The Week of December 12, 2011

Dear Parents,

I hope that everyone has a wonderful holiday! I am looking forward to spending time with family that lives in Southern California during the winter break. Hopefully everyone will be making some happy lasting memories with family and friends!

Thanks to Mrs. Daniele for making the popcorn for our class treat on Friday!
Thanks to the Hoffman family for volunteering to bring in bottled water!

Friday afternoon the students will be enjoying a movie in the 5th grade Movie theater!

HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CLASSROOM:

SPELLING: A regular week with spelling work due Thursday and test on Friday.
Word of the Week.....worth 2 bonus points!

ENGLISH/WRITING: We have been working on the traits of writing which includes IDEAS, ORGANIZATION, VOICE, WORD CHOICE, SENTENCE FLUENCY....
Each of these traits has been modeled and practiced.
Your child should be including each of these traits in their narratives!
The children should have a first draft completed and we will begin working on the last trait CONVENTIONS as we revise and proofread.
Due to the writing skills we have been working on, there have not been any grades for English during 2nd Trimester to date.
When we return from break, we will begin NOUNS in our English book, as well as, continue writing!
There has been a lot of enthusiasm about writing including our "trash can" words and W.O.W. words! Ask your child what those mean.

READING: We are continuing to work on fact/opinion and inference skills.
We will be using a variety of materials to practice and apply these skills.
I will be sharing "Stories With Holes" this week! Wait until your child shares these!!

SCOOPer READING: Your child has set their second trimester goal! I have had several book discussions already. I hope that everyone has read at least one book and completed an activity when we return from winter break.

SCIENCE: We are finishing Chapter 12 Oceans this week.

SOCIAL STUDIES: Kirk will be our class historian as he shares his knowledge and pictures from a trip his family took to "colonial" Williamsburg.

We are not starting the next chapter until we return!

We will be doing some holiday activities this week!

MATH:
MONDAY = Circumference (radius, diameter, and Pi)
We might get to the review for Chapter 23 on Monday.....?

TUESDAY = Chapter 23 test, if we reviewed on Monday! Otherwise, we will review on Tuesday!

WEDNESDAY = see above.....If we have taken the test, we will be reviewing graphing ordered pairs/coordinates.

THURSDAY/FRIDAY = More work with graphing ordered pairs/coordinates!

The Week of December 5, 2011

Dear Parents,
I am glad I had the opportunity to meet with each of you and discuss your child's progress.
Please continue to keep in contact with any questions, concerns, or comments. It is always beneficial to work as a team to further your child's education.

Reminders for the upcoming week:

Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Project Challenge - 2:30 to 3:45 p.m.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Deadline for Movie Night Permission Slips

Thursday, December 8, 2011
All School Concert - Cadet Band & Choir - 9:00 a.m.
PARENTS ARE ALWAYS INVITED!!!

Friday, December 9, 2011
Fifth Grade Bowling - a.m.
Students may bring money to purchase snacks.

Movie Night - Zoo Keeper - 6:30 to 8:45 p.m. PV Gym

HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR CLASSROOM:

SPELLING: This week is a lesson with homophones for both regular and challenge words.
Word of the week and definition = bonus point!

ENGLISH/WRITING: We will be talking about VOICE and WORD CHOICE which are important traits of writing. We will also be writing our first draft of a narrative. The students have done quite a bit of brainstorming and getting the details organized for their stories.

READING: We will start the week introducing and reviewing the reading skills of inferencing, generalizing, and recognizing the difference between fact and opinion.
We will be reading GRIZZLEY BEAR FAMILY BOOK in our literature books and filling out a generalizations chart while reading this selection.
There will be various materials used to identify and differentiate between a fact and an opinion.

SCOOPer Reading: Read, Read, Read!!! We have set our goals for the second trimester!
I am looking forward to the interesting book talks as I meet with students and the activities they complete for the book they have read.

SCIENCE: We will be learning how ocean water moves and waves!

SOCIAL STUDIES: We are finishing Chapter 6! TEST ON FRIDAY!

JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT: This is our last week and the culminating activity for the students is to perform a commercial to advertise a business! Mr. and Ms. Paleka have made this a fun and valuable learning experience.

MATH:
Monday = Problem Solving doing extended responses! This requires the students to show their work and tell how and why they have completed each step of the problem.
Tuesday = Chapter 23 Lesson 2 Perimeter
Wednesday = continuing perimeter and learning the formulas for perimeter
Thursday = NO MATH due to a cadet band and choir concert!

The Week of November 28th, 2011

Dear Parents,

Important Reminders:
This week is parent/teacher conference week.
I will have a copy of your child's report card and test scores to discuss.

BOWLING permission slips will be given to your student Monday and need to be returned on or before Thursday.

NO SCHOOL on FRIDAY!

HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CLASSROOM:

Spelling: The children will receive their second trimester CHALLENGE list activities for when they pass the pretest and are on the alternate spelling words. This should be kept in their spelling pocket in their binder.
We continue with Word of the Week second trimester.
This week is a REVIEW list which contains 30 words. Fifteen words will be given on the pretest. Fifteen words will be given on the final test, but not necessarily the same fifteen words.....study the entire list!

READING: NIGHT OF THE TWISTERS story pyramids are due on Monday.
We will be using prior knowledge and setting a purpose for reading while using a variety of materials with short stories and exerts. We will also be looking at the author's purpose of different written pieces...to entertain, to inform, or to persuade.

SCOOPer READING: Your child will be setting their Trimester 2 goal and bringing the sheet home for a parent signature. A packet of new book activities will be given to your child. We are following the same procedure on how theprogram works!

I am passing out SCHOLASTIC Book orders this week too.....many good choices that can be used for SCOOPer READING!

SCIENCE: We will be doing a project with the information we have learned about the ocean's floor. Next, we learn how ocean water moves and currents.

SOCIAL STUDIES: Colonial Games.... your child is responsible for making a game and teaching their group how to play it....due Tuesday!
Next, we will be interpreting famous sayings from Ben Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanac.

MATH: We are doing one more lesson with Mean, Median, and Mode.
Tuesday = Quiz
Wednesday = Trimester 1 Target Test which assesses your student's understanding of math concepts learned during the first trimester. This is NOT a grade in the grade book.
Thursday = Fun Day!!!
Friday = No school!!

The Week of November 14th and 21st, 2011

Dear Parents,

Some reminders....
Monday 11/14/11 - Robert Crown Parent Night 7-8:30 at Prairieview
Wednesday 11/16/11 Magic Story Teller Assembly 9:30 am (Parents are always welcome.)
Friday 11/18/11 - End of 1st Trimester

Tuesday 11/22/11 - ROBERT CROWN Fieldtrip
*Students need to bring a sack lunch. Milk will be available.

Wednesday11/23 - Friday11/25 NO SCHOOL - Thanksgiving Holiday

HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN MISS TREFONAS'S CLASSROOM:

SPELLING: Lesson 11 - The week of November 14th. No Spelling the week of November21st.

ENGLISH: Introduction to the Traits of Writing....

READING: Night of the Twisters.... We are finishing the book and will be doing an end of the book activity. We will also be watching the movie and doing a book/movie comparison.

SCOOPer Reading: 1st Trimester goals are due MONDAY, November 14th.
Many students have reached their goal already! I have given many reminders about reaching their goal throughout the trimester. Students are allowed to turn in one book activity at a time.
This is not a problem if they have read the book and did the activity upon completing the book.
This allows time for me to meet with them as they have started a new book.
We will be planning our SCOOPer READING CELEBRATION for all who met their goal.
STAY tuned for the date......
The students will be choosing a "theme" to our celebration and we will watch a movie.

2nd Trimester goals and book activities.....The week of Nov. 28th!

SCIENCE: Many students wanted to share their weather projects so we have not yet started Chapter 12 Oceans. The students sure have learned a lot about weather!
We will begin Chapter 12 by investigating the difference in temperature of salt water and regular water.

SOCIAL STUDIES: TRADE FAIR is TUESDAY, 11/15!
Chapter 6 Lesson 2 Colonial Cities, Towns and Farms and Lesson 3 Everyday Life in the Colonies
The students will be learning about colonial games that children played.
Each student will be creating one of these games for a group to play. They will get these instructions on Monday, 11/21 and it will be due Monday, 11/28.

