St. Thomas More - 3rd Grade

No Homework?

2010-06-01T19:46:00.000-07:00

That's right! A long afternoon of (unexpected) kickball meant for no time to write in planners or pass out papers. Thus, no homework tonight! :)

Remember, if you have any textbooks or library books at home, please return them as soon as possible.

Also, please let me know if a student will be missing any of the remaining days of school. Report cards cannot be given before 10:00am on the last day of school, June 9th.

Chapter 4 Test Questions - Omit #1 & #2

2010-05-11T18:04:00.000-07:00

May, May, May

2010-05-11T13:59:00.000-07:00

We've arrived at the month of May, a time in which we honor our mothers, including Mary. You will find portraits that students have drawn of their mothers in this post. :)

It is also a time of celebration, both for the first Holy Communion of the second grade class and the Confirmation of the seventh grade class. We've made cards for both groups as a gesture of well wishes. Above are a few examples from the Confirmation category.

Our calendar is full this month! We heard the wonderful stories of Olive on Monday during her last visit of the school year. Extra dance practices fill this week and next as we prepare for our dance performance next Thursday evening, 12/20/10.

Field Day is approaching, as well as spirit days to show our love for STM! Please watch for upcoming dates in your Wednesday newsletter. :)

We love grammar games!

2010-04-28T11:53:00.000-07:00

Here's another site to try at home!

Quick Post -- Online Games

2010-04-22T14:09:00.000-07:00

Here are three links to online games:

Grammar games can be found here and here.

Earth Day games can be found here

Enjoy!

St. Patrick's Day!

2010-03-17T14:27:00.000-07:00

Today, STM celebrated St. Patrick's Day with shamrocks, green flair, and a showcase of dancing and poetry. Students had the opportunity to buy paper shamrocks this week to avoid being pinched on this day. We all had a great time and loved seeing evidence of leprechaun visits in different classrooms!

We're off to see Miss Nelson is Missing this Friday, along with the fourth grade class.

In the afternoon, we will enjoy a Stations of the Cross prayer service by the second grade class. We will be working on our own presentation of the Stations, to be shown on April 1st. We're using websites, photos, and our textbook to learn about each Station and its significance.

Students are learning more about measurement and capacity. Using written descriptions of shapes and measurements, students drew pictures and asked other students in the class to draw the same pictures using such descriptions. Photos of examples can be seen in this post.

On March 4th, students were able to see constellations in a life-like setting. Although we are amidst a science unit about soil and the water cycle, students were able to create their own constellations using stickers, paper, and chalk. Photo examples can be found in this post.

March has turned out to be a very exciting month for 3rd grade! :)

The Lenten Season

2010-02-23T09:53:00.000-08:00

Much has happened since our last update! The Lenten season is upon us, with many students hoping to go without items they love until Easter. Here are some quotes from students as they experience many days without something usually enjoyed:

"I've been craving sweets at the end of the day. I think I can make it until Easter."
-Zoe

"I gave up fighting with my sister. I'll try to get out of fights until the end of Lent."
-Matthew

"I gave up using my iPod. It's not easy because my iPod has all of my favorite songs on it."
-Lemar

"I have had an easy time giving up computer games."
-Chloe

In other areas of learning, we're starting to understand units of capacity and length, such as why yards are used to measure a football field instead of inches. We've examined the Jamestown settlement and the Europeans' interactions with the Powhatan tribe, understanding differences in technology, clothing, and weaponry during the time period of 1600-1614. Students now recognize different stages in photosynthesis, including the way that energy transfers from the sun to plants. We've read stories that require us to use our imaginations, such as how Picasso created paintings that were not mainstream and how the Emperor was able to learn from his mistake of being tricked by swindlers. With the incorporation of cursive writing into all subjects (except math), every area of learning has become more interesting. :)

On another note, congratulations to the 8th grade basketball teams on their victories in Championship games! The picture shown is not of high quality, but hopefully you can read the score of the A team's game as 50-49...a Bronco victory!

This Friday, the family of John-Azel will provide snacks for the class to celebrate his birthday. Please do NOT bring a snack on Friday, 2/26. More info to come next week about happenings in 3rd grade. :)

The Holidays are Approaching...

