December Student Showcase & Party

Thank you so very, very much for your time and your generosity with our class party and student stocking stuffers!  Indoor recess has never been so fun!  (I posted pictures on Class Dojo of the students opening their goodies.  They were a big hit!)

I have posted a link to the math card & dice game instructions in the math tab, above.  You can also click HERE to access them.

Week 17: Winter ELA

Students received their spelling & vocabulary sheets and their math homework sheet for next week TODAY.  We hope this helps ease the holiday madness.  Our theme days have had to change slightly because of school-wide plans.

3.17 Winter

Spelling practice bonuses are due no later than Thursday.  (See the Spelling & Vocabulary tab on Mrs. Dyer’s blog at http://hdyer3.blogspot.com if you need ideas.)

Don’t forget about practicing at Spellingcity.com.

1.     frosty

2.     sparkling

3.     glistening

4.     dazzling

5.     freezing

6.     frigid

7.     arctic

8.     mounds

9.     snowflake

10. icicles

11. blizzard

12. swirls

13. blasts

14. shivers

15. diamonds

This week, you must look up your vocabulary definitions.  You are welcome to use a dictionary at home or borrow one from school.  Dictionary.com is a good resource too.  Vocabulary practice bonuses are due no later than this Thursday.  Don’t forget about Spellingcity.com.

*Your test Friday will have a total of 10 words (this week’s words plus review words).  

1.  blustery

2.  bleak

3.  hypothermia

4.  drafty

5.  frigid

6.  solstice

7.  sniffle

Upcoming Events:

*The UCES Student Council has planned Holiday Spirit Days for this week, so we have incorporated an them into our plans and changed our days around a bit.

12/12 Stocking Day: Wear your Christmas socks.

12/13 School theme: Red & Green Christmas Bows

12/14 Ugly Sweater or Gingerbread Day: Dress like a gingerbread man (or lady).

12/15 Parent involvement and class party (8:15-9:45); Santa’s Workshop: Dress up like you work for “The Big Guy”

12/16 Holiday Hat Day; Snow THEME Day: Wear something with snowflakes.

12/19 Christmas Cookie Day

12/20 Reindeer Day: Dress like a reindeer!

12/21 Polar Express Day: Wear your Christmas PJs.

     Early release for the holidays!

Candy Canes & How They're Made

Click HERE for the video.

This Week's ELA & Upcoming Events: Christmas 3.16

3.16 Spelling: Christmas

Spelling practice bonuses are due no later than Thursday.  (See the Spelling & Vocabulary tab on Mrs. Dyer’s blog at http://hdyer3.blogspot.com if you need ideas.)

Don’t forget about practicing at Spellingcity.com.

1.     Christmas

2.     mistletoe

3.     reindeer

4.     workshop

5.     presents

6.     sleigh

7.     candles

8.     celebrate

9.     merry

10. elves

11. rejoice

12. grateful

13. ornaments

14. decorations

15. wreath

3.16 Vocabulary: Christmas

Vocabulary practice bonuses are due no later than this Thursday.  Don’t forget about Spellingcity.com.

*Your test Friday will have a total of 10 words (this week’s words plus review words).  

1.  bough: tree branch, especially large

2.  charity: organization that gives help or gifts

3.  evergreen: a plant whose leaves stay green all year

4.  festive: relating to a celebratory event or joyous occasion

5.  pageant: a show or dramatic presentation

6.  receive: accept, welcome, get, or take

7.  tidings: news or information

IRA: Awesome Adjectives

Adjectives are words that describe nouns or other adjectives.  Find 10 awesome adjectives in the book that you’re reading.  Write down the adjective and the word that it describes.  Underline the adjective.  Please include the page number too. Don’t forget to include your book’s title.

For example:

jolly Santa

                        green Christmas tree

                        fluffy snowflakes

Looking Ahead:

Here's info to keep you informed about what is coming up!  This list will continue to expand, but hopefully this will help with some of the holiday madness.  Of course the "dress up" suggestions are OPTIONAL and meant to add a little holiday fun & cheer, NOT stress!

12/6  Field trip to the movies to see "Moana" ($6 due by 12/2)

        Spirit Night for UCES @ McDonald's (5-7)

12/7  Candy Cane Day: Dress in red & white.

12/8  Christmas Tree Day: Wear green.

12/9 Hot chocolate sales; Elf Day: Dress like an elf!

12/12 Snow Day: Wear something with snowflakes.

12/13 Stocking Day: Wear your Christmas socks.

12/14 Gingerbread Day: Dress like a gingerman (or lady).

