Third Grade Archives
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- Archive for 2004-05 school year
Summer Vacation Teachers love summers just as much as the kids do. It is a wonderful time to rest and relax and do the things that you don't have time to all year. Here are some of the highlights of mu summer:
- Helping with VBS was great. Such excitement filled the air each evening.
- Going to a Beach Boys concert. My husband and I thought we were in the 60's.
- Seeing my nephew get married in Stevens Point, WI. A severe thunderstorm went through the town one hour before the wedding and the whole town was without power for over seven hours. Love prevailed and the wedding went on in the dark with lots of candles.
- Spending time in the U.P. with my husband and two children, Krista and Justin was fun. We saw the Porcupine Mountains. How pretty.
- Discovering Karen Kingsbury as an author. I read six of her novels. I highly recommend her books to anyone who likes to read Christian fiction.
- Making home visits to my new third grade families. I am so looking forward to getting to know this group better. What wonderful Christian families they are. (August 16, 2005)
Bored yet? I hope not, but if you want to try a challenge and see if you can pass third grade (just kidding), try this map quiz of the United States. Here is the link: http://www.pibmug.com/files/map_test.swf
Don't worry if you did not name the states in time. I did not either the first time I tried it. Let me know how you did. (June 26,2005)
A BIG THANK YOU to all the parents who volunteered some way in the school this past year. I can't begin to say how much you all are appreciated. The third graders have really learned a lot this year and I am sure they will make good fourth graders next fall. May you all have a safe and happy summer. (June 10, 2005)
A time to have fun, and that is just what we did! Our trip to Hawk Island Park was indeed a great time for the third graders and me too. Running, laughing, eating, hiking, playing a little baseball, and even wading in the water made our day a good one. However, doing it with our friends made it truly a memorable day. We even took time to pose for a silly picture before we ate our lunch (See our photo page). Thanks to the parents who drove us there and back, we really appreciated it. (June 3, 2005)
Third Graders ran a total of 355 miles this year in the Feel Good Mileage Club that was held three days a week during our noon recess. Congratulations to everyone! It does feel good to be fit! On the last day we also enjoyed running to the music that Mr. Wyatt played for us. What fun!! (May 30, 2005)
Our final field trip for the school year will be to a park (possibly Hawk Island) on Friday, June 3. We will leave at 10:30, have our lunch there, play for a while and return about 2:30. If you can drive, contact Michele Klisch. There is no limit to the number of parents who can go (the more the merrier), so come and have some fun with us and celebrate the end of the year! (May 22, 2005)
Chapel Service done by the third graders on Wednesday went well. Thank you to the parents who were able to attend. Your support meant a lot to them. (May 21,2005)
Adult Show 'n Tell Even adults have something to show and tell. We were very pleased to have Mrs. Troyer come to our room this past week. Before she was married, she was in the Peace Corps and lived in Sierra Leone, Africa for two years. She told us about her experiences there including a time she met a snake in the middle of the night! Thank you Mrs. Troyer for shaaring with us. See our photo page for some pictures of her visit. (May 15, 2005)
Achievements Tests will be given this week starting on Tuesday. The best way that you can help your child do his/her best on these tests is by making sure your child has a good night's sleep each night and eats a healthy breakfast before coming to school. The results will be back before the end of the school year (hopefully) and you will receive the reslults in your child's report card in June. If you have any questions, please feel free to give me a call. (April 24, 2005)
Tech Night is coming this Thursday night at 7:00. Your child has been working very hard on making a slide show for you to see. Very soon you will get a note as to when your child will present his/her slide show. Please make every effort to come to this very exciting evening. Also in the gym there will be a fine art show in which your child will display some creative writing and art. Finally in the fellowship hall of the church the PTL is sponsoring a book fair. What a great evening for the whole family! (April 17, 2005)
