Friday, September 29, 2017

9/29/2017 Room 303 News

Weekly Updates and Reminders: 
  • KUDOS to you for your partnership in your child's learning!  We won an extra recess for having the highest number of parents attend Curriculum Night!  Thank you! 
  • Daily folders and red reading folders are to go to and from school each day.  Reading logs are to be filled out at home to log their 20 minutes of nightly reading.
  • Assignment Notebooks (planners) are to be signed or initialed every evening by a parent.  Thank you for taking the time to check your child's planner.
  • Math homework is checked in class together each day.  This time is spent reteaching (if necessary) and more importantly, a time for students to take ownership of their learning by asking questions if they have an incorrect answer on their homework.
  • Please always email BOTH teachers if you have any questions or concerns. 
  • Our Funky Fall Fund Walk is on Friday, October 6.  This is our school's only fundraiser- we hope that you will consider collecting pledges online or simply by paper.  New donation sheets were sent home today with your child.  There are some really fun prizes offered too!
  • "CHEWS" Wixom PTA!  Please consider joining the Wixom PTA.  Your membership doesn't require any commitment.  These funds help our school so much!  Our class is trying to get 100% participation. 

  • Thank you for sending in the delicious apples!  The students had so much fun making homemade apple sauce.



Math:
The MATH Facts Log is a helpful tool to keep track of your child's learning at home.  This Log will be sent home each Friday, together with a practice sheet.  Please have your child return it every Friday!  I would recommend a minimum of 10 minutes each night studying facts, concentrating on the set, (i.e., X2 or -4) your child is at.  There are many ways to study such as simply writing them out over and over, flash cards, websites, apps., etc.  Let me know if you need more ideas to help your child study at home.  This week we also logged into the ChromeBooks and practiced our facts online.  Math Magician is an excellent and fun website!  Check it out with your child! 

Social Studies:
We have completed the booklet, Where in the World is Wixom Elementary!  I will grade these over the weekend.  However, many students did not know their complete address.  Please practice writing this at home.  For example:

Stacy Smith
1234 Country Road
Anywhere, MI 48123

 Science:
Science is more than a body of knowledge. How well you think is often more important than how much you know. In addition to the science content framework, every experiment provides opportunities for students to engage in and understand science practices, and many experiments explore issues related to engineering practices and the use of natural resources. 

• Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for      engineering);
• Developing and using models;
• Planning and carrying out investigations; 
• Analyzing and interpreting data;
• Using mathematics, and computational thinking; 
• Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering); 
• Engaging in argument from evidence; and 
• Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information.

This week the students explored the properties of water using a cause and effect approach, such as: 

What is the cause-and-effect relationship between the size of a water dome and the speed at which it moves? [Larger water domes move down slopes faster.]




What is the cause-and-effect relationship between the slope of a surface and the speed at which a water dome moves? [The steeper the slope, the faster a water dome moves.]

Writing: 
We continue to work on our small moment stories during Writer's Workshop.  Last week, the students spent a lot of time writing about a variety of topics.  This week we focused our writing down to one small moment they were excited to publish.  We have been working on exciting leads for our stories and how to add details.  To add details, we have been talking about the importance of rehearsing your story over and over to pull out more of those important details.



Reading: 
We have also been busy in reading.  We continue to work on strategies to make sure we are reading with our mind tuned-in!  We spent a lot of time this week talking about making predictions when we read.  We talked about making smart and specific predictions instead of weak and wild predictions.  We are using our story Stone Fox to model many of these important comprehension strategies and then the students are also trying them out in their independent reading time.  I am still finishing up reading assessments but hope to have them completed next week so that we can start guided reading and book clubs.



