In my absence, you may or may not have noticed that some things slipped by this past week that I normally would have been right on top of. For instance, the homework page was not updated. In fact, the only homework that the class wrote in their agendas was Monday night. In a case like this, when no homework is posted, you can expect that spelling will continue to be the same as it has all year. As far as math and reading, I hope that your child was able to login to IXL and continue to practice his/her multiplication and division facts or utilize the website RAZkids for reading practice. Consider this week a gift, as far as the homework goes.
3 for 3! I felt extremely fortunate that I had amazing substitutes for the three days I was out. Mrs Figgins, Mrs Ceruti and of course the lovely and talented Mrs Pittorino did a fantastic job keeping the routines in place and following out the lessons that I had left for the class in my absence. The students were phenomenal; I heard great reports about their wonderful behavior and stellar work ethic. They are so well trained and creatures of habit. I'm sure they did not allow for the subs to "skip a beat" and helped out to ensure that their day was as typical as normal. For them, "The Show Must Go On!"
Despite my 3/5 of the week absence, quite a bit of work and exciting events still took place. For starters, it was National Library week! Crazy Hair, Beach get ups, backwards clothing, funky hats, and sports themed clothing were some of the themes throughout the week. Author Brian Lies came to visit and gave a presentation to each grade level. Our very own, Nathan Jokela, had the opportunity to eat lunch with him and ask all kinds of questions. Someday, one of my students might just be the next Author/ illustrator like Brian Lies!
Star Lab, sponsored by our generous PTO, was set up in the library for each third grade classroom. For 40 Minutes we were mesmerized by the night sky as we learned how to spot the big dipper along with numerous other constellations. We saw how the night sky looks during each season and how the placement of the constellations changes according to the seasons. Students were intrigued by the mythology and stories that were shared for the different constellations. If you get a chance to look outside at night, be sure to check out Orion, The Big Dipper, or Taurus.
Patriot or Loyalist? Soldier's uniforms were looked at more closely this week as we continued to look closely at the events leading to the American revolution. Students were asked to think of which side they might have been on had they lived in the days of the American Revolution. Liberty Kids, the series, was introduced as a way to further gain understanding of this time period. Monday is a historic day and holiday in Massachusetts, after vacation we will continue to discuss the significance of Patriots Day.
Take me out to the ball game, take me out to the park, buy me some peanuts and crackerjacks, I don't care if I ever come back! The students began a baseball personification writing piece last week for homework and continued to work on them this week. The stories are actually "personal narratives" from a baseball's point of view. They are cleverly written and include writing elements such as: similes, metaphors, and idioms, as well as examples of inference and descriptive writing to paint a picture in the readers eye. This fun and creative assignment kept us all in "stitches" as they had a "ball" personifying the life of a baseball.
MMMM Brownies and Cookies! Students were served brownies cookies this week in math. Well, not exactly the WHOLE brownie or cookie, only a PART of the WHOLE. By now I'm sure you know that we've been learning about fractions and mixed numbers. We began our unit by looking at fractions of a whole, 1/4 is equal to one out of four pieces in a whole. Next we explored fractions on a number line followed by fractions as part of group of objects, such as 1/4 of 12. I encourage you to use fractions in real life with your child so that they can see how it integrates into our daily routines. What fraction of the day do you watch TV? Measure items around the house to the nearest fraction, to the nearest inch or 1/2 inch. Give your child a time to do something based on a fraction. For example: Let them play outside for 1/3 of an hour, Read for 1/4 of an hour, Play with 2/3 of their legos. Can they read 2 and 1/2 books by the end of vacation? Don't forget to encourage the use of IXL this week to keep their math skills sharp!
Good Bye Poppy, Hello The Borrowers. Students were quick to point out the many similarities between our last real aloud, Poppy written by Avi, and our newest read aloud, The Borrowers written by Mary Norton. The plot and characters may be similar, however, the writing styles are much different. More to come...stay tuned.
National Poetry Month is celebrated each year in April. Our bimonthly book project, which is due April 24th, is on Poetry! Students are asked to find 4 poems that connect by a common theme. Samples of themes were given, but I am open to other "themes" that students might find as they make connections while reading poetry. (Friendship, sadness, loyalty, perseverance, bravery, courage, kindness etc.) What we are NOT looking for are themes such as: Dogs, Rhyming, Funny, Sports. This project involves reading and thinking about the poems message, reading between the lines. What emotions does it evoke, what is the author trying to convey to the reader? Along with finding the 4 poems, the students are also asked to memorize and recite ONE of the poems in front of the class.
Students who are looking for a challenge are encouraged to write their own poem that goes along with the chosen theme. If you are unclear with this assignment or want to check on a theme to see if it will work, email me your questions and I will be sure to get back to you within 24 hours.
I hope that you and your family enjoy this vacation week. Stay healthy and have fun...Spring is finally here!