Weekly Update: August 27 - September 7

Hello Parents,
I hope you are enjoying this beautiful weather with your families!

We had a great first two days last week.  I hope your child told you all about the interesting things we did.

This coming week in Math we will review for, and then take, the Math Pre-Test.  The  results from this test will help me place your child in the appropriate Math group.  We will begin Lessons in the Third Grade Math Book I.  I will also be giving a Pre-Test on each Unit, so your student may change Math groups depending upon his/her performance.  This week we will do lessons as a class, but next week I will begin teaching lessons in small groups.

In Literacy we will study nouns and proper nouns.  There will be a short Test on Friday about this.  Next week students will receive spelling words and a stem of the week, and there will be a Language Test on Friday.  More about this later.  This week we will begin practicing proper printing, and then cursive, handwriting.  We will also begin our William & Mary lessons about the concept of "Change".

In Social Studies we will nominate officers for our class President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Parliamentarian.  Students may campaign for 1 week.  Campaigns may include posters and slogans.  Next week students will present campaign speeches and then we will vote.  We will hold class meetings bi-weekly.  Students will discuss issues and topics they choose.  We will take our Egypt Pre-Test and begin our study of this ancient civilization.

In Science we will begin our study of insects, including their defining characteristics and life cycles.  Students will receive their Insect Project.  The project will be done entirely in class.

I am sorry to ask you for so many things at once, but I need the following documents/items from you:
Student Information Sheet
Movie Permission Slip
$12.00 for a class book, which we write later in the year.
IXL.com Math Permission Slip
$5.00 to cover the cost of IXL.com
1 Composition Notebook for Math
I plain white Tee-Shirt.  We will tie-dye these and wear them on field trips.
1 sturdy bag for library books.

Here are some reminders for the following weeks:
Please check your child's Orange "Take-Home" folder every night.

Reading Records should be filled out every day by students.  They should record the title and amount of time spent reading one book each day.  Reading can be done in class.  Parents should initial the entries and return the Reading Records the first day of each week, beginning Tuesday, Sept. 4.  This is part of the Literacy grade.

On Wednesday, August 29, I will assign the Insect Project. 

Friday, August 31, is a half-day of school.

Monday, Sept. 3, there is no school in honor of Labor Day.

On Wednesday, Sept. 5, students must choose their insect for their project.  If students have not chosen an insect by this date, I will assign one.

On Friday, Sept. 7, I will be traveling to Portland, OR for a Memorial Service for my mother-in-law.  I will be back on Monday, Sept. 10.  Our assistant, Ms. Jones, will be our substitute.

I think that's all the news for now.  Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.
Kathy Moschel

Weekly Update: August 18

Good Morning Parents!!

Welcome to my weekly updates.  I will do my best to keep you informed as to what is going on in our classroom, important due dates, field trips, etc.

To my parents from last year:  Unless you REALLY want to read all my updates this year, please unsubscribe to this page. 

New parents:  Please encourage other new parents to subscribe now to this page.

I am looking forward to meeting you and your children this Tuesday, August 21, at the Open House.  This will be from 6:00pm - 8:00pm.  It is very informal.  There will be no presentation, and you can come and go as you wish.  Please bring your child's school supplies.

Speaking of school supplies,  please purchase a Composition Notebook for Math. 

Homework:  Please have your child bring an insect, dead or alive, to class on Monday, August 27.

Here is our daily schedule.  Normally I try to plan classes at the same time each day.  This year our special area classes are more scattered than usual.  Hence the varied class times from day to day.  The daily schedule will be posted in the classroom for the students (and myself) every day. 

Monday: 
8:30-9:10       Math
9:15-10:00     Literacy
10:05-10:20   Recess
10:25-11:10   Spanish
11:15-11:45   Lunch
11:50-12:10   Writing
12:15-12:50   Science
12:55-1:10     Recess
1:15-2:05       Music
2:10-3:00       Science Cont.

Tuesday:
8:30-9:20       Art
9:25-10:05     Social Studies
10:10-10:25   Recess
10:30-11:10   Social Studies Cont.
11:15-11:45   Lunch
11:50-12:10   Writing
12:15-1:05     Music
1:10-1:25       Recess
1:30-2:20       Math
2:25-3:00       Literacy

Wednesday: 
8:30-9:20       PE
9:25-10-10     Literacy
10:15-10:20   Snack
10:25-11:10   Chinese
11:15-11:45   Outdoor Lunch
11:50-12:10   Writing
12:15-1:05     Math
1:10-1:25       Recess
1:30-3:00       Science

Thursday:
8:30-9:20       Art
9:30-10:20     Spanish
10:25-10:40   Recess
10:45-11:10   Literacy
11:15-11:45   Lunch
11:50-12:50   Social Studies
12:55-1:10     Recess
1:15-2:05       Chinese
2:10-3:00       Math

Friday:
8:30-9:20       Math
9:30-10:20     PE
10:25-10:30   Snack
10:35-11:10   Writing
11:15-11:45   Lunch
11:50-12:45   Science
12:50-1:05     Recess
1:10-2:05       Science
2:10-3:00       Literacy

I think that's all the news for now.  Do not hesitate to email me if you have any questions or concerns.
Mrs. Moschel