November News

Dear Parents,
November is short month for us; there is only 15 teaching days!!!  Our class just finished their first published piece of writing and we had a Writer’s Celebration with juice and cereal. Each student read their piece of writing and then was given two compliments from their peers. This class is full of awesome writers!!!!


Reports Cards:
The trimester ends this Friday, November 6th and report cards will be sent home on the 18h in a special envelope that requires a parent signature. As you will see many areas on the report card have not yet been assessed, which tells you the direction we are going for in the next trimester. Please remember this report is an indication of your child’s progress toward grade level standards.  The items on your child’s report card are the end of the year expectations from the State/District standards for your child’s grade level.

Lunch Bunch: It’s official; we started our class book club!  Here’s how it works: The book The Good Dog by Avi has been selected as a read aloud.  Please spend time reading it to your child and discussing each chapter along the way. We will all meet (including the parent) on February 18th to discuss this book at lunch. Our last book club date is May 20th.  For last meeting the book I have chosen is titled The Great Brain by John D. Fitzgerald. Let’s have lunch together soon!!!

Book Order:
The December Scholastic book order form is due on November 20th.  Please make your checks out to Scholastic Book Club.

Math Curriculum:
We have just finished our unit on subtraction and now we are moving onto geometry!!! Here are some websites to check out if you would like your child to have additional worksheets for a particular concept or skill or to enhance their math proficiency.

Math Web Sites:

Math Playground:
http://www.mathplayground.com

Computation games: fruit shoot, pop up math, matching, mahjong
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/math.htm

National Library of Virtual Manipulatives:
http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/vlibrary.html

Math Logic Games:
Logic Games

PBS Kids Site: Cyberchase Games
Cyberchase Games

Association for Library Service to Children: Great Web Sites for Kids –
Mathematics

Interactive Math Practice – Timed Practice of Basic Math Facts
http://resources.oswego.org/games/mathmagician/maths1.html

Fun Brain Games
http://www.funbrain.com/

A-Plus Math Games
http://www.aplusmath.com/Games/index.html

Rock Hopper Game
http://www.eduplace.com/kids/hmcam/swfs/rockhopper_grade3_s.html

Robo Packer Game
http://www.eduplace.com/kids/hmcam/swfs/robopacker_grade3_s.html

Find a Friend Game
http://www.eduplace.com/kids/hmcam/swfs/faf_grade3_s.html



Fieldtrips:
Thank you to all of the drivers and chaperones that helped on our fieldtrip to Lindsay Wildlife Museum. The weather was gorgeous and our docent was fantastic!! The kids and I really enjoyed our time there and wished we could have stayed longer to see more of the exhibits.

Our next fieldtrip will be to the Chabot Space Center on January  15th. We will be leaving school at 9:15 and returning around 1:30. All students must bring a bag lunch
for this fieldtrip.


Book Fair Donations: I wanted to thank the Green Valley families who donated books to our classroom library. We can never have enough books in our bins. These kids LOVE to read!!!!



Lastly, thank you for the gift certificate to Kure Wellness Retreat for my birthday. I have an appointment this Sunday for a relaxing massage!!! Also I would like to take this time to thank many of you who have so generously donated your time to our classroom and to our school activities here at school. I can’t tell you how grateful I am for the support you give volunteering in our classroom, library and science room. THANK YOU!!!
 

October News

Hello Parents,
 Just wanted to drop you a note about the happenings in room 24.

Fieldtrips:
Our last fieldtrip to Forest Home Farms was wonderful, thanks to our drivers/chaperones. The history of that farm is incredible. Did you know that the owner Mrs. Boone is a relative of Daniel Boone?? Just think Daniel Boone had relatives in the San Ramon Valley.

Fall Conferences:
I’m looking forward to our fall conferences.
 The conference schedule will be posted on the door if you’ve forgotten what day you are scheduled to meet me. During the conference we will be reviewing classroom assessments and setting a goal for the school year.

Math:
For the next month we will be forging ahead in our math book, reviewing adding and subtracting with/without regrouping, and geometry.  Research shows with daily practice of addition and subtraction facts your child will know them with automaticity. Please help your child practice at home first with addition, subtraction, then multiplication and division flash cards.

Math centers start next Friday Oct. 9th.  I will contact the room moms and have them set up a schedule so if your child is sick that day or an emergency comes up, we can have substitutes fill in on that day.
 
Spelling:
 I had mentioned at Back to School Night about the Words their Way spelling program. This is our third week with the program and I’m happy to say I’m seeing results. The kids are noticing patterns in their words and I see these words in their everyday writing spelled correctly. Thanks parents for helping to support this program in our classroom.  If your child has spelling homework, such as a spelling sort and the directions aren’t clear, please email me or check the school loop for further directions.

Reader’s Workshop Book Selection:
I just wanted to take a moment to clarify what is a “just right book” for your child. It’s a book that a child can read independently to work on fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension skills. Each week, students will select three books from the classroom library for use as a classroom “reader’s workshop” and homework reading (20 minutes per night Monday – Friday). Students are to keep these books in their book bag (provided). Students should bring this bag home every night and return it to school each morning. Children are to record their nightly reading on their Home Reading Logs. After they have read that book, I ask the student to write a plot chart and then I discuss their chart with them and ask them to read a few pages to me to check on fluency and vocabulary.

Library:
We visit the library once a week on Thursdays and are able to check out three books.  I would like to see your child pick one “just right” book, a fun book (non-fiction or fiction) and a free choice (magazines, reference or….?) The “just right” book from the library can be used for their “Home Reading Logs.”

Book Club:
I will be offering Lunch Bunch Book Club three times this school year on Thursdays  during lunch from  12:00 – 12:45. Our first book that will be discussing on October 22nd is titled, Henry Higgins by Beverly Clearly. If you need a copy, check out the Scholastic Book Fair that opens Friday, October 9th, from 8:25 to 3:30pm, with expanded evening hours from 4:00pm – 8:00pm on Friday, Oct 16th. Our class will be previewing the book fair on Tues. Oct. 13th and will have the opportunity to purchase books on Wed. Oct. 14th.

Please don’t hesitate to email me if you have unanswered questions.

Fondly,

Mrs. Solomon