Book It Due, Blog Comments, and Edmodo Homework

Just a quick reminder that Book-It is due the end of the week.  I will accept them for the month of February until next Monday, March 4th.  A new calendar for the month of March will be sent home at the end of the week as well.

I also wanted to remind students to check their Edmodo accounts and online activities at home each night.  We have currently been working on a little assignment in the classroom about Spain, but there will continue to be more and more activities and lessons posted random nights that are to be done at home.  It is a good idea to get into the routine of checking it every night after dinner (giving me a little time after school to get things posted).  I will try to have the activities, as before, posted by 4:30 if there is one.  Thanks!  Remember that if you do not have internet access at home, please remind your child to come in the classroom after 8:00 to work on it.  I will give a "heads up" each day as students are leaving if there is an activity on Edmodo to look at or complete.

Students are also reminded to spend some time reading blog pages and posting comments to our friends in Michigan and China (listed on the side of their student blog pages).   I know we look forward to reading comments others leave for us so let's remember to do the same.  This can be done at home as well as at school.

I will not have an activity posted tonight.  Hopefully I will see some of you at UNI cheering on the Cadets tonight in basketball!  Go Cadets!

Place Value Rap....Get Ready and Memorize

Our current unit in math is on place value of large numbers.  Thus far, we have discussed and worked with place value up through millions.  Tomorrow, we will be starting to learn about decimals.

To help us with the different place values, I have introduced the students to the "Place Value Rap".  The video below shows the song with a visual.   We, as 3B, students will turn into "rappers" here soon and perform the rap to be videotaped for the world to see.  (Information will be sent home soon about this and what the students should wear).  For now, please have your child work on memorizing the "rap".  It really does help with memorizing the different place values in math.....and it is FUN!

Skyping with North Carolina....learning Spanish

We had another great Skyping experience with some 4th students from North Carolina.  These students are in my stepdaughter, Miss Kerian's, class.  Her class is predominately Hispanic so we thought it would be fun to connect and learn some Spanish from them.  We also spent some time learning about their area in North Carolina and what school is like for them.

They taught us to say "Happy Birthday", "What's up?",  "February", and a few other things in Spanish.    Jasmin, one of our students, was in heaven as she was our "helper" when we struggled with what they were teaching us.  She was so proud to connect and speak to others in Spanish.  Her smile was precious  and it was a valuable experience for her as well!

We, 3B students, were very surprised to learn that students in Miss Kerian's room in North Carolina have to wear uniforms.  Most of us were glad students did not have to do that here.  Students shared books they were reading and various other things.  It was a great discussion!  We plan to do it again soon!

Pep Talk from Kid President

The video above is one that we started our day out with today and had a fabulous discussion as well!  I asked the students what the message was in the video after we watched it twice.  We discussed a lot of points "Kid President" was trying to make, but mostly, what he was telling the students as well.

This led to a wonderful 20+ minute discussion about being awesome, not boring, and being creative.  We discussion believing in ourselves and trying new things.  In my mind as a teacher, it was a discussion that was more meaningful than any book or lesson could have been.  The students really thought hard about this video and the need to have reason to "dance"(watch and you will understand).  

We decided to share it with you.  Do you choose to be awesome or boring?  Which path will you take?

Future Engineers of Howard Winn!

We had a wonderful time last Wednesday working together and creating wind mills! This was the first of our activities involved in a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) grant that we received through Kid Wind, a company that teaches kids about wind energy.  It was a super day of learning!  I heard comments such as, "This is so awesome!", "I wish we learned like this every day!", and "I think this is a great idea".

We mixed the students up among the three sections of third grade so that they worked with other students than their homeroom.  They were given a list of supplies to use and their job was to work together to create something that will spin in the wind, which was a fan as we were inside.  No other directions were given, and the students needed to rely on each other.   While it was challenging, I was totally surprised how quickly some of the groups achieved the goal!

