Here's What's Happened This Year in Room 203:
Our Walk to Andersons on the Last Day of School
Week 38 ~ June 11-15 ~ Our Last Full Week Together!
Our last full week of school brought us amazing rainforest projects to share with friends, Math Games, incredible writing pieces, messy fun projects, and Flag Day. Please visit our updated Photo Gallery for some more highlights of this weeks events.
Week 37 ~ June 4-8 ~ Recorder Concert
Our Talented Third Grade Recorder Players
As our school year begins to wind down, our third graders are still working hard. We completed our Plants Unit this week. We are getting closer to having 20 fact masters in our class. Please keep practicing multiplication facts with your child at home! Students spent some time researching about their topic for their Social Studies Rainforest Project, due June 13th. I am looking forward to the original ideas displayed by our class for the last project.
What a wonderful performance by our Third Grade Recorder Players! We have such talented musicians in our class. Enjoy some photos of the warm-up in our classroom beforehand, and the in-school performance on Thursday, June 7th.
What a wonderful performance by our Third Grade Recorder Players! We have such talented musicians in our class. Enjoy some photos of the warm-up in our classroom beforehand, and the in-school performance on Thursday, June 7th.
Week 36 ~ May 28-June 1 ~ Fact Masters are Multiplying!
Playing Math Games at Free Time
I am amazed by the outstanding growth I have seen in multiplication skills this week! I have been drilling multiplication facts, and clearly many of our students have been practicing at home as well. We are up to 5 Fact Masters in our class, and I am confident that we will have 20 Fact Masters moving on to fourth grade in just a few short weeks! I have placed many new and exciting games and activities for the kids to practice facts on our class website. Students were enjoying these games so much, many chose to play fact practice games at Fun Friday this week!
We have continued to work with plants this week, learning more about pollination, and the difference between deciduous and coniferous trees. Students have been preparing for their final Science test on Wednesday, June 6th. All students have completed and should have brought home a Review Guide for this test. Your child is welcome to bring home a science book and his/her science folder to help prepare for this test.
On Friday, students brought home information about our final at-home Social Studies project. This project will be different than the desert and polar projects. I want students to choose an aspect of the rainforest that truly interests them, then research and extend their knowledge on this topic. If there is one rainforest animal that they love, they may research that animal in depth and create a display or report about that animal. If they would like to make a model of the entire rainforest, showing different animals and plants in different layers, they may do so. Many of our students have grown concerned about deforestation currently happening to many of our world's rainforests. Perhaps students may choose to research this problem further, and find a way to take action towards this problem, such as writing a letter to an organization found through research. We will complete the research at school, and students will work on the final touches to their project at home. They will share their projects with their classmates during the last week of school. I am excited to see our third graders put their minds and creative ideas towards this task, and I thank you for your support at home. I am happy to send home any materials, such as construction paper, that might help the completion of this project for your child.
It's so hard to believe that June is already here! If your child celebrates a birthday in the summer, we want to celebrate during the last few weeks of school! Summer birthdays will each get a special day of birthday recognition. Please let me know if you would like to do anything special for your child's birthday during the next few weeks.
We enjoyed the 4th and 5th grade Chorus, Band and Orchestra concert this week. Our third graders envisioned themselves up on the stage next year, playing their own instruments. They will get their time in the spotlight this Thursday, as they will have the opportunity to show off their recorder skills on stage. I am sorry that I will have to miss the evening performance, as I am taking part in this year's Corporate Challenge. I know that our third graders have been working hard to play recorder, and I am proud of their efforts. They sound great in rehearsal. I think you will enjoy their recorder concert on Thursday, June 7th!
We have continued to work with plants this week, learning more about pollination, and the difference between deciduous and coniferous trees. Students have been preparing for their final Science test on Wednesday, June 6th. All students have completed and should have brought home a Review Guide for this test. Your child is welcome to bring home a science book and his/her science folder to help prepare for this test.
On Friday, students brought home information about our final at-home Social Studies project. This project will be different than the desert and polar projects. I want students to choose an aspect of the rainforest that truly interests them, then research and extend their knowledge on this topic. If there is one rainforest animal that they love, they may research that animal in depth and create a display or report about that animal. If they would like to make a model of the entire rainforest, showing different animals and plants in different layers, they may do so. Many of our students have grown concerned about deforestation currently happening to many of our world's rainforests. Perhaps students may choose to research this problem further, and find a way to take action towards this problem, such as writing a letter to an organization found through research. We will complete the research at school, and students will work on the final touches to their project at home. They will share their projects with their classmates during the last week of school. I am excited to see our third graders put their minds and creative ideas towards this task, and I thank you for your support at home. I am happy to send home any materials, such as construction paper, that might help the completion of this project for your child.
It's so hard to believe that June is already here! If your child celebrates a birthday in the summer, we want to celebrate during the last few weeks of school! Summer birthdays will each get a special day of birthday recognition. Please let me know if you would like to do anything special for your child's birthday during the next few weeks.
We enjoyed the 4th and 5th grade Chorus, Band and Orchestra concert this week. Our third graders envisioned themselves up on the stage next year, playing their own instruments. They will get their time in the spotlight this Thursday, as they will have the opportunity to show off their recorder skills on stage. I am sorry that I will have to miss the evening performance, as I am taking part in this year's Corporate Challenge. I know that our third graders have been working hard to play recorder, and I am proud of their efforts. They sound great in rehearsal. I think you will enjoy their recorder concert on Thursday, June 7th!
Week 35 ~ May 21-25 ~ Buffalo Zoo Field Trip!
A Perfect Day
What an incredible week. We have taken our knowledge of the plants and animals in the rainforest, and have created our own rainforest outside our classroom. Our third graders identified and created specific plants and animals for each layer, and wrote the animal's adaptation on an index card. We have started a new germination experiment on our seeds, and have already started to see a radish seed germinate. We learned about the many ways that seeds are spread. We continued to enjoy Matilda, as well as our DEAR time and Writing Workshop. We are working towards becoming "Fact Masters," being able to solve 100 multiplication facts in five minutes or less. Please continue to practice these facts at home.
Our final book order has been distributed, and is due next Thursday, May 31st. Please contact me if there are books your child is interested in that are not in the flyers. It is so important that these kids continue to read over the summer, and self-motivation is key to inspire independent learning.
On Wednesday, I was lucky enough to accompany an amazing third grade class and so many fantastic chaperones to the Buffalo Zoo. What an amazing day! It was informative, educational, fun, interesting, and we had amazing weather! How wonderful to see the many animals that we have been learning about all year in their different environments. It was truly a wonderful connection to our third grade curriculum and a very special day for us all. Thank you to the many chaperones that donated their time to be a part of this wonderful field trip. Click on the Photo Gallery at the top of the page for pictures from our Field Trip. Enjoy!
Our final book order has been distributed, and is due next Thursday, May 31st. Please contact me if there are books your child is interested in that are not in the flyers. It is so important that these kids continue to read over the summer, and self-motivation is key to inspire independent learning.
On Wednesday, I was lucky enough to accompany an amazing third grade class and so many fantastic chaperones to the Buffalo Zoo. What an amazing day! It was informative, educational, fun, interesting, and we had amazing weather! How wonderful to see the many animals that we have been learning about all year in their different environments. It was truly a wonderful connection to our third grade curriculum and a very special day for us all. Thank you to the many chaperones that donated their time to be a part of this wonderful field trip. Click on the Photo Gallery at the top of the page for pictures from our Field Trip. Enjoy!
Week 34 ~ May 14-18 ~ Expanding on Rainforest and Plant Vocabulary
I was unable to spend as much time as I would like with our fabulous third graders this week, as I was quite ill and unable to teach. Our class was lucky enough to have Mrs. Boyes to teach our curriculum, and even got to spend an afternoon with Miss Aris, our student teacher from the Fall! Many new vocabulary words were introduced during Science and Social Studies lessons, and students learned about specific root systems that enable trees to survive in the rainforest. This correlates with our Science curriculum, as we are learning the function of each part of the plant, and the role each part plays in the plant's survival. Our third graders learned how to plot points on coordinate grids, and completed Unit 10 in Math. Next year, we will be teaching using the Common Core Standards, which shifts emphasis on certain skills at different grade levels. Next year, fourth graders will be expected to be proficient at multiplication facts. Due to this transition, I am going to being really drilling these facts with the kids each day. We will use a variety of games, lessons, and good old-fashioned timed tests. I will use these test results to allow students to chart their progress. It is not a competition among students, as much as motivation for each student to improve how many multiplication facts he/she can solve in five minutes. Thank you for your support with fact practice at home. If any families are interested in having a set of multiplication fact cards, please email me and I can send the materials home with your child.
