Lessons & Assignments Friday, December 18th

No homework - We had all day Christmas parties today!

Have a safe and happy holiday!

Lessons & Assignments Thursday, December 17th

Language Arts - None - We finished our narrative writing, and took one of our writing assessments today.

Math - None - We took our quarterly assessments today.

Science - None - We took our quarterly assessments today.

Social Studies - None - We read a Scholastic News article today.

Reminder:  Wear pajamas and bring a blanket tomorrow for our Polar Express Christmas party!

Lessons & Assignments Wednesday, December 16th

Language Arts - None - We continued working on our narrative writing project today.

Math - None - We took the 2nd quarter posttest today, and worked on our Soar to Success lessons.

Science - None - We took the chapter 7 test today.

Social Studies - None - We had a visitor during our social studies time today.

Classroom Visitor

Abby's dad visited our classroom today to tell us all about his job as a public safety officer at the Quad City Airport.  We thought the pictures of the firetrucks, police cars, and wild birds were really cool!  We also enjoyed the chance to see his fire gear.  Our favorite part was hearing all about the famous people he has met on the job!!  Each child also got to take home a beach ball and a coloring book today.

Lessons & Assignments Tuesday, December 15th

Language Arts - None - We practiced snowman synonyms today, and continued working on our narrative stories.

Math - None -We took the chapter 6 test today.  Scored tests were sent home.  Be sure to check them out, the scores were great!

Science - None - We read about how earthquakes, floods, and volcanoes can change landforms quickly.  We will take our open book test over this chapter tomorrow.

Social Studies - None - PE ran over today, so we ran out of time for social studies.

Lessons & Assignments Monday, December 14th

Language Arts - None - We started a narrative writing project today about what snowmen do at night.  We will not have spelling this week.

Math - None - We reviewed chapter 6 today in preparation for tomorrow's test.

Science - None - We read about how landforms change slowly.  We discussed weathering and erosion, as well as glaciers.

Social Studies - Chapter 7 worksheet - We spent our class time today working on the chapter 7 review sheet.  Friends that didn't finish in class need to complete it for homework tonight.

Star of the Week

Abby is our Star of the Week this week!

Lessons & Assignments, Friday, December 11th*

Language Arts - None - We completed our DOL together in class, and took our spelling and vocab tests today.  We finished up our acrostic poems and worked on using context clues to determine the meaning of unknown words.  We also had another special visit from the mayor today!

Math - None - We learned how to divide by 1 and 0 today.

Science - None - We finished reading about landforms today.

Social Studies -None - We worked on the chapter 7 review sheet in class today.

*Please note:  These plans are tentative.  I am gone today for a doctor's appointment. 

Lessons & Assignments Thursday, December 10th

Language Arts - study spelling and vocab - We completed our DOL in class today.  Since we have been learning about zoo animals, Mrs. Bebon shared some cool artifacts including a picture of her daughter feeding a giraffe, and the skin from her son's snake!  We continued to work on our acrostic poems today, and we also took our skills test.  Tomorrow we will take our spelling and vocab tests.

Math - None - We finished lesson 6.8 today on writing related facts.  In first grade, we called these fact families.  The related facts for 2, 4, and 8 would be 2x4=8, 4x2=8, 8/2=4 and 8/4=2.

Science - None - We had practice for tonight's program during our science time today.

Social Studies - None - We finished reading about historic Jamestown, and completed a sequence activity in our journals.

Lessons & Assignments Wednesday, December 9th

Language Arts - Study spelling & vocab - We completed our DOL and a grammar page in class today.  We also practiced our spelling words and listened to our weekly story on the iPads.  We had 15 minutes of free time to work on our AR goals, and started a research activity on zoo animals.

Math - None - We finished lesson 6.7 on relating multiplication and division today.

Science - None - We started reading about landforms today.  We labeled diagrams of the earth's layers for our journals today, and read about mountains.

Social Studies - None - We didn't have social studies today due to the early dismissal.

Reminder:  Christmas program tomorrow night!

Skip Counting Songs

Remember that your child will be receiving a skip counting grade at the end of the week next week.  Most of our class still has a long way to go!  This was an assignment that was to be completed at home, not during class time.  I'm including a link to help put some of them to music.  Good luck!  :)

Skip Counting Songs

Ag in the Classroom

Mrs. Clodfelter visited our classroom today to tell us all about soybeans.  We watched a Bean Team video and made our own "Beanie Babies."  We love it when she visits!

Lessons & Assignments Tuesday, December 8th

Language Arts - context clue worksheet - We completed our DOL and spelling page in class today.  We also did a fun scavenger hunt where we had to make possessive nouns out of items we found around the room.  We listened to our weekly story on the iPads, and worked in small groups.  Mrs. Pratt's groups worked on using context clues to determine unknown words, and my groups read a passage to determine the author's purpose.

Math - None - We reviewed lesson 6.6 today.  After reviewing last night's assignment, I decided we needed to review yesterday's lesson.

Science - None - We had Ag in the Classroom today.

Social Studies - None - We started reading about the first English settlement in North America.  We read about Jamestown, Virginia, John Smith, and Pocahontas.  We started a sequence activity that we will finish for our journals later.

