Scan the QR Code and enter into a drawing for door prizes. Drawing closes at 7:00 pm. Family Fun Night attendance is required. Winners will be announced on Wolf News (our morning announcements).
Friday, September 27, 2019
Family Fun Night
Thursday October 3 is Family Fun Night! From 5:00 to 6:30 pm, you are invited to bring your whole family for a free meal and to participate in many fun events and activities! Ms. Leom is excited to be participating by taking family pictures! This is a fun night! Meet your children's friends, their families, and enjoy our school community!
Cleaning Up
This week, our class had issues with cleaning up. It was discussed at Lunch, and it was evident in our own classroom. Cleaning up after ourselves will be an area that we grow and develop.
These pictures were taken after Ms. Leom asked for everyone to walk around and help clean up. She even asked specific students to pick up in certain areas.
If at some point sooner, your child indicates they have used all of their pencils from the beginning of school, it is common for Ms. Leom to pick up a dozen or so a day and place them in her common use cup. It seems like a better solution than when the custodians come in at night and sweep them into the hallways.
Also common this week was used Klennexes and pencil top erasers.
Third graders are capable of cleaning up after themselves, and this is not a "table versus desks" problem. We are "cleaning up" and asking everyone to be involved in picking up after themselves!
These pictures were taken after Ms. Leom asked for everyone to walk around and help clean up. She even asked specific students to pick up in certain areas.
If at some point sooner, your child indicates they have used all of their pencils from the beginning of school, it is common for Ms. Leom to pick up a dozen or so a day and place them in her common use cup. It seems like a better solution than when the custodians come in at night and sweep them into the hallways.
Also common this week was used Klennexes and pencil top erasers.
Third graders are capable of cleaning up after themselves, and this is not a "table versus desks" problem. We are "cleaning up" and asking everyone to be involved in picking up after themselves!
Fire Drills
When we had some beautiful weather, we had a fire drill.
Then we took a class picture.
We enjoyed a quick obstacle course before returning to math.
We had another fire drill the next day.
Then we took a class picture.
We enjoyed a quick obstacle course before returning to math.
We had another fire drill the next day.
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Inside Recess
Tuesday morning was super dark and included rain, thunder, and lightning. Ms. Leom used this rainy day to invite students to make friendship bracelets using braiding. We started at the beginning of milk break. Students could work on them during Recess. There were a lot of colors to choose from.
Some students were inspired and worked hard.
Other students were trilled for an opportunity to explore some of the inside recess treasures in the classroom.
Some students were inspired and worked hard.
Other students were trilled for an opportunity to explore some of the inside recess treasures in the classroom.
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| playing games |
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| exploring shells |
There were students coloring, drawing, and talking with friends.
Super I
One observation Ms. Leom made as students were writing, was the need to capitalize the pronoun I. She contacted her "close friend", the super hero, "Super I" who flew in to invite a new group of students to "eradicate puny i" from their writing. Once Super I explained the mission, students got to wor
Once Super I explained the mission, students got to work. They wrote a "bubble letter I" in their notebook. Then they got to work filling it in with sentences about themselves, using I.
I think we are on our way to growing as writers ...
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| Super I's super hero, crime fighting face (aka. super hero cheesy grin) |
Once Super I explained the mission, students got to work. They wrote a "bubble letter I" in their notebook. Then they got to work filling it in with sentences about themselves, using I.
Social Vocabulary
This week we start our Social Studies and Science learning. We started with some reading from the text book and taking some notes in our notebooks. Our new words are:
- community
- construction
- citizen
- community
- construction
- citizen
Main Idea & Questions
This week, we started our first Comprehension Strategy: Identifying Main Idea and Details.
We also started our "metacognition" (thinking) strategy: asking Questions. A character showed up, Queen of Questions. She just LOVES asking questions. She modeled how we use asking questions to clear up when we don't understand what we read, or when we wonder about something we may not have read yet. We will be spending more time with the Queen of Questions. It is one of the "hats" we wear as a reader (more to come in future posts).
On Tuesday, we needed some scaffolding and tools to determine Main Idea and Details. It can be a complex comprehension strategy. Our goal as a reader is to understand what we read. Often, in third grade, everything we read sounds important. How can we determine the key ideas?! Focusing on the main idea and details can help. We made an anchor chart together in class.
Then Ms. Leom invited us to use our iPads to take a picture. She was going to change the screen to model our learning on a new text. With the picture of the notes on our iPads, we still had access. Standing up in the beginning of the lesson is a good way for us to get some movement in too!
We also started our "metacognition" (thinking) strategy: asking Questions. A character showed up, Queen of Questions. She just LOVES asking questions. She modeled how we use asking questions to clear up when we don't understand what we read, or when we wonder about something we may not have read yet. We will be spending more time with the Queen of Questions. It is one of the "hats" we wear as a reader (more to come in future posts).
On Tuesday, we needed some scaffolding and tools to determine Main Idea and Details. It can be a complex comprehension strategy. Our goal as a reader is to understand what we read. Often, in third grade, everything we read sounds important. How can we determine the key ideas?! Focusing on the main idea and details can help. We made an anchor chart together in class.