Week 33 ~ May 7-11 ~ Experiments and Special Guests
Observing during a Science Experiment
What a special week! We are learning about the different parts of plants, and the function for each part. We were lucky to meet Rachel's aunt and uncle, who were in town visiting from Australia. They taught us a great deal about Australian history, geography and culture. It was fascinating to learn the similarities and differences about Australia. We were so lucky to have this opportunity! Our author visit was this past Thursday, allowing us to meet Beauty and the Beast, very skilled storytellers that were both entertaining and inspiring.
We have continued with our Rainforest exploration during Social Studies, and have incorporated some new vocabulary words into our Word Study. This week's list was for two weeks, although some students chose to try the list in one week, and will partake in the "Rainforest Challenge List" next week. In Math, we worked with many different types of measurement. We reviewed measuring length, and explored volume, weight, and capacity using hands-on activities. We ended the week reviewing multiplication facts. Our main focus for the next few weeks will be to strengthen our multiplication facts so that students will be proficient with this skill for fourth grade.
I hope that all of the moms had a wonderful and relaxing Mother's Day! Our third graders worked very hard to make their present extra special for you all.
We have continued with our Rainforest exploration during Social Studies, and have incorporated some new vocabulary words into our Word Study. This week's list was for two weeks, although some students chose to try the list in one week, and will partake in the "Rainforest Challenge List" next week. In Math, we worked with many different types of measurement. We reviewed measuring length, and explored volume, weight, and capacity using hands-on activities. We ended the week reviewing multiplication facts. Our main focus for the next few weeks will be to strengthen our multiplication facts so that students will be proficient with this skill for fourth grade.
I hope that all of the moms had a wonderful and relaxing Mother's Day! Our third graders worked very hard to make their present extra special for you all.
Week 32 ~ April 30-May 4 ~ Entering Into the Rainforest
Dylan the Armadillo Visits Our Classroom
It has been an exciting week, as we have started our Plants Unit in Science, and our Rainforest Unit in Social Studies. We have learned about the parts of the plant, and have started our own planting in our classroom. We have been reading many books, and are discovering the many plants and animals that coexist in the rainforest. Through reading, we have discovered the different rainforest layers. We will continue to learn where certain animals live and why they live in that layer next week.
Our third graders had the amazing opportunity to meet some of these animals first hand, as the ZooMobile visited our grade with their "Tropical Treasures" presentation. Some of the animals our kids were able to see included an armadillo, ball python, parrot, turtle and newt. Some students were brave enough to touch the scales of the snake and the shell of the turtle. Many thanks to our Jefferson PTA for funding this wonderful program for our third graders!
Our third graders had the amazing opportunity to meet some of these animals first hand, as the ZooMobile visited our grade with their "Tropical Treasures" presentation. Some of the animals our kids were able to see included an armadillo, ball python, parrot, turtle and newt. Some students were brave enough to touch the scales of the snake and the shell of the turtle. Many thanks to our Jefferson PTA for funding this wonderful program for our third graders!
Week 31 ~ April 23-27 ~ Continued Testing and Earth Day Celebrations
Creating Earth Day Posters
I am so proud of our third graders for their hard work and focus during our NYS Assessments. The tests were quite a challenge and I am proud of them for trying their best. This week, we started to learn about the rainforest, our next area of the word to explore. We spent some time talking about Earth Day, and we sang "The Three R's" by Jack Johnson, reminding us to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. The kids made posters illustrating their thoughts and ideas about Earth Day.
I look forward to getting back to our regular routine next week. We will resume daily homework assignments and Word Study lists. Thank you for working with your child over the past two weeks to keep stress levels to a minimum. Your support and encouragement makes such a difference!
I look forward to getting back to our regular routine next week. We will resume daily homework assignments and Word Study lists. Thank you for working with your child over the past two weeks to keep stress levels to a minimum. Your support and encouragement makes such a difference!
Week 30 ~ April 16-20 ~ NYS Testing and Earth Day
I hope you all enjoyed your vacation! Our third graders got right back into the swing of things, sharing vacation memories at Morning Meeting, and jumping right back into our routines. The state tests were quite lengthy each day, challenging each student to work for 90 minutes to try their best at reading and writing about what they read. This was quite a challenge, and I am so proud of every student in our classroom for trying to do the best job possible. On Friday, we celebrated Earth Day, which actually takes place on Sunday, April 22nd. We spent the day reading, writing and singing about Earth Day. Our third graders came up with many thoughtful ways that they could make our world a better place. My challenge to us all is to think about what's best for our Earth EVERY DAY instead of just April 22nd. As conferences wrapped up this week, I must say that it was a pleasure meeting with you all. It is so nice to allow your child the opportunity to show you around the classroom, and showcase all of his/her hard work. Please don't feel like this is the last time you may step foot in Room 203 - we have plenty of opportunities to come in and help our class, and we are in need of Mystery Readers for Thursdays at 11:30. Please email me at [email protected] if you are able to join us.
Week 29 ~ April 2-5 ~ Published Writing Pieces, Project Presentations
Publishing Writing Pieces
It was a short but productive week in Room 203. Most students had the opportunity to present their incredible projects to the class. All students worked hard to edit, revise, and publish their desert report by typing a word document. I am so impressed with their independent writing skills. The final published writing pieces are reflective of your child's writing ability. They truly have grown so much as writers.
We completed our fractions unit in math, and wrapped up our desert unit, which incorporated our Science and Social Studies curriculum. Upon return from break, we will have our first week of NYS State Testing. The ELA State Assessment will take place on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Our third graders are well-prepared, and I do not want any students to stress out or lose sleep over this. In fact, it is important for the kids to get a good night's sleep and to feel confident. They have worked hard on improving test-taking skills, and I am sure they will perform to the best of their abilities. Please contact me if you would like any more resources or information about state assessments. I will strive to ensure that stress levels are down to a minimum, and that the majority of the week focuses on our fun and exciting third grade curriculum. I know many of our students are excited to get started with our new units when we return from Spring Break.
Our third graders have been working hard and deserve this vacation! I hope that everyone has a nice break and enjoys the time with friends and family! Many of the kids in our class wanted updates on Shelly and The Three Little Carls over break. Click on the link at the very top of the page to follow their Spring Break Adventures! :)
We completed our fractions unit in math, and wrapped up our desert unit, which incorporated our Science and Social Studies curriculum. Upon return from break, we will have our first week of NYS State Testing. The ELA State Assessment will take place on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Our third graders are well-prepared, and I do not want any students to stress out or lose sleep over this. In fact, it is important for the kids to get a good night's sleep and to feel confident. They have worked hard on improving test-taking skills, and I am sure they will perform to the best of their abilities. Please contact me if you would like any more resources or information about state assessments. I will strive to ensure that stress levels are down to a minimum, and that the majority of the week focuses on our fun and exciting third grade curriculum. I know many of our students are excited to get started with our new units when we return from Spring Break.
Our third graders have been working hard and deserve this vacation! I hope that everyone has a nice break and enjoys the time with friends and family! Many of the kids in our class wanted updates on Shelly and The Three Little Carls over break. Click on the link at the very top of the page to follow their Spring Break Adventures! :)
Week 28 ~ March 26-30 ~ Writing Reports on our Research
Discovering the Meaning of Desert Vocabulary
This week, our third graders went through the writing process of writing a research paper. They started an outline, brainstormed leads and conclusion statements. After adding topic sentences to the outline, they began organizing their research into paragraphs. I am so impressed with the drafts that our third graders wrote independently! They are very motivated to write and are disappointed when it is time to take a break! Students received "red teacher pens" at the end of the week, and tried out their editing and revising skills. I am proud of the way I see so many students self-correcting, and adding adjectives and details to make their research papers enjoyable for the reader.
The Desert Projects are absolutely beautiful. I am thrilled to see that so many students took the time to put effort into the appearance of their project. We have quite an impressive display out in the hallway. Our third graders will get a chance to present their projects to their classmates last week. Our students have been working on desert words, and will have a quiz next Tuesday on this vocabulary. A study guide was sent home this past Tuesday, notifying families of this quiz and the content students are expected to know.
In Math, we continued to work with fractions. Together, we created fraction number lines to see how different fractions "line up." Students found fractions that are equivalent, and then we compared fraction values using fraction cards. We were lucky to have a visit from Matt Wilhelm this week, and BMX Biker who spread his positive message of working hard, never giving up, and told many anti-bullying stories. Congratulations to our students that took part in Monday's Community Leaders, or this Friday's Variety Show at Jefferson!
The Desert Projects are absolutely beautiful. I am thrilled to see that so many students took the time to put effort into the appearance of their project. We have quite an impressive display out in the hallway. Our third graders will get a chance to present their projects to their classmates last week. Our students have been working on desert words, and will have a quiz next Tuesday on this vocabulary. A study guide was sent home this past Tuesday, notifying families of this quiz and the content students are expected to know.
