Week of 8/25-9/2

Welcome to my BLOG!! 
We have had a fantastic first week of school! I have enjoyed getting to know the students and can't wait to make it a great year!

Here is where you can check any news, assignments, test, and announcements for the upcoming week. I have bookmarked the website on your child's Chromebook so you can easily access the blog. I will also send out an email with the link.

 Today we each thought of “one word” to describe our feelings and the coming year.  We wrote that word on a stone and now proudly display them by our family pictures. My word is “family,” which not only represents my own family but my classroom and school family.  Ask your child what their “one word” is.

Next week, you will need to send in one of your child's t-shirts and a hangar for a fun project linked to Curriculum Night.  Don't worry, you will get it back!!   

Curriculum Night for parents only is Thursday, September 1, at 6:30.   See you then!

Coming up next week:

• We will be taking the MAP Reading test on Monday to see where students score at the begining of the year
• The MAP Math test will be on Wednesday

MATH: Please check Power school for your child's math teacher (we do switch for Math)will start Math on Tuesday, August 30.

Social Science: We will start Social Studies on Thursday. This unit will cover directions and maps. 

Reading/ELA: We’ll be focusing on writing (writer’s workshop) and reading (reader’s workshop) throughout the school year.  The genre of folktales will be introduced  this week as we close read Rumplestiltskin.  

Spelling: are continuing the spelling series Words Your Way.  Fortunately, the students have worked with this program in 2nd grade.  I took an inventory today and the students will be working with patterns they struggle with during Word Work in Daily 5.  I should have their word sorts to them by the end of next week.

Important Dates:  

9/5 - Labor Day (no school)

9/27 - Early Dismissal

Week of May 23-27

We are coming up on our last full week of school!  My how time flies!!  

Chromebooks, cases, and charger cords will be checked and collected on Tuesday, May 31.  

Coming up next week:

Spelling:   Please make sure your child completes 1 activity from each column of the homework menu!  The final product will be due on or before 5/27.  Test will be on that day also.

Reading & Language Arts: We’ll be finishing up our final unit “Stand Up for What You Believe In” and working on our final writing piece - argumentative.  

May Logs will be due at the end of the month (on or before May 31.)  Cursive workbooks are due (finished) on or before May 27.

Social Studies:  We have started Ch. 9 Economics. The students have grown up and become adults. They have gotten a job, salary, house, car, and kids. They will learn how to spend and save money.

Science:   We will be finishing up our ecosystems unit with lesson 3 and an open book review. There will be no end of chapter test.

Mrs. Mandru's Math Class:   On to the final unit, Building Bridges!! There will be no end of chapter test!  

Important Dates:

5/27 - 2nd graders visit

5/30 - Memorial Day (no school)

5/31 - Bowling field trip

6/2 - Field Days

6/3 - Last Day of School

Have a great weekend!

Week of May 16-20

We had a wonderful visit to the Shedd Aquarium yesterday!  The students had a blast and were so engaged! Thank you to Juliana's mom and Joseph's mom for chaperoning our students!

Our pen pal letters have been delivered to our second graders.  We can’t wait until they visit on 5/27!  

Coming up next week:

Spelling:   On Monday, your child will receive his/her very last spelling sort.  Please make sure your child completes 3 activities for next week.

Reading & Language Arts: We will be doing a writing narrative piece with our favorite story: The One and Only Ivan. Students can choose to write a prequel piece or sequel to the book.

May logs will be due at the end of the month.  Cursive workbooks are due (finished) on or before May 27.   They will be graded for completion!!

Social Studies:  We will start a new chapter: chapter 12 Economics. Students will start this chapter by growing up and becoming an adult. They will get a job and have to make some financial decisions while learning to write checks and pay bills!

Science:   We will continue our unit on Ecosystems.  

Mrs. Mandru's Math Class:  Our Unit 7 test will be on Wednesday, 5/18.  Please make sure your child completes the pre-test (study guide) that will be coming home today.  We’ll correct it together on Tuesday as a review.   We start our final unit on Thursday.

Important Dates:

5/27 - 2nd graders visit 

5/30 - Memorial Day (no school)

5/31 - Bowling field trip

6/2 - Field Days

6/3 - Last Day of School

Have a great weekend!

Week of May 9-13

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mom's!!! On Thursday, we visit the Shedd Aquarium.  Please make sure your child has a sack lunch that day (totally throwaway) including a beverage.  It will be so wonderful to visit the beautiful city to the east :)   

Coming up next week:

Spelling:   Please make sure your child completes 3 activities for the homework menu!   5/13.  Test will be on Friday, May 13th.

