News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room Jan. 3-6

Dates to Remember:
Tuesday, Jan. 10- MAP testing Reading
Wednesday, Jan. 11-MAP testing Math

Math-This week the students will be studying the relationships between hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, hundred thousands, and millions.  They will understand different methods for adding multiple digits. They will use the standard algorithm to solve multi - digit addition story problems.

Spelling- The students will be working with words that have the silent g sound.  They will also understand similes used as figurative language.

Reading-We will begin a unit on mythology.  The students will read a passage which will help them to understand what mythology is.  They will then read a story about Hercules, and answer questions based on the story.  They will begin a project on the 12 labors of Hercules.

Social Studies -The students will learn about the Native Americans - The Cherokee, who lived in the Southeast Region.  They will describe how the Cherokee lived before the Europeans came to North America and understand how their life changed once the Europeans came.

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

Tuesday, Dec. 13 - Whole going school to see A Christmas Carol at Drury Lane. Students should dress up for this special occasion.  It is best to bring a lunch that day because there will be a long line, but hot lunch will be offered.
Thursday, Dec. 15- Bowling in the A.M.
Dec. 16-Jan. 3 - Winter Vacation


Math-There will be a math test over unit 3, fractions and decimals, on Friday of this week.  A pretest study guide will go home to help the students know what to focus on .

Spelling- No spelling this week.

Reading-We will begin a unit on mythology.  The students will read a passage which will help them to understand what mythology is.  They will then read a story about Hercules, and answer questions based on the story.  They will begin a project on the 12 labors of Hercules.

They will study the Latin and Greek roots.

Social Studies- There will be a social studies test over chapter 6 on Thursday of this week.
The students should:

Study all vocabulary and main ideas from the text.  They should study any sheets that are in their Social Studies folder.

They should know:
The different landforms in the Southeast and traits about them, barrier islands, wetlands, inner and outer-coastal plains, piedmont, Appalachian Mountains,
The difference between the inner and outer coastal plains
The climate of the Southeast
Understand the use of lighthouses in the past
Know the animals that live in the different areas of the Southeast
What is burned to run generators?
What products can come from a logging industry?
What is a hurricane and how can it be dangerous? Be able to explain 3 details about a hurricane and 3 ways in which it can be dangerous.
What are crops that grow well in the Southeast, but not very well in other regions of the U.S?
Where would you like to visit in the Southeast?  Be able to explain at least two good reasons why you would like to visit there.

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

Dates to Remember:
Dec. 7- Early Dismissal 11:35- SIP Day
Tuesday, Dec. 13 - Whole going school to see A Christmas Carol at Drury Lane. Students should dress up for this special occasion.
Thursday, Dec. 15- Bowling in the A.M.
Dec. 16-Jan. 3 - Winter Vacation

Math- We will continue our work  with adding fractions to mixed numbers and multiplying a fraction by a whole number.  The students will also continue to work with equivalent fractions.  Decimals will be introduced and the students will investigate the relationships between tenths and hundredths.

Spelling- This week in spelling the students will work with words that are homographs. These are words that are spelling the same but have different meanings depending on the context of the sentence they are used in.  There will be a test on Friday of this week.

Reading/LA-There will be a comprehension assessment on Gloria Estefan on Thursday of this week.  The students should bring home their reading books to practice reading the story and become very familiar with it.

The students will understand the cause/effect relationships the author used in the text structure of Gloria Estefan.

The students will also work with modal auxiliaries, can, may & must.

Social Studies- This week the students will describe the climate of the Southeast. They will understand and examine hurricanes.  They will compare the function of lighthouses today to how they were used in past.

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room Nov. 28-Dec. 2.

Dates to Remember:
Dec. 7- Early Dismissal 11:35- SIP Day
Tuesday, Dec. 13 - Whole going school to see A Christmas Carol at Drury Lane. Students should dress up for this special occasion.
Thursday, Dec. 15- Bowling in the A.M.
Dec. 16-Jan. 3 - Winter Vacation


Math- We will continue Unit 3. Fractions and Decimals.  We have been working with egg carton fractions to show that 1/2,  3/6,  and 6/12  are equivalent. We will review more equivalent fractions on Monday and there will be a short checkpoint quiz on Tuesday. We will also focus on comparing, composing and decomposing fractions and mixed numbers throughout the week.

Spelling-This week the students will work with homophones. These are words that sound alike but have different meanings and spellings.

Reading/Language Arts - There will be a vocabulary quiz over the words from Gloria Estefan on Wednesday of this week.  There is a Quizlet in their Reading Classroom where they can practice the words.  They should be able to write the words in good sentences.

The students will read a passage about Gloria Estefan and write text dependent questions of their own for others to answer.

The students will write a news article about Gloria Estefan explaining why she is "A star with a heart."

TFK- Time for Kids magazines will be passed out at the beginning of the week.  Please help your child read through and discuss with them articles, maps, charts, and graphs throughout the week.  They will have a worksheet to complete that will be due on Friday.  There will also be a TFK quiz on Friday as well.  They may use their magazine during the quiz.  

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

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room Nov. 21- Nov. 22

                       
Important Dates:
Wed.-Friday, Nov. 23-25 No School Thanksgiving

Science Project Presenters this week:
Monday, Nov. 21-Gabby


Math- The students will continue to review fraction skills and concepts and extend their understandings to mixed numbers, improper fractions and more sophisticated strategies for generating equivalent fractions.

Spelling-. No Spelling the week of Nov. 21.

ELA- 
The students will work with relative pronouns: who, whose, whom, which, and that. They will understand if you could use the word he; choose who.  If you could use the word him; choose whom. 

The students should use their Quizlet in the Reading Classroom to help them review for the quiz.  There will be a vocabulary quiz on the words from Gloria Estefan on Tuesday, Nov. 22.  

They will write a newspaper article informing people that Gloria Estefan is "a star with a heart"


Social Studies:  We will begin our journey through the Southeast Region.  The students will have a map quiz on Tuesday, Nov. 22.  They should be able to place all the states and bodies of water in the  southeast on the map correctly. 

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room Nov. 7-10

Dates to Remember:

Mon. & Tues. Nov. 7 & 8 - No School-Conferences and Institute Day

Math- We will review division strategies this week.   We will have a test over Unit 2 on Friday of this week.  The students should review the skills they have learned.  They can look in their binder at past check pts and workbook pages.  There will be a pretest sent home to help the students study as well. They may come in at recess time if they need help with anything.

Spelling- No spelling this week due to a shortened week.

Reading- This week we will continue our courage theme as they read a biography about Gloria Estefan. The students will understand why she is considered to be courageous and a hero to many people.  They will  also understand how to make judgments by using the facts from the story and their own beliefs to make and confirm opinions about characters and situations.

