your child is well rested and has a healthy breakfast, so that he/she is prepared to do his/her best on the tests.

Valentine Party
Our Valentine’s Day celebration is scheduled for February 14th at 1:30. Students received a class list today for valentine distribution. If your child is bringing valentines to distribute, please have him/her bring one for each member of our class.

READING
This week we will be reviewing extended response questions. Your child should have picked
their new book for February. They should be reading a genre they have not chosen so far this year.

LANGUAGE ARTS
We finished our persuasive writing with the children choosing who they think is the best relative of the year. Ask your child who they choose to write on. This week we will begin our poetry anthology unit. Every day your child will be introduced to new types poems. Your child will be picking ten of their favorite poems to include in their very own poetry book.

SOCIAL STUDIES
Last week your child was introduced to their big American Revolutionary Project. Due to IOWA testing we will be taking a break from the book this week. This gives your child the perfect opportunity to work on their big project this week. They have eight choices to choose from and may need to do additional research on their activity to complete their project. This big project is due Wed., February 20th.

SCIENCE
This week we will learn about condensation and dew point. Next, we will learn that the water cycle is the continuous process by which water enters and leaves the atmosphere. Meteorologists classify clouds into three basic groups according to their shapes and the heights at which they form. See if your child can tell you these three basic types of clouds by the end of the week.

MATH (Mrs. Napolitano's Class Only)
We continue to work in our measurement unit. Ask your child about the gallon girl/guy they
made this week. This week we will convert customary units of weight and work with metric units of length.

IMPORTANT DATES
2/14 Valentine's Day Party 1:30-2:20
2/15 Spirit Day- Wear red
2/18 President's Day - NO SCHOOL
3/3 NO SCHOOL
3/7 Too Good For Drugs Graduation 1:00 PV

2008-02-04T06:33:00.000-08:00

Mrs. Napolitano's News
Week of February 4th

IOWA TESTING

Next week we will be giving IOWA tests. It is important that your child has a good night of sleep and eats a healthy breakfast every morning. It is also important that your child be on time to school because we will be beginning to test first thing every morning. If your child is late and we have begun the test they will have to sit in the office until we are finished with the test. Therefore, they will have to make the test up at a later point in time.

READING
This week we continue to prepare for ISAT testing. We will be reading a non-fiction story and work on multiple choice questions. We also will focus on extended response questions. Ask your child what they need to do with an extended response question.

LANGUAGE ARTS
We continue to work on persuasive writing. Last week we focused on pro/con side of wearing
uniforms to school. Ask your child which side they were on. This week your child will write their very own persuasive essay on who they think should be best relative of the year.

SOCIAL STUDIES
In lesson 2, we will learn that the contributions of a wide variety of people helped the Continental Army win important battles. Hungry, sick, and poorly outfitted, the Americans lost several battles to the British. Winning a battle of Trenton, however, gave the Americans
hope.

SCIENCE
This week we will learn about condensation and dew point. We will observe the process of
condensation. Last we will find the dew point of the air.

MATH (Mrs. Napolitano's Class Only)
We are ready to begin Chapter 11 on Measurement. We will begin learning about adding, subtracting, and converting units of time. Next, we will convert customary units of length. Last, we will convert units of capacity.

IMPORTANT DATES
2/5 Teacher Institute - NO SCHOOL
2/7 Early Dismissal - 11:00
2/8 District Spelling Bee 1:15
2/14 Valentine's Day Party 1:30-2:20
2/18 President's Day - NO SCHOOL

2008-01-24T12:03:00.000-08:00

Mrs. Napolitano's News
Week of January 28th

SCIENCE
We will have our first Weather Test on Activities 1-10 on Friday, February 1st. This week students will demonstrate that when liquid water evaporates it goes into the air as water vapor. Students will be working in groups of three to make a hypothesis on evaporation. We also will understand that the amount of water vapor in the air is known as humidity.

MATH (Mrs. Napolitano's Class Only)
Geometry Final Projects are due Monday, January 28th. I can't wait to see the final products! Our Chapter 7 Test on Geometry will be Tuesday, January 29th. The rest of the week will be used to work on ISAT prep with T-charts.

IMPORTANT DATES
2/5 Teacher Institute-- NO SCHOOL
2/7 Early Dismissal- 11:00
2/8 District Spelling Bee 1:15
2/14 Valentine's Day Party 1:30-2:20
2/18 President's Day –NO SCHOOL

2008-01-18T10:27:00.000-08:00

Mrs. Napolitano's News
Week of January 21st

Thanks to Mr. Fogarty and Mrs. Martino for helping out for our GEOSPACE program in the classroom. I hope you had as much fun as the kids did making their geometric diorama in 3D.

SPELLING BEE We will be have 2 classroom spelling bees and get one finalist from each contest. The classroom spelling bees are on Thursday, January 24th and Wednesday, January 30th. The two finalists will then compete in the 5th grade spelling bee with the other 5th grade finalists. The two 5th grade finalists will then compete in the District 66 Spelling Bee on Friday, February 8th at 1:15 at Prairieview. There will be two finalists competing from each grade level from 3rd grade to 8th grade.

READING
This week we will be working in our ISAT review book to cover activities that went with our two stories that we read in our book. We will be working on point of view, purpose for reading, and also look at charts, graphs, and diagrams.

