Welcome Joshua and Apilan!

I am so excited and pleased to welcome 2 new boys to our family. Joshua and Apilan started off the year in Mrs. Hawkins 2/3 class but due to increasing numbers in the primary level, a bit of shuffling had to take place. So now we're up to 22 - 5 girls, 17 boys!

Forest Valley...here we come!

Here is just a few reminders of how to be prepared for our outdoor trip tomorrow.
The weather looks like its going to cooperate. Please dress accordingly.

Children are encouraged to bring their school bag so they can store the following:
-a couple snacks
-an extra pair of socks in the event of wet grounds
-a hat
-a light jacket that can be removed and stored in their bag

Children are encouraged to wear a pair of jeans and a t-shirt with a remove able sweater on top.
Sunglasses and sanitizer are always useful, and applying sunscreen before leaving the house is also recommended.

I'm inviting all families to have a talk with their son or daughter about proper school trip behaviour. Especially on the bus and around the camp fire. It is not meant to be a day of policing or disciplining, but rather a fun, hassle-free day.
Thanks for your support!

Please be aware...

At afternoon recess today, there was an incident between 2-3 boys in our class. It involved fighting, but more disturbingly, it involved many bystanders. First of all, I am extremely disappointed that something like this would happen between kids in this class, and second, the fact that so many of their friends stood by and cheered them on, or tired to intervene, means that we have a lot of learning to do.
We spent an hour this afternoon discussing the steps to take when things like this happen. Its important for all to remember that there is a NO TOUCHING policy at Clairlea and we are not to put our hands on anyone for whatever reason. The horse play that takes place at recess ultimately ends up in physical violence which results in precious class time spent ironing out the issue. I am pleading with parents to have serious sit down chats about proper behaviour at school, and often.
Please be aware that there may be times when problems occur close to the end of the day and as a result, a later dismissal may be in order(late dismissal is a gentle term for detention). I will not be able to warn you of this, but it could happen at any time. In the event of a detention, whether whole class or individual, I will inform the office, that's the best I can do.
Regarding the incident today, the individuals involved whether they were bystanders or culprits, will be staying in for recess tomorrow. Specific consequences will be revealed at that time.

Spelling test tomorrow

This is just a reminder that after lunch tomorrow the children will be given their first spelling test. The homework's spelling sentence are also due at this time. Please keep in mind that the sentences can be written directly in the spelling book. PLEASE remember to send the book back to school tomorrow as new words will be given out!

Your assistance is required!

Hello all!!
In an attempt to keep in touch with families, I collected your email addresses on Curriculum Night. Because I did not make the spaces big enough,you had to squish your letters and as a result, many of them are difficult to make out. Even though I've tried my best to figure them out, they are still being sent back to me as an "undeliverable" email address. I am hoping that everyone can do me a big favour and email my account from the email address they use most frequently.
Please send me a 'test' email to jessica.lowen@tdsb.on.ca and that way I will have a readable email address on file. Thanks so much!!

Out with the old, in with the new!

Today we cleaned out our desks.
Our classroom is equipped with all the necessary tools to get through the day.
I know that I originally welcomed students to bring in their own school supplies but as the year has progressed we're finding that they are not necessary and in fact cause more unnecessary distractions and interruptions. Please be advised that your child's belongings have been packing into his/her bag and can be left at home. The other option is to simply leave them in their bags and they can use them during times that are suitable. Thanks for your cooperation and understanding.

There's always next week...

So, we have heat + wind + Friday + no Ms. Kingstone...what do you get? A hairy afternoon in room 203!Not much was accomplished this afternoon - but we did have a good time drawing, reading, playing and listening to music!
Have a great weekend!

YAY Trevis!!

Today our DPA prize recipipient was Trevis. Well Done!

Acrostic Mania!

As an extension to our Terry Fox discussions and research, the class has been puttting together acrostic poems. We came up with a number of words that related to Terry and pairs of students decided on one they wanted to use for their poem.
The poems will be posted around the gym tomorrow. Here's a poem we put together as a class:

Raise money for cancer
Unique
Number of km/day=42
Never gave up
Incredible person
Nice
Great spirit

One Word...AMAZING!!

