Parent-Teacher Conference Forms

Parent-Teacher Conference forms went out today!  Conferences will be held on November 13th.  On the forms that went out today, you will need to indicate your first, second, and third choice for conference times.  Each conference will be 10 minutes long.  Please try to have your child turn this form back into me by this Friday.  This will give me enough time to work out a schedule, and send the form back to you.  I'm looking forward to seeing you all soon!

Creating Waterwheels

During science today, students investigated how powerful water truly is!  After discussing how people have used water to power machines for hundreds of years, it was time for the students to put their knowledge in action!  Their challenge was to create a waterwheel that would be able to lift a load.  In the case of this model, they had to lift a "canoe."  In teams, students brainstormed how to put the materials together in a way that made a working waterwheel.  Then, they designed and tested their model.  All groups were able to successfully accomplished their task.  Be sure to ask your child about their science investigation today!

Wax Museum Costumes

This is a reminder that Wax Museum presentations are this Thursday from 1:45-2:45 in the cafeteria.  Family and friends are encouraged to come!

If you would like to help your child with his/her costume, you may come into the classroom around 1:25/1:30.  We will head to the cafeteria to prepare for presentations around 1:40.  

Thanks for all of your support and guidance with this project!

A Sneak Peek At Our Week ...

• Writing:  After focusing on strong leads and endings last week, this week students will continue revising their personal narratives.  They will focus on revising different parts of the body of their narratives.

• Math: Multiplication and division are two main focuses of the week.  Then, students will apply their knowledge of different math concepts taught during prior/current units of study when participating in the "World Tour" lessons.  In these lessons, students compare Chicago with other cities around the world.  Lastly, student learning will focus on number stories and number sentences near the end of the week.  

• Interactive Read-Aloud:  We will continue reading There's a Boy in the Girl's Bathroom.  Students will focus on two main characters from the text, learning about who they are "deep down."  They will pay attention to their words, thoughts, appearance, actions, and what others say about them to infer what type of character they are.  

• Reading:  Early this week, students will finish their focus on using context clues when reading and take an in-class assessment over this strategy.  For the remainder of the week, the reading focus will be on main ideas and details.  

• Science:  This week will end students' learning in the Water Unit.  There will be a science test over this unit early next week.  A study guide will be sent home beforehand.  

Revised Quarter Project Deadlines

Good Morning!  Here is an updated schedule of revised Quarter Project deadlines:

• January 25th: Science Project
• April 5th: Literacy Project
• June 7th: Math Project

At-Home Help Needed!

To help students generate ideas and topics while writing, they decorated their journal covers with a collage of materials like photographs, clip-art, pictures, and memorabilia that are important were important and relevant to their lives. 

If you are interested in helping at home, I would send home 10 writing journals for you to cover with clear contact paper so that the collage materials do not get ruined.  I will complete one for you, so you have an example.  I would need the writing notebooks back Monday, October 29th. 

E-mail me at emreardon@cps.edu if you are able to/interested in helping - thanks so much!

ISAT Booklets

At the end of second grade, students were given a math and reading ISAT practice booklet to take home and work on.  We will be starting to look at some of the practice pages in the classroom.  Please have your child bring their booklets in by next Monday!  Thanks!

Star Student

Starting this week in Room 203, we will have a STAR STUDENT of the week each week.  Incorporating a Star Student in our weekly schedule is a great way to build a positive community of individuals, who appreciate, respect, and show interest in one another's lives.  

I will be contacting you the week before your son/daughter is Star Student.  Below is a description of the week's sharing activities: (Information can also be found on the Third Grade Website - Star Student)

MONDAY

Please send in 5-10 photos of your child, your family, pet(s), his/her favorite things to do, etc.  On the 3 x 5 index cards I provided, please write your child’s responses to the following:

• -     My Family
• -     My Pets
• -     My Favorite Book
• -     My Favorite Food
• -     My Favorite Color
• -     My Favorite Place
• -     My Favorite Thing To Do

TUESDAY

Turn in the Read All About Me! page.  Your child will share his/her page and we’ll add it to our Class Book. 

WEDNESDAY

Your child is invited to bring in his/her favorite book.  We will read his/her favorite book (or part of his/her favorite book) to the class.  Your child can give a book-talk if the book is too long to read in a 15-minute time frame. 