Enjoy the short video showcasing pictures and video clips from the students and their creativity!

Skyping with Spain and Military Time

We had a super morning!  The students skyped with a class of 12 year olds in Spain who are learning to speak English, and do a very good job at it! I just sat there amazed at the conversation and learning that was happening with students across the ocean!  So cool!  We turned it into the first part of a Mystery Skype where they asked us questions and we gave them clues to help them figure out where we were at.  It was so fun to watch their excitement and their teacher, as she was hilarious!   Next time, hopefully Thursday or Tuesday, we will be skyping again to have them share what they found out and then let us learn about their country and home.

Great global learning going on!!!

The very first question we asked them was what time it was there.  The students told us that it was "18 to 6".  The students in 3B looked confused so the students in Spain told us it was 5:43 in the afternoon when it was 10:43 for us.  This leads to my challenge for the students....
     How many hours ahead of us are they?
     How does the military tell time?
We had a discussion about different ways to tell time and this lead to these questions.  So....I told the students to discuss these with their parents and come back with some answers.

Super fun!  We look forward to more Skype sessions with our Spain friends!

"Flat Friend" Visits

We had a visitor last week.  He was a little different than all of us....HE WAS FLAT!  Kendal's cousin sent a "flat version" of himself on a little journey and he stopped in our classroom to visit.  I can't exactly remember where he was from.  I think it was somewhere in Oregon or Vegas....but not 100% sure.  I am hope he enjoyed his few days at Crestwood Elementary!

Student Led Conferences.....It is Time!!!!

This is the week!  The student are ready (well, almost ready) to share some of their work and thoughts with you.  We have had some time to practice, although not as much as I would like due to the crazy schedule we have had with our weather lately.  The conferences will be student led so remember that your 3rd grader should attend the conference with you!  They are telling you the truth when they say they need to come along.  :)  (Some students are not in picture above as they were not in the room at the time due to their schedules.)

If you arrive for conferences and see that there is currently a different one going on in the classroom, please go in and start your conference even if there is someone in the room finishing.  The students know this.  I don't want anyone to get behind so please just come on in and get started.  The students know exactly what to say and do so come on in!  I will be listening from the side and then join the conference when your 3rd grader is done sharing what they have to share.

Looking forward to seeing you at conferences!

Group Activity.....Get Moving.... Just Dance

For our Morning Meeting group activities last week, I told the students we could do some "Just Dance".  Not only are they getting up and moving, they are having fun and love it!  Super way to start the day!   I had to share some of these pictures!   We have a little "Call Me Maybe" and "Gangnam Style" going on!  Enjoy!

Global Connections through Read Aloud

Along with Mrs. Ruthanivilavan's (Mrs. Ruthais' Class as we know them on twitter), we are reading and sharing our thoughts about a new chapter book that the students are loving!  It is called One Day and One Amazing Morning on Orange Street.  

While Mrs. Ruthai's class is a little ahead of us, they are off for the week to celebrate the Chinese New Year so hopefully we will get caught up to them.  Through their tweets, they have given us a little heads up on what is to come.  The students in 3B will tell you that we have a hard time putting this book down.  It is mysterious yet interesting!  We have share our thoughts, predictions, questions, etc. with our friends in China and vice versa!  I honestly believe the students are getting so much out of this that will continue to help build their reading skills, strategies, and conversations!  Look for a blog post soon about our great read aloud!

Happy Chinese New Year! Global Connections!

Today, Sunday, February 10th, is the official day of the Chinese New Year!  We have been learning a lot about the Chinese New Year from our Twitter friends in China.  They sent us a readers theater they did last week (being they do not have school this week) and we loved it!  On Friday, the students in 3B enjoyed making paper lanterns, snake mobiles as 2013 is the year of the snake, and make visuals for the celebration using the iPad app, Doodle Buddy.  Their teacher also sent us some sites that had more information for us to read.  We love using Twitter to connect!