MATH:
Monday 11/14 = Chapter 6 review
Tuesday 11/15 = Chapter 6 test
Next, we will be doing some lessons from Chapter 9 that go over MEAN, MEDIAN, MODE, and RANGE. Also, we will be doing some problem solving as extended responses to prepare for ISAT tests.

The Week of November 7, 2011

Dear Parents,

Monday, November 7th = Roller Skating Party
Tuesday, November 11th = Veteran's Day - NO SCHOOL

**Parent/teacher conference reminders will be sent home to confirm your appointment.
Please send your reply back as soon as possible, thanks!

THIS WEEK IN OUR CLASSROOM:

SPELLING: Lesson 10 Work will be due on Thursday and test on Thursday this week!
Word of the Week and definition = bonus point!

ENGLISH: We are learning about the traits of writing...Ideas, Organization, Voice, Word Choice, Sentence Fluency, and Conventions!

READING: We are continuing our novel NIGHT OF THE TWISTERS.
The students are learning new vocabulary words. The students are using the reading comprehension skills of visualizing, drawing conclusions, summarizing, predicting, questioning, and summarizing.

SCIENCE: WEATHER projects are due on Monday. The students have been working hard in class on this assessment! Some students are creating flap books, posters, mimeo computer presentations, and some other original projects. I can't wait to see the finished products!
Next, Chapter 12 "Oceans"! We will be investigating the difference in temperature of salt water and regular water.

SOCIAL STUDIES: We have been discussing the importance of having a skill in the colonies and how trading was the means to getting goods.
The students will be getting directions for our classroom TRADE FAIR on Monday.
Please read and discuss the directions thoroughly with your child.
TRADE FAIR = TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15th!!!
This week we will also be learning what life was like in colonial cities, towns, and farms.

JR. ACHIEVEMENT: = Week 4!! The students will be learning the importance of interviews and will be getting some "business" experience! Mr. and Ms. Paleka sure make this interesting for the students!

MATH: Chapter 6 Decimals
Monday = Lesson 1 "Rounding Decimals"
Tuesday = Lesson 2 "Adding and Subtracting with Decimals"
Wednesday = Lesson 3 "Estimate Sums"
Thursday = HOMEWORK SHEET and review!
Friday = NO SCHOOL

The Week of 10/31/11

Dear Parents,
We had a great Halloween party! Thanks to Mrs. Gibbons, Mrs. Williams, Mrs. Paskvan, and Mrs. Asta. They really out did themselves with fun activities. Thanks to Mrs. Silvestri, Mrs. Daniele, and Mrs. Peloso for providing refreshments.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Project Challenge - 2:30 to 3:45 p.m.

Thursday, November 3, 2011
Picture Retake Day -Any Student wishing to have a retake must have original picture packet with them at the time of retake.

Roller Skating Permission Slips Deadline

THIS WEEK IN MISS TREFONAS'S CLASSROOM:

SPELLING: Work due Thursday and test on Friday

READING: We are continuing our novel NIGHT OF THE TWISTERS.
The students are learning new vocabulary words. The students are using the reading comprehension skills of visualizing, drawing conclusions, summarizing, predicting, questioning, and summarizing.

SCOOPer Reading : 1st trimester deadline is November 14th.

ENGLISH: We will begin some prewriting activities as we warm up our 6 Traits of Writing Skills.

SOCIAL STUDIES: Chapter 5 Test = Wednesday.
Chapter 6 "Life in the English Colonies" - Lesson 1 "Working and Trading"

SCIENCE: The students will be assessed on what they have learned during the weather unit by completing a project. They will receive directions on Tuesday and will be working on the project in class the rest of the week.
Weather project will be due on Monday, November 7th.

MATH:
Chapter 5 Decimals
Monday = Lesson 1 "Decimal Place Value"
Tuesday = Lesson 2 "Equivalent Decimals"
Wednesday = Lesson 3 "Comparing and Ordering Decimals"
Thursday = Review Decimals
Friday = Chapter 5 Decimal Test
There will be a homework sheet this week. I have not determined the day yet.
Your child should have this information in their assignment notebook early in the week.

The Week of October 24, 2011

Dear Parents,

Tuesday, Mrs. Zaboth, the multi-needs teacher, will be meeting with our 5th grade students to discuss students with disabilities so the students have a better understanding when they see these children in our building. They will then have the opportunity to volunteer to be a "peer buddy" in the multi-needs classroom. This takes places at recess and silent reading time.

PV Bingo Family Fun Night permission slips are due Wednesday, October 26, 2011.
These have been sent to you from Mrs. Smith in her weekly Prairieview reminders.

Thursday, October 27, 2011
Early Dismissal 11:00 a.m.

HALLOWEEN FESTIVITIES ON FRIDAY:
Halloween Parade Starts 1:00 p.m.
Halloween Parties - 1:30 p.m.

Please make sure your child has an appropriate costume for school.
No fake weapons or blood are allowed.
They will change into their costumes. Do not wear costumes to school!
Students have to change in the classrooms. Washrooms will not be available for costume changing. This means their costume might need to be simplified or modified.
They can bring a mirror if needed for simple makeup application!

FRIDAY = Art to Remember orders due!
Bingo Night 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. Multipurpose Room

HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CLASSROOM:

SPELLING: Work due Thursday and test on Friday. Word of the Week = bonus point!

READING: We are beginning a novel study using Night of the Twisters.
The story revolves around 12-year-old Dan Hatch, his baby brother, Ryan, and Dan's best friend, Arthur, who are home alone when a devasting tornado sweeps through town. Not only does it capture the terror of a devasting natural disaster from a child's point of view. This book also touches a nerve by exploring issues of sibling rivalry, the difficulties that sometimes occur with change in a family, and the importance of friends helping friends. The overall theme in this book is that people need to have a plan of action for such disasters, and it also touches on the fact that, though we all have our disagreements, strong families can draw support from one another, and friends, and use that support to overcome the obstacles created by the disaster.

We will be learning new vocabulary words. The students will be using the reading comprehension skills of visualizing, drawing conclusions, summarizing, predicting, questioning, and summarizing.

ENGLISH: We are finishing Unit 5 Capitalization and Punctuation.
Test = Friday.

SOCIAL STUDIES: Chapter 5 Lesson 4 "The 13 English Colonies"
We are finishing this chapter this week. I would strongly recommend that your child starts studying!
Test = Wednesday, November 2nd!

SCIENCE: Chapter 11 Lesson 3 "Weather Patterns and Climates"
We are finishing the chapter this week.
The students will be doing an end of the chapter project for an assessment instead of a test.
They will get this assignment the week of October 31st!

MATH:
Your child was given a step by step direction sheet for long division.
If they are having difficulty, please review this sheet with them.
This should also help you explain the process the same way it was explained in class!
Monday = No math due to an assembly!
Tuesday = Lesson 3.9 Practicing long division
Wednesday = Chapter 3 Review
Thursday = Chapter 3 Test
Friday = Homework sheet

The Week of October 17, 2011

Dear Parents,

Thanks to all of you who have sent in "goodies" for our classroom goblins! I appreciate your donations. Those of you wondering what we can use at this time.....the students are hoping for
these snacks:
~Teddy Grahams
~Rice Krispie Treats
~Cheese and cracker Ritz "handi-snacks"

SCHOOL PICTURES:

Our picture packets should arrive on Tuesday, October 18th

Our retake day is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 3rd

Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Project Challenge - 2:30 to 3:45 p.m.
PV Fall Cheer Clinic - 5th Grade - 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. - 3rd Grade Open Area

Wednesday, October 19, 2011
PV Fall Cheer Clinic - 5th Grade - 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. - 3rd Grade Open Area

Thursday, October 20, 2011
PV Fall Cheer Clinic - 5th Grade - 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. - 3rd Grade Open Area
Book Fair - 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Gym & Multipurpose Room

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THE OFFICE SENDS HOME WEEKLY REMINDERS WITH "FLYERS" OF UPCOMING EVENTS LIKE MOVIE NIGHTS, SKATING PARTIES etc.....

THIS WEEK IN OUR CLASSROOM:

JR. ACHIEVEMENT= Week 2!!!

SPELLING: Pretest on Monday, work due on Thursday, and final test on Friday.
Word of the Week and definition = bonus point!