Then Ms. Leom invited us to use our iPads to take a picture. She was going to change the screen to model our learning on a new text. With the picture of the notes on our iPads, we still had access. Standing up in the beginning of the lesson is a good way for us to get some movement in too!
Setting Up
On Friday afternoon, we set up our iPads. We had to input our emails and passwords. This takes a lot of patience and help. We had a strong start.
We stopped when the listening faded. There is always a new day.
We stopped when the listening faded. There is always a new day.
Homecoming Pepfest
On Friday, we had our Homecoming Pepfest in the main gym. The high school pep band played. The color guard threw their flags.
It is pretty amazing with 1000 people gather to celebrate school pride. Go Wolves!
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| Our junior MCs |
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| We had an interpreter signing |
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| The Homecoming candidates - King and Queen on the right |
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| the football captains spoke |
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| Our class |
It is pretty amazing with 1000 people gather to celebrate school pride. Go Wolves!
Good Morning Greetings
Each morning, students are greeted with a morning message.
On Thursday, we were excited to start using our iPads.
Students who are talking, playing with the fonts by enlarging and shrinking the text, sneaking time on other apps, or more, can loose their iPads for the day. Each day is a new day for a new start. Students without access to their iPads have a paper option and the learning continues. We want iPads to enhance our learning, not distract.
On Thursday, we were excited to start using our iPads.
Students who are talking, playing with the fonts by enlarging and shrinking the text, sneaking time on other apps, or more, can loose their iPads for the day. Each day is a new day for a new start. Students without access to their iPads have a paper option and the learning continues. We want iPads to enhance our learning, not distract.
Scaffolding
In education, when you notice a student needs "more" than the basic plan, a teacher provides "scaffolding" to support a student's learning. Scaffolding could include more time, a copy of the notes, re-explaining, and so much more. What one student needs can be different for another student. Part of the magic of teaching is individualizing the learning for each student.
The best part is when students are engaged and ask questions. Parents also ask questions. Another clue a student needs scaffolding is from observation. When students don't know what to do, appear to be distracted or other behaviors, it can be a sign that scaffolding is needed. It is a careful balance of providing enough support for a student to be independent, and to step back and allow a student to struggle in the meaningful way that helps students learn. Sometimes, teachers make it smooth, and sometimes, they need a little work ...
We are working on Read an Article a Day. This is a picture of one of the articles we read recently. There was a previous post about An Article a Day.
We learned about sentence starters.
The directions were also printed and glued into the front of our Flex Journal. We took notes on the Five Finger Summary and Sentence Starters. These are also posted in the classroom.
As the school year progresses, we intend to deepen our responses. This is how scaffolding works ... having a starting point ... working WITH students ... noticing what they need ... and supporting their successes.
The best part is when students are engaged and ask questions. Parents also ask questions. Another clue a student needs scaffolding is from observation. When students don't know what to do, appear to be distracted or other behaviors, it can be a sign that scaffolding is needed. It is a careful balance of providing enough support for a student to be independent, and to step back and allow a student to struggle in the meaningful way that helps students learn. Sometimes, teachers make it smooth, and sometimes, they need a little work ...
We are working on Read an Article a Day. This is a picture of one of the articles we read recently. There was a previous post about An Article a Day.
Students read an article. They determine an important detail, make a connection, or respond in some way to the text. Then students record their thinking in their Flex Journal. At the end of the day, after every student has had the opportunity to read and write, we share and talk about what we read and how we responded. We WANT students to TALK. It is an important part of their learning!!
When Ms. Leom noticed students were struggling with "what was important" or what to write about, she provided some scaffolding, or mini lessons to support student success.
We learned about the five finger summary:
We learned about sentence starters.
As the school year progresses, we intend to deepen our responses. This is how scaffolding works ... having a starting point ... working WITH students ... noticing what they need ... and supporting their successes.
Our Families Care
One of the perks of living and working in Milaca is our families! Our families care about our learning. They show up at Open House. They sign planners daily. They ask questions. They are show up. Last week, our pictures from Open House arrived. Ms. Leom came to school early to make sure they were all posted before the school day started. She had copies for each student. We love our families and value their valuable role in our learning.
We will add pictures during the year as opportunities happen.
CleverTouch
Our classroom smart board is called a Clever Touch. It is more than a "new age chalk board". There are many ways we use it. As we start, Ms. Leom uses it for teaching and leading the class. Our goal is to provide MANY opportunities for ALL students to use it.
Just getting started ...
Just Right
Part of our beginning of the year learning is called "The First Third Days". The idea is to develop routines and common language. One topic was picking "Just Right" Books. Part of the learning is having the students participate and generate the phrasing and ideas for our classroom. We create the work together, then Ms. Leom takes a quick picture, and creates a working copy, also called a poster, or an "anchor chart" for our classroom as a tool.
Other posters we worked on last week:
Our learning regarding when to abandon books ...
Other posters we worked on last week:
Our learning regarding when to abandon books ...
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