Tomorrow (which will be Monday) the students have been encouraged to wear red as it is the color of good luck.  We will continue to learn more about the Chinese New Year and find more information.  Eventually we will be making a blog post sharing what we have learned and created.

Our class Twitter account continues to grow in followers and those we are following.  We continue to get more followers from around the world to connect with and learn from.  It is really a very exciting time to be in school!

This weekend I communicated through email many times with a teacher in Seville, Spain.  We are setting up skype schedules for 3B and her students (who are learning English) to skype and learn from one another!  I am very excited about this and know the students will be as well.  There is a 7 hour time difference between us but luckily, some of her classes are later in the afternoon/early evening so it works great for our schedules.  Hopefully we will get the first skype session scheduled this week or next!  Spain....here we come!!!  Who knows where else we will "travel" to before the end of the year!

The students are also continuing to connect with other 3rd graders and students through their blogs.  Many have conversations and comments on student blogs in Canada, Michigan, and of course, our China friends.  It is exciting when the students check their blog pages and see comments from others, including you, the parents.  It truly gives purpose to writing for a global audience.

Bella and Tarra.... Special Friends

I read a book to the students today as we were discussing problem and solution.  The book was about a dog and an elephant, Bella and Tarra, that become best friends.  It is a true story so I thought I would post a clip that shows the two of them.  The students loved the story as it is a special friendship!



I also found this video that shares that Bella, the dog, has since passed away. They think she was attacked by coyotes.  While very sad, the touching part is how Tarra carried her friend in her tusk back to the barn after finding her hurt.   I couldn't help but shed a tear while watching it.



Unique, yet true, friends.  The students loved the story!

Hoping for a "Normal" Week

I was glad to wake up this morning and see that everything was on time and we were going to have a "normal" Monday.  When I went to bed last night, it was snowing and I was worried we would have another late start.  While I think we all like late starts, we just don't get as much done as we need to (and can't have as much fun either)  :)  So here is to hoping that we have a "normal" week - even though it is a 3 hour early out Wednesday.

I see that many of you have signed up for parent teacher conferences.  Please remember this is done online.   A note was sent home last week with directions on logging in and getting into my conference schedule.  If you need help or guidance, please call Linda at 547-2300 and she will help get your conferences scheduled.  Thank you to those who already have that done!

Another reminder that conferences will be student led so your 3B child needs to attend.  We will start preparing for these conferences tomorrow as the kids are a little nervous.  I know they will do wonderful and have lots to share with you!

February Book-It calendars were sent home last Friday. Please remember to send back calendars for January if your child has not and is participating.  I will get all the certificates written out tonight for those who have turned the calendar in.  I would like all January calendars by Wednesday of this week, if possible.

Your 3B student will be taking the unit 4 math test this week, which is on multiplication and division. Remember that there are always lots of online activities (see side of my blog page) where the students can work on their multiplication and division facts.  I always remind the students there is ALWAYS something they can be doing when they are at home bored.  I would suggest starting with one fact family (such as all the x2s) and work on those, then move to another.  Your child should have the x0, x1, x2, x5, and x10s down pretty well already.  Start working on the others as it is expected that your 3rd grader will have mastered all multiplication facts by the end of the year.

The students have each posted a book review on their individual blog pages the past few days of school.    I know they would love to have you read them and leave comments.  The students are enjoying the comments left from other students around the world on their other blog posts as much as they enjoy typing comments to them.  The students have really realized the importance of mechanics and ideas in writing when you have a global audience.

We have also started a wonderful book called One Day and One Amazing Morning on Orange Street that our friends in China area also reading.  We will be Tweeting and blogging about the book with them as well during the next month. The students beg to be read to at the end of the day as it is a great time to discuss and listen to good literature.  If there was not such a big time difference, we would be skyping with them.  Bummer!

Valentine's Day information will be sent home this week as well.  Keep your eyes opened for it.  I will go over everything with the students before the information is sent home.

Enjoy the week!