December 9th - 18th

Religion:
Memory for the week is only the Christmas parts that your kids are responsible for.  I sent home the sheet on Monday with the words printed on it.  We have also been working on it a lot in class together, but just in case you need them:

Shepherds view the starry night
And behold a wondrous sight:
Angels sing of Christ, the King;
Listen to their voices ring.

Math:
Today we started looking at measuring distances and lengths to the nearest quarter inch.  This is a difficult concept that combines rounding numbers, fractions, and measuring.  Be patient while your kids keep practicing this skill

Reading:
We will be looking at Christmas stories that leave Jesus out of them starting on Monday.  Our goal will be to complete a project that adds Jesus into these Christmas stories so that the characters will know the true meaning of Christmas.  This will be done in class and the end projects will be put on the blog over Christmas break.

Grammar:
We will be covering nouns until the end of 2nd quarter.  We have already covered common and proper nouns and are moving on to singular and plural nouns through next week.

Science:
Next week on Wednesday is our weather vocabulary quiz.  I will send home a review sheet on Friday.  The kids are also going to be creating their own weather maps and filming a weather forecast based off of the map they put together.  They will most likely need some time to work on it over the weekend, but a lot of in class time will be given tomorrow and Friday.  These weather maps need to be finished by Monday at the latest.

Cornerstone and Grades
I have been doing my best to get grades up on Cornerstone in time for you to see them before the quarter ends.  I will be putting more late and redone work into the gradebook this weekend.  If your child turned something in before this last Friday it should be in the computer.  If it was turned in this week, I should have it all up to date over the weekend.

Important Dates:

• Monday 12/14 - CCLS Advent Service @ 7 pm (Middle School/Concordia Sanctuary) 
• Please arrive in time to be seated with Mrs. Glackin no later than 6:55 pm.
• Please make sure your child has used the restroom before the service starts. 
• Dress for church in your Christmas outfits or Sunday best.  
• Friday 12/18 - Class Christmas Party @ 2 pm
• No School  12/21 - 1/1
• Classes Resume on Monday 1/4/16

Week of November 30th

Dear Parents, 

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving Break and are well rested.  I have had a couple of really great days with your kids and have enjoyed getting back into our normal routine.  Here's what you can expect for the next week or so: 

Santa's Workshop:

Tomorrow is our classes time to go shop at Santa's Workshop.  The envelopes were sent home before break.  If you plan to send money, Thursday is the day!

Religion:

We will be going through the book Voices of Christmas and discussing all of the characters from the Christmas story from their point of view.  Your kids have a book full of discussion guides that we are going through in class.  If they don't finish a page in class, it will need to be completed as homework.  This will take us all the way to Christmas break.  

Math

We are still working with money a lot and the word problems are beginning to be multiple steps.  Yesterday and today we learned about fractions using candy and money.  We will take a math test on Friday, so some review on word problems and time may be good.  

Reading:

We are reading a story called Author:A True Story that exposes kids to a real author's experience and story.  We are also working on deciphering an author's purpose for writing pieces: PIE= Persuade, Inform, Entertain.   

Grammar:

For the next 2 weeks we will be working with all different types of nouns.  They will need to identify, sort, and appropriately use the following types of nouns in their reading and writing: Common, Proper, Singular, Plural, and Irregular Plural. 

Writing:

Our writing for the next 2 weeks will integrate what we are learning about an author's purpose and nouns.  Your kids will accurately write a short paragraph for each letter of PIE and then identify and sort the types of nouns they used in those paragraphs.  A lot of this will be worked on in class, but if they don't finish a portion of it on a given day it will be homework.  This must be done in order to be able to do the activities I have planned for each day.  If they fall behind on this, it will be difficult to participate in class the next day. 

Science:

Yesterday we began our weather unit.  This will take us all the way to Christmas break.  I sent home a calendar for the unit yesterday.  This will be a lot less work intensive than our Thanksgiving unit.  However, it will require some homework and study time at home for a vocabulary test and short quiz next week.  Please see the calendar for specific dates.  

Help Fund Our Author Project

This is the flyer with the vouchers containing our ID. The ID #11731379 is unique to our school.  There will be copies of it at every register in case our supporters do not have a voucher, but they must initiate the request to have it credit CCLS.  They won't just automatically credit every sale to us.

The Book Fair date is Sat., Dec. 5 from 9:00-9:00 at West County Mall.  If anyone wants to order on line, they use the ID number as well.  Online orders can be applied from Dec. 5 through Dec. 10.  Everyone should know that purchases include everything that is available in the store including Nooks, books, magazines, games, CD's, and even food.

Book Fair Coupon Code - Use on December 5th (You must have the BookFair ID at checkout)

Thanksgiving!

Dear parents and students,
As our class has spent the last few weeks studying the Thanksgiving holiday I am reminded how grateful I am to have a class full of lovely teachable children and supportive parents.  Thank you for all that you have done to help your kids and myself with our Thanksgiving celebration.  I am so proud of their hard work and it was a joy watching them grow through the process.

