Happy New Year!

Holy moly...I have a lot of catching up to do! Please forgive the length of this post...grab a cup of hot cocoa, sit back, and ENJOY.

What's happened since October 29th?? 

Well, Pumpkin Math and our Fall Festival for one! Take a look...click on the link below.

Fall Festival 2017

We also had the FUN RUN which raised money for our PTA...which equates to more technology and other wonderful programs for us...thanks to all who participated!

Hour of Code
During the first week of December we participated with millions of people worldwide in the Hour of Code. The students completed modules where they learned and practiced the blocking technique of coding. The Hour of Code website is available year round for people to continue to practice and improve their coding skills.

Our Buddy Class
It is so much fun to see your kids mentor their kindergarten buddies. This is the first year they are the older buddy, and it is wonderful to see them take this role so seriously. We have spent quite a bit of time with our buddies and I have SOOO many pictures that it was just easier to drop them into a video. Click on the link below and enjoy!

Buddy Class 2017


CURRICULUM
We've learned so much over the past two months...in Science we finished our Forces in Motion unit. During this unit there were many hands on explorations, but the ones the kids seem to enjoy the most were the ones where we explored the forces of magnetism. Take a look...

I am so excited for you to read the kids' Informative Books. They just finished their books prior to break and we will be sharing them this week. These third grade authors continue to blow me away with their growth...they take each lesson that is taught and immediately apply the learning to their work...it is so impressive! You will probably see the copied, graded version before you see the original, as I like to hang the originals so others can enjoy their work.

In Language Arts we continue to examine fiction and non-fiction text on a daily basis. We've been using the Jacob's Ladder curriculum that is written specifically for advanced learners. The students work independently with a text, then work collaboratively in small groups discussing their thinking...all the while building a stronger understanding of the text. Once they have worked together, they are tasked to write their very best answer...synthesizing all of the thinking they have done and heard.

We also use the guided reading model in Language Arts. It's during this time that I am working with small groups at the instructional table on reading strategies and skills...and the other two groups are working on Wordly Wise, our blended learning vocabulary program, or follow up work, or reading for stamina. They are quite impressive as they self monitor their learning during these independent times. I don't often get pictures of this time as I'm instructing, but here's a quick view into guided reading time.

It is amazing to me how quickly 70 minutes flies by in the afternoon...Math time is so busy in our classroom. I use small group instruction to work with the differing levels within our class...at the instructional table we are working on math skills/strategies specific to the students' levels while making sure all third grade standards are mastered. While the students are working independently they are often working on Redbird, our blended learning model for math, which is a very rigorous individualized online learning program. This online learning has been an adjustment for the kids as they have to synthesize the information all by themselves. They are going to be so prepared for the upper grades!! The students also use the independent rotation times to complete follow-up work, work on problem solving with a partner, or practice math skills through the use of math games. I will work on trying to capture some of this in pictures in the upcoming months!!

MakerSpace
MakerSpace continues to be a huge hit in the classroom...but who wouldn't like 60 minutes to create and invent and recreate and reflect...you get the idea! There are so many cool things going on during this time...some like to continue their coding adventures, some like to work with circuits and the Makey Makey kit, others love to create new things with cardboard, ribbon, and other materials, AND we have had the Lego Robotics kits the past few times so that has been a lot of fun, too.

This is a ukulele that Emma created over a few different MakerSpace times.

Circuitry...

Lego Robotics...

 

Creating movies using a green screen and Stikbots...

 Coding...

Creating with duct tape, ribbon, and cardboard...

 







Makey Makey circuit board...

 

Makey Makey in action...

Lego Robotics in action...

Well...if you've stuck with this blog to the end...BRAVO! This is a ridiculously long blog, and I hope you'll forgive me. When I sat down to blog after Thanksgiving I found that my computer had crashed. When I got my new computer a couple weeks later we were in the throws of the holidays and it just wasn't happening!

I hope that you enjoyed your family time over Winter Break. I wish each and every one of you health and happiness in 2018, AND I promise to blog once a month from here on out!

