News from Mrs. Cavoto's Class Jan. 2-Jan.6

Dates to Remember:
Jan. 3 - Classes resume
Jan. 5 - Martin Luther King Assembly
Jan. 10 - Reading MAP test
Jan. 13 - Math MAP test

Math - This week in math the students will make generalizations from data taken from a graph. They will review the skills in chapter 7. There will be test over the skills in chapter 7 on Thursday of this week. If anyone needs extra help, I will be available at recess time every day except Wednesday.

Spelling - The students will work with words that have the sounds of /k, /ng/, /kw/. Workbook pages 9-11 need to be completed. There will be a test on Friday over these words.

Reading - This week we will be working on predicting outcomes. Readers can often guess ahead of time, or predict, what will happen in a story, based on information the author has given. Additionally, readers can change or adjust their predictions as they read.

English - Students will identify and use action verbs, main verbs and helping verbs in sentences. They will also identify and correctly use present, past, and future tense verbs.

Science - Before break, we had a High Tech, High Touch in class field trip. This was a great introduction to our Human Body unit. The students learned about the different organs in our body and were able to see and touch real organs such as a brain, heart and kidneys of different animals. We will continue our study on the Human Body. This week we will focus on how our body gets oxygen and nutrients. They will learn about the digestive system.

Social Studies - This week the students will learn about the Native Americans who settled in the Southeast. They will understand how the Cherokee have contributed greatly to the history of the Southeast. They will read about Sequoyah, a Native American who developed a writing system for the Cherokee.

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Class Dec. 12-Dec. 16

Dates to Remember:
December 15 - High Tech-High Touch in school field trip (Body Systems)
December 19 -- Winter Break Begin
January 3 -- Classes Resume
January 16 -- M.L. King Holiday -- No School
January 25 -- School Improvement -- Early Dismissal

As a special holiday treat, on Friday, Dec. 16th in the afternoon, we will be watching the movie "Homeward Bound". This is an adventure story of three animals (family pets) who get lost and travel across the country to find their way home against all odds. Mrs. Linde is bringing in treats and drinks for the children as her special holiday gift to them.

Math - This week the students will collect and organize data by conducting a survey and using a frequency table. They will also interpret and construct Venn diagrams to sort, describe, and classify data, along with finding the mean, median, and mode of a set of data.

Spelling - This is a review unit of theme 2. The students will work on pages 187-189 this week. The test will be on Friday of this week.

Reading - In reading this week the students will evaluate the text. They will think about the author's writing and decide if he/she did a good job of helping them to understand the story. They will also review the strategies used throughout the theme.

English- The students will revise and edit their descriptive paragraphs. They will be sure that they have an exciting hook and closing to their paragraphs, along with colorful language-usage of similes, metaphors and descriptive language.

Social Studies - There will be a test over chapter 6 on Thursday of this week. The students should study the following:
All vocabulary
Understand all the landforms found in the Southeast (wetlands, mountains, beaches, keys, islands, piedmont,)
Understand the differences between the inner and outer coastal plains(The inner coastal plains have a slightly higher elevation than the outer coastal plains)
Understand the climate of the Southeast
Understand the purpose of the lighthouses on the coast in the past
Know the animals of the of the swamps (Everglades), and the Coastal Plain, Piedmont, and Appalachian Mountains
Know how the logging industry works and what it produces
Understand the importance of the nonrenewable resource, coal
Be able to explain what a hurricane is(a violent storm that moves in a circular path and has high winds and lots of water) and how it can be dangerous( It can lift and throw heavy objects through the air, causes flooding, damage buildings)
Know the crops that grow in the Southeast and explain why they grow so well there.
What state would you like to visit in the Southeast? Explain two reasons why?

Science We will begin a unit on the human body this week. The "Big Idea" is to stay alive, people depend on body systems that work together. Our first lesson the students will learn how the body gets oxygen and nutrients.

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room Dec. 5-9

Dates to Remember:
Thursday, December 8 - Science test Chapter 3
Friday, December 9- bowling field trip, Math test Chapter 6
Thursday, December 15 - High Tech body systems in school field trip
Monday, December 19 - Winter Vacation begins
Tuesday, January 3- Classes resume

Our BOWLING FIELD TRIP to Brunswick Zone is scheduled for the afternoon of Friday, 12/9. Students may bring money to purchase snacks at the bowling alley. Brunswick Zone is offering a concession special: 2 slices of cheese pizza & a 16 oz. drink for $3.23 (including tax). Please keep in mind that we will be going bowling after lunch.


Thank you to all who sent in items for our Celebration of Knowledge party of Winn Dixie. We had a wonderful party with egg salad sandwiches put together with fancy toothpicks, pickles, "Dump" punch, and "Litmus Lozenges".

Math This week the students will learn how to change units of time including years, months, days, and hours. There will be a quiz over lesson 6.1-6.4 on Wednesday of this week. The students will also measure temperature and changes in temperature in degrees Fahrenheit and degrees Celsius along with identifying and naming negative numbers by using a number line and counting techniques. There will be a test over chapter 6 Time and Temperature on Friday, December 13th.
Here are a couple of games that the children may enjoy playing to help them with their telling time and elapsed time skills.

TIME CLOCK: http://www.primarygames.com/math/timeclock/start.htm

CLOCK RACER GAME: http://justkidsgames.com/play.php?ClockRacer

Spelling This week in spelling the words will have the different sounds that /or/ and /ur/ can make. Workbook pages 167-169 will be assigned and checked daily for completion. The test will be on Friday of this week.

Reading Our reading strategies for this week are questioning, categorizing and classifying. Recognizing the question a story may raise is a good way to make sure you understand it. Also, as people read they wonder about the things they are reading and they form questions in their mind. Good readers usually do this without thinking. The students will practice the questioning strategy this week. Classifying involves grouping like items, and categorizing involves naming the group. Grouping the items makes it easier to remember them. Students will also classify and categorize information in the stories they read this week.

English This week we will continue to learn about writing descriptions. The students will learn about similes and metaphors and colorful language to help them describe how things feel, taste, sound, smell, and look like. As they are doing their independent reading they should look for passages that show examples of colorful language. They can bring things they have found at home that show examples of colorful language. The students will begin writing descriptions of animals that are found in the Southeast Region.

Science In science this week we will have a test over chapter 3, Adaptations, on Thursday of this week.

• The students should know:
• All vocabulary
• Study the sheets in their folders
• Know the stages in the life cycle of a tree and why each stage is important (see their folder for the picture of this that they drew)
  
• What can scientists learn about animal fossils
• Understand what will happen to animal or plant populations if their habitat has changed in some way. What will happen if their basic needs have not been met?
• Understand learned behavior and know examples of a few
  
• Understand what happens during hibernation
• Know animals meet their basic needs
  
• Know the behavioral and the physical adaptations animals have to survive
  
• Know some extinct animals and plants (see pictures of extinct animals and plants that we drew in class)
• Know how and why animals adapt (give examples)
• Know how plants meet their basic needs

Social Studies Ask your children what a hurricane is and what the effects of a hurricane can be. (It is a violent storm with strong wind and heavy rains. It can cause flooding, and send large objects flying through the air. It can uproot trees and damage buildings.) The students will also learn about the wildlife and the resources of the Southeast Region.