READING: We are continuing to learn about different types of analogies. This week we will be learning about cause/effect, part to whole, and part to part relationships. We continue to have our timed analogy contests.
We will be starting a realistic genre literature study later this week.....

ENGLISH:
The students have a comma project due on Monday. We read a fun book Eats, Shoots and Leaves which modeled how commas really do make a difference. Have your child show you the pair of sentences they created and what a difference the comma placement makes in what the sentence means!
This week we will be learning about proper usage of quotations, abbreviations, and titles.

SCIENCE: Chapter 11 Lesson 3 Observing Patterns in Weather
We will be recording daily forecasts using the internet, learning about tools used to measure weather, and air masses and fronts.

SOCIAL STUDIES: Chapter 3 continued
We will learn about the Puritans and the 13 English Colonies

MATH:
MONDAY= LAST DAY FOR TIMED MULTIPLICATION TESTS
TUESDAY = Chapter 3 Lesson 5 Patterns in division
WEDNESDAY = practice and review lessons 1-5
THURSDAY = HOMEWORK SHEET and QUIZ over Lessons 1-5
FRIDAY = have not decided yet....... : )

The Week of October 10, 2011

Dear Parents,

*Monday - No School = Columbus Day
*Tuesday - No School = Teacher Inservice
*Friday, October 14th = Movie Night

I hope your child shared something they learned with you from our "Farming for Fuel" program that was facilitated by the DuPage Children's Museum. We learned a lot about bio-fuels!

Has your child found a scarecrow in their locker? See what they say about this!

Here's What's Happening In Miss Trefonas's Classroom:

SPELLING: None this week due to a three day school week!

READING: We will be learning about different types of analogies.
Each day we will have an analogy contest and have an analogy assignment.
This week the different reading skills learned during this first half of the trimester will be assessed.

SCOOPer Reading: Many avid readers in this classroom! I don't have to do much encouraging to read!! I continue to enjoy the book discussions I have with the students.

ENGLISH: We will be doing a creative activity with comma usage based on the book, Eats, Shoots, and Leaves by Lynn Truss. The students will be able to see why commas really do make a difference!
Also, we will learn about interjections! School House Rocks will be used during this lesson!!

JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT: We have our first session this Thursday!
Jr. Achievement is a not-for-profit organization financed by businesses. 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 volunteers, Ms. and Mr. Paleka, will be visiting our classroom once a week for the next 6 weeks. Ms. Paleka works for Harley Davidson Financial, and Mr. Paleka works for Tellalabs. They have been the volunteers for my classroom for the past 9 years! I'm sure your student will be sharing some of their experiences with this program during the next few weeks!

SOCIAL STUDIES: Chapter 5 continued.....We will be learning more about the first colonies!

SCIENCE: WEATHER - Lesson 3 Patterns in Weather

MATH: LAST DAY FOR TIMED MULTIPLICATION FACT TESTS IS FRIDAY, 10/14.
Many students have passed all their timed test through their 12's and have started "Mad Minutes"

Wednesday = Chapter 3 Lesson 3 "Interpreting the Remainder"
Thursday = Reviewing Lessons 1-3
Friday = QUIZ and HOMEWORK SHEET
(The assignment board in Miss Trefonas's classroom lists exactly what homework will
be on the HOMEWORK SHEET)

The Week of October 3, 2011

Dear Parents,

Magazine Orders: School will accept late orders (both paper orders and online orders) through Wednesday, Oct 5. After that, the orders can still be accepted, but will not be eligible for prizes. Prizes will be delivered 2-3 weeks after we complete the drive. Online orders can be placed at www.gaschoolstore.com school code 236042. Thanks for supporting the District PTO’s. Questions? jjones@rixweb.com Note: You can actually order online throughout the year and the district will get 40%.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Project Challenge - 2:30 to 3:45 p.m.

Thursday, October 6th
DuPage Children's Museum program here at Prairieview "Farming for Fuel"
(Parent Helpers = Mr. and Mrs. Edwards and Mrs. Dziedzic)

This program is an inquiry-based learning lab that introduces the concepts connected with creating biofuels and the need to change to alternative energy sources for transportation. The ideas shared during the program will be explored in more detail in Science.

Friday, October 7th = 1st Trimester is 1/2 way completed!
Progress Reports will be sent home to any student who is earning a grade lower than a C.

HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN MISS TREFONAS'S CLASSROOM:

SPELLING: Work due Thursday and test(s) on Friday! Has your child earned a bonus point for Word of the Week?

ENGLISH: The Unit 1 tests will be graded and returned on Monday.
Next, we skip to Unit 5 "Capitalization and Punctuation"
We are learning about proper nouns and adjectives and the many uses of commas.

READING: This week we will be focusing on story structure. We will be reading a variety of stories. As we read each selection we will map out the the character, setting, problem, and solution of the story.
Thursday = Vocabulary quiz

SCOOPer Reading: Your child should be halfway to their Trimester 1 goal!

SOCIAL STUDIES: Chapter 5 "The Struggle to Found Colonies." The students have read about the first colony Roanoke, also known as the "Lost Colony". We will read about the battle that was taking place at this time in history known as the "Spanish Armada". Then, the students will learn about the first SUCCESSFUL colony - Jamestown.
Kirk will be sharing items from his trip to Jamestown this week!

SCIENCE: Weather Lesson 2 "What Conditions Affect the Water Cycle"
Your child should be able to answer that question by the end of the week.

MATH:
Multiplication timed tests deadline extended to Friday, October 14th
Monday = Chapter 3 Lesson 1 This lesson involves estimating quotients using compatible numbers to divide.
Tuesday = Lesson 2 - Dividing by one digit numbers
We will be using the steps D-M-S-C-B (Divide, Multiply, Subtract, Compare/check, Bring down)
Wednesday = practicing the above!!

YOUR CHILD WILL BE MUCH MORE SUCCESSFUL WITH HAVING THEIR MULTIPLICATION FACTS MEMORIZED!!!

The Week of September 26, 2011

Dear Parents,

Tuesday, September 27th = Magazine Turn in day

Thursday, September 29th = Magazine Turn in day and PICTURE DAY!!!

Friday, September 30th = Early Dismissal

Thanks to the parents who have sent in goodies for our classroom!!! Also, I know many of you responded that you will send something in soon. At any time it is GREATLY appreciated!

HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR CLASSROOM:

SPELLING: Review lesson.....15 words of all the review words will be given for the pretest on Monday. The final test on Friday will have 15 words but not necessarily the same 15 words.
Spelling assignment is due Thursday.
Both regular and challenge word tests are on Friday.
Word of the Week....worth 1 bonus point for spelling the word correctly and the definition!

ENGLISH: Unit 1 "Sentence" Test = Friday
There are great review pages at the end of the unit in the textbook!

READING: This week we will be continue drawing conclusions using a variety of materials. We will be playing a game "I Have...Who Has" to reinforce this skill.
We will also be differentiating between homonyms and homophones and other multi-meaning words. The students will create an original homonym/homophone phrase with an illustration that will show its "literal" meaning. This will be made into a classroom book!

SCOOPer Reading: The students are reading and completing activities to reach their trimester 1 goal. I am enjoying my book activity meetings with the students.

SCIENCE: We continue learning more about WEATHER.....Local and Prevailing Winds!

SOCIAL STUDIES: We will be filling out our HOW TO STUDY sheet on Monday. This sheet if filled out, signed by a parent, and returned on test day is worth 2 bonus points applied to the test! We will be highlighting our note sheets as well.
Tuesday = Review game
Wednesday = Chapter 4 Test and How to Study Sheet due (2 bonus points)

MATH:
MULTIPLICATION FACTS......PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!!!!
We are taking daily timed tests!!! Your child needs to have multiplication facts MEMORIZED.
Memorizing their facts will make the other skills so much easier to learn!!!

Chapter 2 test = Wednesday!

The Week of September 19, 2011

Dear Parents,

Tuesday = Magazine Turn in Day!

Your child needs to bring a picture for an assignment we are doing on Monday.
The picture can be of anything appropriate as long as they are in the picture and can explain the event or what was happening when the picture was taken. In other words, they have a recollection of this picture! (No baby pictures....!!!)
It can be on copy paper or an actual picture. It needs to be no larger than 4 x 6!