LANGUAGE ARTS
Our test on Punctuation and Capitalization will be Wednesday, January 23rd. We will then be ready to begin persuasive writing.

SOCIAL STUDIES
In lesson 3 we learned that the American Revolution began with battles at Lexington and Concord. Although the British soldiers defeated the Patriots at the Battle of Bunker Hill, they
suffered heavy losses. Our Chapter 8 test will be on Friday, January 25th.

SCIENCE
Last week we kept track of the temperature three times a day. On Tuesday we will be finding the averages of every day and be making a line graph for the temperature of last week. Next, we will construct a wind vane to show the direction from which the wind is coming. Last, we will construct an anemometer which measures the speed of wind.

MATH (Mrs. Napolitano's Class Only)
Last Friday your child was introduced to a project that will include geometry terms. In this project your child will need to include vocabulary with a definition, picture and be creative with their designs. This is an at home project that will be due Monday, Jan. 28th. This week we will use patterns to solve problems. We also will identify congruent figures and investigate transformations, such as flips, slides, and turns. Next we will solve problems involving symmetry. Ask your child what picture they painted to show their line of symmetry. Lastly, we will identify parts of a circle and identify solid figures. Our Chapter 7 test on Geometry will be Tuesday, January 29th.

This week we are halfway through the second trimester. Have you checked your child's grades on-line? Progress Reports will be sent home only if your child has any grade(s) that are unsatisfactory which means a D or F.

IMPORTANT DATES
1/21 No School- Martin Luther King Day
1/22 Progress Reports Issued
2/5 Teacher Institute-- NO SCHOOL
2/7 Early Dismissal-- NO SCHOOL
2/8 District Spelling Bee 1:15
2/14 Valentine's Day Party 1:30-2:20
2/18 President's Day –NO SCHOOL

2008-01-11T07:34:00.000-08:00

Mrs. Napolitano's News
Week of January 14th

Thanks to Mrs. Fogarty for chaperoning the field trip to Naper Settlement.

READING
This week we are reading Katie's Trunk. This story is about Katie's family that is loyal to England and her neighbors are rebelling against England. As we read the story, we will be summarizing the main events. We also will be working on cause and effects of the story events.

LANGUAGE ARTS
This week we will identify and correctly punctuate interjections. Next, we will punctuate and
capitalize direct quotations in a sentence. Then we will write book, movie, newspaper, magazine, and poem titles correctly. Finally, we will write and punctuate abbreviations correctly. Our test on this chapter is scheduled for Wednesday, January 23rd.

SOCIAL STUDIES
This week we will learn that the events in Boston brought Britain and the colonies closer together. The British punished Boston severely for the Tea Party with what colonists called the Intolerable Acts. Ask your child what type of letter they wrote and why we dipped it in tea. The American Revolution began with a battle a British victory at Lexington and a Patriot victory at Concord.
SCIENCE
Students will demonstrate that air expands when heated and contracts when cooled. This week
we will be keeping track of the temperature three times a day for the whole week. There will
be a quiz on activities 1-6 on Tuesday. We also will compare the heating and cooling rates of
soil and water and infer that the unequal heating of land and water causes air movements called
land and water breezes.

MATH (Mrs. Napolitano's Class Only)
We continue to learn new things in our geometry chapter. This week we will develop spatial
reasoning abilities through problem solving. Next we will classify triangles as equilateral, scalene, isosceles, right, acute, and obtuse. Then we will find the sum of angles of a triangle. Ask your child what they learned about classifying quadrilaterals. Our checkpoint quiz will be on Friday, Jan. 18th on pgs. 268-269.

IMPORTANT DATES
1/16 Mrs. Napolitano's Class GEOSPACE 12:15-2:15
1/18 PV Spirit wear
1/21 No School- Martin Luther King Day
1/25 Spirit Day -- Shirt from favorite vacation spot or state
2/5 Teacher Institute-- NO SCHOOL
2/7 Early Dismissal-- NO SCHOOL
2/14 Valentine's Day Party 1:30-2:20
2/18 President's Day –NO SCHOOL

2007-12-21T08:22:00.000-08:00

Mrs. Napolitano's News
Week of January 7th

FORGOTTEN LUNCHES: Starting in January, 2008 students who do not have a lunch ticket or money will be able to borrow from the office providing there is not an outstanding balance due for lunch tickets. If your child forgets his/her hot lunch ticket or has used them all, he/she may bring $2.25 to school and purchase a ticket that day from the office staff. Students must have exact change to purchase a ticket; no change will be given. If a child has no lunch, no money and the parent cannot be contacted, he/she may borrow from school office, but only twice per trimester. Students will no longer be able to borrow lunch tickets from the lunchroom staff.

READING
This week we will begin a unit called Voices of the Revolution. Our first story is called And Then What Happened Paul Revere? Students will read about Paul Revere, a person who became one of the leaders of the American Revolution. With this story we will focus on the author's viewpoint and if a statement is fact or opinion.

LANGUAGE ARTS
This week we will making an acrostic poem inside a snowman with winter words. We will then be ready to begin our Chapter on Capitalization and Punctuation. We will identify the four kinds of sentences and review using correct beginning and end punctuation. Next we will identify proper nouns and adjectives. Last we will use commas to separate words or groups of words in a series.

