Week of Jan. 27th

I just can't believe it's almost February.  This cold is making me wish spring would come faster, but that would make it so that our class misses a ton of cool stuff.  In the next month or so we will:

• Start learning about Black History/slavery this week and next in Language Arts/Reading
• Finish up our Webquests on maps and make our Treasure maps for Social Studies
• Wed. 1/29 - visit with author Cynthia Willenbrock about her book "Marshall the Miracle Dog"
• please send in $3 
• Fri. 1/31 - visit the Middle School for the "Lost and Found" concert (more info in separate email)
• $1 donation would be much appreciated 
• Watch the Bronco's win the Super Bowl!!!  (hopefully)
• Mon. 2/3 - go on a field trip to the Missouri History Museum. (look for separate email to come)
• please send in $5
• Wednesday 2/5 - Present chapel for grades K-4
• Learn more about the Olympics and watch them of course!
• Start talking about "Space" in science towards the end of the month

I would also like to remind you that:

#1. Kids can bring clothes to change into for PE.  They need to have something warm to put on over them for outside pick up though.  And it would be helpful if the clothes came in a separate bag from their backpacks.  Some of them had a rough time fitting everything into their backpacks last week.

#2. Math Facts - We have been working so hard on learning our multiplication facts.  The kids will receive a homework grade for saying them to me in less than a minute per set.  They will receive a test grade for writing them in less than a minute.  The first timed written test is up on mykoob.  If your child did not receive a passing grade they can rewrite the ones they missed and earn half of their points back.  These papers should be sent home tomorrow (as long as your kiddo checks their mail).  

#3. Third quarter of 3rd grade can get notoriously tougher.  Your kids aren't reviewing things anymore, it is a lot of new concepts.  This can make homework take longer and the kids tend to stress (as well as parents) that they are all of sudden struggling.  I am doing everything I can to make them ready for 4th grade.  Please encourage them to keep working hard, even if it they don't understand things right away.  Expectations will be stepped up for things being turned in and may require a little more time.  This means that they will be given some assignments that are designed to make them think more critically while applying the skills they've learned such as spelling, punctuation, addition, etc.  I am a firm believer in setting high expectations.  My students will have to work hard, but I know they can meet these expectations. Thanks for all your encouragement and support at home.  I think you'll be amazed at what your kids will accomplish by the end of the year!

Important Dates - Please mark your calendars

February 5th - 3rd grade chapel

February 11th - Professional Development Day - No School - **Please note this is a Tuesday**

February 17th - President's Day - No School

March 3rd-7th - Lutheran Schools Week

March 14th - 3rd Quarter Report Cards Released

March 17th-21st - Spring Break - No School

April - Achievement Testing

April 18th - Good Friday - No School

April 21st - Easter Monday - No School

Week of Jan. 21st

I wanted to wait to put a post up this week so that I had all the correct information the first time.

Spelling and Memory
Check the pages on the blog for what we are doing this week.  No test in either due to snow.

Math
Keep working on those multiplication facts.  The kids seem to be learning them, but they need to practice saying them.  They are stumbling on their words a lot when they come say them during the day.  Also, this does receive a grade.  Once they complete a set, they will receive a completion grade for it.

Movie Day
We will be watching "Balto" this Friday as a whole school to prepare for our Author Visit.  This will be in the gym on the hard floor.  If your child would like to bring a pillow OR a blanket (not both) on Friday, they are welcome to.

Field Trip
Missouri History Museum Mon. 2/3
I have 3 parents that have RSVP'd but you are all welcome.  Admission is free and we will leave at 8:20 am and return around 12:30 pm.
I need $8 for bus fees by next Wednesday Jan. 29th.

Lost and Found Concert
Lost and Found, the Christian band, will be performing at the Middle School on Fri. Jan. 31st at 1:00 pm.  3rd and 4th grade have been invited to attend.  The bus fee is being waived, but Mrs. Leet has asked for a $1 donation per child to help with the cost of the program.  More information will be coming soon.

