Wow! The end of the year is right around the corner!

I sent home a purple paper with the Country Project Poster Expectations. Students are researching their country at school. Kids can do additional research at home (but don’t have to) and can include additional information/pictures on their poster.  Posters are due Friday, June 21st! Parents and families are welcome to come at 3:00-3:45 to peruse our Country Fair and celebrate all of the kiddos’ hard work! I know some kids are interested in bringing food from their country so be on the lookout for a sign-up sheet and we can maybe have a potluck of food at that time as well! Please be sure to reach out if you have any questions!!!

There will be no homework sheet for the rest of the year, although, reading every day is strongly encouraged. 🙂

Important Dates

Friday, June 14th: Early Release at 2:15

Friday, June 21st: Full Day, Country Project Due, Families visit 3:00-3:45

Monday, June 24th: Field Day

Tuesday, June 25th: Last Day, Full Day, Assembly @ 9:45

This week is our Math Smarter Balanced Testing. Due to testing, no homework was sent home for this week! 🙂

In math, we have been working with attributes of shapes as well as perimeter and area. In Literacy, students have been revisiting reading Just Right books as well as showing their thinking about their reading. They have also been learning about different types of poems and working on creating their own. In Science, we learned about surface tension and how that affects the shape of water. Luis was our V.I.P. last week and this week, we get to learn more about Urban! 🙂

Just like for the Reading tests, students can bring one small comfort item for the math tests. Do your best to have them well-rested and on time those days! Thank you so much for your help!

If you have any questions, let me know!

Important Dates

Tuesday, May 21st: Science Van

Wednesday, May 22nd: Smarter Balanced Testing – Math PT

Thursday, May 23rd: Smarter Balanced Testing – Math CAT

Friday, May 24th: Early Release!

Monday, May 27th: No School – Memorial Day

Wednesday, May 29th:  CV Family Picnic Day!  3^rd grade is 12:05-12:45.  If you are attending, please turn in the lunch order form that came home last week.

Thursday, May 30th: 2nd/3rd Grade Performance – 7:00 pm

Friday, May 31st: Full Day Friday, Cheetah Cheers Assembly – 3 pm

Smarter Balanced Testing starts Monday! The kids will each get a water bottle and some small snacks throughout the testing days, but feel free to send in a special snack of your own (they can also bring their own water bottle). Since this is most of the kids’ first experience with a long test, I am also allowing the kids to bring in one comfort item-a SMALL item, such as a small, non-electronic stuffy, stress ball, small blanket-something that gives them comfort or relieves anxiety. Please, do not send in anything that is large, distracting or makes noise.

Please be sure your student gets a good night’s sleep and breakfast the morning of the tests.  Our testing dates are:

• ELA Performance Task – May 6 & 7
• ELA Computer Adaptive Test – May 9
• Math  Performance Task – May 22
• Math Computer Adaptive Test – May 23

Finally, here are some things to talk to your student about if they have concerns or worries:

• It is important to go into the test with a growth mindset – you can do this! Yes, it will be challenging, but you can do it- you can take on anything!
• Take deep breaths – in through your nose, out through your mouth.
• Don’t panic if something doesn’t make sense or you can’t read it! Take three deep breaths and look for words you do know, look at the questions and then go back and reread. If it still doesn’t make sense, then just do your best to answer what you believe the correct answer could be. It’s okay!
• Remember your strategies: read everything fully, re-read, what is the questions asking, eliminate answers that don’t make sense, put the question into your own words.
• Always use your paper! Take notes, solve math problems ON PAPER! You have all the time you need, so take the time to write things down. It is a bummer when mistakes are made because you think you did something right in your head-check your work on paper!
• This test is just one moment in time. It is simply a tool for measuring what you know right now, and what you still need to be taught. However, you should still do your very best and take it seriously.

If you have any questions, please be sure to let me know! These kids are gonna rock this test!!! 🙂

Also, there will be no homework sent home for this week.

Man oh man, time is flying by!  It is hard to believe we are nearing the end of April. A lot has been going on in Room 3!

In math, we finished our fraction unit and are working on various graphs and data analysis. In literacy, we completed our Character Studies unit as kids read and discussed their characters in book clubs. We are currently going over ways that readers and writers look at tests differently. Kiddos are working on strategies to be successful during testing (ask them what happens if they have positive thoughts instead of negative thoughts)! We have started our science unit on Water and Climate and are starting to really look at the properties of water. Brianna is finished out her V.I.P. this week and our next V.I.P. will be Hannah in a few weeks! 🙂

Smarter Balanced Testing is about a week away!  I am taking students through the practice test but if you are interested in seeing what it looks like or want to get on at home, click here. Once you are there, if you need specific directions, see the previous post! Earbuds/Headphones are mandatory for this test! I am having the students try out their earbuds or headphones today to make sure they are comfortable/in working order. If they don’t have any headphones here, please send in a set!  I only have about 5 extra and I need those to be only for emergency! I will e-mail you if your kiddo needs headphones! 🙂

If you have any questions, let me know! Thank you!