I have put the videos of all their presentations on the Social Studies page of this blog.  Your kiddos should have a study guide with questions for each video that they brought home with them. During the break they should watch each video and be sure they can answer all of the questions.  On Monday they will take a quiz on each video that exactly matches the questions we sent home.  (These are questions written by the students that produced each video, which is why some of them are repeated.  Mr. Fishburn and I approved the quiz written by each group before we sent home the questions.)

Lastly, we are on Lesson 14 for spelling when we return from the break.  Preparing a word list for Monday is the only other homework the kids have over break.

Have a great Thanksgiving!
Mrs. Glackin

Week of November 9th

Religion:
We have been working our way through the questions on Baptism in the catechism last week and this week.  Your kiddos have brought up some great questions and discussion topics.  I'd encourage you to talk with them about their own baptisms and how that grace and forgiveness is still alive in them today.

Math:
We have been working on adding money and counting larger amounts of money.  In the next week or so we will be taking on the challenging concept of fractions.  This is brand new concept for the kids and often takes more than just a couple of weeks for them to get the hang of .  Any practical application with fractions like pies, pizzas, hershey's bars, oranges, etc. will help them develop deeper understanding of the concept.

Writing/Grammar:
We have 2 major writing assignments and a couple of smaller assignments that tie into our Thanksgiving Unit.  I have sent home directions for the 2 major assignments:

• Thanksgiving Tradition Essay - 
• The rough draft has been turned in and now each child will self-edit their writing and then conference with me.  If needed they will do a 2nd rough draft. 
•  Final Due Date - Fri. 11/20
• Magic Treehouse: Thanksgiving on Thursday - Book Review
• This was assigned Monday in class and we have read through ch. 7 so far in the book. There are 10 chapters and we plan to be finished reading the book by Thursday.  Mr. Fishburn and I have about 20 copies of the book that the kids can check out if needed.  
• There will not be a required rough draft due date for this assignment, however, I am more than happy to look over what your child has read before the final turn in date.  
• Final Due Date - Wed. 11/18

Our grammar for the next 2 weeks will be integrated into these writing assignments.  We are really working hard on proofreading marks and combining sentences to make them more interesting.  

Reading/Social Studies:

These 2 subjects will be going hand in hand until Thanksgiving.  Your kiddos have been digging into books are other resources to find information on their Thanksgiving projects.  We have been teaching them how to do research, cite sources, and apply what they have read to a project.  They have been working hard! 

Thanksgiving Events: 

Kelly Ritter and Robyn Soetart have been sending out invitations and emails about volunteer sign ups for the the events leading up to our Feast.  If you see them, please thank them for the time they have put into helping Mr. Fishburn and myself.  Here are the ways you can also be involved: 

1. Come join us for the Feast! Thursday Nov. 19th @11 am (Please RSVP by Mon. 11/16)
2. Volunteer as a helper on Pie Making Day - Wednesday Nov. 18th from 1-3pm. 
3. Donate! We need as many families as possible to donate the following items (please sign up outside the classroom or contact Kelly Ritter if you can donate an item or 2): 

2 turkeys (if you would like to donate a turkey but not cook it let me know)

2.    2 volunteers to cook turkeys (only if needed)

3.    3 Green Bean dishes (each should be able to feed 10-12 people)

4.    3 Stuffings (each should be able to feed 10-12 people)

5.    3 Mashed Potatoes (each should be able to feed 10-12 people)

6.    2 Gravy (each should be able to feed 12-15 people)

7.    2 Sweet Potatoes (each to feed 10-12 people)

8.    3 Corn dishes (each to feed 10-12 people)

9.    6 dozen Rolls/Bread

10.  3 Cranberries (each to feed 10-12 people)

11.  10 $6.00 donations for supplies to make pies

*** The above food items will need to be prepared and cooked   

 Have a great week! 

Week of Nov. 2nd

Thanksgiving Unit: 
For the next 3 weeks both 3rd classes will be combining Reading/Writing/Grammar with Social Studies.  This is a unit developed around the First Thanksgiving that will encompass all of the following skills:
Reading to find information
Doing research
Asking deeper questions
Organizing information
Writing and creating to show information learned
Learning about history
Comparing and contrasting things of the past with current day
Presenting
Working in groups
Citing from texts
Comparing fact vs. fiction
Writing a book review
Discussing how God fits into the first Thanksgiving
AND several other things.

Your child is receiving a calendar of events and due dates from now until Thanksgiving break. This should be kept in their Social Studies Binder.   All assignments will be started in class, but the essay and book review will require work time at home.  I have no problem with you checking over your child's work, but please let them work on their own as much as possible.  This should be a showcase of what they know and are capable of.  I will be conferencing with them each before the due date as well.

The majority of this unit will be worked on at school with t  

Important Dates: 

• Monday November 16th - Daniel Boone Home Field Trip (Leave school at 8:30 and return at 2:30) Please dress in warm clothes and be ready for outside weather.  Please also bring a lunch and good walking shoes, possibly ready for rain and mud.  

• Wednesday November 17th - PIE DAY We will be making pumpkin pies from 1-3pm with the kids.  Kelly Ritter and Robyn Soetart will be organizing volunteers to help with this.  We will need about 4-5 parents to help this day.  

