So, on my 36 mile commute home, I was thinking about how to get parents more involved at school, and ways to have parents be a team with me and other teachers. I feel because of a few bad experiences on BOTH ends of situations, parents AND teachers DREAD getting a call, worried that it will be negative.
I've decided I may send homework for PARENTS next week. I want them to write a list of 5 explicit expectations they have for themselves to support their student and how they can carry it out. Also, I want them to write a list of 5 expectations from the teacher. Once I receive all of the papers back, I'm going to compile the lists and choose the top 5 expectations from both lists. I'll type these up and send them home, so the parents can put them up on their refrigerator.
What do you think?
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Great Turnout at Parent Night!
There was an AMAZING turnout of Third Grade parents at our 9 weeks Parent Night! I was so thrilled to see so many parents/guardians there to support their students, and eager to learn about what their students will be learning! Apparently, this will be happening every 9-weeks, so I'd love to see even MORE next time!
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Stone Fox
We just finished reading Stone Fox (thanks to the recommendation of Ms. Andrews, one of my fellow teammates!), and the kids LOVED it! It started of kind of slow, the first three chapters introducing the main characters. After Chapter 6, the kiddos BEGGED me to keep going! They didn't even want to go to recess!
Stone Fox is set in the late 1800's on a farm in Wyoming near the Teton Mountains. The protagonist, Little Willy, learns his Grandfather has given up on life because of the amount of debt owed to the State in taxes. Little Willy decides to enter into a dogsled race with his dog Searchlight to win the prize money and pay of the debt. I focused on Characters and Character traits. Little Willy is a strong little boy, perfect for students to think of character traits for. Also, Grandfather's character changes as a result of certain events in the story, the making a perfect example of how characters may change in a story and how events influence it. I tried to focus on adjectives to describe the characters, but will eventually incorporate the likeliness of a character doing certain actions ( I can't recall what the term is right now, my brain is fried!)
Also, to make text to media and text to world connections, I pulled up articles and videos from the annual Alaskan Iditarod. The kids LOVED watching stories about the different dogs, and reading about dogsledding! I believe there is a Disney movie called "Eight Below" that might be fun to watch as a wrap up to our Stone Fox.
The book never mentions the outcome of the tax situation, Grandfather, etc. which was pointed out by one of my students, so tomorrow I'm going to have them write an "Afterword" as some authors include in their stories. I just love books that have students (and me!) begging to no more about the character and also not wanting the book to end! As a writing assignment as well, I had the students write an encouraging letter to Little Willy to try and offer condolences about his grandfather and possibilities of how he can raise money to pay off the debt. The kids came up with some great letters!
Stone Fox is set in the late 1800's on a farm in Wyoming near the Teton Mountains. The protagonist, Little Willy, learns his Grandfather has given up on life because of the amount of debt owed to the State in taxes. Little Willy decides to enter into a dogsled race with his dog Searchlight to win the prize money and pay of the debt. I focused on Characters and Character traits. Little Willy is a strong little boy, perfect for students to think of character traits for. Also, Grandfather's character changes as a result of certain events in the story, the making a perfect example of how characters may change in a story and how events influence it. I tried to focus on adjectives to describe the characters, but will eventually incorporate the likeliness of a character doing certain actions ( I can't recall what the term is right now, my brain is fried!)
Also, to make text to media and text to world connections, I pulled up articles and videos from the annual Alaskan Iditarod. The kids LOVED watching stories about the different dogs, and reading about dogsledding! I believe there is a Disney movie called "Eight Below" that might be fun to watch as a wrap up to our Stone Fox.
The book never mentions the outcome of the tax situation, Grandfather, etc. which was pointed out by one of my students, so tomorrow I'm going to have them write an "Afterword" as some authors include in their stories. I just love books that have students (and me!) begging to no more about the character and also not wanting the book to end! As a writing assignment as well, I had the students write an encouraging letter to Little Willy to try and offer condolences about his grandfather and possibilities of how he can raise money to pay off the debt. The kids came up with some great letters!
Parent Night 9/15 5:30-6:30 p.m.