In Math, we continued to work with fractions. Together, we created fraction number lines to see how different fractions "line up." Students found fractions that are equivalent, and then we compared fraction values using fraction cards. We were lucky to have a visit from Matt Wilhelm this week, and BMX Biker who spread his positive message of working hard, never giving up, and told many anti-bullying stories. Congratulations to our students that took part in Monday's Community Leaders, or this Friday's Variety Show at Jefferson!
Week 27 ~ March 19-23 ~ Understanding Desert Plant and Animal Adaptations
Researching in the Computer Lab
Our Science and Social Studies curriculum continue to intertwine this week. Diving deep into the desert, our third graders spent the week researching plants and animals living in this ecosystem, and learned how their plants and animals are able to live in this particular environments. We have been enjoying several read-alouds from the desert to help our understanding of these regions of our world. Our at-home desert projects are due into school by Friday, March 30th. Each project must show the three animals, two plants, and the way that these living things adapt to survive in the desert ecosystem. In Math, we wrapped up our unit on multiplication, and have started Unit 8 on Fractions. Please continue to practice math facts with your child at home.
In writing, we have been focusing on finding the main idea of a passage, and identifying details by going back to the passage and underlining evidence to support our answers. We have been using the clickers this week to review math skills, such as word problems, time and money. With the assistance of Mrs. Ess, we learned how to use Aver in the computer lab this week. We are in need of Mystery Readers! Please call at 874-8418 or email [email protected] if you are free on Thursdays at 11:30.
In writing, we have been focusing on finding the main idea of a passage, and identifying details by going back to the passage and underlining evidence to support our answers. We have been using the clickers this week to review math skills, such as word problems, time and money. With the assistance of Mrs. Ess, we learned how to use Aver in the computer lab this week. We are in need of Mystery Readers! Please call at 874-8418 or email [email protected] if you are free on Thursdays at 11:30.
Week 26 ~ March 12-15 ~ Ready to Research!
Researching Desert Plants and Animals
This week, students identified the three animals and two plants that they would like to research for their desert projects. In school, they will be learning facts about their plants and animals, and recording their facts into research organizers. We will continue this research throughout next week, using non-fiction books, encyclopedias and online resources. As you learned this week from the project planning sheet that was sent home, students will get to use their creative minds to create an at-home project of their choice. This project will be due back to school by Friday, March 30th. In Math, we continued to practice extended multiplication facts, and worked with rounding numbers to the nearest ten and hundred.
We read Testing Miss Malarkey by Judy Finchler, a funny story that touches on some of the stress that may come with state testing next April. I am trying my best to prepare our third graders for these assessments without worrying them. They are getting very comfortable with the format of the test, and they are learning strategies to help them do their best. Thank you for your support at home. Working with your child on the weekly packet has greatly contributed to success that I am seeing in the classroom. As a whole, paragraph writing skills in our classroom have gotten much stronger. If you have any concerns about the upcoming testing, feel free to contact me. The kids will take the 3rd Grade NYS ELA Assessment on April 17, 18 and 19th. The 3rd Grade NYS Math Assessment will take place on April 25, 26 and 27. While it is important to be prepared, it is also important to me that we continue to focus on our regular third grade curriculum, and that our kids can continue to experience the joy of discovery that learning brings!
We were happy to see one of our "Little Carls" emerge from the sand this week. When Little Carl buried himself in the sand, we became concerned. As a class, we did research and learned about the molting process. We read that this may take several weeks, as the crab grows underground, shedding its exoskeleton. The books we read stated that the crab would eventually reemerge, and most likely change to a larger shell. Wednesday morning, we found Little Carl back on the sand, sporting a new shell. It is so exciting as a class to witness what we predicted might happen. I will post pictures of Little Carl in his new shell below.
Happy St. Patrick's Day! We read several books about Leprechauns and The Luck of the Irish this week. Our third graders wrote stories about what they would do if they caught a leprechaun and were granted three wishes. We enjoyed an Irish Dancing assembly to finish our short school week.
We read Testing Miss Malarkey by Judy Finchler, a funny story that touches on some of the stress that may come with state testing next April. I am trying my best to prepare our third graders for these assessments without worrying them. They are getting very comfortable with the format of the test, and they are learning strategies to help them do their best. Thank you for your support at home. Working with your child on the weekly packet has greatly contributed to success that I am seeing in the classroom. As a whole, paragraph writing skills in our classroom have gotten much stronger. If you have any concerns about the upcoming testing, feel free to contact me. The kids will take the 3rd Grade NYS ELA Assessment on April 17, 18 and 19th. The 3rd Grade NYS Math Assessment will take place on April 25, 26 and 27. While it is important to be prepared, it is also important to me that we continue to focus on our regular third grade curriculum, and that our kids can continue to experience the joy of discovery that learning brings!
We were happy to see one of our "Little Carls" emerge from the sand this week. When Little Carl buried himself in the sand, we became concerned. As a class, we did research and learned about the molting process. We read that this may take several weeks, as the crab grows underground, shedding its exoskeleton. The books we read stated that the crab would eventually reemerge, and most likely change to a larger shell. Wednesday morning, we found Little Carl back on the sand, sporting a new shell. It is so exciting as a class to witness what we predicted might happen. I will post pictures of Little Carl in his new shell below.
Happy St. Patrick's Day! We read several books about Leprechauns and The Luck of the Irish this week. Our third graders wrote stories about what they would do if they caught a leprechaun and were granted three wishes. We enjoyed an Irish Dancing assembly to finish our short school week.
Week 25 ~ March 5-9 ~ Into the Desert
Practicing Comprehension as a Class Using Clickers
We started our Desert Unit in Social Studies this week. We found where deserts are located on a world map, and discovered amazing pictures and facts in many different desert books. Each student created their own "Walk In The Desert" book, identifying their favorite desert plants and animals. Our third graders are very motivated to learn more about the many plants and animals that live in this ecosystem. Next week, I will be sending home information about an At-home Desert Project. In Math, we learned how to use parenthesis in number sentences using various operations. We continued to practice our multiplication facts, and learned how multiplication facts are extended when they are multiples of 10. (7x9=63, so 7x90=630) We practiced dictionary skills this week, focusing on ABC order and using dictionary guide words to find the word we are looking for. Our third graders are continuing to read with their guided reading groups, and may be asked to read sections of their book for homework throughout the week. Groups will come together the next day to discuss the passage they read, and with my direction, we will reread or discuss any sections that may have been confusing. Of course, reading the book at home can be recorded on their nightly reading log. Thank you for your support in your encouragement in your child's at-home reading. We have continued to practice answering multiple choice questions after reading a short passage this week. The use of clickers added to the fun of this activity.
We had such strange weather this week! We took advantage of the warm weather last Wednesday by visiting the playground. I think the students enjoyed the fresh air, and the opportunity to play together outside. We have been following Pete Kaiser everyday. We love finding out what place he is in, and reading the most recent news on the Iditarod.
We had such strange weather this week! We took advantage of the warm weather last Wednesday by visiting the playground. I think the students enjoyed the fresh air, and the opportunity to play together outside. We have been following Pete Kaiser everyday. We love finding out what place he is in, and reading the most recent news on the Iditarod.
Week 24 ~ February 27-March 2 ~ Working Hard!
Exploring Multiplication by Creating Arrays
We are back from vacation and working hard! Our daily structure changed a bit this week, as students are now working in smaller, more intensive groups for word study and NYS Test Preparation. We have started new guided reading groups this week as well. Ask your child about the book that he/she is reading with classmates. Thank you for your support with your child's at-home reading. Independent reading is so important for fostering growth as a reader. Each student should be recording what he/she reads nightly in the weekly packet.
Our entire class learned about adjectives this week. After learning to identify adjectives in a sentence, our third graders practiced adding adjectives to their writing to make sentences more exciting. They did a nice job writing "super sentences" with their spelling words this week. In Math, we started Unit 7, focusing on multiplication. We reexamined patterns in products and created arrays using colored pasta to display multiplication facts. We played games with friends and on the computer to continue our fact practice. Please continue to practice multiplication facts with your child at home! Fast Math and Study Island are fun ways for our third graders to "play" and learn at the same time. I have game kits (Multiplication Baseball, Multiplication Top-It, Multiplication Bingo, etc.) that I am happy to send home for families to play together per request. Please send in a note or email me if you are interested.
We were lucky to have a visit from dental hygienists this week, as February was Dental Health Month. Students learned about proper dental hygiene, and received toothbrushes, toothpaste and floss. In the library, Mrs. Burgstahler taught us about The Iditarod Race, taking place all next week. Our class has chosen Peter Kaiser as our musher, and we will be tracking his progress in "The Last Great Race on Earth" throughout the week. You can find more information at http://iditarod.com.