Reminder:  SIP early dismissal tomorrow.  

Our class will be Secret Santa shopping tomorrow if your child wishes to participate.

Lessons & Assignments Monday, December 7th

Language Arts - Study spelling & vocab - We completed our DOL and grammar page in class today.  We took a practice vocabulary test, and practiced our spelling words on the Spelling City app.  We also listened to Here's My Dollar on the iPads.  We read 2 poems out of our reading books, and discussed rhyme and repetition.  We also read a passage to find the author's purpose.

Math - 6.6 #1-8 front only - We used arrays to model division today.  We used these in our multiplication chapters as well.  I gave the kids a "formula" for reading the array to count the number of rows and the number in each row to come up with the correct equation.

Science - None - The high school Spanish class visited during our science time today.

Social Studies - None - We read about the first French settlements in North America near Quebec.  We completed a worksheet together as we read.

Classroom Visitors

The high school Spanish class visited our classroom today to read stories to us in Spanish.  We loved their stories, and had a blast learning new words!

Reading Log Lunch

My friends that completed their November reading logs got to each lunch with me in the classroom today.  Check out our yummy treats!

Star of the Week

Sophia is our Star of the Week this week!

Red Carpet Reader

Congrats to Erich for meeting his 2nd quarter AR goal.  Way to go Erich!

Science News

We completed a lab activity in class today to learn about how landforms such as mountains are formed.  We recorded our observations of a stack of dry paper towels, then got the towels wet.  We pushed the sides together to form a peak in the middle similar to a mountain, then recorded our new observations.  The students completed a lab results table and response questions in their science journals.

Lessons & Assignments Friday, December 4th

Language Arts - None - We completed our DOL and spelling page in class today.  We also listened to our weekly story on our iPads.  Today we learned about how an author's purpose can be to Persuade, Inform, or Entertain while we made some "pie."  We also read an article about explorers, determined the author's purpose, and found details from the article that supported our conclusion.

Math - 6.5 - We learned about how subtraction and division are related today.  Our friends that weren't able to complete today's assignment in class need to finish it for homework over the weekend.

Science - None - We talked about how volcanoes and mountains are formed today by completing a lab activity with wet paper towels.  Ask your child what happened when he or she pushed on the edges of the towel.

Social Studies - None - We read about St. Augustine, Florida today and the early Spanish explorers.  Mrs. Bebon showed some pictures from a trip to St. Augustine - we LOVE looking at real life examples of what we are reading about!

Lessons & Assignments Thursday, December 3rd

Language Arts - None - We completed our DOL and grammar page in class today.  We also practiced our spelling words using the Spelling City app on our iPads.  Students also listened to our weekly story, and worked on their comprehension questions in class today.

Math - 6.4 - We learned about how to use bar models to solve division problems today.  We started by making groups of counters, then transferred that information to a bar model.  We are solving problems the same way, just in a different format.  For today's assignment, students are free to use whichever method they prefer.

Science - None - We finished our vocabulary preview foldables in class today.

Social Studies - None - We watched a Discovery Education video on the early explorers, and completed a video response sheet as we were watching.

Classroom Visitor

Josiah's dad visited our classroom today to tell us all about his job at John Deere.  The kids loved hearing about how he makes tractors, and thought it was funny that he gets to test out the horns!  They enjoyed looking at the model of a combine, and looking through a catalog.  I loved all of their great questions today!

Lessons & Assignments Wednesday, December 2nd

Language Arts - None - We completed our DOL, grammar, and spelling pages in class today.  We had a few minutes to work on our AR goals, and read our weekly story, Here's My Dollar.  This story is an expository story about a girl that raised money to help out her local zoo.  We will be focusing on the author's purpose for writing stories this week, which can be either to persuade, inform, or entertain.  Ask your child what the purpose of our weekly story is!

Math - None - We completed lesson 6.3 in class today.  It was very similar to yesterday's lesson, only today we were determining the amount of groups rather than the amount in each group as we divide.  We used the ipads today to practice our lesson.

Science - None - We previewed chapter 7 today on landforms.  We also started a vocabulary foldable for our journals.

Social Studies - None - We had a classroom visitor during our social studies time.

Lessons & Assignments Tuesday, December 1st

Language Arts - study spelling/vocab, phonics packet - We read completed our DOL and grammar page in class today, where we learned about plural possessive nouns.  We read our vocabulary review story, and completed our vocab packets in class.  In small groups, Mrs. Pratt worked on digraphs, and my groups worked on determining the author's purpose.

Math - None - We completed lesson 6.2 today on dividing items into equal groups.  We practiced dividing ourselves into groups today, used counters, and some students even drew equal groups on dry erase boards.

Science - None - We took our rocks and minerals test today.

Social Studies - None - We started unit 4 and chapter 7 today.  We read about the early explorers from France, England, and Spain.  We learned about the Iroquois tribe that was already in the United States, and their way of life.

Classroom Visitor

Since Josiah is our Star of the Week this week, his mom visited our classroom today to tell us about her job as a nurse.  The students asked some great questions, and we loved learning about her interesting career!

