s Thank you to everyone for responding back so quickly to confirm your conference. I love conference week and having the chance to celebrate your child's successes and discuss what we want to do to move them forward. Please make every effort to be prompt. I'm conscious of respecting everyone's time, so conferences will NOT run over.
QUESTIONS TO ASK: Who is in charge of the local, state, and national government? What is the answer in multiplication called? Explain a personality trait of the main character in the book you are reading. How did you know? We've been working on using a character's dialogue, actions, and feelings to infer their traits. REMEMBER: *Walk to School Day is this WEDNESDAY. I'll be walking from the Chimney Springs Clubhouse. We leave there at 7. There are also other spots where you can take your child and they can walk with other teachers. The list was in the last Tritt Parent EBlast. LET'S HAVE 100% WALK TO SCHOOL!! *There is an Early Release day THIS Thursday. Lunch is different and shorter, so I wouldn't plan on eating with us that day. *Report cards are online this year. Make sure you signed up in ParentVue so that you can view your child's report card. *The Tritt -Mazing Race kick off is this Wednesday! Please check your child's folder on Wednesday for all the information. NEXT WEEK: Math - Students will explore the relationship between multiplication and division and use manipulatives to begin understanding the concept of division. Language Arts - We are all excited to begin our first novel study Because of Winn-Dixie. This is a great story that we will use to learn new vocabulary, understand characters in more depth, and use to learn how to write constructed reading responses. Students will also publish their final draft of their personal narratives. Our study of nouns and pronouns will continue. Social Studies/STEAM- We will wrap up our study of government and students will present their latest STEAM projects to the class. We will also have another visit with our STEAM buddies. Make sure to keep checking our SeeSaw for your child's projects. Have a great week!
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Thank you to the dads who came and moved the loft away from the wall. I can't wait to come back and see the pretty blue wall and the kids can't wait for the loft to be moved back, so they can read in it again.
I hope you all are receiving notifications when your child posts in See Saw. Instead of trying to put pictures on the blog (which didn't always work and took forever) students will post on See Saw and you'll get a peek into their world at school. This week most students posted a fun math activity that provided a visual for them to better understand the concepts of multiplication. Also, in the ILC yesterday Mrs. Bates taught them about character traits and then students used the app Draw and Tell to show their learning. They posted their recordings on See Saw in our reading folder. This lesson was a great introduction to the lessons on using a character's dialogue, feelings, and actions to infer their traits. Later today they will also post their final product in their STEAM build. QUESTIONS TO ASK: What are the three branches of government and who is in charge of each? What is the commutative property and how does it help us solve multiplication problems? Tell me the small moment story you are writing about. Ask them questions to help them remember the details so they can add them to their narratives. REMEMBER: - No parent journals this week and no need to sign planners over break. NEXT WEEK: Math - Now that the students have a better understanding of the concepts of multiplication we will begin exploring the patterns and how to learn the facts. Students will begin practicing facts at home in the 2nd quarter. KEEP reviewing those addition facts now, please! Language Arts - After a few lessons on characterization we will begin using the novel Because of Winn Dixie to help them better understand characters and infer answers in the text. Please do Not let them watch the movie until we finish the novel. Social Studies - We will continue our study of government. Have a great fall break with lots of family time! , We celebrated International Dot Day which is tomorrow! Did you even know there was such a thing? It is based on the fabulous book, The Dot. We had a great time celebrating with our STEAM buddies. After watching the book read to them the students also sang the song with motions. Just check out the book and The Dot Song on You Tube. Our students were so sweet singing with their buddies. Then the pairs transformed their "dot". It was inspiring watching them work together and come up with so many different ideas. The dots became eyes on a dinosaur, centers of flowers, wheels on an airplane, an ice cream scoop, the bottom of a snowman, the cherry on a cherry tree, etc. We tried to let partners video and load to See Saw, but that proved to be a little challenging. There are a few posted. Your child can tell you if we made it to them or not. We hope to get together again and try again!
