Weekly Update

This was a great week! The class is enjoying their health class with Nurse Blanton and they are very open with me about what they discuss in class. They even asked me to attend class with them on Wednesday when they were discussing "big" things. It was a very entertaining 45 minutes! I encourage you to read the email summaries that Nurse Blanton sends because it gives you a clear idea of what the class is like and what the girls are thinking.

Overall, the girls did well with the second quick check on adding and subtracting mixed numbers. We moved to the next concept of multiplying a fraction by a whole number. I added a catchy video to the blog that they watched to help remember the steps. We have a few concepts left in this unit and I plan to finish up the unit by spring break. We will have one or two more quick checks and that will conclude the assessments for unit 4. The next unit covers measurement so it will be a nice change from fractions!

We did a fun activity this week using a site called Flipgrid. The girls access this site with a code and they have a picture or video prompt to which they respond. They respond by making a quick video of themselves and their job is to include some Wordly Wise words. They did a great job with this and asked for more next week. There are so many great activities we do to supplement the WW workbook, like Flipgrid. Here is one example:

We are wrapping up the 1910's decade with our discussion of the Titanic and we will briefly discuss WW1. I hope to finish the 1920's by spring break.

Next week, we will work more on our animal projects and write a report from the first person perspective of the animal they researched.

Reminders and important information:

• Selah, Addisyn, and Claiborne are our carpool helpers next week
• Grandparents' and Special Friends' Day- Please sign up here. 
• Maypole- A Fourthie Tradition!! All details are here (Fourthie site>Everything Else). 
• Band Sweatshirts - order form. 
• Please consider our play rehearsal schedule when making dental, doctor, etc. appointments for your daughter. Practice begins on 3/22.
• Wondering about "Growing Up Healthy" class? Mrs. Blanton has all assignments, lessons, etc. on a website. Take a look here.
• Final Assembly Information is here!
• Scavenger hunt

Weekly Update

We had a fun week full of celebration! We started the week with our 75 class compliment celebration....slime was the most common fidget toy, which was interesting and fun. Valentine's Day was great fun and I loved seeing the girls show their creativity in their costumes. Check out what everyone wore!

 In math this week, we learned how to add and subtract mixed numbers. The girls did well with this new skill and applied previous fraction concepts into this new computation. I plan to give them another quick check on Tuesday. We will work through some word problems in the morning and then take the quick check in the afternoon. Today I gave each girl a front and back practice sheet to help review, and here it is electronically in case they misplace it. 😉 To keep with our Mary Poppins theme, the girls completed another musical moment on the song, Jolly Holiday.

The girls are reading about key events in the 1910's. They spent time reading and learning about the unsinkable Titanic. They examined the survival rates of passengers and crew. Working through math equations they found out that the wealthy passengers received preferential treatment. This inequality did not set right with the girls. They learned that the first crossword puzzle debuted in this decade. Each girl created her own crossword puzzle using last week's Wordly Wise words.

The girls continued reading articles in Newsela about the contributions of Black Americans. The quizzes are tough and the girls are doing well working through this month long project. In addition to the Newsela project, they are researching individual women and working with paraphrasing. This is a tough skill and we will continue practicing. The girls made paper dolls of the prominent women they are researching.

Reminders:

• Vivienne and Emily are our carpool helpers next week
• I finished all of the mini-conferences with the girls and loved that one on one time with each of them.
• Grandparents' and Special Friends' Day- Please sign up here. 
• Maypole- A Fourthie Tradition!! All details are here (Fourthie site>Everything Else). 
• Band Sweatshirts - order form. 
• Please consider our play rehearsal schedule when making dental, doctor, etc. appointments for your daughter. Practice begins on 3/22.
• Wondering about "Growing Up Healthy" class? Mrs. Blanton has all assignments, lessons, etc. on a website. Take a look here.
• Final Assembly Information is here!
• Scavenger hunt

Weekly Update

The votes for our 75 class compliment celebration are in, and we will be having hot chocolate and bringing in a fidget toy on Monday. Today, we discussed the parameters for the fidget toy. They may bring in a fidget spinner, fidget cube, squishie, or slime, but only one item. I will allow them to have the item out in our class during the day but if it becomes a distraction, they will be put away. Wish me luck!!! We will have the hot chocolate and a cookie as well.

I hope that many of you were able to attend the meeting in January with Nurse Blanton about the "Growing Up Healthy" class. The class begins this Monday and all of the details are here. The class will meet during science for the next few weeks.

