Count Down Has Begun...Lots Coming Up

Well, tomorrow is May 1st.  That usually means the countdown until the end of the school year begins.  I can't believe it is May 1st already!  This year has definitely flown by!!!

I hope the students shared with you everything they learned at our Arbor Day field trip last Thursday out to Vernon.  It was a fun day, and the students learned so much!  Luckily, the weather cooperated and we ended up with a great day outside.  I think the students were pretty exhausted by the time we got back to school.  I was very pleased with their behavior and how the students in 3B represented our school!  Nicely done 3B! I will try and post some pictures this week.

Our big field trip for 3B is next Friday, May 11th.  We will be taking chartered buses to the Eagle Museum in Wabasha and Lark Toy Museum.  Information about this trip will be coming home this week sometime as we will be leaving earlier than a normal school day.  Be sure to look for this information by the end of the week as there will be forms and papers for parents to sign and return. Just a heads up that students will be asked to bring a sack lunch from home for this trip.

I am looking for 3 chaperones that day.  As a chaperone, you will be given a small group to lead and be responsible for throughout the day.   This is a wonderful field trip that the students have enjoyed in the past.  I have no doubt students this year will enjoy it as well.  If you would like to be a chaperone, please send me a note, an email, or call me.  If I have more than three parents volunteer, I will put all names in a hat and draw (to keep it fair and square).  If you are interested in chaperoning, please let me know by this Thursday, May 3rd, so that I can get then names drawn and let parents know by this Friday.  Thank you!!!

The students who read for all the months of Book-It enjoyed some yummy pizza last Thursday!  It was a nice reward for the great readers we have in 3B!

Our Walking Taco celebration will be this Friday, May 4th, for those students who have mastered all of their multiplication facts.  The deadline for this was last Friday.  If your child mastered all his/her facts (and they should know if they did or not), the third grade teachers will be supplying all the "goodies" to make walking tacos.  The student needs to bring whatever he/she would like for a beverage.  If your child did not master all of his/her facts, he/she will work on activities to continue to build the recognition of his/her facts and will NOT be eating walking tacos.  Therefore, they do not need to bring a beverage that day.  Sorry!

Next Wednesday, May 9th, is our Cadets for a Cause Day! While there have been lots of notes from the office sent home in recent weeks.  I thought I should quickly comment about what will be going on.  Your child, if they have not already, needs to bring one dry or canned good to get admission to the big Cadets for a Cause celebration.  These items will then be given to the local food pantry.  3B has had a great turn out for this already, so just remind your 3B child to bring something to give to the food pantry if they have not already.  Many students in 3B have brought more than one item, which is so kind!    If anyone ordered Cadets for a Cause tshirts, they should be arriving soon.

On the day of Cadets for a Cause, we will be walking over to the high school to enjoy some fun activities before the big walk.  Students will also be eating school sack lunches that day, hopefully outside, so there is no need to send a lunch with your child on this day.  If you have any questions, feel free to contact me or Linda in the office.

MAPs Testing Starts Next Week

Hello everyone.  Looks like a dreary day today - and chilly as well!  I think we were spoiled by the nice March we had and summer is not going to show itself quite yet like we were all hopping for.

I just wanted to make a quick post about MAPs testing starting next week.  (Yes, we have had a lot of district test lately.)  This is the assessment students take at the beginning and end of each academic year.  The test are done on the computers and not timed so students can work through each area taking as much time as needed.  We will be taking reading, language arts, and math assessments spread out over the next two weeks (only three test but they are spread out due to computer availability).  3B will be taking a test Monday morning, Tuesday afternoon, and then the following Monday, April 30th, in the afternoon.  Please try to make any necessary appointments around those dates to make it a little easier.  I appreciate your cooperation with this.

For those students who earned the pizza party for returning their Book - It calendars every month, we have moved the pizza party day.  It was originally scheduled for tomorrow but those students decided to change it to next Monday because pizza is being served at school tomorrow.  Therefore, I will be supplying pizza and beverages to those students who successful read and returned their reading calendars every month while the others have regular lunch in the cafeteria.

