Only five school days until winter break! I am really looking forward to all of the activities of the week. I am especially excited for the sing-along that the kids will be doing on Friday. I will be sure to take some pictures!
Pringle Cans
Please continue to send your empty Pringle cans. We will be using them to make an awesome multiplication tool. I need one Pringle can per student. Thank you for you support in this!
Gift Exchange
Gifts for our class gift exchange are due on Wednesday the 19th. Please feel free to send them on or before that date. If you are not going to be able to purchase a gift for any reason, please inform me as soon as possible. The students are really looking forward to this, and it is really neat to see how happy they are to give a gift to a fellow classmate. :)
The Week Ahead
English: We will finish our verb unit on Tuesday. We will review on Wednesday, and then have our test on Thursday. I will be sending the students home with their English books starting Monday so they can start studying. I will also send the students home with a note with page numbers.
Math: We will learn to subtract two digit numbers, write numbers to 1,000 using words, and add and subtract multiples of 100.
Reading: There will be no story and no spelling list this week. We will learn to identify and write topic sentences, we practice following written directions, we will discuss cause and effect, and we will work on comprehension skills.
Social Studies: We will learn about Kwanzaa, and Christmas in Sweden.
Science: We will discuss water pressure as an extension after learning about water ecosystems.
I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend! Please feel free to contact me at: bcalcott@orionschools.us with any questions or concerns.
Thank you for your continued support!
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Winter Break is just around the corner, and we have been having a great time decorating the classroom! We have also been learning about different holidays that are celebrated this time of year. On Friday, we had a very special assembly. Dave, from The Wilderness Classroom, came in to discuss his recent adventure. For the past two and a half years, he has been traveling around North America by dogsled, canoe, and kayak! The students were able to see some amazing pictures, and safety gear that he uses. If you would like to learn more about The Wilderness Classroom. You can go to their website: www.wildernessclassroom.com
Below is a picture of some of the students selected to try on some of Dave's adventure gear!
Pringle Cans
I am hoping to make a multiplication tool for the students to use. In order to make them, I will need empty Pringle cans. If you have any that you do not plan to use, please send them to school with your child. Thank you!
The Week Ahead
English: Will will continue our unit on Verbs.
Math: We will learn to square numbers, identify perfect squares, find area of a square, simplify expressions with exponents of 2, show three- and four-digit numbers using base ten blocks, write three- and four-digit numbers for a model or picture, set a dial, determine elapsed time, and identify missing addends in addition stories.
Reading: We will be reading a compilation of fables called, Saying We Share. We will also learn the elements of a fable, how to identify the problem, solution, plot, and theme in a story, how to identify homographs, and more!
Science: We will discuss desert ecosystems.
Social Studies: We will continue to learn and discuss winter holidays in various cultures.
Please feel free to e-mail me at bcalcott@orionschools.us with any questions or concerns. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Below is a picture of some of the students selected to try on some of Dave's adventure gear!
Pringle Cans
I am hoping to make a multiplication tool for the students to use. In order to make them, I will need empty Pringle cans. If you have any that you do not plan to use, please send them to school with your child. Thank you!
The Week Ahead
English: Will will continue our unit on Verbs.
Math: We will learn to square numbers, identify perfect squares, find area of a square, simplify expressions with exponents of 2, show three- and four-digit numbers using base ten blocks, write three- and four-digit numbers for a model or picture, set a dial, determine elapsed time, and identify missing addends in addition stories.
Reading: We will be reading a compilation of fables called, Saying We Share. We will also learn the elements of a fable, how to identify the problem, solution, plot, and theme in a story, how to identify homographs, and more!
Science: We will discuss desert ecosystems.
Social Studies: We will continue to learn and discuss winter holidays in various cultures.
Please feel free to e-mail me at bcalcott@orionschools.us with any questions or concerns. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Hello Everyone! This week we had Ag in the class on Wednesday! We learned that cranberries are grown in bogs. We learned how they are harvested, and then packaged for the holidays. We were also lucky enough to do some cranberry taste testing. We got to try a fresh cranberry, a dried cranberry, cranberry sauce, and cranberry juice.
We were very excited to have our third Junior Achievement lesson on Friday. We had the opportunity to create our own businesses. We learned that businesses need to buy supplies, hire employees, and pay rent.
Book Fair
The book fair is this week (December 3rd - December 7th). A note went home in Friday Folders.
Multiplication Update
I introduced the 6's on Friday. I am planning to give a test to the students over the 6's on Thursday or Friday of this week. The students that have already passed the 5's are the only students that will take the 6's test. Everyone else will take a test on the facts that they are stuck on. Each student knows which facts they should be working on. Please make sure your child is studying every single night. Even if you child has passed every test up to this point, they need to keep reviewing old facts so they do not forget them.
Gift Exchange
I just want to remind everyone about the class gift exchange. These gifts are not due until December 19th. A few weeks ago, I sent a note home with each students. The note should include a student's name and a list of gift ideas for that student. Please remember to not spend more than $5.00 on the gift. If you are unable to purchase a gift for any reason, please let me know in advance.
The Week Ahead
English: We will continue our unit on verbs. We will also be doing some persuasive writing this week.
Math: We will learn to write division problems in three ways, identify quotients, use guess and check to solve a problem, how to read a recipe, how to measure with cups, tablespoons, and teaspoons, write part of a s set as a fraction, and estimate differences of two two-digit numbers.
Reading: We will read an excerpt from Ramona Forever. We will also use prefixes and suffixes to clarify meaning, create story maps to retell a story, learn to follow directions from a text, and we will identify different literary forms.
Science: We will complete our rainforest research project
Social Studies: We will begin learning how people from other cultures celebrate the December holidays.
I hope everyone has had a wonderful weekend! Please feel free to e-mail me at bcalcott@orionschools.us with any questions or concerns.
We were very excited to have our third Junior Achievement lesson on Friday. We had the opportunity to create our own businesses. We learned that businesses need to buy supplies, hire employees, and pay rent.
Book Fair
The book fair is this week (December 3rd - December 7th). A note went home in Friday Folders.
Multiplication Update
I introduced the 6's on Friday. I am planning to give a test to the students over the 6's on Thursday or Friday of this week. The students that have already passed the 5's are the only students that will take the 6's test. Everyone else will take a test on the facts that they are stuck on. Each student knows which facts they should be working on. Please make sure your child is studying every single night. Even if you child has passed every test up to this point, they need to keep reviewing old facts so they do not forget them.
Gift Exchange
I just want to remind everyone about the class gift exchange. These gifts are not due until December 19th. A few weeks ago, I sent a note home with each students. The note should include a student's name and a list of gift ideas for that student. Please remember to not spend more than $5.00 on the gift. If you are unable to purchase a gift for any reason, please let me know in advance.
The Week Ahead
English: We will continue our unit on verbs. We will also be doing some persuasive writing this week.
Math: We will learn to write division problems in three ways, identify quotients, use guess and check to solve a problem, how to read a recipe, how to measure with cups, tablespoons, and teaspoons, write part of a s set as a fraction, and estimate differences of two two-digit numbers.
Reading: We will read an excerpt from Ramona Forever. We will also use prefixes and suffixes to clarify meaning, create story maps to retell a story, learn to follow directions from a text, and we will identify different literary forms.
Science: We will complete our rainforest research project
Social Studies: We will begin learning how people from other cultures celebrate the December holidays.
I hope everyone has had a wonderful weekend! Please feel free to e-mail me at bcalcott@orionschools.us with any questions or concerns.
Monday, November 26, 2012
We sure packed a lot of activities into a two-day week! We had a special bullying presentation on Monday that the students really enjoyed. On Tuesday we had a presenter from the Putnam Museum. She spoke to us about art in nature. At the end of her presentation, we got to make an origami frog that can jump! We also spent a fair amount of time completing our Thanksgiving Pocket Books. Hopefully the students shared their knowledge of the first Thanksgiving with their families.
The Week Ahead
English: We will continue our unit on verbs. We will also be working on organizing our writing in the correct order.
Math: We will learn to draw and measure line segments to the nearest 1/2 inch, locate and name points on a number line with a scale of 10, draw a bar graph with a scale of 10, act out, draw pictures, and write number sentences for "equal groups" story problems, and identify and draw lines of symmetry.
Reading: We will be reading a story called, Centerfield Ballhawk. We will also learn and discuss antonyms, sequencing story events, and main idea.
Science: We will be doing a small research assignment (in class) about a rainforest animal to finish off the unit.
Social Studies: We will learn to read a diagram, and then we will create our own diagrams.
I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving break! Please feel free to contact me at bcalcott@orionschools.us with any questions or concerns.
English: We will continue our unit on verbs. We will also be working on organizing our writing in the correct order.
Math: We will learn to draw and measure line segments to the nearest 1/2 inch, locate and name points on a number line with a scale of 10, draw a bar graph with a scale of 10, act out, draw pictures, and write number sentences for "equal groups" story problems, and identify and draw lines of symmetry.
Reading: We will be reading a story called, Centerfield Ballhawk. We will also learn and discuss antonyms, sequencing story events, and main idea.
Science: We will be doing a small research assignment (in class) about a rainforest animal to finish off the unit.
Social Studies: We will learn to read a diagram, and then we will create our own diagrams.
I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving break! Please feel free to contact me at bcalcott@orionschools.us with any questions or concerns.
Friday, November 16, 2012
Even though it was a short week, it was very busy. We have been working really hard on finishing our Thanksgiving pocket books. The students will be bringing them home on Tuesday. They may want to share some of the lessons that they learned with their family members on Thanksgiving. This morning, we had our second Junior Achievement lesson. The students were able to create their own city. They decided where certain buildings and businesses should be built. The students loved the lesson, and seemed to pay attention the whole time!
Toys for Tots
Orion High School is going to be an official Toys for Tots donation site. This will begin on November 19th. If the donation is made during the Tip Off Classic Boys Basketball Tournament (November 19th-24th), that person will be entered into a nightly cake raffle drawing! Let's help make this Christmas special for kids in need!
No Spelling
There is no spelling list for next week since we only have two days of school. You will not find a list in Friday Folders.
