Week of 1/4/16 - 1/8/16

I hope you all have a joyous and healthy holiday. Enjoy your families and keep them close; I know I will. See you all in 2016!!

Please make sure your child is coming to school with warm clothing for recess.  Gloves and a hat are a must!!   I've also noticed that supplies are starting to dwindle.  Please ask your child what he/she needs to replenish as we start a new year together.   Thank you!

Coming up the week after the Holiday Break:

Spelling:    I am requiring only 6 activities over the 2 week time period, but they are lengthier.   Student work should be written on a sheet of notebook paper and everything stapled to the pink “menu.”  The students will also be tested on 15 of the words in their “sorts.” The next due date for homework is 1/15.  The test will also take place on that date.   Please note, I will be giving a word inventory on the 4th.  Your child may be changing groups!   

Reading & Language Arts:  We’re continuing our culture and traditions unit.  We’re close reading The Keeping Quilt. by Patricia Polacco.  

Keep reading for 20 minutes a night!  A January Log will be coming home today.  December Logs are due on January 4.

Non fiction books are being read for our next independent reading contract.  I’ve lightened the load for December.  Please note that they are due on or before 1/4/16.  Many students have already handed theirs in, good move!!

WIN:  Hi 3rd Grade Families!  We are writing with a quick WIN update for you all... Trimester #1 in WIN class focused on Vocabulary Studies and Skills at their level based on their MAP scores.  At our last data day, we re-grouped the 3rd grade students based on their MAP score for Informational Text (non-fiction text) Skills.  This means that as of today, your student may be switching WIN teachers and most likely will be working in a group with many different students from Trimester #1.  Since the students are grouped by skill level, they will work on reading and comprehending Informational Text at their level.  Individual teachers may be doing activities that differ from others but fit the ability level of your student.  Most classes will work with weekly Scholastic News Readers, online kids news websites, continue vocab work as it relates to informational text, and more.  Trimester #3 will be focused on Literature Skills and Comprehension.  These activities are in addition to our differentiated Core English Language Arts Curriculum based on the Common Core State Standards that all 3rd grade students participate in.  

Social Studies:  We’ll read and take notes on Lesson 2 (Communities) after the holiday break.  There will be a graded review (open book/notes) on Thursday.  

Science:   We’ll be studying Matter starting the week of 1/11.  Woohoooo!!

Mrs. Klacza's Math Class:  We’re continuing Unit 4, focusing this week on mass, liquid volume, and measurement.  There will be a short checkpoint quiz on Tuesday the 5th.  I’ll review before giving it :)

Important Dates:

12/18 - Last day before holiday break/Seeing E.T. at the Ogden 6 Theater!

Jan. 4 - Back to School!  2016

1/15 - Early Dismissal (11:35)

1/18 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Bday - day off!

Have a very Merry Christmas!!

Week of 12/14/15 - 12/18/15

It’s been a great week in Room 105!  I have noticed some of the children are not wearing warm coats to school.  We do go out to recess and it gets cold out there!  Please send hats and gloves along with winter coats please.  

We have a really crazy, fun-filled week coming up.  This will be the third graders’ first time at Brunswick Bowl.  If your child would like to buy snacks, that is a-ok with me.  However, please make sure your child only brings about $5 since they are truly there to bowl, not just eat!  Also, chances are they won't be very hungry upon arrival back to school. Therefore, it's probably a good idea to send a light lunch from home that day.  

On Friday, we’ll take another field trip to see E.T. at the Ogden 6 theaters.  There will be no food provided at the movie.  We’ll eat lunch in the classroom before we leave.  It should be fun!  

Coming up this week:

Spelling:  We are taking a break from our conventional spelling lesson with some holiday spelling words!  Words are coming home on Monday.  We will pretest on Monday and if a student gets 0 or 1 wrong, they are exempt from the test (which will be on Thursday.)   Homework is simple.  Put the words in ABC order on a sheet of notebook paper.  That will be due Tuesday.  

Reading & Language Arts:  We’re continuing our culture and traditions unit.  We’re close reading The Night Before Christmas and doing a little Christmas around the world project.   Students are making a poster on the country they’ve been assigned and presenting to the class in the coming week.  Don’t worry, this is totally done at school.

Keep reading for 20 minutes a night!

Non fiction books are being read for our next independent reading contract.  I’ve lightened the load for December.  Please note that they are due on or before 1/4/16.  

Social Studies: We’re piggybacking off of our Downers Grove unit with a chapter on communities in our social studies textbook.  However, with all the festivities going on, we’ll read and take notes on Lesson 2 after the holiday break.

Science:   We’re on hiatus!

Mrs. Klacza's Math Class:  We’re continuing Unit 4, focusing this week on time and measurement.  There will only be 3 days of math this week: Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday.  

Important Dates:

12/15 - Early Dismissal (11:35 PV)

12/17 - 3rd grade bowling trip

12/18 - Ogden 6 to see E.T.

Jan. 4 - Back to School!  2016

1/15 - Early Dismissal (11:35)

1/18 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Bday - day off!

Have a great weekend!

Week of 12/7/15 - 12/11/15

The classroom is all decorated for Christmas; there are only 2 more weeks before our holiday break!   Where did the time go?  I can tell the children are starting to get very excited, as am I!   However, we still have 2 complete weeks of learning before 2016 - let’s do this!!

Coming up this week:

Spelling:    Spelling homework is due on or before Friday, 12/11.  There will also be a test on 15 of the words.  Please note that the homework is changed a bit for trimester 2.  Students only have to complete 6 activities.  

Reading & Language Arts:  We’ve started our next unit of study on culture and traditions. We’ve listened to, close read, and watched “Circle of Life” from The Lion King and raised a lot of interesting discussion.  We’re starting a new read aloud book which goes along with this unit entitled The Year of the Dog.  In the coming weeks, we’ll also be close reading The Night Before Christmas and doing a Christmas around the world project.   

Keep reading for 20 minutes a night!

Non fiction books are being read for our next independent reading contract.  I’ve lightened the load for December.  Please note that they are due on or before 1/4/16.  

Social Studies: We’re piggybacking off of our Downers Grove unit with a chapter on Local Government in our Social Studies textbook.  We’ll start reading chapter 12 on Monday.  There will be a Lesson 1 review on Thursday.  Students are able to use their book and notes for all lesson reviews.

Science:   We’re on hiatus!

Mrs. Klacza's Math Class:  We’ll finish Unit 3 this week.  The test will be on Wednesday, 12/9.  Today, the students are bringing home a pre-assessment/study guide to complete at home.  Monday, I will send home the answer key so they may check their responses.  I’m hoping this will help get them ready for Wednesday’s test since it is in the exact same format.

Important Dates:

12/15 - Early Dismissal (11:35 PV)

12/17 - 3rd grade bowling trip

12/18 - Last day before holiday break!

Have a great weekend!