Old Man Winter Must Not Be Happy!

I can honestly say that I feel like I have not seen much of my students since Christmas.  Although we

have had school here and there since the holidays, it does not feel like it. Next time we hear there is a big snowstorm coming our way,  I am going to plan on trying to still connect with the students virtually with the use of technology as I feel like we have lost so much time together!  Everyone loves a "snow day" once and a while, but this is getting out of control.  Someone needs to do something to cheer up Old Man Winter!  Any ideas?

Well, during the past "mini" weeks, 3B students have started a new exploratory called "Technology" class.  We do so much technology in the classroom that I hate saying it is a separate class.  The instructor of Tech, Miss Klenke,  is trying to correlate activities with the homerooms.  So far, 3B students have been shown an online keyboarding site they can go to to continue building their keyboarding skills, as well as starting book-trailers using the app iMovie.  This activity is in connection to reading done in the classroom.  Students will be using a book he/she has read in the classroom/home recently and created a movie trailer with required information about the book.  Our goal is to have the book trailers up and ready by the time of parent teacher conferences in February (if we ever have enough school).

I posting on my blog the link for students to work on keyboarding.  Miss Klenke has shown the students the site or will be showing it soon.  While we use the iPads primarily in the classroom, keyboarding quickly on a computer is still a part of our 3rd grade curriculum.  Through this online site, students can log in and work on keyboarding at home.  I will be sending student login and passwords home with the students so that they can continue to work independently.

I am unsure what tomorrow will bring, but I am hoping that I get to see the students' smiling faces.  Here are some bits of information about upcoming events and activities:
1.  Students will begin preparing for student led conferences.  These are conferences held in February where the 3rd grade students leads the conference.  While many students are very nervous leading up to the day of the conference, they are usually very happy afterwards.  More information will be coming home soon about logging in to sign up for conferences as well.  Stay tuned.
2.  We are wrapping up our unit on multiplication and introduction to division.  Please remind students to continue to work on multiplication facts.  There are some great websites on the side of my blog page that students can do at home to continue to work on recognizing their facts faster.
3.  We are working hard writing personal narratives.  Along with this genre, students are focusing on adding detail, writing good beginning sentences, and building their ideas better through their writing.  Students hope to have a personal narrative to share with everyone at conferences.
4.  Students are reading like crazy at school in preparation for their book-trailers being made with Tech class.  I love it!!!  I hope they are sharing that "want" to read at home as well.  Many students have been taking books home, reading, and building that love to read (that is what is most important).  Students were told to try and have their book read or almost done by the end of this week, but we may have to push that back a week due to weather and missing school.
5.  Our focus strategies in reading this week are to continue working on paraphrasing and questioning.  Paraphrasing is a tough strategy and will be the focus of "Cadet Time" as well for many groups.

Stay warm!