Word Study
We continue to focus on spelling patterns. Sound and visual patterns are our guides.
When encoding (spelling) an unfamiliar word (one in our spoken vocabulary, but not in our writing) we listen for the vowel sounds first and then we consider our possible long vowel sound patterns (VCe, VVC, CV) and short vowel patterns (VC). Often, encouraging a student to make three different attempts at spelling the word. Considering which looks right will often lead them to the correct spelling. Even beginning spellers possess tremendous visual memories which support this seemingly easy strategy. Developing the willingness to take this simple step is often the bigger challenge.
When decoding an unfamiliar word, we focus on sight first, identifying the vowels or vowel teams as they suggest the number of syllables, where we can break the word up into chunks, and will direct us to apply long or short vowel sounds when we do so.
We are focusing on pattern sorts for the "within word stage." This stage represents about half of the class' instructional level and is good reinforcement for students who are in the next developmental stage, "syllable juncture."
We reviewed long and short a sounds and patterns and introduced long and short u sounds and patterns. I will send students' word study assessments home next week. Please make sure to practice vocabulary at home by writing sentences. You can build this practice into car and meal conversations.
We also continued our study of plural nouns. Students learned we typically add s to a singular noun to make it plural (e.g., book = books). However, if we hear an additional syllable, we add es (e.g, lunch = lunches).
Reading Workshop
Small groups are meeting with me to read leveled texts that are appropriate for their reading level. During these conferences, students are learning a variety of skills, from fluency to comprehension. Groups are directed to text features particular to their text and genre, e.g., book jackets, tables of contents, glossaries, indexes, text boxes, graphs, maps, charts, bold and italicized text, etc. Students are learning to identify cause and effect and lessons learned in fiction texts. The are also learning to identify the main idea of non-fiction/informational (I prefer the term "informational," but use both terms equally, often in conjunction.) texts and to support them with details from individual paragraphs. Students are moving from using teacher provided graphic organizers to creating their own.
I've noticed an improvement in personal narratives. Having introduced dialogue, there was an over use which seems to be balancing out to a more appropriate level.
Our class began discussing holiday reading. We are going to create reading contracts that list the titles we plan to read over break and how many pages we will need to read daily to achieve our goals. We will share our successes when we return.
We started a new read aloud after baling on another one. The other book was a little too complex for many students and it provided a good example of the importance of comprehension in choosing a just right book. Our current book, Book One - Fablehaven, is one of my favorite fantasy series for young readers because it is set in our time and world, rather than a fantasy world. I feel this makes the book and genre much more accessible to students who might otherwise struggle with a foreign world and made-up names. It is also part of a series. Students who enjoy this book can dig into the series. Lastly, it has a strong female lead which can be inspiring to our young readers.
Our writing is VERY challenging, but I am encouraged by students' progress. We are sharing student work daily as it provides with many great examples and opportunities to improve. Sometimes, mistakes provide far better learning opportunities. We are constructing persuasive essays in response to reading passages. This is a significant change in the Common Core and I am enjoying teaching this standard across writing purposes and in response to fiction and non-fiction texts. For persuasive essays, I am looking for a strong topic sentence and supporting details that explicitly reference the text.
Math
We are still working on multiplication and division. We will likely conclude this unit prior to winter break.
One of the challenges in working on multiplication and division is simultaneously learning our facts for the operations we are doing. I provide students with a multiplication/division chart for seat work and display one at the front of the room during carpet instruction. I am sending home fact triangles for at home practice. Students should make a "know" and "don't know" pile and then practice their "don't know" facts daily. Spending a few minutes each day between now and January will improve every one's knowledge of their facts. Mastery of these facts is essential to multi-digit operations, authentic story problems and fractions. I modeled how to use these cards at school and how quickly it can be done each day.
Students are working on solving problems when they are presented in atypical ways. Most students, with the support of a multiplication/division chart are successful when they are presented with:
factor x factor = unknown product
3 x 5 = ? (I would read this a 3 groups of 5 equals ?)
However, when the product is presented first (? = 3 x 5) or as division (15 / 3 = ? or 3 = ? / 5), it can be VERY confusing. We are developing strategies based on identifying the product and using fact triangles to help us solve these problems.
Science
I hope your student shared our science experiments this week on matter and density. These are easy to replicate at home and are very dramatic to young scientists.
In our first experiment students identified water in three stages: ice, water, steam. They then determined their density (and weight) from ice to hot water: heaviest, middle, and lightest. We placed blue ice cubes, dyed with food coloring, and steaming red hot water, also dyed with food coloring, carefully into a tank of room temperature water. While everything consisted of the same matter, water, their different densities made three layers of different densities.The dye made it very easy to see.
We also created carbon-dioxide with baking soda and vinegar. Our gas was invisible, but its density was apparent when we poured the CO2 from a pitcher onto a candle to extinguish it.
Service Learning and Community Support
A former student of mine and current Windermere 5th grader, Max Gillum, has created a website to raise funds for veterans. You can learn more about his actives by clicking on the following link.
It's hard to believe the holidays are right around the corner! With the holidays approaching, it has come to our attention that we have several Windermere families in need of some help this year. If you are interested in helping, please take a look at the link below. You can sign up for a gift, drop it off at the main office and we will deliver it to the family! We thought that, with sales going on now, you may see something for a great deal!
The 3rd grade party will celebrate the holidays by creating care packages for young people. You can learn more about supporting our holiday party by visiting the following link.
Important Dates and Reminders
Background checks
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.
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.
Additional information on volunteering and the background check process is available online at www.uaschools.org/volunteer. For additional questions, please contact your building principal or the district’s central office at (614) 487-5000. Thank you for your cooperation with this safety initiative and for the time and expertise you donate to Upper Arlington's students!
Important 2nd Quarter Dates & Reminders
December 19, 2014 - Holiday parties 2pm
December 22 through January 2, 2015 - No School Winter Break
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
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