Let's Play!

What a great fun book report!  Students will need to make sure that their book reports are turned in on May 30th so that we may all play each other different board games.  This week students will be telling me the Realistic Fiction book they are reading for this report. 

When students are ready to begin working on the actual game, here are some reminders.  The game should be simple, align with the story they read, and include at least 10 question cards with true/false or multiple choice answers.  Dice and game pieces are available at school to actually play the games.  Below are a few links if you're looking for board game templates or other ideas. I've also included two examples of our game board book reports.  Review the instructions in your homework folder and let your creative juices flow!

Word Board Game Templates

Printable Board Games

More Board Games
Board Game Template  

Playing Card Templates

CRT Testing

 

As many of you know we have testing coming up starting May 9th.  These are the CRT's which let us know how your student is performing across the board in Mathematics and Language Arts.  This year will be our first year where everything is computer based so please make sure your students are here at school and on time.  We will be reviewing a lot in the classroom in preparation and this is also important not to miss.

As we are testing for the CRT's the next couple of weeks we will be sending homework that lets students review test taking skills. There is a step by step list of what your student should be doing, but just in case you are struggling with the website click the above icon to link you there. Good luck and remember test at least one from Language Arts every night. Here are the steps in case you lost your paper:
1. Go to the website by clicking the link above.
2. Click on the left of the screen one of the folders directing you to language arts.
3. Click one of the tests.
4. Click Simple Login.
5. Type your first and last name. (Do NOT change the teacher name it should stay as acornell)
6. Take your test and click submit when finished.
7. Record your score on your homework paper.

Reminders!

Below is all of the information on a flyer that was sent home with students Friday, March 22nd.

Book Reports Due Thursday, April 4th:

First read a traditional story book. Traditional stories include fairy tales, folk tales, tall tales, legends, fables, and myths.  They are found in the children's nonfiction section of the library under call numbers beginning with J398.2.  Students are required to choose a book from this section of the library.

Second, create an advertisement poster for your book with a catchy slogan.

Third, fill out a storyboard chart, with simple sketches, outlining your "commercial" presentation to the class.  Your commercial should begin and end with your slogan and have strong reasons persuading other students to read your book. You may bring the actual book to show, along with your poster, but the presentation should be memorized.

Multiplication Banana Split Party Thursday, April 4th:

Students have been working on passing off multiplication/division fact families x0-x10 for about four months now. This is a critical skill for progression in math next year. Final progress reports were sent home with the students on Friday, March 22nd showing where they're at in the process of passing off their facts. They will have two extra days to pass off additional facts, when they return from Spring Break, before celebrating at our annual Banana Split Party.

Mark your Calendars for the 3rd Grade Program, "See us Shine!"

 

Third graders are looking forward to performing for parents on Friday, April 12th 9:30-10:15 a.m.  Due to limited space in the gym, we've been asked to have parents only attend this performance.

We've also been asked to remind parents to park in designated parking stalls in the front and back of Altara, to leave the drop-off/pick-up zone free for Kindergarten transportation and school deliveries.

Traditional Book Report

Due Date is changed to April 4th. 

Traditional stories are ones that were passed down orally for many generations before being written down.  They include fairy tales, folk tales, tall tales, legends, fables, and myths.  In the Public Library, these books are found in the children's nonfiction section under call numbers beginning with J398.2.  Students are required to choose a book from this section of the library.

The stories are many and varied, familiar and new, and rich with cultural heritage and moral themes.  I hope the students will take advantage of the wonderful opportunity they have to explore this genre.  We will certainly enjoy studying some of the books together at school! Below are a few examples: 

Multiplication Mastery

Over the last few weeks we've moved on to other concepts in math (geometry and fractions), so there hasn't been as much time at school to practice multiplication facts.  Right now, these facts are mainly in the students' short-term memories.  In order to make the transfer to long-term memory, multiplication facts need to be continually reviewed (5-10 minutes per day is plenty of time).  Many students, even those who have passed most of their fact families, are forgetting facts they once knew.  This is a normal part of multiplication memorization, which is why constant review is so vital.  The Common Core curriculum assumes that multiplication facts x0-10 are mastered when students begin 4th grade.  The better they know their facts, the easier upper grade math will be for them.

Our goal is to be finished with all facts by the end of this month, so let's keep practicing and all of us can surely do it!

I'm Back!

It was so nice talking to everyone at conferences!  It has been so fun coming back.  I've missed all of my amazing students so keep up all the great work and if feels like I'm home!

Mrs. Lesberg!

We just had the opportunity to meet Mrs. Lesberg, who will be our substitute teacher while I am out on maternity leave.  She is a great teacher and really has come highly recommended!  She is extremely excited and ready to go. 

I am really sad to be gone for some time but know that I am leaving the classroom in very capable hands.  Just remember to stay on top of our reading and be great teachers to our new teacher :)