The Week Ahead
English: We will continue our unit on verbs. We are also learning how to organize our writing by using "order words."
Math: We will continue practicing the addition algorithm with real-world application. Please continue to practice multiplication with your child.
Reading: Since there is no story this week, we will be working on some reader's theater scripts. We will also work on identifying similes. We will review prefixes and suffixes.
Social Studies: We will have a special lesson on bullying. We will also be spending time to finish learning about the first Thanksgiving. We will discuss the differences between the meal that the Pilgrims ate and the meal that we eat today.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at bcalcott@orionschools.us. Have a great weekend!
Toys for Tots
Orion High School is going to be an official Toys for Tots donation site. This will begin on November 19th. If the donation is made during the Tip Off Classic Boys Basketball Tournament (November 19th-24th), that person will be entered into a nightly cake raffle drawing! Let's help make this Christmas special for kids in need!
No Spelling
There is no spelling list for next week since we only have two days of school. You will not find a list in Friday Folders.
The Week Ahead
English: We will continue our unit on verbs. We are also learning how to organize our writing by using "order words."
Math: We will continue practicing the addition algorithm with real-world application. Please continue to practice multiplication with your child.
Reading: Since there is no story this week, we will be working on some reader's theater scripts. We will also work on identifying similes. We will review prefixes and suffixes.
Social Studies: We will have a special lesson on bullying. We will also be spending time to finish learning about the first Thanksgiving. We will discuss the differences between the meal that the Pilgrims ate and the meal that we eat today.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at bcalcott@orionschools.us. Have a great weekend!
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Hello everyone! This is always a fun time of year because we get to discuss the first Thanksgiving! We also get to do many activities related to this concept. We learned that the Mayflower was 90 feet long and 26 feet wide. We went into the hallway with a string that is 90 feet long to see just how long the Mayflower was. The students observed that it seemed really long, but for 130+ people it would not be very comfortable. They decided that it would not be a fun trip to be on. We are going to continue learning about the hardships that the Pilgrims faced when they traveled to North America.
Multiplication Update
I will be introducing the 5's this week. Usually students pick these up quickly. Please continue to practice the facts that we have already learned.
The Week Ahead
English: We will continue to learn about verbs.
Math: We will learn to make shapes for a given perimeter, construct a number line, add two two-digit numbers using the addition algorithm, use estimation to verify the reasonableness of calculated results.
Reading: My reading class will be reading The Talent Show. We will also learn to create mental images, review prefixes and suffixes, learn to summarize text, practice making and confirming predictions, and learn to identify and create similes.
Science: We will finish our Rainforest unit.
Social Studies: We will continue our unit about the first Thanksgiving.
Multiplication Update
I will be introducing the 5's this week. Usually students pick these up quickly. Please continue to practice the facts that we have already learned.
The Week Ahead
English: We will continue to learn about verbs.
Math: We will learn to make shapes for a given perimeter, construct a number line, add two two-digit numbers using the addition algorithm, use estimation to verify the reasonableness of calculated results.
Reading: My reading class will be reading The Talent Show. We will also learn to create mental images, review prefixes and suffixes, learn to summarize text, practice making and confirming predictions, and learn to identify and create similes.
Science: We will finish our Rainforest unit.
Social Studies: We will continue our unit about the first Thanksgiving.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
What an awesome week! Wednesday was Halloween! The party that the PTA threw for the students was outstanding! Thank you to all of the parents that were able to help out! Another exciting event from the week was that we had our first Junior Achievement lesson! Emily Snell from Bank Orion is going to be teaching the students about how a community/city works. We will have four more lessons from her.
Cold Weather
Please make sure that your child is coming to school with weather appropriate clothes. Sometimes the students go outside for P.E. at 9:50 a.m. At this time, it is still pretty cold outside.
Multiplication Update
The students were tested over the 3's. Some students have not yet mastered these facts. Please make sure your child is studying every night. This week, I will introduce the 4's. Feel free to get a head start on working on the 4's with your child!
The Week Ahead
English: We will begin a unit on verbs. For writing, we have started a unit about organization. We are specifically working on beginning, middle, and end.
Math: We will learn to read a thermometer to the nearest degree Fahrenheit, identify freezing and boiling point of water and normal body temperature on the Fahrenheit scale, use comparison symbols (<, >, and =), identify horizontal, vertical, and oblique line segments, and find perimeter.
Reading: My reading class will be reading a realistic fiction story called, The Stories Julian Tells. We will also learn how to sequence events in a story, how to follow directions, about multiple meaning words and, to identify the prefix and root of a word.
Science: We will continue to learn about the rain forest. We will focus on the products that we get from the rain forest.
Social Studies: We will learn to read and make a diagram.
Please feel free to e-mail me at bcalcott@orionschools.us if you have any questions or concerns. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Cold Weather
Please make sure that your child is coming to school with weather appropriate clothes. Sometimes the students go outside for P.E. at 9:50 a.m. At this time, it is still pretty cold outside.
Multiplication Update
The students were tested over the 3's. Some students have not yet mastered these facts. Please make sure your child is studying every night. This week, I will introduce the 4's. Feel free to get a head start on working on the 4's with your child!
The Week Ahead
English: We will begin a unit on verbs. For writing, we have started a unit about organization. We are specifically working on beginning, middle, and end.
Math: We will learn to read a thermometer to the nearest degree Fahrenheit, identify freezing and boiling point of water and normal body temperature on the Fahrenheit scale, use comparison symbols (<, >, and =), identify horizontal, vertical, and oblique line segments, and find perimeter.
Reading: My reading class will be reading a realistic fiction story called, The Stories Julian Tells. We will also learn how to sequence events in a story, how to follow directions, about multiple meaning words and, to identify the prefix and root of a word.
Science: We will continue to learn about the rain forest. We will focus on the products that we get from the rain forest.
Social Studies: We will learn to read and make a diagram.
Please feel free to e-mail me at bcalcott@orionschools.us if you have any questions or concerns. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Sunday, October 28, 2012
I hope everyone is having a nice weekend! Last week was very exciting! On Wednesday, we had Ag in the Class. We got to make pumpkin milk shakes that were super tasty. According to some students, "It was better than Dairy Queen!" Each student was given the recipe to take home. On Friday, we had our bus evacuation drills. It is always good to refresh our memories on safety. The students were given a bus safety coloring book and a few other things to remind them of what they learned.
Multiplication
We have now learned 0's, 1's, 2's, 10's, and 3's. I have not tested the students over the 3's yet, but will do that sometime during the week ahead. Please make sure your child is practicing for at least a few minutes each night. It is very important that they do no fall behind on these facts. I sent the students home with some multiplying by 3 flash cards. Please let me know if you need any suggestions about how to study these facts.
The Week Ahead
English: We will be having our English test over nouns on Friday. I will start sending the students home with their English books on Monday. I want them to start studying early in the week because of Halloween. I do not expect that much studying will get done on that night. :) I will send a note home with the students that will give the page numbers that the test will cover.
Math: We will learn to identify factors and products, identify a missing digit in an addition problem, to understand the carrying capacity of containers, how to read a thermometer to the nearest degree Fahrenheit, and at what temperature water freezes and boils.
Reading: My reading class will read a story called, Rosie, A Visiting Dog's Story. We will also learn how to categorize different words, how to sequence events. and how to follow written directions.
Social Studies: We will learn about communities that are built by water.
Science: We will continue to learn about rainforests.
Please feel free to e-mail me at bcalcott@orionschools.us. I hope everyone enjoys the rest of their Sunday!
Multiplication
We have now learned 0's, 1's, 2's, 10's, and 3's. I have not tested the students over the 3's yet, but will do that sometime during the week ahead. Please make sure your child is practicing for at least a few minutes each night. It is very important that they do no fall behind on these facts. I sent the students home with some multiplying by 3 flash cards. Please let me know if you need any suggestions about how to study these facts.
The Week Ahead
English: We will be having our English test over nouns on Friday. I will start sending the students home with their English books on Monday. I want them to start studying early in the week because of Halloween. I do not expect that much studying will get done on that night. :) I will send a note home with the students that will give the page numbers that the test will cover.
Math: We will learn to identify factors and products, identify a missing digit in an addition problem, to understand the carrying capacity of containers, how to read a thermometer to the nearest degree Fahrenheit, and at what temperature water freezes and boils.
Reading: My reading class will read a story called, Rosie, A Visiting Dog's Story. We will also learn how to categorize different words, how to sequence events. and how to follow written directions.
Social Studies: We will learn about communities that are built by water.
Science: We will continue to learn about rainforests.
Please feel free to e-mail me at bcalcott@orionschools.us. I hope everyone enjoys the rest of their Sunday!
Friday, October 19, 2012
Hello! It was so great to meet/see all of you at conferences yesterday and today. It's so nice to touch base with all of you! If you were not able to complete the survey that was handed to you at conferences, please complete it, and bring it to the C. R. Hanna office at your convenience. We are planning to use these surveys to see what areas we are doing well in, and what areas we could improve in. Thank you for taking the time to fill it out! I noticed that most of the apples on my wish list were taken! Wow! Your generosity is appreciated!
Multiplication:
We have started learning our multiplication facts. We have learned the 0's, 1's, and 2's so far. We will be learning our 10's and 3's next week. Mastering the 10's should be fairly easy for the students since they already understand the multiplying by 1 rule. The 3's will be our first set of multiplication facts that could be difficult to master. Please make sure your child is practicing for a few minutes each night. If you need any suggestions about how to study these facts, please do not hesitate to contact me. I am more than happy to help with that.
The Week Ahead
English: We will complete our noun unit! The test will not be until next week. I will send a note home at the end of the week with details about when the test will be, and what pages to study.
Math: As mentioned above, we will learn our multiplying by 10 and multiplying by 3 facts. We will also learn to conduct a survey, draw and read a pictograph, identify place value to hundreds, write three-digit numbers in expanded form, add two-digit numbers using mental computation, name line segments, identify and make isosceles, scalene, and equilateral triangles, and identify a missing digit in an addition problem.
