We Survived Iowa Assessments and Tomorrow We Are Off to UNI!

Today is our last day for Iowa Assessments (for most students), and I think we are all pretty glad about that!!!  I will say that I have been very pleased with the effort from most of the students.  I have been giving out "Effort Coupons" and some students are collecting lots of points because of their hard word and effort they are putting towards the Iowa Assessments.  Excellent job!  They are very excited to turn those coupons on for prizes next Monday!  :)

Besides Iowa Assessments, there is a lot going on.  We have been working with Mrs. Galvin's kindergarten class to help them prepare for their big Zoo Day tomorrow.  3B students have done research for them, helped them prepare their little presentations, and will to a "run through" with them today as well.  It has been a fun activity for both 3rd grade and kindergarten.

I posted pictures from the music program last week on a previous post. Again, that was a huge success!!!

Students are loving their Book Clubs, reading a ton, and having super discussions about their reading.  I heard laughter and deep thought all shared on Monday from simply reading and sharing a good book through book clubs.  It brought a huge smile to not only my face, but others as well.   The students have also done a nice job, those with computer access at home, using their Google Documents to record their thoughts.  This is the first year I have done that this way and I am very pleased with how it is going.  Reminder that the students need to have their reading and thoughts posted by tomorrow's book clubs.  Can't wait to hear what they are going to discuss this time.

And just a reminder that we are going to UNI to a play tomorrow.  We are going to be watching the play of Mufaro's Beautiful Daughter.  The kids are very excited about going to UNI as well as riding on a chartered bus.  We will be leaving about 10:30 so that we can get some things done in the morning before we head out.  Remember that your child is to bring a lunch from home, and for this trip, peanut butter is allowed.  So, please send a lunch from home, a beverage to drink, as well as a small snack that they may want to eat on the way home.  It also looks nice if students show their school spirit when we go to activities like this, by wearing school colors.  I would love to see the students in their Cadet shirts or school colors to show our school pride.

Have a super weekend and enjoy the weather!

Pictures from our Music Program

Iowa Assessments - It is Time!

Good morning everyone and happy first day of spring!  I hope you enjoyed your four day weekend!  The weather could not have been better so hopefully you and your family had some fun outside!  It was hard to get going this morning as I was used to staying home the last four days.  We are back at it though, working hard!

As the title states, it is time for Iowa Assessments (formally known as Iowa Test of Basic Skills).  We will be staring these assessments with 3rd grade tomorrow, taking a test in the morning and a test in the afternoon.  The 3rd grade teachers have the assessments scheduled each day, sometimes one a day and sometimes two a day, throughout next Thursday, March 29th.  It would be very helpful if students try hard to NOT miss school these days as it is difficult to make the assessments up.  If you have Dr. or dentist appointments scheduled, please consider rescheduling them to a different date.  Thanks so much!

It is also important that your child gets plenty of rest each night.  I know that is hard because it is so nice outside and the kids just want to be out there, me too, but please make sure they get plenty of rest as well as eat a good breakfast each day.  The school, and myself, will be supplying brain food before each assessment to make sure the students' brains are awake and ready.

If you have any questions about the assessments, feel free to contact me.  Otherwise, keep it low key and not too stressful for your child.  It is the first time 3rd graders are taking the assessment so we don't want to overwhelm them with stress.  They will do fine if they simply try their best.

Thank you to the families that made it to our Literacy/Tech Open House last week.  It was great to see so many parents involved and curious what happens in 3B as far as technology and literacy.  I will be posting pictures that were taken that evening soon.  Thanks again for being involved in your child's education.  Hopefully you also had a chance to have some yummy soup, even if it was 75 degrees outside!  :)

What else is happening?  Well, we are working with Mrs. Galvin's kindergarten class helping them prepare for their Zoo Projects.  Third grade students each did research on an animal selected by the kindergarten partner and will be teaching the kindergartner all about the animal in preparation for their Zoo Day.  We also turned it into a writing activity of writing a research report and put together brochures.  I would have liked to have done something more digital, but this was what worked for kindergarten.  Next time.

On Wednesday, we have Kaitlyn coming from Food Basics to share more interesting information on eating healthy.  Along with this, the high school students from Food and Fitness will be stopping by Friday to share more information and have us taste something healthy and new.  Wonder what it is????

What else?? We are wrapping up Theme 4 for literacy and will be doing some fun inquiry activities next week to close that unit.   Today we are starting our next unit in Social Studies, and students are eager to get rolling in that as well.

A reminder to keep working on multiplication facts.  I have a few students who almost have all the facts master, some about half way, and a few who don't appear to have much motivation to continue working on them.  The Walking Taco party will be somewhere towards the end of April so keep working on mastering all the basic facts and let me know when you are ready to have them assessed.  You can do it!!

Enjoy the beautiful spring day and have a super week!