• Thursday November 19th - FEAST DAY  in the Webster Gardens Fellowship Hall 11:00 - 1:00 pm(please note this date has changed to the 19th NOT the 20th).  You will be receiving an invitation soon and we ask that you would RSVP with the names of your family members that will be attending.  This is a day that we will be eating and watching your kiddos present their projects.  Please plan to join us!!  

Week of Oct. 19th

Reading: 
This week we are working on using our voices as we read out loud.  We will be doing some Reader's Theater skits and recording them to work on the fluency of our voices as well as tone and inflection.  We will also be looking at summarizing stories by pulling out the characters, setting, and plot of what we read.

Math: 
We are beginning to work with money more in depth this week.  On your child's math homework, it is imperative that they correctly use the dollar sign and decimal point when writing answers that deal with money.  Starting today we have begun doing more challenging time tests for addition facts.  Each child will work their way through addition from 0-12 and then move on to subtraction 0-12.  The goal is that they can complete 50 facts in less than 2 minutes.  The quicker they can move through these, the easier math will be for them as we dig into more challenging concepts.

Science: 
We have finished up our Animal Unit and are doing a short week on the 3 states of matter.  There will be some homework assignments coming home since this is a short unit.  We will have a 10 point vocabulary quiz on Monday of next week.  They will have a study guide in their science binders at the end of the week.

Conferences:
We will be spending a large chunk of time this week and next week getting ready for our student led conferences.  This just means that we have a little less time for study hall in class.  I will do my best to compensate for that in terms of how much is assigned.  Please be sure to send back the yellow conference time request form by Wednesday to make sure you get your preferential time slot.

CCLS Book Fair:
The book fair is set for Oct. 27th - 29th.  This is a great way to get your kiddos interested in reading, do some early Christmas shopping, and support your school.  The book fair committee is always looking for more volunteers.  You can click on the Volunteer Sign Up link to find a way that you could help out.

Book Fair Hours & Special Events:

Tuesday, 10/27:                    

7:15am–7:45am ~ Teacher Preview!

8:00am–3:30pm ~ Fair is open.  K-4 students will visit with their classes.

6:00pm–7:30pm ~ Fair is open during the Candy Corn Festival!

Wednesday, 10/28:   

7:30am–3:30pm ~ Fair is open.

7:30am–8:15am ~ Breakfast With A Buddy!  Students may invite a relative or special friend for a light breakfast and book fair shopping!

                                                                                                                                    

Thursday, 10/29:       

8:00am–7:00pm ~ Fair is open during school and Parent-Teacher Conferences.

Important Dates:

• Wednesday Oct. 21st - Conference time request forms due back 
• Friday Oct. 23rd - Fall party at 2pm 
• Thursday Oct. 29th - Half day of school (Parent Teacher Conferences)
• Friday Oct. 30th - No School (Parent Teacher Conferences) 
• Monday Nov. 16th - Field Trip to Daniel Boone Home (Mr. Fishburn and I will send out an email regarding chaperones and other information.)
• Friday Nov. 20th - Thanksgiving Feast - ALL parents are invited to come!

Week of Oct. 12th

Important Notes:

• Book It - Book It is a reading program that encourages kids to read for at least 20 minutes a day.  Studies show that kids who read for that amount of time each day are more successful in several aspects of their lives as they grow up.  Here are the basics of the program: 
• Each night that your child reads (they must be the one doing the reading) they can color in the day on the calendar that was sent home last week.  
• Since I sent it home a week after October started, I told them they need to complete at least 18 days of reading.  
• If they bring it back to me with 18 days filled in they will receive a coupon for a free personal pizza from Pizza Hut.  
• These are due back on November 2nd.  
• Scholastic Book Orders - The next due date is October 28th.  Every book you buy for your child earns points for me to buy books for the class with.  Here is our class activation code to order online with.  PBGXF.  I will post this permanently at the top of our Reading page on the blog.  
• Student Led Conferences - The next couple of weeks will be spent working heavily on preparing our conferences for you.  If you haven't seen certain papers come home, it is most likely because your child is saving to use at their conference.  If you would like to see it before then, feel free to come down to the room and look in their conference binder.  Your child should know how to help you with this, but I am willing to help if needed.  
• Book Fair - Look for more info to come home this weekend.  

Reading:
We have been exploring the Problem and Solution of stories in class.  Last week we looked at Curious George books and found the problem, solution and action steps in his stories.  This week we will be applying this skill to writing our own stories.  You can expect to see a full cycle of the writing process in the next couple of weeks.

Math:
We have begun working a lot more with word problems.  Addition problems are referred to as "some and some more" problems and subtraction problems are referred to as "some, some went away" problems.  These problems build on the assumption that students are fluent readers and can decipher information into multiple steps.  In class I have the kids pick out the important information first and then turn it into an equation or number sentence.