Author Visit: 
Cynthia Willenbrock will be visiting with us on Wednesday January 29th with her special guest Marshall.  Her book is called Marshall the Miracle Dog.  Marshall will be along for the visit as well! 

Week of Jan. 13th

We have a lot going on in our classroom the next few weeks.  Please take a few minutes to read about all the exciting happenings in 3rd grade.

Author Visit
  Cynthia Willenbrock, author of Marshall the Miracle Dog will be visiting our school at the end of January.  In preparation for this 3rd and 4th grade are studying character traits that Marshall teaches us in his story. Our class will be looking at the word "acceptance" and posting what we find in the upstairs hallway next week.  It would be great if you could have some discussions at home about examples of "acceptance".

Field Trip
Missouri History Museum - Monday February 3rd, 2014
      We will leave school at 8:20 and return around 12pm.  Please email me to let me know if you would like to join us. Museum admission is free but we will need $8 for the bus for each child.  If you plan on joining us please plan to meet us at the museum as we will not have much extra room on the bus.

Social Studies
Mr. Fishburn and I will be working on a lot of map skills with the kids for the next week or 2.  It would be great if you could talk about directions and maps while you're driving in the car.  Extra real life practice really helps this skill make more sense.

Art
It is also my plan to connect art with our map unit this week and next week.
After we finish our maps, I would love to do a project with the kids, but it will require some items to be collected.  If you could save the following and bring them in at any time it would help a lot

•  toilet paper/paper towel tubes
• egg cartons
• SHOEBOX LIDS (need these first)

Stability Balls

If any of you were still willing to donate to our "chairless classroom" I lost one of the stability balls today.  Unfortunately I think it rolled over something sharp.  I could use a couple extra balls or a patching kit to try and repair the one I have.  

Multiplication Contest

We are competing with Mr. Fishburn's class to see who can learn their times tables first.  The goal is for each 3rd grader to know them 0-12 by the end of 3rd quarter. We are starting at 0 and working our way up each day.  If they can say the set of times tables they are working on in less than a minute they will get a spot filled in on the grid.  If not, they can try again the next day.  The class that gets everyone to 12 first will get a reward.  Practice saying these while in the car, cleaning up dinner, waiting in line at the store, or other random times that might need some short entertainment.  

Week of Jan. 6th

    It is so good to finally be back at school.   I'm guessing you all probably enjoyed your extra Christmas vacation but cabin fever definitely sets in after awhile.  We will be getting back into the full swing of things next Monday.  This week we will spend some time reviewing and working on some odds and ends that we don't always have time for.  This includes writing letters to our Pen Pals and working on math concepts that we didn't master before Christmas.  If have a chance at home here's what you can work on:
Math

• Measuring to the nearest half inch and quarter inch
• Multiplication facts starting at x0's and going up to x12's 

Listening

     I will be starting a new strategy this semester to help the kids with their listening skills.  This is heavily tested in the spring on Achievement Tests and I want them to be ready.  You can help by:

• Not repeating your directions more than once.
• Giving clear but appropriate consequences if they are not followed correctly
• Reminding and encouraging proper eye contact when students are talking with someone.  

Here's the link to the article that gave me these tips:

All Children Can Be Great Listeners

Important Dates to Remember

January 10th - 2nd Quarter Report Cards Released

January 20th - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - No School

February 11th - Professional Development Day - No School - **Please note this is a Tuesday**

February 17th - President's Day - No School

March 3rd-7th - Lutheran Schools Week

March 14th - 3rd Quarter Report Cards Released

March 17th-21st - Spring Break - No School

Book It

Please turn in Dec. Book It logs by Friday.  January logs will be going home today.   In order to earn a pizza certificate your child must read at least 20 minutes 5 days out of each week.  This does NOT include DEAR time at school.  

Stability Balls

We have enough for our entire class!  Thanks to everyone who donated.  The kids really appreciate it.  In case you would like to help still, Mr. Fishburn's class is in need of 3 or 4 more.  Thanks again!