News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room Dec. 16 - Dec. 20th

Tuesday, Dec. 17th- Early dismissal 11:00
Wednesday, Dec. 19th - Bowling in the P.M. students should bring money if they want to buy snacks.  Remember that we go right after lunch.
Friday, Dec. 20th - Movie at the Tivoli in the P.M.

Math -This week in math the students will review two digit by two digit multiplication.  They will work with multi-step problem solving, and they will use a table to solve problems. They should keep reviewing over the holidays so they don't forget their facts.  A math test over chapter five is planned for the Wednesday that we return from vacation.

Spelling - Spelling this week will focus on words that have the sound of /k/ /ng/ and /kw/.  They will be responsible for workbook pages 9-11 in volume 2..  There will be a test on Friday of this week.

Reading - The students will work in their Detective Agencies to solve mysteries.  There will be a vocabulary quiz on Wednesday of this week.

English- This week the students will learn about singular and possessive pronouns.  There will be a test on Friday over unit 2 nouns.  The students will have homework to help them study for this test throughout the week.

Science - This week in science we will begin a unit on Adaptations.  The students will  name the basic needs of living things and explain how adaptations help living things meet their needs.

Social Studies - The students will identify ways in which resources of the Southeast are used.   They will explain why coal is an important resource in the Southeast.  They will identify renewable and nonrenewable resources found in the SW.

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

Math - This week in math we will use properties and algorithms to multiply by tens using two digit numbers.  They will estimate products by rounding and then multiply two digit numbers.

Spelling -  This week is a review week.  The students will be responsible for completing pages 187-189 in their workbooks.  There will be a test on Friday of this week.  The students will be expected to write their spelling tests and workbooks pages in cursive from now on.

Reading- The students will understand how mysteries differ from other stories.  The plot is about a crime or an unexplained event; the main character uses clues to solve a mystery.They will be reading and solving mysteries.

English - This week the students will edit and revise their holiday memory narratives. They will practice writing with nouns and understand how to write plural nouns.

Science - In science this week there will be a test  on Wednesday over Life Cycles of Plants and Animals. Chapter 2 lessons 2 & 3.  The students should know the concepts, and vocabulary from the book and use the papers in their folders to help them study.
They should:

Understand that some animals depend on parents to survive after birth and others do not and be able to give examples
Understand the different parts of the plant. ( seed feeds the embryo until it grows leaves, seed coat protects the see, embryo is the baby plant)
Understand the difference in how flowering plants reproduce and ferns and mosses reproduce ( flowering plants need to be pollinated and ferns and mosses reproduce using spores)
Understand tubers
Understand the life cycles of animals, insects, humans (name the stages)
Understand animals that go through different types of changes and what those changes are

Social Studies - The students will identify and describe major land forms in the Southeast. They will explain how the barrier islands are formed and compare and contrast land form elevations in the Southeast.





  

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room Nov. 25-Dec. 6

Nov. 27-Nov. 29 Thanksgiving No School

Math- The students have been using different strategies to help them understand and solve multiplication problems-place value models, arrays, and area models.   This week they will use the distributive property and partial products to multiply numbers that involve regrouping.  This strategy is used to help the students understand how to break apart, decompose, the numbers to solve multiplication problems with multi-digit numbers and regrouping.  They will also multiply multi-digit numbers with zeros by a one-digit number. A test is planned for Thursday, Dec. 5 over the skills in chapter 4.  The students should save all the workbook pages that are in their math folder to use as study tools.  There will also be a review of skills sheet that will go home.

Spelling There will be no spelling on Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 27 and 28th.  The spelling unit for the following week will cover the sounds of /or/, /ur/, and /yoor/.  They will be responsible for pages 167-169.  

Reading- In reading the focus will be on writing summaries.  The students will use what they learn about summaries to write a summary of the story Because of Winn Dixie.  They will also work on understanding antonyms and synonyms.  They will use their resources- dictionaries,thesauruses, and the computer to help them find synonyms and antonyms of words.

English - The students will edit and revise their stories this week.   These stories should include onomatopoeia, and a simile or a metaphor in them. They will write final drafts of their stories. We will begin a unit on nouns. They will learn what a noun is and the difference between a common and proper noun.

Social Studies- We will have a quiz on chapter 5 lesson 1 The Narragansett People, on Tuesday, Nov. 28th.  The students should know all the vocabulary and key concepts for this section.  They should use the sheets in their folders as a study tool as well.  They should:

Understand the Iroquois Confederacy and how they work with the Great Council.

How did the Narragansett lives change when the Europeans arrived in the Northeast? Be able to tell as many ways as you can.

Who was Roger Williams and why was he important to the Narragansett?

Science - The students will learn how plants reproduce through spores and some other ways that they grow.  They will understand the life cycles of some animals.  

 

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room Nov. 18-Nov. 22

Prairieview School-Community Service Project

Animal Assisted Therapy Program-Edward Hospital

Prairieview School, in Downers Grove, (3^rd, 4^th and 5^th Graders) is proud to have an opportunity to sponsor an Edward Hospital therapy dog.  The students are looking forward to sponsoring, Kodi.

Wednesday, Nov. 20 - Early Dismissal 11:00

Math- This week in math the students will use models and place value to help them multiply by a one and two digit number.  The students will be tested on their facts through 12 on Wednesday.  They should continue to practice their facts throughout the week.  If they know their facts it will be so much easier for them to learn the other concepts that build off of the facts.

Spelling - In spelling this week the students will work with words that are r controlled.  They will be responsible for completing pages 152-154 in their workbooks. There will be a test on Friday.

Reading - The students will have a test over the comprehension and vocabulary from Because of Winn Dixie on Friday.  We will have a party on Friday, which will be just like the party Opal had in the story.  We will have the same menu as they had in the story, and some students offered to send in things for our party.  Just let me know if your child offered and you can not do it.  They have a slip in their binder if they offered.  A permission slip also went home so we can  show the movie in class on Friday.  All things should be turned in on Thursday.

English - We will begin descriptive writing this week.  The students will learn the different forms of figurative language, similes, metaphors, onomatopoeia, personification, and hyperboles, as they write leads to their story.

Science- The students will describe the life cycle of  flowering plants and how plants reproduce using only spores.

Social Studies - You may want to review with your child: Where did the Narragansett live? (Rhode Island)What was their society based on?( Cooperation, or working together to get things done) Describe the homes they live in and what they did for a living. ( They lived in wigwams and they hunted, farmed vegetables, and fished for a living)  How did Roger Williams show his respect for the Narragansett? (He learned their language, and helped keep peace between Native Americans and colonists)

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room Nov. 11-15

Friday, Nov. 8 - No School
Monday, Nov. 11 - No School

Math - The students will review factors and multiples this week, and they will check for reasonableness of answers.  They will also be tested on their, 6, 7, and 8 mult. facts on Wednesday.      There will be a test on Thursday of this week over chapter 3.  The students should use the worksheets in their binders and they may bring home their books to study.