Our entire class learned about adjectives this week. After learning to identify adjectives in a sentence, our third graders practiced adding adjectives to their writing to make sentences more exciting. They did a nice job writing "super sentences" with their spelling words this week. In Math, we started Unit 7, focusing on multiplication. We reexamined patterns in products and created arrays using colored pasta to display multiplication facts. We played games with friends and on the computer to continue our fact practice. Please continue to practice multiplication facts with your child at home! Fast Math and Study Island are fun ways for our third graders to "play" and learn at the same time. I have game kits (Multiplication Baseball, Multiplication Top-It, Multiplication Bingo, etc.) that I am happy to send home for families to play together per request. Please send in a note or email me if you are interested.
We were lucky to have a visit from dental hygienists this week, as February was Dental Health Month. Students learned about proper dental hygiene, and received toothbrushes, toothpaste and floss. In the library, Mrs. Burgstahler taught us about The Iditarod Race, taking place all next week. Our class has chosen Peter Kaiser as our musher, and we will be tracking his progress in "The Last Great Race on Earth" throughout the week. You can find more information at http://iditarod.com.
Week 23 ~ February 13-17 ~ Valentines and Celebrating Canada
Valentine's Day
This was a busy week, as we wrapped up many units of study. In Math, we learned about similar and congruent shapes, symmetry, and 3D objects. Because we completed Unit 6, your child will be bringing his/her Volume 1 Math Journal. Many pages have not been completed in this journal, as we use various activities and worksheets in addition to EM, so please use the empty pages of the Math Journal for at-home practice. In Science, we completed our chapter on ecosystems. Students took a Polar Test that combined our science and social studies curriculum. On Valentine's Day, students exchanged valentines, as well as the gift of a complement to each classmate. Students received a mailbox full of valentines from their friends, as well as a list of many reasons why they are wonderful! Friday was our special day to "Celebrate Canada." We made beads as the Inuit do for arts and crafts, created maple leaf necklaces, and enjoyed a school-wide dance assembly. We sang the Canadian National Anthem in English and French, and played Canadian sports (snow-shoeing, ice-skating, lacrosse, and "push-up" hockey) during a special third-grade time in the gym. Please click on the Photo Gallery at the top of the page for more pictures from our special week. Enjoy your February Break!
Week 22 ~ February 6-10 ~ Polar Projects and Presentations
As we passed the 100th day of school this week, our third graders presented on what they learned about their polar animal to the rest of their classmates. We enjoyed student PowerPoint Presentations, as well as an in-depth look at each poster and diorama. Our PowerPoints and at-home projects showed hard work and effort on the part of all third graders. The kids presented their information in such colorful and creative ways. Thank you for your help at home to support such beautiful projects. If you are unable to come visit our third grade hallway to see our student projects, you may enjoy the photo gallery of projects below. PowerPoints will be emailed to interested families next week. In Science, we learned about different ecosystems, and took a closer look at how to classify living things into producers or consumers. The kids learned about decomposers as well, and we had wonderful conversations about the wonder of nature and how living and non-living things interact in different environments. During our ELA time, we read about "Snowflake Bentley" and his amazing discovery of snowflakes. Our focus of geometry in Math continued this week, as we took careful looks at the difference and similarities between different polygons. Your child should be able to explain the properties of quadrangles, right angles and parallelograms. We will complete this unit next week, as we will discover 3D objects, similar and congruent polygons, and symmetry. Students learned to spell their friends names this week, as we prepare to exchange Valentines next Tuesday. Please be sure your child has a Valentine for each student in our class.
Week 21 ~ January 30-February 3 ~ O Canada
Learning about Canada with third grade friends
We spent a great deal of time exploring the geography, history and culture of Canada this week. Our third graders brainstormed our spelling words this week, which focused on Canada. We were busy doing word work definitions, and read together for greater understanding of our Canada words. Using our knowledge of our Canada words, we paired up with friends in Mrs. Johnson's class to practice using a glossary, and to take the Canada Poster Challenge. We completed a Canada review guide, and we will take our Canada Unit Test next Wednesday, February 8th. Students may use their notes, review guides, as well as Social Studies textbooks to help them prepare for this test. We have been busy completing our PowerPoint Presentations in the computer lab. I look forward to our student presentations, beginning next week. All posters and dioramas are due on Monday, February 6th. During our ELA time, we have been practicing non-fiction reading skills as we read about Canada. We have been practicing mechanics, such as linking two short sentences together with a comma and a "linking word" such as 'and' or 'because.' We spent some time practicing Problem Solving Skills, and students applies the steps of problem solving to their own lives. We have been continuing to work on geometry, revisiting line segments, lines and rays to ensure all students are using a straightedge, and putting the points on the lines. We discovered the meanings of parallel, intersecting, and right angle. On Groundhog's Day, we read an article in the paper comparing the results of Punxsutawney Phil, Dunkink Dave and Kenmore Kate. The kids reflected in their journal which groundhog they wanted to believe; some are hoping for an early spring, while others are longing for more wintry weather.
Week 20 ~ January 23-27 ~ All About Animal Adaptations
"Getting lost in our books" during DEAR Time.
This week, our Science and Social Studies Units came together as we learned about animal adaptations, and then applied this understanding to discover how each polar animal adapts to it's cold environment. We talked about traits that are inherited from parent to offspring, and how many traits are adaptations to help animals survive as well. Our third graders completed their polar research this week, and started working on their PowerPoint Presentations in the computer lab. Copies of the research organizer were sent home to help with the at-home portion of the polar animal project, which is due Monday, February 6th. For a reminder of the requirements of this project, I have included a link to the letter sent home below. In Math, we completed Unit 5 on decimals, and have started Unit 6, which focuses on geometry. We have discovered and created lines, line segments and rays. Mrs. Joi Chimera visited our third graders, teaching a lesson on Fair Trade Chocolate.
PARP started this week at Jefferson, and we were thrilled to see Will from our class playing the drums on stage with Glenn Colton during the PARP Kick-Off Assembly. Thank you for your participation at home, as it is so important that students continue their reading for at least 20 minutes each night. We have been focusing on book talks this week, taking the time after independent reading to share and discuss our books. Beginning next week, I will be sending packets home with weekly activities to begin preparation for the New York State Assessments in ELA and Math coming this April. Part of this packet will include a Reading Log that will become part of your child's nightly homework. I would like them to independently complete entries in their Reading Log each night, recording what they read. More information will come home with the packet next Tuesday.
We will be exchanging Valentines on Tuesday, February 14th. Students should bring a Valentine for all classmates. A class list will be included on the back of our February Share Calendar. Many of our students are running low on pencils; any pencil donations to our class would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your help!
PARP started this week at Jefferson, and we were thrilled to see Will from our class playing the drums on stage with Glenn Colton during the PARP Kick-Off Assembly. Thank you for your participation at home, as it is so important that students continue their reading for at least 20 minutes each night. We have been focusing on book talks this week, taking the time after independent reading to share and discuss our books. Beginning next week, I will be sending packets home with weekly activities to begin preparation for the New York State Assessments in ELA and Math coming this April. Part of this packet will include a Reading Log that will become part of your child's nightly homework. I would like them to independently complete entries in their Reading Log each night, recording what they read. More information will come home with the packet next Tuesday.
We will be exchanging Valentines on Tuesday, February 14th. Students should bring a Valentine for all classmates. A class list will be included on the back of our February Share Calendar. Many of our students are running low on pencils; any pencil donations to our class would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your help!
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Week 19 ~ January 17-20 ~ Our Dream for the World
On Tuesday, we spent the day learning about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Our third graders listened to stories, poems, read books in Book Clubs and sang songs. We had very meaningful conversations about fairness and equality among people in our country and the world. In Social Studies, we read Nunavut, and learned about the Inuit people living in Northern Canada. Students read about and took notes on the geographic regions of Canada, finding the Canadian Shield where Nunavut is located. Our Spelling words this week were Science and Social Studies vocabulary words commonly found in our polar animal research. Our third graders had two research days in the library, as well as time to research in the computer lab. We will complete our research next week, and begin to organize research notes into a PowerPoint Presentation. In Math, we have been working with decimals. Students have been working with manipulatives to better understand the place value of tenths and hundredths. We will complete Unit 5 on decimals and place value next week. In writing, students have been working on organizing a written paragraph, and using "time" words to show sequence in a short story. We are frequently using the "hamburger" template to remind students to begin a paragraph with a topic sentence, add at least three details, and complete the paragraph with a closing sentence.
Week 18 ~ January 9-13 ~ Taking Notes
Making models of backbones in Science
We are excited about starting our polar research! This week, each student chose an animal for their polar research project. In the library, Mrs. Burgstahler and I taught a two-part lesson introducing the skill of notetaking. The students have been practicing this writing skill during Science and Social Studies lessons this week. We practiced taking notes as a whole class on animals, and we worked together to take notes on the traits used to group different animals during Science. On Thursday, our third graders used this new skill to take notes onto a research organizer using different references in the library. Our class will continue their animals next week using encyclopedias, non-fiction books and online resources. In Math, we started a unit on place value, and we are beginning to explore place value to the right of the decimal point. Students shaded grids that represented one whole to understand numbers smaller than one. We will continue working with tenths and hundredths next week. In the Computer Lab, students have learned many skills using PowerPoint which they will apply to their polar animal project. Our word work focused on words that are commonly misspelled in student writing, and they practiced using sequential words (first, next, then, finally) to organize writing.