HERE'S WHAT WE ARE UP TO THIS WEEK:

SPELLING: Lesson 4 Work due on Thursday. Final test on Friday. Word of the Week spelled correctly and the definition worth 1 bonus point!

ENGLISH: Subjects in imperative sentences, conjunctions, and editing run on sentences is what we will be learning this week!
We will be listening to SCHOOL HOUSE ROCKS - "Mr. Morton" and "Conjunction Junction"!
We are also writing Pyramid Poems which will be based on the picture being brought to school.

READING: This week we will be focusing on drawing conclusions, doing vocabulary activities, and an extended response as we read a selection in our reading anthology - "A BOY CALLED SLOW".
A vocabulary quiz will be given on Wednesday.

SCIENCE: We just got started on Weather and the Water Cycle. We will be learning about the different layers of the atmosphere, uneven heating of the earth, and different types of winds.

SOCIAL STUDIES: We will learn more about the conflicts between the Spanish Conquistadors and the Aztecs as Spain tries to establish colonies. The students will also learn about the Spanish Colony - "New Spain".

MATH:
We have started multiplication timed tests. Your child has a letter that you need to read, sign, and return to school. This letter informs you of the program we are doing in class which will count as a TEST GRADE. I strongly recommend a lot of drill and practice. Multiplication facts need to be MEMORIZED!

TIMED TESTS will be given daily!!! Students will have a yellow multiplication practice sheet for homework daily.

Monday = Chapter 2 - Lesson 2 Estimating Multiplication Products
Tuesday = Lesson 3 - Multiplying by 1 digit numbers
Wednesday = QUIZ over lessons 1- 3.
Thursday = HOMEWORK SHEET and we will be learning the Distributive Property of Multiplication.
Friday = Lesson 4 Multiplying by 2 digit numbers

The Week of September 12, 2011

Dear Parents,

On Monday, September 12, 2011 we will be having a School Spirit Day in Memory of 9/11. Let's adorn our school with our country's colors--red, white and blue!

Monday, September 12, 2011
Magazine Kick-Off - 1:15 p.m. gym

THIS WEEK IN MISS TREFONAS'S CLASS:

Spelling: Lesson 3! Pretest on Monday and work will be assigned. Workbook or challenge activities are due Thursday. Final test(s) are Friday.
Word of the week and the definition are worth one bonus point!

ENGLISH: Does your child know the 4 types of sentences and can they give an example of each? We will be doing a creative activity on Monday with the 4 types of sentences.
This week we will review subjects, predicates, simple subjects, and simple predicates/verb.
Project challenge students will be given enrichment activities.

READING: We continue our TALL TALE unit while incorporating reading skills. We will be doing activities with prefixes and suffixes, context clues, similes, and metaphors.
Various instructional materials will be used with different assignments being given for your child's ability.

SCOOPer Reading: Students should be reading every day! I have met with several students who have completed book activities and look forward to more meetings!

SCIENCE: We will be starting WEATHER!!! We will learn about the atmosphere, uneven heating, and different types of winds.

SOCIAL STUDIES: We will be applying what we know about Christopher Columbus to write a letter in first person. This letter will be about the expeditions to the new world.
Next, we will learn about Spain and the Aztec Indians as conflicts occur over acquiring Native American land in the new world.

MATH: The children took their first quiz. If they did not pass, they were retaught and were given some additional problems to complete to earn points and raise their quiz grade.
The students who needed extra help and were given this opportunity will get their original quiz and the additional problems with the points they earned returned to them on Monday. Otherwise, students who passed have their quizzes in their binders.

Monday = Chapter 1, Lesson 6 - Adding and Subtracting whole numbers
Tuesday = Chapter 1 Review
Wednesday = Chapter 1 Test
The end of the week we will be doing some problem solving and beginning MULTIPLICATION!

Please know that many opportunities are given for your child to ask questions and get help during math instructional time and homework time during math class.

Also, daily we correct homework together and the students have the opportunity to correct any problems they missed and have them rechecked! There is also time to get help on homework errors. It has been unfortunate that many students have NOT been doing this.
The first homework sheet will be graded and returned on Monday.
Realistically, if your child has taken the above mentioned responsibility they should receive an A or B easily on the homework sheet.

Please review your child's quiz and homework sheet grade with them.

The Week of September 5th, 2011

Dear Parents,

Thank you: To our PTO and parent volunteers for the wonderful luncheon and desserts that were provided on Thursday, September 1, 2011.

Monday, September 5, 2011
No School/Labor Day

Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Fourth and Fifth Grade Curriculum Night - 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
I highly recommend attending this informational evening about the 5th grade curriculum!
You will also sign up for Parent-Teacher Conferences with your HOMEROOM teacher.

THIS WEEK IN MISS TREFONAS's CLASS:

SPELLING: LESSON 2 - Students who miss one or less words on the pretest will be on Challenge words for this week's lesson. This means they will do Challenge word activities and be tested only on the Challenge words. Every student is receiving a pink sheet with Challenge list activities to keep in their binder. This Challenge word activity sheet is for the entire 1st Trimester.
Word of the Week: This is a BONUS word that by spelling the word and giving the definition on Friday's test earns a bonus point!

Spelling assignment - due Thursday
Spelling test for regular list OR challenge list - Friday

READING: We continue with Tall Tales. The skills specifically targeted will be identifying story structure and distinguishing between exaggerated and realistic story elements. As a review, we will use our visualization skills and define unknown words using context clues.

SCOOPer READING: Your child should be reading a book for our classroom reading program.
Once they have read the book, they need to complete an activity and turn it in! I look forward to meeting with some students to discuss the book they read and the activity they completed.

ENGLISH: We have completed autobiographical poems that are displayed in the classroom that you can see at Curriculum Night. We also completed a descriptive writing activity about a summer memory that have been made into a classroom book.
This week we will begin Unit 1.
At the end of the week, your child should be able to identify the 4 types of sentences: declarative, imperative, interrogative, and exclamatory.
We will be doing a creative activity at the end of the week with the 4 types of sentences.
**Project Challenge students will be given enrichment assignments during this unit.

SCIENCE: We will be discussing the tools scientists use and your child's interpretation of a scientist. The students will be learning about SEWER MAGGOTS this week during an investigation. You will hear all about their interesting discovery, I am sure.....

SOCIAL STUDIES: In social studies we are beginning chapter 4 "Spain Builds an Empire." The students will learn how Columbus's voyages led to a European settlement of the Americas and an exchange of people , animals, goods, and ways of life between East and West.

MATH: We will be Comparing and Ordering Numbers and Rounding Whole Numbers.
Quiz on Wednesday will cover both of these concepts and place value which we already covered.
We will finish the week with Estimating Sums and Differences.

The Week of August 29, 2011

THIS WEEK IN MISS TREFONAS'S CLASS

Dear Parents and Students,

It's hard to believe that summer is almost over and we are in full swing at Prairieview School. We completed two days of 5th grade. We have put away supplies and organized our desks for a successful year of learning! I will be blogging every week on Friday and will attach it to a weekly email. Feel free to reply if you have any questions or concerns.

Thanks to all the parents who have donated snacks and goodies to the classroom. At anytime, please feel free to donate individually wrapped healthy snacks, Capri Sun, prizes, stickers, or bottled water!

Book orders are being sent home this week. I am sending home the Arrow order that goes up to a 6th grade level in their book selections. I also send home the Tab order which is 7th grade and above. Please know that some of the selections in the Tab order are intended for more mature readers. I always ask that parents approve the book selections of your children. If you would like to order please make checks payable to Scholastic. You may also send in cash, but please make sure it is exact change. If ordering from both Arrow and Tab the totals can be combined!

All 4th and 5th grade students have the opportunity to sign up for Intramural Games. This is a "free" after school program that allows your child to stay active. Permission slips will be sent out next week.

Important Dates:
9/6 – Labor Day (no school)
9/7 – Curriculum Night for 4th and 5th grades (6:30-7:30)


Reading: We begin our year with Tall Tales. The skills we will specifically target will be identifying story structure and distinguishing between exaggerated and realistic story elements. We will also be learning about hyperboles! As a review, we will also use our visualization skills and define unknown words using context clues. This week we will be reading about Bess Call and Paul Bunyon.