Science-The students will begin work on their invertebrate project.  The due date for this project has been changed to Wednesday, Nov.  16. There will be a science test on lesson 3  pgs. 72-81 on  Tuesday, Nov. 15.
They should study the vocabulary and the main ideas in their books.  They should also study the sheets in their science folder. They should study the chapter and vocabulary.
They should know:
how scientists classify animals
5 main classes of vertebrates, at least 2 characteristics of each, and be able to give 2 examples of animals from each class.
 5 main groups of invertebrates
largest group of invertebrates
largest group of arthropods
traits of an insect (3 body parts, 6 legs,head, thorax, abdomen)

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room Oct. 24-28

Important Dates to Remember:
Oct. 26- Early Dismissal-11:30
October 31- Halloween party-Students may bring their costumes to school.  We will put them on after lunch 12:50. The party will begin at 1:10-2:10. The parade will begin at 2:10.

Math- There will be a check pt. review on Tuesday. The students have a study guide to help them know what will be quizzed. The students will also work with ratio tables to see relationships between the numbers and solve word problems using estimation and the strategies they have learned to solve for more difficult numbers.

Spelling -  Unit 9 -Words on this week's list will include the prefixes pre- re- and mis-. We will study the definitions of these prefixes and how they change the meaning of the root word that they are attached to. The final TEST is scheduled for Friday, 10/28.

Reading- In reading this week, the students will independently respond to a question relating courage which is shown in Martin Luther King, Jr.'s  "I Have a Dream Speech" and the story of Happy Birthday, Dr. King.  They will also read passages about Jackie Robinson and Malala comparing the two.  We will discuss how  they showed courage?  They should be thinking: Can courage be shown in more than just one way?

English- There will be a test over unit 5 Capitalization and Punctuation on Friday of this week.  The students will be given assignments to help them review the skills.  They should also bring their book home and use the review pages at the end of the unit pages 194-202 to help them study as well.  

Science- The students will use what they have learned about the scientific method to create a scientific experiment at home. They will then share this with the class.  A note will come home explaining the project.  We will be sharing 2 experiments a week.  So I will have the students sign up for the week they would like. 

We will begin a unit on classifying animals.  The students will understand that scientists classify animals into two main groups. (vertebrates and invertebrates).  This week the students will learn about the characteristics of vertebrates.  

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

Important Dates to Remember:
Oct. 26- Early Dismissal-11:30
October 31- Halloween party-Students may bring their costumes to school.  We will put them on after lunch 12:50. The party will begin at 1:10-2:10. The parade will begin at 2:10.


Math- The students will multiply 2 digit whole numbers by a 1 or 2-digit whole number using strategies based on place value.  They will use rectangular arrays to explain strategies for multiplying with multi-digit numbers and apply the area formula to solve problems.
 The students will practice reading and writing larger numbers.We will review that in a multi-digit number each digit represents 10 times than the place to its right. We will also work with rectangular arrays and

Spelling -  Unit 8
This week's spelling/vocabulary list will include a variety of words that are appropriate for 4th-grade students. Instead of studying a spelling rule, we will focus on the definition of these words and how they might be used in reading and writing. Part of this week's lesson will also highlight how to use reference materials such as a dictionary, thesaurus, atlas, and encyclopedia. The final TEST is scheduled for Friday, 10/21.

Reading- This week we will close read an excerpt from Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream Speech".  The students will answer text-dependent questions from his speech.  There will be a quiz on Happy Birthday, Dr. King and this excerpt on Friday.  The students will be able to use their text and the speech to answer questions. They should be thinking about the question: How are the lessons that Jamal learned from his family and the lessons about courage from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. alike and different? They should bring their book home to reread the story and the excerpt to help them prepare for the quiz.

English- This week the students will review uses for commas in sentences.  They will also use quotation marks correctly in sentences with dialog.

Science - This week the students will continue to study the Scientific Method.  They will follow the steps of the scientific method as they conduct experiments throughout the week.  A quiz will be given on the steps of the Scientific Method on Friday of this week.  They should understand what each step means in the Scientific Method and be able to identify examples of the steps.  They should understand the main purpose of the Scientific Method (to test ideas).  They should understand what we do when we test a hypothesis ( Design an experiment) What is a hypothesis? (It is a prediction, that can be tested. It is not a guess.) What are we testing when we use the Scientific Method? We are testing a hypothesis.

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room Oct.10-14

Important Dates:
Oct. 10-- No School Columbus Day
Oct. 13 --Book Fair

A note from Mrs. Cushing: If you child would like to be part of the Prairieview PE Bulletin board, please take an "action" picture of your child showing some type of PHYSICAL ACTIVITY that they are involved in outside of school.  Please get these in as soon as possible.  I will accept pictures as they come in.  Any questions?  Please contact me at tcushing@ccsd66.org  Thanks!

Math:  In math this week we will begin Unit Two, Module One, Building Multiplication Arrays. Students should be practicing their multiplication facts nightly to help prepare for this chapter.  Students will determine the area of base ten pieces in square centimeters and discuss the idea that the area of each piece represents its place value.  They will understand that each place value is 10 greater than the place before it.

Reading: We will continue our Courage theme. There will be a  vocabulary QUIZ on the words from Happy Birthday Dr. King on Thursday 10/13. The resources for preparing for the quiz are found in Reading section of Google Classroom and include a Quizlet and their word work pages. Then, we will be digging into an excerpt from Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream Speech".
.
English: The students will write understand and write abbreviations of titles, months, days and addresses correctly.  They will have a quiz on this on Friday of this week.

Spelling:  Unit 7 - "Suffixes "-ness", "-less",  and "-en"
This week's spelling/vocabulary list will include words with the suffixes -ness, -less, and-en.  We will study the definitions of these suffixes and how to determine the meaning of unknown words by breaking the words into base words and suffixes and by using context clues. The final test is scheduled for Friday, 10/14.

Science:   We will continue the introduction chapter of "Getting Ready for Science".  The students have been working in groups to construct  a model building with the use of straws, tape and paper clips. This week we will predict how many pennies their straw model can support. We will learn how the scientific method helps scientist gain knowledge.

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room October 3-October 7

Dates to Remember:

Tuesday, October 4- Picture Day
Monday, October 10- No School Columbus Day

Math- There will be a unit 1 test on Tuesday of this week.   They have a pretest in their folder that shows the skills that will be tested.    They should also review the other papers in their binders.  If anyone is having trouble, they should come in for recess on Monday to get an extra review.  The students will then  explore linear measurement, mass, weight, and liquid volume. They will review the definitions and units of measure for each category.