This week in math, we worked on adding and subtracting related fractions. We also practiced addition and subtraction of related fractions in word problems. For this next unit in math, I will be giving the girls mini checks focusing on one skill at a time. With all of the fraction concepts, I think this will be simpler approach for the girls. We will have our first mini check on Monday and I offered the girls some practice problems today. Most of the class took me up on the offer, but not all! So, the practice problems are here if anyone would like to access them at home. The mini check will not be this long but if they want to practice some of these problems, it would be great. The fractions test from the last unit is in their Friday folder that was sent home today.

The girls finished their friendship machines and created their very own business cards. They look great! Here are a few examples.

 
The girls had some time in class to research their animals using the school's library database. I also offered them time to read some articles for the Black History Month project on Newsela.

Reminders:

• Sloane is our carpool helper next week
• The "mini-conferences" are going really well and I will finish up next week.
• For Valentine's Day, the girls will need to bring in a box to collect their valentines from their classmates. They maybe as creative with this as they would like. They may starte bringing in their boxes starting Monday.
• We will have another Wordly Wise Dress Up day on Valentine's Day so put your thinking caps on and get creative! The girls may choose any word from list 1 through 11.
• Scavenger hunt

Weekly Update

We had a great week! The girls have earned 75 class compliments and we will vote on Monday and celebrate one day next week. The girls and I had a productive conversation about taking their learning seriously while being silly at the appropriate times. We love to have fun in class but it can be a challenge for some, to come back and focus on the task at hand. I am glad we are able to talk about these things and learn together. Here are some curriculum updates.

Math: The girls finished their math tests on fractions and the scores varied. I passed the tests back today and they had an opportunity to make corrections. I will average the two scores together and send home the tests next week. We will start into the next unit on computation with fractions and mixed numbers. The girls continue to enjoy earning math chicks by solving puzzles from MashUp Math. They also worked through a musical moment based on the song Let's Go Fly a Kite from Mary Poppins.

Language Arts: This week's writing lab was all about friendship. In fact, we are in the friendship business. The girls brainstormed the meaning of friendship and then the creativity began. Each girl designed a machine that promotes, fosters, and encourages friendship. They are putting the finishing touches on their machines and will write about them next week. They will be the CEO, manager, owner, etc. of the company that produces these machines. Naturally the girls will need their own business cards. Stay tuned.
The girls received the graphic organizer for their animal project. Manny have already taken lots of notes. This will need to be complete by February 19. I checked out an additional book for each student on their chosen animal from my public library to ensure their have several sources. In addition, we will use the school's library database to get further information.

Social Studies: We wrapped up the first decade of the 20th century and will move into the 1910's next week. Their finished their earthquake projects and they are all here. February 1 marks the start of Black History Month so we began Friday morning with a Cluster Chapel with the third grade girls. Mr. Tullner gathered mini-biographies of prominent black women. The girls read and shared information about these women. A Newsela text set has been set up for the girls to read and learn about the contributions and struggles of black individuals throughout history. Look for more activities throughout the month.

Reminders and Important Information

• Riley is our carpool helper next week
• The "mini-conferences" are off to a great start. I am enjoying this individual time with each of your daughters to learn more about their learning and anything else they want share. I will continue the meetings this week.
• Hand warmers are due by Tuesday to support folks at Shepherd's Way
• For Valentine's Day, the girls will need to bring in a box to collect their valentines from their classmates. They maybe as creative with this as they would like.
• We will have another Wordly Wise Dress Up day on Valentine's Day so put your thinking caps on and get creative! The girls may choose any word from list 1 through 11.
• Scavenger hunt

Weekly Updates

Dress up weeks are always fun and this week was no exception! The girls looks fabulous on our spirited dress days starting Wednesday. They had fun at the Cheer Rally today and my ears are still ringing! 😉

Here are some curriculum updates.

Math: We have finished working through unit 3 on fractions. We will have a brief test on Tuesday and will review a bit more on Monday. Our next unit is on more fractions! It includes lots of computation with fractions and they will have an opportunity to apply the skills we have been working on, including finding equivalent fractions. I am proud of them for their perseverance with this challenging topic.

Language Arts: We have wrapped up our novel study on All of a Kind Family. In several weeks, we will begin a shorter novel called A Song for Harlem. On Wednesday, the girls checked out a book about an animal of their choice for our next book project. At this point, they should enjoy reading about the animal and learning more. Next week, I will give them a graphic organizer for their note taking.