Questions to Ask: What are different ways to write a strong beginning to a narrative? What are some ways to be a good citizen? Why do groups in multiplication have to be equal? Remember: We are still testing on Monday and Tuesday. Monday is math and Tuesday is science/social studies. Parent Journals are in book bags. Please read and return by Wednesday. Next Week: Math - we will continue to explore multiplication, the different ways to represent it, and how it is used every day. Language Arts - students are developing one seed idea into a full narrative - adding dialogue, emotions, and details. We will use the book The Rain School to practice CLOSE reading - reading a book several times to draw different meanings each time. Social Studies - the need for government and the three branches of government will be introduced. STEAM - students will design and build a way to display a mineral for the Tellus Museum. We will post those results on See Saw so you can check them out! Have a great weekend and stay dry! Our kids are amazing! I think many of them are enjoying testing - the challenges and the structure. One more session tomorrow and then a break until next Thursday. This week they only have 3 - 10 min. sections each morning. Next week for the IOWA they will have longer testing sessions. Thanks for sending them ready to go!
We finished our second chapter book - Full Steam Ahead. See if your child can tell you about the problem the twins had to solve and the solution they invented. Students did their individual thinking today about our next STEAM challenge - designing a mineral display case for the Tellus Museum. After testing they will meet with their groups and build it. They will definitely record their groups results and post on See Saw. In math they've been working on solving 2 step word problems and not only explaining the steps they took but also explaining WHY they did each step. Check out See Saw for your child's group problem. Each group solved a different problem on chart paper and recorded the process of solving it. If you still haven't signed up and need another copy of the directions and QR code for your child just email me and I'll be glad to send it. Questions to Ask: When do good readers ask questions? What is the difference in a thin question and a thick question? (Thin questions are found right in the text - who is the character, etc. Thick questions require more thought and you have to search for the clues in the text or require evidence to defend your opinion. They often involve What if? Why?, etc.) What is a noun? What is a proper noun? Reminders: *Return the Tellus Museum field trip form AND complete the BACK marking a lunch choice for your child. Students will wear their grey STEAM shirts on the trip if they have one. *Continue to practice addition math facts with your child - in the car, waiting in line, etc. *RETURN parent journals by Wednesday, please. We will write in them tomorrow and there are still a few not back. Next Week: Math - Multiplication is introduced and students learn about using arrays and a number line to show multiplication. This is typically much easier for them grasp as it is more concrete and visual than what we've been doing. We will not start memorizing multiplication facts for awhile. They really need to understand the concept first AND to learn the addition facts better!! Language Arts - Students' narratives are progressing nicely as they've learned how to write like a storyteller not a news reporter. They will continue on these next week and practice self-editing of spelling and punctuation. In reading they will continue to learn 5 new vocabulary words and practice activating prior knowledge to answer questions in the text - both thin and thick. Social Studies - The study of Civics and what makes a good citizen will continue. Students will discuss the difference in rights and responsibilities. Thursday and Friday the testing session is 2 hours so we will alternate the subjects taught. Have a great weekend! We had two more firsts this week - our first counselor lesson with Mrs. Grindstaff (she's wonderful) and a visit with our STEAM buddies, Mrs. Adams' Kindergarten class. Our first visit was a get-to-know-you visit. Each student was paired with a student in Mrs. Adams' class, they made a bookmark together, and got to play outside. They will be "buddies" all year as they discover through STEAM activities, share books, and just have fun together. It is a great opportunity for our older children to be role models, mentors, and just feel important. I loved hearing our students talk about the kindergartners - "they are so cute", "my buddy is adorable", "I played what he wanted to on the playground". In a few weeks our buddies will visit our class and we use See Saw to introduce you to them. PLEASE make sure you have signed up for your child's account with the paper that came home last week. According to See Saw we still have 10 families that need to do this. All of our pictures, videos will be posted on SeeSaw - not the blog - so make sure you sign up! If you have misplaced the paper with your child's QR code please email me and I'll send you another one.