Important Dates

Thursday, May 2nd: Opening Day Farmer’s Market – Choir performs 4:30 pm

Friday, May 3rd: Full Day Friday, Moms & Muffins – 8:30 am, Report Cards go home

Monday & Tuesday, May 6th & 7th: Smarter Balanced Testing – ELA PT

Thursday, May 9th: Smarter Balanced Testing – ELA CAT

Friday, May 10th & 17th: Full Day Friday

Tuesday, May 21st: Science Van

Wednesday, May 22nd: Smarter Balanced Testing – Math PT

Thursday, May 23rd: Smarter Balanced Testing – Math CAT

Monday, May 27th: No School – Memorial Day

Wednesday, May 30th: 2nd/3rd Grade Performance – 7:00 pm

 

Spring Break is a few days away and it will be a much deserved break for all!

We are really flying through our learning here in Room 3! In reading, we are studying characters and how they all move along a story mountain.  The kiddos are in book clubs where they are reading the same book and then discussing what is happening. In writing, students have learned the O-RE-RE-RE-O structure for an opinion/persuasive paper. They have practiced their position on a few topics so far and are working towards choosing one for publication. In math, we are deep in our fraction unit and students are using various models (i.e. shapes, number lines) to represent and compare fractions. Dominick was V.I.P. last and we are currently learning more about Cody. Next, will be Colton and then we will get to finish out Brianna’s week (as she was sick for part of it!).

Smarter Balanced Testing will be here before we know it! We have our dates and it would be greatly appreciated if out-of-school items were not scheduled on the following days:

ELA PT – Mon. & Tues. May 6th & 7th

ELA CAT – Thurs. May 9th

Math PT – Wed. May 22nd

Math CAT – Thurs. May 23rd

If you are interested in getting an idea of what the test looks like, click here and you will be directed to the Washington Comprehensive Assessment Program. On that page, click ‘Sign In’ at the bottom (you do not need a username or session number). Select Grade 3 and then you will be taken the page to select the test.  The four tests at the top (highlighted in yellow boxes) are the tests the kiddos will take. There is no answer key (which will drive some of you crazy!). The purpose is to show the types of questions along with the format.

On another note, after Spring Break, we will have all full day Fridays, with the exception of May 24th which will be an early release, in the month of April and May. In June, we will resume all early release Fridays until the end of the school year.

As always, if you have any questions, let me know! 🙂

Important Dates

Monday-Friday, Apr. 8th-12th: Spring Break

Friday, Apr. 19th: Full Day Friday

Friday, Apr. 26th: Full Day Friday, Cheetah Cheers Assembly, Spirit Day-Career Day

Friday, May 3rd: Full Day Friday, Moms & Muffins-8:30, Report Cards go home

 

The kiddos have earned a class celebration for following expectations in specialists!  The class worked hard to get perfect points in specialist 40 times! They voted on a camp-out (again!) along with a special treat of s’mores. So tomorrow, kids can bring a pillow, blanket, or stuffed animal that fits in their backpack and I will provide the treat. Tomorrow is 70s Spirit Day (along with a Cheetah Cheers Assembly), but if your student would rather come in something comfy (like pjs), that is fine as well! I am so proud of them!!! 🙂

I hope everyone is doing well and working through any illnesses that arise!

We are cruising right along in our learning here in Room 3!  In Reading, we wrapped up our nonfiction unit and are underway with our Character unit.  We will be learning how really understanding the character will help us better understand the whole book! Our nonfiction animal books in writing are wrapping up as well and we will then start our Opinion/Persuasive writing unit. In math, we have begun our Fraction unit and we are learning how to partition different shapes into equal fractions. Our plant unit is wrapping up in science and the kids are diving into the life cycle of a plant as well as what supports the growth at each stage. Bennett was our V.I.P. last week and we look forward to learning more about Thomas this week!

The Toymaker Workshop is tomorrow, Wednesday (the 13th) so be sure to send in permission slips!  Class pictures are also tomorrow, Wednesday (the 13th) and if you are purchasing individual or class pictures, be sure to send in payment (or online through Lifetouch) by then as well!

Any questions, let me know! 🙂

Important Dates

Wednesday, Mar. 13th: Class picture day

Wednesday, Mar. 13th:  Toymaker’s Workshop in-house field trip – Info coming next week!