SOCIAL STUDIES
Our new chapter is called The Road to War. We will learn that British taxes led to greater
cooperation among colonies. The British decided to tax the colonists to help pay for the defense of the colonies. See if your child can tell you what the Stamp Act was. Later on in the week we will be doing an interactive role playing activity "The King's Gold" which will demonstrate how unfair taxing was at the time. Ask your child what they learned from The King's M & M's.

SCIENCE
Students will demonstrate that air exerts pressure. We also will read a barometer and relate
barometric changes to changes in the weather. Ask your child what the two types of barometers
are. Our last experiment will demonstrate that air expands when heated and contracts when
cooled.

MATH (Mrs. Napolitano's Class Only)
We are ready to begin Chapter 7 on Geometry. This week we will identify basic geometric figures. Next we will classify angles as right, obtuse, and acute. Ask your child what they learned about measuring and drawing angles with a protractor. Finally, we will identify polygons that are common shapes that we see every day.

IMPORTANT DATES
1/7 Classes Resume
1/8 Naper Settlement Field Trip
1/16 Mrs. Napolitano's Class GEOSPACE 12:15-2:15
1/21 No School- Martin Luther King Day

2007-12-14T08:24:00.000-08:00

Mrs. Napolitano's News
Week of December 17th

I could use two volunteers for GEOSPACE which is Wed. Jan. 18th. It is from 12:15-2:15. It would be in my classroom and you would assist kids with making their final project. I also could use two chaperons for our Naper Settlement Field Trip on Tues. Jan. 8th. This field trip is from 9:15-1:45. Please let me know ASAP if you can help out. Thanks!

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season. Enjoy the time spent with family and friends. I look forward to seeing everyone in 2008!!

READING
On Friday we began our favorite holiday book, The Polar Express. As we read the book students formed their seats in the line of a train and got their very own ticket to get aboard. We enjoyed hot chocolate as we worked on a vocabulary page after the story. Also, at the end of the story each child received their very own bell. See if your child can tell you the significance of the bell. We will be discussing the book, particularly main characters, setting, problem, and solution. Students will be doing a web quest in the computer lab. They will have nine choices to choose from that needs to total 25 points. Ask your child what they are doing for this project. December book reports are due 12/20.

LANGUAGE ARTS
Students have been working very hard on their adjective books in class. I can't wait to see the
final product. This project will be due Tuesday, December 18th.

SOCIAL STUDIES
We had brief introduction to the Revolutionary War. Ask your child what they have learned so far.

SCIENCE
Students will demonstrate that air occupies space. We also will demonstrate that air occupies
space and exerts pressure.

MATH (Mrs. Napolitano's Class Only)
Chapter 5 test will be Tuesday, December 18th. Students that are struggling with division should continue to practice long division problems to help them prepare for their test next week.

IMPORTANT DATES
12/20 5th Grade Bowling Trip 9:00-11:00
12/21 Polar Express Movie 11:15-2:00 (Sack lunch)
1/7 Classes Resume
1/8 Naper Settlement Field Trip (Sack lunch)
1/16 Mrs. Napolitano's Class GEOSPACE 12:15-2:15

2007-12-07T05:56:00.000-08:00

Mrs. Napolitano's News
Week of December 10th

THANK YOU TO ALL THE FAMILIES THAT DONATED SUCH GENEROUS GIFTS FOR OUR FAMILY. WE GOT SO MANY NICE GIFTS THAT WE ARE ENSURING OTHERS WILL HAVE A NICE HOLIDAY TOO.

READING
This week we will finish Night of the Twisters. We will be taking a comprehension test over this novel on Tuesday, December 11th. As long as your child has listened to our discussions of this book they should do a good job on this test. On this day they will be introduced to their final project which is a snow globe. This project will be due Thursday, December 13th . Students will also be taking a vocab quiz on Wednesday. Then we will be ready to begin watching the movie Night of the Twisters. As students watch this movie they will be using a venn diagram to help them compare/contrast the book from the movie.

LANGUAGE ARTS
Adjective test will be Monday, December 10th. We then will be working on adjective books. Ask your child what this project is all about. This project will be due Tuesday, December 18th.

SOCIAL STUDIES
Chapter 7 Test is on Tuesday, December 11th. We then will have a brief introduction to the Revolutionary War.

SCIENCE
Students will demonstrate that air occupies space. We also will demonstrate that air occupies
space and exerts pressure.

MATH (Mrs. Napolitano's Class Only)
This week we will be working with dividing greater dividends. Our chapter 5 test will be on Tuesday, December 18th. Students that are struggling with their math facts should practice their division flash cards. There are also some good math websites on my blog that incorporate games with division facts.

IMPORTANT DATES
12/13 5th Grade to see the Nutcracker Play 9:15-12:15
12/20 5th Grade Bowling Trip 9:00-11:00
12/21 Polar Express Movie 11:15-2:00

2007-11-29T12:03:00.000-08:00

Mrs. Napolitano's News
Week of December 3rd

IMPORTANT REMINDERS
I know many students in my class have ordered yearbooks. Last day the school will take orders are Monday, December 3rd. If your child waits till the end of the year they might not be able to purchase one because a limited amount are available.
**GeoSpace money needs to be sent in ASAP!
**Bowling permission slip needs to be signed and returned.
**HOLIDAY SERVICE PROJECT........WE STILL NEED DONATIONS FOR THIS LESS FORTUNATE FAMILY. CAN YOU HELP? WE HAVE ONLY RECEIVED TWO GIFTS SO FAR!****We need all donations by Weds. December 5th!
****Thanks to the family that has already donated!
**This week we will begin our Too Good For Drugs Program.

