Hooray! It's Autumn!

Using sketching, shading, painting, and collage techniques, the students made these lovely art pictures!

There will be so many new learning opportunities in October....come and visit often!

This is Read In Week and three of our parents are coming in to read to us along with Sister Gertrude!

September? Where did it go?

It really has been a very busy month!  The students have settled into the classroom routines so very well and are showing interest in all the different learning that we are doing!

Sometimes we need to stop and take a look at where we have come from....

...love this 'reflection' idea that I found somewhere on the internet.  The students got the opportunity to think about perspective in this art project!

Daily Five rocks!  The students have reached 20 minutes of stamina for "Read to Self" which they can do anywhere in the classroom.  They have been introduced to "Listen to Reading " (using the iPads), "Working on Writing" and "Word Work" and have built up to 12 to 15 minutes of stamina for each of those activities.  The final part "Listen to Others" will probably be introduced in November, once the rotation system is firmly in place.  It's so cool to hear them complain if we're too busy to get the "Read to Self" into the day!

 The caterpillars have been growing and molting and growing some more.  Sadly, the first batch that we received had a few diseased caterpillars and many didn't make it.  The second batch seems ready to move to the chrysalis (3rd) stage.  Here's a little guy hanging in the tell tale "J" shape...that's his head on the bottom and his backside is firmly attached with a silk button on the top of the lid.

It is taking the students a while to understand that our creatures DO NOT SPIN COCOONS.  That is done by moths.  These creatures molt around the fifth time into this stage (PUPA) and are seen as a chrysalis.  The creature is inside, going through METAMORPHOSIS.  That little fluffy bit at that top is the caterpillar's skin from it's last molt.

It's a really busy week coming up.  Remember:

a) Monday - Oct. 1 - Picture orders are due/Turkey homework is due

b) Tuesday - Oct. 2 - Students dress as a book character for Read In Week

c) Wednesday - Oct. 3 - Mass @ OLPH @ 9:30/early dismissal

d) Friday - Oct. 5 - Professional Development Day - no school for students only

e) Monday - Oct. 8 - Thanksgiving - School is not open for Canadian holiday

Read In Week

On Tuesday, October 2nd, all the students at our school are being encouraged to dress as one of their favourite book characters.  This character should be recognizable to anyone who sees the child in costume.  This is part of the school's "Read In Week"festivities.  I encourage you as parents to volunteer to read in the classroom next week.  I would need to know who is coming in on which days to ensure it works in our scheduled timetable.  Hope to see you then!

All About ME!

Last week, each of the students was able to share a backpack full of treasures that each had carefully selected the previous weekend to help us all get to know them a little better.

Each child got a chance to share their favourite colours, activities and even what they did not like.

(I promised to make them all LOVE cats by the end of the year!)

Now how did this BMX winner manage to get that tall trophy into that little backpack? Actually he had brought it in, on my request, a few days previous to the activity!

Here's a shot of most of the others who included medals or trophies in their 'get to know me' backpacks.  I knew I had a group of winners the first day I met them!

Busy First Week of School

David Shannon wrote a series of books about himself as a little boy.  The first is called 'No! David!' and features all types of situations where a mommy would have to say 'No!' to an adventurous little boy.  David is also featured in books about starting school and about getting into trouble.  They are wonderful books to bring home the point that reading is more than just reading the words.  Without the pictures, the stories of David would not be funny!   These stories became the basis of our lesson on how we should behave in a school.  Here is the anchor chart that we created.

The lesson progressed to a discussion on 'peacemakers' and 'peacebreakers'.  Those who think of others, are more likely to be peacemakers in our school.  Each student created a model of David and thought of a way that they will be a peacemaker in our classroom and school this year.  

Taking turns is part of being a peacemaker.  In pairs, the students practised this skill as they played 'Clockominoes', which allowed them to recognize the number of pips on each domino.

The students are working hard toward reading the goal of being able to read to self for 20 minutes, which is one the DAILY FIVE components that will feature prominently in our Language Learning classes.  In the first four days, the students are already up to 9 minutes!  I love that they are using the toobules.  These low tech devices allow the children to hear themselves as they read, without disturbing those around them.  Many students still need to hear themselves and are not completely ready for silent reading.  That is a skill that they will work towards achieving as the year goes on.

First Day of Grade Three

Hooray! Our first day of Grade Three was a success if the smiles can serve as evidence!

We spent time learning new routines, exploring our classroom, meeting our classmates and sorting our materials.  We heard stories, created a graph, and used clipboards.  It was a good day.

There were TONS of sheets for parents to fill out in the 'Bring Right Back" pocket of our Bee Binders.  The students were tickled pink to learn that they didn't have any homework, but their parents did!

Here's a list of requests:

1.  If your child's "Evidence of Learning" binder is still at home, please send to school asap.

2.  If your child has a 'kanga pouch', this also needs to come to school.

3.  There will be three iPads for the students to use in the classroom (my own personal), especially during 'Listen to Reading', so each student needs their own set of earbuds that will stay at school for the year.

4.  Because I came into this position quite late in the school year, I did not have any input into the school supply list.  To make it easy for you, I did the shopping and purchased, at the best price possible, some items that your child needs including the blue binder, a set of highlighters and a stash box.  Could you please send $3.00 to cover the costs?

5.  Could you please send a note (possibly written in the agenda) to tell me if your child is Catholic, has been baptized, received reconciliation and Communion?  I will need to know before our first mass in October.  

6.  If your child has a special event that is open to my attendance, such as a hockey game, a dance recital or is receiving a sacrament, and you send a note (preferably in the agenda) with about 2 weeks notice, I promise to do my best to be there.

Thanks!

Welcome to Mrs. Matheson's Grade Three Classroom!

Tomorrow I will be welcoming 19 new friends into my classroom.  I expect that we will learn a great deal about the world, about Jesus and about each other in the next ten months.

In front of my desk is a small table that has extra crayons, scissors, three hole punch, our sharp pencils for the day, stapler and our bathroom frames.  When a student needs to leave the class, as long as I am not actively teaching, they do not need to ask for permission.  They take the appropriate frame (Boys or Girls) and place it on their desk.  That way when I scan the room, I will notice who is missing.

We will not be spending the entire day in our individual desks.  The students and I will be meeting many times a day, on the rug, to work on concepts, discuss, share and learn from each other.

The students will be following a "Daily Five" program.  This is a way to organize their reading/viewing/listening/writing part of their day to ensure that the students are given opportunities to practice the 5 areas that research says are most important for success.  You will be hearing more about this throughout the year.

This is our 'Daily Five' and 'Cafe' board.  Cafe stands for comprehension, accuracy, fluency and extending vocabulary.  The beanie babies above are related to the strategies that the children will learn about and practice in their Language Learning classtime.

This is our Word Wall, full of words that are appropriate for students to know at this skill level.

These beanie babies are relating strategies that the students learned in the previous two grades for decoding unfamiliar words.  They are up to act a gentle reminder of what they already know!

If the manner in which a student is going home changes, please let me know through a note in the agenda.  Each child has a clip to show the manner that they are getting home.

Many hands make light work, so the students will have 'jobs' to do each week, on a rotational basis.

All of our classroom roles and responsibilities are positively phrased on our "BEE" wall.

Jesus is the reason for our school.  He is our ever present teacher.  May His blessings continue to fall upon each and everyone of us, today, tomorrow and for the school year.