Moskauski Minutes

Hello third grade families!  Happy Monday!  Here is this week's Moskauski Minutes.  Have a great week!  :)

 

IOWA TESTING: IOWA testing for the students who qualified is scheduled this week for tomorrow and Wednesday.  Just like the COGATS, there is not really any way to study or prepare for the tests.  Please just ensure that your child has a healthy dinner and breakfast and a good night's rest!  :)

 

SCHOLASTIC BOOK ORDERS: If you would like to order books from Scholastic, book orders are due by tomorrow.

 

CURRICULUM NOTES: We will be continuing the same learning objectives from last week into this week (see below).  We will wrap up the two weeks with reading and math assessments on Friday. 

 

READING HOMEWORK: For this week's reading comprehension homework I am sending some practice with an informational text.  This is an EOG practice passage and each day there is a different reading task.  Please make sure your child takes their time completing each assignment and also uses their best test-taking strategies for tonight's practice. 

 

COMMUNITY SERVICE:  The holiday season is a great time for giving and helping those less fortunate.  This is a wonderful opportunity for your child to complete their second quarter community service requirement.  If you need any suggestions or ideas--please let me know.  :)

Moskauski Minutes

Hello there!  Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving break!  Here are a few notes for this week.  Have a great week!  :)

Monday Folders: Due to our short week last week, behavior folders will not be going home tomorrow in Monday folders.  Last week and this week will be tabulated into one column for next week's folder.  As always, if you have any questions about your child's conduct or work habits, please let me know.  :)

Book Fair: The Douglas Book Fair is scheduled this week.  Monday and Tuesday are preview only days, and the children can begin to purchase books on Wednesday.  Our class is scheduled to visit the Book Fair on Tuesday for the children to make their wish lists.

Curriculum Notes: In reading we will continue to work in our book clubs.  We will also begin this week to look at informational texts.  The students will learn how to respond to and ask questions of the text and its text features while reading.  In word work we will determine the meaning of a new word formed when a known affix is added to a known word (e.g., agreeable /disagreeable, comfortable/ uncomfortable, care/ careless, heat/ preheat).  In writing we will begin to draft our book reviews.  In math we will start tomorrow with new math teachers.  We will continue to work with multiplication and division and this week will be learning about multi-step word problems.  This is our last week of science and we will wrap up our unit on the properties of matter.  The children will begin social studies with Mr. Otto next week.

Thanksgiving Celebration

Thank you so much to Ms. Brown and Ms. Bennett for planning an awesome Thanksgiving craft and celebration!  Thank you families for donating snack and craft items!  We had a great time!  Below are pictures of the children completing their "Turkeys in Disguise".  The children came up with some really cool, creative ideas!  Such wonderful artists and writers!  Have a Happy Thanksgiving!  :)

Moskauski Minutes

Happy Thanksgiving week!  At Thanksgiving and always, know how truly thankful I am to work with you and your amazing children!!  :)  I am thankful for the hard work, dedication, kindness and compassion to others, the hugs, the energy, the many laughs and the many memories we as a class are making this year.  Our class really does feel like a family!  Wishing you and your families a happy, healthy and peaceful Thanksgiving!  :)  :)  :)

 

Here are a couple notes for the week:

 

1.  Beginning of the year reading test results are being sent home today in Monday folders.  Please refer to the blue handout for an explanation of the results.  It is projected that if your child scored a scale score of 438 or higher, they are on track for passing the EOG (end of grade test).  Our class did an awesome job!  Way to go students!  We will be continuing to practice test-taking strategies in all academic areas. 

 

2.  The children are super excited to have our class Thanksgiving celebration.  A big thank you goes out to our superstar room parents Ms. Bennett and Ms. Miller for planning the event.  Thank you to the many parents who are signed up to donate food items to the celebration.  If you would like to still sign up for something, please see the signup genius at : http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0C45A9AE28A64-thanksgiving/740821  There are a few food items left on the list and we also still need items for our Thanksgiving craft.  We are looking for odds and ends of items you may have at home that we can use for the project (pom-poms, ribbon, fabric, scrapbook paper, sequins, tissue paper, etc.)  Thank you so much for your continuous support of our class.  :)

 

3.  Due to the Wake County decision in delaying first quarter report cards, our school is now sending home second quarter interim reports on December 16th. 

 

4.  All Scholastic Book Orders are due by tomorrow.

 

Gobble, gobble!  :)  :)  :)

Melissa

Moskauski Minutes

Nightly Homework: Each quarter the nightly reading time is increased.  The children are now required to read for at least twenty-five minutes.  Please be sure to have your child alternate fiction and non-fiction every other night.  In addition to the nightly reading, your child will continue to receive weekly comprehension homework.  Please remind your child to write detailed, well-written, third grade sentences.We will continue to have a nightly math assignment.
We will continue to have community service for each quarter.  The children did a fabulous job on their first quarter projects.  I am so proud of their big hearts!

Curriculum Notes: In writing this quarter we have been learning about opinion writing.  Next week we will learn about how to write a book review.  Please help your child to choose a good book that he or she recently completed and enjoyed to write a book review in class next week on it.  We will be writing reviews to persuade our classmates to check out their book recommendation.  Please check out this fun website to see great examples of book reviews written by kids for kids: http://www.spaghettibookclub.org/title.php

In reading we will be beginning book clubs.  The children will be working in small groups to discuss and share their thoughts on their book.  The children will be reading a chapter on their own, and then getting together with their book club once a week to talk about the book.  They will be using post-it notes to write on to mark pages in their books of parts that they want to discuss about the book.  They can write down predictions; connections; questions; a part in the book they thought was funny, sad, interesting, significant, etc.  If you are able to donate post-it notes to the class, we would be so grateful!