Questions to Ask: Now that the class has finished James and the Giant Peach did you like it? Why? Who was your favorite character and why? Our new book is Full Steam Ahead. We've only read a little, but see if your child remembers the problem the twins in the book are trying to solve. Other books we've read this week as mentor texts for lessons include Painting the Wind, The Best Story, and Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge. See if your child is able to retell any of these stories and maybe even what the lesson was that went with it. What are the 4 traits you've learned that are used to identify different rocks and minerals? Remember: *This Wednesday is Early Release day. Students are dismissed at 12:30. Obviously, our lunch time will be earlier in the day, but students should still bring a snack. *This Friday is our first Math with Parents. If you are on the calendar you will receive a game to practice either Monday or Tuesday. Please be at Tritt with your game ready to begin at 9:00. Thanks! *Your child's parent journal should be in the book bag. Please read the letter to you, write back to your child, and return the journal by Tuesday. Thanks! Next Week: Math - Students will learn several subtraction strategies to help them understand how to subtract numbers within 1,000. Thanks for all the help with the homework last week. I know these strategies are new to you, but I really think they help students understand the concepts instead of just memorizing how to do the algorithm. Also, please help your child practice his/her addition facts. Now that they are adding 3-digit numbers - having to stop and add 3+7 on their fingers is making it more difficult than it has to be. Language Arts - Students have added several reading strategies to our CAFE board. This week we will practice how making different types of connections helps a reader become more engaged. As a whole the class is making great progress building their reading stamina during our independent reading time. In conferences I have met with each child discussing what they know about themselves as a reader and now am hearing each child read aloud to help assess fluency. I love how excited they are when it is time for Writer's Workshop and they get to write. This quarter they are learning how to write a personal narrative bit by bit using a storyteller's voice. Science - Our rocks and minerals study is almost complete. On Friday students will take an "open book" quiz on what traits we use to identify rocks and minerals. We will take this test online in the computer lab to help them practice taking assessments on the computer. This will be a NO STRESS situation and no studying at home is required. Social Studies - We will begin a 3 day launch study about what is social studies and how it is more than just studying history. Have a great weekend! Observation and communication - that's what it was all about in science this week. We started our study of the scientific method using trays of rocks and minerals to observe and describe. After hearing the book Everybody Needs A Rock students were excited to bring a rock from home. They wrote descriptive paragraphs about their rock and then were recorded reading their descriptions. MAKE SURE and get the paper out of your child's folder that tells you how to sign up for our class See Saw account. Use the QR code on that paper so you can see your child's video.
Questions to Ask: What do our vocabulary words fragile, pledge, defend, and research mean. Can they also read these words? What is more important in real reading - the text or thinking? Ask them to describe the reading salad we made. Remember: This Thursday is Picture Day. ALL students will have individual pictures taken for the yearbook. * Information regarding the Tritt Tiger Foundation came home last week. Thank you so much for supporting the foundation with your donation and investing in your child's education. Mr. Giunta and his science lab are an amazing addition to your child's education - not to mention the wonderful technology they have to use in our classroom. If you haven't had a chance please remember to help support the foundation. Next Week: Math - students will review/learn addition strategies to use when adding within 1,000. On Monday they will glue examples of the strategies in their journals. The journals will come home with them each night so they can refer to the examples when completing their homework. I will introduce only 1 or 2 strategies a day, so students will have a solid grasp of each. Language Arts - In writing we will continue to discover how writer's gather ideas and begin growing a seed idea into a personal narrative. The CAFE board will be introduced in reading (comprehension, accuracy, fluency, and expand vocabulary). Students will practice how to check for understanding and find clues in the text to support their answers. Science - Using trays of rocks and minerals students will continue the scientific method by ordering and comparing. AND we will have our first visit to our STEAM buddies' class - Mrs. Smith's K class on Friday. What a great way to end our week! Have a super weekend! Our first full week and the class is really starting to feel like a community. It is obvious they have been working in STEM groups for years. They work in teams well together and know how to solve tasks in different ways. It is fun to watch them developing their leadership skills in the group projects.
