What We Learned This Week
Reading
We are continuing our work on summaries this week. Students are expected to be able to identify main characters, setting(s) and events. Events are noted in chronological order and with bullet points. Finally, they have to identify the author's message. As long as they can support their author's message, they are successful. I'm not looking for a single perspective. The difference in author's message between fiction and informational texts can be tricky so we will spend a few weeks on this to explore these different genres.
The new reading homework is going very smoothly, at least on my end. I hope this is independent and true on your end as well. I'm including the email I sent earlier in the week. Feel free to skip this section if you have already read it:)
In the spirit of continuing to raise the bar as the class progresses, I am going to challenge the class with a slight change in reading homework.
Students should still read 15 to 20 minutes Monday through Thursday and respond to one of 65 different possible responses. (Reading on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays is still encouraged, but is not mandatory.) Students have new reading homework spiral notebooks and a two sided list of possible questions for response. They will take these home each night and return them to school the following morning.
The entire class wrote a model of how they are supposed to respond on the first page of their reading homework notebook. Each night's response will be on a new page and should look something like this...
March 20, 2018
Fablehaven
20. Describe the setting.
The story takes place in a deep ravine, the home of a troll who lives high on a cliff on the opposite side. There is a set of steep, dangerous steps to reach the troll's home.
This is new and students will undoubtedly struggle initially, just as they did when I first assigned nightly homework way back in August. My intent is to ensure they are thinking deeply about their reading, build in accountability and formalize that process. I strongly object to homework simply for the sake of homework. It must be productive and intentional. I have tried many different approaches to reading homework over the years and I am confident this will pay huge dividends.
We practiced this process today at school to ensure everyone understood what they were to do. However, there will be some bumps along the way. Ultimately, I would like their response to take no longer than five minutes. This will, however, be different for each student, more likely based on receptivity than ability. As long as students are reading appropriate text levels they should be successful. We will take this week to develop this new routine and skill.
Students should highlight the night's question and read it before they begin their nightly reading so they know what to focus on while reading their book.
Students should not take notes or read some, write some, read some. They should just read for their entire time and then respond at the end. This homework should NOT interrupt their sustained independent reading.
Students should choose a new question each night and may not do the same question twice.
If a student finishes a book and begins a new one, they may respond to either book.
This should quickly become independent work. The only things you may need to do to support your student are to remind them to do it:) and to explain any tricky vocabulary in the list of questions.
I've tried to anticipate all student and parent questions, but please feel free to contact me, or better yet, have your student write down their questions for me and I'll go over them the next day.
Rafael Rosado, Worthington illustrator and animator of many book and television series, visited us this week. (I must confess I'm a huge Teen Titans fan!)
Writing
We are focusing on simply getting started and producing a lot of writing in a short period of time. We have spent a lot of time working on creating high quality writing, but we are now practicing getting a satisfactory draft completed every sitting. We are writing between 15 and 20 minutes and responding to text. We are also focusing on informational writing.
Math
We are continuing our study of fractions and I am SUPER impressed. We are moving into equivalent fractions, fractions on a number line, simplifying improper fractions into mixed number fractions, as well as adding and subtracting fractions with common denominators.
Most students have been very successful with Kahn Academy. I'm finding a small number are not getting enough minutes in and I suspect it may be that KA does not include time spent watching videos in the student's working time.
Science
I introduced natural resources this week with all three classes and was really impressed with our discussion. It is apparent that many families have discussed this important topic. We differentiated between renewable and non-renewable resources and will be exploring most of them in detail through experiments in subsequent weeks.
We shared some inventions at this week's Town Hall Meeting.
Here, our student council reps and the inventor of the cat scratch protector
practice their public speaking skills.
Important Dates & Reminders
It’s Kid Fest Raffle Basket time again and PTO needs your help sending out the SignUp Genius link below to your class and collecting the students’ donations. Each classroom will have a box for donated items and a separate envelope for money. We will be by to collect items every few days, so your classrooms don’t become too cluttered. You may either keep all of the money until the April 18th deadline or give it to us on collection days. Again, thank you for everything. Our children are so very lucky. Windermere is a very special place because of YOU!
March 2018
27 Progress Reports available online & STAR Progress Monitoring Reports sent home
Progress reports are based on end of trimester assessments, STAR and state assessments, as well as daily performance.
28 Walking Wednesdays begin
30 Good Friday: No School for Students or Staff
April 2018
4 Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon at Windermere 11-12 in lounge. All volunteers (field trips, room parents, party organizers and helpers, reading support, etc.), please plan to join us.
17 & 18 Spring 3rd Grade State of Ohio Reading Assessment (AIR)
24 & 25 Spring 3rd Grade State of Ohio Math Assessment - Students need headphones.
May 2018
April 30-May 4 Scholastic Book Fair
8 NO School for students or certified staff - Ohio Primary Elections
11 Science field trip to Livingston Elementary
28 No School Staff: Memorial Day
30 End of third trimester