Spelling - This week in spelling  the students will work with words that have the /oo/ sound as in book and tool.  They will work on pages 137-139 in their workbooks.  There will be a test on Friday of this week.

Reading - In reading this week, we will continue to read Because of Winn Dixie.  The students will work on sequencing skills and making predictions.

English - There will be a test on Wednesday of this week over Chapter 5 in English.  There are lots of pages to practice at the end of the chapter in their English textbook.

Science - We will begin a new unit on  Life Cycles of Plants and Animals.  This week the students will observe how seeds germinate, and they will describe the stages in the life cycle of flowering plants.  They will have an assignment to draw and describe the life cycle of a tomato plant.  A rater sheet will be provided for them to follow.

Social Studies - The students will learn about the life of the Narragansett People.  An Native American tribe who lived in the Northeast.  The students will describe events that affected the Narragansett way of life once the European settlers arrived.

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room Nov. 4-Nov. 8

Conference Week Nov. 4-8 - Monday through Wednesday
No School on Friday, Nov. 8


Math - In math this week, the students will distinguish between the additive comparisons where they use addition or subtraction ( how much more,  how many more, how much less ) and the multiplicative comparisons, where they use multiplication or division ( how may times more and how many times greater).  They will also study the multiplication properties - commutative, identity and zero property, and the division rules-when you divide any number by 1, the quotient is always the dividend.  When you divide any nonzero number by itself, the quotient is always 1. When you divide 0 by any nonzero number, the quotient is 0.  It is not possible to divide a number by 0. A test is scheduled for a week from Wednesday, Nov. 13 over chapter 3.  4x' facts will be tested on Tuesday, and 6-8 facts will be tested on Tuesday, Nov. 12 of the following week.

Spelling - This week in spelling the students will work with words that have the ou sound and u sounding like /aw/.

Reading - In reading this week,  we will continue to read Because of Winn Dixie.  The students will predict and infer and work on their sequencing skills. Please encourage them to read or reread chapters of the book at home.  This will help with their comprehension, vocabulary and fluency.

English - The test in English has been postponed until the following week on Tuesday, Nov. 12.  They will have homework assignments which will help them to review the skills in the chapter.  They should practice the skills at the end of the chapter for a review.

Science - The students will continue to work on their invertebrate posters.  Their test will be on Wednesday of this week over Chapter 1 lesson 3.

The students should study their textbook and know the main concepts and vocabulary.

They should know:

The 5 classes of  vertebrates, give at least two traits of each and two give examples of each.

They should be able to identify arthropods and give some examples of them

What two groups the animal kingdom is classified into

What are the three main body parts of an insect and how is an insect identified (How many legs and body parts?)

What is an exoskeleton and what does an arthropod do to it?

Social Studies - We will have our Resource Day on Thursday to help the students understand the products and resources that come from that region.  Our menu for the day is:
grapes, cranberries, Waffles/Maple Syrup, and crab meat.   I am looking for volunteers to bring in washed and ready to eat grapes. Please let me know if you would like to send some in.  If anyone has an allergy to any of these foods, please let me know.   
There will be a test in Social Studies on Thursday of this week over chapter, 4 Land and Water in the Northeast.  The students should know all the vocabulary and concepts from the chapter.  They should study the papers in their folders and know:

• Where Niagara Falls is, how it was formed and its importance to the area. 
• What is produced by hydropower plants on the Niagara River?
• Know the Mountain Ranges that are part of the Appalachian Mountains and how they are different and how they are alike.
• What is the difference between the Maine Coast line and New Jersey Coast line?
•  Which is the largest Finger Lake.
• How is this lake important to the grapes that are grown around it?
• Know the resources of the Northeast region and where they came from.
• What are some of the problems that challenge Chesapeake Bay and how have they tried to solve them.        

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room October 28-Nov. 1

Conferences- Don't forget to sign up for conferences which are being held the week of Nov. 4th.

Halloween Party - The parade will begin at 1:15 and the party will begin at 1:30.  The students should bring their costumes to change into.  The menu will be one sweet treat, butter cream cupcakes, and healthy treats, cantaloupe and pineapple.  Please let me know if anyone thinks they would have an allergy to these things.

Art to Remember - Orders are due on Monday, October 28th. 

Math - This week in math, we will continue to practice our multiplication facts. The students will be tested on their 5 X's facts, and review of 2's, and Squares on Tuesday, Oct. 29th. Then they will be tested on their 3Xs facts, and review of 5X's, 2X's,and Squares on Friday. This week the students will write multiplication equations to represent comparisons and they will write multiplication equations with a variable to solve a comparison problem.  

Spelling - More words with short and long vowel sounds will be studied this week.  Workbook pages 99-101 will be assigned.  There will be a test on Friday of this week. 

Reading - This week in reading, we will continue to read the story Because of Winn Dixie. There is a comprehension and vocabulary test on Tuesday of this week.  The students have their packet in their folders with the vocabulary words.  They should know the meaning of the words and be able to write them in a good sentence.  They will read chapters 11-14 this week in their books.  The skill this week is on visualizing. The students will be encouraged to form pictures in their minds and draw what they visualize as they read parts of the story.  We will use the context to figure out word meaning, and root words and affixes.  

English -   The students will review uses for commas.   They will understand the difference between direct and indirect quotations and be able to write them correctly.  They will review how to write titles correctly.  There will be a test on Tuesday, Nov. 5 over chapter 5.  The students should use their textbooks and the papers in their binder to help them review.  There are a lot of good review lessons in the back of the chapter to help as well.

Science - This week the students will study invertebrates. They will work in partners to create an invertebrate poster.  There will be a test on Wednesday, November 6 over chapter 1 lesson 3, How are Animals Classified?  

The students should study their textbook and know the main concepts and vocabulary.

They should know:

The 5 classes of  vertebrates, give at least two traits of each and two give examples of each.

They should be able to identify arthropods and give some examples of them

What two groups the animal kingdom is classified into

What are the three main body parts of an insect and how is an insect identified (How many legs and body parts?)

What is an exoskeleton and what does an arthropod do to it?

Social Studies - The students will learn about Chesapeake Bay in Maryland and the people who live and work there.  They will understand the problems that the Bay faces and how it is being saved.  They will understand why the Bay is important to the Northeast.  

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

Picture Retakes - Lifetouch will be back on Wednesday 10/30 at 7:50am for retakes and for anyone who was absent on picture day.  If you did not get your picture taken back in September or need a retake, please let me know so I can give your name to the photographers. 