Lessons & Assignments Monday, November 30th

Language Arts - None - We completed our DOL, spelling, and grammar page in class today.  This week we are learning about possessive nouns.  Today we practiced adding an apostrophe and s after singular nouns.  I also handed out our new vocabulary and spelling lists today.  Students will take tests over these words on December 11th.  All of our spelling words have digraphs such as ch, th, or tch.  We introduced our new vocabulary words with a slideshow presentation.  Mrs. Pratt's small groups continued to work on possessive nouns, and my groups worked on vocabulary review with our leveled readers.

Math - None - We started chapter 6 today - division!  We practiced dividing items into equal groups, something that any student with a sibling is already inclined to do.  :)

Science - None - We played our review game today in order to prepare for tomorrow's test over rocks & minerals.

Social Studies - None - We had a classroom visitor during our social studies time today.

Red Carpet Readers

Congratulations to Gwyn for meeting her 2nd quarter AR goal!  Way to go Gwyn!

Star of the Week

Josiah is our Star of the Week this week!

Lessons & Assignments Tuesday, November 24th

Language Arts - None - We finished our first Thanksgiving research and brochure project today in class.

Math - None - We took our chapter 5 test today.  We will start chapter 6 next week on division!

Science - None - We read about fossils today.  We watched a Study Jams video on fossils, and visited the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Research Center's website, where a friend of mine is a paleontologist.

Social Studies - None - We took the unit 3 test today.

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

Lessons & Assignments Monday, November 23rd

Language Arts - None - We finished our turkey tales today, and started researching the first Thanksgiving.  We will finish our research tomorrow, and make a brochure with our information.

Math - None - We finished lesson 5.5 today on multiplication strategies with multiples of 10.  We also reviewed for tomorrow's test.  We will take our chapter 5 test tomorrow.

Science - None - We read about the rock cycle today, and completed our note taking project.

Social Studies - None - We finished our chapter 6 review worksheet.  We will take the unit 3 open book test tomorrow.

Language Arts Research

Click here for our Thanksgiving research site.

Lessons & Assignments Friday, November 20th

Language Arts - None - We completed our DOL and a grammar page in class today.  We also took our spelling and vocab tests on Spelling City.  We did some writing today too.  Students had to roll dice to determine their character, setting, and problem for a turkey tale.  We will edit these papers next week.

Math - None - We are zooming through chapter 5!  We took a quiz over the first half of the chapter today, and also completed two lessons.  Both of our lessons today talked about multiplication strategies when multiplying by multiples of 10.

Science - None - We continued discussing igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rock today.  We took notes for our project, and watched some Study Jams videos and slideshows about rocks and minerals.

Social Studies - None - We started our chapter 6 review sheet today.  We will finish this on Monday.

Lessons & Assignments Thursday, November 19th

Language Arts - study spelling & vocab - We completed our DOL and a grammar page in class today.  We took our skills test over the material from Go West.  We also played a fun roll and spell game to practice using our three letter blends.

Math - 5.2 - We started chapter 5 today, which will be our last chapter on multiplication.  Today we introduced unknown factors or variables.  The kids can now solve problems like 5 x n = 25!  I was so impressed - way to go 3rd grade!

Science - None - We continued taking notes on sedimentary and metamorphic rocks today.

Social Studies - None - We read about a crossroads community.  We also talked about the Underground Railroad and watched a Discovery Education video on Harriet Tubman.

Lessons & Assignments Wednesday, November 18th

Language Arts - None - We completed our DOL, grammar, and spelling page in class today.  We worked on writing really good 3rd grade sentences today including lots of juicy details.  We listened to our weekly story on the ipads, and practiced our "thr" digraph and comprehension strategies.

Math - None - We took our chapter 4 test today.

Science - None - We read about igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rock today.  We continued working on our note taking project.

Social Studies - None - We read about communities that develop along water today.  We learned about Seattle and the important industries there.  We completed a questioning graphic organizer in class while we read, and watched a Discovery Education video about the logging industry.

Lessons & Assignments Tuesday, November 17th

Language Arts - Scrappy story - We completed our DOL, spelling, and grammar page in class today.  We also listened to Go West on the iPads.  We read a passage about animals that live in caves, and discussed main idea and details before answering some comprehension questions.  We also practiced our scr blends.

Math - None - We reviewed chapter 4 today in class, and practiced our multiplication facts using online quizzes.

Science  - None - We started chapter 6 today.  We read about the difference between rocks and minerals, and started a note taking project for this chapter.

Social Studies - None - We read about communities that were settled around mountains.  We also sequenced events from today's lesson in our journals.

Reminder:  SIP Early Dismissal tomorrow!

Star of the Week

Makailey is our Star of the Week this week!

Red Carpet Readers

Congratulations to Peyton, Grace, and Camden for meeting their 2nd quarter AR goals.  Keep up the good work!!

Lessons & Assignments Monday, November 16th

Language arts - cursive spelling- We completed our DOL, spelling, and grammar page in class today. We listened to our weekly story on the iPads, and answered our weekly comprehension questions.  Students also received their AR prizes today.

