We Survived Iowa Assessments and Tomorrow We Are Off to UNI!

Today is our last day for Iowa Assessments (for most students), and I think we are all pretty glad about that!!!  I will say that I have been very pleased with the effort from most of the students.  I have been giving out "Effort Coupons" and some students are collecting lots of points because of their hard word and effort they are putting towards the Iowa Assessments.  Excellent job!  They are very excited to turn those coupons on for prizes next Monday!  :)

Besides Iowa Assessments, there is a lot going on.  We have been working with Mrs. Galvin's kindergarten class to help them prepare for their big Zoo Day tomorrow.  3B students have done research for them, helped them prepare their little presentations, and will to a "run through" with them today as well.  It has been a fun activity for both 3rd grade and kindergarten.

I posted pictures from the music program last week on a previous post. Again, that was a huge success!!!

Students are loving their Book Clubs, reading a ton, and having super discussions about their reading.  I heard laughter and deep thought all shared on Monday from simply reading and sharing a good book through book clubs.  It brought a huge smile to not only my face, but others as well.   The students have also done a nice job, those with computer access at home, using their Google Documents to record their thoughts.  This is the first year I have done that this way and I am very pleased with how it is going.  Reminder that the students need to have their reading and thoughts posted by tomorrow's book clubs.  Can't wait to hear what they are going to discuss this time.

And just a reminder that we are going to UNI to a play tomorrow.  We are going to be watching the play of Mufaro's Beautiful Daughter.  The kids are very excited about going to UNI as well as riding on a chartered bus.  We will be leaving about 10:30 so that we can get some things done in the morning before we head out.  Remember that your child is to bring a lunch from home, and for this trip, peanut butter is allowed.  So, please send a lunch from home, a beverage to drink, as well as a small snack that they may want to eat on the way home.  It also looks nice if students show their school spirit when we go to activities like this, by wearing school colors.  I would love to see the students in their Cadet shirts or school colors to show our school pride.

Have a super weekend and enjoy the weather!

Pictures from our Music Program

Iowa Assessments - It is Time!

Good morning everyone and happy first day of spring!  I hope you enjoyed your four day weekend!  The weather could not have been better so hopefully you and your family had some fun outside!  It was hard to get going this morning as I was used to staying home the last four days.  We are back at it though, working hard!

As the title states, it is time for Iowa Assessments (formally known as Iowa Test of Basic Skills).  We will be staring these assessments with 3rd grade tomorrow, taking a test in the morning and a test in the afternoon.  The 3rd grade teachers have the assessments scheduled each day, sometimes one a day and sometimes two a day, throughout next Thursday, March 29th.  It would be very helpful if students try hard to NOT miss school these days as it is difficult to make the assessments up.  If you have Dr. or dentist appointments scheduled, please consider rescheduling them to a different date.  Thanks so much!

It is also important that your child gets plenty of rest each night.  I know that is hard because it is so nice outside and the kids just want to be out there, me too, but please make sure they get plenty of rest as well as eat a good breakfast each day.  The school, and myself, will be supplying brain food before each assessment to make sure the students' brains are awake and ready.

If you have any questions about the assessments, feel free to contact me.  Otherwise, keep it low key and not too stressful for your child.  It is the first time 3rd graders are taking the assessment so we don't want to overwhelm them with stress.  They will do fine if they simply try their best.

Thank you to the families that made it to our Literacy/Tech Open House last week.  It was great to see so many parents involved and curious what happens in 3B as far as technology and literacy.  I will be posting pictures that were taken that evening soon.  Thanks again for being involved in your child's education.  Hopefully you also had a chance to have some yummy soup, even if it was 75 degrees outside!  :)

What else is happening?  Well, we are working with Mrs. Galvin's kindergarten class helping them prepare for their Zoo Projects.  Third grade students each did research on an animal selected by the kindergarten partner and will be teaching the kindergartner all about the animal in preparation for their Zoo Day.  We also turned it into a writing activity of writing a research report and put together brochures.  I would have liked to have done something more digital, but this was what worked for kindergarten.  Next time.

On Wednesday, we have Kaitlyn coming from Food Basics to share more interesting information on eating healthy.  Along with this, the high school students from Food and Fitness will be stopping by Friday to share more information and have us taste something healthy and new.  Wonder what it is????

What else?? We are wrapping up Theme 4 for literacy and will be doing some fun inquiry activities next week to close that unit.   Today we are starting our next unit in Social Studies, and students are eager to get rolling in that as well.

