Friday, September 25, 2015

Weekly Wrap Up, Sept. 25th

It was fabulous to meet so many of you at Open House! I know it can be a whirlwind of a night, especially if you have multiple classrooms to visit. Hopefully the tour your child gave you of our room and their things gave you a little insight into their life at school. Our first conference isn’t until December, so if you have any questions or concerns between now and then, or just want to check in on your child’s progress, please let me know. I’ll be glad to schedule an earlier conference.

As you know, we are working on writing small moment stories, telling a true story bit by bit, moment by moment. You can help at home when your child is telling you about something that happened. You can ask him/her to tell you their story in very small detail, bit by bit, moment by moment, so you can picture it like a movie. It’s often helpful for a child to rehearse telling a story, listing what happened across their fingers. This helps them remember to tell it in order.

If your child has trouble with their math homework, the instructional video from the day on the enVision Math website can always be watched at home. To access the video after logging into enVision from the link on our Just for Kids page, students can click on the “Explore” button on the right side of the banner. From there they can click on topic, and then select the lesson. I showed the children how to access their books and videos today, so they should be able to help you if needed.

Thanks to everyone who filled out the contact information/permission. I will send home contact information for the class by the end of next week. If you did not return the form to me, I cannot include your child’s contact information. When/if missing forms are returned, I’ll send out updated contacted information.

Here's what's on our learning safari next week:

  • Reader’s Workshop: Strategies to understand a story, and focusing on increasing reading stamina
  • Writer’s Workshop: Paragraphs in narrative writing, and mapping out elements in narrative writing
  • Math: Using mental math to add and subtract (we start rounding to nearest 10 and 100 and estimation the following week)

Please remember that my door is always open if you have any questions or concerns. I also check email frequently. Together we are partners in your child’s education!

Friday, September 18, 2015

Weekly Wrap Up

Yes, it’s true, I told your kids on Thursday that gum is welcome in our room. You should have heard the cheers when I said that! :) There are actually some studies that show that chewing gum can help improve concentration. So, as long as it’s okay with you, they can have it in class. The only rules I have are that they have to keep it in their mouth, not chew like a cow, and they can’t lay down with it. If they leave the room for specials, lunch, or wellness break, they have to throw it away.

I do not have enough computer headphones for everyone to have their own, so they need to share. If you would prefer that your child not share headphones, you are welcome to send a set of headphones or earbuds to school. The earbuds that fit iPods, iPads, and iPhones fit our computers just fine. Please send them in a zip lock baggie with your child’s name on it.

A few FYI items for you:

  • It might not be cold outside yet, but our classroom can get chilly. Your child is welcome to bring a sweater or sweatshirt and keep it in their locker for when they need it.
  • Stuffed animals, pillow pets, and small blankets are all welcome during reading time. If it makes your child cozy and able to focus on their reading, then I welcome it in our room!
  • Please send a water bottle in with your child, if possible. They’re usually pretty hot and thirsty after wellness breaks and recess.
  • Home reading and math fact logs MUST be turned in to earn Fun Friday play time. Missing time or incomplete logs will result in a loss of Fun Friday time.

Here's what's on our learning safari for next week

  • Reader’s Workshop: Strategies to understand a story
  • Writer’s Workshop: Using storyteller voice, and working on meeting goals set for themselves.
  • Math: Place Value to 9,999 - including word, standard and expanded forms

Don't forget that Tuesday is an early dismissal day, with open house from 6:00-7:30PM, and Wednesday is picture day.

Please remember that my door is always open if you have any questions or concerns. I also check email frequently. Together we are partners in your child’s education!

Friday, September 11, 2015

Weekly Wrap Up

This class is amazing! I wish you could have a little video window into watching your children throughout the day. They are organized, super listeners, hard workers, great with transitions, kind to one another, and so much fun! We really are starting off the year the right way!

Today your child is bringing home a packet with their math vocabulary words for topic 1. They’ll need to keep the packet throughout the unit to help them with any math worksheet homework. If they have time, it would also be helpful for them to study terms they don’t know. They have another set at school in their math notebooks. Attached to the print newsletter you will find a letter explaining a game they can play at home with you to help reinforce skills for topic 1. If you play the game, please send a note to school and your child will get tiger tickets for doing extra homework! Also attached you’ll find your child’s login information for XtraMath this year. They logged into it at school on Thursday. This is just one tool your child can use for practicing math facts. Some kids like it, some find the timing frustrating. Do what works best for your child, whether it’s this site, another site, an app, or flashcards. It’s just important that they study their facts.

With all the exercise your children get with wellness breaks and recess, they’re hot and thirsty quite often. They’re allowed to have water bottles on their desks all day long, and strongly encouraged to get a good long drink after both breaks and recess. If your child doesn’t have a water bottle at school, please consider sending one in.

Here's what's on our learning safari next week:

  • Reader’s Workshop: Strategies to understand a story
  • Writer’s Workshop: Using storyteller voice
  • Math: Place Value to 9,999 - including word, standard and expanded forms

Please remember that my door is always open if you have any questions or concerns. I also check email frequently. Together we are partners in your child’s education!

Friday, September 4, 2015

Scenes from the First Fun Friday

We had our first Fun Friday today! There were lots of smiles and lots of laughter all around the room!












Weekly Wrap Up

What a fun first week of school we’ve had! We’ve eased back into the swing of school while having fun getting to know our new classmates, and learning about our new classroom. We’ve also spent quite a bit of time practicing third grade procedures. I think the children are really surprised by the amount of independence (in their eyes) and self-direction that comes with third grade.

Next week reading and math logs will come home in your child’s Jungle Book. Students should read for at least 20 minutes 5 days a week, and record their reading on their reading log. It’s the same log we’ll use in school, so it’s important they get in the habit of putting it back in their Jungle Book at home. For each night they read at home students earn 2 Tiger Tickets. Students are asked to practice their basic math facts for at least 10 minutes, 5 days a week, and record it on their math log. Students also earn 2 Tiger Tickets for each night they practice their math facts. Until we start on multiplication they should focus on practicing their addition and subtraction facts. Ideally, just as quickly as your child knows that 1+1=2, he/she should know other facts, such as 15-7=8.

 Here are some things you might have in your house that we could use in our classroom:
  • Plastic spoons and forks for forgotten ones at snack time
  • Plastic cups for forgotten water bottles
  • Back issues of children’s magazines, such as Highlights, Sports Illustrated for Kids, or National Geographic for Kids

As a reminder, please look over your child’s behavior calendar and sign in the spot for parent signature. Don’t forget to follow our class on Twitter!

Here's what's coming up next week in our learning safari:
  • Reader’s Workshop: Routines for Reader’s Workshop and building reading stamina
  • Writer’s Workshop: Finding ideas for true stories
  • Math: Place Value to 9,999 - including word, standard and expanded forms
Please remember that my door is always open if you have any questions or concerns. I also check email frequently. Together we are partners in your child’s education!

Play Doh Fun for Morning Work

This morning that children walked in to find Play Doh  on their tables, and morning directions on the Smart Board asking them to create something that they've learned or noticed about third grade. They also had paper to write a couple of sentences to tell about it. I love the thought and time they put into their creations. It's also quite cute what really stuck with them, especially the pillows in the room and the Wonderopolis wonder of the day video on how invisible fences work.

Enjoy their creations!