I can't believe we have already hit this stage of the year. It is a very interesting and busy time of learning and transition. Students, who were only recently second graders, have flipped the switch and developed into third graders as learners, communicators, and problem solvers.
This will be the last newsletter before break. I hope you all have a safe and enjoyable break. Thank you for your tremendous partnership. I look forward to seeing you in January.
Word Study
We added e vowel sounds to our common long vowel patterns (V, VVC, VCE) sorts and revisited a, o, i, and u patterns. Our vowel patterns thus far this year include:
vowel-consonant (VC, closed syllable, short vowel sound)
vowel (V or CV, open syllable, long vowel sound)
vowel-vowel-consonant (VVC, a vowel team where two vowels "go walking, the first does the talking," long vowel sound)
vowel-consonant-silent e (VCE, long vowel sound)
We will be moving on to a new spelling feature after break.
Students expanded their understanding of how to spell plural nouns. Most singular nouns can be made into plural nouns by adding -s (frog to frogs). When we add a syllable, we add -es (box to boxes). Words ending in f or fe are converted to -ves (wolf to wolves). We will conclude this unit of study next week with nouns ending in -y, which are changed to -ies (bunny to bunnies).
We learned four new vocabulary words this week: banquet, babble, unfortunate, and withdraw. Students define these words and write sentences with context clues to show their understanding. We are also looking for them in our chapter books to earn apple punches.
Reading
Reading groups are continuing to develop an understanding of main idea and supporting details. We are reading short, leveled books and are creating T-charts where we record the main idea of each chapter and at least one supporting detail from each paragraph in our own words. We are learning the chapter headings suggest the main idea. We will eventually use this to create research reports.
T-chart
Students will increasingly rely on context clues to decode and comprehend unfamiliar words. We can use many subtle levels of context clues to understand even non-sense words. In the following examples, we add details that increasingly support our understanding of the non-sense word splekted.
I splekted. (Verbs follow nouns. Past tense -ed shows the word has to be a verb.)
I splekted! (Punctuation tells us it's exciting!)
I splekted down the stairs. (Down the stairs tells us more about action.)
I splekted quickly down the stairs. (Quickly suggests a dangerous verb, e.g., raced.)
I splekted carefully down the stairs. (Carefully suggests a cautious verb, e.g., tip-toed.)
Ow, I splekted down the stairs. (Ow provides context that you were injured, e.g., fell.)
We are just getting into the fantasy element of our read aloud. I'm excited that many of the class are enjoying this book enough to check it out from the library. However, this can ruin the read-aloud for them, especially their ability to participate in discussion. It is hard to make predictions and ask questions when you already know what happens. Therefore, I have asked them not to read book one of the series.
Writing
Students are responding to text. We generated persuasive essays that supported whether or not Laura Ingalls Wilder's family was happy living as pioneers. Students had to support their perspective with evidence from the text. We began reading a short realistic fiction story and are looking for evidence of how the character feels throughout the story: beginning, middle, and end.
We are also working on editing for convention from teacher produced writing samples. Each writing will have various errors, but will focus on a specific feature, such as apostrophes for contractions and ownership or commas for pauses and breaking up lists.
Math
Students have their math fact triangles and should practice their "don't know" pile for a few minutes each day.
Partial Products demonstrated
I am introducing the associative, commutative, and distributive properties of multiplication. We will continue this next week.
A huge component of the PARCC, and more importantly, of learning this year focuses on understanding and solving unknowns in multiplication and division equations. Most students are successful when they are presented with a "regular" question with an unknown product or quotient, (4 x 5 = ? or 20 ÷ 5 = ?). However, it is much harder with unknowns when the problem is presented with a missing factor or dividend, (? x 5 = 20 or ? ÷ 5 = 4). This is even harder when the order is moved around (5 = ? ÷ 4). Students are using multiple strategies: fact triangles, rewriting the problem in the "regular" order, and circling the product or dividend. I will send home this week's multiplication math quiz next week.
Science
We did a really fun physical science lesson on density. Click on the image below to go to a link on how to do this week's science experiment. This is a fun and easy one to try at home. See if your student can explain how this works. See what happens if you reverse the order or if you turn the straw upside down. Would the same thing happen if you substituted sugar? Have fun!
Click to view.
science challenge
Click to view.
Students working in teams on the design challenge.
Students collaborate by asking questions and making suggestions.
The most successful teams will incorporate ideas from all members.
Guidance
From Ms. O'Keefe...
This week I visited Mr. Hudon’s class and we talked about
tattling vs. reporting, as well as conflict resolution strategies. There are times when it is imperative that a
child tell an adult about problematic situations and times when a child needs
strategies to handle a problem on their own.
When there is danger, someone is hurt, sick, fighting or there is a
bully* they should tell an adult, but if it was an accident or they’re okay,
they can use Kelso’s Choice Wheel for some ideas on how to solve the problem on
their own. *Bullying is intentional, aggressive
behavior that involves an imbalance of power and repetition (http://www.stopbullying.gov/). We will discuss bullying in January’s lesson.
