Friday, November 28, 2008

Miss Pellin's Post
December 1st- December 5th

I hope everyone had an excellent Thanksgiving weekend. We will be having parent-teacher conferences Monday, December 1st and Tuesday, December 2nd with Language Art's parents. You should already have scheduled a conference. I look forward to talking to each of you. There will be no school on Friday, December 5th. Please plan accordingly.


A Special Holiday Project!

Each year Prairieview runs a service project around the holidays. Our efforts will benefit two organizations: a cancer family and a family shelter. Each classroom at Prairieview has a family or an individual that is in need at this time. In addition to the cancer families, we will also be making cash donations and gift donations to the family shelter, a shelter for domestic abuse. This shelter is in the local area. This year our class has a very special family.

Our family includes:
~Alicia Maddox(cancer patient) -20 years old (Mom)
~Alanna - 1 year old (daughter)

Sadly, Alicia has cancer. Not only does this family struggle with the stress of treatments and illness, but they are less fortunate than us financially, too. In order to make this a special holiday, we have “adopted” them. If you could send in a NEW, not used, present for one or more of the family members that would be greatly appreciated.

Directions for our class family gifts:

*Please wrap the gifts if they are not food items.
*LABEL the item with what it is with a post it note.
*Label who it is for.

Some ideas for NEW (not used) gifts include, but are not limited to:

Alicia: (age 20) Bath and body, perfume, jewelry, candles, kitchen accessories, picture frames/albums, gift certificates, gift baskets, slippers, etc.
Daughter: (age 1) Baby Clothes, stuffed animals, toys, etc.

Gift certificates to consider:

Jewel, Best Buy, Kohl’s, Wal-Mart, Target, Toys R Us, K-Mart, Sears, JC Penney’s, Carson Pierre Scott, Chili’s, TGIFridays, Subway, McDonalds, Burger King, ETC.

Gifts for the Family Shelter:

We are accepting Cash or checks (payable to Family Shelter Service) gift cards in any denomination. NEW toys, games, books, puzzles, sports equipment, jewelry/other accessories, warm gloves and hats. Unlike the gifts for our family, these gifts should NOT be wrapped.

***ALL DONATIONS NEED TO BE BROUGHT TO SCHOOL ON OR BEFORE WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10th!

The Fifteenth Week of 2008 at School:
Home Room
Science: We will study science inquiry skills and the tools used in experimental science. Students can use their new Science textbook online from the website http://www.thinkcentral.com/
to help understand the subject. In order to access the Science textbook at home go to the same website. The user name is your parent connect number. The password is ccsd66.

Social Studies: We will continue to study culture and we will begin to study immigration in Chapter 3. The concepts come together when we examine the culture of various ethnic groups in our community.

Language Arts
Spelling: There will be a Spelling "List 13" test on Thursday, December 4th.

Reading: We will study the concept of "point-of-view." Different characters in a story may have very different points-of-view. It is important for the reader to understand these differences in order to interpret the events of a story.

English: We will begin to study letter writing. This will include learning how to address an envelop, learning each student's own address, and the key parts of a letter.

Math: We will begin multiplication "x4." There will be a mad minute "x4" quiz on Thursday, December 4th. We will also begin the study of different types of graphs. Students will collect data from other students and construct their own bar graphs to display the results.

Things to Remember:
Monday 12/1: Yearbook orders are due. Parent/Teacher conferences will be held.
Tuesday 12/2: Parent/Teacher conferences will be held.
Thursday 12/4: There will be a mad minutes quiz. There will be a Spelling test.
Friday 12/5: There is no school.

Contact Information:
E-Mail address: mpellin@ccsd66.org
Voice mail: (630)783-5065

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Miss Pellin's Post
November 23rd- November 28th


Have a Happy Thanksgiving! There will be no school from Wednesday, November 26th until Sunday, November 30th. Thank-you to all the parent volunteers who made our Downers Grove field trip lots of fun!

