Ms. B. in Class

Happy Sunday!

There is a lot in this post.  Please reach out to me if you have any questions.

Homework Change

Students must complete paper ELA homework each day for the next few weeks.  We will have digital options again, but we will review the ELA homework before we start each day’s task in the coming weeks.  I would prefer students work on ST Math or paper homework as well, but I have aligned Prodigy and Socrates with our standards and classroom content.  When we move to math preparation, I will ask that students complete paper math homework as well for a designated period of time.

Snacks

Thanks to parents who have sent in snacks for the class!  We use them when we take our breaks in the afternoon.  If you would like to send in snacks for the class such as pretzels, goldfish, cheese nips, or string cheese like snacks, please do so.  Also, if your student brings in a snack for the afternoon, I’ll have designated eat and write breaks.

Important Dates in the Coming Weeks

Important dates for the next few weeks:

• 3/26:  Kona Ice on Campus
• 3/29:  Free Dress Day – Baseball Day
• 4/02:  MAPs Math Test
• 4/03:  STEM Night
• 4/04:  MAPs ELA
• 4/13-4/21:  Spring Break
• 4/29:  SBAC ELA CAT
• 5/02:  SBAC ELA Part 1
• 5/07: SBAC ELA Part 2
• 5/10: SBAC Math CAT
• 5/15: SBAC Math Performance Task

Curriculum

Last week, we worked on differentiating between sequence, cause and effect, and comparing and contrasting passages.  We participated in an awesome field trip to Lake Mead (thanks for all of your help!).  We figured out why some climates are always hot, and we used our previously acquired fraction knowledge to start comparing fractions.  Those students who completed their book challenge enjoyeda pizza and cookie party on Thursday.  We also wrote informational text pieces and responded to informational text question prompts.

This Week

This week students will work on reviewing all of the ELA standards they have developed throughout the year.  They will work to identify and know the meaning of the most common prefixes and derivational suffixes. In math, students will learn to express whole numbers as fractions, and recognize fractions that are equivalent to whole numbers. Examples: Express 3 in the form 3 = 3/1; recognize that 6/1 = 6; locate 4/4 and 1 at the same point of a number line diagram.

I have created some fun events to make our testing preparation and curriculum review more engaging.  On Monday, students will learn my expectations for participating in the review events.  Students will earn Fornite-like currencies for working hard, taking their time, and producing their best work.  The currency for this week will be bricks (like those that are gathered in game).  They will store their bricks in their cache.  At the end of the day, students who have earned enough bricks will engage in an individual or group activity.  An example of this team building or individual activity is the supply run (using spoons to transfer ping -pong balls in a relay race).  These events are designed to provide mental  breaks for the hard work students will engage in daily.  After students finish this portion of the review, I will introduce another team building and engaging activity.

This weeks homework can be found here:  2019-03-25 homework

Hi parents!  As we prepare for MAPs and SBAC testing, I will open my doors twice a week at 8:30 a.m. before school, so students can hone their skills with ST Math or Lexia.  I will be available to help students as they progress through reviews that will help them better prepare for testing and teach mini lessons as needed.  The days of the week will likely vary because we often have meetings in the morning.  My goal is to offer this at least twice a week through May.

This week I will be at the front door to bring in students at 8:30 a.m. on Monday and Wednesday.  If you’d like your student to get a little more time with curriculum, I would love to have them.  Please send me an email if you have any questions.

Parents,

I wanted to reach out and give you some resources for our upcoming standardized tests.  We have been working on SBAC like questions in class, but you can help, too.  I’ve included links for students and parents to familiarize themselves with the MAPs and SBAC questions below.  Moreover, please note that these reading passages are long.  We are working on taking notes for each paragraph so that students are prepared to work through these with confidence in the prescribed time frame.  Please walk through the process with your students.  Having your support as they prepare for these tests is very helpful.

MAPs

MAPs tests are computer adaptive.  This means they adjust based on your student’s performance.  Let your students know that they should always try hard, but sometimes they will face material that they’ve never seen before.  Make sure students get a good night’s sleep the night before and come into school ready to give their best effort.