News from Mrs. Cavoto's room November 21-Dec. 1

Dates to Remember:
November 23 -25 No School/Thanksgiving Break

November 28-Dec. 2 Conferences
Dec. 1 Celebration of Knowledge party for Winn Dixie
Dec. 2 - No School/Conferences

Math There will be a test over chapter five on Tuesday of this week. That grade will go on Trimester 2's report card. We will begin a new chapter on Time and Temperature. The students will estimate and tell time to the nearest minute and second. They will calculate elapsed time on clocks and calendars. Also, they will change units of time including years, months, days, hours, minutes, and seconds. I will continue to give timed fact tests. They will be tested on their division through 5's on Dec. 1.

Spelling There will be no spelling this week. Next week we study words with the r controlled sounds of ar and er. They will have to complete a spelling page or activity each day. The workbook pages are 152-154. There will be a test on December 1.

Reading - Over the next couple of weeks we will be reviewing the skills that we have gone over since the beginning of the year. The students will also work on summarizing and making generalizations. In writing summaries, the students will learn to pick out the main points or events of a story or passage and concisely put them in their own words. In making generalizations the students will learn that generalizations are broad statements that are true most of the time, and are based on fact or good reasons, and may include words like always or most.

We will finish up Winn Dixie. The students will do a Reader's Theater with it. Our Celebration of Knowledge Party will be on Thursday, Dec. 1. Some of the students have volunteered to send in an item for the party. They have marked it on a sheet in their folders. Please send the sheet back if you can or can not send the item in. Thank you so much for your help.

English- We will begin a descriptive writing unit this week. The students will learn to write using similes and metaphors. They will understand what colorful language is. They will understand that this is language that helps you visualize the writer's thoughts and puts pictures in your minds They will find this colorful language in the books that they read. They should bring in any examples they can find in magazines or books that they read from home.

Science - This week and next the students will learn how the behavior of animals help them to meet their needs. They will learn about instincts and learned behaviors and how they help animals survive.

Social Studies - There is a map test on Tuesday of the Southeast. The students will learn how the barrier islands are formed and compare and contrast the elevations in the Southeast. They will describe the climate of the Southeast and examine hurricanes there.

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room Nov. 14-18

Dates to Remember:
November 23, 24, 25 -- Thanksgiving Holiday -- No School
November 28 - permission slips for the movie Because of Winn Dixie due in
December 1 - Celebration of knowledge party in the a.m. in class
December 2 -- Parent/Teacher Conferences -- No School

Math - This week in math the students will use the strategy predict and test. Sometimes you can make an educated prediction to solve a problem and then test your prediction to see whether it fits the probable conditions. It is a good strategy to use when one condition depends on another. They will also write, solve, and graph inequalities that include variables. A test is planned for Tuesday, November 22 over chapter 5.

Spelling The students will be working with words that have the different sounds of 00 in them-wood and roof. They will be working on workbook pages 137-139. There will be a test on Friday of this week.

Reading -This week, we will once again focus on the reading strategy of making inferences. Authors do not always tell the reader everything. They may give clues instead. The reader must use the clues and their own knowledge to make inferences about people and events.

We will finish reading Winn Dixie this week. There will be a vocabulary quiz on Thursday. We made a T chart with the vocabulary words so that they can use that as a study tool. They should know the definitions of the words as well as being able to write the words in a good sentence. They should practice writing good sentences.

English - This week the students will work on writing titles correctly. They will review using quotation marks correctly and writing with commas. There will be a test over unit 5 on Wednesday of this week. There will be homework each night to help your child review the skills.

Social Studies - We will begin a unit on the Southeast Region. The students will identify and describe the different landforms in the Southeast. Their colored map will be due on Tuesday, November 22, and they will have a map quiz on that day as well.

Science - In science this week, the students will distinguish between learned behaviors and instinctive behaviors. They will understand how behaviors of animals help them to meet their needs.

News From Mrs. Cavoto's Room Nov. 7-11

Dates to Remember:

• Monday, November 7 - All School Roller Skating Party - 3:45 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.All students attending the roller skating party need to check in at 3:45 to get their hands stamped before
• Friday, November 11 - No School/Veteran's Day
• Friday, November 18 - End of the First Trimester
• PBIS & PTO Power Paws Community Service Project - 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. PV-Gym
• Wednesday, November 23 thru Friday, November 25 -No School/Thanksgiving Break
• Monday, November 28, thru Thursday, December 1,Parent/Teacher Conferences Begin
• Tuesday, November 29 - Report Card Issued Online
• Wednesday, November 30 - Late Night Parent/Teacher Conference 3:05 to 7:30 p.m.
• Friday, December 2 - No School - Parent/Teacher Conferences

Math - This week in math the students will write, evaluate, and solve multiplication and division sentences. They will use the order of operations to find the value of expressions. There will be a fact test on Thursday over all the facts. The students should be working on them all week. It is so important for them to know their facts as we move into problems that have a higher level of difficulty.

Spelling - In spelling this week the students will be working with words that have the sounds of ou and ow. There will be a test on Thursday of this week since there is no school on Friday.

Reading - This week, we will focus on the reading comprehension skill known as sequence of events. Recognizing the order of events in a story makes it easier to understand the story. Clue words such as first, later, then, and finally signal sequence.

We will continue to read Winn Dixie. There will be a vocabulary and comprehension quiz over chapters 11-26 on Thursday, November 17. The vocabulary words will go home at the beginning of the week. They should begin to study now so that by test time, it will just be a simple review.

English - The students will work on using commas in sentences correctly. They will identify quotations in sentences and use quotation marks before and after a direct quotation, and they will understand the difference between a direct and indirect quotation. There will be a test over chapter 5 on Wednesday, November 16th.

Science - We will begin a new unit this week. The essential question is How do the bodies of animals help them meet their needs? What are the basic needs of living things? (food, water, air, and shelter) How do adaptations help living things meet their needs? (They needs certain adaptations to survive: body parts and behavior )

Social Studies - This week in social studies the students will show their knowledge of the Narragansett culture by drawing a picture showing specific items of their culture in it.

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room Oct. 31-November 4

Dates to Remember:
Thursday, November 3 - Picture Retake Day
Monday, November 7 -All School Roller Skating Party - 3:45 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Friday, November 11 -No School/Veteran's Day
Wednesday, November 23 -Friday, November 25 No School/Thanksgiving Break
Monday, November 28, - Thursday, December 1-Parent/Teacher Conferences Begin


Math - There will be a math test on Friday of this week over chapter 4. The students should bring their books home and study the lessons in the chapter as well as the worksheets that they have in their binders. I encourage the students to use the break apart method if they do not have their 6, 7, 8, and 9 facts memorized yet. For example: 8 x 7 break it up into 8 x 5 = 40 and 8 x 2 = 16 then add the two answers. If they are doing division of higher numbers and do not know their facts yet, I encourage them to use subtraction to get to their answer. For example: 63 divided by 9 keep subtracting 9 until you get to 0. Then add up the 9 that you subtracted and that is your answer. Hopefully they will see that if they memorize their facts it is much easier than having to do the other methods, but at least they have a strategy to use if they don't know their facts. Please look in their folders for the results of their 1-5 review of concepts. This will help them know which skills they need to focus on too.

