Week of December 15 to 19

Around the World Reports due THIS WEEK

Spelling Unit 15 REVIEW TEST on THURSDAY  - students who are absent on Thursday will not make up the spelling test.  We have so many absences that it would be difficult to administer the spelling test privately upon their return.

Spelling Lists

Christmas Around the World Web site:

Christmas Around the World

Just a reminder that our Culture Reports are due THIS week. 

Please note that students should select a country that does not include the United States, unless they are specifically reporting on Native American customs or traditions.  Mexican and Canadian traditions are fine, as they are from a country separate from the United States of America.  

Christmas is a wonderful time to think about our own family traditions and customs.  During the next week, we will be discussing ways that different countries celebrate the holiday season.  Each student will be giving a short oral presentation about a selected country.  The report will only last between 3 to 5 minutes, and nothing will need to be handed in for this report.

Students will:

* Pick one nationality to talk about (it does NOT need to be their own nationality)

* Be able to locate the country on the MAP and GLOBE

*  Bring in at least ONE, but not more than three, items that represent the country(flag, photo, drawing, souvenir, figurine, etc.)

*  Tell the class about a special tradition or custom used during a holiday celebrated in that country.

Students may use note cards, but the goal is to look up at the class and speak fluently, without reading directly off of a paper.

Around the World Reports due THIS WEEK

Spelling Unit 15 REVIEW TEST on THURSDAY

Spelling Lists

Christmas Around the World Web site:

Christmas Around the World

Just a reminder that our Culture Reports are due THIS week. 

Please note that students should select a country that does not include the United States, unless they are specifically reporting on Native American customs or traditions.  Mexican and Canadian traditions are fine, as they are from a country separate from the United States of America.  

Christmas is a wonderful time to think about our own family traditions and customs.  During the next week, we will be discussing ways that different countries celebrate the holiday season.  Each student will be giving a short oral presentation about a selected country.  The report will only last between 3 to 5 minutes, and nothing will need to be handed in for this report.

Students will:

* Pick one nationality to talk about (it does NOT need to be their own nationality)

* Be able to locate the country on the MAP and GLOBE

*  Bring in at least ONE, but not more than three, items that represent the country(flag, photo, drawing, souvenir, figurine, etc.)

*  Tell the class about a special tradition or custom used during a holiday celebrated in that country.

Students may use note cards, but the goal is to look up at the class and speak fluently, without reading directly off of a paper.

Odds and Ends

Today we took our Unit 14 spelling test.  Next week's test is a review unit, so we will take it on Thursday so as not to conflict with the holiday parties on Friday.

We read a Time for Kids article about Great Lakes and the water pollution affecting these resources.

We also worked in our Grammar workbooks to complete two review pages about singular and possessive nouns.

Most students have completed typing The Three Branches of Government essay.  Students who finished had time to work on Raz-Kids.

Culture Reports are starting on Monday.  The guidelines are again included in the Friday newsletter packet.  Please let me know if you are encountering any problems!!

Social Studies Chapter 3

Today we completed reading and taking our Chapter Quizzes over Chapter 3 in Social Studies.  Tomorrow we hope to finish typing the final copy of our Three Branches of Government essays.

We also designed and wrote about a stamp representing New Lenox.  We talked about National, Sate, and Local government.

Our spelling test over Unit 14 is tomorrow.  We did review practice today.  

Our read aloud classroom books are:

Block 2- The House Without a Christmas Tree - by Gail Rock

Block 1 - The Last Holiday Concert by Andrew Clements

Just a reminder that our Culture Reports are due next week. 

Christmas is a wonderful time to think about our own family traditions and customs.  During the next week, we will be discussing ways that different countries celebrate the holiday season.  Each student will be giving a short oral presentation about a selected country.  The report will only last between 3 to 5 minutes, and nothing will need to be handed in for this report.

Students will:

* Pick one nationality to talk about (it does NOT need to be their own nationality)

* Be able to locate the country on the MAP and GLOBE

*  Bring in at least ONE, but not more than three, items that represent the country(flag, photo, drawing, souvenir, figurine, etc.)

*  Tell the class about a special tradition or custom used during a holiday celebrated in that country.

Students may use note cards, but the goal is to look up at the class and speak fluently, without reading directly off of a paper.

Here's a web site that you can use for research at home.  You just need to navigate the site to locate the country that you are researching:

Christmas Around the World

Firestorm Story Test

Today we took our story selection test over the comprehension and vocabulary from "Firestorm" on pages 344-354 in the Storytown book.  There was also a written (extended response/essay) part on the test.  The expectation is that the essay question is written in complete, detailed sentences with support for the answer.  A model is always provided on the board to help students focus their ideas.

We completed Spelling workbook pages 57-58 to prepare for Friday's Unit 14 test.

We also read Social Studies pages 92-97 together and answered the workbook questions.  We will continue typing our Three Branches of Government essays on Friday. They are coming along very well!

Our read aloud classroom books are:

Block 2- The House Without a Christmas Tree - by Gail Rock

Block 1 - The Last Holiday Concert by Andrew Clements

Just a reminder that our Culture Reports are due next week. 

Christmas is a wonderful time to think about our own family traditions and customs.  During the next week, we will be discussing ways that different countries celebrate the holiday season.  Each student will be giving a short oral presentation about a selected country.  The report will only last between 3 to 5 minutes, and nothing will need to be handed in for this report.

Students will:

* Pick one nationality to talk about (it does NOT need to be their own nationality)

* Be able to locate the country on the MAP and GLOBE

*  Bring in at least ONE, but not more than three, items that represent the country(flag, photo, drawing, souvenir, figurine, etc.)

*  Tell the class about a special tradition or custom used during a holiday celebrated in that country.

Students may use note cards, but the goal is to look up at the class and speak fluently, without reading directly off of a paper.