Math - none - We are all finished with chapter 4, so we spent the class period reviewing.  We also practiced our multiplication facts using the iPads today.

Science - none - We took our 2nd quarter assessment post test today and our 3rd quarter pre-test.  Although we aren't at the end of the quarter yet, we are a bit ahead of schedule in science and have already covered all of the 2nd quarter material!

Social studies - none - We previewed chapter 6 today and completed a vocabulary sheet in class.

Lessons & Assignments Friday, November 13th

Language Arts - None - We completed our DOL, spelling, and grammar page in class today.  Since this unit's spelling words seem tough, I encouraged students to identify the 3-letter blends in each of their words today.  Students that correctly identified the blends got a special chance to choose an item from the prize box.  Way to go!  We also listened to our weekly story on the ipads today.  We used our class time today to make corrections, finish make-up work, and work on our AR goals.

Math - None - We finished our last lesson in chapter 4 today.  We used tables to solve word problems involving multiplication.  We will have a few days of review next week before taking our test on Wednesday.

Science - None - We took our chapter 5 test today.

Social Studies - None - We had a follow-up dental presentation today during our social studies time.

Lessons & Assignments Thursday, November 12th

Language Arts - Study spelling & vocab - We completed our DOL, spelling, and grammar page in class today.  Although I don't always make it "official" students should be studying spelling and vocabulary terms every night.  Our words with 3-letter blends seem to be tough for the class this week, and need lots of practice!  We read our vocabulary story, and completed our vocab packets.  We also read our weekly story, Go West.  We will be practice determining the main idea and details in this expository story over the next week.

Math - None - We finished lesson 4.9 today on multiplying by 9. We practiced using the Distributive Property and using patterns to solve today.  Although many kids know the 9's trick with their hands, I encouraged them to use the strategies we discussed in class.  My experience with my own 2 children proved that when kids can't remember the rhyme or trick, or use it incorrectly, they have no other strategies to back it up.  That's one of the great benefits of Common Core - we learn lots of strategies and find one that fits best!

Science - None - We read about how animals protect themselves today.  We also reviewed for tomorrow's test over chapter 5.

Social Studies - Chapter 5 review sheet - We read about conserving natural resources, and recycling today.  This finished up our chapter.  The chapter 5 review sheet is due tomorrow.

Lessons & Assignments Tuesday, November 10th

Language Arts - None - We had a shortened class today due to the Veteran's Day program.  We did complete our DOL, grammar, and spelling page in class today.  We also started to read our vocabulary review story.

Math - 4.8 - We learned about multiplying by 8s today.  Eights are tough, but we did a great job with it!  We discussed all of the various strategies we could use including skip counting, Distributive Property, making arrays, using a number line, using doubles strategies, and making equal groups. Whew!

Science - None - We had Ag in the Classroom today.

Social Studies -None - We read about resources found in communities today.  We learned about natural resources and watched a few Discovery Education video clips.

Reminder - No school tomorrow - Veteran's Day

Ag in the Classroom

We had Ag in the Classroom today, where we learned all about corn!

Happy Veteran's Day

Our elementary school had their Veteran's Day program today to honor all of the veterans in our community.  We love working hard to celebrate and honor the achievements of these heroes!

Lessons & Assignments Monday, November 9th

Language Arts - None - We completed our DOL, spelling, and grammar page in class today.  Students received their new spelling and vocab lists.  They will test over these on Friday, November 20th.  Mrs. Pratt made a really cool slide show that included some videos to introduce our new vocabulary words.  We also worked in small groups today on phonics and vocabulary review with our leveled readers.

Math - None - We discussed patterns on a multiplication table today.  Finding patterns can help us check our answers, and promotes mental math skills.  The students did a great job on today's classwork!

Science - Food web worksheet - We read about food webs today.  We learned that a food web in when a food chains overlap.  We made diagrams of a food web for our journals today.  Students that didn't finish their food web worksheets in class need to finish them for homework tonight.

Social Studies -None - We read about climate and physical environments of different communities today.  We discussed how humans adapt to their environments, and how climate varies across the United States.

Reminder:  Wear red, white, & blue for our Veteran's Day program tomorrow.  

Also, book orders are due tomorrow.

Star of the Week

Erich is our Star of the Week this week!

Thank you!

I was out for a couple of days this week for surgery, and came back to a wonderful surprise from my students.  I'm so lucky to have such a great group of coworkers and kids!  Thanks everyone!

Lessons & Assignments Friday, November 6th

Language Arts - None - We completed our DOL in class today, and corrected our grammar page from yesterday.  We took our spelling and vocab tests on spelling city, and finished reading about a boy who raises money for endangered animals.  We also had some extra time to work on our AR goals today.

Math - None - We finished our lesson on the Associative Property of Multiplication.  We learned that we can multiply in any order and get the same product!

Science - None - We continued reading about food chains and energy pyramids today.  We played a fun game where we competed to make the longest food chain.

Social Studies -None - We used our social studies time to catch up on corrections and make up work.

Lessons & Assignments Thursday, November 5th*

Language Arts - study - We completed our DOL and grammar page in class today.  We also took our weekly skills test.  Remember to study for your spelling & vocab tests on Friday!