Spelling - The word patterns for this week are short and long vowel sounds. The students should be able to recognize the signs for the long and short vowel sounds. The pages for the week are 99-101. If they pass out of the pretest, then they will work on alternate activities assigned each day.

English - This week in English we will work on abbreviations and using commas correctly. There will be an abbreviations quiz on Friday of this week. The students should know the abbreviations for the following words: Mister, (Mr.) Junior (Jr.), Senior (Sr.), Doctor (Dr.), married woman (Mrs.), any woman (Ms.), Road (Rd.) Street (St.) , Avenue (Ave.) , Boulevard (Blvd.) , Company (Co.), Post Office (P.O.) , Illinois ( IL), all the days of the week and all the months. They should start making note cards now to help them study.

Reading - We will continue to work with making predictions and inferences this week as we read our book Because of Winn Dixie. There will be a vocabulary and comprehension quiz on Wednesday of the week over chapters 1-10. The vocabulary words have been sent home for the students to study. The should know the definitions as they were used in the story, and be able to write the words in a good sentences .They should reread some of the chapters to be sure they understand the main events that have happened so far.

Social Studies - This week we will learn the culture of the Native Americans who once lived in the Northeast Region, the Narragansett and the Iroquois. The students will learn and understand how their life changed after the Europeans moved in.

Science - The students will learn about the life cycles of animals. They will order and describe the stages of an animal's life cycle. They will describe how some animals grow and develop. There will be an open book quiz on Thursday of this week on chapter 2 lesson 3.

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Class October 24-28

Dates to Remember:
Thursday, October 27, Early Dismissal 11:00 a.m.

Friday, October 28 Halloween Parade Starts 1:00 p.m. Halloween Parties - 1:30 p.m.
Bingo Night 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. Multipurpose Room


Math- Thank you for helping your child review and practice their facts. This week in math the students should review their square's, 2's and 5's. They should practice their 3's, and 4's this week. I will be giving a fact test to review all of these facts on Friday. The students will understand and apply the properties of multiplication. They will work with multiples, and be able to solve division and multiplication problems. A test is planned for Wednesday, November 3 over chapter 4.

Spelling - This week is a review of the words we have had so far. The students should be working on workbook pages 87-89 throughout the week. They will be due on Friday. There will be a test on Friday. I will give a pretest on Monday. Those students who pass will do an alternate list and have alternate activities for the week.

Reading - This week in reading we will review the skills that have been taught so far. We will concentrate on making predictions, and noting details as we read our book Because of Winn Dixie.

English - In English this week, we will begin a review unit on capitalization and punctuation. The students will review the different kinds of sentences and how to punctuate them. They will also review capitalizations of proper nouns.

Social Studies The test over chapter 5 is now on Wednesday of this week. The children should know:
All vocabulary
location of Niagara Falls
The importance of Niagara Falls to the Northeast
What Mountain ranges make up the Appalachian Mountains
What NE state does not share a border with the Atlantic Ocean
The largest Finger Lake
What conditions do grapes need to grow? (see sheet in folder)
What are the coastlines like from Maine to New Jersey?
two Challenges that threaten the fish population in Chesapeake Bay
What are ways that people of Chesapeake Bay can help save the Bay?
Which State in the Northeast Region would you like to live in? Give two reasons why you would like to live there.

Science - In science this week the students will learn about the life cycle of a plant. They will understand pollination and its importance in the life cycle of a plant. You may want to ask your child to explain photosynthesis to you.

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room October 17-21

Dates to Remember:

Thursday, October 27, Early Dismissal 11:00 a.m.
Friday, October 28, Halloween Parade Starts 1:00 p.m. Halloween Parties - 1:30 p.m.

Math This week in math we will begin a new unit on multiplication. The students will relate repeated multiplication to addition and repeated subtraction to division. They will use the inverse relationships between multiplication and division. They should be reviewing their multiplication facts 0-12. I will give a mixed review 2 minute fact test to see who knows their facts already on Monday. I will be sending home sheets daily for them to practice their facts. There will be fact quizzes throughout the week. Next week they should know their 2's, squares, (2x2, 3x3 up to 12 x 12 ) and 5's.

Spelling This week the students will be working on homophones. Homophones are words that sound alike but have different meanings and are spelled differently. There will be a test on Friday and workbook pages 67-69 will be assigned. If the students passed out of their pretest then they will do the activities assigned.

Reading In reading this week, the students will focus on noting details in a story. They will learn that details may give information, explain ideas, and reveal characters' feelings. They will also work on the Question comprehension strategy. Good readers ask themselves questions about important ideas as they read. The students will practice asking questions about the text that can be answered as they read the text and finish the story.

We will apply the skills we are learning as we read the book Because of Winn-Dixie.

English- There will be an English test on Wednesday, October 19 over chapter 2, Nouns.
The students should use the end of the chapter reviews to help them study for the test.

Science - The children will learn about the life cycles of some plants this week. We will conduct and Investigate t find out if seeds need water to sprout. Throughout the week we will record our observations on a chart. What process do plants use to make food, using energy from the sun? The students will understand this process of photosynthesis.

Social Studies - The students will understand where some of the resources come from in the Northeast and the products that are made from them.

There will be a test over chapter 4 Land and Water of the Northeast on Tuesday, October 25th.

We will have a resource day on Thursday. Would any parent like to volunteer to bring in pancakes for the class? Since Maple syrup comes from Vermont, we will eat pancakes with real maple syrup. We also, need 1 can of jellied cranberries. Cranberries come from South Carver, Massachusetts. The third thing we need is crab sticks, which we will cut into little pieces for a taste. Crab is just one kind of seafood that is fished from Chesapeake Bay.
Please let me know if you can bring in anything and which item you would like to bring in.

News From Mrs. Cavoto's Room Oct. 3-7

Dates to Remember:
Monday, October 10 - No School/Columbus Day
Tuesday, October 11, 2011 No School/Teacher Institute


Math -This week in math we will review the addition properties and writing and evaluating addition and subtraction expressions (lesson 3.1 and 3.2). They will write and solve addition and subtraction equations, and they will solve problems using the work backward strategy. The students will practice writing explanations on how they solved their problems. They may need some extra help with explaining what they did and why they solved the problem the way they did.

Spelling - This week in spelling the students will be working with words that have the short "u" as in brush/ "yoo" as in juice/ "oo" as in threw. Workbook pages 52-54 will be due on Friday, unless your child is in the pretest group, and then they should be ready to turn in their activities for the week. There will be a test on Friday.