Here's a web site that you can use for research at home.  You just need to navigate the site to locate the country that you are researching:

Christmas Around the World

Firestorm

Here's a link to our eBook for today's story homework, "Firestorm" on pages 344-354.

eBook

We also completed Practice Workbook p. 72 to go over vocabulary.



Just a reminder that our Culture Reports are due next week. 

Christmas is a wonderful time to think about our own family traditions and customs.  During the next week, we will be discussing ways that different countries celebrate the holiday season.  Each student will be giving a short oral presentation about a selected country.  The report will only last between 3 to 5 minutes, and nothing will need to be handed in for this report.

Students will:

* Pick one nationality to talk about (it does NOT need to be their own nationality)

* Be able to locate the country on the MAP and GLOBE

*  Bring in at least ONE, but not more than three, items that represent the country(flag, photo, drawing, souvenir, figurine, etc.)

*  Tell the class about a special tradition or custom used during a holiday celebrated in that country.

Students may use note cards, but the goal is to look up at the class and speak fluently, without reading directly off of a paper.

Here's a web site that you can use for research at home.  You just need to navigate the site to locate the country that you are researching:

Christmas Around the World

Spelling Unit 14

Last week's spelling tests were not the best.  Please continue to study at home.  We will do a few extra practice pages to help us prepare for this week's test.  This week's words all end with an/ain/en/on combinations.

Spelling List

We also worked on continuing to type our "Branches of Government" essays.  They are coming along nicely.



Just a reminder that our Culture Reports are due next week.

Christmas is a wonderful time to think about our own family traditions and customs.  During the next week, we will be discussing ways that different countries celebrate the holiday season.  Each student will be giving a short oral presentation about a selected country.  The report will only last between 3 to 5 minutes, and nothing will need to be handed in for this report.

Students will:

* Pick one nationality to talk about (it does NOT need to be their own nationality)

* Be able to locate the country on the MAP and GLOBE

*  Bring in at least ONE, but not more than three, items that represent the country(flag, photo, drawing, souvenir, figurine, etc.)

*  Tell the class about a special tradition or custom used during a holiday celebrated in that country.

Students may use note cards, but the goal is to look up at the class and speak fluently, without reading directly off of a paper.

Here's a web site that you can use for research at home.  You just need to navigate the site to locate the country that you are researching:

Christmas Around the World

Culture Reports due Week of December 15

Christmas is a wonderful time to think about our own family traditions and customs.  During the next week, we will be discussing ways that different countries celebrate the holiday season.  Each student will be giving a short oral presentation about a selected country.  The report will only last between 3 to 5 minutes, and nothing will need to be handed in for this report.

Students will:

* Pick one nationality to talk about (it does NOT need to be their own nationality)

* Be able to locate the country on the MAP and GLOBE

*  Bring in at least ONE, but not more than three, items that represent the country (flag, photo, drawing, souvenir, figurine, etc.)

*  Tell the class about a special tradition or custom used during a holiday celebrated in that country.

Students may use note cards, but the goal is to look up at the class and speak fluently, without reading directly off of a paper.

Here's a web site that you can use for research at home.  You just need to navigate the site to locate the country that you are researching:

Christmas Around the World


Today we also took our spelling tests, finished our Mountain posters, and started to type our Three Branches of Government essays in the computer lab.  Talk about a busy day!  Whew!

Friday packets with next week's spelling words are being sent home today.

Volcanoes

Today we completed reading pages 88-91 in our red Social Studies books.  We used the information in our chapter to help us complete our rough draft of our "Three Branches of Government" essay.  We will be typing these essays in the computer lab next week.

Our spelling test will be over Lesson 13 tomorrow.  This lesson is about word endings.

We read a Time for Kids story about Volcanoes and completed a cause/effect volcano worksheet.  We also continued to work on our Mountain posters.  These posters reflect the information we read about in our Semour Simon reading story on Tuesday (Storytown pages 316-329).

Mountain Project

Instead of taking a story test, students used today to organize and create a poster showing their knowledge and comprehension of the Mountain story found on pages 316-329 in their Storytown book.  Here's another link to the story:
eBook

This project requirement asked to student to identify three ways that mountains are formed, to provide an example of each of the three mountain formations, illustrate, proofread, and present their poster.  Students were allowed to work individually, with a partner, or in a group of three.  A scoring rubric was shared and discussed with the students.  Students will continue wiring on this project tomorrow as well.

We will have a spelling test on Friday.

In social studies we are working on the three branches of government.  Student government essays will replace the chapter test.

On Friday I will be passing out a sheet to explain a social studies culture project.  This project will be a brief oral report presented to the class the week of December 15-19.  Students will be selecting one country to locate on the map and globe, and they will share a tradition or custom celebrated in this country.  Details will be coming home.

Mountains

Today we read the expository nonfiction test, Mountains.  This book is found on pages 316-329 in Storytown.  Here's the online link:

eBook

We took a long time to read this story together in class, as we discussed the four types of mountain formations in great detail.  Tomorrow we will be creating posters to show the ways that mountains are formed.  This project will take the place of our story test.  Students will use their knowledge of vocabulary words to show understanding and to provide examples of each kind of mountain.  Students are expected to reread this story tonight as homework.  We also completed our Practice workbook page 67 for vocabulary.

Welcome Back!

We worked on practicing our spelling words, and this week we are on Unit 14.

Click here for a link to our words:

Spelling List

We completed Spelling workbook pages 51-52.



We also learned about the difference between a dictionary, encyclopedia, atlas, and globe.  We completed a Practice workbook page over this skill.

We are also continuing to read and learn about the Three Branches of Government.   If all goes well, we will continue our essays about the branches this week, and the final copy of the essay will take the place of our Chapter 3 social studies test.