Reading: My reading class will be reading an adorable story called, Little Grunt and the Big Egg.We will also learn and discuss the oi and oy spelling pattern, cause and effect, and fact and opinion.
Social Studies: We will learn that communities are in different places, and that communities are built near water.
Science: We will start a unit on rainforests.
I hope everyone is enjoying the long weekend. Again, it was great to see all of you at conferences! Please e-mail if you have any questions or concerns at bcalcott@orionschools.us.
Multiplication:
We have started learning our multiplication facts. We have learned the 0's, 1's, and 2's so far. We will be learning our 10's and 3's next week. Mastering the 10's should be fairly easy for the students since they already understand the multiplying by 1 rule. The 3's will be our first set of multiplication facts that could be difficult to master. Please make sure your child is practicing for a few minutes each night. If you need any suggestions about how to study these facts, please do not hesitate to contact me. I am more than happy to help with that.
The Week Ahead
English: We will complete our noun unit! The test will not be until next week. I will send a note home at the end of the week with details about when the test will be, and what pages to study.
Math: As mentioned above, we will learn our multiplying by 10 and multiplying by 3 facts. We will also learn to conduct a survey, draw and read a pictograph, identify place value to hundreds, write three-digit numbers in expanded form, add two-digit numbers using mental computation, name line segments, identify and make isosceles, scalene, and equilateral triangles, and identify a missing digit in an addition problem.
Reading: My reading class will be reading an adorable story called, Little Grunt and the Big Egg.We will also learn and discuss the oi and oy spelling pattern, cause and effect, and fact and opinion.
Social Studies: We will learn that communities are in different places, and that communities are built near water.
Science: We will start a unit on rainforests.
I hope everyone is enjoying the long weekend. Again, it was great to see all of you at conferences! Please e-mail if you have any questions or concerns at bcalcott@orionschools.us.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Hi everyone! It was great to see so many dads come in for Donuts with Dad. I can tell how proud the students are to take their dads to their classroom! It's such a fun event! Thank you PTA! I can't believe it is already conference week! Please remember that there are only three days of school this week. There will be no school on Thursday and Friday due to conferences. I sent a blue note home with each student that indicates the day and time of your child's conference. If you did not sign up yet, please call the C. R. Hanna office at: (309) 526-3386 to set one up. I am looking forward to meeting/seeing all of you this week!
The Week Ahead:
English: We will continue our unit on nouns. We are getting close to the end of the unit. As soon as I have the test date planned, I will send a note home about what to study. In writing, we are learning to stick to our topic as we write. We are also writing an expository paper about Halloween safety tips.
Math: I will be introducing the multiplying by 2 facts. We will also learn to add three or more single-digit numbers, make a table while problem solving, tell time to five-minute intervals, and identify a.m. and p.m.
Reading: Since we have no spelling list or story this week, we will focus on reading strategies in small groups and individually.
Social Studies: We will discuss where people start communities and why.
Science: We will discuss carrying capacity in an ecosystem.
Multiplication Facts
We have just started learning our multiplication facts. Last week, we learned and were tested on multiplying by 0 and 1. This week, we will be introducing the multiplying by 2 facts. Please make sure to practice these facts at home with your child even if they have no fact homework that night.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at: bcalcott@orionschools.us.
The Week Ahead:
English: We will continue our unit on nouns. We are getting close to the end of the unit. As soon as I have the test date planned, I will send a note home about what to study. In writing, we are learning to stick to our topic as we write. We are also writing an expository paper about Halloween safety tips.
Math: I will be introducing the multiplying by 2 facts. We will also learn to add three or more single-digit numbers, make a table while problem solving, tell time to five-minute intervals, and identify a.m. and p.m.
Reading: Since we have no spelling list or story this week, we will focus on reading strategies in small groups and individually.
Social Studies: We will discuss where people start communities and why.
Science: We will discuss carrying capacity in an ecosystem.
Multiplication Facts
We have just started learning our multiplication facts. Last week, we learned and were tested on multiplying by 0 and 1. This week, we will be introducing the multiplying by 2 facts. Please make sure to practice these facts at home with your child even if they have no fact homework that night.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at: bcalcott@orionschools.us.
Monday, October 8, 2012
Hello! It's starting to feel like fall outside! Please make sure that your child is bringing a jacket to school. The students are going outside for gym fairly early in the morning. It is still pretty cold outside at that time. We had a really good week with behavior! The students were focused and engaged in all of the lessons. They were able to keep up all of their letters, and will get a small reward on Tuesday!
Library Help
Mrs. Begley has informed the the teachers that she is in need of some volunteers in the library. From 12:10-1:50, she needs someone to help supervise students as they check books out. Since she has no volunteers at this time, students are not able to check as many books out. If you are interested in helping out, please e-mail Mrs. Begley at dbegley@orionschools.us.
Thank you!!!
Scholastic Book Order
I sent home a Scholastic Book Order with the students on Friday. I am asking that these are orders are placed or turned in by Friday, October 12th. If this is not enough time, please let me know and I can extend the deadline. If you place your order online, you will receive a $5.00 off coupon for your next order!
The Week Ahead
English: We will continue our unit about nouns.
Math: We will be introducing multiplication this week. Please pay attention for notes that will be sent home explaining what facts we are working on, and when we expect them to be mastered. We will also learn to order three-digit numbers, write story problems for addition and subtraction number sentences, and count quarters.
Reading: My reading class will be reading a nonfiction article called, Wild Shots, They're My Life. We will also discuss author's purpose, synonyms, literary forms, the C that makes the /s/ sound, the G that makes the /j/ sound, homophones, and rephrasing idioms.
Social Studies: We will start learning about where people start communities and why.
Science: We will be learning about forest ecosystems.
I hope everyone had a wonderful long weekend! Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns at: bcalcott@orionschools.us.
Library Help
Mrs. Begley has informed the the teachers that she is in need of some volunteers in the library. From 12:10-1:50, she needs someone to help supervise students as they check books out. Since she has no volunteers at this time, students are not able to check as many books out. If you are interested in helping out, please e-mail Mrs. Begley at dbegley@orionschools.us.
Thank you!!!
Scholastic Book Order
I sent home a Scholastic Book Order with the students on Friday. I am asking that these are orders are placed or turned in by Friday, October 12th. If this is not enough time, please let me know and I can extend the deadline. If you place your order online, you will receive a $5.00 off coupon for your next order!
The Week Ahead
English: We will continue our unit about nouns.
Math: We will be introducing multiplication this week. Please pay attention for notes that will be sent home explaining what facts we are working on, and when we expect them to be mastered. We will also learn to order three-digit numbers, write story problems for addition and subtraction number sentences, and count quarters.
Reading: My reading class will be reading a nonfiction article called, Wild Shots, They're My Life. We will also discuss author's purpose, synonyms, literary forms, the C that makes the /s/ sound, the G that makes the /j/ sound, homophones, and rephrasing idioms.
Social Studies: We will start learning about where people start communities and why.
Science: We will be learning about forest ecosystems.
I hope everyone had a wonderful long weekend! Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns at: bcalcott@orionschools.us.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
I hope everyone is enjoying the beautiful weather we're having this weekend! Our week in 3rd grade was very busy. On Wednesday, we had our first Ag. in the Class lesson! We learned about how football is related to farms. The students realized that there are many connections, and that a football game could not happen without a farmer. We will be having Ag. in the Class every month for the rest of the year. They are valuable lessons about the importance of agriculture, and the students love it. Friday was also a special day. My parents came from Chicago for a visit, and my mom taught an art history lesson to the students. They were able to make their own versions of a famous Renoir painting. I am very impressed with the effort the students put into their art projects.
Reminder
Please remember to send in your RSVPs for Donuts with Dad by Tuesday.
The Week Ahead
English: We will continue our unit about nouns.
Math: We will learn to collect data, tally, estimate the sum of two digit numbers, measure using centimeters, add multiples of ten using mental computation, and order three digit numbers.
Reading: My reading class with be reading an amazing story called, Balto, the Dog Who Saved Nome. We will also practice making and confirming predictions, learn about synonyms, review author's purpose, and learn to make and identify analogies.
Science: We will be starting a unit about where living things are found.
Social Studies: We will be learning that people have different ways of living.
If anyone has any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to e-mail me at bcalcott@orionschools.us with any questions or concerns.
Reminder
Please remember to send in your RSVPs for Donuts with Dad by Tuesday.
The Week Ahead
English: We will continue our unit about nouns.
Math: We will learn to collect data, tally, estimate the sum of two digit numbers, measure using centimeters, add multiples of ten using mental computation, and order three digit numbers.
Reading: My reading class with be reading an amazing story called, Balto, the Dog Who Saved Nome. We will also practice making and confirming predictions, learn about synonyms, review author's purpose, and learn to make and identify analogies.
Science: We will be starting a unit about where living things are found.
Social Studies: We will be learning that people have different ways of living.
If anyone has any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to e-mail me at bcalcott@orionschools.us with any questions or concerns.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
It really started to feel like fall this week! Some students are still not bringing jackets to school. In the morning, when it is still quite chilly out, they sometimes go outside for P.E. Please make sure your child starts bringing a jacket or sweatshirt to school. With the weather getting cooler, our minds are moving toward exciting days ahead like Halloween! On Wednesday Mrs. Brewers, a retired 3rd grade teacher, came to our classroom to do a special Halloween project with the students. The students dunked cheese cloth into a fabric stiffener, and then put them over Styrofoam balls to make a ghost shape. Once the ghosts hardened, the students glued eyes and a bow on their ghost. They are the cutest little ghosts! Our ghosts will be in the front display case during the month of October. Please stop by and take a look!
Donuts with Dad
A yellow note went home in Friday Folders announcing the date for Donuts with Dad. Unlike the Grandparent's Ice Cream Social, we will need an RSVP. At the bottom of the yellow sheet, there is a little space to write how many people plan to attend from your family. Please send that portion of the note back to school with your child by October 2nd.
The Week Ahead
English: Since we finished our first English unit, we moved onto our next unit about nouns. On Friday we learned the noun song, and had fun singing it a few times!