Coupon Books - The PTO is selling coupon books this year to help fund the purchase of tablets for our students.  If you wish to purchase a book, please send in $25 made payable to the Prairieview PTO.  If you do not wish to buy the book, please send it back with your student.  The deadline is October 29th.  The books have some great local coupons in them and really pay for themselves while the school gets half the money of all books sold!  The grade that sells the most books (15 books minimum) will get a movie and a treat on Tuesday, November 26th and each grade level student who sells the most books (5 book minimum) will get a $100 Target gift card!  Please contact Pam Topp (pam_topp@yahoo.com) or Maureen Gibbons (maureen.gibbons@comcast.net) if you have questions or would like more books to sell.  There are some great holiday shopping discounts available....take a look!!!!

Math - We will begin a unit on understanding multiplication and division.  This week the students will understand how multiplication and division are related and they will relate division and subtraction.  I will assess the students knowledge of their multiplication facts.  I am assuming that the students know their facts, but we will review them beginning with square facts 2 x 2, 3 x 3 etc and 2 times tables.  I will be sending home a sheet for them to practice and ask your signature to show that they have gone over them with you.  They will be tested on their square facts on Tuesday and their 2 X's facts on Friday.    

Spelling - This is a review week in spelling.  All students will be assigned the workbook pages 87-89 this week and given the review test on Friday.

Reading - We will begin reading Because of Winn Dixie this week.  The students will work on their reading strategies and focusing on Noting Details. There will be a poster homework project..  It is due on Thursday.  They will be given guidelines to follow. They will be tested on their comprehension and vocabulary for chapters 1-10 on Tuesday of next week, Oct. 29th.  

English - This week on Wednesday, the students will have a quiz on abbreviations of the days of the weeks and months.  They should be able to write the abbreviations for the days of weeks and months.  The students will also understand how to use commas in a series and other uses for commas.

Science - The students will review the 5 classes of vertebrates.  They will go on a scavenger hunt in the room to find facts of  mammals and reptiles. They will also learn about the different groups of  invertebrates and begin making their invertebrate posters in class. 

Social Studies - We will begin a lesson on the resources of the Northeast.  The students will identify the largest of the Finger Lakes in New York and understand how the lake helps create just the right conditions for grape production.  They will understand how cranberries are grown and how sap is used in making maple syrup. They will also understand that minerals are an important resource of the region as well.

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

Our Fall Book Fair and Taffy Apple sale is on Thursday of this week from 6:30-8:00 P.M.  If you would like more information here is the link:      http://bookfairs.scholastic.com/homepage/prairieviewelementaryschool15

I am sending home a permission slip for the movie How to Eat Fried Worms.  The students will be watching it on Friday as a culminating activity to our worm unit.

Math - In math this week we will work on multiple step story problems.  The students will represent a multi-step word problem by writing an equation.  They will also use a variable to represent the unknown quantity in an equation.  We will review the lessons from the chapter and our test will be on Friday of this week.  The students should use all the papers in their folder as a guide and they can bring their books home as well.

Spelling- No spelling this week.

Reading -   The students will be assessed on the skills we have covered so far: text organization, story structure, and author's point of view. We will review syllabication rules, and at the end of the week we will begin reading the book, Because of Winn Dixie.  They will be bringing these books home in the evening to read, and it will be very important for the students to bring their books back to school each day.

English - In English this week, the students will capitalize and punctuate abbreviation for titles, addresses, months, and days.   There will be a quiz on abbreviations of months and days of the week on Tuesday, October 22.

Social Studies - The students will create a mind map which will help them understand how Niagara Falls was formed.  They will learn about the Appalachian Mountain Range and the mountains that make it up.  They will  study a map's features and then make a map of the northeast, with these physical features on the map.

Science - We will begin a unit on classifying animals.  The students will understand that scientists classify animals into two groups: vertebrates and invertebrates.  They will identify traits of the five animal classes of vertebrates: fish, mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles.

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

Our "Wormy Week" was a huge success!

We had a great time this week applying the scientific method to our worm research.  The students now have been given an assignment to create their own racetracks applying the research that they have done as they create their tracks. The directions have been sent home with them today.  The tracks, worksheets, and worm are due on Friday, October 11. We will have our worm races at that time.

There will be a test this week on The Scientific Method on Wednesday of this week.  They will have to identify parts of the Scientific Method when given an example.  They have to understand what each step means.  For example:   "A worm will go toward the wet side of the towel, because I know that worms like a moist environment".- This would be matched up to a hypotheses. A hypotheses tells what they think will happen and why.  They need to know that when you use the Scientific Method you are testing a hypothesis, and the main purpose of the scientific method is to test ideas.  A hypothesis can be tested.

Math - This week in math the students will use regrouping in subtraction problems that have zeros in one or more of the digits in the minuend.  They can use addition to check their subtraction.They will also be shown how to draw a diagram to help them solve addition and subtraction problems.  Kids should bring home their books, so they can see the model to review at home when completing the assignment.

Spelling - The spelling word this week is homophones, words that sound the same but are spelled differently. They will be responsible for workbook pages 67-69 or alternative activities throughout the week.

English - This week the students will work on writing names of people and pets and places and things correctly.  They will understand and write compound sentences correctly.

Reading -We will continue focusing on the reading strategy of 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. We will also take a look at syllabication.

Social Studies - This week we will begin the "Beautiful Northeast".  The students will fill in a map with the names of the states.  They will bring this home and use it as a guide to color in a map of the northeast.  I will show them a model in class, and they will have a rater to follow with specific instructions on what to do and how it should look. This will be due on Thursday.  There will be a quiz on Thursday to see if the students know where the states are on the map.  They will be given a blank map and be asked to place the states and the bodies of water of the northeast on the map. Spelling does not count.  They can add capitols for possible extra points.

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room Sept. 30-October 4th

Brookfield Zoo Field Trip  on Thursday, Ocotober 3
Please send in a completely disposable lunch, and the kids should be sure to dress for the weather.

We are going to have a "Wormy Time" this week!
  We will begin our worm investigations on Tuesday of this week, so all worms need to be in on Tuesday. The students brought home a sheet today, and they know what to include in their worm habitats. (moist soil, not soaking wet,dried leaves, rotting roots-all things found in soil already. They can find their worms in the yard or they can purchase earthworms at Walmart or a pet store.

Math - In math this week, we will review estimating sums and differences.  They will add and subtract multi-digit whole numbers and regroup if necessary.  They will check reasonableness of their answers by estimating.

Spelling - The students will be working with words that have the /u/ sound.  They will be assigned workbook pages 52-54.  If they are in the pretest group, they will have an activity sheet to follow throughout the week which they will complete in their spelling journals.

Reading - This week in reading the children will learn about author's point of view.  We will use the poems written by Shel Silverstein to help the children understand this concept.
Our story this week 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. Students will be studying these elements of text organization while reading a variety of non-fiction passages. 

