For My Student At Christmas

Christmas vacation is great;

Your time is yours to spend;

You can be with friends or watch TV;

You wish it would never end.

You don't miss school or homework;

You really like to be free;

But I'll miss you when I'm gone from school;

You're just what a student should be.

So have a perfect HOLIDAY;

Be sure to have lots of fun;

I look forward to seeing you again,

When Christmas vacation is done.

By Tracy Spakausky

Modified original by Joanna Fuchs

Spakausky's Scoop-for the week of Dec. 15-19

Dear Parents-

Thanks for being very generous during this economically hard season! Our cancer family will be truly happy this season! I didn't have a chance to get a photo of ALL the gifts, this morning, before they were taken, but I did get one of this GREAT gift basket that was made for our family.

A tree, lights, ornaments and "our gifts" will be delivered to the homes by district teachers and their families!

The Family Shelter also received a good amount of donations! Thanks!

Thanks for EVERYTHING!!!

Mrs. Spakausky would like to wish you a very Happy Holiday and a Happy New Year!

I will be heading to Colorado, for a beautiful ski holiday and I want to wish you and your family a safe and happy holiday, wherever you may be celebrating!
See you in 2009!

Pizza Lunch-
Moms will provide pizza, drinks, fruit, and dessert, so the students do not need to bring anything. This will be on Thursday, Dec. 18th!

Grinch Movie, at the Tivoi-
Friday, Dec. 19 we will be attending the Tivoli for a special showing of the film " How the Grinch Stole Christmas".

On that day students will be eating around 10:30. Hot lunch will be available or students can bring their lunch.

GYM CLASS-
Bowling-
We are bowling Monday morning (Dec. 15). Lunch will be as usual! If the students want to purchase snacks at the bowling alley, they can bring in money for this event!

Roller Skating-
Ms. Stainman needs parent volunteers to help tie roller skates during PE classes for third grade. She needs help the week of January 8-January 22. You can come as many or as few of times as you want and can go into any other class or your child's own.

We have gym from 11:05-11:30 everyday. You can email her at tstainman@ccsd66.org if you are interested. Thanks for your help.

Supplies-
Santa might want to stuff some stockings with new Expo markers and pencils this Christmas.

Website of the week
Extension of Reading

http://bookadventure.org/

Book Orders:
They should be in before break!
Class User Name: spakausky
Password: Books

Goody Basket-
Thanks to:
For donating to the basket this week!

Student of the Week
Chantalle
Each week there will be a student picked to be student of the week. This student will bring in photos, magazine picture, or drawings/descriptions about themselves. The categories that they will cover are:
Me
My Family
Special Friends
My Favorite Foods
Where I Live
Thing I Like to Do
When I Grow Up I’d like to
My Favorite Toys
How the special week works for your child:
Monday-put pictures up
Tuesday-share your board
Wed.-Read a favorite book (practice at home first)
Thursday-Show and Tell
Friday-Take board down

Spelling
No spelling next week or over break!

English
We are on to Unit 4, Adjectives and Adverbs.
The test will be on Thurs. 12/18!

Writing
We will be writing a story from the point of view of a holiday character!
What fun!

Independent Reading Program
Folder are due on Tuesday, January 6th! The class reading party lunch, will be on Tuesday, January 6th!

Reading
After break, we are moving on to connections and summarizing. We will be practicing these strategies and practing our other reading strategies, with a novel called, Snow Treasure.

Science
Science inquiry skills is coming along. There will be a short quiz after each lesson. We will not have an end of chapter test on this chapter. We will begin States of Matter when we return from break. What are the three states of matter?

Social Studies
Chapter 3 is coming along. We have been studying about why people move to new places, immigration, symbols and ancestors.
The test will be on Wednesday, December 16th!

Math
Chapter 3 -

Multiplication packet due next Thursday, Dec. 18th!

Chapter 5 has been started. We have focused on money and now time!

We may have a money quiz next week.

