Hello Friends and Families!
Hooray for our first week without snow days! Hooray for the Winter Concert and Art Show! Hooray for a successful field trip! We have a lot to celebrate this week. Here are some updates.
First I would like to say a big thank you to Aviva, Joey, Simon, Dasani, Clarck, Tommy, and Isaac for their help last week. We needed to rearrange our room and they donated their time to make our room beautiful! I would also like to thank Jeff Frankel who has helped make our first expedition such a success! He came and presented information about Cambridge during the American Revolution and then organized a "treasure hunt" for monuments in the Cambridge Common. Also thanks to Wendy, Judy, and Zazy for bundling up and chaperoning our trip to the Common. Pictures will be coming soon!
This week we started new book clubs in Reading Workshop. Each group is reading a different biography and learning what makes biographies important and unique. Next week we will continue to go more in depth in our genre study of biographies. We will examine the structure and what to expect when reading a biography.
In Writing Workshop, we brainstormed ideas for our own special places in Cambridge. Each student made a list of places that might be special and why. Then, we started our first drafts. We learned about a "Fast Write" to help get ideas on paper and to avoid writer's block. Next week we will continue our drafts and start to revise. Social Studies this week involved getting ready for the trip to the Common. We also started to create a timeline of the development of Cambridge.
In Math we are jumping right in to our unit on Multiplication and Division. I sent home information about the unit. If you did not receive it please let me know and I will send another copy home. We explored the idea of equal groups, noticing where we see equal groups in real life. We created an "Equal Groups" book. It's pages feature equal groups of tentacles on octopi, equal groups of whiskers on cats, and equal groups of pipers piping at a party! We also learned how to identify information given in a story problem, that the word product is the solution to a multiplication problem, and how to write a multiplication equation. Next week we will continue this work by looking for patterns in equal groups of 2s, 5s, and 10s.
More important information...
Valentine's Day
Monday we will have a Valentine's celebration with a twist. Room 108 will have what I am calling a "Share the Love" Party. Each student was given a set of "valentines" for the class in which they can write a compliment for each student. Attached to the set is a class list and information for you about the party. In this way, we can celebrate the unique qualities of each student, no one has to worry about finding time to make it to the store to buy valentines, and we will feel warm and fuzzy on Monday. Jen and I will also put on a special performance for our class of dedicated students. Everyone had an opportunity to start their valentines today in school to give them a head start. I can't wait to share the love!
Things We Need
Tissues!
Guest Speakers
In the last few weeks we have welcomed Kit Rawlins from the Historical Commission and Jeff Frankel (Evan's dad) to support our Constructing Cambridge unit. Today we had Rachel and Brodie, a Cambridge woman and her guide dog, talk to us about what it is like to be blind. Well, Brodie mostly showed off his talents as a guide dog. Both third grade classes met to hear this amazing presentation. We have been studying blindness in Respecting Differences. It was really interesting, be sure to ask your child about the visit!
Homework
Next week the homework packet will be smaller due to the vacation. Homework should be turned in on Friday.
We are keeping busy in Room 108! Thanks for all your support!
Sincerely,
Meg
Hooray for our first week without snow days! Hooray for the Winter Concert and Art Show! Hooray for a successful field trip! We have a lot to celebrate this week. Here are some updates.
First I would like to say a big thank you to Aviva, Joey, Simon, Dasani, Clarck, Tommy, and Isaac for their help last week. We needed to rearrange our room and they donated their time to make our room beautiful! I would also like to thank Jeff Frankel who has helped make our first expedition such a success! He came and presented information about Cambridge during the American Revolution and then organized a "treasure hunt" for monuments in the Cambridge Common. Also thanks to Wendy, Judy, and Zazy for bundling up and chaperoning our trip to the Common. Pictures will be coming soon!
This week we started new book clubs in Reading Workshop. Each group is reading a different biography and learning what makes biographies important and unique. Next week we will continue to go more in depth in our genre study of biographies. We will examine the structure and what to expect when reading a biography.
In Writing Workshop, we brainstormed ideas for our own special places in Cambridge. Each student made a list of places that might be special and why. Then, we started our first drafts. We learned about a "Fast Write" to help get ideas on paper and to avoid writer's block. Next week we will continue our drafts and start to revise. Social Studies this week involved getting ready for the trip to the Common. We also started to create a timeline of the development of Cambridge.
In Math we are jumping right in to our unit on Multiplication and Division. I sent home information about the unit. If you did not receive it please let me know and I will send another copy home. We explored the idea of equal groups, noticing where we see equal groups in real life. We created an "Equal Groups" book. It's pages feature equal groups of tentacles on octopi, equal groups of whiskers on cats, and equal groups of pipers piping at a party! We also learned how to identify information given in a story problem, that the word product is the solution to a multiplication problem, and how to write a multiplication equation. Next week we will continue this work by looking for patterns in equal groups of 2s, 5s, and 10s.
More important information...
Valentine's Day
Monday we will have a Valentine's celebration with a twist. Room 108 will have what I am calling a "Share the Love" Party. Each student was given a set of "valentines" for the class in which they can write a compliment for each student. Attached to the set is a class list and information for you about the party. In this way, we can celebrate the unique qualities of each student, no one has to worry about finding time to make it to the store to buy valentines, and we will feel warm and fuzzy on Monday. Jen and I will also put on a special performance for our class of dedicated students. Everyone had an opportunity to start their valentines today in school to give them a head start. I can't wait to share the love!
Things We Need
Tissues!
Guest Speakers
In the last few weeks we have welcomed Kit Rawlins from the Historical Commission and Jeff Frankel (Evan's dad) to support our Constructing Cambridge unit. Today we had Rachel and Brodie, a Cambridge woman and her guide dog, talk to us about what it is like to be blind. Well, Brodie mostly showed off his talents as a guide dog. Both third grade classes met to hear this amazing presentation. We have been studying blindness in Respecting Differences. It was really interesting, be sure to ask your child about the visit!
Homework
Next week the homework packet will be smaller due to the vacation. Homework should be turned in on Friday.
We are keeping busy in Room 108! Thanks for all your support!
Sincerely,
Meg
Thank you Jeff, Wendy, Judy and Zazy for the Cambridge Common trip. We passed the common on the 77 bus today and Sam made me look at the big statue of the man holding a rifle. I never notice these things!
ReplyDeleteSo should our kids be writing compliments at home, or will this be done in the classroom. I haven't checked Sam's homework folder but I'm guessing the valentines are in there?
It's a very nice idea. I had actually forgotten about Valentine's Day so appreciate your consideration!