English: In English we will begin with the unit "The Sentence." Students are reviewing the four types of sentences along with how to find the subject and predicate of a sentence. They will also be introduced to simple subjects and simple predicates. We are in need of old magazines for a project later in the week. If you have any please send them in.

Spelling: A pretest will be given every Monday. The spelling work will be assigned on Monday. Students will be given a word list to keep in their binder. Students who miss one word or less on the pretest will receive a challenge list and an alternative list of spelling activities to choose from. The spelling assignment for the regular list (workbook pages) and the challenge list will be due every Thursday. The first spelling test will be this Friday. ** Challenge lists do not start until the following week. All 5th grade students will be on the regular list this week.


Science: In science the students will become familiar with the tools scientists use. We will also be what a scientist is......

Social Studies: In social studies we are beginning chapter 4 "Spain Builds an Empire." The students will learn how Columbus's voyages led to a European settlement of the Americas and an exchange of people , animals, goods, and ways of life between East and West.

Math: After a textbook scavenger hunt, we will begin Chapter 1 which focuses on place value, addition, and subtraction.
We will only have math on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday due to MAPs testing.


Please feel free to contact me at any time!
Miss Trefonas

WELCOME TO 5th GRADE!!!!

Dear Parents and Students:

I look forward to meeting you at OPEN HOUSE on Wednesday, August 24th. Open House at Praireview is from 9:00 - 11:00 am.

You should bring your school supplies!
There will be sign up sheets for party helpers, field trip chaperones, etc.....
There will be a sign up sheet for any parent(s) who can be a copy helper.
If there is something specific you would like to volunteer for, email me and I will sign up up!

Enjoy your last few days of summer vacation! See you on Wednesday!

Your 5th grade teacher,
Miss Trefonas

The Week of May 30, 2011

Dear Parents,

Please remind your students:

~They need to EMPTY their book bags. We cleaned out our lockers today and they have a lot of things that they brought home.
**We will be cleaning out desks this week and need room in our book bags to bring more things home!

~Bring in Board Games to play since Miss Trefonas will be packing hers up!

~Bring back any books from Miss Trefonas's classroom bookshelf! (Time to pack that up too!)

~The raffle for Japan has just begun. A letter was sent home on Wednesday, with the list of raffle items and raffle tickets. If you wish to participate, just fill in the tickets, put them in an envelope with the money, and return it to your classroom teacher. All tickets must be turned in by June 3rd. We will have the raffle at the all school assembly on June 6th. Thank you so much for your support.

Tuesday = TALENT SHOW at 1:00!!! Parents and family members are invited!

Wednesday = Bowling!!! Students may bring money to purchase snacks.
Bring lunch from home......no hot lunch on Wednesday!!

Thursday = last day of reading and math classes.

Friday = Guest speaker Ginger Zee and Robert Crown field trip

This is our last week of art and music with Ms. Smeltzer and Ms. Wyse after all these years!

HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR CLASSROOM:

Spelling = Finished! The students really got creative with their Words of the Week ABC books.
They have been graded and returned.

Reading = Continuing Anne of Green Gables..... We have one last episode to watch and one last enry in our P-M-I Journals.

We gave two more sessions of reading class on Tuesday and Thursday.

Social Studies = We are finishing lesson 3 of Chapter 11. We will be making a question and answer "quilt panel".

Mr. Coffee, our wonderful assistant in the library, will be teaching a lesson on the Star Spangled Banner to our class!

There will NOT be a final test on Chapter 11.

MATH = Monday = Chapter 17 Test
and a math textbook "Treasure Hunt"

Tuesday = Last Day of math....
An end of the year target test and some games and farewells.......

The Week of May 23, 2011

Dear Parents,
We only have 2 Mondays left of 5th grade....Can you believe it?

REMINDERS.....
Monday 5/23 = 6:30 Parent Education Meeting presented by Robert Crown Center

Tuesday 5/24 = 10:00 am LV choir concert presented here at Prairieview...parents are invited!

Wednesday 5/25 = The Public Libraries are coming to Prairieview to present their summer reading programs.
~ Home Run Inn Pizza fundraiser from 11:30 am - 10:00 pm.

Thursday 5/26 = We visit LV - IMC for a summer book check out!
SCOOPer Reading CELEBRATION!!!

Friday 5/27 = Miss Trefonas will be absent in the morning due to a pre surgery appointment I will be back in the classroom at 11:00.
We have a special guest speaker Friday morning.....GINGER ZEE from NBC will be presenting to the 5th grade!!

HERE'S WHAT WE ARE UP TO IN THE CLASSROOM:

SPELLING: Words of the Week N-Z. ABC books and test on Friday.

READING: Book Club commercials = Tuesday!

Anne of Green Gables..... We will be watching the movie and responding in a journal after each episode. We will be using several of our reading strategies in our journal activities. Anne of Green Gables is based on the best-selling novel and is a fictional portrayal of an orphan who is adopted by an elderly brother and sister to help with the farm work. They are expecting to adopt a boy, but Anne arrives instead. This is a humorous and endearing tale of the many experiences of an adolescent.

SOCIAL STUDIES: We will be learning more about Sacagawea and Lewis and Clark.
We also be learning about the next conflict the new country had with Britian......
What war would that be? Hint: It took place in 1812.

PERSUASIVES: We have one more persuasive to write. The topic will be on students having a longer school day.

MATH:
Monday = Chapter 17 L1 Probability
Tuesday = L2 Probability experiments
Wednesday = L4 Problem Solving - Making an Organized List
Thursday = L5 Problem Solving - Tree Diagrams
Friday = Homework sheet and Chapter 17 review....

Chapter 17 test will be on Tuesday, May31st.

The Week of May 16, 2010

Dear Parents,
We are moving into the final stretch.......
Many thanks to the parents who have sent in some special treats during these hot days!

Some reminders:
Monday, May 16th = 5th grade visits Lakeview for an orientation at 1:00!
Parent orientation @ 6:30 at Lakeview!

Tuesday, May 17th = after 11:00, Miss Trefonas will be in meetings. If you need to contact me by email, regarding a message for your child, email or call the office instead.

Wednesday, May 18th Choir/Band Concert at Lakeview.

Don’t forget to sign up for the 2 mile Walk Day on Tuesday, May 24^th at Prairieview School. All proceeds from the event will go to the American Red Cross to help the victims of the earthquake in Japan. There will also be a raffle to help raise money for the cause, and any donations would be appreciated. (gift cards, sport items, games, services, small goodies). Anyone who would like to volunteer on May 24^th, please e-mail Mrs. Cavoto ccavot@ccsd66.org or Mrs. Sulima Ssulima@ccsd66.org to let them know.

HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CLASSROOM:

SPELLING: Words of the Week - Letters A-M. They will be creating an ABC Picture Dictionary!
Friday = assignment due and test over words that begin with A-M.

READING: Book Club Meeting and Discussion on Monday. This is the last book club meeting for the fantasy books they are reading. As a culminating activity, the students will be working in their book groups to create a commercial to advertise their book to the rest of the class.
Also, we will continue our analogy contests!
We will be watching the movie "Secrets of N-I-M-H" which is one of the books read during this book genre study!

SCOOPer Reading : DUE FRIDAY, MAY 20th

SOCIAL STUDIES: Chapter 11 Lesson 2 continued.....We will be creating a map to show how America is changing during this period as the country continues to expand its territory.
We will be learning about the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark expedition.

ENGLISH: Unit 6 Pronouns continued......we are finishing this unit this week and testing early next week.

PERSUASIVE WRITING: The students are writing a persuasive composition about Should Public School Students Have to Wear Uniforms?
The students have to have three arguments for their opinion with STRONG support and elaboration. I strongly encourage the students to engage in writing conversations with parents and/or older siblings at home!
We will be finishing this writing piece this week and writing one more persuasive about having a longer school day.

MATH:
Monday = Lesson 9.4 Graphs
Tuesday = Lesson 9.5 Problem Solving: Drawing Diagrams
Wednesday = HOMEWORK SHEET , Chapter 9 Review, Graphing Coordinates (review)
Thursday = Chapter 9 Test and graphing activity (booklet)
Friday = Target test and continuing the graphing activity (booklet)

The Week of May 9, 2010

Dear Parents,

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!! May you all have the special day you deserve.

Thanks to all of you who contributed to our special Teacher Appreciation breakfast and lunch.
Thanks again for the special acts of kindness to me . I enjoyed all the special goodies!