READING
We have been working hard on the 3 kinds of questions with Night of the Twisters. This week students will continue to work on their journal responses in their twister journal.

LANGUAGE ARTS
We continue to work on adjectives. This week we will be comparing adjectives. Next, we will use the special forms of good and bad for making comparisons. Finally, we will identify and form proper adjectives.

SOCIAL STUDIES
This week we will learn that in the French and Indian War, the British, French, and Native Americans fought for control of a large part of North America. Chapter 7 Test will be Tuesday,
December 11th.

SCIENCE
Students have been working hard on their final project in school. Ms. Frizzle Project is due Monday, December 3rd. Then we will be ready to begin our next hands-on unit on weather. In this unit, students will investigate properties of air and water. They also will use a variety of
weather instruments to measure weather conditions such as air pressure, air temperature, wind speed, wind direction, and humidity.

MATH (Mrs. Napolitano's Class Only)
Checkpoint Quiz is Tuesday, December 4th on pgs. 180-181. Students need to practice division
facts to help them for this chapter. We will then be ready to begin long division.

IMPORTANT DATES
12/3 Last day buy yearbooks
12/5 Last day participate in donations for Holiday Service Project
12/5 Holiday Concert at LV 7:00 p.m.
12/13 5th Grade to see Nutcracker
12/20 5th Grade Bowling Trip 9:00-11:00
12/21 The Polar Express movie

2007-11-20T12:02:00.000-08:00

Mrs. Napolitano's News
Week of November 26th

I look forward to meeting with parents this week for conferences. Please note the important information on yearbooks and our Holiday Service Project.

YEARBOOK: Now’s the time to place your orders. Yearbooks are $9.00 and the deadline for your orders is Monday, December 3, 2007. No orders will be accepted after that date. Please make checks payable to Lifetouch. Please make sure your student’s name, teacher’s name and grade level are marked on the order form. Yearbook order forms went home with your child on November 15th and there a few extra envelopes available; please try not to lose them. If your child loses it, you can send an envelope with the following information on it: student’s name, teacher’s name and grade level along with a check made payable to Lifetouch for $9.00. It is very important that you put the information on the envelope; Lifetouch does not know who your child’s teacher is.

HOLIDAY SERVICE PROJECT
Every year Prairieview “adopts” a needy family. Each classroom at Prairieview has a family or an individual that is in need at this time. This year our class has a very special family. Our family includes: Jasmin, who is a 1 year old girl, Jonathan, who is a 2 year old boy, Nicole, who is a 4 year old girl, and of course, mom and dad. Unfortunately, one of the children has cancer. In order to make this a special holiday, we have “adopted” them. If you could send in a NEW, not used, present for one or more of the family members, that would be appreciated. Please see detailed letter sent home with your child on Monday, Nov. 19th. If you wish to participate, the deadline for donations is December 5th.

READING
November Book Reports are due Thursday, 11/29 This week we will begin a new novel called Night of the Twisters. This is a very suspenseful book that makes you anxious to read each chapter. As we read this book the children will be keeping their very own twister journal. Our reading strategy for this book is 3 kinds of questions. Ask your child what these three types of questions are and how they are used.

LANGUAGE ARTS
Our next chapter is on adjectives. This week we will be identifying adjectives and the nouns
they describe. Next, we will use articles and demonstrative adjectives correctly. Last, we will
compare adjectives. See if your child can give you some of the rules to compare adjectives.

SOCIAL STUDIES
Our new chapter is on The Fight for a Continent. During the 1500s and 1600s New Spain
expanded by establishing colonies in Florida and New Mexico. The Pueblo attacked Spanish
settlements throughout New Mexico and drove the Spanish out of the area.

SCIENCE
We finished our hands-on unit on You and Your Body. Our final assessment for this unit is
designing how Ms. Frizzle's classroom would look including 8 of the 10 areas we studied. This final project will count as a final test grade for this unit. This project will be due Monday,
December 3rd.

MATH (Mrs. Napolitano's Class Only)
Our new chapter is on Dividing by One-Digit Divisors. This week we will relate multiplication
and division as inverse operations. We will use order of operations to evaluate expressions.
Next we will use mental math, basic facts, and patterns to find quotients. Finally we will use
compatible numbers to estimate quotients.

IMPORTANT DATES
11/27 Report Cards Issued
11/30 No School- Conferences
12/3 Last day to buy yearbooks
12/5 Last day to participate in donations for Holiday Service Project

2007-11-16T11:44:00.000-08:00

Mrs. Napolitano's News
Week of November 19th

Next week we have only two days so our schedule is modified. Please note important information about yearbooks and our Holiday Service Project.

