Arbor Day….Cancelled for Tomorrow…Maybe Rescheduled?

Our trip to Vernon tomorrow to celebrate Arbor Day/Earth Day that was scheduled for tomorrow s now cancelled due to the weather forecast.  We are waiting to confirm if it is being moved to this Friday.  The Howard County Conservationist are trying to reschedule speakers and those who were helping out and volunteering.  If that does not work, I am not sure if they will be rescheduling it.  I will let everyone know when I know.

Cross our fingers for the weather to cooperate and we can enjoy a fun Friday at Vernon!!!

MAPs Spring Testing

Students have set their goals and are ready for the final set of MAPs testing.  Starting tomorrow, students in 3B will complete three assessments thru MAPs, reading, language, and math.  We will be taking the reading part tomorrow morning, math will be Wednesday morning, and language will be Thursday morning.  Parents, please try to schedule appointments around those days as it is hard to make up assessments.

As mentioned above, the students have set individual goals for themselves for each part of the MAPs testing.  I am confident they will reach those goals if they work hard and give it their best!!!

3B students - remember to eat a great breakfast in the mornings and get a good nights sleep! You can do it!

Arbor Day…Trip to Vernon

This Thursday 3rd grade students throughout the district will gather at the Nature Center to participate in different stations in celebration of Arbor Day.  It is usually a very fun day full of learning!  Students will also be bringing home a new little tree that can be planted at home as well.  My kids, Elyse, Alex, and Kirstin, still have their trees from 3rd grade!  They are planted in my yard and we always are amazed how much they grow each year!

Who knows what the weather will bring as I heard they forecast rain.  So I have talked to the students about being prepared and dressing in layers.  Students should also be sure to wear long pants, tennis shoes (no open-toed shoes such as flip flops), hats if they would like, and sunglasses if they prefer.  It is also wise, depending on the forecast, for parents to put sunscreen on their child before they go to school that morning so that no one gets too much sun.

Sack lunches are being provided by the school so students do not need to bring one from home.

Due to the short distance, students do not need anything for the ride out to Vernon either.  I think they will survive without their Nintendo DS or iPod for those few miles.  :)

Cross your fingers the weather cooperates otherwise we are inside the whole day sitting and listening.

This and That….

Here are just a few comments about the upcoming week:
1.  I will be sending your child's geometry math test home by the end of the week.  Parents do not need to return it but please take the time to discuss the test with your 3B child.

2.  Even though it feels like we just finished Iowa Assessments, we will be taking our spring MAPs assessments next week on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday.  These are the assessments taken on the iPads and due not involve a time limit.

3.  We are starting a new math unit that continues multiplication.  Students are working their way through their multiplication facts with some almost done with a few still working on their 5s and 10s.  Please remember to work on multiplication facts at home so that they are mastered quickly.  Remember their are online games on my blog page that students can work with at home as well.  Keep practicing!

4. Friday is a day off for the district's mini "Spring Break" so there is no school that day.   Enjoy your 3 day weekend.  Students will have school on Monday as it is going to be a make-up day from our wonderful snow this winter. This was originally a day off.

5.  Lastly, I am heading to New York City with my daughter this week for a quick "mom-daughter" trip before she graduates from high school next month.  I will be leaving Wednesday night but will be back next Monday.  If you need anything on Thursday, please do not email me.  Call the office so that the information is relayed to my sub.

Weather and Wind Socks

As part of our science unit on weather the students had to put together and wind sock with given supplies and then go outside and use it to determine different characteristics, such as rate and direction, of the wind.  I was so impressed with the group effort from the students in working together to put the wind socks together and then working outside to observe them. The students have really grown up over the past year and work together so well!

This week we will be moving into clouds and different types of weather which is perfect for the crazy weather we have been having lately!  :)

We are Loving Book Clubs!

Book clubs are on to round two with many groups starting their second book.  They are reading like crazy and loving every minute of it!  I am very pleased with the effort from most of the students and their eagerness/excitement to read and discuss with their book club!  Their discussions are powerful and meaningful!

Thank you to parents for signing and returning contracts for book clubs.  There are a few students who have yet to return their contract so if you, parents, have not signed or seen one, please chat with your student or let me know and I will send another one.  Book clubs are the students responsibility to read and complete at home so that they are ready to discuss their reading with their group at school.

Those students finished with their first book for book clubs are currently working on a video review. The video reviews will be posted on the student's individual blog pages so check them out this week!

Below is a picture of the book clubs in action!

Keep it up 3B!

3B's Poem with Rhyme

April is Poetry Month so 3B is spending a lot of time in writing reading and writing poetry.  We started out reading some fun poems on an online site titled Giggle Poetry. (click the link to take you to the site and read some of the fun poems.)  The students also could rate selected poems on the site.  This then brought us to a fact that many times poetry contains rhyme.  So to kick off our first writing of poetry, we focused on writing poems with rhyme.  Here is the one the class wrote together:


Escape from the zoo
The elephants busted thru the gate,
They were mad they missed their date.
The ones that maddest were the bears
They threatened to eat all the hares.
The wild boars escaped thru the brick wall
And they ran wildly down the hall.
The cheetah were speedy and very fast
The elephants were the ones they passed.
The monkeys were swinging high on trees.
They ran into some angry bees.
The bees and monkeys took after the fox.
He was upset and hid in a box.
The zoo keeper came and saw a chicken on the loose.
He gathered the animals, including a moose.

The students are having an awesome time writing poems with partners and on their own.  Look for those to be posted on the student blogs next week.  I wonder what type of poetry we will be reading and writing next week?