I also want to make a quick comment about how the students are doing with their book clubs!  They are doing amazing and I am very impressed with their motivation, thoughts, and effort in all areas of book clubs.   Just listening to their conversations on Fridays with their group is wonderful!  They are loving their books, enjoying what they are reading, and learning so much!  It is awesome!

Another reminder that students have until next Friday to earn their "walking taco" party as reward for mastering all of their multiplication facts...."deadline"! Many are very close and just have a few facts left to learn.  I am a little disappointed in some with their lack of effort, but this was their responsibility and choice.  Those that do not get them all mastered will be working on some activities that are "not as fun" to keep practicing their facts while the rest of us enjoy our tacos!  Bummer!

Enjoy the rest of the week and weekend!

Karissa's Prezi on the Grand Canyon

Here is an example of a Prezi that Karissa did.  She did an excellent job on it!  Enjoy!

The Grand Canyon on Prezi

Literacy - Tech Night Pictures

Here are a few pictures of 3B students and family enjoying Family-Tech Night!

We are Running Out of Time! Too Much to Do!

I hope everyone enjoyed their four day weekend!  I spent most of mine sick in bed, but at least it was not a school day and the students did not have to have a sub.  Hard to believe that we have less than 30 days of school left.  Kind of stresses me out as we have so much to do in 3B!  Thus....the titled....."Crunch Time!".

3rd grade teachers have set the date for students to have their multiplication facts assessed and mastered.  The last day to have your facts assessed by me is April 27th.  That gives the students two weeks from tomorrow!  Based on what I have seen from the kids, there are only a handful of students in 3B who are going to make it.  This makes me a little sad as the effort from some students is not there.  Just a reminder that knowing your multiplication facts is something that needs to be worked on outside the normal school day.  I have reviewed this many times with students and they know that.  We do take time randomly to work on them, but it is something students need to work out at home.  Those that master all of their facts will participate in the "Walking Taco" celebration by eating and making walking tacos!  Those that don't, will spend the time working on their facts.  So, keep working on the facts and let me know when you are ready to be assessed 3B.  You can do it!!!

Last week I showed the students another great online resource to use for presentations.  It is called "Prezi", and I am sure the students will become very comfortable with the program throughout the next few years.  It is common to the traditional powerpoint, but a much better and enjoyable way to make them.  Many students in 3B used the program to for their last Inquiry Project, which I will post pictures soon to show.  It is an online program, similar to Animoto, in which students log in to use. My account is under my name and password, but students know those and are more than welcome to work in the program.

Book It at home reading program has concluded and there are many 3B students who read and returned their calendars every month!  Yeah!!!!  These students will be having lunch supplied by me next Friday, April 20th.  I will supply pizza, chips, and a beverage for those that successful read each month of Book-It.  Other students will have lunch in the cafeteria as normal.  So great job to those students who made it!

Our book clubs are going wonderful!  I am so impressed with the students reading at home and their awesome discussions with their book clubs!!!! It is interesting to listen to each group and what they share about their reading!  True thinking, deeper understanding, and learning happening!  For the most part, the students have been very responsible in getting the reading done that their group decides on and coming prepared with their information.  Most are also getting very good at accessing their activities on Google Docs to post their thoughts and questions!   Isn't technology amazing???  :)  We will continue with Book Clubs for a few more weeks as they are going great!

A reminder that if you are ordering a Cadets for a Cause t-shirt the orders are due tomorrow.  Information was sent home a few weeks ago with a reminder two weeks ago.  Please have your child get that to the office if you are interested in ordering.  A reminder to have your child bring in a "canned good" for the Cadets for a Cause fun day as well.  A note was sent home previously about this information as well.  May 9th, which is Cadets for a Cause day, will be here before you know it!

Enjoy the rest of the week and stay warm!