Here is an update for last week:
* Students presented their Reader's Theatre performance of "Sojourner Truth" to three of our 3rd grade classes - they did a wonderful job practicing their parts and developing their oral speaking skills!
* We have been practicing "Response to Literature" writing in preparation for the STAR Writing test on Tuesday, March 1. Later this week, we will start writing fictional narratives in preparation for the upcoming assessment.
* Students enjoyed our field trip to Intel Museum last Monday, which gave them the opportunity to learn more about electricity, magnetism, and semiconductors! They also built different circuits in a lab designed by Intel for hands-on experiences!
* We will begin reading our next class novel, "The Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson", which coincides with the Lunar New Year - students will love this story of a young Chinese immigrant family who moves to New York in 1947 and the interesting experiences of their young daughter Shirley!
* Remember that your child should spend AT LEAST 30 minutes per week practicing their spelling words on "Spelling City" - in addition to the spelling games, they should take the practice test the day before our quiz on Friday!
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
Review for Week of Jan. 18!
We had a short week, but it was chock full of activities - here is an update:
* Today (1/24) our class visited the Intel Museum, which is located at Intel Corp. headquarters in Santa Clara. Students learned all about semiconductors, transistors, and circuits! Our field trip included a hands-on workshop where students built some great devices with special circuit components. All students got a free Intel pen with a special circuit that lights up the top of the pen when writing!
* Students have been busy practicing for their Reader's Theatre presentations of "Sojourner Truth" later this week. Each group of 11 students will present to a different third grade class. This give students an opportunity to perform in front of others in a less stressful, casual environment.
* Don't forget that tomorrow night is "Step Up to Writing" Night for parents only in the Dilworth GLC. I will be presenting the 4th/5th grade writing information. We had a tremendous response from parents who are planning to attend, so if sent in your RSVP before last week, I'll look forward to seeing you there!
* Just a reminder - if your child received a mid-trimester progress report, please read, sign, and return a copy to me by Friday. The purpose of this report is to let you know if your child needs to improve in certain academic and social skills before the next report card comes home in late March. Let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.
* We are doing LOTS of writing in class in preparation for the STAR Writing test on Tuesday, March 1. Right now we are working on "Response to Literature", one of three possible genres that might appear on the test. Next, we will work on a fictional narrative before the February break.
* Today (1/24) our class visited the Intel Museum, which is located at Intel Corp. headquarters in Santa Clara. Students learned all about semiconductors, transistors, and circuits! Our field trip included a hands-on workshop where students built some great devices with special circuit components. All students got a free Intel pen with a special circuit that lights up the top of the pen when writing!
* Students have been busy practicing for their Reader's Theatre presentations of "Sojourner Truth" later this week. Each group of 11 students will present to a different third grade class. This give students an opportunity to perform in front of others in a less stressful, casual environment.
* Don't forget that tomorrow night is "Step Up to Writing" Night for parents only in the Dilworth GLC. I will be presenting the 4th/5th grade writing information. We had a tremendous response from parents who are planning to attend, so if sent in your RSVP before last week, I'll look forward to seeing you there!
* Just a reminder - if your child received a mid-trimester progress report, please read, sign, and return a copy to me by Friday. The purpose of this report is to let you know if your child needs to improve in certain academic and social skills before the next report card comes home in late March. Let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.
* We are doing LOTS of writing in class in preparation for the STAR Writing test on Tuesday, March 1. Right now we are working on "Response to Literature", one of three possible genres that might appear on the test. Next, we will work on a fictional narrative before the February break.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Review for Week of Jan. 10!
Please read the following updates for the week of Jan. 10:
* We had several assemblies last week, including "Stranger/Danger" and a picture book author presentation. I hope you were able to sit down and talk with your child about being approached by strangers, and the procedures they should follow. Remember - at this age level, all students should know their parent's cell phone # and home address!!
* Just a reminder - if your child is celebrating a birthday and wants to bring in treats, please consider "healthy treats" as an option to "sweet treats"! (no nuts, please!) Also, if your child is planning a birthday party, they may only pass out invitations at recess or lunch to their friends - we want to avoid "hurt feelings" if possible. Also, consider mailing out the invitations rather than "passing them out" at school.
* Mid-trimester progress reports will be sent home in Friday folders on Friday, Jan. 21. These are sent home only if your child is not meeting standards in curriculum areas or behavioral standards. Please read it, discuss with your child, and have it signed and returned in their Friday folder next week.
* Book orders (paper or online) are due on January 21 also - if your child is planning to use the "free book" letter that I gave them as a holiday gift, they should bring it to school, noting the name, catalogue, and book#. I will order it for them.
* For our field trip on January 24, please make SURE your child arrives at school no later than 8:20 AM! We will be leaving Dilworth promptly at 8:30 AM, so students need time to put their backpacks in class, etc. Parents who are going on the field trip - please come to Room 17 at 8:20 also.