YEARBOOK: Now’s the time to place your orders. Yearbooks are $9.00 and the deadline for your orders is Monday, December 3, 2007. No orders will be accepted after that date. Please make checks payable to Lifetouch. Please make sure your student’s name, teacher’s name and grade level are marked on the order form. Yearbook order forms went home with your child on November 15th and there a few extra envelopes available; please try not to lose them. If your child loses it, you can send an envelope with the following information on it: student’s name, teacher’s name and grade level along with a check made payable to Lifetouch for $9.00. It is very important that you put the information on the envelope; Lifetouch does not know who your child’s teacher is.

HOLIDAY SERVICE PROJECT
Every year Prairieview “adopts” a needy family. Each classroom at Prairieview has a family or an individual that is in need at this time. This year our class has a very special family. Our family includes: Jasmin, who is a 1 year old girl, Jonathan, who is a 2 year old boy, Nicole, who is a 4 year old girl, and of course, mom and dad. Unfortunately, one of the children has cancer. In order to make this a special holiday, we have “adopted” them. If you could send in a NEW, not used, present for one or more of the family members, that would be appreciated. Please see detailed letter sent home with your child on Monday, Nov. 19th. If you wish to participate, the deadline for donations is December 5th.

READING
We will be finishing off our unit in our ISAT book on reading comprehension. We will be taking a mastery test on Tuesday over this unit we have done in class. November Book Reports are due 11/29

SCIENCE
We will be finishing off our body unit with our final experiment on touch, hearing, and sight. After Thanksgiving students will be given their final project for the unit.

MATH (Mrs. Napolitano's Class Only)
We will be doing Thanksgiving problem solving with t-charts that will prepare us for ISAT tests in the Spring.

IMPORTANT DATES
11/21-23 Thanksgiving Break- NO SCHOOL
11/27 Report Cards Issued
11/30 No School- Conferences

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving with their family and friends.

2007-11-09T10:32:00.000-08:00

Mrs. Napolitano's News
Week of November 12th

READING
This week we will be working in our ISAT book on finding the main idea and supporting evidence. Next we will focus on summarizing and sequencing the order of events. Last we will find the causes of events in a story, and tell whether statements are facts or opinions.

LANGUAGE ARTS
This week we will finish our chapter on verbs. Our Unit 3 test will be Friday, Nov. 16th.

SOCIAL STUDIES
Ben Franklin project is due Monday, Nov. 12th. I can't wait to see the finished products. Students should begin studying this weekend for their Chapter 6 test on Wednesday, November 14th. To finish off our chapter we will have our Trade Fair on Thursday, November 15th.

SCIENCE
We will be studying nutrition and the role of nutrients in maintaining good health. We also will be examining the sense of smell and test our ability to identify odors.

MATH (Mrs. Napolitano's Class Only)
Students having trouble with their multiplication facts should be practicing flash cards every night. Chapter 4 test on Multiplying Whole Numbers is Wednesday, November 14th. We will then be working on some problem solving using t-charts.
Please note on my blog some wonderful websites your child can use to help them learn their multiplication facts.

IMPORTANT DATES
11/10 You Can Dance Like a Star! 6:45p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
11/21-23 Thanksgiving Break- NO SCHOOL
11/26-30 Conference Week/ No School Friday

2007-11-06T08:28:00.000-08:00

Mrs. Napolitano's News
11-6-07

Our Halloween party last week was wonderful. The students had a great time. I would like to thank all the parents who planned, attended, and sent in treats for the class. It is very much appreciated. Please send conference forms back ASAP so I can make any changes needed.

BOOK ORDERS Yesterday I sent home two Scholastic Book orders. Please make your check out to Scholastic. These books make wonderful holiday gifts. All orders are due Friday, Nov. 9th.

READING
The class had two pop quiz's on the novel to see how well they followed along in our discussions as we read our book. This week we will finish our novel The Castle in the Attic. Students will be making an illumination letter, coat of arms and have a final test on the book Friday, November 9th.

LANGUAGE ARTS
We continue to learn about past tense, future tense verbs. We will also write present tense verbs that agree in number with their subjects. Our Unit 3 test will be Friday, Nov. 16th.

SOCIAL STUDIES
Yesterday students had the whole class period to work on their biography on Ben Franklin. This project will be due Monday, Nov. 12th. In lesson 4 students will learn that slavery expanded rapidly in the English Colonies during the 1700s, especially in the Southern Colonies. Chapter 6 Test will be Wed. November 14th. To give students a better understanding of trading and bartering, we are having our Trade Fair on Thursday, November 15th.

SCIENCE
This week we are testing the amount of fat, protein, and carbohydrates in certain foods. Thanks for helping bring in all the food for these experiments.

MATH (Mrs. Napolitano's Class Only)
We continue to work on chapter 4 on multiplication. Our final test will be next Thursday, November 15th.

IMPORTANT DATES
11/6 Roller Skating Party 4:00-6:45 p.m.
11/10 You Can Dance Like a Star! 6:45p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
11/21-23 Thanksgiving Break- NO SCHOOL
11/30 No School- Conferences

2007-10-30T08:09:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Napolitano's News
10-30-07

Our Halloween party is on Wednesday!!! We will begin the festivities with a paradewhich will begin at 1:15. Students need to bring their costume to school on Wednesday. The costume might need to be simplified for school purposes since students need to be able to change in a short amount of time. Changing will take place in the classrooms. The fifth grade will have designated classrooms for girls to change in and for boys. Washrooms will not be available for costume changing. No weapons, even fake, are allowed at school. Thanks to the parents who are helping out with the party!