Math - None - We completed a mid-chapter review today in class, and reviewed using Go Math's Animated Math Models online.

Science - None - We read about food chains today.

Social Studies - None - We started reading chapter 5 today over why communities develop in certain places.

*Please Note:  These plans are tentative.  I have a sub today.

Lessons & Assignments Wednesday, November 4th*

Language Arts - None - We completed our DOL in class today, and played a plural nouns scoot game.  We watched a video on honey bees today, and answered questions about the material.

Math - None - We learned about multiplying by 7 today.

Science - None - We continued reading about herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores today.  We completed a reading packet in class.

Social Studies - None - We had a school wide reading activity during our social studies time today.

*Please note:  These plans are tentative.  I have a sub today.

Lessons & Assignments Tuesday, November 3rd

Language Arts - None - We completed our DOL and grammar page in class today.  We also practiced our spelling words on the Spelling City app.  We used our school subscription to Encyclopedia Britannica online to research grasshoppers today, and write descriptive paragraphs about their unique body parts.  We also read some passages and practiced drawing conclusions as we read.

Math - None - We completed lesson 4.3 on using the Distributive Property to multiply.  This was a tough lesson, and the kids nailed it!  Way to go 3rd grade!

Science - None - We read about herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores today.  We used our front teeth and our back teeth to eat some pretzels, and discussed why we have sharp teeth and flat teeth

Social Studies -None - We previewed chapter 5 today, and completed a vocabulary page in class.

Star of the Week

Ysabell is our Star of the Week this week!

Lessons & Assignments Monday, November 2nd

Language Arts - None - We completed our DOL and grammar page in class today.  We practiced taking notes and gathering information using media sources today.  We watched a Wild Kratts video on butterflies, and gathered 3 facts.  In our small groups, Mrs. Pratt worked on multiple-meaning words, and my groups used our leveled readers and practiced drawing conclusions.

Math - None - We used our multiplication strategies to multiply by 3 and 6 today.  We discussed using the doubles strategy, and using a known fact (such as 5x7) to solve an unknown fact (such as 6x7).

Science - None - We started chapter 5 today on how living things interact.  We read about producers, consumers, and decomposers and finished a worksheet in class.

Social Studies - None - We took our unit 2 test today.

Happy Halloween!

We had a blast celebrating Halloween today.  

Thanks to everyone who helped out, and donated items to make our afternoon special!

Lessons & Assignments Friday, October 30th

Language Arts - None - We completed our DOL, grammar, and spelling today in class.  We listened to our weekly story on our iPads, and completed our comprehension questions in class.

Math - None - We learned about multiplying by 5s and 10s today.  We introduced the lesson by drawing arrays on grid paper.  We also counted nickels and dimes to practice counting by 5s and 10s.  We also used the clock to count by 5s.

Science - None - We used our science time to work on social studies today.

Social Studies - None - We completed our chapter 4 review page in class today.

Reminder:  Reading logs due Monday

Lessons & Assignments Thursday, October 29th

Language Arts - None - We completed our DOL, spelling, and grammar page in class today.  Keep practicing those spelling words at home.  This week's words are tough!  We read our story, Home-Grown Butterflies, today.  We are practicing drawing conclusions as we read based on evidence in the text.  Mrs. Bebon has a friend that run a butterfly conservatory in Key West Florida, so she brought in some beautiful preserved butterflies for us to see today.  We also visited the website, and got to watch a live webcam of the butterflies!  We also read two poems today about butterflies, and discussed the difference between free verse poems and lyrical poems.

Math - None - We finished our first lesson in chapter 4 today over multiplying by 2 and 4.  Multiplying by two was pretty easy for most of the class.  We made connections to our doubles addition facts that we learned in 2nd grade.  In order to multiply by 4, we started by multiplying by 2, then doubled the product.  More doubles!  We also used the number line and equal groups strategies from our last chapter.  I'm attaching a picture of the 3 different ways we discussed today when multiplying by 4.

Science - None - We took our chapter 4 science test today.

Social Studies - None - We had computers today during our science time since we will miss it tomorrow for the Halloween party.

Reminder:  Bring your costume tomorrow (do not wear it to school).  Parents can come help put on costumes at 1:20.  The parade starts at 1:40, and class parties start at 2:00.

Lessons & Assignments Thursday, October 28th

Language Arts - vocab packet - We completed our DOL, grammar, and spelling page in class today.  We read our vocabulary story today, and reviewed our vocab words.  The students also worked on their vocabulary packets.  Those that were unable to finish in class need to complete it for homework tonight.

Math - practice skip counting - We practiced our skip counting in class today.  Remember to practice every night at home!  We introduced chapter 4, and completed the vocabulary sheet together.  Chapter 4 will cover all sorts of strategies to solve basic multiplication facts.  This is great, because if you can't memorize all of them, you have additional strategies to figure them out (plus an understanding of what that equation actually means!).  We previewed tomorrow's lesson on multiplying by 2 and 4.  We made set counters in equal groups, made arrays to practice doubles facts, and played a fun card game in groups.