Science:
We are finishing up our Animal Unit this week in class.  The kids have shown very good understanding of the concepts we covered and I don't feel it is necessary to have them take a test for this unit.  Instead we are using the app "Pic Collage" to create collages out of their zoo pictures.  They must classify the animals accurately in order to complete this project.  After today, most of the kids have either completed or almost completed the project and will not need to work on this at home.  
Religion:
We are still talking about the 10 commandments.  This week we are focusing on the 8th commandment and how our words hold great importance.  We will also be finishing up a small service project for Webster Gardens church.  Our class was asked to write notes to put inside the pockets of coats that are being donated to kids in the community.  Not only has this been a great lesson in letter writing, but it has opened up discussions on how to share our faith with those outside of our immediate circles.  The kids are doing a great job!

Penguins sighted at CCLS

The 3rd grade at CCLS reported unusual sightings of Mama and Papa penguins working hard to feed their babies today. Video of the Penguins was taken but not suitable for publishing. After the sighting, a number of penguin eggs were found to be left behind. Scientists have carefully observed them and recorded their findings. Below are some photos journaling the scientists work:

Please contact your 3rd grade scientist for more details on the penguin findings. 

Week of September 28th

Reading: 

We will be spending one more week exploring the world of Antarctica and penguins. We are working very hard on finding the main idea of what we read and applying that to our writing. 

Math:

We will be learning how to round numbers to the nearest 10 and 100. We will also be adding 3 digit numbers this week. Wednesday will be our 2nd math test of the year. A great skill to work on at home is getting speedy at math facts. 

Religion:

Our class has been asked to write notes to children who will be receiving donated coats from Lutheran Church of Webster Gardens. This ties in perfectly with the 5th commandment and the story of the Good  Samaritan we discussed last week. Our families are all very blessed and this is a great opportunity to talk with the kiddos about serving our neighbors. 

Science:

We have begun our animal unit and are posting the things we learn on the walls outside of the bathroom. You will be receiving more info in a couple of days. 

Important Dates:

• Tuesday Oct. 6 - Zoo Field Trip 

We will leave school at 9am. Please pack a sack lunch and water. We will return to school by 2pm for PE. 

•Friday Oct. 9 - Casual For Cause Day

Bring in $2 or medicine for Uganda and wear your Cardinals gear or appropriate casual for cause clothes. 

•Oct. 16-17 - CCLS Carnival

•Oct. 28 - October Book Orders Due 

Follow Mrs. Glackin's Class

If you would like to see more of what your kiddos are doing each week you may follow me on:
Facebook:  - Brittnie Besel Glackin
Instagram:  Brittbes12

You can search for other CCLS activities with the following hashtags:
#CCLS
#cclschargers  

Week of September 21st

Reading:
We are reading a story called Penguin Chick that takes readers through the life cycle of a penguin and shows Antarctica as a habitat.  We will be working on sequencing the events in a story this week.  We will be acting out a lot of the story and this week there will be a short quiz on the story on Friday.  This is the first time the kids will have seen this so I will walk them through it a little bit more.  It would be wise to have your kids review the story at home once on Wednesday or Thursday.

Math: 
We will be spending 2 days on adding 2 digit numbers and then another 2 days on subtracting 2 digit numbers.  This means that you will see homework that looks a little different than the regular worksheets for a couple days.

Religion: 
This week we are covering the 5th commandment and will be reviewing prayer a little bit more.

Social Studies: 
Your kiddos have been working hard on their projects at school.  Mr. Fishburn and I want them to see the importance of completing things in a quality manner instead of rushing them so we will be giving them a little bit of time to put finishing touches on things on Monday.  We will also be reviewing any vocabulary they should know and some basic questions that will be on their quiz on Wednesday.  A review guide will go home on Monday and we will present projects on Tuesday.

Science: 
Next week we will be starting our first science unit on Animals.  You will receive another calendar for this unit next week.  Our zoo field trip falls toward the end of the unit and the kids will be doing research while they are at the zoo.  I have a handful of parents signed up to join us but there is always room for more.

Important Dates:   

• Monday 9/21 - School pictures for individuals (wear school uniform)
• Tuesday 9/22 - Class and group pictures (wear school uniform)
• Saturday 9/26 -  CCLS Parent Social at Llywellens Pub in Webster @ 7 pm.  RSVP on the school website 
• Tuesday 10/6 - 3rd grade Zoo Field Trip 
• Friday and Saturday 10/16-10/17 - CCLS Carnival (see school website for more info)

Week of September 14th

Dear parents,
Thank you for being patient with me last week while I was gone.  I heard that Mrs. Klug and Mrs. Headrick did a great job with the kids.  Here's what you can look forward to this week:

Reading: We will be reading a news article on different types of animal habitats.  While reading this article we will be working on finding the main idea and details of what we read.  This will tie into doing our research for the Rural vs. Urban projects we are doing in Social Studies.

Math:  Today we took our first math test of the year.  This covered all of the topics taught in Lessons 1-10.  Testing days we do not have homework in math, so your kids are telling the truth if they tell you they don't have any.  The rest of the week we will be looking at pictographs and place value.  Place value can be a difficult concept to wrap their little minds around so conversations about it at home may help.

Social Studies:  We are doing research for our Rural vs. Urban projects right now.  We started teaching the kids how to pull important facts from books and websites and transfer them to a notecard.  Tomorrow we will finish up the research and possibly even begin building their models.  The models will be done at school with their partners.  The only reason it will need to come home is if they aren't finished by the end of the day on Thursday.  These projects will be presented on Monday and then they will receive a short review guide.  The test will be next Wednesday.

