A Busy Month!

December is such a busy month. Here's some reminders.

This Friday, 12/11, third grade is doing a skit about Our Lady of Guadelupe. It will be at 10:50 in the church. All students are participating in one way or another. Parents are welcome.

Next Thursday, 12/17, is the Christmas music concert. The students have been working hard on the Orf instruments playing the harmony for Feliz Navidad. The concert starts at 7:00. Students need to be dropped off in the classroom at 6:30 so parents can go get a seat. Students need to wear dressy clothes. NO JEANS or SWEATS. Also, many students will be sitting on the ground, so make sure that whatever your student wears, he/she is able to get up and down to the ground easily.

On Friday, 12/18, we will have our class Christmas celebration. We will order pizza for lunch. Please send in $2.00 to cover the cost of this. We will also be building gingerbread houses. A letter went home requesting supplies for this. Students #1-8 need to bring one box of plain graham crackers and one bag of small candy. Students #9-16 need to bring one tub of white frosting and one bag of small candy. Thanks for your help with the supplies. Making the gingerbread houses is a third grade tradition, and is always a lot of fun every year. If any parents want to volunteer in the classroom on this day, from 9:30-10:30, it would be great!

Friday, 12/18, students may wear red, white, and/or green free dress with a Santa hat. Don't forget, it's a half day. Dismissal is at noon.

Week of 11-23

This week, there are no new Spelling words or Reading stories. We are working on finishing up some projects started in Language Arts. Everyone is working on a Tornado book, and half of the class is completing a Freckle Juice book report. In Math, we have started multiplication. Students should practice these at home to memorize their facts.

We are collecting toiletries for the homeless in our area. Please send what you can. We need soap, shampoo, socks, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, disposable razors, shaving cream, and hair combs. Thanks for your help.

Monday--Free Dress for PERFECT attendance
Tuesday--Fall Dress Day--Wear red, orange, yellow, brown
Wednesday--Noon dismissal. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Tasty Math

Today, third grade graphed M&M's. We were learning about bar graphs and how to use them to solve problems. So after third grade recorded their M&M's by color on their bar graph, they had to create 4 addition or subtraction problems to go with the graph information. They traded with a partner, and had to solve each other's problems. Finally, they had a tasty treat.

Fun Halloween Pictures

Halloween was such a fun day! Special thanks to the parents who donated goodies for our classroom party. Costumes were great! The third grade winners were Anthony Hernandez and Aaryona Adams.

Week of 11/2

This week, we have a few fun assemblies planned:
Monday--we will learn from two basketball players who play for the Los Angeles Lakers in the Wheelchair NBA.

Thursday--we will go to Crossroads to hear their orchestra play the Carnival of the Animals. If you can come with us, please call Francis in the office. Space is limited, and we will be walking. Permission slips need to be returned by Wednesday!

Don't forget--November 11th is Veteran's Day. No School!
Call Francis to schedule your first quarter parent teacher conference to pick up your child's report card.

Here's what we are learning this week:

Religion: Chapter 3--we treat our neighbor with respect. Test on Friday

Language Arts--Reading--Guys From Space. Vocabulary Words--breathe, dream, planet, scary, space, spaceship. Story test on Friday.

Spelling--Words with the short u sound, spelled U and OO. Tests on Thursday and Friday.

Language--the parts of a paragraph

Social Studies--Earth's natural resources

Music is on Thursday and begins at 8:10. It is important that all children are on time!

Week of 10/19

Halloween is coming quickly, and I'm sure most children have their Halloween costumes planned by now. Just a few guidelines:
Please make sure that the costumes are school-appropriate
No weapons allowed
Costumes need to be comfortable enough to wear throughout the day.

Here's what we are learning this week:

Religion: Chapter 2--The Sacraments of initiation welcome us into the church. There will be a chapter test on Friday.

Language Arts: We have finished our unit, so this week is a review week. That means no new story or Spelling words. We will be taking our Unit 1 skills tests.

Math: Adding with regrouping, estimating sums, making a table to solve problems.

Social Studies: We are at the end of chapter 1. Instead of a test, students will make a map of California and label important California regions and locations.