MAPs practice tests:  https://studentresources.nwea.org/

SBAC tests are computer adaptive and include performance tasks.  Students have been working on performance tasks all year, but we will work on SBAC like assessments in the coming weeks as we prepare for these tests.  Performance tasks must be completed in one school day.  Students will be in the lab for a specific period of time.  We are working on answering completely within a time frame in class right now.

SBAC (note this website functions best in Chrome) practice tests can be found here:

https://wbte.drcedirect.com/NV/portals/nv/

It is important that students understand that these tests are important, but that they are so much more than one number on one test.  I read them a letter before we take the test that reminds them of all the things they do with ease and confidence that cannot be memorialized on a test before each testing session.

Complete testing schedule:

4/02: MAPs Math Test
4/04: MAPs ELA
4/29: SBAC ELA CAT
5/02: SBAC ELA Part 1
5/07: SBAC ELA Part 2
5/10: SBAC Math CAT
5/15: SBAC Math Performance Task

Parents,

I will pull students from the dot as soon as the music starts playing tomorrow.  We must leave as soon as we are settled.  If your student is late to school, they should head to the office and they will be placed in another class for the day.

1. Pencil
2. Notebook
3. Good walking shoes
4. Sunscreen on or in bag for reapplication
5. Snack
6. Hat
7. Water Bottle (Please send some sort of water bottle with your students.  We can fill before we leave.)

Hi, parents! I wanted to remind you all that we have our field trip on Wednesday, March 20, this week.

Important dates for the next few weeks:

• 3/20 – Field Trip
• 3/22 – No School

Curriculum

Students will:

• Understand the function of homonyms v. homophones and and their functions in language.
• Explain equivalence of fractions in special cases, and compare fractions by reasoning about their size.
• Demonstrate an understanding of informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
• Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect.

This week, we completed a unit on literal and nonliteral meanings and phrases.  We took a trip to Lizard Island in science.  We dipped our toe in equivalent fractions.  We also used RACES to respond to questions and write the beginning of informational text pieces.  Next week we will start our preparation for year end testing.

Testing Date Reminder:

MAPs testing dates will be forthcoming as well. Testing Dates:

4/29: SBAC ELA CAT
5/02: SBAC ELA Part 1
5/07: SBAC ELA Part 2
5/10: SBAC Math CAT
5/15: SBAC Math Performance Task

This week’s homework:  homework 3.17.19

Hi parents! I spoke with your students today about the importance of being present as we work toward our end of year goals.  I also discussed that they will be fourth graders soon and need to take responsibility for the quality and completion of their work.  I’ve built unfinished work time into our reading block rotations, and I allow students to come into my classroom at recess most days (except Thursdays because of meetings).  Please reinforce this step toward personal responsibility at home as well, and the importance of being present while we prepare for the end of the year.

I tell them often that we only have 180 days together and they go fast.  I enjoy spending each day with them, and I want them to become all that they are capable of.  As always, if you have any questions, I’m around and will answer them as soon possible. Thanks for helping me prepare them to be the best fourth graders they can be! I appreciate your support.

Important dates for the coming weeks:

• 3/11-3/15:  Book Fair
• 3/14:  Pi Day
• 3/15:  Dads and Donuts
• 3/15:  First Book Challenge Due for Book Challenge Party
• 3/15:  Green and Gold – Free Dress Day
• 3/20 – Field Trip

We have been given a tentative testing schedule for SBAC testing.  As we start buckling down to prepare for testing, I’ve told students they can bring a snack for our transition from math to writing.  Because we move and touch things, please do not send snacks like Cheetos and Doritos as the dust gets on or near Chromebooks and desks.  String cheese, veggie chips, pretzels, goldfish, and the like are great snacks.  If you’d like to pick up snacks for the class, we will use them.  The big bag of pretzels or goldfish are great, and individual bags are nice as well.  I can have the kids split up the bigger bags, and I know they are more economical.

