Week of March 28

Hello parents!
Happy Easter to all of you!

I don't have a lot of new information for you this week.  We will be continuing with a lot of the same things we were working on last week.  Here are just a few reminders:

Field Trips

• April 7th - 9:20 am to 1:30 pm - World Bird Sanctuary 
• Bring a sack lunch and good outside walking shoes.  We will be exploring the woods a bit so be prepared for weather.  
• I can still take 1 more parent if anyone wants to join us.  $8 admission (If you can't come, we will be fine for this field trip.  We really need more help with the Amazing Race one in May.)
• May 23rd - times to be announced but plan on most of the day - Forest Park Amazing Race
• Bring a sack lunch and good running around clothes if you are a parent.  
• Free of cost
• We will need at least 10 parents to help the kids walk around the park.  We have found the smaller the groups, the better the kids do.  

Please let me know if you are joining us for these!

Grandparents Day:

Mrs. Leet sent out an email about Grandparent's Day.  Here is the link to the invitation and registration.  We would love to have your child's special guest, but we need to know who is coming ahead of time.  Please RSVP by April 15th.  

Grandparent's Day invitation and information

Important Dates:

• March 25th - NO School - Good Friday

• March 28th - NO School - Easter Monday

• April 7th - World Bird Sanctuary Field Trip (leave at 9:20 and return at 1:30) 

• Please pack a sack lunch and good walking shoes

• I have 2 parents so far and can take up to 5/ $8 admission

• April 11th-15th - Achievement Testing Week

• April 21st - Elementary Grandparent's Day

• If your child will not have a special guest that is able to be present please let me know and we can try to arrange a surrogate guest.  We have had a few people volunteer to be "grandparents" for the day.  

• April 21st 7:00 p.m. Elementary Operetta at Webster Gardens 

• Ice Cream Social to fund our Author Visit will follow the Operetta.

• May 23rd  - Amazing Race Field Trip at Forest Park (times to be announced later but we definitely need help between 9 and noon - We need as many parents as are willing!)

• May 26th - Last Day of School; Join us for closing worship and early dismissal 

Holy Week

Hello parents,
After talking with your kids, it sounds like most of you had a good Spring Break.  I filled you in on what we are doing in class before Spring Break, and most of that still holds true.  Here's a few reminders:

Religion:
Next week come check out all the Holy Week art we made as part of our religion lessons.

Math:
We are working through some basic geometry concepts right now and your kids seem to be handling them well.  Please remind them to look back at the previous lessons for help if they cannot remember certain terms, etc.

Multiplication:
As a general rule, I have tried to refrain from grading the time tests I do with the kids.  However, a lot of them have needed some extra incentive to practice them at home.  This is a required standard for your third grader to meet.  In order to help challenge and motivate them the class asked if we could come up with some rewards.  Here is what they voted on:
1st place - (First person to complete all sets through 12) Lunch of their choice from Mrs. Glackin
2nd place - (Second person to complete all sets through 12) Free Choice Reward approved by Mrs. Glackin
3rd place - (Third person to complete all sets through 12) Homework Pass

Class Rewards: 
1. After the whole class passes a set of multiplication tables they will receive 5 extra minutes of recess time.
2. If they all pass their time tests (through 12) before the end of the year Mrs. Glackin will have an ice cream party with them.

Social Studies:
We are working through basic government concepts for the next couple weeks.

Reading:
I am loving watching and listening to your kids present their projects.  I will put them out in the hall next week for everyone to see the wonderful things they came up with.  Great Job!

Field Trips:

• April 7th - 9:20 am to 1:30 pm - World Bird Sanctuary 
• Bring a sack lunch and good outside walking shoes.  We will be exploring the woods a bit so be prepared for weather.  
• I can still take 3 more parents if anyone wants to join us.  $8 admission (If you can't come, we will be fine for this field trip.  We really need more help with the Amazing Race one in May.)
• May 23rd - times to be announced but plan on most of the day - Forest Park Amazing Race
• Bring a sack lunch and good running around clothes if you are a parent.  
• Free of cost
• We will need at least 10 parents to help the kids walk around the park.  We have found the smaller the groups, the better the kids do.  

Please let me know if you are joining us for these!

Grandparents Day:

Mrs. Leet sent out an email about Grandparent's Day.  Here is the link to the invitation and registration.  We would love to have your child's special guest, but we need to know who is coming ahead of time.  Please RSVP by April 15th.  

Grandparent's Day invitation and information

Important Dates:

• March 25th - NO School - Good Friday

• March 28th - NO School - Easter Monday

• April 7th - World Bird Sanctuary Field Trip (leave at 9:20 and return at 1:30) 

• Please pack a sack lunch and good walking shoes

• I have 2 parents so far and can take up to 5/ $8 admission

• April 11th-15th - Achievement Testing Week

• April 21st - Elementary Grandparent's Day

• If your child will not have a special guest that is able to be present please let me know and we can try to arrange a surrogate guest.  We have had a few people volunteer to be "grandparents" for the day.  

• April 21st 7:00 p.m. Elementary Operetta at Webster Gardens 

• Ice Cream Social to fund our Author Visit will follow the Operetta.

• May 23rd  - Amazing Race Field Trip at Forest Park (times to be announced later but we definitely need help between 9 and noon - We need as many parents as are willing!)

