The Week of February 2, 2009

MISS TREFONAS'S HOMEROOM:

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SPELLING BEE: Congratulations to Megan & Nakitha for winning our homeroom spelling bee!

They will compete in the 5th grade spelling bee on Tuesday @ 9:45! GOOD LUCK!!

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FIELD TRIP: Wednesday we are going to Naper Settlement to experience life in the 1800s!

Our chaperones are: Mrs. Lippi, Mrs. Kirkolis, Mrs. Meyer, and Mrs. Soderstrom. A big thanks to all of them for volunteering.

~SACK LUNCH!!

~DRESS APPROPRIATELY FOR WEATHER!!

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T.G.F.D. Week 3 with Deputy K. Remember, assignments are counted for science grade!

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SOCIAL STUDIES: Patriot/Loyalist final copy of the entire project (Lessons 1-3) is due Monday, Feb. 9th.

Chapter 8 Test is scheduled for Tuesday, February 10th.

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SCIENCE: Chapter 17 Sound

Echoes, sound transmission, and how animals hear and make sounds will be covered this week.

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MISS TREFONAS'S READING-ENGLISH-SPELLING CLASS:

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SPELLING: Lesson 21 and word of the week

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ENGLISH: Persuasive writing! Your child has begun writing their first draft.

This week we will be writing our introduction and conclusion and start revising.

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READING: Toliver's Secret end of book project, a setting corner, is due Monday.

We will be working on "purpose for reading" with our ISAT skill books.

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VOCAB CLUB: January words were due Fri. 1/30. Students should now be working on their 10 February words.

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SCOOPer reading: What enthusiastic readers we have!! Have your child tell you about the book they are reading......Keep reading!

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MISS TREFONAS'S MATH CLASS:

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Chapter 12 Fractions........this week we will cover lesson 12.5 "comparing and ordering fractions and mixed numbers, and lesson 12.7 "fractions & decimals"

We will be finishing the chapter this week and testing next week.

The Week of January 26, 2009

Miss Trefonas's Homeroom:

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SPELLING BEE 2009 = Students have received word lists. We had our homeroom practice spellling bee this past Thursday . The homeroom final spelling bee which we will have 2 winners is Tuesday, January, 27th. The 5th grade spelling bee which the 2 homeroom winners will represent our class is Tuesday, Feb. 3rd!
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TOO GOOD FOR DRUGS (TGFD) = Deputy Kotovsky held our second session this past Thursday. The students have a homework assignment that requires family participation. The top part of the sheet needs to be turned in this Thursday with a parent signature.
*Your child will receive a grade in science for their participation in this program.

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SOCIAL STUDIES = Loyalist/Patriot final copies for Chapter 8 - Lesson 1 topics is due Tuesday. We will be writing and completing the Loyalist/Patriot paragraphs for Chapter 8 -Lesson 2 this week. The Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party, and Intolerable Acts are the events that the students will be covering from the two different viewpoints.

We will also be starting Chapter 8 - Lesson 3 which covers Paul Revere, the "Shot Heard Around the World, and the Battle of Bunker Hill.

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SCIENCE = Sound - Chapter 17

We will be learning about soundwaves, sound energy!

Mr. Tedeschi is going to be doing a special demonstration with our class to help us learn about pitch and frequency!

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PROJECT CHALLENGE meets on Tuesday, January 27th!

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MISS TREFONAS'S READING-SPELLING-LANGUAGE ARTS CLASS:

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SPELLING = Lesson 20 and word of the week.

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LANGUAGE ARTS = Persuasive Writing......The students will be given a list of topics to choose their persuasive topic. The students will then plan their paper using a "step" graphic organizer.

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READING= Toliver's Secret book club discussion sheet for pages 55 - 106 is due Monday.

The final book club discussion sheet and reading assignment will be due Wednesday.

The students will be assigned an end of the book activity, a setting corner, later in the week.

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SCOOPER READING= We are halfway through the trimester which means that students should be halfway through the goal they set for our independent reading program.

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VOCAB CLUB = January words are due on or before Friday!