Well, I was able to correct the tests last night.
The entire class aced the test...92% overall class average!!
I'm so proud of everyone for their hard work. Keep it up!

1st Test in Grade 3

I will make every attempt to mark and return the tests this Friday. In the past, I have asked for test to be signed and returned. This year, I am confident that the tests will get seen and reviewed by a parent, and therefore it can stay at home. In the event of a very low score, a phone call home will be made to discuss the results.

The Dirt on Soil...

Where does soil come from?
Well we discovered that answer today. After much debate,we learned that soil comes from ROCKS!!! Yes, thanks to EROSION, we have this wonderful thing called soil. Erosion is the wearing down of rocks and other surfaces. There are various ways for rocks and surfaces to be worn down. Watch the 3 Bill Nye videos below to see how. Until I have figured out the way to post videos, you'll have to go to Youtube.com and search the following titles:

erosion1of3
erosion2of3
erosion3of3

Spelling Program

In addition to our weekly homework, students will be receiving their weekly spelling words TODAY! (Words are derived from the a Scholastic Spelling Program)

Here's how the program works:
- The children are given a small booklet for this program.
- On Wednesdays, a pre-test of 17 words they haven't been tested on yet this year will be sited to them.
- Their pre-test will be marked and scored by a fellow classmate.
- Corrections will be made.
- In addition to studying the list, an assignment will be given to the words (i.e. put all words in sentences, define each word, etc)
- The assignment will be due, and the test will be conducted on the following Wednesday.
- Also, at that time, a new set of words will be given.

Spelling List #1
Spelling Concept - HOMOPHONES
A homophone is a word that is pronounced the same as another word but differs in meaning. For example: I just walked up a flight of stairs and watch as that bird takes flight!

main
mane
sail
sale
weak
week
heal
heel
right
write
side
sighed
road
rode
rowed
wade
weighed

The assignment this week is to put each word in a proper sentence. Don't forget capitals and periods!

FYI

The pink sheet that came home today was simply a practice and/or review. It does not need to be signed or returned. Everyone did quite well. Tomorrow's test should be a breeze!

Cheeeeeeeeeeese!!!!

Well they're not professionaly done, but we thought we'd give you a sneak-peak at our class photo.

DPA - Directed Physical Activity

Each week we perform DPA 3 times. Exercising is an important part of life and so we make sure that on the days we don't have gym, we will raise our heart rate in another way. Each week, students are observed very closely for showing good participation, effort, enthusiasm, and technique, and each week an award is given out to the student who did their best. So far, Calliope and Christopher have been the DPA award recipients - Congratulations! Who will it be this week?
Stay tuned!

Bring in your Books!

If anyone has a chapter book or a series of books they like to read, bring it into class so that during our reading block, you can jump into one of your favourites. Don't forget to put your name inside.

Picture Day

Tomorrow is our picture day! Please come prepared with your photo form.

Terry Fox Research...Homework

Go to google tonight and type in Terry Fox. See what you can come up with. If you find something interesting and can print it off, please do. If you are just reading some articles, then make sure you're able to share some information with the class tomorrow.

To all Soccer Fans!!

This morning, Hafsa and Autumn versed each other in soccer...it was a tie!!

this afternoon, Calliope and Joelle played and Calli's team won 1-0. Way-to-Go!!

Reminders

-Thursdays homework is due on Monday, Sept. 20.
-Picture day is Tuesday, Sept. 21
-Forest Valley forms and $$ due on Thursday Sept. 23.
-Scholastic Book Order $$ due Tuesday, Sept. 28.

Interactive Math Site

This morning in computers the children worked on rounding, putting numbers in expanded form, and place value. Its a useful activity to help reinforce what they have been learning this week and last. Please ensure that you visit it over the course of next week to further prepare your son or daughter for the test!

http://www.kidport.com/GRADE3/MATH/MATHINDEX.HTM

this link will need to be copied and pasted into your address bar.

Thank You!