THURSDAY

You are invited to write a letter to the class telling us how special your child is to you.  Send the letter in the TOP SECRET envelope to school with your child.  I will read the letter to the class at our class meeting.  The content of the letter is up to you, but you may want to choose from the following ideas: describe special or funny stories about your child for the class to hear, write a silly or serious poem about your child, tell us some neat things we may not know about your child, or write a short story with your child as the main character.  Please do not let your child read this secret letter.  He/she should hear the letter for the first time at Thursday’s class meeting. 

FRIDAY

Your child may invite a special guest to eat lunch with him/her in the cafeteria from 12:45-1:05.  He/she may choose to eat with me instead.  If you are unable to join your child for lunch due to your work schedule or a prior obligation, please let me know and I will plan to eat with him/her.  Please contact me via a note in your child’s folder, before/after school, email, or phone to inform me of your plan.

Wax Museum Quarter Project

This is a reminder that the Wax Museum Quarter Project due date is coming up!  Here are a few important dates/times to know:

•  Friday, October 26th: Wax Museum Research Reports due (Please remember, no late papers are accepted!)

• Wednesday, October 31st: Wax Museum speech notecards need to be completed and brought to school.  We will have a dress rehearsal in the cafeteria on this day, and students will be practicing their speeches for the other third grade classroom.  

• Thursday, October 31st from 1:45-2:45:  Wax Museum Presentations are today during this time.  Parents and family members are welcomed and encouraged to come!  After presentations are over at 2:45 you may take your child home.  

*** On Wednesday, October 31st students should be fully prepared with their speech presentations (remember, they can use notecards!).  Mrs. de Nazarie and I will be grading their presentations both on Wednesday and Thursday.  Their costumes/attire will only be worn, and therefore graded on Thursday.  

Thank you for all of your support at home with this project!  Students have been very excited to "be" their famous Chicagoan for a day! 

Reading Workshop

Over the last few weeks, mini-lessons in reading workshop have focused on comprehension strategies.  Our unit of study began with lessons on self-monitoring, and today we finished a group of lessons focused on activating background knowledge and connecting it to new knowledge and learning.  

Starting on Monday, we will continue comprehension based mini-lessons but will focus on asking questions.  Students will:

• Learn to ask questions as they read
• Ask questions to gain information
• Wonder about the text to understand big ideas

During all comprehension lessons, we have been using non-fiction texts.  I have used nonfiction to model strategies, and students have completed shared and guided practice reading activities with nonfiction as well.  We have been able to integrate nonfiction texts focused on the science content we are currently studying as well.  

Staring next week, during independent reading time, students will be reading strictly nonfiction.  On Monday, students will look in the school library for texts, and can use the classroom library as a resource too.  If your child has any nonfiction texts at home that they are particularly interested in, or if you want to make a trip to the library for texts and topics that interest your child, please feel free to bring those books in as well!

Math Test Reminder and Information!

Students had a great time in math today playing the Jeopardy review for Unit 2!  The review game, and other documents and games are all posted on the Skinner Third Grade website.  Click the following link to take you there - Math - Unit 2.

The Jeopardy game is a review of the entire unit.  Not everything in the Jeopardy game will be on the test.  Students should practice reviewing their study guides to best prepare for the test.  

Today, students also completed an open response for the 'Final Jeopardy Question'.  It was definitely a challenging question that promoted higher level thinking skills, and the application of learning objectives.  Students practiced creating a bar graph/line plot that reflected the data in two different ways.  For the test tomorrow, I will be labeling both axes for them.  The y-axis (the line going vertically) will be labeled "Number of Students" and the x-axis (the line going horizontally) will be labeled "Number of (whatever object used)."  This was what was practiced on the front of their practice page.  

Study Links 2.9

At the end of the day, when students fill out their homework charts, I forgot to tell them to bring home their math notebooks to help them complete Study Links 2.9.  

Use the following website as a resource if your son/daughter needs assistance:

https://www.everydaymathonline.com/free_resources_main.html?frnologin=1#

Then click on: 
- Algorithms in Everyday Mathematics
- Grade 4
- Subtraction

The two algorithms that we are focusing on are:
1.  Trade-First Subtraction Method
2.  Partial Differences Subtraction Method

I will post this helpful Family Resource site on the Third Grade website, under the math tab! 

Progress Reports

Be looking for your child's progress reports today!  You will notice that there are no grades entered for speaking, listening, and research.  Both 2nd and 3rd grade classrooms will not be having grades for these subject areas.    