In math class we will be writing word problems and equations, and also looking at patterns.  In science we are studying the properties of matter.  We will be doing many fun experiments next week!

question stems: Here is a link to third grade common core question stems for literacy.  You can use these with your child for your book discussions as part of the nightly reading. 

https://domino2.wcpss.net/mail/8/86800461.nsf/0/0EDFB412F8A22F6985257C0E004D26DB/$File/Grade3Questions.pdf?OpenElement&FileName=Grade3Questions.pdf

Classroom Wish List: electric hole puncher, small items for the treasure chest, post-it notes, stickers

Scholastic Book Orders: Our next round of book orders are due Tuesday, November 26th. 

Have a wonderful weekend!  :)

Fall Celebration!

This morning we read the picture book "Leaf Man" by Lois Ehlert.  The children collected leaves and are using their nature smarts and art smarts to create their own leaf pictures.  After creating the pictures, the children are writing their own creative narrative to go with it.  

We will be having our yogurt parfaits and apple cider this afternoon.  Thank you parents for your donations!   We are all looking forward to this delicious and nutritious treat!  :)  Have a safe and Happy Halloween!  :) 

Moskauski Minutes

Today marks the first day of second quarter!  Boy, did first quarter fly by!  I am so proud of the children for their hard work and efforts.  Looking forward to another wonderful quarter to come!  :)

Fall Celebration: Thank you for those of you who signed up for items for our fall celebration. The children are super excited!   If you have not yet signed up and would like to donate an item, please check up our sign up at: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A094DA4AD2A1-fall  Thank you so much for your support!

Field Trip News: Field trip money and permission slips are due tomorrow.  :)  

Spirit Week:  Here are a couple things our school is doing this week for Bully Prevention Month.  

Wednesday, 10/30: Students are encouraged to wear mismatched clothing and crazy hair for Don’t Get Mixed up with Bullies Day. (Let's all dress up like Gooney Bird Greene!!!)

Thursday, 10/31: Students are encouraged to dress up as their hero for Be a Hero Day. (ex. Teacher, police officer, firefighter, parent, president, historical figure,  etc..No scary costumes please.)

Friday, 11/1: Students are encouraged to wear peace related clothing (peace signs or hippy style) for Stand up and speak up against bullying day.

Have a fabulous week!!  :)

Art Collaboration Lesson

Today we worked with Ms. Fahrenthold to explore and create with clay, one of the three types of soil that we learned about this quarter.  Great job students!

Moskauski Minutes

Reading Comprehension Homework:  The children did an awesome job with their first week of the reading comprehension skills log sheet!  For next week's sheet, I changed the skills and am also requiring that the children write the title of the book used for each section.  Some of the skills are labelled with what type of book is needed for the particular section (picture book and non-fiction book).  Please remind your child to respond to each part in specific, detailed and complete sentences.  

Community Service: Community Service is due Friday!  The children are expected to complete at least 30 minutes of service by the end of the quarter.  For each activity, they are required to write the date, time, location and task they completed.  Your child may include photographs and visuals.  They are then to write or type at least a paragraph on the following:
1.  Describe in detail what volunteer task they did.
2.  Their reactions and feelings about their good deed.

Curriculum Notes:  I can't believe next week marks the end of the first quarter!!  This quarter has flown by!  I am so proud of the children for their hard work and efforts.  :)  :)

We will be having two days of Case 21 testing next week.  The children took Case 21 in second grade, so are familiar with the test format.  These tests are used to help guide our instruction, and do not get factored into report card grades.

In math class we will be continuing to practice with multiplication and division strategies.  The children will be wrapping up their Social Studies unit with Mr. Otto.  We will continue to read and analyze fables, myths and folktales.  In word work we will be looking at prefixes and suffixes.  We will be publishing our narratives and also beginning on a new story.  

Field Trip: If you are interested in chaperoning our field trip, please send me in a note or email to let me know by next Friday.  So far we have only one volunteer and are allowed to have three volunteers per class.  We would love to have you!

Upcoming Dates:

• Thursday, October 24th:  Community Helpers Presentation, 2:15- 3:45
• Friday, October 25th: Last day of quarter, community service for first quarter due, if interested in chaperoning trip let me know by this day
• Monday, October 28th:  Teacher Workday, No School
• Wednesday, October 30th: Field Trip money due
• Friday, November 1th: "The True Life Adventures of Gooney Bird Greene" play at Wake Forest High School
• Friday, November 8th:  Early Release at 1:15

Garden Lesson

Today we met with Ms. Liza Coonse, our school's very own garden lady!  She did a fabulous lesson with the class where they learned about parts of a plant through making hands-on observations in the garden.  The children learned what parts of the garden plants we eat, they rooted and picked plants, sprinkled seeds, and explored the smells of plant spices.  The children also have a seed pod, radishes and a marigold flower that are coming home with them today.  Ask your child what his or her favorite part of the lesson was!  :-)

Peace Day and Anti-Bullying Lesson

A big thank you goes out to Ms. Arriaza, Elena's mom, for planning a special lesson for the third grade classes with author Mari Howerton.  Ms. Howerton read and discussed her book 

Down-n-Around the Pond.  The book is about some friends coming together to make some music, and then the children had a chance to make some music of their own!  Through the lesson, we learned the importance of how to treat others with respect and thoughtfulness and also how to celebrate one another's differences.  :)  :)  :)