Math: We will learn to identify dozen and half dozen, read and write numbers to 1,000 using digits, write money amounts using the dollar sign, read and shade a thermometer to the nearest 2 degrees Fahrenheit, and use guess and check to solve a problem.
Reading: My reading class will be reading a story called, Turtle Bay. We will also learn about author's purpose, homographs and homophones, semantic feature analysis, giving good direction, and compound words.
Social Studies: We will learn that communities have a history, and how to read a timeline.
Science: We will continue learning about the types of animals.
I hope everyone had a wonderful homecoming weekend! Please feel free to e-mail me at bcalcott@orionschools.us with any questions or concerns.
Donuts with Dad
A yellow note went home in Friday Folders announcing the date for Donuts with Dad. Unlike the Grandparent's Ice Cream Social, we will need an RSVP. At the bottom of the yellow sheet, there is a little space to write how many people plan to attend from your family. Please send that portion of the note back to school with your child by October 2nd.
The Week Ahead
English: Since we finished our first English unit, we moved onto our next unit about nouns. On Friday we learned the noun song, and had fun singing it a few times!
Math: We will learn to identify dozen and half dozen, read and write numbers to 1,000 using digits, write money amounts using the dollar sign, read and shade a thermometer to the nearest 2 degrees Fahrenheit, and use guess and check to solve a problem.
Reading: My reading class will be reading a story called, Turtle Bay. We will also learn about author's purpose, homographs and homophones, semantic feature analysis, giving good direction, and compound words.
Social Studies: We will learn that communities have a history, and how to read a timeline.
Science: We will continue learning about the types of animals.
I hope everyone had a wonderful homecoming weekend! Please feel free to e-mail me at bcalcott@orionschools.us with any questions or concerns.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
What a great week! The Grandparent's Ice Cream Social is one of my favorite days! It is so much fun to meet the students' grandparents! It is great to see the pride the students have when they show their grandma or grandpa their classroom and desk. Thank you to all that were able to participate!
Picture Day
Please remember that Monday is Picture day. Please send the picture order form with your student on Monday. Our picture time is before gym and lunch. This is great news for special hair styles!
Homecoming Week
We have such an exciting week ahead! Homecoming week is always such a fun time for the community of Orion to show their pride. A note went home in Friday Folders describing the spirit days that we will have at C. R. Hanna.
Monday - It's Picture Day, so dress for the camera!
Tuesday - Wear yellow (each grade level will wear a different color).
Wednesday - Mismatch Day!
Thursday - Charger Day! Wear your favorite Charger gear. This is also the parade day.
Friday - Wear red and black
The Week Ahead
English: We will finish our first English unit on the sentence. We will spend some time reviewing and most likely have a test on Thursday. I will send a note home in assignment notebooks Monday or Tuesday with pages to study for the test.
Math: We will learn to count dimes, nickels, and pennies, write fractions using the fraction bar, write fraction number sentences that equal 1, identify dozen and half dozen, and write a fraction to show part of a set.
Reading: My reading class will read a nonfiction story called, The Olympic Games: Where Heroes are Made. Since we just had the summer Olympics, this will be an exciting topic to discuss. We will also learn the elements of nonfiction, to adjust our reading rate while reading nonfiction, how to make inferences, to use a dictionary, and what antonyms are.
Science: We will start learning about types of animals.
Social Studies: We will learn how to act like a responsible citizen and how we get what we need in a community.
I hope everyone enjoys the beautiful weather this weekend! Please feel free to e-mail me with any questions or concerns at bcalcott@orionschools.us.
Picture Day
Please remember that Monday is Picture day. Please send the picture order form with your student on Monday. Our picture time is before gym and lunch. This is great news for special hair styles!
Homecoming Week
We have such an exciting week ahead! Homecoming week is always such a fun time for the community of Orion to show their pride. A note went home in Friday Folders describing the spirit days that we will have at C. R. Hanna.
Monday - It's Picture Day, so dress for the camera!
Tuesday - Wear yellow (each grade level will wear a different color).
Wednesday - Mismatch Day!
Thursday - Charger Day! Wear your favorite Charger gear. This is also the parade day.
Friday - Wear red and black
The Week Ahead
English: We will finish our first English unit on the sentence. We will spend some time reviewing and most likely have a test on Thursday. I will send a note home in assignment notebooks Monday or Tuesday with pages to study for the test.
Math: We will learn to count dimes, nickels, and pennies, write fractions using the fraction bar, write fraction number sentences that equal 1, identify dozen and half dozen, and write a fraction to show part of a set.
Reading: My reading class will read a nonfiction story called, The Olympic Games: Where Heroes are Made. Since we just had the summer Olympics, this will be an exciting topic to discuss. We will also learn the elements of nonfiction, to adjust our reading rate while reading nonfiction, how to make inferences, to use a dictionary, and what antonyms are.
Science: We will start learning about types of animals.
Social Studies: We will learn how to act like a responsible citizen and how we get what we need in a community.
I hope everyone enjoys the beautiful weather this weekend! Please feel free to e-mail me with any questions or concerns at bcalcott@orionschools.us.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Hi Everyone!
Even though we had a short week, we were very busy. The students took several tests that will be used to monitor their progress. We will repeat this testing in the winter, and then again in the spring. Even though there were many tests to be taken, the students had a wonderful attitude about it. I was very proud of their effort. During social studies, the students were put into small groups to create a map of C. R. Hanna. They learned that there are many parts to making a map, and that it wasn't as easy as it sounded. All the maps are looking great. As soon as they have been completed, the students will present them to the class. Another highlight of the week was that we drew conclusions on the experiment that we did in science. After going over our observations from the previous two weeks, we concluded that plants cannot survive without having their needs (water, light, and soil) met. We are now working on saving the plants that we deprived of water and light.
Ice Cream Social
It's finally here! The excitedly anticipated Grandparent's Ice Cream Social! If your child is going to attend, they must bring a note with them on Monday. Even if your child is normally a walker, they still need a note.
Book Orders
If you placed an order with Scholastic, I have received word that the books have been shipped. I am expecting that they will arrive early next week.
The Week Ahead
English: We will continue our unit about types and parts of sentences. We will also work on writing topic sentences.
Math: We will learn to solve problems by working backwards, divide a square into three equal parts, identify and shade thirds,and more.
Reading: My reading class will be reading a story called, Allie's Basketball Dream. We will also discuss what characters are like by what they say and do, how to summarize a story, how to use a dictionary to find words, how to create a story map, and more.
Science: We will continue our unit on plants.
Social Studies: We will continue our unit on communities.
I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend. Please feel free to e-mail me at bcalcott@orionschools.us if you have any questions or concerns.
Even though we had a short week, we were very busy. The students took several tests that will be used to monitor their progress. We will repeat this testing in the winter, and then again in the spring. Even though there were many tests to be taken, the students had a wonderful attitude about it. I was very proud of their effort. During social studies, the students were put into small groups to create a map of C. R. Hanna. They learned that there are many parts to making a map, and that it wasn't as easy as it sounded. All the maps are looking great. As soon as they have been completed, the students will present them to the class. Another highlight of the week was that we drew conclusions on the experiment that we did in science. After going over our observations from the previous two weeks, we concluded that plants cannot survive without having their needs (water, light, and soil) met. We are now working on saving the plants that we deprived of water and light.
Ice Cream Social
It's finally here! The excitedly anticipated Grandparent's Ice Cream Social! If your child is going to attend, they must bring a note with them on Monday. Even if your child is normally a walker, they still need a note.
Book Orders
If you placed an order with Scholastic, I have received word that the books have been shipped. I am expecting that they will arrive early next week.
The Week Ahead
English: We will continue our unit about types and parts of sentences. We will also work on writing topic sentences.
Math: We will learn to solve problems by working backwards, divide a square into three equal parts, identify and shade thirds,and more.
Reading: My reading class will be reading a story called, Allie's Basketball Dream. We will also discuss what characters are like by what they say and do, how to summarize a story, how to use a dictionary to find words, how to create a story map, and more.
Science: We will continue our unit on plants.
Social Studies: We will continue our unit on communities.
I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend. Please feel free to e-mail me at bcalcott@orionschools.us if you have any questions or concerns.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Phew! This was a hot week! The students did a great job focusing despite the weather. Hopefully the weather will cool down soon.
Friday Folders
Scholastic Book Orders
Some students asked that I wait to submit the book order. I am holding the book order until Tuesday. If you would like to order, please send the form to school or order online by Tuesday.
Reading Record Reminder
Our first reading record is due on Tuesday. Please be sure to send it to school with your child. If you have misplaced the reading record, just write how long your child read on each weekday and sign it. Please let me know if you have any questions about this.
The Week Ahead
English: We will continue our unit on sentences. In writing, we will begin to focus on how to write a topic sentence that grabs a reader's attention.
Math: We will learn to write the date using digits, divide squares into two, four, and eight equal parts, identify and shade halves, fourths, and eighths, read a thermometer to the nearest 10 degrees Fahrenheit, and round numbers to the nearest 10.
Reading: My reading class will be reading a mystery called, Nate the Great: San Francisco Detective. We will also discuss making and confirming predictions, narrative story elements, how to decode compound words and CVVC (consonant, vowel, vowel, consonant) words, and much more.
Social Studies: We will continue learning about communities.
Science: We concluded our observations of plants that have been deprived of sun or water. We will draw conclusions about what happened during this experiment next week. We will also discuss how plants make food.
Please e-mail me at bcalcott@orionschools.us if you have any questions or concerns. I hope everyone is having a great time at the Fall Festival!
Friday Folders
- Today, an invitation to the Grandparents Ice Cream Social went home. It will be on September 10th from 3:00 - 4:00. There is no need to R.S.V.P. this year. I hope to meet some of the students' grandparents on that day!
- Information about the new student management system went home. Please take a look at that.
- The Fundraiser also went home in Friday Folders.
Scholastic Book Orders
Some students asked that I wait to submit the book order. I am holding the book order until Tuesday. If you would like to order, please send the form to school or order online by Tuesday.
Reading Record Reminder
Our first reading record is due on Tuesday. Please be sure to send it to school with your child. If you have misplaced the reading record, just write how long your child read on each weekday and sign it. Please let me know if you have any questions about this.