Religion:  We are learning about the 4th commandment.  This is always a lovely one to talk about at home!

Important Dates:

• Friday 9/18 - No School 
• Tuesday Oct. 6th - Zoo Field Trip ( I posted it wrong last time)  We still need a lot of parents to come with us on this trip.  We will be leaving at 1:30 to return to school by 2:00pm.  Please let me know if you can help.  

Book Orders: 

I sent home the first round of book orders last week.  You may return them to school on my desk or order online using our class activation code.  Just go to Scholastic Reading Club  and click on the parents section.  It will ask you for our class activation code.  

Type in:  

PBGXF

Social Studies Unit

I did not post earlier because this week an extension of last week due to Labor Day.  We finished up a lot of what we started last week.

Today I sent home your kiddos Social Studies/Science Binders.  In them you will find 2 things:
A calendar for our Rural vs. Urban Unit and a page of directions to guide them through the unit.  Below I have attached a copy of both documents (just in case).

Please make sure this calendar stays in your child's binder.  Please also note that this specifies what will be done at school and what should be done at home.  We want to have the kids complete the majority of this project at school !

This is the first project we will do this year that is technically considered Project Based Learning.  It starts with a driving question that challenges students to think critically, do research, and use problem solving skills with a partner to create a solution.  We know this may be a challenge at first, but as we guide them through this process they will become better and better at it as the year goes on.  Thanks for your support and for asking your kiddos questions about it at home.  

Working on our spelling words!

Homework Policy

Now that we are in the swing of things, I thought it would be good to put our homework policy into writing and have it available for you to refer back to. 

• In our classroom all work is expected to be turned in on time.  
• In our classroom students will fill out a "Missing Assignment" slip each time homework is not turned in on time.  This slip will then be turned into Mrs. Glackin so she can email it to parents.  
• In this classroom students will earn 10% less than the original grade for a late assignment if it is turned in within a week.  
• In this classroom any assignment more a week late will earn an automatic 50% once it is turned in.  (Late assignments will be accepted up to one week before the end of the quarter.)
• In this classroom students may redo any assignment in which they earn less than a 70%.  The two grades will then be averaged together.  

Week of August 31st

Religion: This week we are studying the 1st and 2nd commandments.  We have had some great discussions in class about how to make God our #1 priority, even when the world doesn't.  I'd encourage you to have a family discussion at home about this as well.  Your kiddos have some great insights and many more questions than I can possibly answer in class.

Math:  We are continuing to learn about time and how to use a clock as well as thermometers.  The best way to help these concepts stick is through practical daily application.  Ask your kiddos what time it is and don't let them look at a digital clock.

Reading:  This week we are reading a story about a little boy who writes letters to his grandmother in Korea.  This would be a great opportunity to connect with long distance relatives.  We will be working on story elements such as plot, setting, and character traits as well as writing letters in the correct form.

Social Studies:  Tomorrow we will be sending home a test review that is required to have filled out and turned in by Thursday.  This will be worth around 10 points.  On Thursday there will be a short 10-15 point quiz over the continents, hemispheres, oceans etc.  If your kiddo is able to fill out the review guide and goes over it a couple of times they will be in great shape for the quiz.

Spelling:  I am still working through a few glitches and perfecting our individual spelling list system.  One thing that I noticed this week while checking lists is that some of the kids picked all of their words from the very first couple pages of the word bank packet.  In order to expose them to all the phonics skills and a variety of words, please make sure your child spends time looking through the entire packet of words and makes an effort to pick words throughout the packet.  

Field Trips: 

• Friday September 4th - Fresh Pasture Farms and Trinity Lutheran Church in Soulard.  I can still use a couple extra parents if anyone would like to come.  Please let me know if you're interested.  Bring good walking shoes and a sack lunch.  The bus will be leaving at 9:15 and returning at 2:15.  
• Monday October 6th - St. Louis Zoo  We will need quite a few parents to help us walk around with the kids on this trip.  Please let me know if you are able to come with us.  The bus will leave school at 9 am and return to school at 2 pm.  Bring a sack lunch and good walking shoes.  

Week of August 24th

Field Trips
We have officially confirmed 2 of our field trips for the year.  You are welcome to join us on any of the trips we have planned.  Keep your calendars open and email me if you'd like to come with us.

• Friday September 4th - Fresh Pasture farms and Old Historic Trinity Lutheran Church in Soulard.  
• We will be exploring the differences between rural and urban communities and how they change over time.  
• We will arrive at Fresh Pasture Farms at 10am and stay for lunch.  We will then meet at Trinity Lutheran Church in Soulard at 1 pm.  
• Bring good walking shoes and a sack lunch. 
• Tuesday October 6th - St. Louis Zoo in Forest Park
• We will meet at the zoo at 9:30 and be back at school by 1:30.  Bring a sack lunch!

This Week

Religion: We are finishing our talks on prayer.  We are also beginning to learn about the 10 Commandments.  Memory work is the 1st Commandment and it's meaning.  

