Thank you PTO!!

Thank you Indian Trail PTO for your support of the Chromebook pilot!  Here is the link to the video that we made at school to show our appreciation!!  You are the best!

Thank you video!

Here come the Chromebooks!!

I hope that you are having a wonderful last few days of winter vacation!  I look forward to seeing you all on Monday!

Indian Trail Chromebook Announcement:

Greetings parents!  Beginning in January, your child’s classroom will be a part of the first phase of the NSSD112 1:World Adoption. Students in 1:World Classrooms will be issued Chromebooks for school and home use. To learn more about the  1:World initiative as well as how you can partner with us to promote exciting new learning for our students, please mark your calendars for Thursday, January 16th at 3:45pm in the Indian Trail Library. We will discuss learner and family expectations, insurance details ($20), and initiative logistics. Students will be afforded the privilege of using Chromebooks at school and at home after parents have participated in this orientation session and there has been student training at school. If you cannot make this session, please contact your school office to attend another meeting. Thank you to the Indian Trail PTO for funding this amazing program.

Lots of reminders!

Good morning!  Please read the following reminders/announcements:

From Mrs. Grost in the library--

Katherine Applegate, author and Newbery Medalist for The One and Only Ivan, will be visiting with 2nd-5th grade students on Wednesday, December 18. If you wish to purchase a book to be signed by the author all orders are due into the library by Friday, December 13. 

Real Ivan

One and Only Ivan book website

Lincoln Park Zoo Lowland Gorillas

From Mrs. Lucci in the music room--

Indian Trail School Song

Please use the following video to learn and practice the Indian Trail school song! We will be singing the song next week at the opening ceremonies of our Indian Trail Winter Olympics and we'd like everyone to sing along!

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/_LbinXGdYTE?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

From the 4th grade team--

Dear 4th Grade Families,

In conjunction with our novel study of "perspective" using the novel, Shiloh, we partnered with Orphans of the Storm today.  Orphans of the Storm is a Lake County animal shelter that provides care for animals that have been abused, neglected, lost, and/or abandoned.  Students drew connections between the animals in the shelter, and Shiloh in our novel.

In addition to learning about how Orphans of the Storm helps local animals, we are partnering with them to collect items the shelter needs on a regular basis.  Below are some suggestions for donation items to send to school.  Our grade-level will be collecting donations until December 20th, and will donate all collected items to the shelter!

Help us provide for animals who have been in unfortunate situations like Shiloh!

• Newspaper (we go through hundreds each day)
• Blankets (during the winter months every dog goes to bed with a blankie) (not too large or heavy as we wash and dry every blanket daily)
• Towels
• Dog bones, chew bones, treats, balls
• Cat trees, toys, beds, treats
• Sturdy dog and cat combs and brushes

Learn more about the wonderful animal shelter, Orphans of the Storm:

http://www.orphansofthestorm.org

Sincerely,

The 4th Grade Team

The Classroom Coin Challenge is COMING!!

CLASSROOM COIN CHALLENGE 

We are challenging the students to raise money for our 

ALL FOR BOOKS 

book fair program by bringing in:

November 18th – 22nd

PENNIES on Monday

NICKELS on Tuesday

DIMES on Wednesday

QUARTERS on Thursday

ANYTHING GOES on Friday

The money will be used to buy books at our fair for children and families in need. For every dollar raised, Scholastic will donate to a children’s charity. ie.$300=300 books

The class that raises the most money wins a breakfast party on the Friday of the book fair!

Thank you for your help in promoting literacy!!!

Katie Cohen Book Fair Chairperson

Making the Band!

Our current science unit is on sound and light. We are focusing on sound first. The students' first challenge was to work in a group of four to create their own instruments out of the following materials:
                               --1 sheet of paper        --1/4 cup of rice
                               --2 paper plates           --2 styrofoam cups
                               --3 rubber bands         --4 straws
                               --1 metal hanger         --1 piece of foil
                               --1 plastic container    --1 ruler
                               --2 plastic spoons       --tape

After they created their instruments, each group had to write a 30 second song on sound waves. Check out our work!

Support the PTO!

Good morning!

Please remember to support Indian Trail's PTO.  Currently, there are two fundraisers going on:

--The Innisbrook wrapping paper sale

--Family BINGO night this Friday, October 4 at 6:30 pm.

It’s bingo time! Is your family ready for fun? Join us in the Big Gym on Friday, October 4, 2013 from 6:30-8:30. Bingo cards are $4 each. Maybe your family will be a lucky winner of one of our fun prizes.

Delicious snacks will be on sale. Please join us for this exciting fundraiser!

Help us make Bingo Night a success. If you can volunteer by baking or bringing a snack, helping to solicit prize donations or working on bingo night, please contact Bingo Night Co-Chairs Wendy Bloom (wendy.bloom@kirkland.com) and Elva Arend (elvaarend@gmail.com)

Orchestra Announcement!!

Attention 4th grade students and families interested in signing up for Beginning Orchestra:

Due to the cancelation of school and after school activities this week, Orchestra sign-up meetings will take place on Thursday, September 12 from 3:20-7:00 PM and on Friday, September 13 from 2:00-5:30 PM.  If you would like to reserve a time slot or find an alternate time due to Open House, holiday, and/or other schedule conflicts, please contact Mr. Makula as soon as possible (dmakula@nssd112.org - 224 765-3328).  Thank you for your continued flexibility and sorry for any inconvenience.