The Week Ahead
English: We will continue our unit on sentences. In writing, we will begin to focus on how to write a topic sentence that grabs a reader's attention.
Math: We will learn to write the date using digits, divide squares into two, four, and eight equal parts, identify and shade halves, fourths, and eighths, read a thermometer to the nearest 10 degrees Fahrenheit, and round numbers to the nearest 10.
Reading: My reading class will be reading a mystery called, Nate the Great: San Francisco Detective. We will also discuss making and confirming predictions, narrative story elements, how to decode compound words and CVVC (consonant, vowel, vowel, consonant) words, and much more.
Social Studies: We will continue learning about communities.
Science: We concluded our observations of plants that have been deprived of sun or water. We will draw conclusions about what happened during this experiment next week. We will also discuss how plants make food.
Please e-mail me at bcalcott@orionschools.us if you have any questions or concerns. I hope everyone is having a great time at the Fall Festival!
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Wow! We are already done with our second week of 3rd grade! We started teaching reading this week, so the students had a full schedule. They are handling the rigors of third grade wonderfully, and are doing their best to meet expectations. I would like to mention that this is the second week in a row that the students in my class were able to earn a reward for their behavior! On Backpack Night, you may have noticed the word "COMMUNITY" on the blackboard. This is our way of keeping track of classroom behavior. If by the end of the week the have kept (or earned back) all of the letters, the students will get a small reward on Monday. Please compliment your child on this accomplishment. It is a team effort to keep all of their letters!
I am also excited to report that our classroom Smart Board is up and running. This is such an engaging and educational tool. We've only been using it for the past couple of days, and we are all enjoying it so much! I am looking forward to finding new ways to use it during lessons!
Friday Folders
I know there were notes upon notes in the Friday Folder this week. I just want to point out a few.
The Week Ahead
English: We will continue our unit on sentences. Next week will include lessons about commands and exclamations and the subject of a sentence.
Math: In math we will learn to divide squares into two and four equal parts, compare values of sets of coins, Add 10 to two digit numbers, use mental computation, and more.
Reading: My reading class will be reading a wonderful story called, Pepita Talks Twice. We will also continue practicing our new reading skills that we learned last week. We will practice the appropriate ways to read to ourselves, and read to someone. We will discuss what it means to listen to reading. The spelling list for next week is up on Spelling City. It is listed as Lesson 2. Let me know if you have any problems finding the list.
Science: Last Friday we started an experiment to see what would happen to plants that were given either no light or no water. We have been recording observations and will continue recording observations for one more week. We will then draw conclusions (and possibly attempt to save the withering plants).
Social Studies: This past week, we learned to read a map. We also learned about countries and continents. We learned a rap about the continents and had fun singing it several times at the end of a school day. Next week, we will do a little group work with maps, and then we will move on to more specific aspects of communities.
I hope everyone has a great weekend. I am looking forward to starting week three! Please feel free to e-mail me at bcalcott@orionschools.us if you have any questions or concerns.
I am also excited to report that our classroom Smart Board is up and running. This is such an engaging and educational tool. We've only been using it for the past couple of days, and we are all enjoying it so much! I am looking forward to finding new ways to use it during lessons!
Friday Folders
I know there were notes upon notes in the Friday Folder this week. I just want to point out a few.
- PTA sent a note looking for volunteers to the various events that we do at C. R. Hanna. If you are wanting to be involved in that, take a look at the information that they sent.
- Our first Scholastic Book Order was sent home as well! I attached a note to it that shows how to order books online. Please have your orders in by Friday, August 31st.
- Market Day orders were also in the Friday Folders.
- Our first reading record went home in this Friday Folder. Throughout next week, please keep track of our child's reading. They will need to read for at least 15 minutes each week night. If your child's reading teacher sends their book home to read, this can count toward their reading record. Please send the signed and filled out reading record to school with your child on Tuesday, September 4th (no school Monday). Please let me know if you have any questions about this.
The Week Ahead
English: We will continue our unit on sentences. Next week will include lessons about commands and exclamations and the subject of a sentence.
Math: In math we will learn to divide squares into two and four equal parts, compare values of sets of coins, Add 10 to two digit numbers, use mental computation, and more.
Reading: My reading class will be reading a wonderful story called, Pepita Talks Twice. We will also continue practicing our new reading skills that we learned last week. We will practice the appropriate ways to read to ourselves, and read to someone. We will discuss what it means to listen to reading. The spelling list for next week is up on Spelling City. It is listed as Lesson 2. Let me know if you have any problems finding the list.
Science: Last Friday we started an experiment to see what would happen to plants that were given either no light or no water. We have been recording observations and will continue recording observations for one more week. We will then draw conclusions (and possibly attempt to save the withering plants).
Social Studies: This past week, we learned to read a map. We also learned about countries and continents. We learned a rap about the continents and had fun singing it several times at the end of a school day. Next week, we will do a little group work with maps, and then we will move on to more specific aspects of communities.
I hope everyone has a great weekend. I am looking forward to starting week three! Please feel free to e-mail me at bcalcott@orionschools.us if you have any questions or concerns.
Friday, August 17, 2012
Welcome to Third Grade!
Hi everyone, and welcome to my blog! I like to use this instead of sending home a hard copy of Friday News in an attempt to save paper. It was great to meet many of you on Backpack Night! If you did not have the opportunity to come to Backpack Night, please let me know if you would like to come in sometime. I would be more than happy to schedule something with you. If not, we can still meet at conferences! That being said, if you have not yet signed up for conferences, please contact the office to set that up.
I am very excited to get to know all of the students in my class as well as their parents! If you ever have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to e-mail me at: bcalcott@orionschools.us or by calling C.R. Hanna.
Friday Folders
Like previous years, your child will be bringing home a Friday Folder each Friday. It will contain notes and graded work. It will also contain your child's spelling list for the following week and their reading record. We will not be sending a reading record home until next Friday. This week there are a few notes in there. One of them is an order from for C.R. Hanna Spirit Gear. If you are interested in placing an order, please fill the form out and send it in with cash or a check by Friday, August 31st. You will also find a green note in the Friday Folder that will explain how we teach reading in 3rd grade. It also tells you who your child will have as a reading teacher. We have also included a note about the the changes that are being made to our math program because of the Common Core Standards that are being implemented. Please take a look at that note as well.
The Week Ahead
English: We have started a new unit about sentences. This will include subjects, predicates, types of sentences, etc.
Math: We will be learn to use the cummutative property of addition, identify the properties of a rectangle, identify and measure the length and width of a rectangle, use logical reasoning to solve a problem, make an organized list to solve a problem, cover designs with pattern blocks, and act out addition story problems.
Reading: My reading class will be reading a story called, Officer Buckle and Gloria. The students will take their book home on Monday and will be expected to read the entire story. We will be learning to use some special reading strategies called check for understanding, cross check words, and expand vocabulary. We will learn how to spell words with the short a and short e sound. We will also discuss the ways to read a book.
Science: We just started a unit about plants. We will discuss their needs and how they grow.
Social Studies:We started a unit about communities. We will learn how to read a map, how to get along in a community, and how to act like a responsible citizen.
Even though it was the first week of school, we have already been very busy! For a math lesson about bar graphs and collecting data, the students got into small groups and surveyed the class. They then turned their data into bar graphs. Some of the topics that the groups chose were: favorite wild animal, favorite candy, and favorite movie. It was fun for the students to see what their classmates preferred. We also started a science experiment with plants. We put two plants in a cupboard with water, two in the sun without water, and two in the sun with water. We are going to be recording observations over the next two weeks and then drawing conclusions.
I am looking forward to an exciting year. I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend. Please do not hesitate to e-mail me with any questions or concerns!
I am very excited to get to know all of the students in my class as well as their parents! If you ever have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to e-mail me at: bcalcott@orionschools.us or by calling C.R. Hanna.
Friday Folders
Like previous years, your child will be bringing home a Friday Folder each Friday. It will contain notes and graded work. It will also contain your child's spelling list for the following week and their reading record. We will not be sending a reading record home until next Friday. This week there are a few notes in there. One of them is an order from for C.R. Hanna Spirit Gear. If you are interested in placing an order, please fill the form out and send it in with cash or a check by Friday, August 31st. You will also find a green note in the Friday Folder that will explain how we teach reading in 3rd grade. It also tells you who your child will have as a reading teacher. We have also included a note about the the changes that are being made to our math program because of the Common Core Standards that are being implemented. Please take a look at that note as well.
The Week Ahead
English: We have started a new unit about sentences. This will include subjects, predicates, types of sentences, etc.
Math: We will be learn to use the cummutative property of addition, identify the properties of a rectangle, identify and measure the length and width of a rectangle, use logical reasoning to solve a problem, make an organized list to solve a problem, cover designs with pattern blocks, and act out addition story problems.
Reading: My reading class will be reading a story called, Officer Buckle and Gloria. The students will take their book home on Monday and will be expected to read the entire story. We will be learning to use some special reading strategies called check for understanding, cross check words, and expand vocabulary. We will learn how to spell words with the short a and short e sound. We will also discuss the ways to read a book.
Science: We just started a unit about plants. We will discuss their needs and how they grow.
Social Studies:We started a unit about communities. We will learn how to read a map, how to get along in a community, and how to act like a responsible citizen.
Even though it was the first week of school, we have already been very busy! For a math lesson about bar graphs and collecting data, the students got into small groups and surveyed the class. They then turned their data into bar graphs. Some of the topics that the groups chose were: favorite wild animal, favorite candy, and favorite movie. It was fun for the students to see what their classmates preferred. We also started a science experiment with plants. We put two plants in a cupboard with water, two in the sun without water, and two in the sun with water. We are going to be recording observations over the next two weeks and then drawing conclusions.
I am looking forward to an exciting year. I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend. Please do not hesitate to e-mail me with any questions or concerns!