A reminder to keep working on multiplication facts.  I have a few students who almost have all the facts master, some about half way, and a few who don't appear to have much motivation to continue working on them.  The Walking Taco party will be somewhere towards the end of April so keep working on mastering all the basic facts and let me know when you are ready to have them assessed.  You can do it!!

Enjoy the beautiful spring day and have a super week!

Order of Operations Fun

We used this video today to help us remember the Order of Operations in math.  It does include exponents, which I talked to the students about but told them not to worry about it for now if they don't understand.  We tried to change the word for "E" to "Exactly" but it just didn't go with the song.

The acronym is "PEMDAS" which stands for parenthesis, exponents, multiply, divide, add, and subtract.  The students had a lot of fun with it!

Report Card Time and Literacy/Tech Night!

Well, it is that time again.  REPORT CARD TIME!!!!  The students are bringing home their report cards for the third quarter.  I still can't believe we are in our last quarter of the year.  (tear, tear)  It makes me sad to think that this great bunch of students will be leaving me soon.

Your child has seen his/her report card already.  I believe it is important for them to take some ownership in the report cards so they have already looked through and previewed their own report cards.  As in the past, parents must sign and return the envelope in which your third grade child brought his/her report card home in.  This is for me to know that the report card made it home and parents have had a chance to look it over. If you have any questions about your child's report card, feel free to contact me, but your students should be able to explain his/her grades the best.

Quick comment about literacy report cards......we are just wrapping up theme 4 next week.  Because of this, I did not complete theme 4 yet on the report card.  Students are still working on many components and strategies in theme 4 that I did not want to complete that part of the report card until we are done with the whole theme.  Just wanted to get that stated.

I send everyone's science and math assessments home last week (except one person who was absent and needed to finish).  If you did not see your child's assessment, please ask them about it.

Just a reminder that our Crestwood Elementary Literacy and Tech Open House is tomorrow night.  Students will be able to show you a few of the technology and literacy activities that we do in the classroom.  There is also a "free will" soup dinner being served from 5-7.  The menu includes chili or potato soup, rolls, and beverages.  It sounds like it is going to be a gorgeous night outside so take a stroll up to the elementary / jr. high and let your child showcase his/her classroom.  Hope to see all of you tomorrow night!!!

A reminder to keep working on multiplication facts at home for the Walking Taco Party.  We have been running out of time to assess them lately, as we are so busy, but I did do a bunch last week and many students have a LONG ways to go.  Please keep working on them at home so your child can participate in the Walking Taco party at the end of April.  Today we talked about "Fact Power" - they know what it means.  Ask them about it.  :)

Last comment involves sending a jacket along with your child.  Yes, I know it is beautiful outside and I am as guilty as the students in not wanting to wear a jacket.  Please remember that many students stand outside before school starts in the morning and it is chilly.  A jacket is needed during this time of the day.  Students know they must wear a jacket until it reaches 65 degrees - a school policy.   They can always keep that jacket in their locker if it warms up by noon or afternoon recess, but I would rather they not be cold outside in the morning.

Enjoy the beautiful week!

Morgan on Radio, Read Across America Reminders, Cadet for a Pride Movie Reward

I wanted to make a quick post sharing some more information about Read Across America and Dr. Seuss's birthday this week.

Radio Broadcast:
As part of the celebration, one student from each classroom was selected to read a poem with other students from other homerooms.  Morgan was selected from our classroom, and she did a wonderful job.  The recordings were done last week and will be broadcasted as follows:

Thursday (today):

 

Crestwood:  6:15 am (K); 8:15 am (1); 10:45 am (Pre AB); 12:45 pm (2); 2:15 pm (3);

                  3:15 pm (Pre CD); 4:15 pm (4); 6:15 pm (5); 7:45 pm (Reading room);

                   8:30 pm (1)

  

Friday (tomorrow):

 

Crestwood:  8:00 am (Pre AB); 9:45 am (2); 11:15 am (3) 12:40 pm (Pre CD); 1:45 pm (4);

                  2:45 pm (Reading Room); 3:45 p.m. (5); 5:15 pm (1); 5:45 pm (K);

                  6:45 pm (Pre AB); 7:45 pm (2); 9:15 pm (3)

The students had a chance to listen to it yesterday morning and were very excited.  Hopefully many of you will get a chance as well. The letter or number in parenthesis is the grade that is reading.

Munchie Read Tomorrow:

We have been doing many things for Read Across America.  Today we will be wearing our "book covers" that we made as well as listening to some high school students be guest readers and reading various books to us.  Just a reminder to have your child bring a healthy munchie and drink for our "Munchie Read".  We will be partnering up with Mrs. Tuchek's kindergarten class to do some reading with one another!