Thursday, Mar. 14th: Band/Choir Concert @7:00 pm

Monday-Friday, Mar. 18th-22nd: Dance Dude Week

Friday, Mar. 22nd:  Cheetah Cheers Assembly @1:30, Dance Dude Night

Wednesday, Apr. 3rd: Science Van (3rd-5th grade) during school

Monday-Friday, Apr. 8th-12th: Spring Break

Hey Room 3 Families!  I can’t believe February is a week from begin over, but I know the kiddos must have enjoyed the many snow days (maybe not so much at the end of the school year)!

Thank you so much to my Celebration Planners for helping the kids have a fun day on Wednesday for our Friendship Celebration!!! 🙂

In literacy, students are really learning about the strategies readers use when reading an expository nonfiction or narrative nonfiction to understand the text better. Students are also forming their nonfiction books about their animal and are sounding like real experts! We are in the last chunk of our math unit looking at area, where we will be solving problems and looking at real world examples of where solving area and side length happens! Our plants have grow a lot over the snow days and we are recording the changes. Trevor and Carter were our last V.I.P.’s and Holden is up next! It is so fun to learn more about these kids! 🙂

We have a nice long consistent stretch of school (stay away crazy weather) so it will be great to see the growth over this next month and a half!  Let me know if you have any questions or concerns!

Important Dates

Tuesday-Thursday Feb. 26th-28th: Jump-a-thon (during Fitness on Wednesday the 27th)

Thursday, Feb. 28th: Dress as your Favorite Book Character Day, Family Reading Night-5:30

Friday, Mar. 8th: Talent Show

Wednesday, Mar. 13th: Class picture day

Wednesday, Mar. 13th:  Toymaker’s Workshop in-house field trip – Info coming next week!

Monday-Friday, Mar. 18th-22nd: Dance Dude Week

Friday, Mar. 22nd:  Cheetah Cheers Assembly @9:45, Dance Dude Night

 

 

It has been hard getting back into the swing of things with these four-day weeks happening!  Until Mid-Winter Break, I can’t imagine we will really get into a proper groove. Regardless, a lot has been going on in Room 3! 🙂

In literacy, we are well into our nonfiction unit, learning to identify the type of text that we have and then using appropriate strategies to understand them (expository versus narrative nonficiton). In math, we are beginning our new unit, Finding Area, first understanding the concept and then applying the arithmetic properties. In our science unit, our plants are now growing in a hydroponic and we are observing the necessary structures to support the plant. Last week, Abby was are VIP and we are learning more about Trevor this week! 🙂

The Spelling Bee is tomorrow so kiddos who want to practice have one more night!

Let me know if you have any questions!

Important Dates

Wednesday, Jan. 30th: Arts Alive

Friday, Feb. 1st: No School – Teacher Day

Thursday, Feb. 14th: Friendship Celebration – details to come later

Friday-Tuesday, Feb. 15th-19th: Mid-Winter Break

A belated welcome back to you all!  I hope you all had a wonderful break.  We have hit the ground running here at school and are working on a lot!

In literacy, we have begun our nonfiction unit, learning skills and strategies to summarize nonfiction texts. In math, we are moving towards the end of our unit, Multiplying and Dividing Tricky Numbers, focusing on different strategies as well as recognizing patterns to help solve problems with numbers involving a 6, 7, 8, or 9. In our science unit, we are now seeing what effect water has on seeds by documenting what we observe. Next week, we will get back into our V.I.P.’s and Josh will kick off this new year! 🙂

In the next couple of weeks, we will complete the Winter MAP Assessments.  Reading will be done on Tuesday, January 15th and Math will be done on Wednesday, January 23rd in class.  Hopefully, they can come well rested and ready to go to take their assessments!

Spelling Bee lists will be coming home today if your kiddo is interested in participating.  It is not mandatory but highly encouraged to participate! For the class spelling bee, we will use the third grade word list (and continue to the fourth grade word list if needed). Your student also had the option to take the packet containing all of the words.  The class Spelling Bee will be on Tuesday, January 29th. If your kiddo is the top speller, they will then go on to compete in the School-Wide Spelling Bee on Tuesday, February 5th @ 2:00.

Homework will resume tomorrow.  With the next few weeks all being only 4 days, know that homework is always due the day before the weekend (Thursday or Friday) and the homework for the following week will go home that same day.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask! 🙂

Important Dates

Friday, Jan. 11th: Early Release @2:15

Tuesday, Jan. 15th: Reading MAP Assessment (in class)

Thursday, Jan. 17th: School-Wide Movie (during the school day)

Friday, Jan. 18th: No School, Teacher Day

Monday, Jan. 21st: No School, MLK Jr. Day

Wednesday, Jan. 23rd: Math MAP Assessment (in class)

Friday, Jan. 25th: Full Day, Cheetah Cheers Assembly @ 10:05