A Special Holiday Project!
Each year Prairieview runs a service project around the holidays. Our efforts will benefit two organizations: a cancer family and a family shelter. Each classroom at Prairieview has a family or an individual that is in need at this time. In addition to the cancer families, we will also be making cash donations and gift donations to the family shelter, a shelter for domestic abuse. This shelter is in the local area. This year our class has a very special family.

Our family includes:
~Alicia Maddox(cancer patient) -20 years old (Mom)
~Alanna - 1 year old (daughter)

Sadly, Alicia has cancer. Not only does this family struggle with the stress of treatments and illness, but they are less fortunate than us financially, too. In order to make this a special holiday, we have “adopted” them. If you could send in a NEW, not used, present for one or more of the family members that would be greatly appreciated.

Directions for our class family gifts:
*Please wrap the gifts if they are not food items.
*LABEL the item with what it is with a post it note.
*Label who it is for.

Some ideas for NEW (not used) gifts include, but are not limited to:
Alicia: (age 20) Bath and body, perfume, jewelry, candles, kitchen accessories, picture frames/albums, gift certificates, gift baskets, slippers, etc.
Daughter: (age 1) Baby Clothes, stuffed animals, toys, etc.

Gift certificates to consider:

Jewel, Best Buy, Kohl’s, Wal-Mart, Target, Toys R Us, K-Mart, Sears, JC Penney’s, Carson Pierre Scott, Chili’s, TGIFridays, Subway, McDonalds, Burger King, ETC.

Gifts for the Family Shelter:

We are accepting Cash or checks (payable to Family Shelter Service) gift cards in any denomination. NEW toys, games, books, puzzles, sports equipment, jewelry/other accessories, warm gloves and hats. Unlike the gifts for our family, these gifts should NOT be wrapped.

***ALL DONATIONS NEED TO BE BROUGHT TO SCHOOL ON OR BEFORE WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10th!

The Fourteenth Week of 2008 at School:

Home Room
Science: We will do our first experiment this week. The experiment will focus on observation and how to conduct the key elements of an experiment. Last week students explored the new Science textbook online from the website http://www.thinkcentral.com/
. In order to access the Science textbook at home go to the same website. The user name is your parent connect number. The password is ccsd66.

Social Studies: We will continue to study Chapter 3.

Language Arts
Spelling: There will be no spelling list due to the short week.

Reading: We will work Illinois Reading Workbook on the reading strategy of self-questioning.

English: We will study contractions.

Math: On Tuesday, November 25th there will be a Chapter 5 Math test. Students should complete the even numbered problems on pages 138 and 139 in their Math textbook to prepare for the test.

Things to Remember:
Tuesday 11/25: There will be a Math test.
Wednesday 11/25 - Friday 11/28: Have a happy Thanksgiving!
Monday 12/1: Yearbook orders are due.

Contact Information:
E-Mail address: mpellin@ccsd66.org
Voice mail: (630)783-5065

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Miss Pellin's Post
November 17th- November 21st

Friday, November 21st is the end of our first trimester. We have already completed 61 days of school! The Prairieview Roller Skating Party will be on Tuesday, November 16th from 4 to 6:45 pm after school. Sign up for the party is already closed.

The class will be going on a Downers Grove field trip on Tuesday, November 18th. Thank you for the four parents who volunteered to help! We will go to many places including the Downers Grove Historical Society and to Pierce Downer's Homestead and Well. We will also visit Prince Pond (at right).

Announcing Prairieview 2008-2009 Yearbook. Order your yearbook today!!! The cost of the yearbook is $10.00 and make payments to Lifetouch. Order deadline date is December 1, 2008. No orders will be accepted after that date. Parents just a reminder-- Prairieview yearbooks are not paid for at registration. Please place your order now. Yearbook order forms went home with your child on November 13th and there a few extra envelopes available; please try not to lose them. If your child loses it, you can send an envelope with the following information on it: student’s name, teacher’s name and grade level along with a check made payable to Lifetouch for $10.00. It is very important that you put the information on the envelope; Lifetouch does not know who your child’s teacher is. There will be a limited supply in June. Order Today!!!