English - We will begin a unit on capitalization and punctuation.  This week the students will review the different kinds of sentences and practice writing paragraphs that have a variety of sentences in them. They will also review their capitalization rules of names of people, pets, titles used with names, places and things.

Social Studies - Our social studies test will be on Wednesday of this week not on Tuesday.
This test will cover chapter 2 lessons 2 & 3.   They should study the worksheets in their binders, know all vocabulary from the lessons, and study the key concepts in each lesson. Pages 46-59

They should know:
The three levels of government and who is the head of each (page 49)
The three branches of government(who is the head of it,where they meet,their job or role)
U.S. citizens' responsibilities  
Children's responsibilities (page 59)
U.S. citizens' rights (freedoms)
13th Amendment
19th Amendment
26th Amendment
What citizens need to do to make good decisions (page  59)
Why should people vote?

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room Sept. 23-Sept. 27

Dates to Remember:
Monday, Sept. 23 Recorder money due for music
Tuesday, Sept. 24 Magazine turn in day 3
Wed./Thurs., Sept. 25 & 26 Beginning Band Sign-Up
Thursday, Sept. 26 Fall Pictures
Friday, Sept. 27 Early Dismissal 11:00
Thursday, Oct. 3, Field Trip to Brookfield Zoo- Dress for the weather and bring a disposable sack lunch.

Time for Kids will go home with the students on Monday with a worksheet that goes with it.  They should leave the magazine and sheet in their binder on the homework side to remind them that they should  read and discuss this with their family throughout the week.  They will need to turn the sheet in on Friday, and they will have a quiz over the material in the Time For Kids magazine on Friday.  They will be able to use their magazine to help them answer the questions, so it is very important that they leave it in their folders.

Math -The Essential Question for this chapter is: What strategies can I use to add or subtract?  We will review the properties of addition (commutative, associate, and identity properties) and the rules for subtraction. When you subtract 0 from any number, the result is the number, and when you subtract a number from itself the result is 0.   They will also practice using patterns and place value to add and subtract numbers.  They will use different mental math strategies to help them solve problems.

Spelling - This week in spelling the students will work with words that have the long and short vowel sounds of "i" and "o".  They will be responsible for workbook pages 37-39.

Reading - This week we will be focusing on the reading skill of determining author's viewpoint. Author's viewpoint refers to the author's opinion of what is important, or the attitude toward the topic. The author might give his/her opinion directly, or the reader might have to infer the information by finding clues or other information that the author provides. We will work on this skill by looking at some fun poetry by Shel Silverstein that expresses his point of view towards topics such as the dentist and school.

We will be working on writing for our Daily 5 lesson this week.

English  This week the students will learn about the simple subject and predicate of a sentence, and they will identify run-on sentences.  A test over chapter 1, The Sentence, will be on Friday of this week.  The students will have homework throughout the week to help them review.

Science -  The students will understand the scientific method. We will conduct an a couple of experiments so the students can apply their knowledge of the scientific method.  Our worm unit will begin the following week.  In this unit, the students will follow the scientific method as they learn about worms.  Be prepared to bring in worms a week from this Tuesday.  Please do not bring them in earlier.  We will learn about their habits, so they can make a good home for them:)

Social Studies - We will review the three branches of government. The students will decide what branch they would like to be in and why.  They will understand the jobs of the different branches of government.  The students will identify two ways in which they can be a U.S. citizen and the responsibilities of  U.S. citizens. They will understand and identify types of services that are paid for by our taxes.

A test is planned for a week from this Tuesday over chapter 2 lessons 2 & 3.   They should study the worksheets in their binders, know all vocabulary from the lessons, and study the key concepts in each lesson. Pages 46-59

They should know:
The three levels of government and who is the head of each (page 49)
The three branches of government(who is the head of it,where they meet,their job or role)
U.S. citizens' responsibilities  
Children's responsibilities (page 59)
U.S. citizens' rights (freedoms)
13th Ammendment
19th Amendment
26th Amendment
What citizens need to do to make good decisions (page  59)
Why should people vote?

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room Sept. 16-Sept. 20th

Dates to Remember:
Monday, Sept. 16 - Beginning Band Parent Orientation 7:00 in the multi-purpose room
Tuesday, Sept. 17 - Magazine turn in day 1
Tuesday, Sept. 17 - Curriculum Night 4th grade 6:30-7:30
Thursday, Sept. 19 - Magazine turn in day 2
Tuesday, Sept. 24 Magazine turn in day 3
Wed./Thurs., Sept. 25 & 26 Beginning Band Sign-Up
Thursday, Sept. 26 Fall Pictures
Friday, Sept. 27 Early Dismissal 11:00

***Looking for Helpers:  If anyone would be interested in helping with running off papers once a week or once every other week, it would be greatly appreciated.

Time for Kids will go home with the students on Monday with a worksheet that goes with it.  They should leave the magazine and sheet in their binder on the homework side to remind them that they should  read and discuss this with their family throughout the week.  They will need to turn the sheet in on Friday, and they will have a quiz over the material in the Time For Kids magazine on Friday.  They will be able to use their magazine to help them answer the questions, so it is very important that they leave it in their folders.

Math - We will have test on Wednesday of next week.  This test will cover the skills and concepts learned in chapter 1. They may bring home their books to help them review and they can use the papers in their math binder folder to review. We did not finish some of the pages in the chapter, so they may finish them for extra practice if they would like.  There will be a review sheet going home as well for homework.    Concepts to review:  How does the value of a digit in the thousands place compare to its value if the same digit was in the hundreds place? (Make a model: 222,222 - if the 2 in hundreds place was in the thousands place its value would be 10 x more. 200 x 10 )

Spelling - The students will  work with long and short "a" and "e" words this week.  They will be responsible for workbook pages 17-19. On Monday their assignment will be to write each word twice. Then each day they will be assigned a workbook page.  I will check their pages in the morning for completion and then on Friday I will collect one of those pages for a homework grade.  There will be a test on Friday.

Reading -  The students will read a story called Akiak by Robert Blake.  Akiak is about a famous Iditarod race that takes place in the Alaskan wilderness. We will use a story map to examine how a problem and its solution affect the story's plot and characters. We will continue to work on the "Read to Someone" strategy of our Daily 5.  We are working on building stamina and the students will learn how to help their partners sound out unknown words.

English This week in English the students will identify the complete and simple subject of a sentence.
They will understand that all sentences need complete thoughts -  Sentences need a subject that tells who or what, and they need a predicate that tells about the subject.

Social Studies - This week the students will understand what the Constitution is and why it is important.  They will identify the three levels of government.  They will Describe the responsibilities of each of the three branches of government.

Science - We will review why we need to have standard units of measure.  The students will identify the tools used for inquiry.  They will understand how to measure the volume of a solid.