Redeemed, Revived and Ready that is what I am. I just got back from Indianapolis where my husband and I spent one day with our daughter, Krista and then two days with almost 5,000 other Lutheran educators at a conference. The theme was Redeemed, Revived and Ready. It was a great three days, a time to grow spiritually with other fellow teachers, a time to get get my battery recharged so that I will be ready to face with joy all my precious third graders on Monday. My prayer for you is that you also had a terrific spring break with your families and that you will always depend on Jesus to recharge your battery when it gets low. God Bless. Check out the picture on our photo page. Ask your child who the person in the middle is. (April 9, 2005)
I am very proud of how well the third graders did on their multiplication test on Friday. I know that success is due to you parents who were helping your children. However, since it is easy to learn something for a test and then forget, we will be having a quiz on the times facts about once a week. So continue to practice, make a game out of it. Ask your child how to play buzz or war with flash cards. Every little bit helps. Thanks again. (March 19, 2005)
Pajama Day was a great success. We had fun reading books on our sleeping bags. We each brought a stuffed bear and then drew our bears for art. Because it was a rainy afternoon, we stayed in and played games on our sleeping bags during recess. Check out the photos on our photo page. (March 7, 2005)
Multiplication Facts The students are working hard on their multiplication facts. Thanks to all you parents who are helping at home. This really makes a difference. We need to keep moving through these and without practice at home, your child may be lost. I suggest 10 minutes at night of practice. Practicing in the car while you drive or making a game out of it helps too. See me if you need ideas. (March 6, 2005)
Congratulations to all the third graders. They did a wonderful job on their oral reports. I was very impressed. They surpassed all my expectations. Thanks to all you parents who listened to them practice and gently encouraged them to do to their best. Check out my photo page for some of their pictures. (I only published the ones that signed the permission slip at the beginning of the year.) On another note I ask that you pray for my daughter, Krista, who is in Africa for two weeks on a medical mission trip with a team of 16 doctors and nurses. Pray for her safety and that God will work through her to tell the people she meets about Jesus. Thanks. (February 27, 2005)
Busy Week Coming Up This week will be busy for the third graders. We are finishing reading a chapter book in reading and will be ready to test on it by Wednesday. In math we have been learning our multiplication facts. We know x0,x1,x2,x5 and x9.Ask your child about the ice cream sundae they are building. Written reports and covers are due on Tuesday and oral reports and artifact are due on Friday. On Friday we are also going to the Wharton Center to see a play on Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad. Lastly, the banks that the children are filling for the Alaskan mission need to be brought to school on Wednesday. (February 20, 2005)
Long Weekend For all of you who are healthy, enjoy your long weekend, stay healthy. For those of you who are fighting the many bugs that are going around, rest and get better. I will be praying for all of you. The due dates for your Hall of Heroes project will be delayed one week.
Cover and final written copy will be due Tuesday, Feb.22.
Costume, artifact and oral report will be due Friday, Feb.25.
Any questions? Call me at home or e-mail me. God bless! (February 10,2005)
No school As you now all know school has been canceled for today (2-7-05) and tomorrow (2-8-05). Hopefully by Wednesday everyone including me, will be healthy. As I sit here on my lazy boy with my computer on my lap and my kleenex box right next to me, I am thinking how I will probably redo my assignment sheet for this week. Stay tuned. God bless! (February 7, 2005)
Welcome We had the privilege this week of welcoming Anthony to our class. We look forward to getting to know him better as the year goes by.
Hero Report Update Most of the students have finished their rough drafts of their biography reports and are ready to write the final copy. Next Monday the cover of the report is due. A paper will go home on Monday (February 7) that they can use to make the cover. Each student should be working on an artifact that depicts some part of their hero's life. If they need ideas they should see me. Finally, the oral report is due February 18. The oral report should be about 1-2 minutes long. I will give the students instructions on this later this week. (February 6, 2005)
Busy Third Graders We will be busy learning many new things this week. We will be starting to learn multiplication in math. In science we will be starting a unit on sound energy. In social studies we will continue to learn about the Northeast Region and in reading we will be reading Phoebe the Spy. In religion we be learning more about King David. I am very proud of the third graders. They have been working very hard and continue to be very eager learners.(January 30, 2005)
Question: What do teachers do in their free time?