2009-12-09T11:50:00.001-08:00

We are eagerly preparing for Christmas and are excited to approach our holiday vacation. It is my hope that you'll join us for our STM Christmas pageant on Tuesday evening, December 15th at 7:00pm in the gym.

We've come to the end of another math chapter, and will have our chapter test this week. Students will show their knowledge of time and money, including elapsed time, using schedules and calendars, and making change from small purchases. Students have created their own Nativity scenes and will have a snowman art project to complete at the end of this week.

We are preparing for the birth of Jesus with additional Advent prayer services and examination of what this season means to us, besides presents and time away from school. Many students have discussed the importance of time spent with family over the holidays. Ask your child about what is most important to him/her during the months of December and January...you may be surprised at their answers. :)

As a reminder, four students from our class will attend a production of "A Christmas Carol" on Tuesday, December 15th. As this trip is the same day as our Christmas pageant, please be sure your child has practiced the lyrics of "We Three Kings of Orient Are." We will be singing this song as a class during the pageant.

Boys basketball has begun! Team A plays this Saturday (12/12) vs. Epiphany at Epiphany at 9:15am AND this Sunday(12/13) vs. St. Cecelia at STM gym at 2:00pm. Team B plays this Sunday (12/13) vs. Epiphany at STM gym at 3:00pm. Best of luck to both teams for a great start to the season!

Please remember to continue practicing math facts and reading twenty minutes each day over the holiday break. When we return in January, "Bonus Words" in spelling will be considered part of each spelling test grade, not merely an opportunity to challenge yourselves. Our class has done so well on each of the tests that I believe you all can continue to excel even with the new words added to each list.

Thank you for a wonderful beginning to our school year. I hope that you all have a wonderful Christmas and a joyous new year!

Language Arts Resources

2009-11-17T11:20:00.000-08:00

In addition to the math resources provided in the previous post, here are some online language arts games and resources for students:

www.gamequarium.com/languagearts.htm

http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/learn.jsp (click on "Language Arts")

http://www.funbrain.com/words.html

http://www.earobics.com/gamegoo/gooey.html

http://www.toonuniversity.com/free/elementary-education-1st-3rd.asp

Have fun!

Math resources

2009-11-11T11:34:00.000-08:00

Extra math reinforcement is always a great idea, but can get boring and repetitive by only using flashcards at home. Here are some other ideas:

1) Check out teacher supply stores for games and fun!
Most often, Toys 'R' Us or Target come to mind for educational toys or games. Teaching supply stores can actually be the best place to find items that connect school curriculum to at-home practice. Check out Educational Exchange at 600 35th Avenue in SF. Their website is http://educationalexch.com. You can find great gifts here, too!

2) Drills are a great traditional way to practice.
On the way to and from different locations (school, grocery store, sports practice, etc.), you can verbally quiz your child without the use of flashcards or a number line. Even a few minutes a day can really make a difference in his/her computation.

3) Use online games!
Instead of worrying about what kids might be finding on the Internet, direct them to some fun and engaging online math games. Some noteworthy sites are:
www.coolmath4kids.com
www.funbrain.com
www.mathplayground.com
www.coolmath.com

There are plenty more out there! Please post any other sites you find useful in the "comments" section for other students and parents to see.

Thanks for all of your cooperation as parents! Keep up the good work!

What's new?

2009-11-04T12:08:00.001-08:00

Now that Halloween has passed, we look forward to many activities in November. With a more flexible weekend schedule, I am now able to attend many of the 3rd grade games that I have missed thus far. A wonderful effort was given by all this weekend during the soccer and volleyball games. Keep up the good work!

This month finds us studying amounts of money and time, hemispheres of Earth, and segregation in history (including the story of Jackie Robinson). Students eagerly await Thanksgiving, and we will examine ways to give thanks throughout the holiday season and always. We continue to pray for Mr. Elsbernd and are thankful to have shared so many fun moments with him the the classroom. While looking at types of forests and trees, we notice the changing colors outside our STM windows and school yard.

I look forward to parent/teacher conferences with all of you next week. Much school work from this quarter will be sent home in the next two weeks, as I hold on to many assignments for reference throughout the quarter. Extended care will be available next week, as every day is a minimum day.