Reading This week in reading our story is “Finding the Titanic” by Robert D. Ballard.The reading strategy that we will focus on is text organization.Many non-fiction authors organize their selections in time order.They also use features such as headings, pictures, captions, and charts to help the reader better understand the information.

English The students will practice writing with nouns. They will learn to combine two short sentences with the same predicate to create a sentence with a compound subject. They will also identify singular and plural nouns, and write plural nouns correctly.

Social Studies -The students will have homework to color a map of the Northeast Region, which will be due on Wednesday. It is very important that they follow the checklist they are given to be sure that they include all they need in their map and color it correctly. This is a homework assignment that will be graded. They will then take a map quiz on Thursday. They will have to place all the states and bodies of water correctly a map. If they can spell all the words correctly, they will earn an extra point. If they learn all their capitals, they will earn 2 extra points. So they could earn a total of 3 extra points for this quiz.

Science - The following concepts will be covered over the next couple of weeks. How are animals classified? with backbones (vertebrates) without backbones (invertebrates) What are the five groups of vertebrates? Can you tell some facts about each group? (fish,mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles) What are some of the groups of invertebrates? (sponges, mollusks, worms, arthropods) Which is the largest group of invertebrates? ( arthropods- these are insects, crustaceans, and spiders)

News From Mrs. Cavoto's Room Sept. 26-Sept. 30

Dates to Remember:

Tuesday, Sept. 27 - 2nd Magazine turn in day
Thursday, Sept. 29 - Picture Day; 3rd magazine turn in day
Friday, Sept. 30 - Early Dismissal, 11:00 a.m.
Mon. 10/10 - No school; Columbus Day
Tues. 10/11 - No school; Teacher Institute

Math This week in math the student will work on the problem solving skill deciding whether they should give an estimate or an exact answer. They will also add and subtract 3 & 4 digit numbers with regrouping. This would be a good time to review their basic addition and subtraction facts. There will be a test on Thursday over the skills in chapter 2.

Spelling This week the pattern is long and short i and long and short o. They should work on w.b. pages 37-39 throughout the week. If they passed the pretest, they will work on different activities.

ReadingWe will focus on the reading strategy, author's viewpoint. Author's viewpoint refers to the author's opinion, ideas of what is important or attitude. The author might give their opinion directly or you might have to infer the information by reading clues or other information that the author provides. Here is a great link to practice author’s viewpoint: http://www.studyzone.org/testprep/ela4//authorsviewpointp.cfm

English - In English this week, we will begin a unit on nouns. The students will learn what a noun is and distinguish proper nouns from common nouns.

Science - This week in science we will begin a new unit on classifying plants and animals. The students will observe the function of a plant stem and describe the structures of vascular and non vascular plants as well as fungi.

Social Studies We will have a test over chapter 2 lesson 3 & 4.
The students should:
study all vocabulary
study the main concepts in the book
know the three levels of government
know the three branches of government, where they are housed, who makes up that branch, and their roll or main job
know at least 3 responsibilities of the U.S. citizens
Know what their responsibility as a child is to be a good citizen
study the sheets/the patriotic quest is important
understand why people should vote
understand why people pay taxes

News From Mrs. Cavoto's Room Sept. 19-23

Things to Remember:
Tuesday, Sept. 20 - 1st Magazine turn in day
Tuesday, Sept. 27 - 2nd Magazine turn in day
Thursday, Sept. 29 - Picture Day; Final Magazine turn in day
Friday, Sept. 30 - Early Dismissal 11:00 a.m.

Math- We will begin a new chapter this week. The students will understand and use the inverse relationship between addition and subtraction to solve problems. They will also round whole numbers through millions. On Wednesday ask them to tell you about the "nosy neighbor" and how that can help them round numbers. Estimating sums and differences will also be covered.

Spelling This week will be a review week of words the students have already had. The test will be on Friday. They will get a list of activities they need to finish each day in their spelling journal. They will be asked to turn in one of those activities on Friday. I will be looking for proper spelling, capitalization, and end marks in the activities they accomplish.


Reading- This week, we will continue to focus on story structure. The children will also explore character and setting in depth. When your child is reading at home, you can practice and review story structure by asking them to identify characters, setting, and plot (which includes the problem, sequenced events, and the solution).

English - The English test has been moved to Thursday. Understanding the complete and simple subject and predicate is very difficult. Any extra help that you can give your child with this will help them a lot. Look for homework to come home to help them practice.

Science - There will be a test over the scientific method on Wednesday of next week. They will need to know the steps of the scientific method and be able to give examples of each step. They can look in their folder at past sheets that we have filled out.

The children have been very busy investigating their worms. After the weekend, your child may need to bring in a new worm. They will let you know if they think that they will need a new one.

Last Friday they were given an assignment to make a worm track for our worm races. The students will need to follow the guidelines on a sheet to make their track. Tracks will be graded based on the accuracy of those guideline. Did they follow the directions carefully? These tracks will be due on Thursday of this week. We will have our worm races on Thursday.

Social Studies This week the students will learn about our Constitutional Rights. They will identify two ways that a person can become a citizen of the U.S. They will identify three types of services that are paid for by taxes, and three responsibilities of U.S. citizens.

There will be a test in Social Studies on Tuesday, September 27. It will cover the information from Chapter 2 only lessons 2 & 3. The students should be sure to review the vocabulary and the important review questions from each section. There are very important papers to go over in their social studies folder: The Social Studies Quest 1, 2, 3, and 4 and Review of lesson 3 sheet. It will be very important for them to know the things on these sheets.

News From Mrs. Cavoto's Room Sept. 12-16

Dates to Remember:
Monday, September 12, Magazine Kick-Off - 1:15 p.m. gym
Tuesday, September 13, Beginning Band Sign-Up - 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. - Band Room
Wednesday, September 14, Beginning Band Sign-Up - 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. - Band Room
Friday September 30 - Early Dismissal

Math There will be a test over unit 1 on Friday of this week.The students should bring their books home to study. I will also send home a pretest so they can get a look at what their real test will look like. They should also look over the sheets in their math folders for a review.

Spelling - This week the pattern is long and short "a" and "e". A pretest will be given on Monday. Test on Friday. Any assistance you can give your child with writing their cursive letters correctly would be very helpful.

Reading - This week, we will focus on story structure. We will use a story map to look at how a problem and its solution affect the story’s plot and characters. When your child is reading at home, you can practice and review story structure by asking them to identify characters, setting, and plot (which includes the problem, sequenced events, and the solution).

English The students will learn about the subject and predicate of a sentence and simple subject and simple predicates of a sentence. They will identify and edit run-on sentences. There will be a DOL quiz on Tuesday of this week. A review will be sent home on Monday. There will be a test over unit 1 The Sentence on Tuesday of next week. The students will have homework throughout the week to help them review the concepts of this unit.