Science - None - We reviewed for tomorrow's open book test today.

Social Studies - None - We read about celebrations in communities, and national celebrations in the U.S.  We completed a worksheet in class today.

Reminder - Wear red tomorrow!

Dental Hygiene Lesson

In order to promote good dental hygiene, we had some dental hygienist students visit our classroom today to give a presentation.  They talked about why we brush our teeth, how to brush and floss, and even had some cool hands-on activities.  Every student went home with a goody bag containing a new toothbrush and toothpaste!

Lessons & Assignments Tuesday, October 27th

Language Arts - None - We completed our DOL, grammar, and spelling pages in class today.  This week we are studying words with silent letters in spelling, and making plural nouns in English.  Mrs. Pratt showed a vocabulary slide show to introduce our new vocabulary words.  In small groups, Mrs. Pratt worked on identifying silent letters in words, and my groups reviewed vocabulary using our leveled readers.

Math - None - We took our chapter 3 test today.  The class did a fantastic job on this test, and results were sent home today.

Science - None - We continued discussing changes in ecosystems today.  We made lists of items we had thrown away today, and discussed what could have been recycled instead.  We will review tomorrow, and take our chapter 4 test on Thursday.

Social Studies -None - We had classroom visitors during our social studies time today.

Lessons & Assignments Monday, October 26th*

Language Arts - None - We completed our DOL, grammar, and spelling in class today.  Students received their new spelling/vocab lists.  They will be tested over these words on November 6th.  We also had a special visit from the mayor today!

Math - None - We reviewed for our chapter 3 test today.  Our test will be on Tuesday.

Science - None - We read about how ecosystems can change today.

Social Studies - None - We read about celebrations and holidays from other cultures today.

Reminder:  Wear your favorite team gear on Tuesday for Red Ribbon Week!

*Please note these plans are tentative.  I am gone for a doctor's appointment today.

Lessons & Assignments Friday, October 23rd*

Language Arts -None - We completed our DOL in class today.  Students took their spelling and vocabulary test on Spelling City today.  Mrs. Pratt worked with the class to generate questions for the mayor on Monday.  They also practiced asking questions to sound professional!

Math - None - We completed lesson 3.7 today on multiplying using 1 and 0.  Students used counters to to make groups of zero and groups of 1 to model multiplication.

Science - None - The students read an article on migration today and answered comprehension questions about the text.

Social Studies - None - The class read a Scholastic News article on Bigfoot today.

*Please note:  These plans are tentative.  I had a sub today since I was out sick.

Lessons & Assignments Thursday, October 22nd

Language Arts - Study spelling and vocab - We completed our DOL in class today.  Students took their skills test today that included sequencing, vocabulary, and common/proper nouns.  We read about city governments, and the different jobs you can have in the city.  We had lots of questions about what it takes to be a mayor, and tomorrow we will record some of those questions for a special surprise on Monday!

Math - None - We finished lesson 3.6 today on the Commutative Property of Multiplication.  We used Unifex cubes, bingo chips, base 10 blocks, and googly eyes to make arrays today during our lesson.  Since we learned about the Commutative Property of Addition earlier this year, the class caught on pretty quickly to today's lesson.

Science - None - We read about migration and camouflage today as animal adaptations.  We connected this to the Scholastic News article the students read yesterday about whale migration.  We also watched a Wild Kratts video from the PBS Kids website on butterfly migration.

Social Studies - None - We previewed chapter 4 today on celebrations.  We watched a Discovery Education video on U.S. celebrations, and recorded 3 different celebrations as we were watching the movie.

Lessons & Assignments Wednesday, October 21st

Language Arts - None - We completed our DOL and grammar page in class today.  We also took an online quiz over common and proper nouns.  Students listened to Boom Town on their iPads, and took an AR quiz over the story.  In small groups, Mrs. Pratt continued to work on word building activities using compound words.  I worked on sequence activities with the students.  We will take our reading tests tomorrow.

Math - None - We completed lesson 3.5 today on modeling multiplication using arrays.  We used the iPads to create arrays for various word problems.

Science - None - We took our second quarter assessment pretest today.

Social Studies - None - We didn't have social studies due to the early dismissal today.

Lessons & Assignments Tuesday, October 20th

Language Arts - cursive spelling - We completed our DOL and grammar page in class today.  Keep practicing those common (school) and proper (Erie Elementary) nouns at home!  We continued to work on our comprehension questions today.  My groups worked on sequencing events from a story, and Mrs. Pratt's groups worked on word building activities.

Math - None - We completed lesson 3.4 today on using bar models for multiplication.  These models will be used heavily in 4th grade, so it is very important to grasp this concept.

Science - None - We had Ag in the Classroom today, where students learned all about pumpkins.

Social Studies - None - We took the 2nd quarter assessment pretest today.

Reminder:  SIP early dismissal tomorrow

Star of the Week

Rebekka is our Star of the Week this week!

Lessons & Assignments Monday, October 19th

Language Arts - None - We completed our DOL, spelling review, and grammar page in class today.  Students also took a practice vocabulary test.  Our actual test will be on Friday.  We reread our weekly story, and started on our comprehension questions in class.