Please let me know if you have any questions, concerns, or comments, and I'd be more than willing to help! :)

Science Unit 1: Water

Today in class students began setting up their science notebooks.  These notebooks will be an important tool in the classroom this year!   Students were also assigned their first collaborative role for group-work and investigations during this unit.  Ask them what their first role is, I'm sure they would love to share!  Roles include the following:

Getter 1: Responsible for getting equipment from the materials station. 

Getter 2: Responsible for organizing and returning equipment to the materials station. 

Starter: The starter makes sure that everyone gets a turn and that everyone has an opportunity to contribute ideas to the investigation. 

Reporter: The reporter reports group data to the class. 

Recorder: The recorder makes sure that everyone has recorded information on student sheets or in science journals.  This personal also records group data on the board or on a class chart.  

The focus of the first science unit is Water.  Water is a unique earth material, the only material on Earth that occurs naturally in all three states of matter - solid, liquid, and gas.  Next to the air we breathe, water is probably the most important things in our lives.  Your child will learn all of these interesting things and more as we investigate water and its properties. 

One of the goals of this first module is to help students focus their observation skills on water - to begin seeing water in a new light.  Through their investigations into the properties of water and how it reacts to heating and cooling, students will begin to appreciate how important this unique material is.  

Room 203 students are looking forward to weeks of exciting investigations into the world of water!

Measuring Our Heads!

As we are nearing the end of Unit 2 in math, one of the final lessons calls for students to create bar graphs.  After measuring the length around their heads, we organized the class data, and displayed it in a bar graph.  Collaboratively, students found the median, mode, maximum, and minimum of the class data.  

Study Links 2.7 & 2.9

During math lessons 2.7 and 2.9 students will learn different strategies and methods to use when adding or subtracting multi-digit numbers.  It is not necessary for students to completely master all of the strategies introduced.  Instead, it is important that they are exposed to different strategies, can practice using them, and then most importantly, that they choose a strategy that works best for them.  Please keep this in mind as your child completes their homework tonight and on Wednesday! :)

Skinner North Third Grade Website

Just as important as the Classroom News Blog is, the third grade classroom website is very important as well!  Here a few a few updates about the website:

1.  On the Homework Tab of the website, Mrs. de Nazarie and I have included a few additional documents and links that may be helpful. If your child forgets or misplaces their Independent Reading Response Log, or response sentence starters, both documents are available for download.  The Everyday Math Study Links are also posted as well. 

http://teachersites.schoolworld.com/webpages/EReardon/homework1.cfm

2.  More information will be posted onto each of the curricular tabs on the website.  For example, when clicking on the Math Tab, you can find different information and resources organized by each unit.  If you click on Unit 2 (our current unit of study) you can find websites and games that provide additional math support and practice for your child.  

http://teachersites.schoolworld.com/webpages/EReardon/math.cfm

http://teachersites.schoolworld.com/webpages/EReardon/math.cfm?subpage=1656744

We will continue working on the website - be sure to keep exploring :)!

Math Test

 There will be a math test next Friday, October 19th over Unit 2.  A study guide will be sent home early next week for students to complete at home, and turn in by Thursday.  On Thursday, students will play a review game which will be posted on the third grade classroom website.  This will be a great study tool for students to use!

Homework Folder Routine

Now that we have been in the classroom for a few weeks, third graders' homework procedures, both inside and outside of the classroom, should be much more of a routine now.  Here are some important things to know:

• The blue "Homework Chart" should remain in your child's homework folder Monday-Friday.  On Friday it may be recycled because they will be getting a new chart the following Monday.  

• Corrected work, notes, and forms on the "Take Home" side of the homework folder should be checked and removed nightly, or every couple nights.  (By Monday it should be cleared out!)

• Each night students are required to read 30 minutes and write a response about their reading.  They have a list of about 40 sentence starters (pink sheet) to help them with their response.  They should choose a different type of response each night, and their response should be about the reading they are doing nightly at home.  

• Reading response logs are "checked" each day by a student who marks whether it is complete or incomplete.  If your child has missed 2 days of responses in a row, I will contact you.  On Monday mornings, after the response log is complete, students will turn them into me so that I can read through them and give them credit for their work.  

• Beginning Monday, students will be turning in their math homework to a "Math Homework Bin" each morning.  After math homework is collected and awarded credit for completion, it will be passed back and put in the "Take Home" side of students' folders.  

• Please initial students' Homework Charts each night!  It is very important that they know we are all in communication together.  