Week 17 ~ January 3-6 ~ Happy New Year!
Observing our Hermit Crabs
Happy New Year to all! 2012 has already been an eventful year in our classroom. Although this was a short week, we jumped right back into our schoolwork. We learned about adding prefixes and suffixes to words, and worked on various activities throughout the week to practice this skill. Students should now be able to identify a root word, and point out a suffix or prefix that is added. Meanings of many suffixes and prefixes were discovered as well. We played matching card games to practice matching a prefix with a root word, and enjoyed many online games that practice these skill. These games will remain on my website under the English Language Arts section. We have been busy working with our multiplication facts as we wrap up our Unit 4 on Multiplication. Students played games such as Fast Math, Multiplication Baseball and Multiplication Top-It to reinforce their facts. We worked with fact triangles, "What's My Rule," and multiplication/division word problems. Although we will be moving on to new content in math, please continue to practice multiplication facts at home, and encourage home practice of Fast Math to improve speed and accuracy. In the Computer Lab, I introduced Microsoft PowerPoint, and our third graders started to create their own slide shows. In Social Studies, we started our Polar Unit. Students learned the difference between The Arctic and Antarctic, and we read "Life in the Polar Lands" together to preview the region that we will be exploring further for the next two months. More information about our upcoming Polar Animal Project will be coming home with your child on Monday.
We have had an explosion of writing this week due to recent classroom events. As you know, Big Carl, our class hermit crab, did not live to see the new year. We read Rainbow Bridge, a poem that describes the happy place that pets go to play with others after they pass on from being old or sick. Our students were sad on Tuesday as we had a moment of silence and touched Carl's shell to say goodbye. The class reminded me that through our research in December, we learned hermit crabs are social animals that are much happier with hermit crab company. Wednesday morning, they were thrilled to meet Shelly's new crabitat mates: The Three Little Carls! Our three new hermit crabs are mini-versions of Carl, and it has been fascinating for us to observe their interactions. The kids have been begging for time to write stories about Shelly and The Three Carls. Pencils have been flying in the notebooks each day. Our little hermit crab friends have been quite an enjoyable motivator for our class. We look forward to their future adventures!
We have had an explosion of writing this week due to recent classroom events. As you know, Big Carl, our class hermit crab, did not live to see the new year. We read Rainbow Bridge, a poem that describes the happy place that pets go to play with others after they pass on from being old or sick. Our students were sad on Tuesday as we had a moment of silence and touched Carl's shell to say goodbye. The class reminded me that through our research in December, we learned hermit crabs are social animals that are much happier with hermit crab company. Wednesday morning, they were thrilled to meet Shelly's new crabitat mates: The Three Little Carls! Our three new hermit crabs are mini-versions of Carl, and it has been fascinating for us to observe their interactions. The kids have been begging for time to write stories about Shelly and The Three Carls. Pencils have been flying in the notebooks each day. Our little hermit crab friends have been quite an enjoyable motivator for our class. We look forward to their future adventures!
Week 16 ~ Happy Holidays!
Enjoy Pictures from our Holiday Celebration
Getting Messy at our Holiday Party
What a wonderful week we have had here at Jefferson! We were lucky enough to enjoy the Chopsticks Olympics, small group student plays, a Kenmore West Jazz Ensemble Concert, and a fun-filled Holiday Celebration consisting of a sing-along, holiday movie, and holiday centers in our classroom. Thank you to the many parents and grandparents that volunteered their time to come in and help during The Olympics and our Holiday Celebration. I would also like to thank the parents that sent in items for the Chopsticks Olympics and the party. Our special events were fantastic because of your help. We appreciate your support!
Our hard-working kids have earned this vacation! We took our Social Studies Unit Test on China, and our Earth Science Unit Test. I am very pleased with the results of these assessments, and the growth I am seeing in our third graders. Thank you for your assistance with studying at home. During vacation time, I am hopeful that our kids will still continue to read. My gifts to each child are books, presents that I hope will continue to encourage their love and ability for reading. I tried to choose books individually for each child, based on interest and reading level. Please feel free to enjoy these books with your child; sharing reading, talking about books and reading together allows for enjoyable family time, and wonderful learning moments as well.
Speaking of gifts, I would like to thank you all for such a beautiful class gift. A very big thank you to Mrs. McKinlay for organizing such an amazing present. Your kind words presented in a frame will hang on my wall and remind me how lucky I am to spend my days with such wonderful children. I am very touched by such a thoughtful gift. Carl and Shelly will spend the vacation my family and me, and we promise to take care of them until their return to Room 203 in January. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! See you in 2012!
Our hard-working kids have earned this vacation! We took our Social Studies Unit Test on China, and our Earth Science Unit Test. I am very pleased with the results of these assessments, and the growth I am seeing in our third graders. Thank you for your assistance with studying at home. During vacation time, I am hopeful that our kids will still continue to read. My gifts to each child are books, presents that I hope will continue to encourage their love and ability for reading. I tried to choose books individually for each child, based on interest and reading level. Please feel free to enjoy these books with your child; sharing reading, talking about books and reading together allows for enjoyable family time, and wonderful learning moments as well.
Speaking of gifts, I would like to thank you all for such a beautiful class gift. A very big thank you to Mrs. McKinlay for organizing such an amazing present. Your kind words presented in a frame will hang on my wall and remind me how lucky I am to spend my days with such wonderful children. I am very touched by such a thoughtful gift. Carl and Shelly will spend the vacation my family and me, and we promise to take care of them until their return to Room 203 in January. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! See you in 2012!
Week 15 ~ Hello Carl and Shelly, Goodbye Miss Aris
Our Last Day with Miss Aris
We have exciting news in Room 203! On Monday, we welcomed Carl and Shelly, our pet hermit crabs. This has led to an explosion of research to learn more about our new friends. Each student read a different paragraph, discovering the main idea and details, and then shared the specific information learned with the class. Ask your child what he/she knows about hermit crabs. We were sad to say goodbye to Miss Aris on Thursday, but we wished her well and look forward to seeing her when she visits for The Chopsticks Olymics.
Next week is full of exciting events as we finish our calendar year and end various units of study. On Tuesday, December 20th, we will have a Social Studies test. Your child brought home the China study guide earlier this week. We will celebrate our learning in the afternoon with The Chopsticks Olympics. Thank you to the many families that are volunteering their time or items to help make our day special! On Wednesday, December 21st, our Science test will be given on water and weather. A study guide for this test was sent home yesterday, and a review guide will come home with your child today. In addition to the study guides, students may take home their folders, which contain various worksheets and activities from class. All students have the option of signing out a textbook as well. There are resources online on our class website to help your child study as well. We will have a Holiday Party next Thursday, December 22nd. Thank you to Mrs. McKinlay and Mrs. Vishion for organizing parent volunteers. We are continuing our multiplication fact practice during our Math time at school.. Please practice multiplication facts with your child at home!
Next week is full of exciting events as we finish our calendar year and end various units of study. On Tuesday, December 20th, we will have a Social Studies test. Your child brought home the China study guide earlier this week. We will celebrate our learning in the afternoon with The Chopsticks Olympics. Thank you to the many families that are volunteering their time or items to help make our day special! On Wednesday, December 21st, our Science test will be given on water and weather. A study guide for this test was sent home yesterday, and a review guide will come home with your child today. In addition to the study guides, students may take home their folders, which contain various worksheets and activities from class. All students have the option of signing out a textbook as well. There are resources online on our class website to help your child study as well. We will have a Holiday Party next Thursday, December 22nd. Thank you to Mrs. McKinlay and Mrs. Vishion for organizing parent volunteers. We are continuing our multiplication fact practice during our Math time at school.. Please practice multiplication facts with your child at home!
Week 14 ~ December 5-December 9 ~ All About China
Christmas Tree Desks for December
Our third graders have been immersed in Chinese culture this week. During her final full week at Jefferson, Miss Aris has been busy involving our students in various activities to teach about Chinese culture. Students have been working as a whole class, in small groups, and with buddies to explore the economy, food, holidays, and lifestyle of the Chinese people. In guided reading groups, we read about Cixi, the last Chinese Empress. Students have been learning to identify and pull facts out of non-fiction reading as evidence. We have been looking at the structure of a well-written paragraph, and we are practicing writing paragraphs with a topic sentence, strong details, and a closing sentence. We have practiced adding -ed to verbs to make them past tense during our word work this week. In Math, our students have practiced 10 facts, square facts, and have practiced arrays and multiplication word problems.