I want to also thank all of you who continually donate snacks, prizes, stickers, and other items for the students and the classroom.

THIS WEEK.......
*Thursday = A SPECIAL DAY for all 5th graders!!!! There are special activities planned, a pizza lunch, and we get to go see the dress rehearsal of the Lakeview musical, Fiddler on the Roof.

*Friday = Early Dismissal

HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN MISS TREFONAS'S CLASSROOM:

SPELLING: Lesson 28! This will be our last regular spelling list and test.
After this week, we will be doing a spelling project based on the WORDS of the WEEK.
The students will be tested on these words too.

READING: We are continuing a literature unit based on fantasy genre. The students have selected a book and are reading, completing activity sheets, and participating in book club discussion groups.
We will be reviewing various reading strategies including story structure and questions, character traits, and figurative language.
They will be having their second book club meeting on Tuesday. The students are creating license plates based on character traits to share with members of their book club.
I look forward to listening to their book club discussions. As I observed and listened while they had their first book club meeting this past week, I was impressed with the literary conversations that took place!
In addition to the literature book activities we will be having ANALOGY contests!

SCOOPer Reading: DUE DATE IS FRIDAY, MAY 20th

ENGLISH: Pronouns - Contractions, Double Subjects, Using We and I correctly!

PERSUASIVE WRITING: We will be discussing some interesting topics....
Should soft drinks be allowed in schools? Should public school students wear school uniforms?
The students will have to pick a side about uniforms and write a persuasive essay to support their opinion.

MATH:
Monday - Chapter 22 review
Tuesday - Chapter 22 test
Wednesday- Target test and starting Chapter 9 Lesson 2 (review) Mean, Median, Mode and Range
Thursday - some enrichment activities
Friday - no math

The Week of May 2, 2011

Dear Parents,
I can barely believe it is May! I am glad to see the sun today and hope we have nice weather ahead of us!
Perhaps the saying, "April Showers bring May flowers" pertains to this year!!!

This week we are taking AIMS Web tests in reading and math.
Monday = Trefonas homeroom = taking the Hannah Orleans Math Aptitude Test.
This is a placement test for the junior high.

Tuesday = Trefonas homeroom = MAPs Math testing at 12:30

Talent show slips need to be turned in A.S.A.P. if your child is interested in trying out.
Try outs begin Monday! Your child has been given a slip with all the information.
It requires a parent signature in order for your child to participate.

LifeSaving Grams!!! Project Challenge is sponsoring this fundraiser. It is for the American Red Cross to help victims in Japan. The students need to turn these in before May 25th!
If your child needs extra "grams"....please see our website...the form can be printed!

THIS WEEK IN OUR CLASSSROOM:

SPELLING: Lesson 27 Frequently Misspelled Words

READING: We are beginning a literature unit based on fantasy genre. The students have selected a book that they will be reading, completing activity sheets, and participating in book club discussion groups. We will be reviewing various reading strategies including story structure and questions, character traits, and figurative language.
In addition to the literature book activities we will be having ANALOGY contests!

ENGLISH: Pronouns
We will be learning about object pronuns, how to use I and Me correctly, and possessive pronouns.

SOCIAL STUDIES:
We will be watching NATIONAL TREASURE as a culminating activity for Chapters 9 and 10.
This is a special treat the students earned for having excellent hallway behavior!
Chapter 11 Lesson 1 "Washington as President"

SCIENCE: Chapter 15 Test = Tuesday

MATH: Monday = Lesson 7 Elapsed Time
Tuesday = further practice with elapsed time
Wednesday = Lesson 8 Temperature
Thursday = Homework Sheet and Quiz covering Lessons 4-8
Friday = Measurement Bingo and review
CHAPTER 22 Test will be given the week of May 9th

The Week of April 25, 2010

Dear Parents,
Congratulations to the winners of the Citizen's Bank Essay winners! James David won third place and honorable mentions were awarded to Maggie Reynolds, Drew Dusza, Marc Alvarez, and Kyla Brown!

It was nice to see all of the parents and family members who attended the Too Good For Drugs Graduation. Matt did a great job introducing Deputy K. to the audience.

Thank you Marc and Eve for donating goodies to our ticket prizes!
Also, thanks to Emily's family and Jeremy's family for developing film for our classroom memory books.

**IMPORTANT..... Our class is taking MAPS tests for READING on MONDAY!!!
Your child has set a goal to improve their score! Eating a healthy breakfast and getting a good night's sleep will help them do their best!

This week:
Remember to visit Panda Express on Boughton Road in Woodridge to see 5th grade student's China projects on display.
Tuesday, April 26 = Project Challenge
Thursday, April 28 = Wheel of Wisdom Assembly @ 12:45 Parents are always welcome!
Friday, April 29 = Final Box Top Collection - Will we win a pizza party?

HERE'S WHAT WE ARE LEARNING:

SPELLING: Lesson 26 words with prefixes and suffixes
100% on pretest = challenge words

READING: We are doing an end of the book activity for Jacob's Rescue.

ENGLISH: Unit 4 Adjective Test = Tuesday

SOCIAL STUDIES: Chapter 10 Test = Friday

SCIENCE: Chapter 15 Lesson 4 "How do People Use Energy Resources?"
Chapter 15 test will be Tuesday, May 3rd.

MATH:
Monday - No math due to MAPS testing
Tuesday - Homework sheet which will have problems from the two "Use Your Head" sheets
and wb 22.2. and wb 22.3 1-17.
We will also review for the quiz.
Wednesday - QUIZ - Chapter 22 Lessons 1-3 and doing Lesson 4 Customary Capacity and Weight.
Thursday - No math
Friday - Chapter 22 Lesson 5 Metric Capacity and Weight

The Week of April 18, 2011

Dear Parents,
It was nice seeing all of you who came to Open House. It's rewarding to see the children proudly showing off their work on display in the classroom to their parents. I appreciate the generous book donations from the Book Fair. I was able to start a collection of the Rebecca Caudill 2012 books.

Thanks to Lucas, Eric, Kyla, Max, Tyler, and Maggie for bringing in snacks for our classroom.
If anyone wants to donate, we can use more fruit roll-ups and gushers. We can also use the cheese and cracker "handi-snacks". Thanks!

Too Good For Drugs Graduation......Wednesday, April 20th @ 8:30 !!!
It would be great for parents and family members to attend!

Thursday, April 21st....Early Dismissal

Center Cass District 66 - Eat Out - Panda Express http://www.ccsd66.org/PTO/FundRaisers/Panda.pdf
The fifth grade class made decorations. We have several students from our class who made pandas anddragons to dispay at Panda Express!
Maria Davilla,, the manager of Panda Express, will have them on display Thursday, April 21, 2011 for the District Eat Out.

Stop by and check it out!

No School on Friday in observation of Good Friday.

HERE'S WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR CLASSROOM:

SPELLING: None this week!

READING: We are finishing Jacob's Rescue.
While reading the students have beendrawing conclusions, making inferences, and analyzing cause and effect relationships.
The students have been participating in book club discussions and have contributed great connections and thoughts. The insight that has been shared is remarkable!

ENGLISH: Unit 4 Adjectives - Proper Adjectives

SOCIAL STUDIES: Chapter 10 Lesson 3 Ratifying the Constitution
The students will be learning the preamble as we sing along to the School House Rocks...."We The People".
Anyone who memorizes the preamble and sings or recites it in class will get a special "reward" which will help them on the test!

SCIENCE: Chapter 15 Lesson 3 How Heat is Transferred
We will be learning about heat and temperature and thermal energy transfer.

MATH: We only have math on Monday and Tuesday of this week.
We will be covering Chapter 22 Lesson3 Changing Linear Units of Customary and Metric Measurement.
A homework sheet and quiz will be given the week of April 25th!

The Week of April 11, 2011

Dear Parents,
I am looking forward to seeing you at our Open House and Book Fair this Thursday.
You are invited to come and see your child's classrooms with lots of work on display from 6:30 - 8:00.
There will also be many good book selections at the Book Fair.

Some other reminders:
Tuesday = Project Challenge
Friday = Progress Reports to those students receiving unsatisfactory grades.

Save the date:
Wednesday, April 20th @ 8:30 = Too Good For Drugs Graduation
Parents and family members are invited to attend this special event!

