Have you heard about the COW in our room?

So...here she is!  Cart on Wheels...Computers on Wheels...not even sure which is correct...and I don't really care...it is magical!  It is fantastic!!  It is HOW IT SHOULD BE every day!!  But alas, she only gets to visit for about 10 days...we have to share...isn't that what we are supposed to teach the kids?  (Try to picture me throwing a tantrum screaming, "I don't want to share!!") Teehee!!

So that's what's going on in our classroom!  It was so amazing to have the kids for a full five day week...we got so much accomplished!  However...we have SOOOO much to do, and I cannot STAND the forecast I just heard.  O.M.G.  Please let them be really wrong!!

Let me first tell you what we've been up to...then I will go over "what's to come"...so grab a soda, a pillow, but stay awake!  Please read the entire post!

Language Arts
Our biography reading, research, and writing is taking up a lot of this time...but we manage to fit in subject and object pronouns, daily language drills, and handwriting, too!  The kids are at different phases of this project, but let me break it down for you...

-they chose a famous person who has made an impact on our country
-they read a book (or two or three) about that person

-they printed an article off an online research portal and read more about that person

-they take notes on file cards that are then categorized into their personal notes portfolio

-once all of the above steps are complete they use the cards to create a timeline of their person's life

-using the note cards in life order, they compose a biography of that person from the 1st person perspective...as if they ARE that person

And your child is in ONE of those phases right now!  ;-)  Actually, most kids are now writing their rough drafts...but not with a pencil...we are using the laptops to compose...we are also using them when the kids hit a snag and need a new piece of info...we use the laptops for research!

This coming week we will continue the composing part of this project, while reading some non-fiction texts and working on comprehension when the text is quite rigorous....oh yeah...and MSA!! But more on that in a few minutes!!

Math
In Math we have been focusing on multiplication and division...strategies, algorithms, problem solving...again, the kids are at so many different levels, so we regroup during math to make sure I am meeting the needs of all of the kids.  Just to give you an idea of what strategies the kids learn when we teach division...they know that they can use repeated subtraction to divide, they can use a number line when dividing, and they can use the inverse operation when they divide.  Using the inverse operation is the most efficient...but if their multiplication/division facts are not sound, this is much harder.  For instance...when you see 47 divided by 6...if you know 6 x 7 is 42 then  you know that the answer would be 7 with a remainder of 5.  But if you don't know that fact...you have to use one of the other strategies.  All strategies are acceptable and good...but not the most efficient...we let the kids figure this out.  Now some kids come to me already knowing long division...so after I make certain they understand the WHY and WHAT of the algorithm they have memorized...we use those skills to solve harder word problems.  All students are solving word problems, but the difiiculty depends on their division skills.  Hope this makes sense!  We used the COW in Math this past week, too!  We all visited a website called LearnZillion...it is an amazing resource for a teacher...and for a parent! You should check it out...when the kids visit it, I can give them a quick code that takes them directly to the clip I want them to view...in order for you to take part, I'm pretty sure you'd need an account...but go check it out!

Social Studies
What FANTASTIC Culture Projects your kids did!!  I'm so proud of their improved presentation skills!!  And we learned so much about each other.  Our classroom is so DIVERSE and it is really fun to see what each culture brings to our community.  We will continue with Social Studies and our study of different cultures for the next week...and then we will be diving into a new SCIENCE unit....the kids are going to be so excited!

THINGS YOU MUST KNOW!!
1.  I am waiting on TWO brown envelopes!  If I don't have them Monday morning I will write your child a note from me...but they would much rather have a note from YOU!!!

2.  MSAs start Monday (if the forecast is wrong).  Please take these suggestions from a veteran third grade teacher who has tested her fair share of third graders...

• help your child get a good night's sleep before testing
• feed your child a good, healthy breakfast the morning of testing
• make sure your child is on time for school on testing days (all days really...but for sure on those days!!)

 3.  I cannot pin down a date yet for the Wills' Wax Museum.  If I knew for sure that we'd be at school a full week next week, I probably could.  Look for me to pin down a date by the end of next week.  My guess is we're looking at the week of March 17th.  I have to look at the school calendar to get any more specific.

4.  I sent out the volunteer schedule for March and inadvertently put volunteers on this coming week...I cannot have volunteers in the room during the MSA tests.  If you would like to reschedule for a different day, please email me.  ALSO...if the tests get pushed back and you are scheduled the following week, please know that on a day we test, I cannot have a volunteer.  Thank you.

5.  This year the PTA's Silent Auction is Friday, March 28th...please consider supporting this fundraiser!  Here are a few different ways you can support their endeavors...

• send in a donation to our room parents (per the letter this past week) to contribute to our classroom basket...these baskets are auctioned off and make the PTA a total profit.
• come to the Silent Auction...I'll be there and its a great evening of fun and community
• bid on any of the items...but especially the one I'm donating...PIZZA LUNCH with a student and his/her three friends...during school...I buy the food/drinks...we eat together in the classroom (should be a hot ticket item) ;-)

In case you're wondering why I'm plugging the PTA...they do a TON for our school.  Each teacher is given a $100 grant each year to supplement what we buy for the classroom...the black rug my students sit on daily is what I spent a lot of that money on this year.  It is the PTA that pays to have the AG in the CLASSROOM trailer that will be parked on the blacktop by my room this Spring.  The students will get to visit two times and participate in hands-on Science experiments.  They make sure each student has a Take Home folder and Agenda each year.  They can only do these things with our support.  So, I hope you will be able to support this year's Silent Auction.  If you decide to send a donation for our classroom basket, remember to label it with your child's name and put Silent Auction on the envelope.  Thanks so much.

Well, that's it from me...I am going to do a second post with pictures from the Valentine's party and from our get together with our Buddy Class...also, I have a TON of pictures of their biography work, but I am only sharing a few, because I will eventually make a movie of the entire process. 

Have a great weekend and pray for NO SNOW!!!!