Science- We will begin our worm unit this week on Tuesday, so the kids should bring in their worms and habitats on Tuesday. As we progress through our worm unit the students will continue to learn about the scientific method.

Social Studies - This week the children will learn about the three branches of government. They will understand the role of each branch and where they are housed.

News From Mrs. Cavoto's Room Sept. 5-9

Things to Remember:
Monday, September 5, No School/Labor Day
Tuesday, September 6, Fourth and Fifth Grade Curriculum Night - Parents Only - 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Monday, September 7, Beginning Band Parent Meeting - 7:00 p.m. - Multi-Purpose Room
Tuesday-Wed. September 13-14 Beginning Band Sign up from 3:00-8:00 p.m

Math - Mrs. Cavoto's Class
This week we will review reading, writing, and identifying the place value of numbers through millions. The students will also compare and order numbers through millions.


Spelling - This week in spelling we will continue to work on commonly misspelled words. The pretest for this lesson will be given on Tuesday, 9/7. Students that score 95% or better on the pretest will receive a different list of spelling words for the week with 10 words on it. They will do specific activities to go with those words. They may choose to take the spelling test with their new words and earn extra points on their grade, or they may elect not to take it.

A test will be given on Friday for those students who do not score 95% or better and during this week they will be given activities to do with their 20 words. A sheet will come home with the activities for each day explaining them. All activities are due on Friday. The test will be on Friday unless there is no school, and then we will have it on Thursday.

Reading This week in reading the students will learn to use skimming and scanning skills to locate answers. During science, social studies, and reading, the students will be given tasks where they have to locate answers in the text. They will practice highlighting key words in questions or clues, and then skim the headlines, subtitles, captions, and passages to help them find the answers to those questions.

English - This week in English we will continue to work on Sentences. There will be a DOL quiz on Friday. This quiz will cover capitalization and end marks in the different kinds of sentences (commands, questions, statements, exclamations). I will give them sentences that need to be edited and they will need to edit them.

Social Studies - We will continue to study U.S. Government and they will work on their "Patriotic Quest" for lesson 2.

Science - Students will understand the steps of the Scientific Method. We will prepare for our worm unit. They should be thinking of a good spot to find a nice juicy worm that they can bring into class. I will let the children know when they should bring them in. More information will follow.

News From Mrs. Cavoto's Room August. 29-Sept. 2

Dates to Remember:
Friday, September 2 Intramural sheets due to Mrs. Cushing
Monday, September 5 No School/Labor Day
Tuesday September 6 Fourth and Fifth Grade Curriculum Night - Parents Only - 7:00 p.m. in the multi- purpose room
Wednesday, September 7 Beginning Band Parent Meeting - 7:00 p.m. - Multi-Purpose Room
Welcome to Fourth Grade! Please feel free to e-mail me with any questions you may have.

*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. Please return these to Mrs. Cushing by Friday, September 2rd.

Last week we spent much of our time organizing our things and getting to know each other. The children spent the first day learning about the PBIS program and the three behaviors that we will be working on all year. You may want to ask them to tell you about the three "B's" they learned about.(Be safe. Be responsible. Be respectful.)

Math - We will begin the year with understanding place value. The students will model, read, write, and identify the place value of whole numbers through millions. They will understand that the position of the digit determines its value. They will also compare numbers through millions. They will know how to write the expanded form, standard form, and written form of a number into the millions.

If you need to know how a skill has been taught in class, you can refer to their math binder. Please keep all papers in their math binder. We will clean them out at the end of a the chapter together. They should only take out the papers that are in the take home side of the binder.

Spelling Each student will be given a pretest on Monday. A list will go home in their spelling binder each Monday with the new word pattern. Every day they will be given a homework assignment to complete at home. Tests will be given on Friday. If it is a short week then the test will be on Thursday. No tests will be given on a three day week. Please see the sheet that will come home on Monday of this week explaining the spelling program.

English - This week the students will review what a sentence is and the different kinds of sentences. (statements, questions, exclamations, and commands) They will practice writing sentences correctly during Daily Oral Language (DOL).

Reading This week in reading the students will review and practice their reading strategies as they read the story The Pumpkin Runner by Marsha Diane Arnold. The reading strategies that we will focus on are : preview/infer, phonics/decoding, question, monitor/clarify, summarize, and evaluate.

Science- In science this we the students will participated in a textbook scavenger hunt. This will help them become familiar with the different parts of their book. They will learn the tools of inquiry which they will be using throughout the year and safety rules they will need to follow when participating in science class.
The children will also be working on the study skill of locating answers. They will learn how to find clue words that they can use to help them skim for answers in the titles, subtitles, captions, and highlighted words, as well as the paragraphs.

Social Studies We will begin a U.S. government unit this week. The students will understand what the Constitution is and why it is important. They will identify the three levels of government.

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room May 31-June7th

Weekly Reminders:

*No school on Monday.
*Talent show Tuesday, 1:00-2:00

*"We're Bowling" Wednesday - Fourth grade bowling trip in afternoon.

*"Take it Easy" Thursday - Bring a board game to school. 4th grade talent show 12:20-1:00

*"Film Festival" Friday - We will sit back and enjoy a film.

*Last day of math and reading on Friday.

*"We Made It" Monday, June 6 - All-school picnic & Sky Dogz assembly.

*"That's All Folks" Tuesday, June 7 - Report cards and yearbooks issued.

On Film Festival Friday we are in need of popcorn and a drink. Would anyone like to volunteer to make popcorn or send in Capri Suns? Just send me an e-mail if you can, and I will get back to you. Thank you.

I want to thank the parents and students who participated in the Walk for Japan. It was wonderful to see so many families coming together for such a great cause.

American Red Cross for Japan:

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.

Spelling - We have finished our spelling units for the year.

Reading - As we wrap up reading class for the 2010-2011 school year, we will review all the strategies we have covered. Friday will be our last day of reading.

We will watch the movie Charlotte's Web and compare and contrast the book to the movie.

Math - We will continue to work with fractions this week. The students will review equivalent fractions and reducing fractions to their lowest forms. Please continue to help your child with this skill. Over the summer, please continue to work on multiplication and division facts. This is very important for them to be successful next year. Thank you for all of your support this year in helping your child with fourth grade math.

Social Studies - The students will learn about the states in the West. They will choose a state in the West to do research and create a poster with their information.

Science - This week in science we will compare particle sizes in different types of soils and describe what soil is-how it forms and how soils differ.

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room May 22-May 27

Things to Remember:
Mon. 5/30 - Memorial Day - No school
Wed. 6/1 - 4th grade bowling
Sat. 6/4 - Market Day
Mon. 6/6 - Picnic and Sky Dogz assembly
Tues. 6/7 - Last day of school;dismissal @ 9:30

Don't forget about our 2 Mile Walk for Japan. I am excited that there are so many students and parents from class participating. I look forward to seeing everyone. Remember if you want to go, but haven't signed up, you can come and pay when you get here.