Reminders and Important Information

• Alice is our carpool helper next week
• On Monday, January 28, we will hear from the author Russell Ginns
• I will be conducting "mini-conferences" with each student starting Wednesday. This provides an opportunity for me and your daughter to discuss what is going well for her in school and any areas in which she could improve. They signed themselves up for a slot this so I look forward to this one on one time with each student.
• To further support Shepherd's Way, the Lower School is collecting hand warmers. When I served there this week with Mrs. Cavallo's class, Pastor Collins said they have an immediate need for hand warmers with these cold temperatures. We will collect them from Monday, January 28 to Tuesday, February 5. Thank you for your support!
• Mrs. Dorion asked that I share some work from your daughters in Chinese class, which concluded last week. Each girl researched a Chinese speaking country and made their own eBook about that specific country, researching food, languages, currency, population, landmarks, fun facts, and etc. Check them out here.
• Scavenger hunt

 

Weekly Update

We had a great four day week and the girls worked hard after our snow day on Monday. This is the time of year when everyone feels very comfortable with one another as well as with me, which is a really great thing. Sometimes this level of comfort can lead to some bossy and unkind behavior. It is always good to check in as a class and reinforce how we all want to be acting towards one another as well as to ourselves! Thank you for your encouragement at home.

Here are some curriculum updates and reminders.

Math: We are persevering through unit 3 and we identified mixed numbers and improper fractions, and have started to learn how to convert between the two. This week I had the class reflect on this past quarter and make goals for the next quarter. When I asked about things they have not enjoyed, math seemed to be a big theme for many, and specifically fractions. In Singapore Math, we go in depth with fractions, which can feel overwhelming. I am asking the girls to try their best and listen carefully. They are doing a great job and we will continue working through fractions. From this week's Pick 8, there are a handful of girls who still struggle with multiplying by a two digit number. I will review this skill whole group and individually. If they scored an N on this week's Pick 8, I would like for them to practice at home as well.

Language Arts: The girls are almost finished writing their persuasive essays. They are very convincing in their stances on various topics. This is a great experience for them to learn how to write a multi-paragraph essay. We will finish this writing lab next week and move on to our next friendship themed writing lab.

Social Studies: We completed the web quest about MLK and had a nice discussion about his life. The girls created portraits of him and they look great. They are also in the midst of creating their earthquake movies about the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. We have lots of work in progress projects that we will finish up next week. 8 members of our class are in the Inclusion club and did a great job leading us in chapel today and sharing their experience when they visited The Faison School.

Reminders and Important Information

• Next week is Spirit Week! On Wednesday they may dress as a holiday; on Thursday, they may dress as a decade, and on Friday they may wear gold or white for the cheer rally that day
• Spanish begins next week
• Scholastic Book Order is due by Friday, January 25
• Scavenger Hunt
• From Mrs. Irving: Author Russell Ginns is coming to St. Catherine's School on Monday, January 28th. He is visiting to celebrate both the paperback release of Samantha Spinner and the Super-Secret Plans and the upcoming March release of the next book in the series, Samantha Spinner and the Spectacular Specs. bbgb, our local bookshop, is offering the opportunity to purchase autographed copies of Russell's books.
  Order online to pay with a credit card at  http://bbgbbooks.com/book-buzz/. We are receiving a 15% discount on the books. When ordering online, use coupon code cat15.  Please place your order by Friday, January 18th. Note: the new Samantha Spinner book (Samantha Spinner at the Spectacular Specs) releases on March 12th, so Russell will sign customized book plates during his visit and these books will be delivered to your child's classroom on release day. You may call bbgb with any questions at 804.353.5675.   
  
  
  

Snow Day!

Happy snow day! As we discussed on Friday, I am posting some work for you to do today to keep us moving with our classwork. Remember that everything you need should be in your binder. You can squeeze this in between your sledding!

Classwork

Math

1. Complete the adding and subtracting fraction worksheet
2. Watch the Matholia video about improper fractions (login, go to learn, click on D6 and watch. He calls fourths, quarters. It means the same thing!)

Wordly Wise

1. Cut out flashcards for list 9 and read through the definitions

Reading

1. Read/reread the article on Newsela about the San Francisco earthquake and take the quiz!

 Homework

The homework is listed on the blog!