Friday, September 22, 2017

9/22/2017 Room 303 News


Weekly Updates and Reminders: 
  • Daily folders and red reading folders are to go to and from school each day.  Reading logs are to be filled out at home to log their 20 minutes of nightly reading.
  • Assignment Notebooks (planners) are to be signed or initialed every evening by a parent.  Thank you for taking the time to check your child's planner.
  • Please always email BOTH teachers if you have any questions or concerns.  
  • 3rd Grade is cooking up some homemade applesauce next Friday, September 29th.  Please send your child to school with an apple any day next week so we can enjoy a warm fall treat together!  We love making our classroom family a place for learning and memories!  
  • Our Funky Fall Fund Walk is on Friday, October 6.  This is our school's only fundraiser- we hope that you will consider collecting pledges online or simply by paper.  
  • Please also consider joining our Wixom PTA! Your membership doesn't require any commitment.  These funds help our school so much!
  • There is a half-day of school on Wednesday, September 27.
  • Happy September birthdays to Archita, Alana, and Ella!  :)



Math:
We have begun our weekly math fluency!  Information was sent home today explaining how your child can study at home each evening to prepare for their fact fluency quiz on Friday.  In addition, this week's instruction included telling time to the nearest minute, calculating elapsed time using an open number line, rounding numbers to the nearest 10, and representing & interpreting data on a scaled bar graph.  Thank you for helping your child establish a homework routine!  

Social Studies:
What a fun week we had looking at our huge classroom maps, as well as smaller desk sized maps and our globe.  Students referenced these materials as we continue to study the geography of Michigan.  It is important for students to understand exactly where Michigan is located on a larger scale - a world scale and oh what fun they had working with maps.  We identified the seven continents, five oceans, as well as the three countries that make up North America.  Essentially we zoomed into Wixom, Michigan all week long! 

 Science:
There are many aspects to our science learning that include a science notebook, science textbooks, videos, vocabulary and content anchor charts as well as group discussions.  We were successful in experiencing each of these components as well as completing our hands-on experiment and recording our careful observations.  Students shared their observations as well as their writing with their Science Teams.
Writing: 
We have been very busy in Writer's Workshop.  The students have been working on generating different topics to write about and then "writing up a storm!"  We have been focusing on how good writers write using a storyteller's voice.  The students have been working hard to write in a way that makes the reader feel like he/she is there with them!  



Reading: 
The students have been working so hard to build a great reading life!  We are now focusing our attention on how it's important for readers to "check for understanding" when they read.  The students were given a bookmark to use as a reminder to stop and think about what is going on in the text.  We also continue to work on looking closely at our reading logs to look for patterns and to make sure we are reading books that will help us to grow as readers.  We are reading aloud the story Stone Fox as we model these great comprehension strategies.


Image result for stone fox


Friday, September 15, 2017

9/15/2017 Room 303 News

Weekly Updates and Reminders: 
  • Daily folders and red reading folders are to go to and from school each day.  Reading logs are to be filled out at home to log their 20 minutes of nightly reading.
  • Assignment Notebooks (planners) are to be signed or initialed every evening by a parent.  Thank you for taking the time to check your child's planner.
  • Please always email BOTH teachers if you have any questions or concerns.  
  • Our Funky Fall Fund Walk is on Friday, October 6.  This is our school's only fundraiser- we hope that you will consider collecting pledges online or simply by paper.  Our class is in third place right now but we are hoping to be the class with the most donations!
  • There is no school on Thursday, September 21.
THANK YOU FOR COMING TO CURRICULUM NIGHT.  WE HAD A GREAT TURN-OUT AND ARE SO EXCITED ABOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR AHEAD! THE STUDENTS LOVED MAKING THEIR LITTLE SELF PORTRAITS TO GREET YOU AS YOU CAME IN THE ROOM!



Math:
This week in math we accomplished our routine such as starting math workshop with checking homework together and asking questions to further understand the math skills practiced.  This is an important part of our day, for students begin to take ownership of their learning.  Students also enjoyed receiving all their math tools such as rulers, calculators, and measuring tapes.  Students took a Beginning of the Year Assessment.  I will use the information to form small group instruction so that we can begin Math Workshop next week.