Math - None - We took our 2nd quarter assessment pretest today.

Science - None - We took our 1st quarter assessment posttest today.

Social Studies - None - We took our 1st quarter assessment posttest today.

4H

Today we had some guest speakers visit our class to tell us all about 4H.  They brought some of the amazing projects they have completed for 4H competitions, and showed off their well deserved ribbons for their hard work!  Information was sent home with students today, and each child received a pencil.

Lessons & Assignments Friday, October 16th

Language Arts - None - We finished up our 1st quarter assessment posttests today in class.  Students also reviewed vocabulary and completed their vocabulary packets in class.  We conferenced with students to set 2nd quarter AR goals, and gave kids some free time to get started on their new reading goals!

Math - None - We took the mid chapter quiz today, and reviewed the first half of chapter 3 using the Go Math app on the iPads.

Science - None - We read about how animals survive in their ecosystems.  We learned about different types of adaptations, and completed a worksheet on hibernation.

Social Studies - None - During our social studies time today, we had some guest speakers visit to tell us all about 4H.

Junior Achievement

Today was our last JA lesson with Mrs. Reed.  The students learned about various types of media and how we get our news.  She brought all of the students a certificate of achievement today, and even gave each child their own piggy bank!

Number Lines

Today in math we learned to skip count on a number line in order to understand multiplication.  Students were asked to stand in different spots on a number line while holding groups of items.  This was a great visual for the number of groups, and the amount of items in each group!

Lessons & Assignments Thursday, October 15th

Language Arts - None - We completed our DOL and grammar page in class today.  Students also did a spelling review sheet in class.  We read our weekly story today, Boom Town.   In story is a historical fiction piece about the Gold Rush.  Students will be working on sequencing events in a story.  We also started our first quarter assessment posttest today.

Math - None - We completed lesson 3.3 today on skip counting using a number line.  To introduce this lesson, students got to stand along a number line on our classroom floor while holding groups of counters.  This was a great visual for the number of groups, and the amount in each group.

Science - None - We went outside today to do a lab activity on adaptations.  See my blog post for additional information.

Social Studies - None - We had our last JA lesson with Mrs. Reed today.

Adaptation Lab

We have been discussing ecosystems in science class.  Today we went outside to find toothpicks in the grass.  So what in the world does this have to do with ecosystems?  We discovered that some of the colors of toothpicks were more challenging to find than others.  The toothpicks were just like animals that blend in to their environments.  These adaptations help animals survive in their ecosystems.

After we came back inside, we used our math skills!  Students had to tally their findings, make a frequency chart, then create a bar graph of their results!  We even practiced skip counting our tallies!

Ecosystems

We have been discussing ecosystems in science.  We read about the difference between a freshwater and a saltwater ecosystem.  We tried to float tennis balls in saltwater and freshwater to see if there was a difference.  Ask your child what he/she observed today!

Math Lesson 3.2

Today we related addition to multiplication.  Students used their iPads to group items and write an addition sentence for the groups.  We followed up by writing a multiplication problem to match.  Please note that in the above example, the first factor in our multiplication problem (the 4) is the number of groups, and the second factor in the problem (the 3) is the number of items in each group.  It is very important that the correct order is used.  Although 3x4 is also 12, our picture shows 4x3.  The addition and multiplication sentences need to match the picture.

Lessons & Assignments Wednesday, October 14th

Language Arts - None - We completed our DOL, grammar, and spelling page in class today.  We read our vocabulary story, and reviewed our vocab words.  My groups worked on sequencing events from our leveled readers, and Mrs. Pratt's groups worked on phonics and word building activities.

Math - None - We worked on lesson 3.2 today.  This lesson was about relating addition to multiplication.  We used the ipads to make groups of items, then wrote addition and multiplication problems to match our pictures.  See my other blog post for additional information.

Science - None - We continued learning about ecosystems today.  We read about freshwater ecosystems and forests today.  We also did a quick lab demonstration on saltwater versus freshwater.

Social Studies - None - We watched a Discovery Education video on immigration today, and completed a 3,2,1 response on the video.

Lessons & Assignments Tuesday, October 13th

Language Arts - spelling p. 33 - We completed our DOL and grammar page in class today.  This week we are working on identifying the difference between common nouns and proper nouns.  We introduced our new spelling and vocabulary words today too.  This unit's spelling words are all long e words.  The test over these words will be on 10/23.  We went through a slide show of our new vocabulary words.  My groups reviewed our new vocabulary words in our leveled readers today.  Mrs. Pratt's groups worked on word building/phonics skills.

Math - None - We started lesson 3.1 on counting equal groups today.  This was our very first lesson on multiplication, and the kids did great!  In our small groups, students practiced putting counters into equal groups, then skip counted to find the total.

Science - None - We read about different ecosystems today.  We learned about deserts, grasslands, and oceans today.  With each ecosystem, we watched a short Discovery Education video so we could see the plants and animals in each ecosystem.

Social Studies - Chapter 3 review sheet - We continued reading about immigrants today.  Students need to complete the chapter 3 review sheet for homework tonight.

