I hope that everyone is safe during Hurricane Sandy. This will be an exciting week with a day off from school and the much anticipated Halloween celebrations. On Wednesday, we will be doing a day of learning and fun with Pumpkin Math. I am looking for pumpkin donations in order to make this activity happen. Any size will do as long as I can cut the top off easily. If you can donate a pumpkin please let me know and send it in with your child tomorrow.
Monthly Archives: October 2012
Empowering Writers Home Page – Empowering Writers
Empowering Writers Home Page – Empowering Writers.
This year we are launching a new writing program. The writing lessons focus on specific skills that writers need like crafting an exciting beginning and using specific details. This week we created paragraphs and illustrations of an autumn scene. Look for our Sense of Autumn display in the third grade pod soon.
Reminders Week of 10/22
Attention Team 203 Families . . . we have a busy week ahead! 
Monday- Regular Schedule
Tuesday– Early Release Day- Dismissal is at 12:40. Please write dismissal notes for any changes from the normal Tuesday routine.
Wednesday- Regular Schedule (AM and PM conferences start)
Thursday- Regular Schedule
Friday– Coonamessett Farm Field Trip
We will leave Mullen Hall at 12:15. Please pack a lunch for your child to bring on our trip.
Next week is Halloween! Team 203 will be working on a Pumpkin Math Activity for most of that day. We will need 6 pumpkin donations in order for this activity to work. Please send in a pumpkin if you have one to share. All sizes are welcome but should be one that could be cut open easily. Hint, hint . . . that’s all I’ll tell for now.
Regions Posters
Last week Team 203 was divided into small groups during Social Studies. Each group was assigned a different region of Massachusetts. The group members had to work together to create and design a poster that depicts the particular region. First, the group had to make a draft that included all of the required components to the poster. They had to use 2 different resources to find facts to include in the project. Students used words and images to make the posters come alive. Check out the rubric and what the posters look like so far.
I was very impressed at the teamwork that I noticed while students collaborated. We used the rock, paper, scissors strategy to decide on different tasks. Students also surveyed the group to see who really liked to draw and who preferred to write. Teamwork will be a major theme throughout our year together and Team 203 is already off to a great start!
Later this week students will present these posters to the class and take a turn being the teacher for a change!
The Homework Menu
Homework is a word familiar in every family with school aged children. For some, it’s a quiet time to reflect on what was learned that day. For others it can be a grueling, frustrating, and trying time. I hope that this year homework can be part of a pleasant and engaging routine for all students.
Most weeks students will receive Homework Menus on Mondays. Attached will be two Everyday Math Homelinks (double sided), new spelling words, and a spelling activity. This can of course change throughout the year depending on what we’re studying in class. Cursive, writing, long term projects, and grammar activities will be some future activities to look out for. This completed packet is due on Fridays.
All third graders should be spending 20 minutes reading a just right book each night! A minimum of 5 minutes a night should be spent practicing math facts. We are currently using fact triangles to study basic addition and subtraction facts, however these can easily be adapted to fact extension practice as well. For example, 6 + 3 = 9 so you also know that 60 + 30 =90. The remaining 15-20 minutes of nightly homework should be used to complete a minimum of 3 homework menu items.
I will aim to add some new homework menu choices each month. Please help your child use this valuable learning time to explore our blog and some of the great links on the right hand side. Homework should be a time to create routines, practice skills learned at school, and establish life long learning habits like reading!
This is a new way of looking at homework that my other third grade colleagues have collaborated on this year. We welcome feedback, questions, and comments and hope that it helps your weeknights run a bit more smoothly while providing quality activities and practice for students at home.
Kindergarten Buddies
We had a great time meeting our new Kindergarten buddies from Miss Moore’s class earlier this month. Buddy interviews were conducted to get to know our new friends. Next, third graders brought picture books to read aloud to Kindergartners. Third graders realized that it’s not always easy to keep a young student’s attention. We made connections to active listening by our young buddies and how we can be active listeners in our third grade classroom. Overall it was a great experience and we can’t wait for our second meeting in November!
On Friday afternoon we ventured down to our new garden and go to explore with Carol. Students were able to do some planting and do a scavenger hunt. Check out Team 203 taking advantage of a sunny October afternoon in the garden!
Take a moment to check out the Mullen Hall Garden Blog as well. A few of my students who work with Ms. T posted about their thoughts on the community and our garden!
http://mullen-hallschoolgarden.blogspot.com/
You can find this link all year long under Quick Links on our blog.
Tales from Grade Three 