The Thirteeth Week of 2008 at School:
Home Room
Science: We will be beginning a new unit on scientific method. This is the introductory unit in our new science book. The science book will be online. Students will receive usernames and passwords to allow them access.

Social Studies: We will supplement our unit on Downers Grove with a field trip on Tuesday, November 18th. We will begin Chapter 3 in our Social Studies book. The unit teaches customs and how people adapt when they move to the United States.


Language Arts
Spelling: There will be a Spelling "List 12" test on Friday November 21st.

Reading: We will continue to work on the reading strategy of "self questioning." We will continue studying and reading the story, The Keeping Quilt. Students will have a comprehension check on this story. Remind your child that it is important to constantly ask questions such as "Who, what, where, why, and when?" as they read a story. Constant questioning helps a reader comprehend the material they are reading.

English: We will continue the study of verbs. We will work to identify past and future tense verbs.


Math: This week students will study multiplying by 3. There will be a test on "*3" on Friday, November 21st. Students will receive two minutes to complete 20 multiplication by 3 questions. Practice sheets will be coming home throughout the week. Also we will continue to study how to use money in math problems using the change bags that you have sent with your child. Next we will begin to study time.


Things to Remember:
Tuesday 11/18: The Roller Skating Party will be from 4-6:45 pm.
Friday 11/21: There will be a Spelling Test. There will be a "mad minutes" multiplication "*3"
test.
Monday 12/1: Yearbook orders are due.

Contact Information:
E-Mail address: mpellin@ccsd66.org
Voice mail: (630)783-5065

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Miss Pellin's Post
November 10th- November 14th


I was pleased at how well my science class did on their Health test. Students have been writing "spooky" haunted house stories about "their" Halloween night. In math class students worked very hard on "t" charts.

Tuesday, November 11th is Veterans Day and there will be no school. Please plan accordingly.


The class will be going on a Downers Grove field trip on November 18th. Please sign your child's permission slip. I am looking for 5 parent volunteers to join us on the field trip. If you are interested in volunteering please email me at mpellin@ccsd66.org. I will take the first five parents who email me. Thank you for your help!

The TwelfthWeek of 2008 at School:
Home Room
Science: We will be making pictographs this week. Students will learn how to poll the class on a topic of their choice and graph the results.


Social Studies: The test on Downers Grove has been moved to Friday, November 14th. Students should use the study guide they received on Monday, November 10th to prepare for the test.

Language Arts
Spelling: There will be a Spelling "List 11" test on Friday November 14th.

Reading: We will start to work on the new reading strategy of "self questioning." We will work on this strategy while reading The Keeping Quilt. There will be a vocabulary quiz on words from The Keeping Quilt on Friday, November 14th.

English: We will begin the study of verbs. We will begin to look for action verbs in sentences. Then we will work on plural and singular verbs. Finally, we will look at past and future tense.

Math: We will have a quiz on "T" Charts on Monday, November 10th. Students will be able to use one example to help them on their quiz. We will begin working on multiplication this week. Please look for a packet coming home on Monday, November 10th on multiplication. This week students will study multiplying by 2. There will be a test on "*2" on Friday, November 14th. Students will receive two minutes to complete 20 multiplication by 2 questions. Practice sheets will be coming home throughout the week. Also we will begin to study how to use money in math problems. If possible, I would like each student to bring in a baggie of change to work with. It should include quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies. Five of each coin should be enough. The students will not be spending the money and it will be returned to you at the end of our money unit. Please send the bag by Thursday, November 13th.

Things to Remember:
Monday 11/10: There will be a "T" Chart quiz.

Tuesday 11/11: This is Veterans Day. There will be no school.
Friday 11/14: There will be a Spelling Test. There will be a "mad minutes" multiplication "*2" test. There will be a Social Studies test.

Contact Information:
E-Mail address: mpellin@ccsd66.org
Voice mail: (630)783-5065