Mad Minute Schedule:

Dec. 15-5's

Jan. 5-9's

Have a wonderful winter break!!
Mrs. T. Spakausky

December 8-12

Assembly-Wheel of Wisdom pictures!

Cancer Family Update -see the bottom of this blog for details!

Supplies-
Santa might want to stuff some stockings with new Expo markers and pencils this Christmas.

Friday, Dec. 19 we will be attending the Tivoli for a special showing of the film " How the Grinch Stole Christmas".
On that day students will be eating around 10:30. Hot lunch will be available or students can bring their lunch.

Website of the week:
Map Puzzles
http://www.yourchildlearns.com/map-puzzles.htm

Book Orders:
The orders are due Monday, December 8th!
Make Checks payable to Scholastic Book Club or go on-line and use a credit card.www.scholastic.com/parentordering
Class User Name: spakausky
Password: Books

Goody Basket-
Thanks to:
For donating to the basket this week!

Student of the Week
Marc A.

Each week there will be a student picked to be student of the week. This student will bring in photos, magazine picture, or drawings/descriptions about themselves. The categories that they will cover are:
Me
My Family
Special Friends
My Favorite Foods
Where I Live
Thing I Like to Do
When I Grow Up I’d like to
My Favorite Toys
How the special week works for your child:
Monday-put pictures up
Tuesday-share your board
Wed.-Read a favorite book (practice at home first)
Thursday-Show and Tell
Friday-Take board down

Spelling
We will do a holiday lesson next. Assignments are due on Friday, 12/12 and the test is on Thursday, 12/11.

***All spelling should be done in cursive. This is where the students will have time to actually practice the skills they learn in “handwriting.”

English
We are on to Unit 4, Adjectives and Adverbs.
The test will be on Thurs. 12/18!

Writing
We are working on an interview activity. Ask your child who they are interviewing!

Reading
We will read:The Mysterious Giant of Barletta
Get a head start and check out the website about the story!
http://www.eduplace.com/kids/hmr/gr3/gr3_th3_sel2.html

Independent Reading Program
Congrats to the following students who participated for the month of November:
*Alec *Stephen *Natalie
*Kailee *Marc *Eric
*Ethan *Max *Emily
*Eve *Allie *Lucas
*Chantalle *Jennifer *Adam
*Ross

Science
Science inquiry skills is coming along. There will be a short quiz after each lesson.

Social Studies
Chapter 3 is coming along. We have been studying about why people move to new places, immigration, symbols and ancestors.
If things go as planned, the test will be Wed. 12/17!

Math
Chapter 3 -
Multiplication packet due before Christmas break!

Chapter 5 has been started. We have focused on money and now time!

We will start our multiplication mad minutes after break.
I will teach some skills and hints on how to figure out the answers, but the facts should be MEMORIZED at home.
The mad minute grades will work like this:
Monday-we test-if the student passes, GREAT 100%, if they don't pass, they take again on Wednesday.
Wednesday-Take the test, if they PASS they get a 90%, if they don't pass, they take again on Friday.
Friday-Take test, if they PASS they get a 80%, if they don't pass, they take again on Monday, etc.

Mad Minutes-Study 2's for next week!

Have a wonderful 3 day weekend!
Mrs. T. Spakausky

Cancer Family Gift Update/Family Shelter Update

Mrs. Spakausky's class-Adopted Family
Donations are due Wedneday, 12/10!
This is what we have, so far!
Great job!!!

Mom-
necklace/earing set

***17 year old girl (cancer patient)
necklace/earing set
hat, gloves and scarf set

***16 year old female (cancer patient)
necklace/earing set

15 year old female
necklace/earing set

10 year old girl
necklace/earing set
Nintendo DS system, case and Wildlife Rescue Game for DS

3 year old girl
necklace/earing set
Dora the Explorer Crayola Color Wonder

Family Gift-
Complete Book of American Facts and Games
$25 Wal-Mart Gift Card
$50 Target Gift Card

Family Shelter Collection
1.