Order of Operations Fun

We used this video today to help us remember the Order of Operations in math.  It does include exponents, which I talked to the students about but told them not to worry about it for now if they don't understand.  We tried to change the word for "E" to "Exactly" but it just didn't go with the song.

The acronym is "PEMDAS" which stands for parenthesis, exponents, multiply, divide, add, and subtract.  The students had a lot of fun with it!

Report Card Time and Literacy/Tech Night!

Well, it is that time again.  REPORT CARD TIME!!!!  The students are bringing home their report cards for the third quarter.  I still can't believe we are in our last quarter of the year.  (tear, tear)  It makes me sad to think that this great bunch of students will be leaving me soon.

Your child has seen his/her report card already.  I believe it is important for them to take some ownership in the report cards so they have already looked through and previewed their own report cards.  As in the past, parents must sign and return the envelope in which your third grade child brought his/her report card home in.  This is for me to know that the report card made it home and parents have had a chance to look it over. If you have any questions about your child's report card, feel free to contact me, but your students should be able to explain his/her grades the best.

Quick comment about literacy report cards......we are just wrapping up theme 4 next week.  Because of this, I did not complete theme 4 yet on the report card.  Students are still working on many components and strategies in theme 4 that I did not want to complete that part of the report card until we are done with the whole theme.  Just wanted to get that stated.

I send everyone's science and math assessments home last week (except one person who was absent and needed to finish).  If you did not see your child's assessment, please ask them about it.

Just a reminder that our Crestwood Elementary Literacy and Tech Open House is tomorrow night.  Students will be able to show you a few of the technology and literacy activities that we do in the classroom.  There is also a "free will" soup dinner being served from 5-7.  The menu includes chili or potato soup, rolls, and beverages.  It sounds like it is going to be a gorgeous night outside so take a stroll up to the elementary / jr. high and let your child showcase his/her classroom.  Hope to see all of you tomorrow night!!!

A reminder to keep working on multiplication facts at home for the Walking Taco Party.  We have been running out of time to assess them lately, as we are so busy, but I did do a bunch last week and many students have a LONG ways to go.  Please keep working on them at home so your child can participate in the Walking Taco party at the end of April.  Today we talked about "Fact Power" - they know what it means.  Ask them about it.  :)

Last comment involves sending a jacket along with your child.  Yes, I know it is beautiful outside and I am as guilty as the students in not wanting to wear a jacket.  Please remember that many students stand outside before school starts in the morning and it is chilly.  A jacket is needed during this time of the day.  Students know they must wear a jacket until it reaches 65 degrees - a school policy.   They can always keep that jacket in their locker if it warms up by noon or afternoon recess, but I would rather they not be cold outside in the morning.

Enjoy the beautiful week!

Morgan on Radio, Read Across America Reminders, Cadet for a Pride Movie Reward

I wanted to make a quick post sharing some more information about Read Across America and Dr. Seuss's birthday this week.

Radio Broadcast:
As part of the celebration, one student from each classroom was selected to read a poem with other students from other homerooms.  Morgan was selected from our classroom, and she did a wonderful job.  The recordings were done last week and will be broadcasted as follows:

Thursday (today):

 

Crestwood:  6:15 am (K); 8:15 am (1); 10:45 am (Pre AB); 12:45 pm (2); 2:15 pm (3);

                  3:15 pm (Pre CD); 4:15 pm (4); 6:15 pm (5); 7:45 pm (Reading room);

                   8:30 pm (1)

  

Friday (tomorrow):

 

Crestwood:  8:00 am (Pre AB); 9:45 am (2); 11:15 am (3) 12:40 pm (Pre CD); 1:45 pm (4);

                  2:45 pm (Reading Room); 3:45 p.m. (5); 5:15 pm (1); 5:45 pm (K);

                  6:45 pm (Pre AB); 7:45 pm (2); 9:15 pm (3)

The students had a chance to listen to it yesterday morning and were very excited.  Hopefully many of you will get a chance as well. The letter or number in parenthesis is the grade that is reading.

Munchie Read Tomorrow:

We have been doing many things for Read Across America.  Today we will be wearing our "book covers" that we made as well as listening to some high school students be guest readers and reading various books to us.  Just a reminder to have your child bring a healthy munchie and drink for our "Munchie Read".  We will be partnering up with Mrs. Tuchek's kindergarten class to do some reading with one another!

Cadet Pride Movie:

And my last reminder is about Monday.  As reward for our great Cadet Pride, Crestwood Elementary students will be going to a movie at the Cresco movie theater next Monday.  Just a reminder that if your child wants to purchase a bottle of water and popcorn, he/she must have their $2.00 here by Friday, tomorrow!!!!!  They want the money early to get a headcount on how much popcorn to make and how many bottles of water they will need.  

Lots going on but all great things!