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MISS TREFONAS'S MATH CLASS:

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Chapter 12 Fractions!! We will be covering lessons 12.1 - 12.4 which includes equivalent fractions, simplest form, and mixed numbers.

Homework sheet - Friday, January 30th

QUIZ - Friday, January 30th

The Week of January 19, 2009

NO SCHOOL - MONDAY, JANUARY 19TH in observance of Martin Luther King holiday

RED, WHITE, & BLUE DAY = Tuesday for the INAUGURATION of Barak Obama!

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MISS TREFONAS'S HOMEROOM:

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SPELLING BEE 2009 = Students will receive word lists on Tuesday. Our homeroom practice spellling bee is scheduled for Thursday 1/22. Homeroom final spelling bee which we will have 2 winners is Tuesday 1/27. More information will be shared about the 5th grade bee and school spelling bee.......

In our homeroom, we will be watching an inspirational movie The Girl who Spelled Freedom.

This movie deals with achieving goals and overcoming obstacles. It's based on a true story of a Cambodian refugee who ends up participating in the National Spelling Bee.

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TOO GOOD FOR DRUGS (TGFD) = Deputy Kotovsky held our first session Thursday, 1/15.

He sent home a parent letter with your child explaining this age-appropriate abuse prevention curriculum.

Your child will receive a grade in science for their participation in this program.

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SOCIAL STUDIES: We are learning about the First Continental Congress and will be continuing our Patriot/Loyalist project. Have your child share their rough draft from Chapter 8, Lesson 1.

SCIENCE: We are not starting a new unit this week.

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MISS TREFONAS'S READING - ENGLISH - SPELLING :

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SPELLING: Lesson 19 and word of the week

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ENGLISH = Persuasive Writing......We will begin looking at persuasive text and the elements of a persuasive piece of writing.

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READING =
"Toliver's Secret" is the novel we will be using for Book Clubs. We will be going over making connections to self, another text, or another wordly event. We will also be applying the strategies of summarizing, questioning, and predicting.
This novel is historical fiction and extends what is being learned about the American Revolution in social studies.
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SCOOPer Reading = continue to read and work on book activities....
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VOCAB CLUB= January words are due at the end of the month.

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MISS TREFONAS'S MATH CLASS:

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Unit 11 Fraction Concepts - We have finished Lesson 1, multiples & least common multiple

Lesson 2, Divisibility Rules, and Lesson 3 Factors & Greatest Common Factor.

During class on Friday, I went over exactly what to review for Lessons 1-3 with the class.

Notes and the divisibility notesheet will be allowed for the quiz.

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Lesson 4 Prime & Composite Numbers = Tuesday

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QUIZ ON LESSONS 1-4 = WEDNESDAY & Homework sheet

STAY WARM,

MISS TREFONAS

The Week of January 12. 2009

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The Week of January 12th in Miss Trefonas's Homeroom:

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IOWA Tests of Basic Skills are this week. The students will be completing the reading and math tests in their reading and math classrooms. I'd like to provide a healthy snack to the class on testing days. If you can contribute an individually wrapped snack, (cereal bars, fruit snacks, graham crackers, Goldfish or cheese crackers, and/or Capri Sun or another juice drink) it would be greatly appreciated!! THANKS!!!

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T.G.F.D. = Too Good For Drugs! Your child will be involved in a ten week program which takes place in our classroom and is instructed by Deputy K. who is a Dupage Sheriff officer.Our first session is Thursday, January 15th. Your child will be bringing home information that tells all about the program. There is weekly homework that involves family participation.
This counts as a participation grade for Science/Health!

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SCIENCE = Chapter 15 We are on the last lesson "How Do People Use Energy Resources".

How to Study sheet will be filled out Tuesday and we will hilight notes.

CHAPTER 15 TEST is FRIDAY. *There will be less of a homework load this week due to IOWA testing, so there should be more than ample time for quality study time.