Spelling -  Unit 6 - "Suffixes "-ed" and "-ing"
This week's spelling/vocabulary list will include words with the suffixes -ed and -ing.  We will study how adding these suffixes to base words changes their spelling. The final TEST is scheduled for Friday, 10/7.

Reading: We will continue the story Happy Birthday, Dr. King.  This text will help us work on answering text-dependent questions as well as understanding cause and effect relationships.  The students will also be doing vocabulary assignments in Google Classroom.

English: In English, we will focus on paragraph writing.  We will learn how to write good leads and adding  more details to make our writing more interesting.

We will continue to work with capitalization of names of people, pets, places and things


Social Studies - The students will choose a project to do for the Narragansett, the Native Americans from the Northeast region.  They will work on this project following a rubric. They will have an open book quiz over lesson one, Chapter 5. The Narragansett on Wednesday.  


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. We will also begin learning the steps to the "Scientific Method".

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

Things to Remember:

Tuesday, Sept. 27-Early Dismissal 11:35
Friday, Sept. 30-Field trip to Brookfield Zoo-Bring a disposable sack lunch and dress for the weather.
Tuesday, Oct. 4- Picture Day

Math - There is a checkpoint quiz on Tuesday of this week, and an end of unit 1 test on Tuesday, Oct. 4.  I will send home a review sheet for them to practice their skills for the check point quiz, and  I will send home a pretest for them to review and practice skills for their end of the unit test.   They should also review their Home Connections  book pages 1-16 and  Student Book pages 1-30.  Many of those pages are in their math binder folder.

Spelling -
This week the students will be working with "Greek Roots".  The spelling/vocabulary list will include words with the Greek roots "graph", "auto", "photo", "tele", and "rupt".  We will study the meanings of these roots and how to use them correctly. The final TEST is scheduled for Friday, 9/30.

Reading-The students will  Close Read the story Happy Birthday, Dr. King, Jr..  They will practice answering text-dependent questions and complete a vocabulary study for the story. The students will understand how the author uses  cause-effect relationships to help them understand the text.  They will be assessed in finding the theme of a passage.  They can continue to practice finding the theme activity cards in their Reading Classroom.

English- This week the students will continue to work with different kinds of sentences. They will write  sentences  using correct end marks, capitalization, and recognize run on sentences. They will practice using a variety of statements, commands, questions, and exclamations to make their writing more interesting.
 

Social Studies-   We will have a test on Tuesday of this week over chapter 4 Unit 2 The Northeast Land and Resources.

Pages 104-119.  The students should study all the sheets from their binder.  They should know:

• all vocabulary 
• how Niagara Falls was formed, where it is located, and why it is so important to the Northeast (2 ways)
• what is produced by hydro power plants
• the important mountain ranges that make up part of the Appalachian Mountains
• which states do not share a border with the Atlantic Ocean
• the Finger Lakes and understand why grapes grow well there
• difference between the coast of Maine and the coast of New Jersey
• two challenges that threaten the fish population of Chesapeake Bay
• what are some solutions to the problems that face the Bay
• how Green Mountains and the White Mountains alike and different
• which state would you like to live in the Northeast Region-why? 2 reasons

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

Math -This week the students will use area models to illustrate the distributive property.  We will continue to review multiplication strategies to help them demonstrate an understanding of multiplication.    The students may need help in understanding these strategies. It may seem as though they are more difficult than just memorizing their facts, however, we believe that these strategies will help them gain a better sense for numbers, and as they work with more difficult equations, we hope these strategies will help them figure them out quickly with more efficiency. Please continue to help your child know their basic multiplication and division facts by studying them each night. Don't forget they can practice them in the Math Classroom on their Chromebooks.

Spelling-This week in spelling the students will work with homophones. These are words that can be easily confused because they sound alike but have different meanings and spellings.  There will be a test on Friday of this week.

Reading - On Monday and Tuesday of this week the students will take a preassessment in reading.  This is a test that will help me know what the students know already and what they need to work on.  It will look very similar to a PARCC Assessment.  They will not be graded on this.

The Kick off to our theme Courage was last week.  We listened to the U2 song Pride and discussed how one person can make a difference, but it takes courage to do so.  We will continue our discussion of theme.  The students will understand what theme is and do activities to help them understand it.  We will begin reading Happy Birthday, Dr. King.

English- The students will have a test on Friday of this week over Chapter 1 in their text book, "The Sentence".  They will have homework assignments to help them practice the skills, and there are many pages at the end of the chapter that will help them review as well.   Finding the subject and predicates of sentences is difficult for many children, and they may need extra help on this at home.

Social Studies- This week the students will understand the importance of the Chesapeake Bay to the Northeast. They will understand how the Bay is being threatened by pollution and over fishing.  They will also be able to describe actions a resident or the Bay Area  Foundation are taking to help preserve the Bay.   A test is planned for Tuesday, Sept. 27 over Chapter 4 Unit 2 The Northeast.

Pages 104-119.  The students should study all the sheets from their binder and their text.  They should know:

• all vocabulary 
• how Niagara Falls was formed, where it is located, and why it is so important to the Northeast (2 ways)
• What is produced by hydro power plants?
• the important mountain ranges that make up part of the Appalachian Mountains
• Which states do not share a border with the Atlantic Ocean?
• the Finger Lakes and understand why grapes grow well there
• difference between the coast of Maine and the coast of New Jersey
• two challenges that threaten the fish population of Chesapeake Bay
• how the Green Mountains and the White Mountains are alike and different
• Which state would you like to live in the Northeast Region-why? 2 reasons

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room Sept. 12-Sept. 16th

Math-The students will have a quiz on Tuesday of this week.  They should be able to use the strategies we have used in class to solve problems.  So they should be able to use a number line, area model, tile array, and ratio table.  See their binder for the work they have accomplished to help them review. The students will investigate factors and factor pairs for numbers between 1 and 100. They will multiply using the commutative property.They will determine whether a whole number between 1-100 is a prime or composite number.    Please help your child review their multiplication facts.  This will make it easier for them as we progress through the skills and concepts they need to know.  They can refer to their Math Classroom for the speed game to practice their facts.

Spelling:  This week in spelling the students will be working with words that have  ow, ou , au, and aw .  They will also work with antonyms.

Language Arts:  This week the students will compare and contrast two texts: the song Mighty Jackie the Home Run Queen and the poem Casey at the Bat.  They will also understand text dependent questions and work with a partner to practice writing their own text dependent questions. They will have test over Casey at the Bat and they should review to be sure they understand the poem.