Below you will find two images that I shared with the class. Both will be posted in their classroom and
they received a paper copy of Kelso’s Choice Wheel. Please ask your child how this wheel
works! We encourage them to try two of
Kelso’s Choices before going to a teacher to get help with a small
problem. Please feel free to use this at
home! The more they get used to using
this, the better!
Thank you for your continued support and reinforcement of
these important life lessons at home!
Katie
Important Dates & Reminders
December 2014
Dear Windermere Families,
If you think you will be serving in a level-two volunteer position, please visit www.uaschools.org/volunteer to initiate the background check process at your earliest convenience. There is no charge to the volunteer for the background check. You will be notified via email once the background check is processed, and at that point, you will be asked come to the district’s central office, 1950 North Mallway Drive, to receive your official volunteer identification badge and sign the volunteer form. Background checks and badges must be renewed every three school years.
Julie Nolan
The Upper Arlington School District recognizes that volunteers play an extremely valuable role in the education of our students. At the same time, the district is committed to ensuring safe and secure learning environments. To that end, the district will require background checks for volunteers serving in certain roles beginning second semester (January 21, 2015).
Level one volunteers will not require background checks. Volunteers in this category do not have unsupervised contact with students. Examples of level one volunteer positions include book fair workers and classroom visitors for presentations or celebrations.
Level two volunteers will require background checks. Volunteers in this category take part in activities that may involve unsupervised contact with students. Examples of level two volunteers include a parent who works with small groups of students outside the classroom or someone who may escort students from one location to another within the school or during a field trip.
Additional information on volunteering and the background check process is available online at www.uaschools.org/volunteer. For additional questions, please contact me at 487.5060 or the district’s central office at (614) 487-5000.
Thank you for your understanding and willingness to keep our boys and girls safe. Most sincerely,
Dear Windermere Families,
If you think you will be serving in a level-two volunteer position, please visit www.uaschools.org/volunteer to initiate the background check process at your earliest convenience. There is no charge to the volunteer for the background check. You will be notified via email once the background check is processed, and at that point, you will be asked come to the district’s central office, 1950 North Mallway Drive, to receive your official volunteer identification badge and sign the volunteer form. Background checks and badges must be renewed every three school years.
Julie Nolan
The Upper Arlington School District recognizes that volunteers play an extremely valuable role in the education of our students. At the same time, the district is committed to ensuring safe and secure learning environments. To that end, the district will require background checks for volunteers serving in certain roles beginning second semester (January 21, 2015).
Level one volunteers will not require background checks. Volunteers in this category do not have unsupervised contact with students. Examples of level one volunteer positions include book fair workers and classroom visitors for presentations or celebrations.
Level two volunteers will require background checks. Volunteers in this category take part in activities that may involve unsupervised contact with students. Examples of level two volunteers include a parent who works with small groups of students outside the classroom or someone who may escort students from one location to another within the school or during a field trip.
Additional information on volunteering and the background check process is available online at www.uaschools.org/volunteer. For additional questions, please contact me at 487.5060 or the district’s central office at (614) 487-5000.
Thank you for your understanding and willingness to keep our boys and girls safe. Most sincerely,
Student safety is a top priority! Beginning second semester of the 2014-2015 school year, UA Schools will begin requiring
background checks for volunteers in certain roles. There is no charge to the volunteer, and the background checks are usually
completed within a week. For more information or to begin the background check process, please
visit www.uaschools.org/volunte
Important 2nd Quarter Dates & Reminders
January 16, 2015 - End of second quarter
January 19, 2015 - No School Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
January 20, 2015 - No school, teacher grading day
Important 3rd Quarter Dates & Reminders
January 27, 2015 - Progress Reports sent home
January 29, 2015 - Early Dismissal/Conferences at 11am
February 2 through 13, 2015 - Ohio Wildlife Center donation drive
February 4, 2015 - Early Dismissal/Teacher Development at 1pm
February 9 through 13, 2015 - Collection days for Box Tops for Education
February 16, 2015 - No School Presidents' Day
February 17, 2015 - Math State PBA
February 23, 2015 - English Language Arts State PBA
February 23, 2015 - AASCD
March 9 through 13, 2015 - PTO Book Sale
March 17, 2015 - 3rd Grade Musical
March 20 through 27, 2015 - No School Spring Break
April 2, 2015 - End of third quarter
April 3, 2015 - No School
April 6, 2015 - No School, teacher grading day
Important 4th Quarter Dates & Reminders
April 8, 2015 - Early Dismissal/Teacher Development at 1pm
April 9, 2015 - Spring Picture Day
April 13 through May 22, 2015 - District Writing Diagnostic Testing
April 14, 2015 - Progress Reports sent home
April 21 through 22, 2015 - English Language Arts State EOY
April 22, 2015 - Ohio Reading Achievement Assessment
April 24, 2015 - Kid Fest
April 28 through 29, 2015 - Math State EOY
May 1 through 29, 2015 - STAR Reading and Math Diagnostic Testing
May 9, 2015 - Wish Run
May 25, 2015 - No School Memorial Day
June 1, 2015 - Field Day
June 3, 2015 - End of fourth quarter/Last day for students, Classroom parties 12:05 till 1:05pm
June 9, 2015 - Progress Reports sent home