Have a great week!

Week of 10/25

A few special announcements this week:

We are having an ice cream party on Wednesday after lunch to celebrate our full marble jar earned by great behavior.

P.S. Science begins on Tuesday with Ms. Julie.

A special 6 week art program begins this Thursday.

Here's what we are learning this week:

LANGUAGE ARTS:
Spelling--words with long and short i: animals, bright, might, tight, sight, lights, my, why, fly, dry, sky, visit, picnic, winter, mint, interest. Tests on Thursday and Friday.

Reading--Allie's Basketball Dream. Vocabulary words--bounced, basketball, shoot, aimed, playground, gift. We are working on learning about the characters from their words and actions.
Story test on Friday.

Language--Writers' Workshop and writing commands and exclamations.

MATH:
Finishing up chapter 1. Test on Wednesday. Then we will begin chapter 2--adding and subtracting with related facts, estimating sums.

SOCIAL STUDIES:
California's physical features and regions.

RELIGION: The three sacraments of initiation welcome us and make us part of the church.

Week of 9/28

We are starting ITBS testing on Moday, 9/28. These tests will last for approximately two weeks. While your student can't study for these tests, there are some things that will help him/her have a positive testing experience.

• Be present and on time. We will test in the mornings before recess. Please don't miss school unless it is absolutely necessary. Make-up ITBS tests will take away from other academic class time.
• Eat breakfast! It's like putting gas in the car. Kids do better academically when they've had a nutritious breakfast.
• Encourage them to try their best.

We will still be doing other classwork, although with a lightened schedule. Homework will still be assigned as well.

Spelling test--Thursday and Friday

Spelling words: mystery, even, week, video, least, secret, seem, many, mean, busy, asleep, family, lucky, deep, speak, idea.

Reading: Anthony Reynoso: Born to Rope--Story test on Friday.

Vocabulary words: practice, grandfather, rodeo, prepare, tourists, favorite

Also, MUSIC on Thursdays starts at 8:10. Please be on time for this fun class!

Week of 9/21

Here's what we're learning this week:

Language Arts:

Spelling words: ready, balloon, drill, hammer, happen, hurry, ladder, lesson, letter, little, middle, million, muffins, pretty, puddle, rabbit
Test on Thursday and Friday

Reading: Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Vocabulary words: promise, forest, breakfast, cozy, gobbled, comfortable, hungry. Story test on Friday

Religion: Ch. 1 test on Thursday

Social Studies: Our state's physical features. Reading a landform map.

Math: Rounding numbers to the tens, hundreds, and thousands. Comparing and ordering numbers.

Music: Starts this Thursday at 8:30. Please be on time!

REMINDERS:

School Pictures are on Thursday. Look sharp! Remember to wear your proper school uniform.

Friday is Spirit Day. Wear St. Anne colors--Blue and Gold/Yellow

Week of 9/14

As I shared with parents at Back to School Night, I hope that this website is a useful resource for you. I will post what we are working on each week, along with any reminders about tests, projects, and special dates, along with any fun photos I have. (Please be patient with me, as this webpage is a brand new learning experience!)

LANGUAGE ARTS: Spelling test--Thursday and Friday, Story test--Friday
Reading Story: How I Spent My Summer Vacation
Reading Skill: Sequence
Vocabulary Words: cowboys, imagination, summer, vacation, visit, west
Spelling Words--short vowel words: stamp, drag, math, smell, fresh, getting, still, with, think, body, lock, not, cuff, luck, plus, bring
Language: Writer's Workshop--How I spent my summer vacation--a descriptive essay about an exciting summer event
Handwriting: Beginning our review of cursive letters

MATH: ch. 1
Place value to hundred thousands
Standard form (456)
Word form (four hundred fifty-six)
Expanded form (400+50+6)

RELIGION: ch. 1
The Holy Spirit guides the Church
St. Paul writes letters to help the early Christians
Mass--9/16 8:30. 3rd graders are reading!

SOCIAL STUDIES: ch. 1
Learning about our community

MUSIC:
Starts Thursday with Ms. Maryann. Our time is at 8:30. Please be on time!