Answer: Find things for their students to do in their free time. The Fun Brain website is a fun link for kids to go to. It has lots of math games, reading and even grammar games. Try it. (January 23, 2005)
Happy New Year I hope everyone had a blessed Christmas. Celebrating the birth of our Savior is a meaningful time for both the young and not so young. Having time to reflect on this great time of year is one of the things I like best. I received Max Lacado's book Come Thirsty for Christmas which I am in the process of reading. Each one of us is thirsty for the water that only God can give us. I highly recommend it to all. (January 1, 2005)
Advent: A Time to Get Ready We all know that it is time to get ready for Christmas. Putting up the tree, shopping, extra baking and listening to Christmas carols are all ways we get ready for Christmas. However, in third grade we are also talking about how to get our hearts ready for Jesus's second coming. One way we are getting ready is by looking at our Advent wreathe and learning about the colors that are part of the wreathe. We learned that the purple is the color of repentance. Each day we need to go to God and ask for forgiveness for the sins we do. We know with great confidence that He forgives us. This gives us great joy and so we see the pink candle which represents joy.
(December 6, 2004)
Congratulations to Connor and Madison who have reached their Accelerated Reader goals for this semester. Some third graders are very close to reaching their goal. Keep reading! (November 28, 2004)
Happy Thanksgiving
What a great day to think about our many blessings. The third graders have been making a list of what they are thankful for and so it is my turn to do so. At the top of my list would be my wonderful family. My husband is so supportive and very patient. His constant love is a treasure. My children, Krista and Justin are a true joy. Seeing God use them in so many different ways is a blessing. I am thankful for my job at OSL and the teachers that are here. I am thankful for my 17 third graders. They are always making me smile. Well, my third graders always mention their pets when asked what is on their list of blessings so I will take a cue from them and be thankful for my dog, Snoopy. However, most of all I am thankful for our great God, who loves me so much that He sent Jesus to die for me.This is the greatest and most awesome gift of all times. I hope you have a great Thanksgiving and that God will bless you with every good and perfect gift. (November 24,2004)
Trip to the Capitol
We had a great time at the capitol today. We took a tour in which we learned lots of interesting facts. We saw where the Governor works and where the lawmakers make the laws. We even had a Senator talk to us. He told us that someday we could be lawmakers too. Some of us liked that idea! (November 16, 2004)
A New Experience
We had a new experience the other day. We were able to use the mobile lab during reading class. We were studying antonyms and used the KidPix program on the laptops to find pictures of words that were antonyms. We found lots of examples and made a book of antonyms. Come on in and see it! (November 14,2004)
This is my dog. She is a beagle. Can you guess her name? If you know or guess correctly, I will give you a surprise. (November 4, 2004)
Congratulations
Congratulations to Connor, Morgan, Madison, Amanda,Tim, Catherine,Valorie and Jacob who have reached the half way goal in Accelerated Reader. Keep reading! (November 1, 2004)
Grandparents' Day
I love Grandparents' Day. It is great to see grandparents. It is great to see my students with their grandparents, but most of all I really enjoy seeing my students through the eyes of their grandparents and not the eyes of a teacher. Your children are truly gifts from God and I hope and pray that I will always see them as the true gifts that they are. Thank you, Grandparents, for showing me your love for your grandchildren and my students. God bless! (October 21, 2004)
Lots of Lace
We had a fun time in third grade today with lace. Why? Well, Mrs. Marshall, our Picture Lady, showed us the picture "The Lace Maker" by Jan Vermeer. She brought lots of different kinds of lace for us to see. We then took a paper doily and made something from the doily to wear. Pastor Appold even came in to join the fun. We are going to look at his white robe on Sunday to see if we can see some lace. Thanks, Mrs. Marshall. (October 13, 2004)
Telling Time
We will be practicing telling time skills this coming week. You can help your child at home by asking him/her to tell you what time it is.( Hopefully everyone has an analog clock at home to use.) We will be learning terms like quarter to the hour, quarter after the hour, half past the hour, a.m. and p.m. (October 9,2004)
Visit by the Fire Department
We had the opportunity to have two firefighters talk to us about fire safety in our homes today. They brought their fire truck with them which was really cool. One of the firefighters showed us how she looks when she enters a house. She may have looked a little scary, but we know not to be afraid because she is there to help us. Parents, please check out information your child brought home on fire safety. (October 7, 2004)
Third Grade Zoo?
