Wow! Great Start!

Hello everyone.  Hope your three day vacation was enjoyable as it was beautiful outside.   The students said they had fun weekends, which is great to hear about when they return to school.

We have been busy as ever getting into our routine with lots of learning along the way.  As many of you know, students are loving their emails.  Last week we "added personal touches" by adding out profile pictures and changing our backgrounds.  After a few more lessons on the details of using email, students will be ready to utilize it for various activities throughout the year.  Just remember that at this time, they can not email outside the school district. Sorry. I will start to email various thoughts and assignments next week that students will be responsible for checking at home.  Those students without email access at home will do the work at school.

Everyone is getting into their independent blog pages and becoming more comfortable with that as well. Thanks to all the parents, grandparents, and friends/relatives who have commented on the student blogs!  Their faces light up when they see that someone has commented!  Wonderful!Keep them coming and spread the word!  Please be patient as we work on our typing skills as well.  We will try to get more in-depth in our post.  :)

We have also been fortunate to utilize some iPads the last two weeks.  I will start putting a list of apps on my blog page that students have been introduced to and using. They are loving this new component of our learning!

As I mentioned earlier, we are getting into a pretty good routine.  We have also jumped into Daily 5 within our literacy, and I am impressed with the students Read To Self stamina this early in the year! Awesome job 3B!  We had our Read to Self stamina up to 18 minutes last week and took a little backwards dive this week.  Now we are trying to build that back up.  We just started the "Work on Writing" component this week so hopefully our stamina in that will continue to build as well.  I have a few more assessments to do but hope to get started on guided reading soon.

I have gone over how to pick books with the students for their book bins in the classroom.  The strategy we have used is called "I Pick".  It stands for
        I - I chose a book
       P- Purpose.  Why do I want to read it?
       I - Interest.  Am I interested in it?
      C- Comprehend.  Do I understand what I am reading?
      K - Know the Words.  Do I know most of the words?

Students have been selecting books to read in the classroom and will start selecting a book to read at home as well starting next week.  While we do not have a lot of homework yet in 3rd grade, I would like to see the students reading every night at home!  It is so important!!!!

Everyone is loving science!  We have planted various seeds in preparation for some guest we have coming in two weeks.  Students also dissected a seed to analyze the seed coat and parts of the seed, which was very cool.  Today we are going to determining what a "Mystery Object" is that students will be given.  Who knows what it is??? Stay tuned!

Last bit of information involves Twitter.  Some of you know what Twitter is while others may not.  I have started a Twitter account for the class that is regulated by me.  We use the account to communicate and follow people and other classes around the world.  Currently, we are building up our "followers" and who we are "following" so that when we do post something, there is someone who may respond.  Sometimes we just post what we did that particular day in the classroom, but the main tool is communication.  We are following classes in Canada and all around the US thus far.  The students are excited every day to check our Twitter account and learn knew things, see who is following us, and making a post.  If you have a Twitter account and would like to follow us, our account is "Kerian3B".

Just a reminder that pictures are Tuesday, September 11th.  Please remember your order form and money if you will be purchasing pictures.  If you are not, please note that your 3B child will still have his/her picture taken for the class composite.  :)  You can send the money envelope early and I will hold on to it, or you may send it the day of pictures.

Orders for Homecoming tshirts were sent home today.  There is not a picture of the t-shirt on the order form so I have shown the students an example on paper.  The front says "Cadet Homecoming" while the back says "2012".  They are neon yellow t-shirts.  If you plan to order on, please have your child return them on the necessary due date.  Thanks!

Enjoy the rest of the week and weekend!  Thanks for sharing your students with me!