Math - This week in math we will continue to work with fractions. The students will review how to find equivalent fractions and to reduce fractions to their lowest form. They will compare and order fractions with like denominators. The students should be prepared for a test over these skills in chapter 15 on Thursday of this week.


Spelling - This week the pattern to look for is the schwa sounds in the final part of the word. The students will have a pretest on Monday and final test on Friday. The pages to work on for the week are pages 237-239.

Reading - Next week, in addition to reviewing all reading strategies, students will be focusing on identifying the elements of fantasy and realism. Students will learn that fantasy involves events that could not happen in real life, and that realism involves events that could happen or that have happened in the past.

We will continue to read Charlotte's Web this week. There will be a vocab/comp. test on Thursday of this week. More information will come home with your child.

English There will be a test over pronouns on Wednesday of this week.

Science The students will learn about the rock cycle. They will learn about Sedentary and Metamorphic rocks this week. They will identify their own rocks.

Social Studies The students will review the early culture of the Navajo, They will illustrate how they made a living, what their homes were like and how they were governed.

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room May 16-20

Things to remember:
Tues. 5/17 - 4th grade band concert;7:00 pm
Mon. 5/30 - Memorial Day - No school
Wed. 6/1 - 4th grade bowling
Sat. 6/4 - Market Day
Mon. 6/6 - Picnic and Sky Dogz assembly
Tues. 6/7 - Last day of school;
dismissal @ 9:30

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 ccavoto@ccsd66.org or Mrs. Sulima Ssulima@ccsd66.org to let them know.

Math This week in math we will have a quiz over diving 2 digit numbers with one digit numbers with and without remainders on Tuesday, May 17. This is lesson 11.1 and 11.3 in their textbook. Any help you can give your child is greatly appreciate. I will let them use their fact chart for this, but they have to know the steps in long division.

Reading - Next week we will focus on the reading target skill of comparing and contrasting. Comparing means showing similarities. Contrasting means showing differences. By comparing and
contrasting one thing with another, readers can remember more of the information.

Spelling - Next week our words will be a review. The pre-test will be on Monday and the test on Friday.

English- This week we will continue working with pronouns. The students will use I and me correctly. They will also use and write singular and possessive pronouns correctly in sentences. A test is planned for Tuesday, May 24 over pronouns.

Science - The students will review how to identify minerals next week. They will then be given minerals to identify. They will understand and identify the different types of rocks: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. We will have rock day on Wednesday of this week. The students should bring in a rock that they find in the yard or at the park.

Social Studies - The students will study the culture of the Navajo people. They will describe the "Long Walk" and they will understand how the Navajo Council governs th Navajo Nation.

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room May 9 - May 13

Things to Remember:
Fri. 5/13 - Early Dismissal @ 11:00
Wed. 6/1 - 4th grade bowling
Mon. 6/6 - Picnic
Tues. 6/7 - Last day of school;
dismissal @ 9:30

I have some disposable cameras that I need volunteers to have developed. I
have taken pictures of your children throughout the year, for their end-of-
the-year memory books. If you are willing to have one developed, please email me. Thank you.

Math - This week in math we will begin chapter 11. The students will review division and then they will learn to divide with remainders and divide with two digit by one digit. Any help you can give your children with this would be greatly appreciated.

Spelling - No spelling this week

Reading - Our focus in reading this week is on the reading strategy of monitor/clarify. Students should monitor how well they understand a story. If they don't understand something, they can reread or read ahead for help.

We will practice this strategy as we are reading our new Book Charlotte's Web by E.B. White. Since there are many new vocabulary words in this story, the students will be encouraged to use the context to help them understand the meaning. They will be doing vocabulary activities to help them build their "word power".

English - We will continue our unit on pronouns. The students will understand and identify subject and object pronouns. They will also practice writing with pronouns.

Science - We will have a test this week over chapter 17, Simple Machines. The students should study: All sheets in their folder, use their textbook and be sure to understand the main concepts from each lesson, answer the questions at the end of the chapter to help review.

They should know:
All vocabulary
How scientists define work
Understand how a wheel and an axle work together to be a simple machine
Know the six simple machines and what they are made up of
Which simple machine does not change the direction of the force
What simple machine would you use to pry something off of something else
What simple machines would you use to help you lift and move heavy things from one place to another

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room May 2-6

Things to Rememeber:
May 13 Early Dismissal
May 16 All School Concert at 9:00
May 17 Fourth Grade Beginning Band Concert at 7:00 on at Lakeview.

The students may buy Life Saving Grams to help the people of Japan. Information went home with them today. This benefit begins on Monday and goes through May 25. Send a Life Saving Gram today! If you want more grams to send out, you can print them from the Prairieview website or just ask a teacher. Thank you!

Math - This week in math the students will multiply 3 and 4 digit numbers and money. The students will learn multiplying numbers with zeros and multiples of 10, 100, and 1,000. There will be a test over chapter 9 and lesson 10.1 on Friday of this week. There will be a fact timed test for all students on Thursday. They should be studying their facts. They will not be able to use a calculator on this test.

Spelling - This week the spelling words will have silent consonants. If you pass the spelling pretest with a score of 19 out of 20 points or higher, you do not have to complete the workbook activities. You will need to work on alternative activities from the sheet given to you by your teacher using your 10 alternate words. You may take a final test over your new words to earn 2 extra points to your grade.

Reading Our reading strategy for next week is making inferences. Readers must make inferences, or "read between the lines,"when an author doesn't tell the reader everything. Readers can do this by applying what they already know to story clues given by the author.

English We will begin a unit on pronouns this week. The students will identify pronouns in sentences and distinguish between singular and plural pronouns.

Social Studies This week the students will identify a nonrenewable resource in the Southwest. They will describe how the technology of the Southwest has impacted the United States. There will be a test covering the Southwest land and resources chapter 10 on Friday of this week.

The students should know:
All vocabulary
All key concepts from the lessons
How the Grand Canyon was formed
Understand the role of erosion in the continued formation of the Grand Canyon
Why is the Grand Canyon a national park
Why do people visit the Grand Canyon today?
What is the climate like in the Southwest Region
How does the Saguaro adapt to life in the desert?
How does the Saguaro help the animals of the desert and how do they help it?
What is a nonrenewable resource? Give example of the one very important one found in the Southwest.
What technology industries exist in the Southwest?
Nuclear energy and laboratories are in in what Southwest state?
Very Large Array?

Science The students will investigate inclined planes. They will explain how a screw and wedge change the way work is done. They will make their own screws. There will be a test over simple machines chapter 17th on Tuesday, May 10.

News From Mrs. Cavoto's Room April 25-29

Things to Remember:
Tues. 4/26 MAP testing
Thurs. 4/28 - Family Reading Night
Fri.4/29 - MAP testing
Fri. 5/13 - Early Dismissal @ 11:00

Please remember to send in your
Box Tops! The final collection is
April 29th.

Math This week in math the students will be estimating products of two, three, and four digit by 1 digit multiplication and then finding the product. There will be a test on Tuesday, May 1 over chapter 9 and lesson 10-1.