READING
We continue to read The Castle in the Attic. Students are doing a lot of predicting with this story. We also are working on comprehension questions with this story.

LANGUAGE ARTS
This week we will working on identifying linking verbs and the word in the predicate that describes the subject. We also will work on writing singular and plural present tense verbs correctly. Last we will work on writing past and future tense verbs.

SOCIAL STUDIES
Students will be working on circle notes that include information on studying and playing, religion in the colonies, reading, and colonial meals. This week we will watch a Walt Disney Mini Classic called “Ben and Me”. This will be an introduction to our new project which will be a biography about Benjamin Franklin. We will be going down to the computer lab next week to research information on Ben.

SCIENCE
By the end of the week students should be finished with their graphs on How Healthy Are Your Teeth. They will be presenting these graphs next week.

MATH (Mrs. Napolitano's Class Only)
This week we will work with basic facts and patterns of zeros to help students multiply mentally. Next we will solve problems by estimating products. Last, we will begin multiplying one-digit numbers.

IMPORTANT DATES
10/31 Halloween Party 1:30-2:15
11/6 Roller Skating Party 4:00-6:45 p.m.
11/10 You Can Dance Like a Star! 6:45p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
11/21-23 Thanksgiving Break- NO SCHOOL

2007-10-23T11:15:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Napolitano's News
10-23-07

PICTURE RETAKES: are scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 30th . Students must have original picture packets in hand to have a retake. If your child was absent on the first picture day, they will have to have their original order envelope with them at the time of retakes.

Classroom Halloween parties will be Wednesday, October 31st. The party plans are in the works. As part of the school "Wellness Committee" we are asking parents to resist sending in candy for the children to distribute at school. There will be treats and snacks provided at the party.

READING
We are beginning a new novel called The Castle in the Attic. This book is a wonderful fantasy story on how a boy gets a castle as a gift and something special happens to the knight. The big question is will the night be able to return to its kingdom.

LANGUAGE ARTS
This week we will begin Unit 3 - Verbs. We will be learning about about action verbs, direct objects, helping verbs, linking verbs and many more forms of verbs.

SOCIAL STUDIES
“Signs of the Times” is due Thursday, Oct. 25th. I can't wait to see the finished signs!! We will be learning about how the 13 Colonies had big cities, small towns, and farms of all sizes. Small towns in the New England and Middle Colonies had workshops, stores, and a mill as well as farms in the surrounding fields. The towns were the centers of business.

SCIENCE
We began a group project on How Healthy Are Your Teeth. Students will be working this week in their groups to produce their very own double bar graph. Students should be ready to present their projects by the end of next week.

MATH (Mrs. Napolitano's Class Only)
Chapter 3 test will be Wed. Oct. 24th. Our next chapter is on Multiplying Whole Numbers. This week we will be using multiplication properties and choosing the correct operation to solve a problem.

IMPORTANT DATES
10/26 School Spirit Day- Slipper Day
10/29 No School -Teacher Institute Day
10/30 Picture Retakes
10/31 Halloween Party 1:30-2:15

2007-10-16T07:24:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Napolitano's News
10-16-07
Last week we began Jr. Achievement. The purpose of Jr. Achievement is to educate and inspire students to value free enterprise, business, and economics to improve the quality of their lives. Our volunteer is Carol Koepke that works for McDonald's Corporation in advertising. She has volunteered in my room the past two years and does a wonderful job with the students.

READING
This week we are beginning to type our final paragraphs for India. Students will then be putting their paragraphs into a book. Later on in the week as students are finishing up their project we will watch India Kingdom of the Tiger.

LANGUAGE ARTS
This week students wrote a creative Halloween story. Ask your child what they chose to write on. We also will be working in our ISAT book reviewing prefixes, suffixes, and root words.

SOCIAL STUDIES
We began Chapter 6, Life in the English Colonies. We will be looking at everyday life in the
colonies for children and adults. During the early and middle 1700s, many young people in towns and cities became apprentices. Others grew up working on farms. On Thursday a new project will be introduced called “Signs of the Times.” This project will be due Oct. 25th. Ask your child about their “colonial” job.

SCIENCE
We will be observing and identifying each type of human tooth. Students will infer that different teeth have different functions, depending on their shape. We also will discuss ways to keep teeth healthy. Ask your child about the Food Crushers experiment later on in the week. To expand on this lesson students will be divided into five different groups. Students will then work in groups to create a double bar graph to represent their data.

MATH (Mrs. Napolitano's Class Only)
We continue to work on graphs in Chapter 3. This week we will work on graphs that look different and we will organize and interpret data in stem-and-leaf plots. Chapter 3 test will be Wed. Oct. 24th.