Reminder:  Chip Shoppe fundraiser forms are due tomorrow!

Reading Log Lunch

My friends that completed their September reading logs got to have lunch with me in the classroom today.  I brought a teddy bear snack mix for dessert.  I enjoyed hearing all about the great books they have been reading.  Keep up the good work 3rd grade!

Red Carpet Readers

Congratulations to Camden, Grace, and Dom for meeting their 1st Quarter AR goals!  

Keep up the good work!

Lessons & Assignments Friday, October 9th

Language Arts - None - We took our spelling and vocab tests today.  We also practiced editing some student writing samples.  Students had an opportunity to work on reading for their AR goals today.  Mrs. Pratt worked on a grammar skills review sheet with the students too.

Math - None - We took our 1st quarter assessment posttest today.

Science - None - We read about ecosystems, populations, and communities today.  We made diagrams of these 3 terms in our science journals.

Social Studies - None - We finished reading about immigrants that came of the United States today.  We read about artist Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze and writer Mary Antin.  We sorted facts on these two immigrants for an in-class assignment today.

Reminder:  No school Monday - Columbus Day

Fire Prevention Week

The Erie Fire Department visited our school today for Fire Prevention Week.  They talked to the third graders about The Great Chicago Fire, what causes fires, and what to do in case of a fire.  Here are some tips for you to discuss at home with your child:

• Practice getting out of the house!  Have an escape route that includes more than one way to get out of the house.  Also designate a safe spot to meet, and NEVER go back in the house!
• Sleep with your bedroom door shut, and feel the door with the back of your hand if there is a fire.
• Have smoke detectors on every level of the house, and outside of every bedroom.  Be sure to change the batteries when you change the clocks for Daylight Savings Time.
• Call 9-1-1 for emergencies.  Make sure your child knows his/her address!  I know from a social studies assignment earlier this year that most of the students don't know this crucial information.  Be sure to practice it at home!

Lessons & Assignments Thursday, October 8th

Language Arts - study spelling and vocab - We continued editing student writing samples today.  We also completed a spelling review sheet in class.  Students listened to our weekly story on the iPads, and we took our skills test today.  We will take our spelling and vocab tests tomorrow.

Math - None - We made corrections to the chapter 2 test today, and introduced chapter 3.  We are starting multiplication, and notes were sent home today about skip counting practice.

Science - None - We started chapter 4 today.  We will be talking about how living things interact in an ecosystem in this chapter.

Social Studies - None - We had a JA lesson with Mrs. Reed today.

Lessons & Assignments Wednesday, October 7th

Language Arts - None - We continued editing student writing samples today.  We also practiced making compound sentences by moving around the room to find task cards, then combining the sentences on each card using a conjunction.  The students did a great job working hard on this activity today!  We listened to our weekly story on the iPads.  We will have our skills test tomorrow.  Students will be making and confirming predictions on the test.  Mrs. Pratt's group read a story about transportation, and my group used our leveled readers to practice fluency self assessments using PhotoBooth.

Math - None - We took our chapter 2 test today.

Science - None - We took our chapter 3 test today.

Social Studies - None - We read about immigration today.  We learned about immigration to the United States during the late 1800's and early 1900's.  We discussed the importance of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.  We also took a virtual field trip of Ellis Island.

Red Carpet Readers

Congratulations to Erich, Gwyn, and Peyton for meeting their 1st quarter AR goals!  

Way to go 3rd graders!

Lessons & Assignments Tuesday, October 6th

Language Arts - None - We continued editing student writing samples today, and worked on creating more compound sentences.  We listened to our weekly story on the iPads, and finished our comprehension questions.  We also read our companion story on Frank Lloyd Wright today.

Math - None - We continued reviewing for tomorrow's test today.  Review sheets were completed in class, and sent home to study tonight.  We also started our Soar to Success lessons on the laptops.

Science - None - We played a review game for tomorrow's test.  We will take our chapter 2 test over types of animals tomorrow.

Social Studies - None - We read about people learning new customs when they move to a new country.  Students completed a lesson worksheet in class today.

Lessons & Assignments Monday, October 5th

Language Arts - None - We worked on editing some student writing samples today.  We also continued practicing compound sentences.  Students listened to our weekly story on their iPads, and started their comprehension questions.

Math - None - We tried out the Go Math app today, and started our chapter 2 review sheet.  We will take our chapter 2 test on Wednesday.

Science - None - We completed a vertebrate/invertebrate picture sort today.

Social Studies - None - We read about why people would move to another town, or even another country today.  We completed a Venn diagram together in class to compare and contrast the reasons.

Classroom Visitor

Since Lotus is our Star of the Week this week, her dad came to visit our classroom to tell us all about his job at John Deere.  The students loved passing around the models of the machines he builds.  Ask your child why the toys were yellow instead of the typical "John Deere Green."

Fluency Practice

In language arts today, our students practiced self-assessing their fluency.  They had to practice and read a page from their leveled readers while recording themselves using Photo Booth.  After recording themselves, they had to fill out a self-assessment checklist to monitor for good reading practices.  I watch the videos, and complete my own assessment when they are finished.