12/15 Parent involvement and class party (8:15-9:45)

12/16 Box tops deadline

12/19 Christmas Cookie Day

12/20 Reindeer Day: Dress like a reindeer!

12/21 Polar Express Day: Wear your Christmas PJs.

     Early release for the holidays!

RC, DRW, & SRA

The field of education LOVES to use initials for everything, and this can be really confusing at times!  You may see grades with the initials beside them, so here's an explanation of some of my "codes."

You've probably already figured out SP = spelling, SS = social studies, and WB = workbook...

RC = Reading Comprehension
Basically anytime the students read a passage and answer questions, I add RC to the assignment name.

DRW = Digital Readworks
Feel free to click on the link to check it out!  Mrs. Cook and I assign articles for students to read and then answer questions.  It is one of my favorite ways to get ready for the End-of-Grade Milestones test because not only do students read online and answer multiple choice questions, they also have to type short answers and even paragraph responses.  (The Milestones test will ask them to do the very same thing!)

A really cool feature of the typed responses is that when I read/grade them, I have the choice of correct, 0.75, 0.50, 0.25, or incorrect.  (The Milestones test will scores responses on a similar scale.)

I can assign different articles on similar topics or the kids can all read the same article.

SRA = Scholastic Reading
This is the big green box on the counter near the book shelf.  The students were assigned a color based on their reading level.  They read 3-5 cards and answer the questions on the card.  If they make three 100s, they automatically "level up" to the next level.  Once they prove successful at their level (generally 5 cards total), then they level up.

I track their responses to each section, but the overall grade (circled at the top of the paper & entered in the grade book) is their percentage correct on the entire passage.  

If students are always scoring well then they need to be challenged and their level will increase.  You can expect some "dips" in grades as they practice new skills, but don't panic.  As long as they continue to grow and progress, it "will all come out in the wash" as my mom says.

Please let me know if you have specific concerns about your child and his or her progress!  Also, know that Mrs. Cook and I won't "keep" every grade that we take by the end of the term.  If a child didn't do well on a skill and yet later shows mastery, the "old" grade can be dropped or replaced with the new one.  (Of course we can't do this with every single grade all the time, but knowing the material and showing that knowledge consistently is the most important thing.)

Thurs. 12/1

Please finish the Three Branches of Government "infographic" if you didn't get finished in class today.  Study for tomorrow's government test: levels and branches of government.

IXL Pilot

Mrs. Cook and I are piloting a computer program called IXL.  The company states "IXL is an immersive K-12 learning experience that provides comprehensive, standards-aligned content for math, language arts, science, and social studies."

The kids really enjoyed working there today and earning badges for their progress!  I like that it will reteach if they continue to miss the skill.  (Of course they have to read the reteaching portion!)  I also like that I can see at a glance which kids have successfully mastered skills and who is struggling.

To access our IXL pilot (through the end of December), go to www.ixl.com/signin/uces1.  The student usernames are their first initial last name @uces1 (so Sally Student would be sstudent@uces1) and their password is their 5-digit number without the UC at the end.

Give it a try and let us know what you think!

This Week's ELA & More: Government

3.15 Spelling: Government

Spelling practice bonuses are due no later than Thursday.  (See the Spelling & Vocabulary tab on Mrs. Dyer’s blog at http://hdyer3.blogspot.com if you need ideas.)

Don’t forget about practicing at Spellingcity.com.

1.     government

2.     federal

3.     national

4.     state

5.     local

6.     leader

7.     president

8.     governor

9.     mayor

10. Congress

11. capitol

12. representative

13. senator

14. judge

15. consequence

*commissioner

3.15 Vocabulary: Government

Vocabulary practice bonuses are due no later than this Thursday.  Don’t forget about Spellingcity.com.

*Your test Friday will have a total of 10 words (this week’s words plus review words).  

1.     law: a rule or set of rules

2.     leader: one who leads or guides others

3.     democracy: government by the people

4.     veto: exercise authority to stop a bill

5.     Constitution: the supreme law of the United States of America

6.     checks and balances: a system set up by the U.S. Constitution to keep the branches of government equal

7.     justice: fair behavior or treatment; a judge in the Supreme Court

IRA (Independent Reading Activity): Text-to-Self Connections

            We are learning about the three different types of connections that readers make as they read: text-to-self, text-to-text, and text-to-world.  As you read in your independent reading book this week, write down at least one “text-to-self” connection.  Describe the passage in the story and how you connect to that passage.  Turn in the connections assignment by Friday.  (Copy given out Monday.)  Don’t forget to include your book’s title.