Our class has been collecting compliments from faculty and staff members, and receiving a link on our class compliment chain for each compliment earned. Through hard work and good behavior, our class has received enough compliments for our chain to reach our goal - a class pet. Next week, our class will meet Carl and Shelly, our class hermit crabs, named by our fabulous third graders. We are so excited!
Our class has been collecting compliments from faculty and staff members, and receiving a link on our class compliment chain for each compliment earned. Through hard work and good behavior, our class has received enough compliments for our chain to reach our goal - a class pet. Next week, our class will meet Carl and Shelly, our class hermit crabs, named by our fabulous third graders. We are so excited!
Week 13 ~ November 28-December 2 ~ Predicting the Weather
Working on a Group Presentation
We have been having lots of fun learning about weather in our Science. Our third grade meteorologists have learned about the tools used to help predict the weather, and have been finding facts about weather and big storms in their Science text books. We explored more facts about weather on various links on the Science page of our class website. These week has been an exposure to the culture and history of China. We learned about China's past dynasties and emperors, and the kids presented what they learned in groups to the rest of the class. Miss Aris is creating a learning center to learn more about China's culture for next week, and the kids had fun assisting with paper mache. Our students should now know 0, 1, 2 and 5 multiplication facts, as well as an understanding of how the process of multiplication works. Our fact practice will continue next week. We worked hard during our word work this week to understand, identify and write the homophones in our spelling list. During our ELA time, we read Yeh Shin, the Chinese version of Cinderella, and our students were able to compare and contrast the stories into a Venn Diagram with ease.
Even though the weather is turning colder, I still will bring our class outside from time to time to keep our bodies moving and our minds active. Please make sure that your child has the appropriate attire at school (coat, gloves, hat) to keep him/her warm on walks around the block. Thank you!
Even though the weather is turning colder, I still will bring our class outside from time to time to keep our bodies moving and our minds active. Please make sure that your child has the appropriate attire at school (coat, gloves, hat) to keep him/her warm on walks around the block. Thank you!
Week 12 ~ November 21-23 ~ We Are Thankful
We are Thankful
We started multiplication in Math this week, and our class has now practiced the 0 and 1 facts. Our class enjoyed "Little Red Riding Hood," and then compared this to a Chinese version of this story, "Lon Po Po." Students used graphic organizers to identify characters, setting and details of each story, and then compared the two stories using a Venn Diagram. Our class had the opportunity to explore many fiction and non-fiction books about China, and then completed a KWL chart displaying all of the information that they found. We are learning so much about Chinese geography and culture!
Our class spent a great deal of time this week reflecting on the many things and people that we are thankful to have in our lives. After reading "The Wednesday Surprise" by Eve Bunting, we made lists of the many things we are thankful for in our Writer's Notebook, and then shared with our classmates. Each student chose one special person in their life to write a letter to, expressing why he/she is thankful for that person. It was nice to see our students writing such kind things to their special person, and I have encouraged them to always appreciate and share when they are thankful for something in their lives.
Happy Thanksgiving!.
Our class spent a great deal of time this week reflecting on the many things and people that we are thankful to have in our lives. After reading "The Wednesday Surprise" by Eve Bunting, we made lists of the many things we are thankful for in our Writer's Notebook, and then shared with our classmates. Each student chose one special person in their life to write a letter to, expressing why he/she is thankful for that person. It was nice to see our students writing such kind things to their special person, and I have encouraged them to always appreciate and share when they are thankful for something in their lives.
Happy Thanksgiving!.
Week 11 ~ November 14-18 ~ Taking a Trip
Kleinhans Music Hall
It was a week full of excitement as we took our first field trip to Kleinhans Music Hall to see the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra perform. Our class looked and acted fabulous in the audience of this amazing theater, and we enjoyed hearing the beautiful sounds of the many instruments. It was a wonderful day that I think we will all remember.
Our class also took a "trip" to China on Google Maps this week. Miss Aris led our class to explore the geography and beautiful sights of China through amazing Google Maps photographs, as well as using information from our Social Studies textbook. In Math, we completed Unit 3 on Measurement, and will begin working with multiplication in Unit 4 next week. We have been looking carefully at the rules when adding "ing" to verbs with our word work this week, and we have been talking about our classroom goals. We continued our inferencing practice as we looked at poems, and pulled evidence from the text to infer the topic of the poem. It has been a pleasure meeting with many of you at our Parent Conferences this week, and I look forward to meeting with the rest of you next week. Thank you for supporting your child at home.
Our class also took a "trip" to China on Google Maps this week. Miss Aris led our class to explore the geography and beautiful sights of China through amazing Google Maps photographs, as well as using information from our Social Studies textbook. In Math, we completed Unit 3 on Measurement, and will begin working with multiplication in Unit 4 next week. We have been looking carefully at the rules when adding "ing" to verbs with our word work this week, and we have been talking about our classroom goals. We continued our inferencing practice as we looked at poems, and pulled evidence from the text to infer the topic of the poem. It has been a pleasure meeting with many of you at our Parent Conferences this week, and I look forward to meeting with the rest of you next week. Thank you for supporting your child at home.
Week 10 ~ November 7-10 ~ Honoring Our Veterans
Jefferson's "Flag of Honor"
In Science this week, students learned about the water cycle. Your child should now be able to describe the water cycle, and explain the meaning of evaporation, condensation and precipitation. In Social Studies, we discovered the different climates of the world, and learned about the differences between temperate, tropical and polar. Next week, we will focus in on a country that is mainly located in the temperate country. In Math, we worked with perimeter, area, tallying and graphing. Students are working on sentence structure and editing during ELA time. We completed our guided reading books and worked as groups to discuss the setting, characters, problems and resolutions of our stories.
For the second year in a row, Jefferson created a "Flag of Honor" recognizing those who serve or have served our country. Students, faculty and staff submitted names of Veterans they would like to recognize, and each name was written on a star, taking the shape of a flag in the front hallway for all to see. Thank you to the families that donated Halloween candy to send to Veterans overseas through Operation Gratitude, and to those who sent items to mail to sick and injured troops through Jammies for GI’s. I believe it is important to take part in these projects that allow students the experience of doing something kind for others in our community and world. Our school honored our Veterans at Jefferson’s Third Annual Veteran’s Day Assembly on Wednesday, featuring local Vietnam Veterans as special guests. After exploring the meaning behind the Pledge of Allegiance, The Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of Jefferson led the school in The Pledge. The Veterans and selected fifth grade students took part in a Flag Folding Ceremony, as students sang God Bless America. It was a very special and moving afternoon, leaving all "Proud To Be An American."
For the second year in a row, Jefferson created a "Flag of Honor" recognizing those who serve or have served our country. Students, faculty and staff submitted names of Veterans they would like to recognize, and each name was written on a star, taking the shape of a flag in the front hallway for all to see. Thank you to the families that donated Halloween candy to send to Veterans overseas through Operation Gratitude, and to those who sent items to mail to sick and injured troops through Jammies for GI’s. I believe it is important to take part in these projects that allow students the experience of doing something kind for others in our community and world. Our school honored our Veterans at Jefferson’s Third Annual Veteran’s Day Assembly on Wednesday, featuring local Vietnam Veterans as special guests. After exploring the meaning behind the Pledge of Allegiance, The Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of Jefferson led the school in The Pledge. The Veterans and selected fifth grade students took part in a Flag Folding Ceremony, as students sang God Bless America. It was a very special and moving afternoon, leaving all "Proud To Be An American."
Week 9 ~ October 31-November 4 ~ Happy Halloween!
Thank you to the many parents who organized, volunteered, or contributed to our Halloween Party. The day was a huge success, and the kids had a blast! This week, we have been continuing our work on measurement in Math. In Reading, we have been looking at verbs, and tried to find these action words in written sentences. We are still working with our guided reading groups, and will finish our books next week. We completed our Social Studies Unit, reviewing at the beginning of the week, and taking our test on Thursday. In Science, we talked about uses of water, and learned about the water cycle. We will go more in depth with the water cycle next week. We have been talking about Veteran's Day, and with our Book Buddy friends, we made red, white and blue wreaths in honor of our Veterans. We will display these wreaths next week at our Veterans Day Assembly. They will then go on to decorate Veterans hospitals or nursing homes for November 11th. We discovered Study Island in the computer lab, which is another fun program to help us practice math.
On November 15th, we will be going on a field trip to see the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra perform! This is a field trip through our music department, and does not require chaperones as the seating is limited. We are excited about the opportunity to take the kids to Kleinhans Music Hall! Students are welcome to dress up for this exciting event.
On November 15th, we will be going on a field trip to see the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra perform! This is a field trip through our music department, and does not require chaperones as the seating is limited. We are excited about the opportunity to take the kids to Kleinhans Music Hall! Students are welcome to dress up for this exciting event.