The teachers will be hosting "Parent Night" on Thursday, September 15, from 5:30-6:30! This is a great chance to meet all third grade teachers, other parents in the grade level, find out student objectives for the next 9 weeks, information about agendas, "HomeFun," and much more! Please feel free to come. There is rumor PTO will be selling Papa John's Pizza slices for $1! So come and join the fun!
Objectives for 9/19-9/23
Parents! Hopefully every week I will post the objectives for Language Arts and Math for the following week. Please talk to your student about these objectives and help them if needed!
Reading: I can make connections between two texts (text to text). I can use and understand how prefixes (un-, non-, pre-, re-) and suffixes (-ful, -less) change the meaning of words.
Writing: I can read and spell words with the vowel pair "ea." I can produce a personal narrative by using the writing process. I can use, write, and understand verbs in the past, present, and future forms.
Math: I can measure temperature by reading and using a thermometer. I can read and tell the time on an analog and digital clock. I know and understand place value up to 9,999.
Click here to getImages &
Red Apples Pictures - Pictures
Next week, I will also be starting a 2-week apple theme in our classroom! We'll be studying plant and fruit adaptations, measuring the mass, comparing physical properties, making "glyphs," and practicing reading and interpreting data from student made graphs. We will also be studying capacity in 2 weeks, and will make homemade applesauce as a reinforcement activity! Lots of yummy and fun activities to learn with while studying apples.
Reading: I can make connections between two texts (text to text). I can use and understand how prefixes (un-, non-, pre-, re-) and suffixes (-ful, -less) change the meaning of words.
Writing: I can read and spell words with the vowel pair "ea." I can produce a personal narrative by using the writing process. I can use, write, and understand verbs in the past, present, and future forms.
Math: I can measure temperature by reading and using a thermometer. I can read and tell the time on an analog and digital clock. I know and understand place value up to 9,999.
Click here to getImages &
Red Apples Pictures - Pictures
Next week, I will also be starting a 2-week apple theme in our classroom! We'll be studying plant and fruit adaptations, measuring the mass, comparing physical properties, making "glyphs," and practicing reading and interpreting data from student made graphs. We will also be studying capacity in 2 weeks, and will make homemade applesauce as a reinforcement activity! Lots of yummy and fun activities to learn with while studying apples.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
New Camera!
Well, my camera officially pooped out so it looks like I'm going to be investing in a new-to-me point and shoot camera. I figured I'd start looking in pawn shops and on ebay. Hopefully I don't have to spend more than $100! I just need it to take a picture or video, be able to upload it to my computer, and post it on my blog! I guess I'll see what I find! Oh....maybe garage sales too!
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
First Day of School!!!!!
Welcome to Ms. Riddle's Class! I am so excited to be working with a GREAT group of kids. I am so thankful and blessed that I have an AMAZING group of students this year! I'm so pumped up and coming back to my old self! When everyday I seriously could not WAIT for the kids to come to school and sad to see them leave! I hope they like me, too, because they don't switch and have lovely me all day! My kids are pretty cool, so I think they'll like me too.
I was so nervous about being in a new school and new grade level today! With all the new rules, procedures, etc. I kept feeling that I forgot to do something! I will get used to it, and so will the students! I got so lost today as well...geez I think they purposely made our school a maze to get us critical thinking subconsciously! Oh, little tid-bit and idea I want to incorporate in the classroom. I want to include a cross word puzzle or some logic puzzle that will only take a few minutes at the end of the day. Does anyone know of a good site with kid friendly cross-words?
Today I started teaching the kids how to count in French! They were SUPER excited! Hopefully they will motivate me to do my lessons more often! Even a student that was very sad, scared, and nervous all morning perked up, sat up, and was even pronouncing the numbers as well!!!! I'm so thankful for my class. I also learned that I have a class of writers and artists! SO awesome! With that thought, I asked the third grade teachers from my old school if they would like to participate in doing pen pals! I always dreamed of having one when I was growing up!! And eventually I would like to Skype and the kids will be able to finally meet with each other and interact with each other! Wouldn't that be totally fabulous?
So excited about this wonderful school year!
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