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

Dates to Remember:
Tuesday, Sept. 10 Magazine Kick Off
Wednesday, Sept. 11 Spirit Days (wear red, white, and blue)
Monday, Sept. 16 - Beginning Band Parent Orientation 7:00 in the multi-purpose room
Tuesday, Sept. 17 - Magazine turn in day 1
Tuesday, Sept. 17 - Curriculum Night 4th grade 6:30-7:30
Thursday, Sept. 19 - Magazine turn in day 2

Looking for Helpers:  If anyone would be interested in helping with running off papers once a week or once every other week, it would be greatly appreciated.

Field Trip helpers:  I am looking for 3 more parent volunteers to come on the field trip to Brookfield Zoo, October 3. . We would need you to be at school at 9:00 and we will return by 2:00.  Please let me know if you are interested.  I will take the first three people who respond.

Math - In math this week,  The students will be ordering and comparing numbers through the millions.  There will be a math quiz on Thursday for lessons one through 4.

Spelling - In spelling this week the students will continue to work with most commonly misspelled words. We will take a pretest on Monday, and they will have a list of activities to complete for each day of the week in their spelling journal.  I will collect one of  those activities on Friday to grade. Their test will be on Friday.

Reading - This week in reading we will finish reading The Pumpkin Runner.  The students will complete a story map to summarize the story.  This week for our Daily 5 lessons we will review strategies on Reading to Someone.  They will learn how to choose what books to read together and how to choose a classroom spot.  Every day children have been working on building their stamina.  How long can they read to self without being distracted.    The students will also read a story called Akiak by Robert Blake.  Akiak is about a famous Iditarod race that takes place in the Alaskan wilderness. We will use a story map to examine how a problem and its solution affect the story's plot and characters.

English - The students will continue to work with the four types of sentences. The students will practice writing good sentences.

Science- In science this week the students will study standard units of measure vs. nonstandard units of measure.They will investigate tools for observing and handling.

Social Studies  This week in social studies the students will begin their Patriotic Quest to help them understand the organization of our U.S. government.  They will use their skimming and scanning skills to help them with their quest.

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

Welcome to Fourth Grade! 

       We have had a very busy three day week, and we are off to a great start.  This week we organized our materials, learned about classroom procedures, and participated in activities to help us get to know each other. We read stories about two famous and successful people who at a young age had dreams that they followed.  They were determined, hard working, and persevered even when things were difficult for them. Perhaps you have heard of  them, Michael Jordan and Debbie Allen.

        The students also learned about picking "Good Fit" books today.  We related book selection to shoe selection.  We wear shoes for different purposes and interests, just like we choose the books we read based on our interests and purpose.  We also need to be sure that our shoes fit. We may like the shoes, but if  they are too big or small we could hurt ourselves.  This is like choosing books.  If they are too hard or easy we will not enjoy reading them.  You might  try this strategy when helping your children pick out books:
I Pick
1. Purpose: Why do I want to read it?
2. Interest: Does it interest me?
3. Comprehension:  Do I understand it?
4. Know:  Do I know most of the words?

Dates to Remember:
Monday,September 2, No School, Labor Day
Tuesday, September 3, MAP testing
Friday, September 6 MAP testing
Tuesday, September 10 - Field rip permission slips to Brookfield Zoo are in your child's folder. Please return them by Tuesday, September 10th.
Tuesday, September 17, 4th grade Curriculum Night  6:30-7:30 (This is a change from the original date set)

Helpers Needed:  I am looking for a parent who would be interested in helping to run papers off for me once a week or once every other week for about an hour. If you think you would like to do this, please let me know.

Math:  This week we will begin math classes on Wednesday.  The students will focus on the essential question: How does place value help represent the value of numbers? They will be working with numbers in the millions.  They will recognize that in a multi-digit whole number, a digit in one place represents ten times what it represents in the place to its right.

Reading - We will be begin the Daily 5 reading process this week. We will review the I Pick strategy for choosing Good Fit books.  The students will learn about the different ways to read a book: Read the pictures, read the words, and retell the story. We will also review the reading strategies as we read the story The Pumpkin Runner.

Spelling: Our first spelling unit will include frequently misspelled words.  A pretest will be given on Tuesday. The students will be given their weekly homework assignment also on Tuesday. All homework is due on Friday.  The test will be given on Friday. A sheet explaining my pretest policy is in their folders.

Science: We will begin the introduction chapter of "Getting Ready for Science".   Our focus this week will be on how tools are used for science, and safety in the lab.

Social Studies:  The students became familiar our social studies text on Friday by working with a partner and completing a  "textbook scavenger hunt".  This week we will read and learn about the structure and purpose of the US government.

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room May 28-June 5

Dates to Remember:
Monday, May 27 - No School Memorial Day
Monday, June 3 - Picnic Hot dog and chips lunch provided for students
Tuesday, June 4 - Bowling in the P.M.
Wed., June 5 - Last Day of School

Spelling- There will be no more spelling assignments or tests this year.

Math - This week in math the students will multiply 3 & 4 digit numbers and multiply numbers with 0.
They will also learn dividing with remainders.  There will be a 9 fact quiz on Thursday.

Reading - In reading this week, the students will be creating their slideshows to go with the book they read for Book Club.  

English- The students will identify subject and object pronouns.  They will use I and me correctly in sentences.

Science -  This week the students will identify minerals using different properties.  They will understand how igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks are formed. They will identify the rocks.

Social Studies - We will continue to study the West region.  The students will learn about the land, resources and climate of the west.    We will have a Luau to celebrate the resources of the West.  More information will follow.

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room May 20-May 24

Dates to Remember:
Thurs., May 23 - Field Trip to Lizzardo Museum 9:30-12:00 (We will return to school for lunch, but not in time for hot lunch, so students must bring a sack lunch. They may get milk if they bring money for it.)
May 27 - No School Memorial Day
Wed., June 5 - Last Day of School

For the final part of this year, fourth grade will follow the same late policy as the fifth grade uses. Those assignments that are late and are graded will have 10% taken off for being one day late, 25% taken off if two days late. If it is not turned in before the final test, a 0 will be assigned.   If an assignment is late, and is not graded we will refer to our homework bank for that class.

HELPING  HANDS  WALK  FOR  CHARITY

Bring your family and friends to have fun at the Helping Hands Walk for Charity on Wednesday, May 29 from 3:30-5:00 at Prairieview. The cost will be 5 dollars per family or 2 dollars per person. You will also be able to play fun activities and games throughout 5 stations for 1 dollar each. All money will go toward three charities: The Homeless Shelter for Veterans, The Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, and The Chicago Zoological Society.  A sign-up sheet will be sent home soon. Thanks! 

Spelling - This week is a review unit.  The students will be responsible for pages 247-249 in their workbooks.  There will be a test on Friday of this week.