They will also understand the complete subject includes all the words that tell whom or what the sentence is about and the complete predicate includes all the words that tell what the subject does or is.

Social Studies- The students will share their Niagara Falls research.  They will identify three mountain ranges in the Northeastern part of the Appalachian Mountains, and they will understand the different features of those ranges.

It was so nice meeting many of you at Curriculum Night. Remember if you have any questions feel free to send me an e-mail.

Dates to Remember:
Mon. Sept. 5- No school Veteran's Day
Friday, Sept. 30- Field trip to the zoo -Zoo permission slips due- Students will need to dress for the weather and bring a disposable sack lunch.

Here is the plan for the week:

Math:  This week the students will continue to investigate the relationship between multiplication and division using open number lines, ratio tables and the area model.

Spelling: The list this week will have the suffixes able and ible.  We will review synonyms, words that mean almost the same. There will be a test on Friday. There are 16 words all together. 5 of the words are vocabulary words which they will have to understand the meanings of as well as the spelling.

Writing: The students have been working on a page for our Important Book. They are writing about why they are important following the pattern  from the Important Book by Margaret Wise Brown.  The are working on English conventions, capitalization, commas, end marks, & spelling) as they are writing.

English-The students have been reviewing sentence writing.  What is a sentence? This week they will review statements, questions, commands and exclamations.

Reading: We will continue our Close Read with Casey at the Bat.   They will look closer at the vocabulary in the passage and discuss how to use context clues to help determine the meaning of some words. They will also understand perspective and point of view.  How does the story change meaning based on the person who is telling the story?

Social Studies-This week the students will research information on Niagara Falls. What is it? What does it look like?  Where is it located? How and when was it formed?  How does it help the people who live around it?  What are some interesting facts?  The students will share their information with the class.

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

Welcome to Fourth Grade!

We have had a very busy three-day week last week, and we are off to a great start.  We organized our materials, learned about classroom procedures and participated in activities to help us get to know each other and our classroom.

Dates to Remember:
Tuesday, August 30 - Curriculum Night 6:30 - 7:30
Monday, September 5, No School, Labor Day

Math for Mrs. Cavoto's Class: This week the students will understand what our math class should look like and sound like throughout the year. We are a community of learners, and in math class we are all mathematicians who will be thinking, talking, and asking questions about math.  Our first module is Models for Multiplication and Division. The students will  learn how to interpret products of whole numbers using number lines, ratio tables, and rectangular rays.  There will be a nightly homework assignment.

Reading -   In reading this week we will work on Close reading   Close reading is the careful, sustained interpretation of a piece of text and one of the cornerstones of the Common Core State Standards.  We will read the poem, "Casey at the Bat". The students will read and reread this poem, dissecting it to gain an understanding  of the author's words. They will also compare it to other texts  and try to understand the author's perspective. 

Spelling: This week we will be working with words that have the prefixes un, non, and dis.  There are 5 vocabulary words and 11 spelling words that they will need to know.  The students will have a packet of work throughout the week that will help them to learn the pattern and skills for that week.  Each evening they will be given an assignment to complete in  the packet which will need to be turned in the next day.  There will be a test on Friday of this week.  The students will need to know the meanings of the vocabulary words and how to spell them along with knowing how to spell the other words on the list.

Social Studies: This year we will be touring the regions of the United States.  The first region we will visit is the Northeast Region.  The students will be given an assignment to fill in and color a map of the Northeast following a rubric.  This will be due on Wednesday of this week. They will have a map test on Thursday of this week.  They should be able to label the states and other landforms from their colored map on a map correctly. Spelling does not count, but I need to be able to recognize the name of the state and or landform's name.   

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Class May 31-June 3

Important Dates
Fri. 6/1 - Bowling in the a.m. Wear gym shoes.
Mon. 6/2 - Field Day and Talent show
Tues., 6/3 - Early dismissal @ 11:30; Last day of school

Chromebooks will be collected on Tuesday. May 31st.  Please remind your child to bring in their Chromebook along with their charger and earbuds.

Math-Tuesday will be our last day of math.  Keep practicing those math facts over the summer. Don't forget that your child can log into Kan Academy.  It is a free website.   This can help your child prepare for 5 and or 6th-grade math depending on what level they are in.  

ELA-There will be not reading or math this week.

Social Studies-Thank you to all the parents who volunteered to send in snacks for our Taste of the West. We will continue to learn about the states in the west and we will have our Resource Day on Tuesday morning.

Science-We will continue our study with the rock cycle this week.

News From Mrs. Cavoto's Room May 23 - May 27

Dates to Remember:
Monday, May 30 Memorial Day, NO School
Wed., June 1 Bowling


Math- The students will review and extend their understanding of equations and expressions.  They will be introduced to the concept of grouping symbols in equations and expressions and a variable as a quantity that can change or vary, taking on different values.  They will  use area models to multiply 2 digit X 2 digits, and then transition into the standard algorithm.  There will be a check pt. quiz covering the skills from Unit 7 Module 2 & 3 on Thursday of this week.

Spelling-The words this week will have the sounds of ou, aw, au, and ow.  There will be a test on Friday over the words and vocabulary on the spelling sheet.

Reading-The students will close read a family's journey to America.  Then we will begin a journey within America.  American History is full of exciting journeys of exploration.  Many settlers set out for new lands in the west towards a better life.  Encounters with Native Americans along the way resulted in conflict over the land and waters as well as deeply rooted customs and beliefs.  In this cycle, students will learn about the communications and collaboration and conflicts of those who journeyed across America.  

English-The students will work with antonyms this week.

Social Studies- We will begin our tour of the West this week.  The students will bring home a map to complete and color.  There will be a map quiz on Thursday.

Science-The students will understand the rock cycle.  They will identify minerals that make up rocks. They will identify three types of rocks.  

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room May 16-May20

Math- We will have a math test on Wednesday of this week over unit 6. The students should study the papers in their folders as well as the workbook pages that go along with the unit.  Practice sheets will go home to help the children practice the skills they need to know for the test.

Spelling- A new list of words will come home this week. The students will complete a page in the packet each day this week.  The spelling test will cover the words and vocabulary on the sheet that goes home on Monday.

Reading/ELA-

Social studies- There will be a test over Chapter 10, Land and Resources of the Southwest on Friday of this week. The students should study the main concepts in their textbook along with all vocabulary.  They should also know the information from the sheets in their binders.

They should know:
They should also know:
all vocabulary
The formation of the Grand Canyon
Describe the Grand Canyon today: What is it? What does it look like? Why do people go there?  What can you do there?
The varied climate of the region
deserts
 The Saguaro and know how it has adapted to life in the desert and how it helps the animals of the desert
nonrenewable resources
The technology industries in the Southeast
What state has laboratories that develop military resources and study nuclear energy?
Give two details to explain how oil has been important to the development of the Southwest: Use your worksheets to help you answer this.