A field trip for the Robert Crown Center has been scheduled for June 3rd.
There will be an informational meeting for parents on May 23rd.
Permission slips and more information will be sent home in a few weeks.

HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR CLASSROOM:

SPELLING: Lesson 25 words with unusual spellings
100% = challenge list
Word of the week = bonus point


READING: We are reading a historical fiction novel, Jacob's Rescue.
This novel takes place during the Holocaust. This book is based on real people and events that happened during the Holocaust. The students are gradually being introduced to the hardships Jewish families experienced. There is a strong message of respect for others throughout this book which the students are recognizing. While reading the students are drawing conclusions, making inferences, and analyzing cause and effect relationships.
The students have been participating in book club discussions and have contributed great connections and thoughts. The insight that has been shared is remarkable!

ENGLISH: unit 4 Adjectives
We will be learning about the proper use of adjectives, articles, and demonstratives.
The students will be be applying their knowledge to do a creative thinking activity at the end of the week.
Enrichment assignments will be given to Project Challenge students.

SOCIAL STUDIES: Chapter 10 Lesson 1 "A Weak Government" and Lesson 2 "Debate in Philadelphia".

SCIENCE: We have finished lessons 1 and 2 of Chapter 15. I have strongly encouraged the students to bring home their textbooks and reread the lessons and review their notes.
We will learn more about....Changing Forms of Energy this week.

MATH:
Monday = Homework sheet and Chapter 12 review
Tuesday = Chapter 12 test
Wednesday = Target test and beging Chapter 22 Measurement- Lesson 1 = customary length
Thursday = Lesson 2 Metric Length
Friday = Lesson 3 Change units of length both customary and metric

The Week of April 4th, 2011

Dear Parents,
As we come back to school from Spring Break, remember there is NO SCHOOL on Tuesday, April 5th.
Our class is participating in GEO-SPACE with the DuPage Children's Museum facilitators on Thursday, April 7th. With 5th grade having this "in-school" field trip we are not having reading and math everyday this week.
CLASSROOM HELPERS for GEO-SPACE are Mrs. Burrows and Mrs. Olsen!
Please be here at 9:00!

SAVE THE DATES = Thursday, April 14th = Open House and Book Fair

Wednesday, April 20th - 8:30 am for Too Good For Drugs Graduation
Parents are encouraged to attend!!!

HERE'S WHAT WE WILL BE UP TO IN THE CLASSROOM:

SPELLING: None this week!

READING: We will be reading a historical fiction novel, Jacob's Rescue. This novel takes place during the Holocaust. This book is based on real people and events that happened during the Holocaust. The students will be gradually introduced to the hardships Jewish families experienced, but does not make the reader too overwhelmed. There is a strong message of respect for others throughout this book.
While reading, the students will be drawing conclusions and making inferences. They will be able to identify the author's viewpoint and cause and effect relationships.

ENGLISH/WRITING: The students will be writing an informational friendly letter.
It will be based on what they learned in the Too Good For Drugs program.

SOCIAL STUDIES: We are doing an enrichment activity before we begin the next chapter.
We will be learning the history of "Yankee Doodle" and be writing a new and creative version!

SCIENCE: Chapter 15 Energy - We will be learning about Kinetic and Potential Energy.

MATH: Chapter 12
Monday = reviewing Lesson 12.5 "Comparing and Ordering Fractions" and extending this lesson with Mixed Numbers
Tuesday = No School
Wednesday = Lesson 12.7 Fractions and Decimals
Thursday and Friday - no math due to the GEO-SPACE program....which is an extension of geometry!!!

The Week of March 21, 2010

Dear Parents,
Tuesday we are having our SCOOPer Reading Celebration. The class is planning the theme of the party in class on Friday, March 18th and some students will be asked to bring treats. A sheet with this information will come home with your child on Friday. If your child volunteers to bring in a goodie and it's not convenient for you, just let me know....

Wednesday is our field trip to NaperSettlement. The students need to bring a sack lunch and drink. Please make sure your child is dressed appropriately for the weather. We spend a good amount of time outside!
Chaperones = Mrs. David, Mrs. Reynolds, and Mrs. Gurnic
Please be here by 9:05 and don't forget your lunches!!

HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING THIS WEEK!

SPELLING: Lesson 24 Review Lesson
**100% on pretest = Challenge List
There are 30 review words. 15 words will be given on the pretest.
15 words will be given on the final test on Friday.
The entire list needs to be studied because the words will not necessarily be the same on the pretest and post-test.

READING: This week we continue our study of China. The students have used the facts they researched about China to create a travel brochure.
The travel brochure is due MONDAY.
We will continue to reinforce the use of main idea and supporting details by doing an internet activity on the giant panda.
We will also be learning about proverbs this week and Chinese folktales!

ENGLISH: We will be sharing our final copies of our expository writing!

SOCIAL STUDIES: We are not beginning the next chapter until after spring break.
We will be learning more about CHINA in our homeroom during this time!

SCIENCE: Chapter 14 Lesson 3 Chemical Changes
The test is on Chapter 14 is on Friday, March 25th!

MATH: Chapter 12 Fractions continued
Monday = Lesson 3 Simplest Form
Tuesday = Lesson 4 Mixed Numbers
Wednesday = No math due to field trip
Thursday = Quiz over Lessons 12.1 - 12.4 and HOMEWORK SHEET
Friday - Lesson 5 Compare and Order Fractions and Mixed Numbers

The Week of March 14, 2010

Dear Parents,
I look forward to seeing many of you at the P.T.O event on Saturday, March 19th "Spring Fling"!
These events are a great way to socialize and support our school!

Roller Skating Party is Monday!
Project Challenge meets on Tuesday!
Field Trip to Naper Settlement is Wednesday, March 23rd!
~Students need to dress appropriately since a lot of the activities are outside!
~Sack lunch!
~Chaperones = Mrs. Reynolds, Mrs. David, and Mrs. Gurnic
Please be here at 9:10! Thanks!!!

HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR CLASSROOM:

SPELLING: Lesson 23 - words with suffixes and word of the week
Challenge list = 100% on pretest

READING: This week we continue our study of China. We are focusing on identifying main idea and supporting details using research materials. The students have been using non-fiction China books from our Prairieview library, the internet, and other sources.
The students are using clarifing and monitoring skills as they dig into the information!
The outline is due Tuesday, March 15th!
Next, we will be creating a travel brochure from our outlines!

SCOOPer READING:
GOALS DUE FRIDAY, MARCH 18th! I am hoping that everyone reaches their goal!!!

ENGLISH: Expository Writing "The Importance of Saving Money"
The students have their introduction and 3 key idea paragraphs due on Tuesday.
Tuesday, we will be peer conferencing and writing our conclusion paragraph.
Next, we will be revising and proofreading.
We will be typing our final copies here at school!
This piece of writing will be put in our writing folders that go on to Lakeview and will be entered in a contest!
Have your students share what they have written with you!

SOCIAL STUDIES: We are finished with Chapter 9.
Monday = How to Study sheets and going over our notes!
Tuesday = Jeopardy review!
Wednesday = TEST

SCIENCE: We are doing what was planned for last week!
Physical Changes.....Your child should understand that mass does NOT change during a physical change! We will be doing two experiments that demonstrate this!
We will also be learning about mixtures and solutions!

MATH:
Monday = Lesson 11.4 Prime and Composite Numbers
Tuesday = Homework Sheet and Quiz over Chapter 11 Lessons 1-4
This will be all we do in chapter 11!
Wednesday = A fifth grade math assessment **not graded**
Thursday = Chapter 12 Lesson 1 - Understanding Fractions
Friday = Chapter 12 Lesson 2 - Equivalent Fractions

The Week of March 7, 2011

Dear Parents,
Thank you for sending in snacks for ISAT testing week. The students sure appreciated your generosity. I have plenty of snacks for awhile!
The students seemed confident about the tests they took. I look forward to seeing great ISAT test results.

I enjoyed talking to the parents I met with during parent/teacher conferences. At any time, feel free to contact me about any concerns or questions regarding your child or what's happening in the classroom!

REMINDERS:
~No School on Friday, March 4th or Monday, March 7th!
~Roller Skating Party = Monday, March 14th.....turn in permission slips if you plan on going!
There is a limit to how many students can attend!

HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CLASSROOM:

SPELLING: Lesson 22 words with -ing or -ed
Students in my class need to get 100% on pretest to be on challenge list!
Word of the week begins with U!

READING: This week we begin studying the fascinating country and culture of China. We will focus on identifying main idea and supporting details using research materials. The students will be using non-fiction China books from our Prairieview library, the internet, and other sources. The students will be using clarifing and monitoring skills as they dig into the information!
The students will be completing an outline which will be used to create a brochure on China!

SCOOPer Reading: The deadline is approaching......March 18th!

ENGLISH: Expository Writing......your child is in the process of writing a 5 paragraph expository essay that will be submitted in a contest! Have them share the details of the contest and what they are writing!
We have spent a lot of time practicing how to make writing have FLAVOR....a voice....to make it interesting to the reader(s).

SOCIAL STUDIES: Chapter 9 continued.....
We will applying our knowledge of Revolutionary War uniforms to create an original uniform!
Lesson 3 "The World Turned Upside Down" and creating a circle book with the information learned in this lesson.
I would suggest reviewing lessons 1 and 2 at this time!
An ongoing review makes studying for a chapter test a lot easier!

SCIENCE: Chapter 14 Physical Changes
We will be doing two activities that reinforce this concept!

MATH: Target Test over Chapter 4 which is used to monitor student progress, it's not a grade.
Chapter 11 Lesson 1 Multiples and Least Common Multiple
Lesson 2 Divisibility rules
Lesson 3 Factors and Greatest Common Factor
Lesson 4 Prime and Composite Numbers

Quiz and Homework sheet are scheduled for Monday, March 14th!

The Week of February 28, 2011

Dear Parents,
We have now officially started the 3rd Trimester of fifth grade. During the third trimester, the late policy will be the same as Lakeview's policy. This will help the students realize the importance of getting work completed on time and the penalty that will affect their grades for late work. It will also make a better transition to Lakeview.

Third Trimester Late Policy: 1 day late - minus 25%
More than 1 day late until test is taken - minus 50%
After unit test is taken - a zero is entered in the grade book

REPORT CARDS are issued on Tuesday.
Parent/Teacher conferences are being held this week.

No School on Friday, March 4th and Monday, March 7th!

ISAT TESTING: The 5th grade schedule is as follows:
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday
Math 8:15 - 9:30 & Reading 9:45-10:30
Please make sure your child is healthy, well rested, and has eaten a healthy breakfast to ensure
successful test taking!
A snack break will be in homeroom between math and reading ISAT testing.

Please mark your calendars for March 15th for the Parent Connect meeting to learn more about how to interpret your child's MAPS scores.

SCHOLASTIC BOOK ORDERS: Due Wednesday!
The choices in the Arrow and Tab orders for March are great! This is one of the best book orders I have seen!

**Miss Trefonas will not be at school on Tuesday. I am letting you know this because I often get emails from parents to give a message to their child during the day. If you need this type of help, please email the office on Tuesday. The office will get the message to the substitute!

HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR CLASSROOM:

SPELLING: No spelling this week due to ISAT testing.

READING: Monday we will be learning about the use of Personification and how it makes reading and writing more interesting!
The rest of the week the students will be taking ISAT tests during reading time.

ENGLISH: The Unit 3 Verb test is Monday.
We are starting Expository writing this week. The students will be writing an expository that will be entered in a contest which they can earn a monetary prize. Information will be sent home mid week.

SCOOPer READING: The due date is March 18th!

SOCIAL STUDIES: Chapter 9 Lesson 2
The students will be learning about the famous event of General George Washington crossing the Delaware River. They will be writing a letter from a soldier's point of view and telling about the event in first person.

SCIENCE: Chapter 14 Physical Changes

MATH: Monday we will be reviewing a variety of math concepts prior to ISAT testing.
The rest of the week the students will be taking the ISAT math test.

The Week of February 21, 2011

Dear Parents,
Thanks again to all my wonderful Valentine Party Helpers, Field Trip Chaperones, and Copy Moms, who I mentioned by name last week. Your help is greatly appreciated!

Please remember: No School Monday = Presidents' Day
Tuesday = After school Project Challenge
Thursday = Spring Picture Day

ISAT testing is the week of February 28th.
The 5th grade schedule:
Tuesday 3/1, Wednesday 3/2, and Thursday 3/3
Math - 8:15 - 9:30
and
Reading - 9:45 - 11:00

HELP NEEDED: Snacks and Capri Sun for ISAT week!
I would like to provide the children a healthy snack and Capri Sun each day of testing!
Please remember snacks need to be individually wrapped and peanut free!
Some snack suggestions: Cherry and Blueberry Nutrigrain Bars
Rice Krispie Treats
Gold Fish
Pop Tarts
Fruit Snacks
(If you'd like to send in fresh fruit, please contact me!)
THANKS......................

HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CLASSROOM:

SPELLING: Lesson 21 VV Pattern
The grades from Lesson 21 will be the first grades on the third trimester report card.
Students will have to get 100% on the pretest to be on the challenge list for third trimester.


READING: This week we will be learning about figurative language which will include:
onomatopoeia, alliteration, idioms, similes, metaphors, and personification.
The students will be creating original images when when they interpret figurative language literally.

SCOOPer Reading: About a month to reach our goals......

ENGLISH: We will finish Unit 3 verbs. The test will be on Monday, February 28th.
The test will be recorded for third trimester grading period.

SOCIAL STUDIES: We are finishing Chapter 9 Lesson 1 .
We will be learning more about the Declaration of Independence.

SCIENCE: Chapter 14 We will learn about solids, liquids, and gasses.

MATH:
Tuesday = Lesson 4.6 Solve Equations
Wednesday = Lesson L1-L6 QUIZ and Lesson 4.7 Functions
Thursday = Lesson 4.8 Inequalities
Friday = Homework sheet and Lessons 5-9 QUIZ
**There will be no end of the chapter test. There will be a total of three quizzes.
**Wednesday's QUIZ will be the last grade recorded for the second trimester.

The Week of February 14, 2011

Dear Parents,
Happy Valentine's Day! Try your heart-est to have a special day!

Special thanks to the following parents:
~Mrs. Dusza for developing film for our memory books.
~Mrs. Burrows for sending in Valentine stickers and other goodies.
~Mrs. Brandt and Mrs. Herstowski for coordinating the Valentine Party.
~Mrs. Conners, Mrs. Burrows, Mrs. Wiseman, and Mrs. Reynolds for snacks, drinks, & paper goods.
~Mrs. Reynolds, Mrs. Brandt, Mrs. Olsen, Mrs. Szyptek, and Mrs. Herstowski for running the games and activities at our party.
~Mrs. Brandt and Mrs. Smiles for being field trip chaperones to Argonne!
~ Thanks also to my copy moms who come every week:
Mrs. Smiles, Mrs. David, and Mrs. Alvarez!

REMEMBER.....
Monday = Valentine's Day Party
Tuesday = Field Trip to Argonne!
~Lunch needs to be in a disposable bag.
~Students must wear long pants and closed shoes.
~NaperSettlement field trip slip and $ needs to be sent in!
~Six Flags "Read to Succeed" is due this week.



Something we need before Friday...Can you donate?
1 bag of mini colored marshmallows
1 bag of mini white marshmallows
**Please email me if you can donate! Then, I will let others know that it's being supplied! Thanks!

HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR CLASSROOM:

Spelling: Lesson 20 Frequently misspelled words and word of the week.

Reading: This week we will be writing an extended response using a fictional piece. We will also be identifying character traits using a variety of instructional materials.
We will be reading James Forten from our reading anthology.
The students also are performing their Toliver's Secret skits!

SCOOPer Reading: Monday, March 18th is the next due date!
Almost every student has shared a book and the activity to accompany it with the class!

Social Studies: Chapter 8 Test = Monday
Chapter 9 "Winning the Revolution" We will cover lesson 1 this week.

Science: Unit E Chapter 14 Matter and Energy

Math: continuing Chapter 4 Algebra Expressions and Equations
Monday= Lesson 4.3 Properties
Tuesday= Lessons 1-3 review and ISAT practice problems
Wednesday = no math
Thursday = Homework Sheet and Lessons 1-3 QUIZ
Friday=Lesson 4.5 Write Equations