Levels and Branches of Government Test Friday!

            You need to know the three levels of government, who the leaders are at each level, and at least one responsibility of each level.  You also need to know the three branches of government, the people in each branch, where each branch is located, and at least one responsibility of each branch.  Why do we have three branches of government?

Upcoming Events: Holidays

Here's info to keep you informed about what is coming up!  This list will continue to expand, but hopefully this will help with some of the holiday madness.  Of course the "dress up" suggestions are OPTIONAL and meant to add a little holiday fun & cheer, NOT stress!

11/30 Cookie dough pick up (3:30-5:30)
12/2  Government SS tests (3 levels, 3 branches); $6 for movie field trip (12/6) due

12/5  Santa Claus Day: Wear your favorite Santa hat!
12/6  Field trip to the movies to see "Moana" ($6 due by 12/2)
        Spirit Night for UCES @ McDonald's (5-7)
12/7  Candy Cane Day: Dress in red & white.
12/8  Christmas Tree Day: Wear green.
12/9 Hot chocolate sales; Elf Day: Dress like an elf!

12/12 Snow THEME Day: Wear something with snowflakes.
          Portuguese Holiday Program at Fine Arts Center, 7 PM
12/13 Stocking Day: Wear your Christmas socks.
12/14 Gingerbread Day: Dress like a gingerman (or lady).
12/15 Parent involvement and class party (8:15-9:45)
12/16 Box tops deadline

12/19 Christmas Cookie Day
12/20 Reindeer Day: Dress like a reindeer!
12/21 Polar Express Day: Wear your Christmas PJs.
     Early release for the holidays!

This Week: Thanksgiving

Thank you to all of the parents and grandparents who sent in and/or came in to make our craft day a great success!  Your generosity is so appreciated!

We are continuing to craft and work on basic skills this short week.

Be sure to clean out backpacks Tuesday.  We have a special project going home for the holiday.

Many wishes for a happy Thanksgiving!

Upcoming Events:
11/23-27 Thanksgiving Holiday Break
11/30 Cookie dough pick up (3:30-5:30)
12/2  $6 for movie field trip (12/6) due
12/6  Field trip to the movies to see "Moana" ($6 due by 12/2)
        Spirit Night for UCES @ McDonald's (5-7)
12/9 Hot chocolate sales
12/15 Parent involvement and class party (8:15-9:45)
12/16 Box tops deadline
12/21 Early release for the holidays!

Armed Forces medley - Nat'l Memorial Day Concert 2010 (with lyrics)

In honor of our veterans and servicemen and women, we watched this Armed Forces medley. The students stood in class to honor their loved ones who served.

Mrs. Cook's Runoff Election

Click HERE to vote in the runoff election!  Only registered voters may vote.

This Week

Math: multiplication & division relationships (fact families)

            *9s & 10s multiplication quiz Thursday!

Science: rocks, minerals, soils

ELA: Finish Charlotte’s Web!  Learn about Veterans Day.

SS: The three levels of government, voting, Veterans Day, introduction to the three branches of government

*The Scholastic book fair is here all week!  After the class visit (Dyer Monday & Cook Wednesday), students may go only if they have money.

*The “Fossil Lady” is coming this week to teach each 3^rd grade class about fossils (Cook Monday & Dyer Wednesday)!

11/8   CLASS ELECTIONS! (8:45 Dyer & 9:00 Cook)

            A parent volunteer is still needed (8:30-9:30).  Thank you!

11/9   Social studies voting extra credit due

To help students better understand the election process and the responsibility of voting, I am

encouraging parents or another trusted adult to take their child with them to vote as an extra credit

social studies opportunity.  To receive credit, after walking through the actual voting process, they are to

write a paragraph explaining the process and what they experienced.  They do NOT need to

include who ballots were cast for but rather explain the process from beginning to end.

Please include/explain at least one issue or race at the national, state, and local level.

Since early voting has already begun, students have until November 8 to observe the voting process (if possible).  Their paragraphs are due no later than Wednesday, Nov. 9.  They may be handwritten or submitted through Google Docs.

11/10 Bake sale to benefit our local food pantry ($1 or canned good donation)

Donations of baked goods would be appreciated!

             Veterans Day program (10:00 in the stadium): Please dress appropriately for the weather!

            Multiplication speed quiz (9s & 10s)

ARE YOU TIRED OF LEFTOVER CANDY?!?

Feel free to donate your leftover candy to our classes.

Thank you!