We will have our taste of the Southwest on Friday of this week as well. We will have Cactus juice (Green Hawaiin Punch), tortilla chips and salsa.

Science- The students will begin a new unit of study this week- The Rock Cycle.  The students will understand what minerals are and they will identify three types of rocks.

Directions for the construction of catapults went home last week.   We will be launching our marshmallows on Tuesday of this week

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room May 9 - May13

Dates to Remember:
Monday, May 9-In school field trip "Dig It"
Friday, May 13 - Early Dismissal 11:35
Tuesday, May 17-Catapult due


Spelling-This week the students will begin a new program for spelling that will include vocabulary.  They will work with words that have prefixes and suffixes. There will be a test on Friday of this week over the words and the vocabulary.


ELA- This week we begin the third portion of our Journeys unit titled "Journey to America". The first text that we will read is titled, If Your Name was Changed at Ellis Island. This is a nonfiction piece that details the immigrant experience. Students will work independently and in small groups to close read the text, and to respond to text dependent questions.

The students will share their favorite poems from their poetry books. 

Science- There will be a test over Simple Machines chapter 17 on Friday, May 13.  The students should study the information in their binders and the main concepts and vocabulary in their book.  They should know:

all vocabulary
a scientists definition of work
understand wheel and axles in relation to simple machines
understand what the  6 simple machines are, how they work, and what they are made of
what simple machines change the direction of the force

The students will be given an assignment to construct a catapult.  It will be due on Tuesday, May 17.  Directions will go home with your child this week.

Social Studies- We will continue our study of the Southwest region. We will focus on the resources of the Southwest.

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

Dates to Remember:
Tuesday and Thursday-MAP Testing
Tuesday, May 3 - Box Tops due
Friday, May 13 - Early Dismissal 11:35

Math- This week the students will collect and measure data in fractions of a unit on a line plot.  As students work with line plots during the first three sessions, they solve  problems that involve addition and subtraction of fractions using the line plot data.  The last two sessions in the module  close the loop as students solve division problems with remainders, using fractions and decimals in the process.

I will be giving fact tests on Friday.  This is to be sure the students keep up with knowing their basic facts.  

Spelling-This week is a review unit. The students will be responsible for pages 247-249 of their workbooks in Volume two.

Reading- The students will finish reading "Love That Dog".  They will compare Jack's feelings toward poetry at the beginning of the story to the end.

English-The students will work on developing their narrative writing skills this week.

They will continue to write poetry.  Their poetry books will be due on Friday of this week.

Social Studies- The students will describe different climates found in the Southwest.  They will understand how the saguaro has adapted to a desert climate and explain why the saguaro is important to desert animals.

Science- How Do Other Simple Machines Help People Do Work?  That is the question that the students will work to answer this week. They will investigate inclined planes, and explain how a screw and a wedge change the way work is done.

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

Important Dates:
Thursday, April 28- Open house 6:30-8:00
Tuesday, May 3 - Box Tops due
Friday, May 13 - Early Dismissal 11:35

All inventions are due on Tuesday, April 26.  They must turn in the contract and grading rubric at the same time. They should practice their presentation using their inventions before bringing it to class on Tuesday.  We will have oral presentations on Friday.  This is a change in the calendar date.

Spelling- The students will be working with words that have silent consonants.  They will be responsible for Workbook pages 228-230 in Volume 2.

Math- This week the students will continue to work on determining the area and perimeter of a figure. They will need to find the unknown dimension of a rectangle when given the area and or perimeter and one dimension.   They will also review factors and multiples.  The students will have a checkpoint review on Friday of this week. It will cover Module 2 sessions 1-5 skills.  

Reading-We will continue to read Love That Dog and pair it up with poetry readings.  We will continue to analyze the changes the main character goes through, and we will record the different types of figurative language that is used in the story.

English-The students will continue to read and write different styles of poetry. They will include a different type of figurative language in each poem they write.  This week they will be working on a creature alliteration  which should have alliteration, a five sense poem which should have onomatopoeia, and a concrete poem which should have a hyperbole.  They should be sure to look at the rubric to help them remember what is expected for each poem.  They may also look at the poetry guide if they have questions about the different kinds of poetry they need to write.

We will have a quiz over figurative language on Thursday of this week.  The students should be ablet to distinguish between idioms, similes, metaphors, onomatopoeia, hyperbole, alliteration, and personification.  They should be able to write a sentence using an example of each.

Science-This week in science the students will understand how a pulley and a wheel-and-axle change how work is done.

Social Studies-We will continue our adventure with the Southwest.

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

Dates to Remember:
Tuesday, April 19- Math/PARCC testing
Wednesday, April 20-Math/PARCC testing
Thursday, April 21-Math/PARCC testing
Friday, April 22-Math/PARCC testing
Thursday, April 28- Open House


Math-We will review along with PARCC testing all week.

Spelling-The students will be working with words that have unusual spellings this week.  They will be responsible for workbook pages 213-215 in volume 2.

ELA-We will begin a novel study of the book Love that  Dog, by Sharon Creech. Love that Dog is a free verse poem written in a diary format. It is written from the perspective of a young boy who resists poetry assignments from his teacher. Throughout his journey, he learns to appreciate, and to even enjoy, the art of poetry. As we read this book, we will continue to examine the literary elements of poetry, and students will create their own poetry book.

Science-We will begin a unit on Simple Machines this week.  The students will understand work from a scientific perspective.  They will also understand what a simple machine is.  They will investigate levers and be able to explain how a lever changes the way work is done.

Social Studies-The students will describe how the Grand Canyon was carved out by erosion caused by the Colorado River and how it continues to shape the Canyon today.  They will understand why the Grand Canyon is a National Park today  

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

Important Dates to Remember:

Tuesday, April 12- ELA/ PARCC Testing
Wednesday, April 13-ELA/PARCC Testing - Early Dismissal
Friday, April 15 ELA/ PARCC Testing
Tuesday, April 19- Math/PARCC testing
Wednesday, April 20-Math/PARCC testing
Thursday, April 21-Math/PARCC testing
Friday, April 22-Math/PARCC testing
Thursday, April 28- Open House


Math- This week the students will deepen their understanding of the doubling and halving strategy for multiplication.  They will solve a series of problems applying this strategy along with the other strategies they have recently studied. There will be a check point review on Wednesday over the skills learned in module 1 session 1-7-  Solving word problems using multiplication and division of two-digit numbers using ratio tables and area models.  The students will also review and extend their understanding of the area and perimeter of rectangles.  They will focus in particular on the role division plays in area and perimeter problems.

