Do you know that song (title of my message)? A few of us sang it a bit this morning. I am fighting a cold this week, and not feeling well makes for a longer than usual week.
We have had rainy day recess more than once this week. Ask your child what he/she did during that time. Has your child told you what he/she is learning with Mrs. Milton during science lessons? In social studies the students are learning about American History. The students explored timelines and primary sources and are now beginning to learn about explorers (more than just Columbus).
Can your child tell you what an adjective is? That part of speech has been our focus for two weeks. Ask your child what he/she wrote about in a paragraph that compares and what he/she is currently writing about in a paragraph that contrasts. Did your child tell you about the bit of fun that we had yesterday on the 100th Day of School?
Happy weekend!
In just a week, two students, Miya and Lacey, have moved. We now have 20 students. It is always sad to lose members of your community, and our classroom is a community.
The students have seemed especially tired (or as today’s Word of the Day said “weary”) on Mondays. There are many heads down on desks and unmotivated learners. Is your child getting to bed early enough (8 p.m. ish) on most school nights, especially on Sunday nights?
We have begun having social studies and science lessons every day but Tuesday. That means more social studies and science learning but less read aloud, writing time, grammar time, cursive handwriting time, etc. We really could use a longer school day (can’t believe I am advocating for that!).
We have been talking a bit about the upcoming Inauguration. The students got to pretend to be a reporter, interviewing Barack Obama after the Inauguration and also brainstormed goals for the new President and good wishes for his family and him. I have encouraged the students to bring in newspaper or copies of Internet articles about the Inauguration (just like they did during the Olympics and the election).
Today, I began reading Because of Winn-Dixie. Ask your child about the funny market incident in the first chapter. Ask your child what is funny about the dog’s name. During writing time, the students chose a piece of writing from their journal and made changes (editing and revising). Then they wrote a final copy (publish) of the journal entry. It will be graded.
No one passed a multiplication test today during Rocket Math. I hope your child is spending about five minutes at home each day, using the test from class to practice. When a student does not pass a test, he/she takes the same one the next day.
Unexpectedly, Miya moved back to Iowa. We now have just 21 students. That is a small number of students to have in 3rd grade. The other 3rd grade classes at Coronado have similar numbers.
Today started with rainy day schedule (students showing up in the classroom before 7:30 a.m.) and ended with sunshine. Yea!
Some changes… Grammar will now be taught in reading class instead of during homeroom class. Social studies and science lessons will be taught twice a week each, instead of just once a week each. Mrs. Neighbor, the school social worker, will be teaching a lesson once a week.
The students have learned how to form all of the lower and uppercase letters in cursive and will just be practicing what they have learned. Beginning next week, the students will write their spelling words in the homework packet and on the test in cursive.
The 100th Day of School is quickly approaching. It is on January 22nd. Information about the 3rd grade Field Trip will be given out by the end of January.