Reading & Language Arts:  We’ve begun  our friendly letter lessons, which leads into the writing of our 2nd grade pen pal letters.  The kids are so excited!!

May Logs will be due at the end of the month.  Cursive workbooks are due (finished) on or before May 31.

Social Studies:  On Hiatus!

Science:   We will continue our unit on Ecosystems.  We created our own ecosystems last week and the students loved this project!

Mrs. Mandru's Math Class:  We will continue our fraction activities.  On Wednesday, there will be a short checkpoint quiz on fractions.  Unit 7 test will be on Wednesday, 5/18.

Important Dates:

5/12 - Shedd Aquarium Field Trip

5/13 - Early Dismissal

5/30 - Memorial Day (no school)

5/31 - Bowling field trip

6/3 - Last Day of School

Have a great weekend!

Week of May 2-May 6

It was great seeing you all at our Spring Open House yesterday!   The children are so excited about showing off their work and their classroom, aren’t they?   We’re in the final stretch of the school year!! 

MAPs testing will take place next week on Thursday and Friday.  As with the PARCC exams, students should get a good night’s sleep and eat healthy meals particularly on those days.

Coming up next week:

Spelling:   New word sorts will be going home on Monday, along with a homework menu. 3 activities will be due on Friday.

Reading & Language Arts:  We will be writing a narrative piece next week. The options the students will have are: The sequel to the book "One and Only Ivan" or the prequel to the book.

The May reading log will go home on Monday.  

Social Studies:  On Hiatus!

Science:   We will start our unit on Ecosystems.  Students will be making an ecosystem for a pet rock. They will need to bring in a small rock and a small box or container (like a shoe box or Tupperware) on Thursday in order to take part in the project.

Mrs. Mandru's Math Class:  This week we will continue Unit 7 on Multiplication, focusing on arrays and 2 digit multiplication problems. Our next multiplication timed test will be on the 11s.  A practice sheet will go home on Monday; test will be on Friday.

Important Dates:

5/12 - Shedd Aquarium Field Trip

5/13 - Early Dismissal

5/30 - Memorial Day (no school)

6/3 - Last Day of School

Have a great weekend!

Week of April 25-29

PARCC exams are done!!   I’m very proud of both my homeroom and math students for doing such a great job these last couple of weeks.  

Thursday, April 28, is our annual PV Open House & Book Fair.  It will run from 6:30-8:00.  Please try to come in and see all the wonderful projects your child has been working on this year.  I look forward to seeing you all!

Coming up next week:

Spelling:   3 spelling activities need to be completed by Friday, 4/29.  The test will be on the same day.

Reading & Language Arts:  We’re continuing our third and final reading unit:”Stand Up for What You Believe In!”  We have finish "The One and Only Ivan"!! Ask your child about this book. They LOVED IT! We will be doing a few writing activities with Ivan and read a short story: "Two Days in May".

April Reading Logs are due on or before April 29th

Social Studies:  We will have our Chicago 2 quiz on Monday April 25 and then begin the last section!

Science:   We will continue reading about the solar system.

Mrs. Mandru's Math Class:  This week we will continue Unit 7 on Multiplication, focusing on arrays and 2 digit multiplication problems.  There will be a short multiplication and division checkpoint quiz on Tuesday.  On Monday, students will receive their 9s practice page; the x9 test will be on Friday, 4/29.

Important Dates:

4/28 - Open House & Book Fair  6:30-8:00

5/12 - Shedd Aquarium Field Trip

5/13 - Early Dismissal

5/30 - Memorial Day (no school)

6/3 - Last Day of School

Week of April 18-22

Week one of PARCC is done!!   We completed the ELA portion; now on to Math for week two.  We will be taking this week’s exams with our math classes.  

Coming up next week:

Spelling:   3 activities due Friday.

Reading & Language Arts:  We’re continuing our third and final reading unit:”Stand Up for what You Believe In!”   We’re finishing up  The One and Only Ivan.  

April Reading Logs are due on or before April 29th.

Social Studies:  We will be continuing our Chicago unit. We’ve started the second section and currently we are spending time learning about the Chicago Fire!

Science:   We will start reading about the solar system this week!

Mrs. Mandru's Math Class:  This week we take PARCC tests Tuesday-Friday.  We’ll work on Unit 7 Monday and continue the week of 4/25.  

Important Dates:

Weeks of 4/11 & 4/18 - PARCC Testing

5/13 - Early Dismissal

5/30 - Memorial Day (no school)

6/3 - Last Day of School

Have a great weekend!