Week 8 ~ October 24-28 ~ Learning About Nouns
Measuring Volume During Science
Miss Aris, our student teacher, has joined our class this week! The students are enjoying her presence in our classroom, and she will gradually begin to take over some of the instruction during her eight weeks with our class. This week, our focus in English Language Arts was common and proper nouns. Students learned to identify nouns as any person, place, or thing, and then practiced finding the difference between nouns that are common and proper. We found nouns in many activities throughout the week. Using this week's Fall Spelling words, they created fall pictures using their words, and they wrote "spooky spelling stories" in their Reading Journals. In Writing Workshop, we identified small moments in our lives that would make great stories to share. We talked about these stories as the "seeds" in the watermelon, small snapshots. We started our Water Unit in Science this week. Students explored the places on the Earth that contain water. They were surprised to find how much of the Earth's water was salt water, and then inferred why it is important to use freshwater wisely. We are wrapping up our Map Unit in Social Studies, and will have a Social Studies Test next Thursday. Please refer to the study sheet sent home this week to help your child study. We started Unit Three on Measurement in Math this week. We learned the importance of a common unit of measurement after reading "How Big is a Foot?" by Rolf Myller. Students have been measuring with rulers to the nearest half inch. I am looking forward to our third graders' first recorder performance on stage at the Halloween Assembly.
Week 7 ~ October 17-21 - Focusing on CAPITAL LETTERS
Having Fun at Free Time
We continued reading our books in our guided reading groups this week. Groups read together in pairs to discover character traits, and reported back to the group. Our focus during reading centers this week was using capital letters in the correct place. Students each wrote a letter to me, discussing a book that they enjoy and the reasons that they would recommend this book. We will continue to practice writing in letter format each week in our Reading Journal. This week's word work focus was on words with long o sound. Our third graders identified the different patterns that create this sound, and sorted the words accordingly. We practiced sentence writing, which will be a weekly practice each Thursday. Many of our writers are creating stories with friends and sharing them at the end of our Writer's Workshop. We were busy this week in Math, practicing multidigit subtraction, regrouping, ballpark estimate, odd and even numbers, and polygon identification. Our Fastt Math practice on the computers is helping our students to become quicker with their facts. Thank you for your continued practice at home. We have exciting news! Next week, we will have a student teacher joining our class. Miss Aris comes highly recommended from her suprervisor, and we are looking forward to meeting her. We created an "All About Our Classroom" book on Friday to help introduce ourselves.
Week Six ~ October 11-14 ~ Busy, Busy, Busy!
Using Latitude and Longitude to Find Locations
We have been working hard this week! Our word study focused on contractions. Students compiled a list of contractions, and we selected twenty for our word study. They did a beautiful job practicing these words throughout the week, and I am pleased with our spelling test results. Thank you for your assistance at home with your child's word study. I expect to see correctly spelled contractions in their writing from now on!
During Reading Workshop, we started guided reading groups. Ask your child about the book that he/she is reading. Each group will meet to read together throughout the week, and work on tasks and activities that target certain skills. This week we focused on comprehension of the story, and identifying setting and characters. We have such incredible writers in Room 203! They are enjoying writing stories and presenting them for the class to enjoy. Sharing student stories with the class has become a popular request. Students will continue to write freely and create stories of their choice throughout next week. We are enjoying a variety of genre from our students writers. In Math, we worked with multidigit addition problems. We then used these skills to solve word problems using addition. We will move onto subtraction next week. Our fact skills are getting stronger - thanks for practicing with your child at home! In Social Studies, we have been using our latitude and longitude skills in the library to identify locations in World Atlases. We will continue to learn more map skills, and practice what we discover about maps next week. Go Sabres! Go Bills!
During Reading Workshop, we started guided reading groups. Ask your child about the book that he/she is reading. Each group will meet to read together throughout the week, and work on tasks and activities that target certain skills. This week we focused on comprehension of the story, and identifying setting and characters. We have such incredible writers in Room 203! They are enjoying writing stories and presenting them for the class to enjoy. Sharing student stories with the class has become a popular request. Students will continue to write freely and create stories of their choice throughout next week. We are enjoying a variety of genre from our students writers. In Math, we worked with multidigit addition problems. We then used these skills to solve word problems using addition. We will move onto subtraction next week. Our fact skills are getting stronger - thanks for practicing with your child at home! In Social Studies, we have been using our latitude and longitude skills in the library to identify locations in World Atlases. We will continue to learn more map skills, and practice what we discover about maps next week. Go Sabres! Go Bills!
Week Five ~ October 3-7 ~ Just the Facts
Moving in the Morning to Get Ready to Learn
We have been focusing on fact practice in Math this week. With the many different types of problems and equations that we will be working with this year, it is imperative that the kids really know their addition and subtraction facts well. We worked with different math puzzles, such as "What's My Rule?" and we played math games, such as Around the World. Fact triangles helped us to understand fact families (6+7=13, 7+6=13, 13-7=6, 13-6=7), which can also lead to speed and accuracy with math facts. Please practice facts with your kids at home, and encourage them to practice independently. Fastt Math is a great program that the kids have used this week to practice their facts, and can be played at home. Click here to try Fastt Math at home! We will begin multi-digit math problems next week; knowing the facts is very important!
Your child should now be able to identify the seven continents and four oceans. We have started learning about latitude, longitude, and finding locations on a map. We will continue to work on maps next week, both in our classroom and with atlases in the library. Our third graders had their first spelling list and test this week. Thank you for assisting your child in his/her word study at home. In school, we sorted our spelling words into different categories, and wrote sentences using our spelling words. Our focus in writing this week was to begin sentences with a capital letter, and to end sentences with correct punctuation. Many of our students write good complete sentences, but forget about these important mechanics. We are being very careful about when to use capital letters, and will continue to focus on this skill next week. Beginning next week, words that use capital letters incorrectly will lose half credit. In addition to the games on SpellingCity.com, there are many interactive activities with the spelling words using sentences. We had an exciting moment this week in Reading, when Charlie Bucket discovered the Golden Ticket during Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Our students brainstormed what they thought the Golden Ticket would say, and created their own golden tickets - using beautifully written sentences, of course!
Your child should now be able to identify the seven continents and four oceans. We have started learning about latitude, longitude, and finding locations on a map. We will continue to work on maps next week, both in our classroom and with atlases in the library. Our third graders had their first spelling list and test this week. Thank you for assisting your child in his/her word study at home. In school, we sorted our spelling words into different categories, and wrote sentences using our spelling words. Our focus in writing this week was to begin sentences with a capital letter, and to end sentences with correct punctuation. Many of our students write good complete sentences, but forget about these important mechanics. We are being very careful about when to use capital letters, and will continue to focus on this skill next week. Beginning next week, words that use capital letters incorrectly will lose half credit. In addition to the games on SpellingCity.com, there are many interactive activities with the spelling words using sentences. We had an exciting moment this week in Reading, when Charlie Bucket discovered the Golden Ticket during Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Our students brainstormed what they thought the Golden Ticket would say, and created their own golden tickets - using beautifully written sentences, of course!
Week Four ~ September 26-30 ~ "Can We PLEASE Have More Time to Read?"
Our Writer's Notebooks
This class truly loves reading and writing, and I am amazed their stamina. After settling into independent reading this week, this class read for twenty minutes solid without a sound in the room. This is a wonderful time where students enter the world of their stories, and I am able to read individually with students around the room. As I wrapped up our DEAR time for that afternoon, the kids begged me more five more minutes. We tried to brainstorm ways to fit in more time in the day for independent reading, and one suggestion was actually to pick them up early from lunch to allow more reading time! Amazing!
The same holds true for our writing time; they really enjoy our writing minilessons, and writing freely in their notebooks. They always seem to want more time to write, as well. If only I could have them all for a couple more hours each day!
We completed Unit One in Math this week, reviewing counting money, comparing numbers and place value. Next week, we will move onto fact practice and extended facts in Unit Two. Students had the opportunity to use the Mobi this week, which is an interactive whiteboard, much like a handheld SMART Board. We explored cardinal and intermediate directions, and students were able to circle and identify continents and oceans using the pen of the Mobi, their answers displayed on our projection screen. We are going to have a lot of fun learning with such wonderful technology this year.
The same holds true for our writing time; they really enjoy our writing minilessons, and writing freely in their notebooks. They always seem to want more time to write, as well. If only I could have them all for a couple more hours each day!
We completed Unit One in Math this week, reviewing counting money, comparing numbers and place value. Next week, we will move onto fact practice and extended facts in Unit Two. Students had the opportunity to use the Mobi this week, which is an interactive whiteboard, much like a handheld SMART Board. We explored cardinal and intermediate directions, and students were able to circle and identify continents and oceans using the pen of the Mobi, their answers displayed on our projection screen. We are going to have a lot of fun learning with such wonderful technology this year.
