Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Last Day!!

Today is the last day of this school year. We began the day with an awards assembly and then congratulated the fifth graders through our Bridge of Years. After that we worked on a Father's Day project and shaving creamed our desks. Then we went to lunch and I rad the story Oh the Places You'll Go, by Dr. Seuss.

Have a wonderful summer!!

Monday, June 15, 2009

Summer, here we come...

Today is our last FULL day of school. Tomorrow is an early release day. Students will be dismissed at 1:00, following lunch.

In math we continued solving math situations and sharing our methods for discovering the correct answer. After that, the entire class play a game of Jeopardy. This was a fun way to review what we learned in reading, writing, science and social studies this year.

Right before lunch, Mrs. Howard came in to do her final lesson of the year.

Following lunch and recess the children are watching the movie Ratatouille.

PLEASE make sure your child unloads his/her backpack this evening. I want them to come to school tomorrow with an EMPTY backpack...no binder! They were instructed to bring everything home except for a pencil, crayons or colored pencils and scissors.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

The Big Dance!

This afternoon most of our class enjoyed the celebration dance for reading over 600 minutes as part of the reading incentive program. The rest of the children remained in the classroom reading.

In math, this morning, the children continued investigating various methods of solving math problems. Then the entire third grade met with Mr. Mitchell to hear about the instrumental music program. All fourth and fifth graders have the chance to play an instrument next year.

After that we shared the children's poetry projects. These were phenomenal! I was extremely pleased and proud of their accomplishments!

Just prior to lunch, we watched the grammar rock video of School House Rock. This reviewed the parts of speech that we have worked on, using the morning message, all year.

Tomorrow is Rainbow Day!

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Our Last Hump Day!

In math we continued to use our skills to solve word problems and share our methods with classmates. We worked on Shel Silverstein poem packets during reading. Following PE, lunch and recess we continued reading about Georgetown. The day ended with a science assembly in which the presenter demonstrated various ways to produce and conduct electricity.

The poetry projects are due tomorrow!

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Career Day

Mrs. Howard created a wonderful experience for the students today! Career Day was PERFECT! The students got to visit two different professions to hear about their job and ask questions. The students travelled to stations and the groups were small. Therefore, the children got a lot of personal attention and great information.

When we returned to class we shared all of the information the children had learned. It was truly a fanatastic learning opportunity! Then the children wrote thank you notes to the people they had visited.

Following lunch and recess we will meet in reading groups and continue writing realistic fiction.

Mouse will read chapter 11. Big Black Dog will meet with me and discuss why the community believes in the big black dog. Wise Children will meet with me and discuss what was right about the children's friendship that allowed it to last even after losing their powers.

We will end the day by reading about the culture in the city of Georgetown.

Poetry projects are due Thursday!

Monday, June 8, 2009

Coming to a close...

This morning we continued to investigate different methods of solving math situations. Today, however, Mr. Vogel's students joined us when they returned from their math class.

Then Mrs. Howard came in to talk to the entire third grade about Career Day which is tomorrow. Each student will sign up to hear two speakers talk about their career.

Following art, lunch and recess I distributed yearbooks. While the students were NOT at FASTT math they could choose between looking through yearbooks or writing realistic fiction. No surprise here but all chose to look through yearbooks! Go figure!

The day ended with a special treat...Principal's Play Day. The children got to enjoy an extra recess with Ms. Jones.

The poetry project is due on Thursday. PLEASE do not forget!

Friday, June 5, 2009

Soggy Friday

Boy, it feels like this rain will never end! UGH!

In math we worked in groups to investigate solving math situations. I distributed a math word problem to students and they got to choose the materials and method that they wanted to use to solve the problem. Then we shared the answers and how they solved the problem as a class. IT was an interesting and fun math experience.

After math we had another lesson in our author study with Mrs. Rose. Then we went to music, lunch and indoor recess.

Following recess Mrs. Howard will visit us to conduct another lesson in preparation for Career Day. We will end the day by beginning our study of the history of Georgetown.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Rainy Thursday

Sorry I didn't post yesterday. It was Field Day. We all had a terrific day, thanks to Mr. Lee, but we were all exhausted and hot by 3:00!

In math, today, we took our final unit assessment. Then Mrs. Rose visited our classroom to continue our author study of Verna Ardema. After that, I met with reading groups while the students worked on reading group assignments.

Mouse: Completed a vocabulary web for the word cunning and then read chapter 11.

Big Black Dog: Met with me to discuss the interpretive words activity. WE discussed how the text and the pictures helped us understand the community in the story. We also spent time discussing how the students answers, which they had completed prior to coming to group, could be "tweaked" to include evidence from the test and an explanation of how it answers the question.

Wise Children: Worked on an interpretive words activity. Then met with me to begin discussing how the adults in the story were "not right" to the kids. We also "tweaked" their answers.

Following lunch and indoor recess the children read about the Aztec culture. The students were each given a playing card with a number (1-4) and a suit (heart, spade, etc.) on it. They began by getting into expert groups according to the number on their card. Group 1 worked together to become experts about Aztec government. Group 2 became experts about clothing. Group 3 read about travel and transportation. Finally, group 4 became experts about homes. Then the children got into new groups according to the suits on their cards and "taught" the other children about their area of expertise.

We ended the day with a presentation by Amy Alapati, the children's librarian at the Damascus library, regarding the summer reading program.

The poetry project is due one week from today on June 11!

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Two weeks to go...

...and we are busy tying up loose ends! We were able to complete the entire review packet in math AND go over the correct answers. The review packet will come home today and the assessment has been changed to THURSDAY, June 4. The children have the next two nights to use their review packet and their math journals (they were told to take these home, too) to prepare for the test.

In reading we continued our author study with Mrs. Rose and Mrs. Dodson in the media center. When we return to class we will work on reading group assignments and a poetry packet from the Shel Silverstein web site.

Following lunch and recess we will continue writing realistic fiction using dialogue. Then we will end the day by opening our seed pods on our plants and observing what is inside.

On that note, I have collected and reviewed the children's plant journals. Please ask to see your child's. They had LOTS of time in school to make detailed observations. I made MANY, MANY reminders that this would be a big part of their science grade. Some students made WONDERFUL observations...others, well, not-so-good.

Tomorrow is Field Day. It is an all day event for third graders. Please make sure your child brings a water bottle (disposable or not) labeled with their name. Also, make sure to apply sunscreen in the morning. We can not do this at school! Finally, I said they do not have to bring their backpacks. However, if you prefer that they do (to keep them in routine) that is fine, too.

Monday, June 1, 2009

Monday

In math we began plotting coordinates on a graph. The children had fun with this since they were given a list of coordinates to plot that created a mystery picture. For those of you that are rusty with plotting coordinates, the children need to remember to go over and then up. For example, (3, 2) would be plotted by going over three and then up two on the graph. I teach the children you have to go over to the stairs before you can climb up.

There is a worksheet for homework tonight and we will begin the review packet for the unit 6 assessment tomorrow. The assessment will be THIS Friday, June 5.

In reading we began an author study with Mrs. Rose and Mrs. Dodson, in the media center.

Following art, lunch and recess we will work on using dialogue in our realistic fiction writing. At 2:15 we will go to an assembly entitled, "Maryland, My Mayland".

Remeber that Field Day is this Wednesday, June 3. THe poetry projects are due NEXT Thursday, June 11. The projects can be handed in early. We may begin sharing them as they arrive in class...I am trying to decide if that would be unfair to anyone. My thought is that leaving 24 projects to share in the last 3 days might not have been my smartest move!!! HOWEVER, please do not rush your child to finish early. We will get them all in!!!

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