Week of 1/4-1/8 2010

Odds and Ends

*Thank you to everyone for making my holidays merry and bright! I really appreciate the gift cards and will enjoy using them over the break. I wish you all a happy, relaxing, and fun holiday season and see you in 2010!

*Reading Incentive Programs: A note was sent home about the Six Flags Reading program. This is optional, but if your child would like to read for 6 hours by Feb. 19th and record the books and times read, they can earn a free ticket to Six Flags for this summer. There is also another reading program, Ozzie's Reading Club, where you can child can earn a ticket to the Kane County Cougars game. A note will be sent home for this after break. You can use the same reading time for both programs, so READ, READ, READ!

*Spelling Bee: A packet of words to study for this years spelling bee was sent home this week. More information about the dates of the bee will be sent home after break.

UPCOMING EVENTS

*Thurs. 1/7: Math: Ch 5 Time Test

*Fri. 1/8: Spelling: List 16 Test

English: Friendly Letter Graded Review

Math: 4's multiplication timed test

A LOOK AHEAD

*Reading: We will be working on summarizing and sequencing. We will also work on problem/solution, genre, and word work in our ISAT workbooks.

*English: We will be focusing on friendly letter writing. We will learn the 5 parts of a friendly letter, how to address an envelope, and write some letters of our own.

*Spelling: We are going to begin on list 16 when we return from break. These are 1+1+1 words (one vowel, one consonant, and one syllable). There will be a test on Friday.

*Science: We will begin chapter 9 on weather when we return from break. First lesson: the world's water and the water cycle.

*Social Studies: We will continue chapter 3 with lesson 3 on immigration and culture.

*Math: We will continue chapter 5 on time. We will focus on the calendar. There will be a test covering all of the time lessons (6-10) on Thurs. We will also work on 4's multiplication. Keep your multiplication facts sharp by studying them over the break!

Enjoy your family and friends this holiday season. We have so much to be thankful for. I am thankful for my great students! Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

~Mrs. Olsen

Week of 12/14-12/18

Odds and Ends:

*Scholastic Book Order: December book order is due Monday, 12/14.

*Bowling: We will be bowling for gym class on Tues. 12/15. Thank you all for turning in permission slips-we are all accounted for! You may send $3-5 for your child to purchase a treat at the snack bar. We will be coming back for lunch, so we will allow one treat per child. You may want to send a sack lunch that day since your child may not be as hungry.

*Volunteers Needed: If you are interested in helping tie roller skates for the roller skating unit in gym class the 2 weeks following winter break, please contact Ms. Stainman via email at tstainmain@ccsd66.org. Thank you!

* Tivoli Movie: Again-100% of permission slips have been turned in! Thanks! We will enjoy a movie on the last day of school before winter break. We will be eating lunch in the classrooms on Fri. 12/18. Hot lunch will be available or you can send your child with a sack lunch.

*Thank you: Thank you to everyone for donating gifts to our adopted family! We had quite a pile of gifts to be delivered to the family. What a great feeling to know we helped to make their holidays bright!

*Please be advised that as of January 4, 2010 there will be a price increase in the student hot lunch program. The price of hot lunch will be $2.50 per meal.

UPCOMING EVENTS

*Tues. 12/15: Bowling: 9-11 am

Jr. Achievement #4

*Thurs. 12/17: Jr. Achievement: Last Session

Math: Elapsed Time Graded Review

3x Multiplication

*Fri. 12/18

English: Chapter 3 Verbs Test

Holiday Concert Assembly

Tivoli Movie 12-2 pm

WINTER BREAK BEGINS...See you in 2010 =)

A LOOK AT NEXT WEEK:

*Reading: We will continue to work on The Mysterious Giant of Barletta next week with an extended response question. We will also work on some holiday projects with The Grinch.

*English: We will finish up our verbs unit.

We will focus on irregular verbs and contractions with not.

A study guide will be sent home Wed.

The final test will be Fri.