That's what Pastor Appold said about our classroom. He was not referring to the students but our collection of animals in our room. Since we are reading a story about sharks and an ocean explorer in reading, some students have brought in some ocean animals. We have a hammerhead shark, an porcupine fish and more. Come on in and see our collection. (September 28, 2004)
Bug House Visit Was A Success
I was very proud of my students at the Bug House. They were enthusiastic and very polite. We were able to hold a walking stick, African millipede, a beetle and a giant cockroach. We saw all kinds of butterflies and some real bees. On the walk through campus someone spotted a ginkgo tree (From last week's story of Lon Po Po), and we were each able to pick a leaf from the ground to take home. ( September 24, 2004)
Be Kind and Tender heated to One Another (Ephesians 4:32)
We read this passage this morning from the Bible and talked about it at great length. The third graders decided this is how they want to be known. They gave many examples of how they can be kind to one another (most involved around playing on the playground) with the help of Jesus. I was very proud of them. They are an awesome group of children. Pray for us. Pray that Jesus would help us each day to be the kind and tenderhearted people that He wants us to be. (September 23, 2004)
Web Page
I was just wondering how many parents are using the assignment page on my web site. If you are getting the assignment sheet from the web and do not need me to send a paper copy home on Mondays, please let me know. (September 18, 2004)
Field Trips
I have scheduled the following field trips for this year.
September 24: MSU Bug House
November 11: Impression 5
November 16: Capitol Building
February 25: Wharton Center
Fly Away Butterflies!
It was a bittersweet moment today as we opened the lid of the butterfly cage and watched our butterflies fly away with the wind. We were happy that they were free but sad to see our little friends go. We all agreed that it was a fun learning experience. (September 8, 2004)
Ten Butterflies!!
All ten butterflies have emerged from their chrysalides. The first nine butterflies all emerged over the weekend, but the last one waited until all the third graders were in school on Tuesday morning. The last one came out at 8:37 a.m. What excitement to observe God's hand at work! It is a great moment in teaching to see students so excited over a small wonder. Stay posted. (September 7, 2004)
Two Butterflies!!
I went into the classroom this afternoon and guess what I saw! Two beautiful butterflies had emerged out their chrysalides. Watch for a picture to be posted soon. (September 5, 2004)
Labor Day Weekend Caterpillar Update
As of today, Friday, there was no change in the pupa stage of our butterflies. Stay posted. (September 3, 2004)
Caterpillar Update
It's Sunday and my husband and I came to my classroom to check on our caterpillars. They have moved to the second stage of their development before becoming butterflies. Does anybody know what that stage is? I will see you tomorrow. (August 29, 2004)
Caterpillars Arrive
Ten squirmy caterpillars arrived in the mail today for our classroom. We will watch them turn into Painted Lady butterflies. Come on in to see them anytime. (August 23,2004)
Need Something To Do
As I make my home visits, many students say they are ready for school to start. They are looking for something different to do. On FunBrain you will find many interesting and challenging activities to do. Let me know if you like what you find. (August 20, 2004)
Watching the Olympics Can Be Fun
How many of you are watching the Olympics this week? I found this interesting web site, Olympics-Athens 2004. (August 19, 2004)
Getting ready for start of school
I am really enjoying my home visits with everyone. I am looking forward to August 30 when we will all meet together again as a class. Bring your enthusiasm for learning with you that day. See you then. God's blessings! (August 15, 2004)