Math: We have set up Interactive Math Notebooks and previewed how to use a textbook.  This week we will review calendar, clock, and temperature concepts.  Your child should still be bringing home a math worksheet at this point.  Depending on how things progress, I am hoping to start having them work out of the book and transfer information after lesson 10.  

Language Arts: We will be analyzing story structures this week by picking out characters, settings and plots.  We will also work with "statements vs. questions" in grammar and apply this to our writing and reading responses.  

Social Studies:  Our first week of Social Studies is all about our community and it's position on the globe.  We are talking about words like hemispheres, equator, the Prime Meridian.  We will be having a short quiz on this information at the end of next week.  You can expect a review coming home on Monday or Tuesday next week.  

Important Dates:

• Thursday August 27th - Curriculum Night 
• This is an adult only night where the teachers share with the parents about our curriculum and expectations for the year. Come and enjoy some cookies at 6:45 pm and then we will begin at 7pm in the Friendship Hall with introductions and information.  Following that, the teachers will have two sessions to share with you about their classrooms.  The evening should conclude before 8:30.   
• Friday September 4th - Field Trip
• Fresh Pasture Farms and Old Historic Trinity Lutheran School - Bring a sack lunch!

1st Week Notes/Helpful Reminders

We made it through our first week and I think we are all still smiling, but maybe a little bit sleepy.  The first part of this post will be some tips to clarify routines and what is expected of your kiddos in class.  At the end, I have shared some of the best moments of our first week together.  Make sure you scroll all the way to the bottom!


Spelling
Today we took our 1st spelling test on everyone's names.  I have some pictures down below.
Check the Spelling Page of my blog to see the steps and instructions for what your kiddos need to do at home this weekend.
Spelling Page  (click)

All About Me Collage
We are putting together collages of the kids that will be hung up in the hall for the whole 3rd grade.  The object of these collages is to learn about each other through riddles.  Here are directions.

1. Write "Who Am I?" on the front of the folder so it can open UP (not DOWN).
2. Write 3 clues about yourself to help people figure out whose folder it is.  These should be unique to you and not too obvious.
3. On the inside of the folder write your name big and make it look however you would like.
4. Fill up both sides of the inside of your folder with pictures and things that tell about you.  Be creative and fill up the whole thing!

Planners

I want to quickly share with you how I am teaching the kids to fill out their planners.  Hopefully this will cut down on confusion at home when we start getting into more daily assignments.  

• Each morning your kids should fill out their planners with the assignments that I have posted on the board for them.  
• I have them write assignments down on the day they are assigned along with a due date.  
• Most of the time assignments will be due the next day, however it will always be specified for you and the kids in the planner.  
• When your child has finished the assignment, I have instructed them to highlight in their planner.  Anything that is unhighlighted still needs to be done.  
• This should make it so that you can flip through their planner and see what still needs to be done.  
• If it is helpful to your family to write reminders in the planner for things or write notes on the day that something is due, you are welcome to do this at home with your child.  

Here's a quick glance at what my planner on the board looks like and what a correctly filled out student planner would look like.  

My planner (Left) Missing Assignments for the Week (middle) No Name Papers (Right)

The purple star means I have checked it.  If there is no star, your child did not get their planner out for me to check.
Highlighted items have been finished.


Great moments from our week!

Playing get to know you board games while we learn how to do group work 

Finding our prayer partners with Mr. Fishburn's class

Taking our first spelling test

First Day of School!

Hello parents!  I had a wonderful day with your kiddos.  They were all so eager to be here and very adaptable to our crazy day.  I think it is going to be a great year.  This week we will be spending the majority of our time getting to know each other and learning routines.  I believe building relationships is the best way to start off the year.  We will then be diving into our schoolwork next week.

Things you should know for this week:

• Most  assignments will be graded on completion this week so that we can get used to our routines in the classroom.  It's always wise to practice.  
• We will have a spelling test with all the kid's first names on Friday.  This will also only be graded on completion so I can teach the spelling routine.  Your kid's should still practice these names:  
• Caleb
• Mason
• Logan
• Colton
• Emma
• Ryan
• Savannah
• Sophia
• Layna
• Joey
• Evaline
• Nicholas
• Kate
• Eli
• Mallory
• Evie
• Thelma
• Our first week of memory will be the only thing graded on accuracy.  It is the theme verse for the year. 
• 1 Thessalonians 3:12 - May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other.  

Here's a little peek at what we did today: 

Classroom Scavenger Hunt to learn where things are in the room. 

Name Art - Due Wed.  

Making classroom Expectations (for me and for them)

Today your kiddos told me what they expect me to do this year. Tomorrow we will talk about their goals and my expectations for them. 

Last Few Notes of the Year

Our school year is winding down, but your kiddos are still working very hard, and I'm sure you are too.  Thanks for continuing to help and encourage them finish out their 3rd grade year strong.

Here are my short and to the point reminders/notes for the next couple of weeks: 

• Service Project Forms - I need to have these turned in NO LATER than Monday 5/18.  Some of you have already turned them in.  Great Job!!

• Last day to turn in work of any kind is this Friday!!! As of this afternoon, MyKoob is completely up to date with the work that I have received from the kids.  