FYI
The Crayon Drive and the Vender night have been cancelled on Friday, 12/5! I was going to sell my beaded jewerly this night, so if you have any orders, please e-mail me. Thanks!

Holiday Service Project

Dear Parents and Students,

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 that is in need at this time.

In addition to the cancer families, we will also be making donations to Family Shelter Service.
This year our class has a very special family.

Our family includes:
~Mom
~17 year old young lady (cancer patient)
~16 year old sister
~15 years old sister
~10 year old sister
~3 year old sister

Sadly, the seventeen year old girl 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 appreciated. You may also send a “family gift.”

Directions:
*Please wrap the gift
*LABEL the item with what it is with a Post-It.
*Label who it is for

Some ideas for NEW (not used) gifts include, but are not limited to:
age appropriate games/toys, books, crafts, puzzles, winter hat/gloves, socks, winter hat/gloves, socks, bath and body, perfume, jewelry, candles, kitchen accessories, picture frames/albums, gift certificates,
gift baskets, slippers, etc.
Gift cards 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.
These gifts will be delivered before Christmas along with a freshly cut tree donated by Strong Landscaping.
Gift 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.

Thanks for your support!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Spakausky

Questions: tspakaus@ccsd66.org

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

November 24-28 and December 1-5

“Spakausky’s Scoop”

Have a Terrific Turkey Day!
Enjoy the time off with your family and friends!

Yearbook orders are due 12/1--$10
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!!!
“Project Crayon”-supplies for our service project are due 12/1!

Website of the week:
Book Pals Storyline
http://www.bookpals.net/storyline/

Book Orders:
Here are the book order forms for the month of November and December. You can order from as many as you wish! Have fun shopping! Thanks for your order.
The orders are due Monday, December 8th!

Make Checks payable to Scholastic Book Club or go on-line and use a credit card.
Send in your orders OR go to the Web address below and enter our class’s personalized user name and password.www.scholastic.com/parentordering
Class User Name: spakausky
Password: Books

Goody Basket-
Thanks to:
For donating to the basket this week!

Student of the Week
Elena
for the week of 12/1-12/5
Each week there will be a student picked to be student of the week. This student will bring in photos, magazine picture, or drawings/descriptions about themselves. The categories that they will cover are:
Me
My Family
Special Friends
My Favorite Foods
Where I Live
Thing I Like to Do
When I Grow Up I’d like to
My Favorite Toys
How the special week works for your child:
Monday-put pictures up
Tuesday-share your board
Wed.-Read a favorite book (practice at home first)
Thursday-Show and Tell
Friday-Take board down

Spelling
No spelling for next week.
We will do lesson 12 the week of 12/1.
***All spelling should be done in cursive. This is where the students will have time to actually practice the skills they learn in “handwriting.”

English
Chapter 3-VERBS
The chapter 3 test will be on Tuesday, November 25th!

Writing
We will do an interview activity. The week of 12/1.

Reading
Strategies covered:
-visualizing
-preview and predict
-clarify
*fact /opinion
*compare/contrast
*cause /effect
*self-questioning
We will read Grandma's Records and continue point of view!

Independent Reading Program
Folders are due Mon. 12/1.
Reading party in class- Tues., 12/2.

Science
Science inquiry skills is coming along. There will be a short quiz after each lesson.

Social Studies
Chapter 3 is coming along. We have been studying about why people move to new places, immigration, symbols and ancestors.

Math
Chapter 3 -
Multiplication packet due before Christmas break!

Chapter 5 has been started. We have focused on money.

We will start our multiplication mad minutes after break.

I will teach some skills and hints on how to figure out the answers, but the facts should be MEMORIZED at home.

The mad minute grades will work like this:
Monday-we test-if the student passes, GREAT 100%, if they don't pass, they take again on Wednesday.
Wednesday-Take the test, if they PASS they get a 90%, if they don't pass, they take again on Friday.
Friday-Take test, if they PASS they get a 80%, if they don't pass, they take again on Monday, etc.

Have a great Thanksgiving break!
Mrs. T. Spakausky