Spelling This week the students will work with words that have unusual spellings. There will be a test on Friday of this week. Workbook pages 213-215 are due on Friday. Those students who pass the pretest may take the final test on their words for extra points. They will have activities assigned for each day of the week to work on.

Reading Our reading target for the week is to identify topic, main idea, and supporting details. Topic is what the whole text is about. The main ideas are important points about each topic. Each paragraph can have its own main idea. Supporting details are facts and examples that support each main idea.

The students will finish reading Earthquake Terror this week. There will be a vocabulary test on Friday of this week. The students will make their vocabulary word list on Monday and those will be the words they are tested on. They should be able to write the word in a good sentence so that I can tell that they have a good understanding of the meaning of the word without it being a definition. They should also know the definition of the words and be able to complete sentences using their words correctly.

English In English there will be a test covering adverbs on Friday of this week. The students will have homework through the week to help them review the skills in chapter 7.

Science - The students will learn about the pulley and the wheel and axle. How do these simple machines help people do work?

Social Studies - The students will learn about the history of the Grand Canyon and the people of the Canyon- the Anasazi, Pueblo, and Havasupai. They will also understand why the Spanish explorers came to the Grand Canyon.

News From Mrs. Cavoto's Room April 18-22

Things to Remember:

April 21 - Early Dismissal - Students dismissed at 11:00

April 22 - No school

Math We will have a test over chapter 24, probability on Wednesday of this week. They should study the worksheets in their binders and bring home their math books to study the extra practice in their textbooks. They should be studying their multiplication facts also. This week there will be a time test on Thursday. We will begin a chapter of multiplication of higher numbers.

Spelling This week the students will be working with three syllable words. They will need to work on pages 193-195 throughout the week. They are due on Thursday of this week. If they passed out of the words on the list with no more than one wrong, then they will need to do the activities assigned on the activity sheet in their binders.

Reading - This week in reading, we will be focusing on two important skills: following directions & summarizing. When reading a passage that describes how to complete a task, readers should look for clue words such as first, next and finally to clarify the order of steps. They also must understand that steps must be followed in the correct order in order to complete the task. Summarizing involves retelling a story in your own words, and including only the most important events. All students will study these skills using appropriate instructional-level materials.

We will continue to read Earthquake Terror and work on journal questions which reinforce the skills above.

Language We will continue our work with adverbs. The students will practice using the words good and well, and they understand how to use negatives correctly in a sentence.

Science The essential question this week is "How do Simple Machines Help People do Work?" The students will investigate levers. They will define work and simple machines and explain how a lever changes the way work is done.

News From Mrs. Cavoto's Room April 11-15

Things to Remember: April 14 - Prairieview Open House/Book Fair - 6:30-8:00 p.m. April 21 - Early Dismissal - 11:00 a.m. April 22 - No school April 12 - all fourth grade students will be taking the OLSAT (Otis-Lennon School Ability Test) test. This test is designed to measure abstract thinking and reasoning ability. Please make sure that your child eats breakfast & comes to school well rested that day.

Math - On Wednesday, April 13, there will be a test on chapter 23 perimeter, area, and volume. There are many papers in their folder that they can use as study tools. The students should review these skills at home. We will also review possible outcomes. They will express probability as a fraction and find all possible combinations and arrangements in probability situations.

Spelling: This week in spelling the pattern continues words with the Vowel Consonant Vowel pattern. (VCV). The assigned workbook pages for the week are pages 175-177. Those students who pass the pretest with no more than 1 wrong will do the assigned activities for the week. (They do not have to do the workbook pages.) They can earn extra points on their grade if they take the test on their new words at the end. Reading: This week in reading our class will also be reading Earthquake Terror By Peg Kehret. We will practice the reading strategies that have been learned since the beginning of the year. We will also focus on understanding different genres, specifically pourquoi tales. Pourquoi is a French word meaning "why". Pourquoi tales are stories that tell how, long ago, something in nature came to be. Often times these tales contain animals or natural forces that speak or have personalities. English The students will continue to work with expository writing. They will focus on organizing their writing and using different kinds of supporting details to elaborate their ideas with. They will finish working with a partner to write an expository essay on what they would do with a robot if they had one. They will then write an essay on their own telling about their own personal hero. Science Science projects are due on Tuesday of this week. They should be prepared to give an oral presentation of their invention. We will go over how to do that in class, but they need to prepare and practice it at home They will be given an oral presentation grade in English on it. We will be writing Social Studies We will begin our tour of the Southwest. The focus will be on the Grand Canyon. The students will learn how the Grand Canyon was carved out by erosion caused by the Colorado River.

News From Mrs. Cavoto's Room March 21-25

Things to Remember:
Spring Break-week of February 28

I hope everyone has a wonderful spring break!

Math - There will be a test on Wednesday of this week covering chapter 22, measurement. They will need to know how to convert the units of measure. They will be able to use their calculators. Text page 626-627 are good pages to use for extra practice. They will also learn to estimate and measure perimeter and use a formula to find perimeter.

Spelling- This week in spelling the students will be working with words with vowel consonant vowel patterns (VCV patterns). They will be assigned WB pages 144-146 in their workbooks. If they get 100% or 1 wrong on their pretest, they will follow an activity sheet for the week.

Reading -Next week in reading, students will be focusing on the skills of identifying fact and opinion, and evaluating. A fact is a statement that can be proven to be true. An opinion tells what a person thinks, believes or feels. Good readers should be able to identify when an author is using a fact or an opinion in a story. Evaluating text involves considering how well the author expresses and supports ideas. Students will be practicing these skills while reading the third story in our “Heroes” theme, Lou Gehrig, The Luckiest Man.

We will have a vocabulary test on Thursday of this week. The students should know the meanings of the words and be able to use them in a good sentence.

English The students will continue to work with expository essays. They will learn different ways to support their ideas in the their essays. After completing, our class expository essay, they will be given a new prompt and practice writing their own hooks this week.

Science - On Monday, I will introduce the "Invention Convention" project to the class. The children will have until Thursday to plan out and draw a diagram of their invention. On Thursday, I will meet with each child to discuss and approve their inventions. After my approval, your child can begin constructing their invention. These projects will be due on Tuesday, April 12.

Social Studies - This week we will be writing "mini reports" on places, landmarks, and people from Illinois. The students will use the computer and other resources to help them find information.

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room March 14-18

Things to Remember:
Don't forget to change your clocks this weekend
Monday, March 14 - Roller Skating Party 3:45-6:30
Tuesday, March 15 MAPS parent meeting 6:30-7:30.
Monday, March 28 - Friday, April 1 - Spring break

Spelling - This week in spelling the students will work with words that have the final y changed to an i. They will be responsible for completing pages 129-131 in their workbooks. If they passed out of the pretest they will have to do the three activities that are assigned.

Math This week in math the students will estimate and measure the customary weights of objects and change units of weight. They will also estimate and measure the customary capacity of containers and change units of capacity. We will begin to study the metric system and estimate and measure metric length along with changing metric linear units by multiplying and dividing.