Parents and Family Memebers of my lovely students! Thank you so much for coming out lastnight. It was a nice surprise to see so many faces...I'm excited about the enthusiam and dedication you all have to your childs learning and growth in grade 3.

Don't Forget!

Tomorrow night is Curriculum Night, better known as Meet the Teacher Night!
Please come out for 630pm and up to room 203. Myself and Ms. Kingston are looking forward to it!

Testing Testing!

In just a short while I will be giving the class a math test. On Wednesday, September 22, they will be tested on Number Sense and Numeracy expectations. The test will consist of the following:
-Rounding numbers to the nearest ten, hundred and thousand
-writing numbers in words up to 100
-writing numbers in expanded form
-ordering numbers
-place value
-adding two-digit numbers after they have been rounded to the nearest ten

The students can better prepare themselve for this test by practicing the above concepts at home.

World Cup Soccer

The primary players have been assigned to a team and the games start today!
Stayed tuned for daily results.

When you're reading...follow-up with some writing or discussion

The primary division, here at Clairlea, is working on a common writing form this month. Retelling provides an opportunity for readers to process what they have read by organizing and explaining it to others. Retelling develops students’ story grammar because they must identify crucial points and the support information. It also reinforces sequencing since it demands remembering information, events, and processes. It encourages interacting with the text from a variety of perspectives: their own, their audience’s, and the author’s.
Retelling supports good reading because students must engage in repeated readings of the text, which supports fluency. Naturally, retelling is its own form of assessment – since the student’s recitation confirms his/her reading of it and reveals the extent of his/her comprehension. Research indicates that retelling increases both the quantity and quality of what is comprehended. Teachers can use retelling as a way to build silent reading fluency and to measure comprehension. Having a student retell allows a teacher to assess a student’s understanding. Retelling allows teachers to gain insight into what a student views as important and also how the student organizes information. A checklist of what is to be covered is helpful as the student retells the text. This strategy can determine whether the student knows the main idea, can make inferences, identify concepts, make generalizations, and connect to the text.

When you have the time to sit with your son or daughter, do some retelling with them for extra practice.

Cursive Continues...

We are inching our way into more difficult letters! But nothing seems to be able to stop these grade 3's...they can handle just about anything!
Here is an update on the letters we've learned so far:

e, l, i, t, a, d, o, c, g, q, s and r

Rounding Numbers

In Math today we will be working on Rounding numbers. See the rules for rounding below. Refer to them if your son or daughter is struggling with the homework.

Rules For Rounding Numbers

Numbers can be rounded to the nearest ten, the nearest hundred, the nearest thousand, the nearest million, and so on.

If the number you are rounding is followed by 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9, round the number up. Example: 79 rounded to the nearest ten is 80

If the number you are rounding is followed by 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4, round the number down. Example: 74 rounded to the nearest ten is 70

All the numbers to the right of the place you are rounding to become zeros.

Rounded numbers are easier to remember and easier to use.

Remember, Rounded Numbers are...
-easier to work with in your head
-only approximate - they do not tell you the exact answer
-used when you just have to be close to the exact answer

Homework!

Some homework was sent home in the green folder today. Its due Wednesday and is a reflection of what we've been doing in class.
There were also 2 notices sent home. One pertaining to lunch time procedures and the other to head lice. Please read!

Homework and Agendas

This is just a reminder that if your son or daughter did not bring their homework back today, its to be back, in the green folder on Monday.
I will be sending the agendas home today as well to those who have submitted their $6...please ensure that it is placed back in your child's backpack for Monday. It should always remain there. Thanks!

Drama in Drama??

Today the children had Drama with Ms.Park. Each 5 day cycle, they will get to see Ms. Park only once for 40 minutes. Unfortunately, Ms. Park did not have very many positive things to say about their time in Drama. She said there was a lot of interuptions due to poor behaviour and listening skills. Please have a talk with your child tonight about the importance of treating all teachers equally and respectfully. Because their time in Drama is so limited, its even more important for them to be on their extra good behaviour. I will continue to enforce this daily and hope to have your support. Thanks in advance!

More with Cursive...

