Language Arts
This week I modeled how to answer a question using the R.A.C.E. strategy. We then read Chapters 5 and 6 in 21 Balloons. Today the kids were asked whether or not they feel this is a fiction or non-fiction story. They had to write a paragraph supporting their thoughts. I am anxious to read their answers and see what examples and details they picked form the story to support their thinking!
Writer's Workshop time is coveted in my classroom...the kids are so motivated when writing about topics they've chosen...and today we talked about using what they learn in Writer's Workshop and applying it to writing in other parts of their day. Using editing and revising each time they write...thinking about what Mrs. Wills might ask or point out in a teacher conference...so many of the kids have published quite a few stories, so they know the processes very well...and isn't that what we want!?!? Last week, Jake S. asked, "Mrs. Wills...what's a semicolon? Can you use a mini lesson during Writer's Workshop to teach us?" WOOHOO...music to my ears! So this week we talked about semicolons. I shared examples and some of the kids tried to use them during Daily Language...I LOVE teaching these kids!
Math
This week in math we've been working with statistics...mean, median, mode, range, outliers and clusters...they students were given topics to survey and each group made a line plot. Then each group calculated the averages, identified outliers and clusters, and reported their data to the class. I had planned to do a very fun paper airplane activity, but then I got sick and stayed home the day I had the cafeteria booked, so I've pushed that off to next week. It will be our culmination of working with averages. The kids will have a quiz sometime next week where they will be asked to calculate all the different averages.
Science
This coming week we will be exploring the world of fossils...cast fossils, mold fossils and more! We will visit the wetlands and see fossils on the Fossil Wall of Geologic Time and do some hands on activities that I'm sure the kids will love!
Field Trips
We have two field trips coming up. On Wednesday, March 30, 2011 the third grade is going to see the preview of Urbana High School's production of Cinderella. I am so thrilled that they are doing this play after having our Cinderella unit this fall. What fun we'll have comparing and contrasting all the different versions with the play! I'm sorry to report this field trip does not require parent chaperones and we were limited with the amount of tickets we were allowed, so I will be your child's chaperone...I promise to take good care of each and everyone of them!!
A second field trip we will be taking is to the ESSL on Monday, April 4th. I can take as many parents as I want on this field trip. There is one small catch...you have to meet us there. We share a bus with Ms. Maenner's class and therefore we do not have enough room for parents, too! This trip is a morning trip and we are back by 12 pm.
The permission slips will be coming home next week...Cinderella will come home Monday and I'll send the ESSL field trip slip Friday.
As always, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to email me.