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SOCIAL STUDIES = Chapter 8 Lesson 2 "The Colonists Rebel & The Boston Massacre"

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MISS TREFONAS'S READING-ENGLISH-SPELLING CLASS:

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IOWA Tests of Basic Skills are the week of January 12th. The students will be completing the reading and language arts tests in their reading classroom. I'd like to provide a healthy snack to the class on testing days. If you can contribute an individually wrapped snack, (cereal bars, fruit snacks, graham crackers, Goldfish or cheese crackers, and/or Capri Sun or another juice drink) it would be greatly appreciated!! THANKS!!!

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SPELLING = None this week due to IOWA testing!

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ENGLISH = Persuasive Writing......We will begin looking at persuasive text and the elements of a persuasive piece of writing.

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READING = Analogies and Idioms!

"Toliver's Secret" is the novel we will be using for Book Clubs. We will be going over making connections to self, another text, or another wordly event. We will also be applying the strategies of summarizing, questioning, and predicting.

This novel is historical fiction and extends what is being learned about the American Revolution in social studies.

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SCOOPer Reading = continue to read and work on book activities....

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VOCAB CLUB= January words are due at the end of the month.

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MISS TREFONAS'S MATH CLASS:

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IOWA Tests of Basic Skills are the week of January 12th. The students will be completing the math testing in their math classroom. I'd like to provide a healthy snack to the class on testing days. If you can contribute an individually wrapped snack, (cereal bars, fruit snacks, graham crackers, Goldfish or cheese crackers, and/or Capri Sun or another juice drink) it would be greatly appreciated!! THANKS!!!

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We are skipping to CHAPTER 11 "Fraction Concepts"

Multiples, least common multiple, divisibility rules, and greatest common factor are what is being covered this week. These concepts will require some review/reinforcement at home.

MISS TREFONAS

The Week of January 5th, 2009

MISS TREFONAS'S HOMEROOM:

HAPPY NEW YEAR & Welcome Back to school!

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IMPORTANT REMINDER: The week of January 12th we will be taking our IOWA standardized testing. It is important for your child to get a good night's sleep and healthy breakfast in order to do their best!

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Social Studies: Chapter 8 "The American Revolution"

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Science: continuing Chapter 15 "Forms of Energy"

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MISS TREFONAS'S READING, ENGLISH & SPELLING:

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Lakeview book checkout is Wednesday, January 7th!

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IOWA Tests of Basic Skills are the week of January 12th. The students will be completing the reading and language arts testS in their reading classroom. I'd like to provide a healthy snack to the class on testing days. If you can contribute an individually wrapped snack, (cereal bars, fruit snacks, graham crackers, Goldfish or cheese crackers, and/or Capri Sun or another juice drink) it would be greatly appreciated!! THANKS!!!

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SPELLING: Lesson 17 Review Lesson - The final test is multiple choice format.

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ENGLISH: Verbs! We are finishing the chapter and the test is Friday.

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READING: We will be practicing some word usage skills: homonyms, idioms, and analogies.

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We will also be starting BOOK CLUBS! The students will have a choice of a literature selection to read and will be responsible for completing a "Book club discussion sheet". This sheet has the children apply the reading strategies of summarizing, predicting, connecting, and questioning.

There will be 3 book club discussion sheets to be completed during this activity. The students need to follow the guidelines which I will be providing in order to pace themselves. They will be given class time, but this also requires at home reading and working on the discussion sheet.

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SCOOPer Reading: We are in the 2nd trimester and many students have read and completed more than one book activity!

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VOCAB CLUB: December words due January 5th! January words due at the end of the month.

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MISS TREFONAS'S MATH CLASS:

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Chapter 6 Decimals - Rounding, adding and subtracting and estimating sums

TEST is WEDNESDAY, January 7th. We will be reviewing in class but studying should take place at home too! This was a short chapter and the students have been doing very well with the concepts.

IOWA TESTS OF BASIC SKILLS are being given the week of January 12th. The students will be given the math sections of the test in our math class. I would like to provide a healthy snack to the class during testing days. If you can contribute an individually wrapped snack (fruit snack, cereal bars, Goldfish or cheese crackers, graham crackers, Capri-Sun or another juice drink) it would certainly help! Thanks!!!!

HAPPY 2009!!!