Please take a look at this week's highlights:
Spelling/Vocabulary: Unit 6 is due tomorrow. Thursday is the vocabulary quiz. Friday is the spelling test. Some classroom activities we do for practice: online touchscreen Smartboard games, Family Feud, and practice quiz.
Reading: We are finishing Ramona Quimby, Age 8 as an ongoing assessment in listening skills. We will begin Reading Skills practice (recalling facts and details, identifying main ideas, identifying sequence, analyzing language and vocabulary) this week. We have just finished our beginning of the year DIBELS testing (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Literary Skills). This reading assessment tool is an individually-administered oral reading test used to measure reading fluency. The beginning of the year benchmark goal is to read 77 words per minute in 3rd grade. Please see the printed report in tonight's Tuesday folder for your child's result.
Math: We have completed the first chapter in the book, and are well into the second chapter, "Addition." Skills in chapter 2 include: more than three addends, regrouping with larger numbers and word problems. We are also using standardized testing practice materials "Strand by Strand" in preparation for the October achievement testing. Last week, our strand focus was on Numbers, Operations, and Quantitative Reasoning. This week our strand focus is on Mathematical Processes and Tools. In addition to our skills practice, 3rd graders are also getting a tutorial in our web-based Math program ALEKS during computer lab time. Whole group instruction for 3rd grade Math is our focus for this quarter. Later on this year, students will have the opportunity to learn via computer and web-based instructions.
English: Using our Thinking Maps learning strategy, we were able to break down every word in a sentence and identify their parts (subject, predicate, helping verb, noun, adverb, adjectives). We used a classification visual aid to do this (similar to diagramming sentences). This week, we will begin Chapter 5 "Complete Sentences."
Religion: This week, our focus is on Chapter 5: "The Holy Family." In this chapter, children learn about the Holy Family, Mary, Joseph and Jesus. The children read about how Mary and Joseph shared their love of God with Jesus. Mary and Joseph are models for all parents.
Social Studies: We just completed a very fun Geography project in class. Students examined the map of the United States and created their own jigsaw puzzles in class. See us in action in the pictures posted below in the blog.
Notes/Reminder:
1. The homework issues/defaults seem to be improving, as predicted. While I am no longer checking their assignment pad/planners daily, each student is still expected to write down their assignments daily. As parents, you might want to periodically check if your child is following through on his/her responsibilities.
2. We are expecting a guest speaker Michael Medina in our classroom on Friday, September 23rd. He is a college student who will speak to my class about the following important life skills:
- starting assignments early
- set reminders for when assignments are due
- become competitive with friends to turn in good work
- always ask questions
Tips for staying motivated
- take breaks during study and homework session
- stay active and exerting some physical energy
- keep hydrated, water is powerful
Long term tips and college life
- pick good friends with strong faith relationships with God
- join clubs and groups, become an officer
- get to know your professors
His short bio is below:
Here are some links of interest:My name is Michael Medina. I am married to Sandra Medina and we have two children, Adrian is four years old and Eliana is three years old. I work part-time for Allegiance Learning Solutions as a tutor for junior high and high school students, covering all subjects. I am currently attending college at Tyler Junior College in Tyler Texas. I will complete an associates in Surveying and Mapping in May of 2012 and will transfer to the University of Texas at Tyler next fall. I will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Technology with an emphasis on Surveying and Mapping and have a minor in Business in May of 2013.Once my school is complete I will work for a professional land surveyor. My hopes are to become a Registered Professional Land Surveyor and own and operate a surveying company. A professional land surveyor performs any service or work involving knowledge of the principles of geodesy, mathematics, and relevant laws to the measurement or locations of sites, points, lines, angles and elevations. Professional land surveyors locate real estate property boundaries, layout land and subdivisions of land and prepare maps. Surveying can be done on land, at sea, on the moon and other planets in our solar system.
http://www.tjc.edu/surveying/index.php - Tyler Junior College
http://www.uttyler.edu/cbt/ugadvising/degreeplan/surv_mapplan.php - University of Texas at Tyler
http://www.txls.state.tx.us/ - the Acts & Rules tab details all aspects of land surveying in Texas
http://www.ncees.org/Audience_Landing_Pages/Surveyors.php - surveyors must pass extensive and rigorous exams to become licensed or registered professionals
3. Guest Speaker Interest: If you are interested in becoming a guest speaker, please submit a short summary of your area of interest via email ppulido@hfns.com. Scheduling is usually on Fridays from 2pm to 3pm and you may contact one of my homeroom parents (Virginia Gonzalez) to schedule a session.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please email me ppulido@hfns.com
Have a wonderful week!
Blessings,
Mrs. Pia Villanueva-Pulido
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