MAPs testing dates will be forthcoming as well.  Testing Dates:

• 4/29:  SBAC ELA CAT
• 5/02:  SBAC ELA Part 1
• 5/07:  SBAC ELA Part 2 (This date may change as I have a conflict in school that day.  I’ll let you know as soon as I know)
  
• 5/10:  SBAC Math CAT
  
• 5/15:  SBAC Math Performance Task

Curriculum

• Students will:
  • Understand the function of homonyms v. homophones and and their functions in language.
  • Understand a fraction 1/b as the quantity formed by 1 part when a whole is partitioned into b equal parts; understand a fraction a/b as the quantity formed by a parts of size 1/b.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
  • Distinguish the literal and nonliteral meanings of words and phrases in context.

This week, we completed our unit on poetry and started working on detailing the differences between fact and opinion.  We also tied up our landforms and maps unit in social studies.  We started using number lines and drawings to represent and understand fractions.  We used RACES to respond to questions and write the beginning of informational text pieces.  In science some of us outran a dinosaur and some of us got chomped.

Events

Important dates for the coming weeks:

• Wednesday 3/6:  Free Dress Day – Picture Day
• Friday 3/8:  Kona Ice on campus after school
• 3/11-3/15:  Book Fair
• 3/14:  Pi Day
• 3/15:  Dads and Donuts
• 3/15:  Green and Gold – Free Dress Day

Curriculum

• Students will:
  • Understand the function of possessive nouns in general and their functions in sentences.
  • Understand how geography, particularly landforms, influence community location and development.
  • Understand a fraction 1/b as the quantity formed by 1 part when a whole is partitioned into b equal parts; understand a fraction a/b as the quantity formed by a parts of size 1/b.
  • Start writing informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
  • Represent data in tables and graphical displays to describe typical weather conditions expected during a particular season.

We are starting fractions this week.  This can be a hard unit.  I’ve bumped fractions in your students’ ST Math curriculum to coincide with this unit.  Completing 20 minutes of ST Math a night will greatly increase student understanding of fractions.  (DO THE ST MATH!) I’ve also added fractions to Prodigy, Socrates, and Zearn, so students can complete homework with any of those programs as well.

We will tie up a few loose ends in poetry this week before moving on to literal and nonliteral language in reading.  Our reading responses will feed into our writing unit on informational and explanatory texts.  While teaching this unit, students will start using the RACES acronym to answer questions.  Google Classroom questions should be answered in this format until the end of the year.

R.A.C.E.S

Pi Day

What is the Pi day deal?  I love Pi day, and it’s a great way to tie in cross-curricular lessons.  On 3.14 (March 14, 2019), we will have a Pi Day in class.

I know! We’ve had a lot of events and have a field trip coming up.  But, this specific day does allow me to bring science, reading, math, and writing together.  We will eat pie!  I encourage students to wear a Pi shirt.  (I may own a few.)  Because we’ll be knee deep in fractions, this is a great time to discuss parts of wholes with pie as well.  If you would like to send in a pie, we will take it.  We only need five total pies.  Students will only have one piece of pie each.

Reading Week

Thanks for making reading week amazing!!!! It was awesome to have so many guest readers!  I am grateful, and we are grateful as a class.

3rd Grade Standardized Tests

We should have our testing schedule next week and I will share the dates we’ve been assigned for our final round of MAPs testing and SBAC testing.

2019-03-04-homework

We’ve had some out-of-this world guest readers.  Thanks for all that you give to our classroom in every way.  The time you spend with the kids in and outside the classroom is so helpful, valued, and inspiring!  You are the best!

If you ask our class, Spider-Man into the Spider-Verse was a shoo in for the Oscar win.  Nonetheless, it’s nice to see someone at the academy agrees with these advanced 3rd grade minds.

There’s a hero in all of us, and we couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you to the Academy for recognizing the incredible team behind #SpiderVerse: Winner – Best Animated Feature 🏆 pic.twitter.com/qxBq9dJlHq

— Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse (@SpiderVerse) February 25, 2019