• Field Day - This Friday - all day.  I have posted the colors your kids are supposed to wear outside the room.  I believe Mrs. Knost also sent an email about it not too long ago. 
• Please send in $1 to Mrs. Glackin to help defer the cost of Ted Drewes.  

• Amazing Race Field Trip - Monday 5/18    We will leave school at 9 and meet any parent helpers at the Tennis Court parking lots in Forest Park around 9:20.  Please bring
• good walking shoes
• water
• lunch
• sunscreen/rain gear (we will be going rain or shine)

• 8th Grade Graduation - Thursday 5/21 at 7 pm - Middle School Campus

• Last Day of School - Friday 5/22 - 11am dismissal

We still have a few projects/assignments that we are finishing up this week and next week.  These include: 

• A final science assignment using the app "Skitch" (done in class and due this Friday)
• Reading our Book Club books and filling out reading strategy pages each day 
• I am grading these on completion as well as understanding of the skill.  They are only worth 5 pts each, but can add up if your child does not spend adequate time and care to complete them correctly.  This is a final assessment of where their reading skills are at for the year.  
• Next week we will write and proofread a short summary of their Book Club books.  This will be done in class and only becomes homework if they do not complete it at school.  
• A few more math assignments!!!
• This is the last week for Spelling and Memory!!!

Math Homework

Hi there!  As I told you yesterday, we will be working through the 4th grade way of writing out homework to make the transition a little less stressful next year.  Instead of a textbook, I handed them their regular math worksheets and told them to treat it like a book (no writing on it).  We went through how to record their answers and work out the problems, but I have a feeling some of them may be nervous about it.  Just in case, here is what we went over in class and how it should look.

They need to do both sides of Lesson 105 for tomorrow.  

Pretend Textbook Pages

Answer Sheet

Week of May 4th - 2 more Mondays

"2 more Mondays."  That was the phrase I heard all over the place today and then suddenly realized that it's true.  Holy cow the year went fast!  I owe a huge thank you to everyone who helped out on the zoo field trip.  I know it was a long, hot day, but hopefully you all had a good time with the kiddos and the ipads.  I am excited for you to see their final projects.  Here's what you should know for the next couple of weeks:

Important Dates
Monday May 11th - Ecosystem posters due ( I will be sending these home on Thursday so that you can have a little extra time to work on them)
Friday May 15th - Field Day (Look for info from Mrs. Knost)
Friday May 15th - Last day to turn in Missing/Late Work
Monday May 18th  - Amazing Race Field Trip (Leave school at 9 am and meet at the Tennis Court parking lot in Forest Park)
Thursday May 21st - 8th grade Graduation at Concordia 7pm
Friday May 22nd - Last Day of School (Dismiss at 11am)

Science
We are still working through our Animal Unit.  Most of the work will be done at school, but please refer to the calendar in your child's Science Binder for more specifics.

Math
I will be working with the kids on how to copy work from a Math textbook in the next couple of weeks.   This can be a difficult transition in 4th grade, and I would like to help the kids practice a little bit before the end of the year.  Don't worry, we'll ease into slowly.  Just look for their math work to be mostly done in class instead of being sent home on worksheets.

Reading
I will be doing one more short Book Club with the kids, but we won't be doing the projects at the end like we did last time.  Your child's grades will be based on their ability to write out a summary of the book.

Spelling
Due to our field trip, we will have a short list of words this week.  We will be making these tomorrow in class.  There will still be a spelling project due at the end of the week.

Thank you all for the lovely yellow and pink flowers.  They are making my room smell very sweet!

News Stories

As promised, here are the news videos that your kiddos made this week.  The assignment was, read "Beatrice's Goat" and pick out the problem and solution in her story.   Then research problems around the world and how they are being solved.  Be sure to include what causes and effects of these problems are and share them in a news cast.  Here's what your kiddos came up with:

Ryan, Camy, Michael, Emery

Zoe, Paige, William, Danielle, Marissa

Brendan, Katelynn, Annabelle, Ava

Max, Reese, Malainna, Joshua

Kylie, McKinley, Laben, Charlie

Dyson, Kate, Claire, Oscar

Week of April 27th

Hello parents,
This will be the first normal week that we have had in a while.  I will be sending each of your kiddos home with a picture frame and picture of them with their grandparents by the end of the week.  You may give these to grandparents however you choose.  I had such a wonderful time visiting with all of your families.  It's always fun to see the kids interact with their grandparents and show them what we do here at school.  Thank you all for coming and supporting the kids and Katie Killian at the Operetta.  Katie did an amazing job getting everything organized and teaching the kids.  Please be sure to tell her if you get a chance.

This week:

Language Arts:
Last week we began reading a story in our reading books about a girl who bought a goat and used it to make money so she could go to school.  We did a lot of work with vocabulary and reading strategies as we read the story.
Now this week we will be doing our own writing workshop in a sort of Project Based Learning Style.  I posed this question to the kids:  "What is a major problem around the world, and how can it be solved?"  They will be producing news reports after they have researched their problems to share these current events with you.  I will be putting their videos up on the blog!!!