IMPORTANT DATES
10/17 Early Dismissal 11:00
10/18 Book Fair 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
10/19 School Spirit Day- Crazy Hat Day
10/26 School Spirit Day- Slipper Day
10/29 No School -Teacher Institute Day
PICTURE RETAKES: are scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 30th . Students must have original picture packets in hand to have a retake. If your child was absent on the first picture day, they will have to have their original order envelope with them at the time of retakes.
10/31 Halloween Party 1:30-2:15

2007-10-09T11:05:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Napolitano's News
10-09-07

READING
This week we are still working in our India Unit. The students will be given time in the computer lab this week to finish their partner webs of India. Each group will get to present their webs to the class on Thursday, Oct. 11th. The students will also be introduced the their Final India Project this week. On Friday Oct.12th the class will be watching Disney's The Jungle Book, the movie contains many themes directly related to what they have learned from their India book, and it's fun for a Friday afternoon after working so hard this week.

LANGUAGE ARTS
This week we are finishing up our noun chapter. Our Noun test will be on Thursday, Oct. 11th.

SOCIAL STUDIES
We will be finishing up Chapter 5 this week. Tomorrow October 10th the Thirteen Colonies Brochures are due. I can't wait to see the final results. Hopefully your child worked hard on it over the weekend. Chapter 5 test will be Friday, October 12th. Students should be reviewing their notes each night.

SCIENCE
We will be doing an experiment this week to see if liquid can pass through skin. Ask your child what happened in this experiment.

MATH (Mrs. Napolitano's Class Only)
We began our new chapter on Using Data and Statistics. Ask your child how you make a line plot. We will also be reading, interpreting, and making double bar graphs. See if your child can use ordered pairs to locate points on a grid. Last we will read and interpret line graphs.

IMPORTANT DATES
10/13 Market Day Pick Up
10/17 Early Dismissal 11:00
10/18 Book Fair 6:45 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
10/31 Halloween Party 1:30-2:15

2007-10-02T08:22:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Napolitano's News
10-02-07

READING
This week we are still in our India Unit. The students will be reading out of our India book, and practicing note-taking skills. We are also watching a video on India and the students will be required to write a page about what they saw in the video due October 3rd . This is preparation for a bigger writing assignment to come and a lot of fun activities along the way. Including word finds, recipes to try, and creating your own jeweled elephant. We will also start using Inspiration on the computers to create “maps” about each chapter in the book.

LANGUAGE ARTS
This week we will work on writing singular possessive nouns correctly. We also will work on writing plural possessive nouns correctly. Finally we will replace weak nouns with exact nouns. Our Noun test will be Thursday, October 11th.

SOCIAL STUDIES
This week we will learn that by 1733 the English had established 13 colonies along the east coast
of North America. These colonies can be divided into three regions. Tomorrow your child will
receive a Thirteen Colonies Project. They will have two days to work on it at school and it will be
due Wednesday, October 10th. Chapter 5 test will be Friday, October 12th. Students should begin reviewing their notes each night.

SCIENCE
This week we will investigate the structure of the heart and its role in pumping blood through your body. Ask your child what happened with their resting and walking pulse rate.

MATH (Mrs. Napolitano's Class Only)
This week we will continue to work on adding and subtracting of decimals. Chapter 2 test will be Friday, October 5th. Our next chapter will be on Using Data and Statistics.

IMPORTANT DATES
10/5 Movie Night 6:30 p.m.-8:45 p.m.
10/8 No School- Columbus Day
10/13 Market Day Pick Up
10/17 Early Dismissal 11:00
10/18 Book Fair 6:45 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

September 25, 2007

2007-09-25T10:12:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Napolitano's News
9-25-07
It is hard to believe that the first month of school is over. We are working hard in the class on getting organized. Please make sure your child keeps all notes or worksheets in their folder until we have finished the unit. Once we have taken the test your child may clean out their folder. Yesterday we had a presentation from our multi-needs teacher. Students than had the opportunity to sign up to be in
the peer buddy program. It was wonderful to see so many kids want to work with the multi-needs kids at lunch. Ask your child about the details of this program. We also have a Kids on the Block presentation tomorrow. This program is about Orthopedic Challenges.

READING
First book reports for September will be due Friday, Sept. 28th. Students should use their yellow folder to make sure they have everything needed on both sides of the index card. We are starting our India unit today in reading. This is a very fun and exciting unit and the students will be introduced to another country's culture and society. Today we are starting with a KWL chart. This chart will help the student comprise ideas of what the already know about India, what they want to know about India and finally later one, what they have learned about India. It is a way to introduce note-taking and collecting information for later use.

LANGUAGE ARTS
This week we will begin our new chapter on Nouns. A noun is a word that names a person, place, or a thing. Did you know that nouns also name feelings, thoughts, and ideas.

SOCIAL STUDIES
This week we watched a video on Jamestown. Ask your child what they learned from this video. We also worked on a mini-scroll book on Roanoke Island. Students learned about the Lost Colony of Roanoke by making a model and writing a story. This week we will evaluate the impact of the search for the Northwest Passage on the establishment of French & Dutch settlements in North America.

SCIENCE
Students have been working very hard at learning the parts of the skeletal system. On Thursday we will be playing SKELETAL BINGO to help us review for our science and spelling test. This week we discovered how joints move. See if your child can tell you five different kinds of joints and what they do for your body. Later on in the week students will conduct tests to measure their own reaction time. We will be recording and graphing our data. Skeleton test will be this Friday, Sept. 28. Students will need to spell and label the parts of the skeleton correct. Their test will look just like pg. 12 in their red folder.

