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.