Wow! There are a lot of plants growing in Room 16 (and outside on the table closest to our classroom during school hours). I keep reading about or thinking of new experiements. The students keep bringing soil and seeds. The staff keeps donating items that I am looking for… The students and I are having a lot of fun while learning. I love listening to and watching their enthusiasm and knowledge. Ask your child about the seeds in the open baggie, the seeds in the closed baggie, the seeds in the cup, the seeds in the big pots of soil, and the seeds in the litte egg carton sections. Ask your child about roots, stems, and leaves that he/she has seen and touched. The students have been responsible for carrying our plants in and out of the classroom daily. I spend much time spritzing and watering. Come see what we are growing!
August 30, 2011
August 25, 2011
12 Days of School Gone By & Loving Them!!
I am having the BEST time. It has been (and will continue to be) an adjustment getting used to not having a homeroom class full of students that I am responsible for and teach all day long. Now, I have two groups of students that I am responsible for and teach half of the day each. I really like teaching math (knew that) and really like teaching science (didn’t know that). Watching the students’ faces and listening to their conversations with each other is priceless.
Little by little, the students are learning what is expected of them regarding work and behavior. They need to work hard and be nice. Everything ties back to those two simple statements.
Today, I took 39 students (one absent) into the computer lab. Yikes! First, I gave them directions in my classroom, modeling on the Smart Board. Then, we went into the library computer lab, and I assigned seats. Amazingly (to my delight!), most of the students remembered what I told and showed them in the classroom. Ask your child about the website, That’s a Fact. Ask your child if he/she can remember the steps taken to reach that website.
Has your child told you what the students are planting and what experiments they are conducting during science lessons? Ask your child if he/she has taken a test in math class yet. I have seen some great grades. Remember, the students have math homework each day, Monday through Thursday. There will not be science homework, although materials will be requested from time to time. The students seemed to enjoy the fruit/seeds activity yesterday. Ask your child about the seeds that were counted and the fruit that was eaten.
I intend to update this blog weekly or at least every other week. I have a note to myself at school to do so. We’ll see how that goes…
August 17, 2011
Welcome to another new school year!!
Hello! I’m your child’s math and science teacher. I see two groups of 3rd grade students each day, 2/3 of the entire 3rd grade daily. It’s a new assignment for me. All of the teachers in grades 3-5 are teaching new subjects and/or new grade levels. Some teachers are fortunate to just teach one grade level and just a couple of subjects, like me. Some teachers are teaching two grade levels and just a couple of subjects. And some teachers are teaching two grade levels and many subjects. Changes, changes…
Six days of school have come and go, and everything is going quite smoothly. I often have to remind myself that it has only been six days! Once I start teaching, it’s easy to forget that summer vacation was not too long ago. I hope that you have received the two letters that I have sent: one on fancy stationery and a four-paged/two-sided one on light green paper.
Math homework will begin on Monday, August 22nd and will be sent home daily, Monday through Thursday, to be returned each Tuesday through Friday. There will not be math homework sent home on Fridays. There will not be science homework sent although I will frequently ask for inexpensive materials for projects, explorations, and experiments.
In math, the students have been working with place value. In science, we are “doing” all things plants. Please do ask your child about what he/she does while in my classroom. Although the schedule is different this year, everyone seems to be getting used to it. We have fun. The students are actively engaged in learning.
Open House for students in grades K-5 is Tuesday, August 23rd. Please bring your child with you if you can and visit Room 16! If I haven’t already met you, spoke with you on the phone, or emailed you, I look forward to meeting you soon.