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Hi everyone! Monday will be the start of our last "normal" week of school. The following week will include our field trip and field day! We had quite a bit of gloomy weather this week, but it was nice to finish it off with some sunshine! On Wednesday we took the reading MAPs test. We will be taking the math MAPs test on Tuesday, May 8th. Please make sure your child gets to bed early on Monday. I hope everyone checked Friday Folders because there were some very important notes in there:
English: We will finish our unit on capitalization and punctuation. I will send a note home when I am sure of the test date. We will continue to practice writing using good sentence fluency.
Math: We will learn to identify geometric solids, identify faces, vertices, and edges of a geometric solid, construct a cube, multiply a single-digit number and a multi-digit number using the multiplication algorithm, identify a function rule, simplify expressions containing parentheses, multiply three or more factors, and use the associative property of multiplication.
Reading: My reading class will learning to read in front of a group, read with expression, explore a character in depth, identify Latin roots, locate words in a dictionary, and use context clues to understand meaning.
Science: We will finish our unit on space.
Social Studies: We will be learning about Washington, D.C., and why capital cities are built in certain areas.
I hope everyone is enjoying the weekend! Please e-mail me at bcalcott@orionschools.us if you have any questions or concerns.
- Field Trip Permission Slip - Please sign these and send them to school with your child as soon as possible.
- Registration Packets - All students were given registration packets. Please fill them out and send them with your child by Friday, May 11th.
- Field Day Shirts (Last Call) - If you have not yet ordered filed day shirts, orders can be turned in as late as Monday, May 7th.
- Important Dates - There is a bright pink note in Friday Folders that indicates the important dates that are coming up in the last few weeks of school.
English: We will finish our unit on capitalization and punctuation. I will send a note home when I am sure of the test date. We will continue to practice writing using good sentence fluency.
Math: We will learn to identify geometric solids, identify faces, vertices, and edges of a geometric solid, construct a cube, multiply a single-digit number and a multi-digit number using the multiplication algorithm, identify a function rule, simplify expressions containing parentheses, multiply three or more factors, and use the associative property of multiplication.
Reading: My reading class will learning to read in front of a group, read with expression, explore a character in depth, identify Latin roots, locate words in a dictionary, and use context clues to understand meaning.
Science: We will finish our unit on space.
Social Studies: We will be learning about Washington, D.C., and why capital cities are built in certain areas.
I hope everyone is enjoying the weekend! Please e-mail me at bcalcott@orionschools.us if you have any questions or concerns.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
It was great to see some of you at the carnival on Friday night! What a fun event! On Friday, students brought in their finished space projects. I am very impressed with the creativity and hard work that each student put into their projects! We started to present them on Friday, and we will finish presentations next week. On Thursday, we did the Oreo science activity. We made the eight phases of the moon, and we will discuss them in greater detail next week. To those of you that were able to donate Oreos and/or frosting, thank you so much! The students LOVED twisting the Oreos apart and scraping the filling out to match a particular phase of the moon. They behaved perfectly during the activity which was impressive since there were cookies everywhere!
The Week Ahead
English: We will continue to practice the use of commas in a series. We will also learn how to appropriately use quotation marks. We are getting close to finishing this unit on capitalization and punctuation. I will send a note home when I have planned the date of the test. In writing, we will be learning to write fluent sentences.
Math: We will learn to multiply a one-digit number and a two-digit number using mental computation, identify right, obtuse, and acute angles, name triangles by angle size, measure line segments using millimeters, and multiply by 6. On Friday, we will have our multiplying by 9 test. Please make sure that your child is studying them every night.
Reading: My reading class will be reading an expository nonfiction book called, Visitors from Space. We will also discuss how to locate information in a nonfiction text, the consonant -le spelling pattern, how to use graphic aids, and words with Latin roots. Please go to Spellingcity.com to practice our spelling words. This is our last spelling list of the school year!
Science: We will continue space project presentations, we will learn about our moon in detail, and we will learn about comets, asteroids, and meteors.
Muffins with Mom
Please send in your RSVP for Muffins with Mom by Friday, May 4th.
Upcoming Field Trip
A note went home in Friday Folders for parents to sign up to go on our next field trip. There will be more information sent home soon.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at bcalcott@orionschools.us. Despite the icky weather, I hope everyone had a nice weekend!
The Week Ahead
English: We will continue to practice the use of commas in a series. We will also learn how to appropriately use quotation marks. We are getting close to finishing this unit on capitalization and punctuation. I will send a note home when I have planned the date of the test. In writing, we will be learning to write fluent sentences.
Math: We will learn to multiply a one-digit number and a two-digit number using mental computation, identify right, obtuse, and acute angles, name triangles by angle size, measure line segments using millimeters, and multiply by 6. On Friday, we will have our multiplying by 9 test. Please make sure that your child is studying them every night.
Reading: My reading class will be reading an expository nonfiction book called, Visitors from Space. We will also discuss how to locate information in a nonfiction text, the consonant -le spelling pattern, how to use graphic aids, and words with Latin roots. Please go to Spellingcity.com to practice our spelling words. This is our last spelling list of the school year!
Science: We will continue space project presentations, we will learn about our moon in detail, and we will learn about comets, asteroids, and meteors.
Muffins with Mom
Please send in your RSVP for Muffins with Mom by Friday, May 4th.
Upcoming Field Trip
A note went home in Friday Folders for parents to sign up to go on our next field trip. There will be more information sent home soon.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at bcalcott@orionschools.us. Despite the icky weather, I hope everyone had a nice weekend!
Friday, April 20, 2012
Just over a month left until summer break! I cannot believe how fast this school year is flying by!
The Week Ahead
English: We will be learning how to use commas in a series, and how to combine nouns using commas. We will also be learning how to write some types of poems.
Math: We will learn to multiply a multiple of 10, 100, or 1,000 by a single-digit number, multiply by 9, Identify translations, rotation, and reflections, identify a fractional part of a set, and determine age.
Reading: My reading class will be reading a story called, The Armadillo from Amarillo. We will also discuss cause and effect, rereading to clarify, making inferences, and how to locate information in an informational narrative. Please see Spellingcity.com to study the spelling words for next week.
Science: We will continue learning about space. Next week we will talk about the Sun, and the Moon in great detail. Reminder: Space projects are due Friday, April 27th.
Social Studies: If you have time, come by and see our Illinois Hallway! The students learned all about Illinois, and then had the opportunity to display their knowledge by decorating the hallway. It is really neat, and we will try to leave it up for as long as we can! We couldn't have gotten it all done without help from the fearless parent volunteers. Thank you to those of you that were able to help!
Oreo Note
I sent home a note today asking for oreos and frosting. We will be doing an engaging science project about the Phases of the Moon. Please see the note for more details. I appreciate any donations for this activity!
Other Folder Notes
There were many other notes in the Friday Folders. Muffins with Mom is coming up! See the note in Friday folders for information to reserve your spot. We also need volunteers for Field Day on May 18th. There is a sign up sheet for that in the folder. Also, don't forget to come to the School Carnival on April 27th! There is a reminder note for this event in the Friday Folders as well. Please let me know if you have any questions!
Multiplication
Next week we are learning the multiplying by 9 facts. Please make sure your child is studying all facts (mastered or not) on a daily basis. Repetition is very important.
I hope everyone has a marvelous weekend! Please e-mail me at bcalcott@orionschools.us with any questions or concerns.
The Week Ahead
English: We will be learning how to use commas in a series, and how to combine nouns using commas. We will also be learning how to write some types of poems.
Math: We will learn to multiply a multiple of 10, 100, or 1,000 by a single-digit number, multiply by 9, Identify translations, rotation, and reflections, identify a fractional part of a set, and determine age.
Reading: My reading class will be reading a story called, The Armadillo from Amarillo. We will also discuss cause and effect, rereading to clarify, making inferences, and how to locate information in an informational narrative. Please see Spellingcity.com to study the spelling words for next week.
Science: We will continue learning about space. Next week we will talk about the Sun, and the Moon in great detail. Reminder: Space projects are due Friday, April 27th.
Social Studies: If you have time, come by and see our Illinois Hallway! The students learned all about Illinois, and then had the opportunity to display their knowledge by decorating the hallway. It is really neat, and we will try to leave it up for as long as we can! We couldn't have gotten it all done without help from the fearless parent volunteers. Thank you to those of you that were able to help!
Oreo Note
I sent home a note today asking for oreos and frosting. We will be doing an engaging science project about the Phases of the Moon. Please see the note for more details. I appreciate any donations for this activity!
Other Folder Notes
There were many other notes in the Friday Folders. Muffins with Mom is coming up! See the note in Friday folders for information to reserve your spot. We also need volunteers for Field Day on May 18th. There is a sign up sheet for that in the folder. Also, don't forget to come to the School Carnival on April 27th! There is a reminder note for this event in the Friday Folders as well. Please let me know if you have any questions!
Multiplication
Next week we are learning the multiplying by 9 facts. Please make sure your child is studying all facts (mastered or not) on a daily basis. Repetition is very important.
I hope everyone has a marvelous weekend! Please e-mail me at bcalcott@orionschools.us with any questions or concerns.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
What a wonderful week! The beautiful weather really welcomed the first week of spring for us! On Friday we went on our field trip to the John Deere Pavilion and the lock and dam at the Rock Island Arsenal. The tours of both locations were great. We were able to learn the history of the locks and dams of the Mississippi, how they work, and why they are important. At the Pavilion, we learned about the different machines that John Deere currently manufactures, has manufactured in the past, and could manufacture in the future. Thank you to the parents that came along on the trip! Your help is GREATLY appreciated!
Multiplication Facts
I have recently introduced the "multiplying by 3" facts and will be introducing the "multiplying by 4" facts this week. Please make sure your child is practicing all of the facts that we have covered so far (multiplying by 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 10). I am continuing to test the students on the previously mastered facts to make sure that they are keeping up with their practicing. I want them to feel prepared as they move into fourth grade math.
Raffle Baskets
A note went home in Friday Folders from PTA about raffle baskets. We have not received many donations this year. The last day for donations was supposed to be Friday the 23rd, but they are going to allow donation all through next week. If you have anything that fits the "Family Night" theme, please send those items to school with your child. If not, that is okay too!
Pencil Shortage
Many students are having a pencil/eraser shortage. Please ask you child if they are in need of new pencils. Thank you!