*Spelling: This week we will work on a special holiday word list.

The list will come home Monday. As a holiday treat, there will not be a test this week. =)

*Science: When we return from break we will begin our unit on weather.

*Social Studies: We will continue to learn about why people move as we read and

study Chapter 3. We will focus on moving to new communities and learning about new cultures.

*Math: We will work on the second half of chapter 5- Time. We will get through most of the lessons before break. We will take a graded review on elapsed time before break and continue studying time when we return in January. We will work on 3's multiplication. The test will be on Thurs. 12/17, since we will not meet for math on Fri. 12/18.

Enjoy your weekend and stay warm!

Mrs.Olsen

Week of 12/7-12/11

Odds and Ends

*Thank you: It was great to meet with everyone during parent teacher conferences this week! I look forward to a great winter and spring with your children!

*Thank you to Miss Millbrandt for a wonderful few months together and a fabulous job of student teaching! We had a wonderful surprise party for her on Thurs. and celebrated together as she begins her next journey.
Thank you to all of the families who made the day possible!
Thank you to Mrs. Peloso, Mrs. Williams,
Mrs. Hougaard, and Mrs. Burisek for attending the party.
Thank you to all of the families who provided good food, supplies, and games for the party.
We will miss Miss Millbrandt very much!

*Volunteers Needed: I am looking for parents, grandparents, aunt, uncles, friends who would like to come into the classroom to work with the students as we read and write. I am looking for volunteers Monday-Friday from 2:00-2:20. I would be interested in contacting a senior citizen group, church group, or any interested friends or family to work with us in the classroom. Please email me if you are interested or have any contact information for people or groups that may be interested. Thank you!

*Service Project: Listed below are all of the wonderful gifts we received for our adopted family. If you happen to be holiday shopping this weekend and can donate a gift for the family, it is greatly appreciated. All gifts are due to school by Tuesday 12/8. Thank you in advance for your generosity! Thank you to those of you who have already donated!!!!

4 year old boy:
puzzle
book
pencil
crayons
coloring books
Mr. Potato Head
electronic dog
Candyland

11 year old girl:
craft kit
lip gloss
2 bracelets
scrapbook kit
notebook
pajama bottoms
socks

Mom:
candle
bracelet

Grandma:
picture frame
bag

Dad:
pajama bottoms

Family:
Gift card to Ultra Foods
Yahtzee Game

A LOOK AT NEXT WEEK :

*Mon. 12/7: Jr. Achievement Day 2

*Tues. 12/8: Science: Chap 1o Space Test
Service Project Gifts are Due

*Thurs. 12/10: Jr. Achievement Day 3
Math: Math Graded Checkpoint on Money

*Fri. 12/11: Reading: The Mysterious Giant of Barletta Vocab quiz
Spelling: List 14 test
Math: 5's and 10's multiplication timed test

*Mon. 12/14: Book Order Due

WHAT'S HAPPENING NEXT WEEK

*Reading: We will begin a new strategy focus: making connections. We will use Tomie dePaola's story The Mysterious Giant of Barletta to introduce this strategy. We will explore many more of his books. A vocab. list will be sent home early in the week and the quiz will be on Friday.

*English: We will continue to work on verbs. We will also begin introducing the 6 traits of writing.

*Spelling: We will be on list 14 this week: irregular words past tense. We will have a test on Friday, 12/11.

*Science: We are finishing up our space chapter. We will play a review game on Monday. The final test will be on Tuesday. The next unit....weather!

*Social Studies: We will begin our the next unit: Chapter 3: People move from place to place.

*Math: We will continue to work on money this week, focusing on counting change (The Olsen Classroom Store will be open on Monday to work on this skills!) and adding and subtracting money. We will take a chapter checkpoint on money on Thurs. We will then begin time. We will also work on 5's and 10's times tables: both will be tested on on Friday.

Thank you for checking out my blog this week. Enjoy your long weekend!
Mrs. Olsen