Reading- This week the students will read about Gloria Estefan, a famous singer whose acts of kindness have made her a hero to many people. Our strategy will be making judgments. Making Judgments involves deciding whether or not a character's actions are appropriate for a situation. Readers can ask themselves, "Do I agree with this? Is this right or fair?

English This week the students will compare using the words more and most with adverbs. They will also use the words good and well correctly.

We will begin writing expository essays this week. The students will brainstorm ideas and organize them. We will practice writing a "hook" that will grab the readers attention.

Social Studies - This week we will begin a unit on the Southwest. The students will have a map project to do this week. It will be due on Thursday. There will be a map test on the Southwest on Friday of this week. Along with the states they will have to be able to label the Rio Grande River, the Grand Canyon, and the Gulf of Mexico.

Science - The students will understand how energy changes form from potential energy into kinetic energy. They will understand the sources of electricity- hydroelectric power, geothermal energy, solar power, and wind turbines.

There will be a science test on Friday of this week.

To study:
All vocabulary
All main idea questions at the end of each section in the book
Four ways to light a bulb
How to build a small electric generator
Understand magnetism and how it works
Two kinds of energy
Four sources of energy
Understand a parellel and series circuit and be able explain how they work
What things make good insulators and conductors

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room March 7-March 11

Things to Remember:
Monday, March 7 - No school on Monday, Pulaski Day.
Wednesday, March 9 - ISAT Science Part 1 & 2
Tuesday, March 15, MAPs Parent Meeting,6:30-7:30.
Monday, March 28-Friday, April 1 - Spring Break

Math- We will begin a unit on measurement this week. The students will use customary units to measure to the nearest inch, half inch and quarter inch. They will also use custormary units to measure weight.

Spelling - This week in spelling the students will work with words that have suffixes and prefixes. Workbook page 109-111 are due on Friday. All tests and spelling pages need to be done in cursive beginning this week.

Reading - We will be using the predict/infer strategy, as well as cause and effect. Thinking about story events and personal knowledge helps readers predict likely events. With cause and effect, students will focus on why story events happen and what happens as a result.

You may want to ask your child if they have a red pen for grading in reading. If not, that is something they should remember to bring to class with them.

English - We will continue our work with adverbs. We will also begin a unit on expository writing.

Social Studies - Our test on chapter 9 will be on Friday, March 10. To prepare for the test, review the following items:

All main ideas/concepts from the lessons
All vocabulary
Understand the Ojibwa way of life
Know the accomplishments of the explorers Joliett and Marquettte
Major Midwestern cities that began as forts or trading posts
What it was like for the Midwestern pioneers when they arrived in the Midwest
John Deere's accomplishments
What were Lewis and Clark's goals? Who hired them?
Understand how the steamboats effected the life of farmers in the Midwest
Advantages of shipping by railroad rather than by steamboat

Science - ISAT testing this week.

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room Feb. 28-March 4

Things to Remember:
Monday, Feb.28 - Wed. March 2 Parent teacher conferences
Tuesday, March 1 -ISAT Testing Begins
Tuesday, March 1, 2011 Report Cards Issued
Friday, March 4, No School/ Parent Teacher Conferences
Monday, March - March 7 No School Casimir Pulaski Day

Remember: Since this is a testing week, the students should try to get plenty of sleep, eat a healthy breakfast, and bring a healthy snack.

Math - ISAT Testing. This will be a great time to work on multiplication and division facts at home.

Spelling - No spelling this week.

Reading - ISAT testing - Work on Poetry at home. Plan on doing one activity an evening for your poetry booklet. Poetry Booklets are due on March 8.

English- This week Adverbs will be introduced. The students will know that adverbs tell when, where, and how. Many adverbs begin with ly.

Science - You may want to ask your child about the electromagnets that we made in class last week. What did we use to make them? What did they do? What do they make a compass do?
What are some ways that electro magnets are used in our everyday life? This week we the students will learn about generators and motors - How are they alike and how are they different?

Social Studies - The students will be able to explain some of the events that forced the Native American tribes in the Midwest to give up their land. They will compare and contast a home built out of sod and one built out of logs by the settlers and understand some of the difficuties the settlers faced in farming the land.

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room Feb.21- Feb. 25

Things to Remember:
February 21 -- President's Day -- No School
February 24 - Picture Day
February 25 -- End of Trimester
Week of Feb. 28 -Conferences
March 1 -- Report Cards
March 4-No School

Math- In math this week the students will identify, classify, describe , and make solid figures.

Spelling- We will be working with words that have ed or ing ending. Workbook pages 252-254 will be due on Friday of this week.

Reading -In reading this week our continued target genre is poetry. The students will understand the elements of poetry, and they will work with figurative language such as simile, metaphor, personification, and idioms. A poetry project will be assigned and the students will be working on that in class and at home over the next couple of weeks. Along with poetry, the students will also be working on writing extended responses which will connect with their reading passages.

English - In English this week, The students will learn what an adverb is. They will learn that adverbs tell how, when, and where.

Social Studies - In social studies the students will learn why the Europeans came to the Midwest in the 1600's. They will identify roles of Louis Joliet and Jacques Marquette in the fur trade, and understand the role fur trading played in the development of towns in the Midwest.

Science- This week the students will compare different kinds of magnets. How are they alike and different? How are a magnet's magnetic force and magnetic field different?

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room Feb. 14 - 18

Things to Remember:
Monday, February 14 - Valentine's Day party beginning at 1:30
Monday, February 21 - No school -Presidents' Day
P.T.O. Dine-out at Noodles & Company
February 24 - Spring Pictures
Friday, February 25 - End of Second Trimester
February 28 - ISAT Testing begins this week
Tuesday, March 1 - Report Cards issued
February 28 - Parent Teacher Conference Week

Spelling - The students will be working with compound words this week. The workbook pages that are assigned and due on Friday are pages 217-219. If students pass out of the pretest then they will work on three activities which are due on Friday.


Reading - In reading this week our target genre is poetry. The students will understand the elements of poetry, and they will work with figurative language such as simile, metaphor, personification, and idioms. A poetry project will be assigned and the students will be working on that in class and at home over the next couple of weeks. Along with poetry, the students will also be working on writing extended responses which will connect with their reading passages.

Math - This week in math the students will identify, classify and describe quadrilaterals.
They will also identify, draw and label parts of a circle. Along with that they will review similar and congruent figures.

English - This week in English the students will write the past tense of irregular verbs and be able to recognize the different forms of the verb be (am, is, are, was, were,). The test on verbs will be on Friday of this week.

Science - This week the students will learn about conductors and insulators. They will discover what happens when a current reaches a conductor and an insulator. They will also understand how a switch works to turn on and off a current.

Social Studies This week we will learn about the early culture of the Ojibwa and describe the ways Ojibwa culture has changed since the mid - 1600's. The Ojibwa have maintained important cultural traditions and have contributed to the culture of the Midwest.