Multiplication Facts
I have recently introduced the "multiplying by 3" facts and will be introducing the "multiplying by 4" facts this week. Please make sure your child is practicing all of the facts that we have covered so far (multiplying by 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 10). I am continuing to test the students on the previously mastered facts to make sure that they are keeping up with their practicing. I want them to feel prepared as they move into fourth grade math.
Raffle Baskets
A note went home in Friday Folders from PTA about raffle baskets. We have not received many donations this year. The last day for donations was supposed to be Friday the 23rd, but they are going to allow donation all through next week. If you have anything that fits the "Family Night" theme, please send those items to school with your child. If not, that is okay too!
Pencil Shortage
Many students are having a pencil/eraser shortage. Please ask you child if they are in need of new pencils. Thank you!
Monday, March 19, 2012
Multiplication
This week, I will be introducing the multiplying by 3 facts. Some students have still not passed the multiplying by 7 or 5 facts. Please make sure that your child is studying all of the facts that we have covered for a few minutes each night. Thanks!
Ag in the Class
I just wanted to thank everyone who was able to make a donation to Ag in the Class. They were very appreciative of the support! There were so many donations, that some of the students need to help carry the items to the front of the building!
Raffle Basket
Please continue to send your donations in for the school carnival raffle basket. The third grade theme is Family Night. Please have all donations in by Friday, March 23rd. That doesn't leave very much time, and our box is still pretty empty...
This week, I will be introducing the multiplying by 3 facts. Some students have still not passed the multiplying by 7 or 5 facts. Please make sure that your child is studying all of the facts that we have covered for a few minutes each night. Thanks!
Ag in the Class
I just wanted to thank everyone who was able to make a donation to Ag in the Class. They were very appreciative of the support! There were so many donations, that some of the students need to help carry the items to the front of the building!
Raffle Basket
Please continue to send your donations in for the school carnival raffle basket. The third grade theme is Family Night. Please have all donations in by Friday, March 23rd. That doesn't leave very much time, and our box is still pretty empty...
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Done Testing!
Phew! We finally finished out ISAT testing! The students did a wonderful job taking these tests seriously. I am very proud of the effort that each and every student put forth during the testing. I would also like to say a big, "THANK YOU" to the families that provided snacks during ISAT week. The snacks really motivated the students, and they looked forward to it each day. On Friday afternoon, we had a movie party as a reward for the hard work that the students put forth. We watched an animated movie called, Balto. Since the students read a story in reading about Balto, they were excited to see the movie.
Ag in the Class
I sent a note home during the week about supplies that the Ag and the Classroom program needs. I was not sure how many of those notes made it home in one piece, so I decided to mention it on my blog as well! We have been so fortunate to have Ag in the Class come each month to teach lessons. They have given me a list of items that they need in order to keep the program going. We will be having Ag in the Class on Thursday, March 15th, so I would like to have all donations in by that day if possible. The list included the following items:
Next week, we will be getting back into our regular routines. What a relief! I would like to remind everyone that the students do not have school on Friday, March 16th. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at: bcalcott@orionschools.com.
I hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful weather we are having!
Phew! We finally finished out ISAT testing! The students did a wonderful job taking these tests seriously. I am very proud of the effort that each and every student put forth during the testing. I would also like to say a big, "THANK YOU" to the families that provided snacks during ISAT week. The snacks really motivated the students, and they looked forward to it each day. On Friday afternoon, we had a movie party as a reward for the hard work that the students put forth. We watched an animated movie called, Balto. Since the students read a story in reading about Balto, they were excited to see the movie.
Ag in the Class
I sent a note home during the week about supplies that the Ag and the Classroom program needs. I was not sure how many of those notes made it home in one piece, so I decided to mention it on my blog as well! We have been so fortunate to have Ag in the Class come each month to teach lessons. They have given me a list of items that they need in order to keep the program going. We will be having Ag in the Class on Thursday, March 15th, so I would like to have all donations in by that day if possible. The list included the following items:
- Styrofoam bowls
- 7 inch red or orange plates
- Baby wipes
- Gallon size freezer bags
- Styrofoam cups
- Napkins
- 7mm googly eyes
- Scotch tape
- Clothespins
- White frosting
- Raisins
- Candy corn
- Instant vanilla pudding boxes
- Kool-Aid packets- orange line, grape, pink lemonade (NO RED)
- Plastic spoons
- 6 inch plates
- quart size freezer bags
- snack size freezer bags
- 5 oz. plastic cups
- craft glue
- knee high stockings
- construction paper
- pipe cleaners
- chocolate chips
- M&Ms
- peanuts
- chocolate pudding cups
Next week, we will be getting back into our regular routines. What a relief! I would like to remind everyone that the students do not have school on Friday, March 16th. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at: bcalcott@orionschools.com.
I hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful weather we are having!
Friday, February 17, 2012
We had such an eventful week! On Tuesday, the PTA threw us an awesome Valentine's Day party! The students had a blast playing all of the different games. They also enjoyed huge sugar cookie and the juice box provided by the PTA. I would like to thank everyone who was involved in the planning and implementation of that party. It was wonderful! On Thursday we had Ag in the Class. The students learned what peanut butter is and how to make it. The were able to see how peanut butter is made, and they even got to sample some homemade peanut butter! What an awesome lesson!
Multiplication
Please keep having your child practice their multiplication facts. We will be doing more with division next week. In order to be successful in division, they need to first master their multiplication facts.
Yearbook
Last Friday an order form went home with Friday Folders about a yearbook order. These orders are due next Friday, February 24th.
President Reports
I am so proud of all of the hard work that the students put into their President reports. We really enjoyed listening to each other present their posters. We will still have a few more reports to listen to next week since we ran out of time due to the half day! Great job everyone!
The Week Ahead
English: We will continue our unit on adjectives and adverbs. We will also start talking about selecting good words to use in our writing.
Math: We will learn to make and draw arrays, estimate and find the area of a rectangle, find the sum of 3 addends, divide by 2 and 5, work backward to solve a problem, determine likelihood of an event, and determine the fairness or a game.
Reading: My reading class will be reading an expository nonfiction piece called, Yippie-Yay! A Book About Cowboys and Cowgirls. We will also discuss main idea and details in a story, how to use context to confirm meaning, how to use references and resources, how to decode words with the VCCV (vowel-consonant-consonant-vowel) spelling pattern, and fact and opinion. I have noticed that many students are still not reading the story on Mondays and Thursdays. This is not an optional homework assignment. Please help by checking to see if they are reading the story on these days.
Science: We will continue our unit about the rain forest.
Social Studies: We will learn why people built Cahokia and St. Louis.
I hope everyone enjoys their long weekend! There is no school on Monday because of President's Day! Please e-mail me with any questions or concerns.
Multiplication
Please keep having your child practice their multiplication facts. We will be doing more with division next week. In order to be successful in division, they need to first master their multiplication facts.
Yearbook
Last Friday an order form went home with Friday Folders about a yearbook order. These orders are due next Friday, February 24th.
President Reports
I am so proud of all of the hard work that the students put into their President reports. We really enjoyed listening to each other present their posters. We will still have a few more reports to listen to next week since we ran out of time due to the half day! Great job everyone!
The Week Ahead
English: We will continue our unit on adjectives and adverbs. We will also start talking about selecting good words to use in our writing.
Math: We will learn to make and draw arrays, estimate and find the area of a rectangle, find the sum of 3 addends, divide by 2 and 5, work backward to solve a problem, determine likelihood of an event, and determine the fairness or a game.
Reading: My reading class will be reading an expository nonfiction piece called, Yippie-Yay! A Book About Cowboys and Cowgirls. We will also discuss main idea and details in a story, how to use context to confirm meaning, how to use references and resources, how to decode words with the VCCV (vowel-consonant-consonant-vowel) spelling pattern, and fact and opinion. I have noticed that many students are still not reading the story on Mondays and Thursdays. This is not an optional homework assignment. Please help by checking to see if they are reading the story on these days.
Science: We will continue our unit about the rain forest.
Social Studies: We will learn why people built Cahokia and St. Louis.
I hope everyone enjoys their long weekend! There is no school on Monday because of President's Day! Please e-mail me with any questions or concerns.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Tuesday is Valentine's Day! The students are getting very excited for the Valentine's Day party, and that excitement was intensified on Friday when we made our valentine bags. The students were each given a white paper bag, construction paper, and creative freedom. They had a blast turning basic white bags into beautiful valentine bags.
President Posters
I just want to remind everyone that our President Poster Project is due on Friday, February 17th. If your child finishes their poster early they can absolutely bring it in early. Please contact me with questions about this project.
Multiplication Facts
We are making great progress with learning our multiplication facts. Last week we started learning to multiply by 5. Please make sure your child is practicing these facts every night. Also, I am continuing to test the students on the 7's and the 2's. Please make sure your child is still practicing these facts as well.
The Week Ahead
English: We will continue our unit on adjectives and adverbs. We will also be exploring how to organize our ideas when we write.
Math: We will be learning some new concepts, but we will also be focusing on problem solving strategies. This will help to prepare the students for the upcoming ISAT.
Reading: My reading class will be reading a piece of historical fiction called, Leah's Pony. We will also discuss fact and opinion, how to self-question, how to decode compound words, narrative elements, alliteration, and vivid verbs.
Science: We will begin a unit on tropical rain forests.
Social Studies: We will continue learning about where people start communities.
I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! Please e-mail me at bcalcott@orionschools.us with any questions or concerns.
Quick reminder: Friday is a half day!
President Posters
I just want to remind everyone that our President Poster Project is due on Friday, February 17th. If your child finishes their poster early they can absolutely bring it in early. Please contact me with questions about this project.
Multiplication Facts
We are making great progress with learning our multiplication facts. Last week we started learning to multiply by 5. Please make sure your child is practicing these facts every night. Also, I am continuing to test the students on the 7's and the 2's. Please make sure your child is still practicing these facts as well.
The Week Ahead
English: We will continue our unit on adjectives and adverbs. We will also be exploring how to organize our ideas when we write.