Math - We will have our test on Chapter 15, fractions on Tuesday.  I feel that the students need an extra day to review the fraction skills.  Please use the sheets in their folders as well as their textbooks to help them study.  There are a lot of good review lessons at the end of the chapter. We will then begin a unit on multiplication of higher numbers.  We will also have an 8 multiplication fact test on Friday.  

Reading - This week in reading, the students will continue to work on their literature circle activities.  

They will create a slide show to go with the books they are reading which will summarize the main events of the story.  

English - This week the students will identify prepositions and prepositional phrases.  There will be a test on Thursday of this week over adverbs and prepositions unit 7.  They will be getting homework throughout the week to help them review for this test.

Science - The students will identify energy uses and their sources.  They will describe the uses of chemical and mechanical energy and how chemical energy can be changed to other forms of energy.  A test is planned for Friday, May 24 over chapter 15.

The students should know and understand:

All vocabulary

key concepts from the lessons
What is stored in the bonds that hold compounds together?
how series circuits and parallel circuits and how they work
examples of conductors/insulators
sources of power
what is needed to make a generator

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room May 13-May 17

Dates to Remember: 

May 17 - Early Release 11:00
Thurs., May 23 - Field Trip to Lizzardo Museum 9:30-12:00 (We will return to school for lunch, but not in time for hot lunch, so students must bring a sack lunch. They may get milk if they bring money for it.)
May 27 - No School Memorial Day
Wed., June 5 - Last Day of School

For the final part of this year, fourth grade will follow the same late policy as the fifth grade uses. Those assignements that are late and are graded will have 10% taken off for being one day late, 25% taken off if two days late. If it is not turned in before the final test, a 0 will be assigned.   If an assignment is late, and is not graded we will refer to our homework bank for that class.

Math - This week in math,  the students will compare and order fractions, and read and write mixed numbers. There will be a quiz on Tuesday over simplifying fractions and ordering them.  We have a multiplication fact test on 7's on Thursday of this week.    The students should be studying their multiplication facts.  It is very hard to simplify fractions if they do not know their facts.  We will have a test on Friday over fractions, chapter 15.

Spelling -  In spelling this week the students will work with words that have silent consonants.  They will be responsbile for pages 228-230. There will be at test on Friday.

Reading- The students have been doing a great job in discussing their literature books.  We will continue our literature circles this week.  The students are using the reading strategies that we have learned throughout the year to help them with their literature jobs. 

English- The students will use only one negative word in a sentence.  The will proofread for correct use of negatives.  They will identify prepositions and prepositional phrases.  A test is planned for Tuesday, May 21 over adverbs and prepositions.

Science - The Essential Question this week in science is: What are some sources of electricity?  The students will investigate variables that affect the amount of potential energy an object has.  They will recognize that energy can change forms. 

Social Studies - We will begin a new unit on the West.  The students will have a map quiz on Thursday of this week.  They should know the states in the West Region and be able to place them correctly on the map.

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room - May 6-May10

Dates to Remember:

May 17 - Early Release 11:00
Thurs., May 23 - Field Trip to Lizzardo Museum 9:30-12:00 (We will return to school for lunch, but not in time for hot lunch, so students must bring a sack lunch. They may get milk if they bring money for it.)
May 27 - No School Memorial Day
Wed., June 5 - Last Day of School

I am looking for parent volunteers to come on our field trip to the Lizzardo Museum on Thursday, May 23.  We would leave school at 9:00 and be back by 12:00.  If you would like to come with us, please let me know.

The students earned a classroom party for the month of April.  We will have a Fiesta on Wednesday which will also help us to celebrate the culmination of our Southwest Region unit.  Please let me know if you can send any of the following things for our celebration:  Tostito chips, salsa, guacamole, cheese queso, any other southwestern food that you think the kids would enjoy.

Spelling- This week in spelling the students will work with words that have unusual spellings.  They will be responsible for pages 213-215 in their workbook or activities if they pass out.  There will be a test on Friday.

Math - This week in math the students will use their fractions strips to find equivalent fractions.  They will then use operations to find equivalent fractions.  There will be a quiz on Wednesday over equivalent fractions. The students will then learn to find the simplest form of  fractions.

Reading - We will begin our literature circles this week.  The students have chosen the book they want to read.  Some have gotten a good start reading them already!  Each day next week they will have an assigned reading and a particular job they will be responsible for.  If they do not finish the reading or their job, they will need to do that for homework.  They will be graded on the job they are responsible for that day and their group participation.

English- We will continue our work with Adverbs this week.  The students will write using adverbs and they will add er or est to short adverbs to compare actions and add more or most to adverbs that end in ly to compare actions.  

Science - The students will understand the source of power that produces electricity at a power plant.  They will understand how a generator and a motor are alike and different.

Social Studies This week in social studies there will be a quiz on Thursday over lesson 1 in chapter 11, The Navajo.  They should know:

• All vocabulary
• Understand the early culture- how they made a living, the natural resources they used, the homes they lived in, the importance of the animals in their lives, and how their government was organized
• Understand the events of the Long Walk- the cause, the effects, the people and  places involved, the final outcome
• Understand The Navajo Tribal Council -  What is it? Why was it formed? How is it similar to the U.S. government?
• Navajo Life Today -  What are ways that the Navajo keep their traditional culture today?

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room April 22-April 26

Dates to Remember:
Tuesday, April 23 - Open House
May 17 - Early Release 11:00
May 27 - No School Memorial Day

Math - This week in math we will review finding the  perimeter of a shape by adding the length of the sides or by using a  formula.  We will also review finding area by counting, multiplying and using a formula.  We will also find the volume of prisms.  We will have a test on Friday over these concepts in chapter 23.  

Spelling This week in spelling the students will work with words that have three syllables.  They will be assigned w.b. pages 193-195 in volume 2. There will be a test on Friday.

Reading - In reading this week we will read non fiction books.  The students will work on their summarizing skills and following directions.

English - We will continue our work with expository writing.  The students will work with a partner to write an expository essay with a prompt that is given to them.  They will then write their own expository essay which they will be graded on.

Science - Last week we finished up our circuit posters.  This week the students will compare current electricity to static electricity.  They will understand and discover the difference between conductors and insulators.

Social Studies - This week in social studies the students will identify a nonrenewable natural resource in the Southwest.  They will describe how the technology of the Southwest has impacted the United States.There will be a test on Thursday of this week over chapter 10.  The Land and Resources of the Southwest. The students should study their concepts and vocabulary in their textbook along with all the worksheets in their folders.

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room April 15-19

Dates to Remember:
Friday, April 12 - No school/Conferences
Tuesday, April 16 - Inventions due
Thursday, April 18 - Open House 6:30-8:00
May 17 - Early Release 11:00
May 27 - No School Memorial Day

Spelling - This week will be a review unit.  There will be a pretest given at the beginning of the week.  The students will work on pages 163-165 throughout the week.