Today the letters got a little bit more challenging. As a result we were only able to cover the letter 'a' and 'd'. They are both very similar in formation.

Math --- Place Value

In math today we learned about place value. Numbers such as 72 have 2 digits - 7 and 2. The 7 is in the tens place and tells you that there are 7 groups of 10. Therefore, the 7 has a value of 70. The right or last digit is in the ones place and tells you that there are 2 ones. Therefore, it has a value of 2.

Please check the green folder for tonight's homework. Math and cursive writing is the focus. The homework can be submitted tomorrow, but is not due back until Monday. If the homework is not complete for tomorrow, please keep it at home but bring the green folder back in the event that there are notices to go home.

Happy Birthday Alex!

Alex turns 8 today, although he was trying to convince us that he was turning 10...sneaky sneaky. On behave of our class I'd like to wish Alexander a very Happy Birthday and hope all his wishes come true. Thanks go out to Mrs. Kendik who provided treats for the class.

Cursive is so EASY!!!

This morning we were busy working on our cursive writing skills. We started with the simplest of lowercase letters, that being 'e'. Once we mastered our e's, we moved on to l, i and t. We were able to write a few different words at the end of our practice session including it, tile, tilt, lit, and little. Tonight, I would like your children to show you what they've learned. Ask them to show you how to make these letters. I promise you will be impressed!

Welcome Ms. Kingston!

I am very excited and pleased to welcome Elizabeth Kingston to our class! Ms. Kingston is an experienced Montessori teacher looking to transfer her extensive knowledge, skills and experience to the public school sector. She is currently a teacher candidate through Canisus College in Buffalo and we are very lucky to have her for 7 weeks, where she will play a key role in our classroom community. I'd like to thank Ms. Kingston in advance for all her help and dedication to our class. We're happy to have you!

We did it!

Well, the day flew by and a lot was taken in by your little grade 3. There was a lot of talking and sharing and for the most part, it was a really good, productive day. Now, we didn't do any math, or science, or language, but we did establish our classroom expectations that include the following:

• Listen Attentively
• No talking over others
• Keep hands to yourself
• Have Respect (for all and everything)
• No bad language
• No put downs
• Be responsible
• Be honest
• Be kind and Helpful

All of us signed our list of expectations (aka rules) and promised to follow them to the best of our ability. I will be sure to keep you posted on your child's attention to these over the course of the year.

In your child's bag you will find the green folder with a yellow tab. Please review the contents of the folder and keep all items at home in a convenient spot. The brown envelop has forms that must be read and signed and sent back ASAP. Please send them back in the envelop.

I reminded the class that there is no homework tonight but expect that everyone will be reading aloud with a parent or sibling over the course of the evening.

Tomorrow they have physed (gym) first thing and should be prepared with their gym shoes. Students have received their agendas (which I've requested stay at school for now) and the $6 can be sent in any time this week.

Lastly, I'd like to thank Mrs. Gomes for sending in a back-to-school treat. Very unexpected and much appreciated! Mmmm...cupcakes

Happy First Day!

Call me crazy, but I am excited for the new school year and I hope my grade 3 families are equally excited!
I hope everyone received my letters in good time. My sincerest apologies go out to those who only received it a few days ago. I was unable to find some addresses online and therefore had to wait until the secretaries were in the office.
I just want to let everyone know that agendas will be distributed this week. There is a $6 charge which can be submitted during the first week of school. The agenda serves a great purpose for many things and will be used frequently this year.
Also this year, a green folder with a yellow label will be be used to carry homework and notices, permission forms etc, and should be always left in your child's bag. So often the items above get lost along the way home or misplaced and this folder should eliminate that problem. If you are sending anything to school with your child, ensure that it is in the folder. Also, be sure to assist your child in checking it nightly.
Lastly, I will do my best to keep this blog updated daily. Be sure to check it regularily for new postings.


Important Dates to Remember:

Thursday, Sept. 16 - Curriculum Night
Tuesday, Sept. 21 - Picture Day
Thursday, Sept. 30 - Forest Valley Day Trip (permission forms due Sept.23)