Cadet Pride Movie:

And my last reminder is about Monday.  As reward for our great Cadet Pride, Crestwood Elementary students will be going to a movie at the Cresco movie theater next Monday.  Just a reminder that if your child wants to purchase a bottle of water and popcorn, he/she must have their $2.00 here by Friday, tomorrow!!!!!  They want the money early to get a headcount on how much popcorn to make and how many bottles of water they will need.  

Lots going on but all great things!

 

Back at It! Read Across America Week!

Thank you to all the students who used their school email to send me emails while I was on vacation!  It was fun to read them every day and know what was going on!  I had a super time in Jamaica enjoying the 85-90 degree weather daily!  It was relaxing and exactly what I needed!  If only I could have brought back some of that weather as it sounds as if we may be in for a last minute winter storm tomorrow and Wednesday.  I am hoping not as I do not want to miss any more days of school.  I guess we will wait and see!

Thank you to the students as well for their great behavior while I was gone.  There were a few bumps in the road, but that is expected.  Overall, everything went well.  Thanks for being so respectable and responsible 3B!

I also forgot to make a post about how proud I was of the students and their student-led conferences!  Wow!  They all did fabulous and should be proud of themselves as well!!!!

So now that we are back at it, I would like the students to have their realistic fiction at home reading done by the end of the week and return the books that were sent home.  After a quick review of adjectives and word choice, we will be moving into a new genre in writing and new books will come home.  If your child has finished his/her reading at home and has already returned their book, they can select what they would like to read at home.  Please continue reading though as that is so important!

February Book-It calendars are due this week.  I would like them returned by the latest, this Friday.  I will be sending home March reading calendars on Wednesday.

The 3rd quarter ends this Friday!  I can't believe it already, but 4th quarter is around the corner.  It seems like once 4th quarter hits, the weeks go too quickly with so much to do!  Yikes!  I am not sure of the exact date report cards will be sent home, but I will let you know.

A letter is being sent home today about "Read Across America" week.  Each child needs to bring a healthy snack for our "cross grade level reading" this Friday.  The note explains everything as well.  If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.  We will be doing various activities around Dr. Seuss and Read Across America.  I showed the students the "Seussville" online site that they can go on via the Internet and play games, watch Dr. Seuss movies, and tons more.  Some tried it today, but due to the demand and number of students on it during the day, the site was very slow.  I would encourage them to try at home maybe at a time when there is not so much Internet traffic on the site as there is during the day.

One activity the school is participating in for Read Across America is making book covers.  The students have selected a favorite book to illustrate the cover on one page and a favorite part on the other.  Some students are bringing this home to work on as they started in art and are running out of time to finish.  Please have them finish the activity and bring it back to school tomorrow.  Remind them to work neatly as they will be "wearing" the book cover on Wednesday in front of others.

Our tissue/kleenex supply is running low.  We only have a few boxes left to make it through the year.  If you have an extra box at home or are willing to donate a box of tissues to 3B, we would appreciate it (as would our noses).  Thanks!

Have a great week and let's hope that snowstorm makes a detour! :)

Student Emails and Vacation!

The students are very excited today as they learned how to use their own school email accounts!!!  They were amazed and think they are pretty important now (which they are!).

The emails are set up through Google and our school district.  Student emails can only be used to email students and staff who attend the Howard-winn school district.  Emails to parents and incoming emails from other sources will be monitored through the tech department and may not be successfully sent through.  The purpose of using these emails is for education and communication within the school district, as well as eventually sending attachments of work etc.   So, as a parent, you won't be able to directly send an email to your 3B child nor will they be able to directly send one to you.  It is for educational communication only!!!

Your child can check his or her email by following these steps:
     1.  opening up the internet and going to the school home page (http://www.howard-winn.k12.ia.us)
     2.  scroll to the bottom and click on "login"
     3.  put in login name and password
         *student login names are their last name and first name.  No spaces or capitals.  An example
          would be for me, "keriankim"
     4.  their password is a 5 or 6 digit number that is their district student number.  They should know
          the number by now or have it written down as it is a number we use for other online activities.

This should take them to their email account.  Thus far, I have just shown them how to check their email, send one, and reply to those they receive.  To send to a classmate, to me, or someone within the school district, they first type the person's LAST name and a list of choices will come up for them to select the correct person's email.  They know what to do from there.

I have also discussed the safety aspect of using email.  Being it is controlled by Google and the school, it is very safe.  But this opportunity is a priveledge and can easily be taken away if problems arise.  Students should not be using this email account to send emails about plans for weekend or whatever.  It is for school communication only.