* We had several assemblies last week, including "Stranger/Danger" and a picture book author presentation. I hope you were able to sit down and talk with your child about being approached by strangers, and the procedures they should follow. Remember - at this age level, all students should know their parent's cell phone # and home address!!
* Just a reminder - if your child is celebrating a birthday and wants to bring in treats, please consider "healthy treats" as an option to "sweet treats"! (no nuts, please!) Also, if your child is planning a birthday party, they may only pass out invitations at recess or lunch to their friends - we want to avoid "hurt feelings" if possible. Also, consider mailing out the invitations rather than "passing them out" at school.
* Mid-trimester progress reports will be sent home in Friday folders on Friday, Jan. 21. These are sent home only if your child is not meeting standards in curriculum areas or behavioral standards. Please read it, discuss with your child, and have it signed and returned in their Friday folder next week.
* Book orders (paper or online) are due on January 21 also - if your child is planning to use the "free book" letter that I gave them as a holiday gift, they should bring it to school, noting the name, catalogue, and book#. I will order it for them.
* For our field trip on January 24, please make SURE your child arrives at school no later than 8:20 AM! We will be leaving Dilworth promptly at 8:30 AM, so students need time to put their backpacks in class, etc. Parents who are going on the field trip - please come to Room 17 at 8:20 also.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Review for Week of Jan.3!
As we settle into our second week of the New Year, students are gradually adapting to "full time school" again! During these first weeks of January, when the daytime light is so short, you may find that your children are not so eager to "rise and shine" early in the morning! Please help them re-adjust to their "school schedule" by enforcing earlier bed times to ensure they get plenty of sleep and are ready to arrive at school no later than 8:25 AM!
Some highlights from last week:
Geography Bee news: About half of our class decided to participate in our classroom "Bee" last Wednesday - I was so impressed by their knowledge of geography! After completing seven "rounds" of questions, and a "tie-breaker", our two finalists for the School Geography Bee emerged: Shaunak B. and Mahima S. They will both participate in the Final Bee on Weds., Jan. 12 with the finalists from the other upper grade classes. Good luck to both of them!
Books and Beyond: Our annual "Books and Beyond" program began this week, and I have encouraged all students to "go for their goals" to reach the 3500 page goal of the program by April 15. They should have their "log sheets" in their backpacks so that they can record everything they read at home and in school. You should sign each log sheet once they are full. They may also record books that are read TO THEM! So, take a trip with your child to the local library once a week and help to promote a lifelong love of reading!
Science : Last week, we had a long discussion about "energy-saving" light bulbs! Students learned the difference between the old "incandescent" bulbs, and our newer energy-efficient "fluorescent" bulbs. Did you know that in 2011 our state will no longer manufacture or sell any of the "old" bulbs? California continues to lead the country with respect to "energy saving" legislation. Challenge your child to think of ways that YOUR home can become more energy-efficient! View web site "Energy Quest" posted on the right side with "Science Links".
Reading Response Logs: I am very impressed by the gradual improvement that most students have made in responding in their logs each weekday evening. Remember - encourage them to make more connections with the text and not just "summarize" what they have read. I review each student's log on a bi-weekly schedule. Next Friday, I will collect all reading logs for students whose class numbers are #1-16.
Some highlights from last week:
Geography Bee news: About half of our class decided to participate in our classroom "Bee" last Wednesday - I was so impressed by their knowledge of geography! After completing seven "rounds" of questions, and a "tie-breaker", our two finalists for the School Geography Bee emerged: Shaunak B. and Mahima S. They will both participate in the Final Bee on Weds., Jan. 12 with the finalists from the other upper grade classes. Good luck to both of them!
Books and Beyond: Our annual "Books and Beyond" program began this week, and I have encouraged all students to "go for their goals" to reach the 3500 page goal of the program by April 15. They should have their "log sheets" in their backpacks so that they can record everything they read at home and in school. You should sign each log sheet once they are full. They may also record books that are read TO THEM! So, take a trip with your child to the local library once a week and help to promote a lifelong love of reading!
Science : Last week, we had a long discussion about "energy-saving" light bulbs! Students learned the difference between the old "incandescent" bulbs, and our newer energy-efficient "fluorescent" bulbs. Did you know that in 2011 our state will no longer manufacture or sell any of the "old" bulbs? California continues to lead the country with respect to "energy saving" legislation. Challenge your child to think of ways that YOUR home can become more energy-efficient! View web site "Energy Quest" posted on the right side with "Science Links".