Ask your child how his group did in yesterday's task - building free standing structures with base ten blocks according to the different place value amounts. See Saw - in addition to this blog and emails the class will communicate with you through See Saw. At the end of next week students will bring home a letter that explains how to sign up either on the computer or the app. This will be where all our class pictures are posted. Students will also make videos explaining group projects and share their writing. You should sign up for the notifications so that you will know when your child posts. Questions to ask your child: -What is the difference in the terms place and value? If they aren't sure- the place is where the number is located ones, tens, hundreds place. The value is what the number is worth in that place - 60 or 600. This is an important distinction when studying place value, so help them review if they are confused and I'll also be helping them in class. -What book are you reading in reader's workshop? What's the most exciting/important event that has happened so far? What was your favorite Bill Peet book? I hope you saw their Jethro/Joel and Whingdingdilly in the take home folder. Ask them to retell a little of those books. They are hilarious! Remember: - to initial your child's planner each night IF she did her 20 min. reading- - check the math homework each night - immediate feedback is most effective Next Week: Math - Students will be using their knowledge of place value to review/learn how to round numbers to the nearest ten and hundred and place them on a number line. They will also continue to practice mental math - what happens to numbers when you add a set of 10, take away a set of 100, etc. Language Arts - Yesterday was so much fun with our first reader's theater! We have some real actors. The play introduced them to Alice(who didn't like to read) and how she learned to use different reading strategies to help her understand the story and enjoy reading. This week I will model how to ask questions about the text while you read and become more engaged with the story. In Writer's Workshop we learn/practice different ways that writer's gather ideas and have fun in their writer's notebooks. Science - Students love our study of rocks and minerals. This week they'll be introduced to the scientific process while examining different attributes of rocks. Remember to email if you have any questions/concerns or there is something you think I should know about your child. Have a great week! What a super three days filled with team building, organizing and LOTS of great books. I hope each child feels like they've met at least one new friend. We have such a wonderful class and I'm excited about our year ahead. This post is brief because you will hear all the other information at Open House THIS Tuesday. The PTA meeting begins at 6:00 in the cafeteria. The first classroom session begins at 6:30 and the next session begins at 7:30. This is adults only, please, since the room will be filled and we have a full agenda. I look forward to seeing you there.
If you didn't get a chance to sign up for our class email list please email me [email protected] and I will add you to our list. Thanks! Welcome to third grade! I'm so excited you will be in my class and can't wait to meet you. We are going to have a great year. Please see the recommended supply list below and remember to KEEP READING this summer. I will definitely ask you to tell me about your favorites.
Mrs. Benson’s Supply List *2 thin highlighters (any color) *1 pair of ear buds or headphones to be used by your child only * 1, 1-inch binder (NO larger) * 4 composition notebooks- any colors, 100 sheets, wide ruled-NO SPIRAL BOUND * 1 fun folder of your choice with pockets * 1 package of Write On Tab dividers * 2 packages of sharpened #2 pencils * 1 box of sharpened colored pencils * 1 package of wide-ruled loose-leaf notebook paper * 2 pens – any color * 1 box of thick dry erase markers (at least 4 count) (Please don’t get Crayola brand!) * 1 pair of children’s scissors * 1 hand held pencil sharpener * 6 large glue sticks * 1 box of crayons (24 count) * 1 package of Crayola thick tip markers * 1 nylon pencil bag to keep in binder * 1 box of tissues * 1, ½” Avery slant-ring (aka D-ring) black binder – for science lab- this is a one-time purchase while at Tritt https://www.avery.com/products/binders/17001. Available only at Avery/Amazon/Staples/Target/etc. *Boys Only – 1 large roll of paper towels * Girls Only – 1 container of disinfecting wipes (bleach free) Camp Learned A Lot was a huge success! We had lots of fun with both indoor and outdoor activities. Telling stories in the tent with flashlights was a particular hit. "Box time" was another favorite, as well as, the visit with our book buddies and reading on sleeping bags. Hopefully, your child brought home all the fun items from their box in their new camp bag. Thank you for making sure your child had the needed supplies each day.
This is trite but it is hard to believe this school year is coming to a close. On Monday we will have our final auction, yearbook signing, class party, and a few other wrap up activities. On Tuesday students will clean out their cubbies and bring home all their remaining supplies. Third grade is also having our awards ceremony. Remember that Tuesday and Wednesday are Early Release days and students are dismissed at 12:30. Our lunch time is different both days and we eat lunch in the room on Wed., so please don't plan to eat lunch with us on those days. On Wednesday students DO NOT bring book bags or lunch boxes. Lunches should be in disposable containers. Report cards will be mailed at the end of the week if you provided 4 stamps. Next year's teacher will be indicated on the report card. If you want to get a head start you'll be able to check that teacher's blog to find out his/her supply list. Thank you for all of your support this year. It has been wonderful working with each of you. It was a great year and each of your children have become special to me. Please remember to make sure they keep reading this summer and help them to continue to develop their love of reading - some of them love to read to learn, some to go on new adventures, some to meet new characters, some to laugh, and some all of the above! Try to discover your child's preferences and make sure they have wonderful books at hand. My summer stack is already building! Have a great summer and I hope you have time to read a few books yourself. |
AuthorMrs. Amy Benson Archives
December 2018
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