• Check the Third Grade Classroom website for homework if you ever have questions - it is updated daily: http://teachersites.schoolworld.com/webpages/EReardon/homework1.cfm

• On the website, there may be assignments that are posted that your child has already completed.  If this is the case, they will not have the work in their homework folder.  

As always, please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or if you are noticing that your child needs more support with this routine.  Third grade is definitely a year where students are taking on more responsibilities - we want to make sure they are learning how to be responsible to that they are ready for the years ahead!

Social Studies

Just a reminder that there will be a social studies test tomorrow.  Students will be completing a study guide during class today.  This will be a great tool to use tonight to review material.  A great "study strategy" is to have your child make flash-cards with the questions on one side, and the answer on the other.  Students will also be taking home their "Before Chicago" scrapbooks. Have discussions with your child that are centered around the five guiding questions.  Please make sure their scrapbooks are returned back to school tomorrow.  

Out of the Classroom & Reminders

I wanted to let you know that I will be out of the classroom Friday, October 4^th through Wednesday, October 10^th for my wedding this Saturday in Michigan.  For the days I am absent, we will have a guest teacher in the room.  Her name is Cailtin Stevenson.  If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact her.  She has been able to spend a couple of days in our classroom, so she is aware of our classroom rules, routines, procedures, and expectations.  

A few things you should know:

• Next Wednesday, October 10th is a half day
• Students will have their first social studies test Friday - a review sheet will be given on Thursday (if you would like to begin reviewing material, have students show you the scrapbook they have been making!)
• Students have been assigned to their famous Chicagoan - this will be sent home today, look for it in students' green homework folders

Also - not only do I have a very smart classroom of kids, I have a very SWEET classroom of kids.  When I went to pick them up from art, they surprised me with a banner they made during inside-recess, I had a congratulations card that they all signed, a beautiful scarf they got me as a gift, and a bouquet beautiful flowers - I'm one lucky teacher :).  

After-School Programs

Today green flyers will be passed out with information about after school clubs and activities.  All programs are offered at no charge and begin at 3:15 with a snack.  Classes will run from 3:30-4:30.  Students then need to be picked up, or will go directly to their youth guidance program.  

*** Space in these programs is very limited!  Please talk with you child and make sure they are interested in the class before you sign up.  

Examples of after school programs include: Drama Club with Mrs. Poznick & Ms. Gale, Sports with Mrs. Popowich, Homework Help with Ms. Shakespeare, and Spanish Club with Mrs. Schroeder.  There are many more exciting clubs for your child to be a part of! :)

A Few Dates for Next Week

Just a reminder on a few important dates next week:

• Tuesday, October 9th - Picture Day
• Wednesday, October 10th - Half Day

Social Studies - Before Chicago

Students are beginning to discover
how Chicago changed from a
"Swamp to City"!

Last week, students started exploring their first social studies unit of the year.  The unit for Quarter 1 is titled: Before Chicago.  

In this unit, students will explore the early history of the area that became known as Chicago and how it became a settlement. They will investigate the Native American tribes that were its inhabitants and the explorers that were sent from other countries to claim the land. Students will learn how these early settlements developed and grew into the city of Chicago. Lessons, activities, and explorations for this unit are focused around the following guiding questions: Who were the early inhabitants of the area that became Chicago? What features of the area made it a good place to settle? Why were explorers sent to the area that later became Chicago? What was the importance of the early Chicago settlements? What were the factors that led to growth in Chicago? Students are currently creating a Before Chicago scrapbook.  For each guiding question, they will have 1-2 entries in their scrapbook.  These guiding questions are great conversation starters to use with your child!

Math Test Reminder

Just a reminder that there will be a Unit 1 math test tomorrow!  Students can use the following tools to study:

• Study Guide (students corrected it in class today, it will be in their homework folders)
• Student Math Journal
• Math Notebook 
• Math Folder

A fun way to study vocabulary (especially for this unit!) is playing PICTIONARY with your child.  Using the vocabulary terms on their study guide, write each term on a small piece of paper, fold each of them, and put them into a container.  Then, have your child draw a term and illustrate it for you!  It'll be your job to guess the term.  If you play with other family members, you can switch roles.  Students really enjoyed playing this today! :) 

Library & Book Fair

Hello everyone!  I wanted to let you know that the students will be having library each Monday from 8:30-9:00 (bright and early on Monday mornings :)!).  Today, students explored the book fair and wrote books they were interested in on their "Wish Lists".  Their "Wish List" will be coming home today.  Look for it on the "Take Home" side of their green folders.  Have a great Monday!