Reading Response Logs: I am very impressed by the gradual improvement that most students have made in responding in their logs each weekday evening. Remember - encourage them to make more connections with the text and not just "summarize" what they have read. I review each student's log on a bi-weekly schedule. Next Friday, I will collect all reading logs for students whose class numbers are #1-16.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year! I hope that you and your families had a wonderful winter break, and that your students are recharged and ready to resume their studies! We have many events coming up in the next month, so it will be a busy time! Here are some of the highlights from December:
* Math - We completed Chapter 10 (multiplication/estimation and algebraic concepts) and will start on Ch. 11 (multiplication by double digits) on Monday, Jan. 3. This unit is a bit more challenging for students as we try to learn about this form of multiplication through different methods, including area rectangles and the distributive property. Many students find the "traditional" algorithm method more prone to errors, so we teach these other methods in order to give students other ways to "break down the numbers" in their heads! Ask your child to show you another way to multiply other than using the algorithm method!
* Language Arts - We have begun corresponding with our Lynbrook "pen pals" - students received their first pen pal letters in December, and sent holiday greetings back to the Lynbrook students before our break. We hope to meet our "pen pals" in person at the Year End Picnic at Murdoch Park! We have also been reading stories from our reading textbook, focusing on comprehension and reading response strategies. I also enjoy reading the "response logs" that your child completes each day after their 30 minutes of reading. We will start preparing more intensively for the STAR fourth grade writing test, which will be administered on Tues., March 1 - right after our February break.
* Science - we have finished the "magnetism" portion of our science unit, and the students really enjoyed our hands-on activities! We are now proceeding with electricity, and learning about different kinds of circuits. Our upcoming field trip to Intel Museum on Mon., Jan. 24 will allow the students to learn all about how electricity and conductivity are essential in computer technology! We will also have a "hands-on" lab where students will build their own circuits!
* Social Studies - students have learned about the Mission period in California History through a variety of methods including videos, Tech Lab research, and library books. Students will work in groups to design their own "mission" using the information we have learned about the 21 California missions! Also, we will practice this week for our classroom "Geo Bee" on Weds., Jan. 5. Although this is a "voluntary" participation event, I hope many of my students will choose to challenge themselves in this event!
*Technology - I am asking students to begin a new project in the Tech Lab this week, which will continue throughout the year. They will pick one subject each week to write about after we have had discussions in class. I am also hoping this will help them to continue improving their keyboarding skills! You will be able to view their completed "logs" in the Tech Lab at Open House in May!
* Second Session Morning Enrichment Program - please note that if your child is enrolled in the morning enrichment program that starts next week, they are expected to arrive at school NO LATER than 7:45 AM! So, get those alarm clocks set for an earlier wake-up time!
* Math - We completed Chapter 10 (multiplication/estimation and algebraic concepts) and will start on Ch. 11 (multiplication by double digits) on Monday, Jan. 3. This unit is a bit more challenging for students as we try to learn about this form of multiplication through different methods, including area rectangles and the distributive property. Many students find the "traditional" algorithm method more prone to errors, so we teach these other methods in order to give students other ways to "break down the numbers" in their heads! Ask your child to show you another way to multiply other than using the algorithm method!
* Language Arts - We have begun corresponding with our Lynbrook "pen pals" - students received their first pen pal letters in December, and sent holiday greetings back to the Lynbrook students before our break. We hope to meet our "pen pals" in person at the Year End Picnic at Murdoch Park! We have also been reading stories from our reading textbook, focusing on comprehension and reading response strategies. I also enjoy reading the "response logs" that your child completes each day after their 30 minutes of reading. We will start preparing more intensively for the STAR fourth grade writing test, which will be administered on Tues., March 1 - right after our February break.
* Science - we have finished the "magnetism" portion of our science unit, and the students really enjoyed our hands-on activities! We are now proceeding with electricity, and learning about different kinds of circuits. Our upcoming field trip to Intel Museum on Mon., Jan. 24 will allow the students to learn all about how electricity and conductivity are essential in computer technology! We will also have a "hands-on" lab where students will build their own circuits!
* Social Studies - students have learned about the Mission period in California History through a variety of methods including videos, Tech Lab research, and library books. Students will work in groups to design their own "mission" using the information we have learned about the 21 California missions! Also, we will practice this week for our classroom "Geo Bee" on Weds., Jan. 5. Although this is a "voluntary" participation event, I hope many of my students will choose to challenge themselves in this event!
*Technology - I am asking students to begin a new project in the Tech Lab this week, which will continue throughout the year. They will pick one subject each week to write about after we have had discussions in class. I am also hoping this will help them to continue improving their keyboarding skills! You will be able to view their completed "logs" in the Tech Lab at Open House in May!
* Second Session Morning Enrichment Program - please note that if your child is enrolled in the morning enrichment program that starts next week, they are expected to arrive at school NO LATER than 7:45 AM! So, get those alarm clocks set for an earlier wake-up time!
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