Math - This week in math we will have a test over measurement chapter 22 on Thursday. The students should use the sheets and packet  in their folder as well as their textbook to help them study for the test.

Reading - In reading this week, the students will review comprehension skills. They will use the comprehension skills they have learned to connect and compare literature. The skills from theme 5 will be assessed at the end of the week.

Language Arts - We will continue to work with expository writing this week.

Science -  The students will compare current electricity to static electricity.  They will understand and discover the difference between conductors and insulators.

Social Studies - The students will learn about the plants that grow in different areas of the Southwest, Sonoran Desert, Southwestern Savanna, and the wetlands of New Mexico.  They will name three types of plants that grow in the Southwest -  saguaro cactus, pinon pines, junipers.

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Class April 8-12

Dates to Remember:
Mon.-Wed. April 8-10 Conference Week
Tuesday, April 9 - No School/Institute Day
Friday, 12 - No School-Parent/Teacher Conferences
May 17 - Early Release 11:00
May 27 - No School Memorial Day

The students will be given the OLSAT test this week on Wednesday.  This is a test of scholastic ability.  They should prepare by getting plenty of sleep and eating a healthy breakfast that morning.

Spelling - This week in spelling the students will study homophones.  They will be responsible for workbook pages 199-201.

Math - This week in math we will begin metric measurements.  The students will be measuring to the nearest centimeter and millimeter   They will also understand kilometers and decimeters.

Reading - The students will read "Porquois" tales and then write their own "Porquois" tales.

English - In English this week, we will continue to work on Expository writing.  The students will  learn about different kinds of support to include in their writing.  They will then, practice writing supporting details for their expository writing.

Science - The students will be making posters this week to show different ways to complete a circuit and light a light bulb.

Social Studies - We will continue our study of the Southwest region.  The students will learn about the different climates in the Southwest.

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Blog April 1-April 5

Dates to Remember:

 March 25-April 1- Spring Break
April 2 - Classes resume
April 8 Conference Week- Conference sign ups will be with math classes.  You should have already received the conference sign up through e-mail.

Edison's Workshop, presented by a hands-on organization for students, Hightouch Hightech, will be here on Tuesday, April 2, to work will our students on the concepts of electricity.    It will be a great introduction to our electricity unit.

Math -  This week in math we will review measuring to the nearest, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, and whole.  The students will solve problems involving unit conversions within the same measurement system for time, length, and weight/mass, and capacity. There will be a quiz on Friday over lessons 1-4  in chapter 22.

Spelling  -  In spelling this week we will work with more words that have the VCV pattern.  The students will be responsible for workbook pages 175-177 or activities if they passed out of the pretest.  There will be a test on Friday of this week.

Reading This week in reading the students will understand the elements of Pourquoi tales and try writing one of their own  .  Pourquoi in French means "why."

English - We will continue working on Expository Writing.  The students will understand and identify different kinds of hooks in the books that they read.  A hook is an introduction which will grasp the readers attention. They will then practice writing their own hooks.  They will also understand and identify different kinds of support that can be used in their essay.  They will then practice writing support for their ideas.

Science- This week in science we will begin a unit on electricity.  The students will understand that electric currents and magnets can be used for many purposes. The students will learn what electricity is, and  they will understand how to construct a simple circuit.

Social Studies - The students will describe how the Grand Canyon as carved out by erosion caused by the Colorado River, and how it continues to shape the Grand Canyon today.  They will understand why the Grand Canyon has been made a national park.  We had a wonderful presentation given by one of our former teachers, Sandie Vasnorus.  Mrs. Vasnorus shared with us pictures of her travels to the Grand Canyon and her hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon.

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room March 18-22

Dates to Remember:
Tues. March 19 Early Dismissal - 11:00 a.m.
 March 25-April 1- Spring Break
April 2 - Classes resume
April 8 Conference Week- Conference sign ups will be with math classes.  Google Doc sign up will be sent to your e-mail.

Math- There will be a test over chapters 20 & 21 on Wednesday of  this week.  The students should study the information from their folders as well as use their text book to review and study. We will begin a unit on customary and metric measurement.  The students will estimate and measure to the nearest whole, 1/2, 1/4, and 1/8 inch.  They will also change linear units by multiplying or dividing.

Spelling - In spelling this week the students will study the VCV (vowel consonant vowel patterns).  They will learn that if you divide before the consonant the vowel is long, and if you divide after the consonant the vowel is short.

Reading - In reading this week, the student will read nonfiction biographies   Some of the people they may read about may be considered heroes to themselves or others.  They will study  the character traits of those that are considered heroes and think about the heroes in their lives. They will also do vocabulary work this week with synonyms, antonyms, homophones, idioms, and metaphors.

English - We will begin a unit on expository writing.  The student will review their brainstorming skills and practice organizing their ideas in a graphic organizer.  They will understand what a hook is and they will read through books to find and compare the different kinds of hooks. They will also discover the different kinds of support that can be used in their writing and practice writing support statements.

Social Studies - The students have been using the computer to research information on a state in the Southwest Region. This week, they will use their information and design a travel brochure for that state.

Science - There will be test over chapter 17, Simple Machines, on Thursday of this week.  The students  should study all the vocabulary in the chapter as well as the main ideas of each lesson.  They should use the worksheets in their folder as guides to study.

They should:

• understand a scientists meaning for work
• understand what makes up each simple machine and how they work
• know what makes up certain simple machines: wedge (two incline planes), screw (inclined plane wrapped around a post)
• know how  the different simple machines change the way work is done? (for example: change the direction of the force or it uses less force to move over a distance)
• be able to identify some simple machines.
• know  simple machines that can be used to do work around the house or in the yard?

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room March 11-15

Dates to Remember:
March 11-12 - ISAT Science testing 10:00 a.m.
Tues. March 19 Early Dismissal - 11:00 a.m.
 March 25-April 1- Spring Break
April 8 Conference Week- Conference sign ups will be with math classes.  Look for the Google Doc sign up e-mail to come out soon.

The class has earned a class party for their hard work and good behavior during the month of February.  On Friday of this week they will be allowed to wear their pajamas to school. During lunch, we will have pizza and  watch the movie, It Takes Two with Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen. The children should only need to bring a drink or buy milk that day.  If they do not like pizza, they may buy lunch or bring a lunch to school.

If any parent would be able to pick up the pizzas at Dominick's on 63rd street at about 10:50. ( They will need to be back at school by 11:35) please let me know.   Thank you.

The Prairieview PBIS team is extending a wonderful opportunity to begin the new year with a community service project.  We will be holding a Food Pantry Drive at school for the West Suburban Community Pantry in Woodridge from March 11-15.  Boxes will be provided in each classroom to collect the non-perishable food items.  Girl Scout Troop 50251, comprised of third and fourth grade students from Prairieview, has graciously volunteered to pack up and deliver the donated food on March 16th.  Thank you in advance for your generosity of spirit and deed!