Social Studies:
In Social Studies, we have began our first unit:  The Geography of Michigan.  Students were engaged in learning through authentic literature to support the idea of where we live, as well as what makes Michigan a unique region...the Great Lakes Region! 

Science:
Students were so anxious to begin their hands-on experiments in groups of four.  They are natural scientists at heart!  We discussed what makes a great science team and all agreed it will take patience, collaboration, close observations, and respectful discussions.  Our focus this week was how water reacts to different surfaces.  It was a great first week learning Science!

Writing: 
This week we started Writer’s Workshop.  We talked about what a good third grade writer’s notebook should look like.  The students talked about some people, places, and things that are important to them and decorated their covers to reflect that.  We also started making of list and generating some ideas to begin our first small moments of the year.


Reading: 
We also started Reader’s Workshop this week.  We have been talking about how readers don’t just read books, but they build a reading LIFE.  We have been working on filling out our daily reading logs correctly at home and at school and building our stamina to read for longer periods of time. We are off to a great start in reading and writing.


Sunday, September 10, 2017

Third Grade Suggested Supply List


3rd Grade Suggested School Supply List

Dear Incoming 3rd Graders,
We are so excited to meet all of you in the fall! In order to help us get ready to learn next year, we would greatly appreciate the following supplies. Some of the items you will keep in your desk, but the rest will be used as community supplies and will be distributed as needed.

Each child will need:  *Please label these items with your child’s name*
pair of inexpensive ear buds/head phones
colored pencils
crayons
scissors
back pack
pencil sharpener (not battery operated and it must have a container to
   catch the pencil shavings)
plastic pencil box to store personal supplies
1 -spiral wide-ruled yellow notebook
2-black and white marbled composition notebooks

Community supplies for our classroom: * Do NOT label these with your child’s name*
http://ircmentorcollaborative.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/3rd-G-Rocks.gif1 –big box of tissue
36- Ticonderoga #2 sharpened pencils
3 -packages of 3x3 Post-It notes
12- glue sticks
1 -container of disinfecting wipes
1-black fine point Sharpie marker
1-black ultra fine point Sharpie marker
1-box of Ziploc bags (any size)

*This year there will be a $5 fee (cash only) supply fee that should be sent school with the supplies in
an envelope labeled with your child’s name and 3rd grade fee.  Your child will get a sturdy
plastic home/school folder, folders, spirals, etc.  When the students have matching supplies, it
makes it much easier for them to locate the materials that they need (ie: green writing folder).

For those families that the $5 fee and the list of supplies creates a financial hardship, please call
Mr. Bender at 248.956.3400.

Optional Items (if you are able to donate) for classroom projects
any items listed under the community supplies list
construction paper
top loading clear sheet protectors
http://whiteeagle.ipsd.org/uploads/Third%20Grade/ThirdGrade_SchoolBus.jpgwater colors
white liquid school glue
band aids

Welcome to Room 303!



Image result for welcome back to school clipart


CLASSROOM PROCEDURES:

School Supplies
    Hopefully you received the third grade school supply list.  If you did not or misplaced it, please let us know. 

Snack
  On each day of school, we will have one snack in the morning.  Please make these snacks nutritional, such as crackers, granola bars, fruit, vegetables, muffins, dry cereal, bagels, etc.  Please do not send in candy, chips, etc.  Water bottles are accepted but must stay in your child’s backpack. We ask that only “pop top” bottles are brought in as they don’t spill as easily.  We have a drinking fountain in the room as well.
Birthdays  
  Birthdays are special days.  We would like to make your child’s birthday a meaningful one. As a class, we will sing and celebrate with your child and they will have special privileges and jobs throughout the day (line leader, etc.).  Your child may bring in a birthday treat to celebrate with the class; we have 23 students in our classroom.  We look forward to celebrating your child’s special day! At the end of the year, we will do something special to honor our Summer Birthdays.