Spelling-The students will be working with words that have final r controlled sounds and final sounds with /l/ .  They will be responsible for workbook pages 237-239 in volume 1.


Reading/Language Arts - We will begin a novel study of the book Love that  Dog, by Sharon Creech. Love that Dog is a free verse poem written in a diary format. It is written from the perspective of a young boy who resists poetry assignments from his teacher. Throughout his journey, he learns to appreciate, and to even enjoy, the art of poetry. As we read this book, we will continue to examine the literary elements of poetry, and students will create their own poetry book.

Science-We will begin a unit on Simple Machines this week.  The students will understand work from a scientific perspective.  They will also understand what a simple machine is.  They will investigate levers and be able to explain how a lever changes the way work is done.

Social Studies-The students will share their Just Look Books.    We will begin our journey through the Southwest.  The students will have a map quiz on  Thursday of this week.  They will choose a state in the southwest to research and create a travel brochure for it.

Mrs. Cavoto's Blog April 4-8

Dates to Remember:

• Mon, April 4th - classes resume
• Wed, April 13th - Early dismissal 11:35am
• Thurs, April 28th - Spring Open House & Book Fair 6:30-8:00pm 

Mrs. Cushing, the PE teacher, is looking for some help with her  indoor tennis unit come April.  Parents can just come in for their child's 25 min. PE class or come for the grade level time.  Students need help getting the fundamentals down.  Students would benefit from having extra people to help toss balls to them so they can practice their skills.  Please let her know if you are available at all to help out.  Please email Mrs. Cushing at  tcushing@ccsd66.org  Thank you!

Reading-The students will compare and contrast Edward Tulane to the Velveteen Rabbit.  They will write a dialogue between the two using punctuation marks correctly.

English-They will understand the differences between adages, proverbs, and idioms. They will choose two proverbs that are meaningful them to share.   

Social Studies- A test is planned over the Ojibwa Culture  - Chapter 9 lesson on Thursday, April 3.  This will be open book.   The students should know: 
how they earned a living
what was used for transportation
how fur trade changed their culture
how they keep their heritage alive today
What is the life of the Ojibwa like today compared to what it was like long ago
how  they used their natural resources(water, trees (forests), soil)

Science-A test is planned for Friday,  April 8, over the Body Systems.  The students should study the main vocabulary and concepts from the book, and use all the notes in their binder.

They should know:
the different kinds of joints and muscles
understand how muscles  work to move bones
understand the steps in digestion
understand the different systems and main parts in them
understand and be able to explain what happens if you fall and scrape your knee
know the different jobs of the bones
understand and be able to explain  how messages are carried from the brain throughout your body.

Dates to Remember:

Monday, March 21 - Spirit Day   - Cubs/ Sox Day- Wear your favorite team's colors, shirts etc.  We will win a pizza party if we have 100% participation every day this week for the different spirit days.  

• Fri, March 25th - Sunday, April 3rd - No School (Spring Break)
• Mon, April 4th - classes resume
• Wed, April 13th - Early dismissal 11:35am
• Thurs, April 28th - Spring Open House & Book Fair 6:30-8:00pm 

Mrs. Cushing, the PE teacher, is looking for some help with her  indoor tennis unit come April.  Parents can just come in for their child's 25 min. PE class or come for the grade level time.  Students need help getting the fundamentals down.  Students would benefit from having extra people to help toss balls to them so they can practice their skills.  Please let her know if you are available at all to help out.  Please email Mrs. Cushing at  tcushing@ccsd66.org  Thank you!

 We will have our in-school field trip on Tuesday of this week. The DuPage Children's Museum is coming to help the students understand about Wheels, levers, and pulleys this week 

Math- We will have a test on Wednesday of this week over Unit 5 in math.  The students will have a pretest to complete on Monday that will help them review.  We will be reviewing the concepts on Monday and Tuesday.  The students should also, go back in their folders to review the different worksheets and check pts. they have completed.  They should bring their workbooks home as well to look back and review.  

Spelling- This week will be a review week. The students will be responsible for workbook pages 163-165.  There will be a test on Thursday of this week.

Reading-  We will complete the story of Edward Tulane. We will then read The Velveteen Rabbit and compare and contrast the two stories. 

Science -    I will  introduce our "Invention Convention" project. The students will be asked to identify a problem in their lives and come up with an invention that helps to solve this problem. Think simply...this does not have to be a complex invention. An informational letter, project timeline/calendar, rubric and contract will be handed out in science class on Monday, March 21st. All students are expected to complete this assignment. The contract, or plan, for the invention is due in class on Thursday, March 24th. I will then review each contract with students, to make sure they are on the right track. Once I confirm that they are moving in the right direction, students will be free to begin constructing their inventions. Inventions aren't due until after spring break; April 28th. The construction of the invention will be done at home. 

Social Studies-The students will finish their Just Look Books.  They will understand the early culture of the Ojibway Native Americans and how their life has changed.

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

Remember: 
Tuesday, March 15- No School - Election Day

Mrs. Cushing, the PE teacher, is looking for some help with her  indoor tennis unit come April.  Parents can just come in for their child's 25 min. PE class or come for the grade level time.  Students need help getting the fundamentals down.  Students would benefit from having extra people to help toss balls to them so they can practice their skills.  Please let her know if you are available at all to help out.  Please email Mrs. Cushing at tcushing@ccsd66.org  Thank you!


Math - We will review the concepts related to measuring  area and perimeter this week.  They will have opportunities to apply the formulas as they solve problems involving areas and perimeters of complex figures.  There will be a check point review on Thursday of this week.  
The students will need to be able to:

• write a definition and sketch a picture of an acute angle, obtuse angle, parallel lines, and perpendicular lines.  
•  identify polygons specifically and know how many lines of symmetry the shape has and be able to draw the lines of symmetry in.  
•  understand and describe triangles by their sides and angles. 
•  identify parallelograms. 

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

ELA - We  will continue to read The Miraculous Adventures of Edward Tulane.  The students are completing journal response questions as we read through the chapters. The focus is making sure text evidence is provided in their response as well as answering the question completely.

Science-This week in science the students will understand how the circulatory system gets oxygen to each cell.  They will also understand what happens when a blood vessel is cut

Social Studies - The test over chapter 8 will be on Thursday of this week.  The students should study the main ideas of each lesson in the text and all the sheets in their folders.

