<span style="color: #008000">Important Dates:</span>

<span style="color: #008000">ISAT Reading:  Monday, March 8</span><sup><span style="color: #008000">th</span></sup><span style="color: #008000"> (Morning)</span>

<span style="color: #008000">ISAT Math:  Tuesday, March 9</span><sup><span style="color: #008000">th</span></sup><span style="color: #008000">(Morning)</span>

<span style="color: #008000">Wednesday, March 10</span><sup><span style="color: #008000">th</span></sup><span style="color: #008000">:  Progress Reports Distributed</span>

<span style="color: #008000">March 29</span><sup><span style="color: #008000">th</span></sup><span style="color: #008000"> – April 2</span><sup><span style="color: #008000">nd</span></sup><span style="color: #008000">:  NO SCHOOL:  Spring Break</span>

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<span style="color: #008000">This week is the last week of ISAT Testing (Finally!!!)!  We will begin regular instruction this week.  Now that testing will be completed, please look for upcoming information about field trips.  I will be sending notes for volunteers as chaperones.</span>

<span style="color: #008000">Progress Reports will be sent home on Wednesday.  Please keep in mind that much of our instruction conducted of preparing students for the ISAT.  Many of the assignments these past five weeks focused on expository writing and extended responses.  Now that we are able to breathe a little easier, my writing and reading instruction will focus more on how students can become lifelong readers and writers.  Below is this week’s plan for instruction:</span>

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<span style="color: #008000">Instruction for the Week</span>

<span style="color: #008000">Literacy:</span>

<span style="color: #008000">After ISAT testing, students will get back into the routine of the Daily 5.  Students will review proper behaviors for reading to self, reading with someone, word work, listening, and writing.  On Wednesday, we will go back to Guided Reading.  Students will work in small groups reading books on their instructional levels.  This week, each group will be introduced to a new book and will focus on the reading strategy, predicting.  Students will start to receive homework next week on their guided reading books as well.</span>

<span style="color: #008000">To prepare for ISAT, students work on expository writing.  We will now focus on the 6+1 Traits of writing during Writer’s Workshop.  The six traits are:  ideas, sentence fluency, organization, word choice, voice, and conventions.  This week, we will focus ideas.  Each student will receive a rubric to keep in their Writing Folder and another rubric will be sent home so you can see how I am grading students on their ideas.</span>

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<span style="color: #008000">Mathematics:</span>

<span style="color: #008000">Students will complete Unit 6 this week.  Unit 6 focused on angles, polygons, and line segments.  Students will have a Math Assessment at the end of the week, but will receive a review sheet and review day to prepare them for the test.</span>

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<span style="color: #008000">Science:</span>

<span style="color: #008000">Students will continue the unit on Earth Materials.  Students will investigate what happens when we add vinegar to calcite.</span>

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<span style="color: #008000">Social Studies:</span>

<span style="color: #008000">This week we will focus on current events and the Winter Olympics (I know they ended last week).  Next week, students will begin working on a group project where they will create 3D landforms.  Students will work on this in class only.  Students will receive rubrics, checklist and materials. Students will also be able to bring materials from home.  More information will come later in the week.</span>

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<span style="color: #008000">I hope you have a great week!  The biggest stress of 3</span><sup><span style="color: #008000">rd</span></sup><span style="color: #008000"> grade is almost over!  The next biggest event:  THE CHICAGO PLAY!</span>

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<span style="color: #008000">Email: </span><a href="mailto:ssprasad-hei@cps.edu"><span style="color: #008000">ssprasad-hei@cps.edu</span></a>