Lunch Procedure   
  It is important that your child knows if he or she is purchasing or bringing a lunch from home each day. If you send lunch money to school with your child, please put it in a baggie or envelope (clearly labeled) in your child’s daily folder and we will be sure to send it to the lunchroom.
   If you would like to pre-pay for your child’s lunches for the month, please feel free to send in the money or check (payable to Walled Lake Schools) at the beginning of each month, we will turn it into the lunchroom. You also have the opportunity to pay online as well. 

FAPES (Music, Art and Physical Education) Schedule
Monday:  BLOCK Recess:  1:50-2:50
Tuesday:  PE  2:15-2:45
Wednesday:  PE and Music12:25-1:25
Thursday:  PE and Media  12:45-1:45
Friday: Music 10:30-11:00      Art 1:35-2:35
LUNCH is 11:25-12:05

Conferences/Parent Communications   
   A report card will be sent out three times throughout the school year.  Be sure to make sure that you are all set up on Family Access as all report cards are sent electronically.  We would like to meet with every parent during parent-teacher conferences to discuss your child’s progress and goals.  These conferences will be on Thursday, December 14. You will be able to sign up for a time electronically as the date approaches.  Additionally, please do not hesitate to contact us, if you feel that we need to discuss any matters concerning your child throughout the year.
  We will keep you very informed of what we are learning in the classroom.  This year we will be utilizing this blog for all of our communication.  We will also be using REMIND 101.  Please see additional handout to learn how to join our class. 

Daily Folder/Assignment Notebook
  We have provided each student with a daily folder.  This folder is the key to daily parent/teacher communication.  This folder will go home with your child every night with homework on one side and notes/graded papers on the other side.  Please take a look each night at the contents in this folder and empty it nightly. Please have your child bring this folder each morning.  If you have any notes or messages for us, please put them into the folder. Part of our morning routine will be for your child to empty the contents in their folder (homework, notes, etc.)
  Each student is also given an assignment notebook to help them reflect upon their school day, what they learned, and what homework they have for the next day.  We will fill these out as a class at the end of each school day.  We ask that you sign your child’s assignment notebook each evening.  Every morning we will stamp your child’s notebook with a “good job” when it has been signed by a parent and we will also stamp it at the end of the day to ensure that the planner is filled out completely.  These are a great tool to help the students with organization and responsibility.
Behavior Expectations
  We believe that high expectations yield high results. Our school has embraced Conscious Discipline as our school-wide behavior plan.  This program focuses on teaching appropriate behaviors and working together with students on conflict resolution when problems do arise.  This plan will be embedded in our everyday language within the classroom and the students will learn many lifelong tools in dealing with others.  If students are having a difficult time making good choices, we have a reflection sheet that will be sent home in their Daily folder explaining what occurred in class (or on the playground).  We ask that you please read through this with your child, talk about it, and then sign it and return it to school the next day.

Homework
  We require that all students read for at least 20 minutes each night.  They will also often have a math home link which will reinforce the concept that was taught that day.  There will not be homework on the weekends. Students will also be given 10 spelling words that they will need to study throughout the week to prepare for the test on Friday.  Check your child’s planner each evening to see what assignments they have due the next day. 

Family and Friends Board
We are asking each child to bring in a picture of their family and/or someone special in their life to school.  Starting a new school year with new teachers and unfamiliar faces can sometimes be scary and these pictures often bring comfort. 
    The key to a successful year is open communication.  Please do not hesitate to contact us throughout the year with your questions or concerns.  We ask that all emails regarding any questions or concerns be sent to both teachers and we will respond promptly.  Thank you for your cooperation and support.  We are really looking forward to a great school year.

  
  Mrs. Carley Dunphey
 
  Mrs. Therese Woolworth    


 

Room 303 News 05-13-19

Weekly Updates and Reminders All costumes (Native American or Pioneer) are due to school by Monday, May 20.   Please let us k...