Math: We will be learning some new concepts, but we will also be focusing on problem solving strategies. This will help to prepare the students for the upcoming ISAT.
Reading: My reading class will be reading a piece of historical fiction called, Leah's Pony. We will also discuss fact and opinion, how to self-question, how to decode compound words, narrative elements, alliteration, and vivid verbs.
Science: We will begin a unit on tropical rain forests.
Social Studies: We will continue learning about where people start communities.
I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! Please e-mail me at bcalcott@orionschools.us with any questions or concerns.
Quick reminder: Friday is a half day!
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Friday Newsletter
The Week Ahead
English: We have started our unit on adjectives and adverbs. So far, we have covered what an adjective is, and adjectives can also tell us how much or how many.
Math: We will learn to add money amounts, read and show temperature on the Celsius scale, identify the number of days in each month, identify the number of days in a year, multiply by 5, identify the commutative property of multiplication, and locate points on a grid. We have also been exploring how to answer extended response math problems. The students will be expected to answer extended response problems on the ISAT.
Reading: My reading class will be reading a play called, The Crowded House. We will also discuss, similes and metaphors, author's purpose, following directions, making predictions, and much more. For the past few Fridays, we have been practicing how to answer reading questions with an extended response. The students are quickly gaining confidence.
Science: We will discuss the four different forest ecosystems.
Social Studies: We will discuss how to follow a diagram, and why communities are built where people meet.
Valentine's Day
With Valentine's Day just around the corner, I know that students are starting to pick out and fill out their valentines for their classmates. I will be sending a class list home this week. Please look for this list in your child's assignment notebook.
President Poster
I just want to remind everyone that the President Poster Project is due on Friday, February 17th. The students seem really excited about this research project! I am looking forward to seeing their wonderful posters and hearing their information! If you have questions about this assignment, please e-mail me.
I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! Please e-mail me at bcalcott@orionschools.us with any questions or concerns.
English: We have started our unit on adjectives and adverbs. So far, we have covered what an adjective is, and adjectives can also tell us how much or how many.
Math: We will learn to add money amounts, read and show temperature on the Celsius scale, identify the number of days in each month, identify the number of days in a year, multiply by 5, identify the commutative property of multiplication, and locate points on a grid. We have also been exploring how to answer extended response math problems. The students will be expected to answer extended response problems on the ISAT.
Reading: My reading class will be reading a play called, The Crowded House. We will also discuss, similes and metaphors, author's purpose, following directions, making predictions, and much more. For the past few Fridays, we have been practicing how to answer reading questions with an extended response. The students are quickly gaining confidence.
Science: We will discuss the four different forest ecosystems.
Social Studies: We will discuss how to follow a diagram, and why communities are built where people meet.
Valentine's Day
With Valentine's Day just around the corner, I know that students are starting to pick out and fill out their valentines for their classmates. I will be sending a class list home this week. Please look for this list in your child's assignment notebook.
President Poster
I just want to remind everyone that the President Poster Project is due on Friday, February 17th. The students seem really excited about this research project! I am looking forward to seeing their wonderful posters and hearing their information! If you have questions about this assignment, please e-mail me.
I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! Please e-mail me at bcalcott@orionschools.us with any questions or concerns.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Friday Newsletter
Hello everyone! I hope that you are enjoying your weekend! This week was very busy. We had our reading MAPs test on Tuesday and we had Ag in the Class on Thursday! Ag in the Class was very fun. The students learned about pigs and pig farmers. They each got to make a representation of a feed sack. They got to put many different treats inside their bags to remind them about the things they learned. On Monday we will be having our math MAPs testing. Please make sure your child gets plenty of sleep the night before.
Multiplication
I just want to remind everyone to keep practicing the multiplication facts! I am continuously retesting the students to make sure that they are not forgetting the facts once they have mastered them. Please take a few minutes each night to practice the facts.
The Week Ahead
English: We have finished learning all of the new concepts about verbs. This week, we will review on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. We will have the test on Thursday. I will be sending a note home in the students' assignment notebooks explaining the page numbers that the test will cover. I will also remind students to bring their English books home each night this week.
Math: We will learn to subtract 5 and 6, read and write roman numerals, add three digit numbers, read and write dollar amounts to $1000, write checks, and identify ordinal position.
Reading: My reading class will be reading a West African tale called, Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears. We will also discuss how to summarize, how to make and confirm predictions, how to compare and contrast stories, how to decode words by using accent marks in the dictionary, and how to make inferences.
Science: We will learn more about animal habitats and animal footprints.
Social Studies: We will learn about different types of physical features in and around a community.
Thank you for your continued support! Please feel free to contact me at bcalcott@orionschools.us with any questions or concerns.
Multiplication
I just want to remind everyone to keep practicing the multiplication facts! I am continuously retesting the students to make sure that they are not forgetting the facts once they have mastered them. Please take a few minutes each night to practice the facts.
The Week Ahead
English: We have finished learning all of the new concepts about verbs. This week, we will review on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. We will have the test on Thursday. I will be sending a note home in the students' assignment notebooks explaining the page numbers that the test will cover. I will also remind students to bring their English books home each night this week.
Math: We will learn to subtract 5 and 6, read and write roman numerals, add three digit numbers, read and write dollar amounts to $1000, write checks, and identify ordinal position.
Reading: My reading class will be reading a West African tale called, Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears. We will also discuss how to summarize, how to make and confirm predictions, how to compare and contrast stories, how to decode words by using accent marks in the dictionary, and how to make inferences.
Science: We will learn more about animal habitats and animal footprints.
Social Studies: We will learn about different types of physical features in and around a community.
Thank you for your continued support! Please feel free to contact me at bcalcott@orionschools.us with any questions or concerns.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Friday Newsletter
We had another interesting week for weather, however, it looks as though winter has finally arrived! I just want to remind everyone that we do not have school on Monday due to Martin Luther King Jr. Day. On Friday, the students were shown a movie that explains who Martin Luther King Jr. was and what he did for our country. When the movie ended, we were able to have a short discussion about some of the concepts shown in the video.
The Week Ahead
English: We will finish our unit about verbs, but we will not take the test until the following week. Please pay attention for a note that will go home with your child at the end of the week. This note will give more details about when the test will be and how to study for it.
Reading: My reading class will be reading a Native American Tale called, Coyote Places the Stars. We will also discuss how to compare and contrast, how to summarize, how to use prereading strategies, how to decode words with the igh and eigh spelling patterns, how to identify figurative language, and much more.
Science: We will continue our unit about animal habitats, animal populations, and habitat capacity.
Social Studies: We will continue our unit about where people start communities.
I hope everyone has a wonderful long weekend! Please do not hesitate to e-mail at bcalcott@orionschools.us with questions or concerns.
The Week Ahead
English: We will finish our unit about verbs, but we will not take the test until the following week. Please pay attention for a note that will go home with your child at the end of the week. This note will give more details about when the test will be and how to study for it.
Reading: My reading class will be reading a Native American Tale called, Coyote Places the Stars. We will also discuss how to compare and contrast, how to summarize, how to use prereading strategies, how to decode words with the igh and eigh spelling patterns, how to identify figurative language, and much more.
Science: We will continue our unit about animal habitats, animal populations, and habitat capacity.
Social Studies: We will continue our unit about where people start communities.
I hope everyone has a wonderful long weekend! Please do not hesitate to e-mail at bcalcott@orionschools.us with questions or concerns.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Friday Newsletter
I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday season! It has been an adjustment for the students to get back into the swing of things, but they have done it! The weather this week was very interesting. Thursday and Friday felt a little like spring, and the students had a blast playing outside at recess! Those warm days were a relief after those colder days we had earlier in the week.
The Week Ahead
English: This week we reviewed some of the verb unit. I wanted to make sure to refresh memories after the break. We then learned a new concept about the special verb be. Next week, we will continue to learn about verbs. We are getting close to the end of the unit. When we get closer to the test, I will send a note home.
Math: In math, we will learn to write numbers to 1,000 using words, add and subtract multiples of 100, multiply by 2, look for a pattern to solve a problem, draw a picture to solve a problem, make a table to solve a problem, and draw and read a line graph.
Reading: My reading students will read a story called, Papa Tell Chita a Story. We will also discuss narrative elements including conflicts and resolutions, classifying, decoding and making compound words, and much more.
Science: We will finish our unit about types of animals.
Social Studies: We will start a unit about where people start communities.
Multiplication
On a regular basis, I have been testing the students over their 7s facts. It is very important that the students continue to practice their facts. Next week, we will be learning to multiply by 2. Please be sure to start quizzing your child on the 2 facts starting Thursday. In a previous post, I posted a link to a website where you can print free flash cards. This is a great resource.
Report Cards
Report cards went home in Friday Folders today. Please look over your child's report card, sign the envelope, and send the envelope back to school with your child on Monday.
I hope 2012 is going well for everyone! Have a wonderful weekend!!
The Week Ahead
English: This week we reviewed some of the verb unit. I wanted to make sure to refresh memories after the break. We then learned a new concept about the special verb be. Next week, we will continue to learn about verbs. We are getting close to the end of the unit. When we get closer to the test, I will send a note home.
Math: In math, we will learn to write numbers to 1,000 using words, add and subtract multiples of 100, multiply by 2, look for a pattern to solve a problem, draw a picture to solve a problem, make a table to solve a problem, and draw and read a line graph.
Reading: My reading students will read a story called, Papa Tell Chita a Story. We will also discuss narrative elements including conflicts and resolutions, classifying, decoding and making compound words, and much more.
Science: We will finish our unit about types of animals.
Social Studies: We will start a unit about where people start communities.
Multiplication
On a regular basis, I have been testing the students over their 7s facts. It is very important that the students continue to practice their facts. Next week, we will be learning to multiply by 2. Please be sure to start quizzing your child on the 2 facts starting Thursday. In a previous post, I posted a link to a website where you can print free flash cards. This is a great resource.
Report Cards
Report cards went home in Friday Folders today. Please look over your child's report card, sign the envelope, and send the envelope back to school with your child on Monday.
I hope 2012 is going well for everyone! Have a wonderful weekend!!
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