They should know:
all vocabulary
understand how glaciers formed the Great Lakes
what connects the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean
understand the flow of the Chicago River and why it was changed
advantages and disadvantages of shipping by barge
describe the Badlands of long ago and how they have changed
why did the Badlands become cooler and less humid
describe erosion
describe a prairie
why is the Midwest an important agricultural region
describe the Central Plains
crops that grow in the Midwest
understand irrigation
products of Wisconsin

We will have our "Taste of the Midwest" Resource Day on Friday of this week. I will ask the students what they would like to bring in.  If you approve, please just send me a little note or e-mail letting me know that this is okay with you.  We will need 2 people for popcorn each person would send in 12 individual baggies of popcorn.   We will also need, crackers, butter, 2 people to bring in little ice cream cups (12 each) blueberries, strawberries, cheese, ham,

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

Mrs. Cushing, the PE teacher, is looking for some help with her  indoor tennis unit come April.  Parents can just come in for their child's 25 min. PE class or come for the grade level time.  Students need help getting the fundamentals down.  Students would benefit from having extra people to help toss balls to them so they can practice their skills.  Please let her know if you are available at all to help out.  Please email Mrs. Cushing at tcushing@ccsd66.org  Thank you!

Math -The students will continue their work with geometry this week.  The students will continue to work with measuring and drawing angles using a protractor.  There will be a checkpoint quiz on Tuesday over angles.  They should be able to identify and describe the following terms.  rays, points, acute angles, right angles, obtuse angles, and straight angles.  They should also know how to sketch pattern block figures  that are described to them such as sketch a pattern block that has 4 right angles.  They should know how to measure angles using a protractor.

The students will understand parallel, perpendicular, and intersecting lines along with understanding lines of symmetry.

Spelling - The students will work with more words that have the VCV spelling pattern.  They will be responsible for pages175-177 unless they pass out of the pretest. Then they will have an alternate list of words and activities to accomplish.


Reading- In reading this week the students will continue to read The Miraculous Adventures of Edward Tulane.  They will respond to their reading in their journal using a rubric to help guide them. They will complete a vocabulary quiz on Thursday in which they will use the context of the story to determine word meaning.  This will come from chapters 7-10.

English-The students will be assessed on their knowledge of adjectives on Tuesday.  They will need to identify an adjective and the noun in the sentence that it describes.

Science-This week the students will learn about the respiratory system and the circulatory systems.

Social Studies- This week the students will describe the landscape and climate of the Badlands 67 million years ago.  They will define erosion and describe the way it changes the land.  They will understand why the climate of the Badlands changed.

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room February 29-March 4

Important Dates:

Thursday, March 3 - End of Trimester
Friday, March 4  - Institute Day - No School


Math - The students will use right angles and straight angles to determine the measure of the interior angles in pattern blocks. They will use pattern blocks to measure angles of the rotation on a clock and determine the fraction of a complete turn represented by the angle of each rotation. The students will make angles using pattern blocks.  We will also review the definition of a circle and understand and identify the radius, diameter, and circumference of a circle.

Spelling- This week the students will work with words that have the vowel consonant vowel pattern.  They will be responsible for workbook pages 144-146.

Language Arts - The students will continue to read about the Adventures of Edward Tulane.  They will respond to their reading in their journal as they compare and contrast characters actions and relate the actions to the actions and descriptions in a poem they will also read.  They will continue to study the traits of the characters and settings in the story and use evidence to support their answers.

Science- We will begin a new unit on The Human Body.  The students will  understand that cells are the building blocks of the body.  They will learn that a group of the same kind of cells make up tissues, and a group of the same kind of tissues make up organs, and  different organs make up systems.  The students will also understand  how the digestive system works.  

Social Studies - The students will explain how the Great Lakes were formed and how they are connected to the Atlantic Ocean.

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

Spelling - The students will work with words that have changed the final  y to an  i.  They will be responsible for workbook pages 129-131 in volume 2.


Math- There will be a math test on Wednesday of this week over the skills and concepts in unit 4.  They should study the kinds of problems which they completed in their workbooks in that unit.  They also have a pretest in their folder which they took at the beginning of the unit.  Now that we have learned the skills they should fix any errors on it that they have made.  They can also use this as a study tool.  We will go over it on Monday.


Reading-    We will continue our journey with Edward Tulane.  The students will be responding to questions using text evidence as their support.  They will also continue to work on vocabulary, and they will understand how the context of the passage can help them determine the meanings of words.

English - We will continue to work with adjectives this week.  The students will use the correct order of adjectives  to create phrases about nouns.

Science - A test is planned for Thursday, Feb. 25.    The students should study the key concepts from the lessons, all vocabulary, and all papers in their science folder.

They should know:
The basic needs of all living things and what basic need plants meet by themselves.
The difference between learned behaviors and instincts-also be able to give examples.
Which organism has fossils that show it has changed little over time
What happens during hibernation and migration?
Understand extinction and be able to give examples of plants and animals that are extinct
Understand adaptations and be able to give examples of adaptations and what they are used for.
Understand the life cycle of a tree and be able to label the different stages and explain what happens in each stage.
What information can you get from fossils?
Understand living fossils.

Social Studies - We travel to the Midwest Region this week.  The students will follow a rater to color a map with the states and bodies of water in the region. There will be a Map test on Friday of this week.  The students will be expected to place the states and bodies of water correctly on the map. They can earn extra points for adding correct capitals of the states.

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room Feb. 16-19

Friday, Feb.  15- No School
Tuesday & Wednesday, Feb. 16-17  - Parent/Teacher conferences
Thursday, Feb. 18 -Spring picture day

Math-This week the students will identify equivalent amounts of time and convert units of time.  The students will use a number line to solve problems with elapsed time. They will also create benchmarks for 1 milliliter  and 1 liter.  They will solve problems in which they convert milliliters to liters.

Spelling - The students will work with words that have prefixes and or suffixes this week.  They will be responsible for workbook pages 109-111.

Reading-In reading this week we will begin reading the Marvelous Adventures of  Edward Tulane. The vocabulary in the text is very rich and interesting.  The author is really challenging the students to become better readers.   We will be close reading a passage from the book and discussing the author's feelings about Edward  using text evidence to show how he feels.  The students will use their reading journal to respond to text dependent questions about the story.
.
The students will also present to the independent book slide show.

English:   In English we will focus on adjectives this week. We will also continue to learn more about metaphors and similes.

Science -The students will be able to identify an animal's or human's instinctive behaviors and learned behaviors.