Spelling This week in spelling the students will work with words that change the final "y" to "i".  They will be responsible for pages 129-131 or for those students who pass the pretest, they will complete activities for the week.

Math - In math this week, we will continue our geometry unit. The students will have a quiz on congruent and similar figures on Monday.  We will also review turns of symmetry and transformations.  They will find patterns based on color, size, shape, and position. They will also identify solid figures based on the number and shapes of their  faces, edges, and vertices.

Reading - This week in reading we will read a biography of Lou Gehrig.  The reading strategies that we will focus on will be Fact and Opinion and Making Judgments. Making judgments involves deciding whether or not a character's actions are appropriate for a situation.  Reader's can ask themselves.  Do I agree with this?  Is this right or fair? The students will also study the origin of words.Word histories can enrich vocabulary, helping learners make connections that might not be apparent, such as the connection between salary and salt.

English - In English this week, we will have a test over Verbs, chapter 3 on Thursday, March 14. This date has changed from the last Newsletter.  The students will bring work home that will help them to practice and review verbs.

Social Studies - There will be a map test of the Southwest on Tuesday of this week.  They should be able to place all the states, the Colorado River, the Rio Grande, the Grand Canyon, and the Gulf of Mexico, in their proper space on the map.  They will earn extra points if they know their capitals.  Spelling does not count, unless I can not figure out with the word says.  We will continue to study the Grand Canyon to learn how it was formed and continues to change today.  We will also learn about the people of the Canyon and why people go there to visit.

Science -In science this week, we will continue to work with simple machines.  The students will investigate how inclined planes help people do work.  They will explain how a screw and a wedge changes the way work is done. The students will review that simple machines do not reduced the amount of work that is done.  They just change the way the work is done to reduce the force needed to do the work

The students have been given information on making a catapult.  You may want to ask them about it, if they have not shared it with you.  Today, I passed out a model they could follow if they were unclear of where to begin with it.  Catapults are due on March 20th.  We will have our launching on March 21st.

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room March 4-8

Dates to Remember:
March 4-March 13 - ISAT testing
Tues. March 19 Early Dismissal - 11:00 a.m.
 March 25-April 1- Spring Break
April 8 Conference Week

This week and next week we will be giving ISAT tests. The best way to help your child prepare for these tests this week is to make sure they have a good night's sleep and eat a healthy breakfast in the morning.  A  few words of positive encouragement is always helpful.

Math - We will be reviewing and taking ISAT tests in math this week.  Please ask your child if he/she has a calculator at school.  Some kids have been borrowing, and there may not be enough to go around during the test.  

Spelling - There will be no spelling this week due to ISAT testing

English - This week in English we will finish up our verb unit.  There is a test scheduled for Tuesday, March 12 over verbs.

Reading - We will continue to review strategies this week.  The students will read short stories and use context clues to make inferences.  They will also understand the first and third person point of view.

Science - In science this week, we will continue to work with simple machines.  The students will investigate how inclined planes help people do work.  They will explain how a screw and a wedge changes the way work is done. The students will review that simple machines do not reduced the amount of work that is done.  They just change the way the work is done to reduce the force needed to do the work

Social Studies - This week in social studies, the students will begin a unit on the Southwest region.  They will need to color and label a Southwest Region map.  This is due on Thursday of this week.  They will have a map quiz on Friday over the Southwest region.

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Class Feb. 25-March 1

Dates to Remember:
Tues.Feb. 26 -Early Dismissal - 11:00 a.m.
March 4-March 13 - ISAT testing
Tues. March 19 Early Dismissal - 11:00 a.m.
 March 25-April 1- Spring Break
April 8 Conference Week

Spelling - This week the students will work with words that have prefixes and suffixes.  There will be no pretest this week.  The students will be responsible for pages 109-111 in volume 2 workbook.  There will be a test on Friday.

Math - We will have a test this week on chapter 19 on Wednesday of this week.  They should bring their books home to review and they should review the sheets that are in their binders to help them study.  We will  practice solving problems with a written response. They need to show all their work and then write an explanation to show what they did and why they did it.  The children will have homework to help them practice this.  We will also begin a unit on Motion Geometry.  They will identify congruent and similar figures and they will understand and identify  figures with line symmetry and rotational symmetry.

English -This week the students will continue their work with verbs.  They will  identify and write past tense verbs with the helping verbs has, have, or had, with singular or plural subjects.  They will write past tense forms of irregular verbs and recognize the different forms of the verb be.  A test is planned for Tuesday, March 5 over verbs.

Reading- The students will continue to work with writing extended responses to reading.  They will read different genres (myths, folktales, and fables,) as they study character, plot and theme.  They will use the context to help them understand the meanings of words in the story.

Social Studies - This week there will be a test on the past and present culture of the Ojibwa, Chapter 9 lesson 1 on Thursday, Feb. 28th.
The students should know:
Where they lived
How they earned a living
transportation
understand what the land was like
how trade changed their culture
how they keep their heritage alive today
how the Ojibwa use the natural resources

Science- In science this week, we will continue our unit on Simple Machines. The students will understand what a machine is.  They will be able to understand that a machine does not reduce the amount of work that is done.  It reduces the force needed to do the work but it cannot reduce the amount of work done. They will understand how a pulley and a wheel and axle help people do work.

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

Dates to Remember:

Mon.Feb. 18 President Day/No School
Thurs.Feb. 21- Spring Picture Day
Tues.Feb. 26 -Early Dismissal - 11:00 a.m.

It was a busy week, and I want to thank those parents who sent items in for both our Resource Day and the Valentine's Day party.  Both were a huge success!

Math This week in math the students will classify triangles as isosceles, scalene, or equilateral and right, acute, or obtuse.  They will also classify 4 sided figures as quadrilaterals, parallelograms  rhombus, rectangles, squares or trapezoids.   They will draw circles and identify the chords, diameter and radius of a circle.  There will be quizzes throughout the week to test the students knowledge of these concepts as we work with them.

Spelling- The students will work with words that have the ed and ing endings.  They will be responsible for w.b. pages 252-254.  There will be a test on Friday.

Reading In reading this week the students will continue to work on their poetry and understand the elements of poetry.  They will will also continue to read passages and write extended responses to their reading.

English The students will form the present and past tense of verbs.  They will identify and write past tense verbs with the helping verbs has, have, or had with singular or plural subjects.

Science We will review natural forces and the two factors that affect gravitation between objects ( their mass and the distance between them) We will also review the difference between weight and gravity. We will begin a new unit on simple machines toward the end of the week.

Social Studies This week in social studies, we will begin a unit on the Ojibwa, the Native American group from the Midwest. The students will describe the early culture of the Ojibwa and ways their culture has changed since the mid-1600's.