Grab a Snack and a Drink...it's Going to be a LONG Post!

Hello! Happy Sunday! I have so much to share with you...and I'm sorry it's been so long. Hunker down and enjoy the awesome kids you send to me every day...

LANGUAGE ARTS

In this first quarter we have accomplished so much: reading non-fiction and fiction texts learning to identify the main idea and the detail that support the main idea, practicing answering questions using the text evidence necessary to support the answer, collaborating with writing partners to make our narrative writing that much better, learning vocabulary through Wordly Wise and applying it to rich literature passages, etc!  Take a look...

SOCIAL STUDIES

We completed our first unit in social studies where the students learned about latitude and longitude and every other map feature you can think of...we studied big maps, small maps, globes, and then took it further to look at the different regions found all over the world. They each chose a region to research and then chose how they would present their information. For each region they needed to share the geography, climate, natural resources, and landmarks. Most students chose Google Slides to present, however we had a couple posters, an animation on Scratch, and a song! I love the creativity of your kids! Ask to see their presentations...they have them on their Google Drive. 

SCIENCE

We have just started a new science unit...Forces and Motion...so far we have explored how the strength of the force affects the motion and we've explored balanced and unbalanced forces...in order to do this we got to play with cars and compete in tug-o-war!!  The kids and I are really enjoying this new unit!!

MAKERSPACE

Speaking of creative kids...holy moly...do they LOVE MakerSpace! In case you're not familiar...the concept behind MakerSpace is as easy as the title. A space to make things...and those things can vary as greatly as the kids themselves...in this day and age, our curriculum is very demanding, so there isn't a ton of time for anything else. MakerSpace is an hour that you get to plan your time anyway you choose as long as there is some type of goal involved...that goal can be to use code to create an animation, develop a green screen movie, create something brand new out of cardboard, ribbons, paper plates and more, build a protoype out of legos, explore circuitry, the list goes on and on. For each MakerSpace time there is a required reflection so that they are thinking about what they are doing, why they're doing it, and how they'd do it differently the next time. Take a look at your Makers!

MATH

I have absolutely no pictures of math...sorry...I'm always with a group...and when they're with me we're working on concepts, skills, and problem solving at the instructional table...we use the whiteboard and markers, manipulatives, and our hard working brains to "do math!" While they're not with me, they may be working independently or with a partner practicing a skill or solving word problems, they could be completing an assignment on TenMarks, or they're working on Redbird - the program the Advanced Academics department purchased for magnet students...Redbird is virtual learning...they go through lessons and practice skills that are specifically on the level they need to work on. I will be sharing more of this with you at conferences...

SPEAKING OF CONFERENCES...

Please click on the link below to sign up for a parent/teacher conference...I greatly look forward to sitting and chatting about your child.

https://ptcfast.com/schools/ues

EVERYTHING PUMPKIN...

This Tuesday there are "big doings" in our classroom!! Thanks to all who have volunteered their time or supplies for this fun day. First of all...if you've offered to bring a pumpkin, but will not be joining us...send with your child, or feel free to drop in the front office tomorrow or first thing Tuesday am...if you drop it off, please inform the front office it's for our classroom. THANKS! If you're joining us Tuesday am, we will begin promptly at 9:15, so try to arrive around 9:05-9:10...You will be elbow deep in pumpkins, so dress accordingly. It is a very fun morning and we could do it all without your participation! If you're joining us Tuesday afternoon...our party begins promptly at 1:20 pm and we will head outside for the parade at 2pm...students will already be packed up to leave so that we can go straight into dismissal at 2:25pm. If you're planning to take your child home that afternoon after attending the party, there will be a sign out sheet in my classroom...just sign them out and take them with you!

OVERALL...we have had an amazing start to third grade. I adore your kids and consider myself blessed to come to work each day. Thank you for all you're doing on your end to make them successful at school. As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to email me.

-Mrs. Wills ;-)

P.S. We've met with our buddies TWICE already and have a zillion pictures from that, too...but I had to cut this post somewhere! More to come...