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room Feb. 8-Feb. 12

Thursday, Feb. 11- Valentine's Day Party- The students may bring in Valentines to pass out for each child in the room.  It will be from 1:40-2:20.
Friday, Feb. 12 & 15- No School
Tuesday & Wednesday, Feb. 16-17,  - Parent/Teacher conferences


Math -  We will review the subtraction strategies.  There will be a checkup quiz on Tuesday over subtraction of 3 & 4 digit numbers with and without zeros.  The students will learn  measurement benchmarks and scale and use different units to measure length and distance.  They will use ratio tables to convert  given distances from kilometers to meters.

Spelling - This week in spelling the students will work with words that the suffixes ed and ing.  They will be responsible for workbook pages 252-254 in volume 1.  The test will be on Tuesday of this week.

Reading  This week we will continue our "Journeys" Unit. We will begin reading the novel The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. This story tells the tale of a china rabbit who goes on an adventure and learns how to love. We will begin by close reading an excerpt from the first chapter.

English-I will conference with the students on their response to their writing comparing the grandfather to his grandson and how his grandson came to feel as if he really knows his grandfather from the story Grandfather's Journey.

Science - This week the students will understand how the behaviors of animals help them meet their basic needs.  They will describe instinctive behaviors and learned behaviors.

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room Feb. 1- Feb. 5

Monday, Feb. 1- Read to Succeed reading logs for Six Flags are due.
Wednesday, Feb. 3- Early Dismissal 11;35
Thursday, Feb. 11- Valentine's Day Party- The students may bring in Valentines to pass out for each child in the room.  It will be from 1:40-2:20.
Friday, Feb. 12 & 15- No School
Tuesday & Wednesday, Feb. 16-17,  - Parent/Teacher conferences


Math- This week  the students will learn the standard algorithm for subtraction and compare it to other strategies. There will be a quiz on Friday over subtraction of 3 and 4 digit numbers with regrouping.

Spelling-This week the students will be working with compound words.  They will be responsible for volume 1 pages 217-219.  There will be a test on Friday.

Reading-   We will continue our look at the story Grandfather's Journey by comparing the two main characters. Students will write a response paragraph that describes the characters' similarities and how those similarities help the story's narrator to understand his grandfather. We will finish the week with a close read of the lyrics from the song, "The River" by Garth Brooks.

The students will also be working on their independent reading project.  They should have a fiction book that they have been reading.  They will be completing a project that goes with this book throughout the week.  Each night they should be reading to complete their book by Friday, Feb. 5.

English-The students will understand that similes are comparisons between two unlike things that have something in common,  and they use the words like or as in them. They will  find similes in the different texts that they are reading, and we will discuss how they help the reader understand and visualize the text better.  They will also practice using similes in their writing.

Science- This week in science the students will continue to study the behavioral and physical adaptations of plants and animals, and how they help them meet their basic needs.

News from Mrs. Cavoto's Room January 25th - January 29th

Monday, Jan. 25 - We will have our Goo, Glob, and Guts in school field trip.

Jan. 27- 4th grade Spelling Bee.  Congratulations to our classroom Spelling B winners: First place Grace Rerucha and runner-up Marko Paljetek.  They will represent our classroom in the 4th grade Spelling B.

Math - This week the students will be studying the relationships between hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, hundred thousands, and millions.  They will understand different methods for adding multiple digits. They will use the standard algorithm to solve multi - digit addition story problems.

Spelling - This week in spelling the students will be working with more words that have the Vowel, Consonant, Consonant, Vowel (VCCV) pattern.  They will be responsible for workbook pages 91-93 in Volume 2.  There will be a test on Friday.

Reading - The students will work on their Profiles in Courage Flipbook.  They should have finished their research of their hero, and this week they will put together their book.  They will be reading their individual books and completing a project to go with them.

We will begin our new unit Journeys.  The students will brainstorm what it means to go on a journey.  We will read a story written by Allen Say, called Grandfather's Journey.

English- In English this week, the students will write the final of their hero essay.  They will also practice using formal and informal language in their writing.

Social Studies- The students will finish and share their Southeast Scrapbooks.

Science- We will begin a new unit on Adaptations.  The students will explore how the bodies and behaviors of animals help them meet their needs

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

Monday, Jan. 18 - No school Martin Luther King, Jr. B-Day
Thursday & Friday, Jan. 21-22  Practice Spelling B in class.  No words have been given out to practice.  The winner and runner-up of the Spelling B on Friday will make it to the grade level spelling B.
Wednesday, Jan. 27 - Grade level Spelling B.


Math- Unit 3 Assessment test will be on Wednesday of this week.  The students should study the lessons from their binders and workbooks.  They have a pretest for homework they should study as well.

Spelling - This week is a review unit. The students will work on pages 79-81 in their volume 2 spelling books.  There will be a test on Friday.

English-This week the students will work on adding details and support to their hero essays, along with writing their conclusions.

Reading-The students will choose a person from a list of famous people who may be considered  heroes to others. They will then do research to learn about this person and create a flip book with important information about their lives and the courageous things they have accomplished.

They should also have a fictional book that they are reading.  They will be working on a book report for this book.

Social Studies- There will be a social studies test on Thursday of this week over chapter 7 lesson 1 only.  The students should study the information from their textbook, know the vocabulary, and the information from the sheets in their folders.

We will have our "Taste of the Southeast" on Friday of this week. Please let me know if you would be willing to send in any of the following items on Thursday.

Rice cakes- 23 count

Edamame-Soybeans 1 package

Peach cups - I need  enough for 23 students, So a couple of volunteers for these would be great.

Orange Juice- 2 containers needed.

Popcorn- 23 bags

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

The Six Flags Reading sheet is due on February first for those students who are participating.  

Tuesday. Jan. 12 - Reading MAP Testing
Wednesday, Jan. 13 - Math MAP Testing
Friday, Jan. 15- Early dismissal

Math- The students will continue to investigate the relationships between fractions and decimals by modeling various fractions, including fifths, with base ten area pieces and then naming them as decimals.  They will order fractions and decimals on a number line.  A unit 3 post assessment is planned for Wednesday, January 20th. 

Spelling- This week the students will work with words that have the Vowel Consonant Consonant Vowel patterns (VCCV).  They will understand that dividing words into syllables will help them to spell it.

Reading- The students will continue to close read the story of Lou Gehrig. They will answer text dependent questions. They will also work on vocabulary for the story.  There will be a vocabulary and comprehension test on Lou Gehrig on Friday, Jan. 15.    The students can bring home their books to help them review the story.

English- We will continue to work on explanatory writing this week.   The students will write about a person in their life whom they see as a hero.  This is a person in their personal life that they know a lot about.

Social Studies- The students will learn about the Native Americans - The Cherokee, who lived in the Southeast Region.  They will describe how the Cherokee lived before the Europeans came to North America and understand how their life changed once the Europeans came.