Which brings me to my vacation.  As I have mentioned before, I am leaving for a vacation to the Caribbean with my husband and will be gone all next week.  I have told the students I would love for them to send me emails each day letting me know how the day went and what they learned.  I will be checking my school email on a regular basis while gone and would love to hear what the students did and learned about that day (even though I know as i wrote the lesson plans).  They can email from any computer any where, as long as they go to the Howard-Winn homepage first.

They are very excited and I can't wait to read some of their emails!

Again, along with that, please remember that if something comes up and you need to contact the school next week, call the office.  Do not email me as I will not be at school.

There will be no assignment for blogging about at home reading until I get back.  I would love for the students to finish the books that were sent home though so we can start a new genre when I return.

Thanks and happy emailing 3B!

Student Led Conferences - It is Here!

Well, tonight is the night!  I think the students are ready and excited to lead their student led conferences.  (Some are also a little nervous!)  I am sending home a print out of the conferences scheduled.  Please double check that the time you signed up for matches the time on the sheet.  I printed it directly from the website you signed up on so it should match.

Conferences are blocked off for 15-20 minute blocks, aiming for 15 so that you have transition time to get to other conferences (if applicable).  I have told the students to just come in and start their conferences even if another student is finishing up in the room.  Being they are student led, the 3B students know how to start.  I will be listening from the side while the students are sharing their information, and then I will join in at the end.

I also wanted to give everyone a heads up that I will be gone next week.  My husband and I take a trip every February to somewhere tropical so the students will have a sub for the 4 day week next week.  I know they will be wonderful and respectful, as they always are, while I am gone.  The sub will not be checking my emails so if you have a message to get to her or the school, please call Linda at 547-2300.  I will be checking student blogs or emails at various times over the vacation to check in and see how things are going but can't guarantee I will do it every day.....There is sunshine somewhere warm calling my name.  :)

Nice job to the students who are working on their at home reading blog post!  Some of them are wonderful and many students have commented how they are really enjoying their book(s)!  Many students are already on their second realistic fiction book and anxious to read more.  I will be sending the blog information for this week home tomorrow as it will be due next Monday.  There will not be an activity for blogging at home about their realistic fiction reading being I will be gone.  Keep up the great work 3B and keep reading!

Enjoy the week and we will see you tonight or tomorrow at conferences!

Important Information about Signing up for Conferences!

I hope that everyone received the letter sent home yesterday about the change in scheduling conferences.  The school is piloting a way to have parents sign up for conferences online.  It is similar to what parents do to sign up for conferences with students at the high school.  We are also hoping that is it more convenient for all parents.

The letter that was sent home explained everything that you need to know.  There was one "misprint" on the direction side of the online sign up and that was step number 2.  Somehow that got mixed up with the high school directions.  When you are signing up online for conferences (following the directions on the sheet sent home), for step 2, go to the top of the Howard-Winn home page and click on "Parent Information".  Below that will be a link to click on for "CE Conference Scheduler".  Then continue on with step 3 of the directions as given.   We apologize for the inconvenience and hope that parents remember we are "piloting" something new.

Also remember that if you are having trouble or need assistance, you may contact Linda at the Crestwood Elementary office or myself.  If you are have more than one child to schedule conferences for, I suggest you do it as soon as possible to make sure you can get them all arranged one after the other.

The other big information that connects to conferences applies to only 3rd grade students, and that is that these conferences are student-led.  This means that your 3B child must attend conferences with you, and he/she will be leading the conference sharing information about their learning and behavior as well as show student pieces of work.  I will be listening but standing to the side during this time and then join you when your child is done.  While this is a nerve wracking experience for the students, they do a wonderful job and are very proud at the end.  We will be practicing starting next week so students are ready and prepared.  So please remember that your 3B child should attend his/her conference with you which ever evening you sign up.  Thank you!

Changing the subject....I just saw that one of our 3B students made her blog post about her at home reading of realistic fiction.  Yippee!  Remember that each child must make a blog post sharing comments about their at home reading by this Friday.  Information was sent home Monday.  Comments that need to be discussed are in the previous blog post and were sent home on Monday.  If you are not sure, look below in the previous post.  Remind students that they need to write enough in their post so that all readers know what they are talking about and not simple answering questions I said needed to be commented on.  It needs to make sense to the readers who read from anywhere, not just myself.

Also remember that if your child does not have access to a computer, he/she can write about their reading or chat with me to do it at school during the day.  We will make it work!

Thanks and have a great rest of the week.  I hope that everyone has success signing up for conferences.  Let me know if you have any questions!