• May 26th - Last Day of School; Join us for closing worship and early dismissal 

Week Before Spring Break

Hello parents,
We are almost to Spring Break and I'm sure you all have exciting plans for your break.  Here is what we are doing in class right now and what to expect when we come back from break.

Religion:
We will be working our way through the stories of Holy Week.  For each event in Holy Week we will read the account from the Bible and then do an art project to represent and retell the story.  I love doing these with the kids because it gives them time to reflect on the stories and allows me to see how each of them relates to the story in a unique way.

Math:
We have learned about area and perimeter recently and the kids are starting to grasp the concepts.  However, they are new and the kids get the two of them mixed up often.  We will be practicing these with hands on activities, but any review you can do over the break will be very beneficial.

Reading:
We are finishing up our Boxcar Children book club this week.  Yesterday I sent home a packet full of culminating project ideas for the kids to do.  These will be due on Monday 3/21 when we come back from break.  I do not expect that you need to hold your child's hand through these projects.  They should be capable of finding a couple that they can mostly work on themselves.  If they need specific materials, I would be happy to send some of those home with them before break.
They will be presenting these to the class after break, so they must be able to clearly explain their projects in detail.

Social Studies
When we come back from break we will be starting our government unit.

March Book Madness
Our class and several others around the world are participating in March Book Madness.  The bracket for the books is up on the bulletin at the bottom of the stairs to the basement.  We are reading each book and then voting on them to see which book will win.  We are also reading the books to Mrs. Ann Schmidt's 1st graders so that they can participate as well.  This a fun way to connect with books and other classes around the world!

Twitter
CCLS has requested that each teacher post things mainly to Twitter so that it is easy to have things all in one social media location.  I invite you to follow me on Twitter and see the things our class is doing @CCLSGlackin.  

Field Trips:

• April 7th - World Bird Sanctuary Field Trip (leave at 9:20 and return at 1:30) 
• Please pack a sack lunch and good walking shoes
• I have 2 parents so far and can take up to 5/ $8 admission
• May 23rd  - Amazing Race Field Trip at Forest Park (times to be announced later but we definitely need help between 9 and noon - We need as many parents as are willing!)

Important Dates:

• March 14-18th - NO School - Spring Break

• March 25th - NO School - Good Friday

• March 28th - NO School - Easter Monday
• April 7th - World Bird Sanctuary Field Trip (leave at 9:20 and return at 1:30) 
• Please pack a sack lunch and good walking shoes
• I have 2 parents so far and can take up to 5/ $8 admission

• April 11th-15th - Achievement Testing Week

• April 21st - Elementary Grandparent's Day; look for schedule soon
• If your child will not have a special guest that is able to be present please let me know and we can try to arrange a surrogate guest.  We have had a few people volunteer to be "grandparents" for the day.  

• April 21st 7:00 p.m. Elementary Operetta at Webster Gardens 
• Ice Cream Social to fund our Author Visit will follow the Operetta.
• May 23rd  - Amazing Race Field Trip at Forest Park (times to be announced later but we definitely need help between 9 and noon - We need as many parents as are willing!)

• May 26th - Last Day of School; Join us for closing worship and early dismissal 

Week of February 29th

Hello parents,
I just have a few important things to note for you.

Read-a-thon
As some of you may know, each class has been asked to support a student at CCLS-U this year.  The cost of tuition and supplies for each student there is $250.  Our students name is Gladys and she is also in the 3rd grade.  As a 3rd grade, we will be doing a Read-a-Thon this Wednesday March 2nd in school to help raise the $250 for Gladys to go to school.  Your child should have brought home an envelope with information and a spreadsheet to take pledges on.  Please consider with your child how your family can help support Gladys.  Our Read-a-Thon will take place during the afternoon and we will be reading for about 1 hour.  We are asking that all pledges and donations be collected and turned in by Thursday March 10th.  Thanks for your support!

Chapel
Our class is presenting chapel this Wednesday March 2nd.  You can join us in the sanctuary at 8:35 am. If at all possible please try to get your kiddos her no later than 8:15 so that we can set up in the sanctuary.

Homework Policy
I mentioned last week that I will be revising the homework policy slightly for 4th quarter in order to help transition your kids into 4th grade.  Here is the new homework policy:

Late work: Late work will be given an automatic 75% if it is not turned in the morning that it is due.
(The previous policy stated that it would receive 10% off the original grade for a week.  After being a week late then it got a 50% when turned in.)

Redos: I will no longer be accepting redos to be turned in for a grade change.  If you would like your child to redo an assignment/test to make sure that they understand the concept, they are more than welcome to show it to me and ask questions.  However, I will no longer be changing grades on assignments that are redone.

At this point in the year, your child is able to better ask questions on things they do not understand before they hand things in to me.

Multiplication Facts
Your kids have been working hard in school to learn their multiplication facts.  However, this is a skill that must be memorized and repeated a lot in order to keep the knowledge they have acquired.  Please be sure to spend a few minutes each day at home on multiplication facts.  This will greatly aid them on the time it takes to complete math homework in 4th grade.

Important Dates

• March 14-18th - NO School - Spring Break

• March 25th - NO School - Good Friday

• March 28th - NO School - Easter Monday

• April 11th-15th - Achievement Testing Week

• April 21st - Elementary Grandparent's Day; look for schedule soon

•   7:00 p.m. Elementary Operetta at Webster Gardens 

• May 26th - Last Day of School; Join us for closing worship and early dismissal