Math
Tomorrow I will be teaching the kids about making change with money.  We will spend a couple of days on this since it can be a tough thing to wrap their little brains around.  

Science
We have started our last Science unit on animals and ecosystems.   This is a topic that was covered on the achievement tests, but we aren't able to teach it until the spring.  I will be sending home a calendar of due dates and events this week to help you plan for what we are doing.  A major part of the requirements for this project is taking pictures of animals at the zoo.  Please do all that you can to make sure your child is there that day.  It is a fun day of learning!!!

Important Dates to Remember:

• Monday May 4th- Zoo Field Trip 9am - 1:30 pm (We have plenty of parents but you are still welcome to join us!)
• Friday May 15th - Field Day
• Friday May 15th - LAST Day to turn in Missing/Late Work 
• Monday May 18th- Amazing Race at Forest Park 9am - 2:00pm (We have plenty of parents but you are still welcome to join us!)
• Thursday May 21st - 8th Grade Graduation at Concordia campus 7pm
• Friday May 22nd - Last day of school!  11am dismissal

Today's homework

We were not able to finish this activity in class, but it is necessary for tomorrow's lesson.  Here are the instructions.

1. Follow this link and look at the pictures of the children's bedrooms.
16 Children's Bedrooms from Around the World

2. Choose 2 children to compare your own room with.

3. Fill out the Venn diagram comparing your own room with each of the children you chose.
You may use bullets but please do this neatly and use phrases instead of one word.
You must have:
- At least 5 bullets for their own room
- At least 5 bullets for the other child's room
- 3-5 bullets in the middle (if possible)
- A small picture of the room (optional)

This is due on TUESDAY 4/21

Week of Achievement Tests

Achievement Test week has to be every parents favorite week because it generally means no homework.  Or maybe it just means tears at home because your child just couldn't remember what 5+10 equals.  Either way, your kiddos are working their brains hard and I am very proud of them.

This week: 

1. I am not sending homework home
2. There is no spelling or memory this week
3. We practicing for Operetta in the afternoons
4. We are still working a little bit on economics in the afternoons
5. By tomorrow afternoon I should have all the missing work and other grades up to date in MyKoob.  

Next Week: 

• Thursday April 23- Grandparents Day (I have shared the flyer with you in a separate email from google docs)
• Thursday April 23 - Operetta Dress Rehearsal @ 2pm (grandparents/parents are invited to attend if you cannot watch the actual performance later in the evening. 
• Thursday April 23 - Operetta @7pm (Invite your families!)
• We will be hosting an ice cream social after the Operetta and during the Art Show.  This will be a FREEWILL Donation to help raise money for next year's Author Visit.  

Rest of the Year 

• Zoo Field Trip - Monday 5/4 9am - 1:30 pm (I still need more parents to come with us.  We will be gathering pictures to supplement our animal/ecosystem unit)  
• Field Day - May 15th 
• Amazing Race Field Trip -  Monday 5/18   9 am - 2 pm  I REALLY need more parents until at least Noon.  We will have a picnic lunch and just play in the park in the afternoon.  

Week of April 6th

Hi parents,
I am so sorry that I have been writing to you in the middle of the week lately.  My after school schedule has changed recently, and I'm not able to get this written on Mondays like I used to be.  Therefore, I will be trying to inform you of things a little more ahead of time so you know what to expect on Mondays as well.

Memory
We have a short verse this week and we will work on it more in class tomorrow since I was late getting it up on the blog.

Social Studies
I am so pleased with the grades that came out of the government test.  This is a notoriously hard unit and for the most part, I can tell your kiddos worked hard studying and paying attention in class.  We are beginning an economics unit this week.   Use this chance to teach your kiddos about money at home too!

Math
We have begun to get into harder concepts in Math.  I just put in our most recent math test grade and they are very disappointing.  There are a couple of points that I plan to review with the kids, but after looking at the tests it seems the kids made a lot of rushed mistakes (not putting $, not labeling answers, not double checking to finish the whole problem, not reading correctly, etc.)
This is something we will be talking about tomorrow in class.  I plan to keep their tests so that they can look at them and ask questions of me before they go home.  We will have plenty of tests to help bring up their grade, but as always, they can fix their mistakes (if they scored below a 70%) and I'll average the two grades together. Please encourage your student to double check their work and take thorough time to finish.

Achievement Tests
We will be testing in the mornings next week.  Please make sure your child is able to do the following:
1. Get plenty of rest each night
2. Eat a good breakfast each morning
3. Bring a water bottle to school
4. Is here by 8:15 to get their morning routine finished.

I will be closing the doors at 8:20 and won't be able to take questions after that.  Please respectful of our time schedule and the other students in the class by helping their morning start in a calm manner.  

Upcoming events
* Achievement Tests - April 13-16
*Grandparents Day - April 23
*Zoo Field Trip (9-1:30) - May 4th - We need and can take as many of you as would like to join us. 
* Field Day - May 15
* Amazing Race Field Trip (9-2:00) - May 18 -We NEED at least 12 parents.  Ask some parents from the current 4th grade class if this is worth a day off of work.  I'll bet they all say YES!