MATH (Mrs. Napolitano's Class Only)
This week we worked on problem solving and decided when an estimate is enough to solve a problem. Next we estimated sums and differences of whole numbers and decimals. Last we will write equations to solve problems. There will be a checkpoint quiz on Thursday, September 27th on pgs. 58-59 in the textbook.

IMPORTANT DATES
10/8 No School- Columbus Day
10/5 Movie Night 6:30 p.m.-8:45 p.m.
10/13 Market Day Pick Up
10/17 Early Dismissal 11:00
10/18 Book Fair 6:45 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

September 18, 2007

2007-09-18T07:12:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Napolitano's News
READING
We begin our study on main idea and details. Students will be reading short passages and learn how to determine the main idea of the paragraph by using supporting details. This will help students to be able to write a good paragraph.

LANGUAGE ARTS
This week we are identifying the simple predicate of a sentence. Next we will learn that in an
imperative sentence, you is always the subject. Ask your child to identify the different conjunctions in a sentence. Unit 1 test on The Sentence will be Tuesday, Sept. 25th.

SOCIAL STUDIES
Chapter 4 test on Spain Builds an Empire will be Wednesday, Sept. 19th. On Thursday we will
be ready to begin Chapter 5 The Struggle to Found Colonies. England founded Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement to North America, in 1607.

SCIENCE
Students will begin to learn the parts of the skeletal system. Did you know that your body is born with about 270 bones. As you grow many bones fuse together and eventually you have
only 206 bones.

MATH (Mrs. Napolitano's Class Only)
Chapter 1 test on Place Value will be Wednesday, Sept. 19th. We will then be ready to begin
Chapter 2 on Addition and Subtraction of Whole Numbers and Decimals.

IMPORTANT DATES
9/17 Magazine Drive begins
9/20 Picture Day

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

2007-09-11T08:33:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Napolitano's News

I enjoyed seeing everyone at Curriculum night last Thursday. I sent home the packet I handed out, if you were unable to attend. Please read the 5th Grade Policy sheet and return it to school as soon as possible. On Thursday, Sept. 13th the 5th grade will be taking the OLSAT test. Please make sure your child gets a good night of sleep the night before and has a healthy breakfast.

READING
This week we will be finishing the novel The Kid in the Red Jacket. On Thursday Sept. 13th there will be a vocabulary test. On Wednesday students will begin their first book project for their novel. Each child will be making a character map that will show what the character looked like. They will also need to include 3 traits, and 3 examples of what other characters said about the character they chose. This character map project will be due on Monday, Sept. 17th.

LANGUAGE ARTS
This week we are working on the four types of sentences. See if your child can give you an example of each. We also are making a bug that deals with the four kinds of sentences.

SOCIAL STUDIES
Spanish conquistadors established new colonies in North America and South America. Ask your child which forces were stronger- Cortes's forces or Aztec forces. We also will focus on how Spain gained great wealth from the settlement of New Spain. As the enslaved native people died, the Spanish replaced them with slaves from Africa. Spain became a wealthy and powerful country. Chapter 4 test will be Wednesday, Sept. 19th.

SCIENCE
This week we are learning about the circulatory, respiratory, digestive, and excretory systems. By the end of the week we will know which organs make up each system and how the systems work together. There will be an open note test on Friday.

IMPORTANT DATES
9/13 OLSAT test 5th grade
9/18 Early Dismissal 11:00
9/20 Picture Day

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

2007-09-04T10:22:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Napolitano's Class News

Last week was a great start to the beginning of the school year. I enjoyed getting to know each individual child. I am looking forward to a great school year! Here is a look at some of last week and this week.

READING
Last week we began a new novel called The Kid in the Red Jacket. This is a fun and entertaining story to read. We will be working on summarizing and working with vocabulary words through content reading.

LANGUAGE ARTS
Last week we worked on an acrostic poem about the first week of school. We also went down to the computer lab and typed our autobiographical poem. You will have to come check out these poems at Curriculum Night this week. This week we will be distinguishing between sentences and sentence fragments.

SOCIAL STUDIES
We began off using our textbook by doing a scavenger hunt to get the kids acquainted with the book. We began Chapter 4 “Spain Builds an Empire” today. We learned that while searching for an easier and quicker route to the Indies, Christopher Columbus landed instead in the Bahamas.

SCIENCE
Last week we did an experiment to see how much water a penny and dime can hold. Did your child have you try this experiment at home? We also discussed the steps of the scientific method. Ask your child about the sewer maggots experiment that we did in class this week. We also worked on a project on What is a Scientist?

IMPORTANT DATES
9/6 5th Grade Curriculum Night at 7:00 p.m.
9/7 Scholastic Book Orders Due (please send check)
9/18 Early Dismissal 11:00
9/20 Picture Day

Open House

2007-08-16T12:03:00.000-07:00

I hope to see everyone on Monday, August 27, from
9-11:00 a.m. Come up to room 207 to meet your
new teacher and bring your school supplies. I am
looking forward to a great year!!

Summer News

2007-07-26T06:46:00.000-07:00

Welcome To 5th Grade

I hope everyone is enjoying their last four weeks of
the summer. Enjoy your time in the sun and playing
with your friends. I am busy getting my classroom
ready and can't wait to meet my new students. Looking
forward to meeting you on Monday, August 27th from
9:00-11:00. Get ready for a fun year in 5th grade!