Week Three ~ September 19-23 ~ Knowing Our Place in the World
Our Third Graders Show Off Their Anti-Bullying Posters
Our main theme this week was Bullying, and how we can prevent bullying in our classroom and in our school. Our week began with a wonderful assembly featuring Magician Mike Seege, and he presented the anti-bullying message while showing a few amazing magic tricks. We read stories about bullying, and shared our own experiences of being bullied with classmates. Together, our class identified examples of bullying, and we discussed what to do if you are bullied, or if you see another student bullied. After spending so much time on this topic, the kids felt like they knew a lot about bullying, and wanted to spread the message to help other kids in the school. We came up with the idea of creating our own anti-bullying posters to display around the school. The many different messages that were written on the posters were beautiful reminders to be kind and take care of each other.
In Reading, we explored many different reasons to choose books, such as wanting to share a book with others. The different books that I read to the class this week, such as Teach Your Buffalo to Play Drums, by Audrey Vernick and My Mama had a Dancing Heart by Libba Gray, reminded me of some of our students. I thought the whole class would like these stories, but there were specific students that came to mind when I first read those stories. This idea will lead our students to their own Book Recommendations for other classmates next week. In Writing Workshop, we learned more strategies to help us find ideas to write, such as Picture and Squiggle. We brainstormed a special place in our lives, and wrote lists of what we could see, hear, smell, possibly even taste or touch at that place. This list is one of many brainstorming activities that will lead to a published piece in a few weeks time. Once we fill our notebooks with ideas, we will pull out our best thoughts, learn to organize them, and then focus on mechanics to publish them into a piece to share with others. In Math, we focused on Bar Graphs and Pictographs. Students should now be able to collect and read data, and create a graph to display this data. We also worked on making names for numbers in collection boxes, and played Name That Number to help us practice our math facts. In Social Studies, we explored where in the world we live on Google Earth. By the end of next week, students should know their planet, continent, country, state and city/town (Buffalo/Tonawanda). They brought home a flip book to help them practice this information. Google Earth is a fun way that you can explore geography, not just at school, but on your computer at home together.
In Reading, we explored many different reasons to choose books, such as wanting to share a book with others. The different books that I read to the class this week, such as Teach Your Buffalo to Play Drums, by Audrey Vernick and My Mama had a Dancing Heart by Libba Gray, reminded me of some of our students. I thought the whole class would like these stories, but there were specific students that came to mind when I first read those stories. This idea will lead our students to their own Book Recommendations for other classmates next week. In Writing Workshop, we learned more strategies to help us find ideas to write, such as Picture and Squiggle. We brainstormed a special place in our lives, and wrote lists of what we could see, hear, smell, possibly even taste or touch at that place. This list is one of many brainstorming activities that will lead to a published piece in a few weeks time. Once we fill our notebooks with ideas, we will pull out our best thoughts, learn to organize them, and then focus on mechanics to publish them into a piece to share with others. In Math, we focused on Bar Graphs and Pictographs. Students should now be able to collect and read data, and create a graph to display this data. We also worked on making names for numbers in collection boxes, and played Name That Number to help us practice our math facts. In Social Studies, we explored where in the world we live on Google Earth. By the end of next week, students should know their planet, continent, country, state and city/town (Buffalo/Tonawanda). They brought home a flip book to help them practice this information. Google Earth is a fun way that you can explore geography, not just at school, but on your computer at home together.
Week Two ~ September 12-16 ~ Appreciating Heroes in Our Community
Reading with our Kindergarten Book Buddies
Our routines are in full swing as we completed our first full week of school. At the beginning of the week, we focused on our community helpers, and created cards for our firefighters and police officers to say thank you for working hard to keep us safe. Mr. Haynes from the Fire Department came in to receive our cards, and answered our students' thoughtful questions and comments about being a worker in our community.
During our Reading Workshop time, students have been exploring the new books in our library, talking about ways we choose books, and deciding if books are easy, just right or challenging. We have read many stories together, including our ongoing read aloud, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, by Roald Dahl. They are enjoying reading with friends in the classroom, and they have time to read independently after lunch each day. Each Friday, our class will read stories to Kindergarten Book Buddies in Mrs. Geartz's class. During Writing Workshop, we are learning Strategies to Write Personal Narratives. I have been offering methods to spark ideas for writing, and our third graders have been pouring ideas out into their beautifully decorated Writer's Notebooks. Already, they are asking for more time to write, and to share their writing with each other. We are still in the early stages of developing a published personal narrative writing piece, but I am very encouraged by the enthusiasm that they are showing during our writing time. In Math, we worked with number grids and numberlines. Students practiced showing the time with their own clocks, identified given times, and drew the hands on empty clocks to show their "telling time" skills. Towards the end of the week, we all identified personal goals that address academics, work habits, and helping others. We will work together to support and accomplish our goals.
During our Reading Workshop time, students have been exploring the new books in our library, talking about ways we choose books, and deciding if books are easy, just right or challenging. We have read many stories together, including our ongoing read aloud, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, by Roald Dahl. They are enjoying reading with friends in the classroom, and they have time to read independently after lunch each day. Each Friday, our class will read stories to Kindergarten Book Buddies in Mrs. Geartz's class. During Writing Workshop, we are learning Strategies to Write Personal Narratives. I have been offering methods to spark ideas for writing, and our third graders have been pouring ideas out into their beautifully decorated Writer's Notebooks. Already, they are asking for more time to write, and to share their writing with each other. We are still in the early stages of developing a published personal narrative writing piece, but I am very encouraged by the enthusiasm that they are showing during our writing time. In Math, we worked with number grids and numberlines. Students practiced showing the time with their own clocks, identified given times, and drew the hands on empty clocks to show their "telling time" skills. Towards the end of the week, we all identified personal goals that address academics, work habits, and helping others. We will work together to support and accomplish our goals.
Week One ~ September 6-9 ~ Learning the Way Around Our Classroom
Working hard to organize our classroom library!
This has been an incredible first week of school. We started the week playing some "getting to know each other" games, and learned the expectations and routines of our classroom. Within hours, our third graders seemed comfortable in Room 203 and ready to learn. They had a clear vision for the kind of classroom they wanted to spend their day in, and they knew exactly how they would like to be treated by their friends. Not only did they describe a respectful and cooperative classroom, but they immediately showed what a positive community of friends looks like. Through various activities this week, we have started to grow as a family of learners, and I am so thrilled to have such wonderful kids in my class this year. I am truly excited about the many learning adventures ahead of us!
Rather than finding a library of organized books, our third graders found their books in big boxes, with signs on the shelves that read "Library Under Construction." After talking about different ways to categorize books, we started a class project to set up our classroom library. All of the kids played a role in this project; our artists made signs to help us find certain genres, and many students worked together to sort and organize the books in a way that is meaningful for them. We also began our Writers Workshop this week. Thank you to our families for sending in pictures/photos/stickers that represent your child. We look forward to decorating our notebooks next week. We jumped right into Social Studies, spending some time talking about 9/11. I know that this will be all over the news this weekend as we reach the 10 year anniversary, and I felt it was important to put the focus of this topic on the heroes and American Patriotism that came from this tragedy. With the other third grade classes, we created a chain of "patriotic hearts" to hang in the hallway, representing how our hearts are all connected as Americans.
I look forward to meeting all of our families at our Open House on Tuesday, September 20th. If you have any questions or concerns before Open House, feel free to get in touch with me at [email protected], or 874-8418 (before or after school). Thank you for sharing your wonderful children with me - I know that we are going to have a spectacular year together!
Rather than finding a library of organized books, our third graders found their books in big boxes, with signs on the shelves that read "Library Under Construction." After talking about different ways to categorize books, we started a class project to set up our classroom library. All of the kids played a role in this project; our artists made signs to help us find certain genres, and many students worked together to sort and organize the books in a way that is meaningful for them. We also began our Writers Workshop this week. Thank you to our families for sending in pictures/photos/stickers that represent your child. We look forward to decorating our notebooks next week. We jumped right into Social Studies, spending some time talking about 9/11. I know that this will be all over the news this weekend as we reach the 10 year anniversary, and I felt it was important to put the focus of this topic on the heroes and American Patriotism that came from this tragedy. With the other third grade classes, we created a chain of "patriotic hearts" to hang in the hallway, representing how our hearts are all connected as Americans.
I look forward to meeting all of our families at our Open House on Tuesday, September 20th. If you have any questions or concerns before Open House, feel free to get in touch with me at [email protected], or 874-8418 (before or after school). Thank you for sharing your wonderful children with me - I know that we are going to have a spectacular year together!
Summer Vacation
I have been spending a great deal of my summer vacation having fun with my family. This is a picture of my family and me in Allegany State Park. We love to go camping together. I have two boys; Austin is two, and Aidan will be turning seven in September. I am keeping busy this summer by teaching music and art classes at Rolly Pollies, and I have been coming into Jefferson to get our classroom ready for the Fall. I am really looking forward to meeting all of you, and I can't wait to hear about your summer adventures!