Just a reminder...
Money sent in for pizza and hot dog orders should be given in exact change. Any additional money sent in will be kept as a donation to STM. Many thanks.

Also, please return the field trip permission slips as soon as possible. We're excited to see the production of "Charlotte's Web" at the Herbst Theater on November 18th. If your child's permission slip is not received by 9:00am on Friday, November 13th, your child may not attend the production. This field trip is not to be missed! : )

It's already October!

2009-10-09T13:18:00.000-07:00

We've conquered the IOWA tests! We've made our calendar and new October name tags. We've made bar graphs illustrating the favorite Halloween costumes. We've celebrated the Feast of the Holy Rosary and learned much about prayers within the Rosary. We've finished the first (very long) chapters of our math and science textbooks, and look forward to more challenging content in the near future.

Thank you to Shivaya and her family for providing birthday snacks today. We hope you enjoy your three-day birthday weekend. Please remember there is no school Monday, October 12th.

Congratulations to the girls volleyball team on their victory this past week! The boys soccer team gave a strong fight and kept the Irish scoreless. I am hopeful that the enthusiasm I've seen throughout the week will carry over into this weekend's events. :)

Please send correct change only for pizza and hot dog order forms. Any additional money included in your child's envelope will be considered a donation to STM. Thank you.

Tuesday, you will find a Scholastic Book Order form in your child's backpack. Please complete your order(s) by Friday, October 16th. I am creating a classroom account so that you may order books online from future order forms. It will be fun to continue to earn points and free books for our classroom!

I apologize for my absence at the sporting events for STM as of late. I will have a free weekend schedule after Sunday, October 25th. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! :)

A Few Updates

2009-09-15T16:36:00.000-07:00

This Friday is Talk Like a Pirate Day! Students must wear their uniforms, but may accessorize with an eye patch or similar pirate accents. No weapons or anything inappropriate allowed.

Students have been given a coloring page (to be completed at home) that needs to be turned in on Thursday, 9/17. This page is part of a coloring contest for the school, and is entirely optional.

Many thanks to the Lobre family for providing snacks today, in celebration of Ryan's birthday! Please do not have students bring snacks tomorrow (9/16), as we will be celebrating Melissa's birthday with a treat at snack time.

We've learned many new things at the start of our new year. We are currently examining our school community and understanding different types of communities within the city of San Francisco. We are writing letters to a second and third grade class at Saint Anthony-Immaculate Conception School describing our community and asking questions about their community. We will be pen pals with the SAIC students throughout the year.

Comparing numbers, ordering numbers, and recognizing place value are the current topics in math. We use whiteboards in class to place numbers into place value charts and show our understanding of large numbers. In science, we've drawn our habitats at home (our rooms) and will compare such habitats with those of animals. Ask your children about the habitat of beavers and if beavers are safe in the company of bears. :)

Thanks for reading through all of the given information. Best wishes to the volleyball and soccer teams as they begin their seasons! I look forward to a safe and fun year in third grade sports!

Picture Day this Wednesday, 9/2

2009-08-31T16:29:00.000-07:00

School pictures will be taken this Wednesday, September 2nd. Please find forms for this year's photos in your child's homework folder today. Complete the forms and return them on or before Wednesday morning.

Children must wear their full uniforms. Please check to be sure your child is ready for pictures on Wednesday! : )

Hot Lunch Update

2009-08-28T13:28:00.000-07:00

Hot lunch begins Monday, 8/31. Lunches now come with a side of fruit or vegetables.

The cost for a lunch (including milk) is now $4.00. Milk (on its own) is still fifty cents.

The menu for next week is online. Monday's lunch is chicken nuggets.

Have a wonderful weekend! :)

Welcome to third grade!

2009-08-27T15:16:00.000-07:00

It has been wonderful to meet all of you for the first time! Thank you for listening carefully as I told you many of the procedures and expectations for our classroom. I hope you enjoyed making portraits of yourselves for tonight's Back-to-School Night meeting. Did your parents guess your portrait correctly? :)

Attention PARENTS: Here are some important points from tonight's meeting:

*Remember to return the emergency information forms from the Wednesday envelopes.

*Check your child's uniform daily. Your child's name should be written on the tag of every sweater. Please do not allow him/her to wear bracelets, canvas shoes, or anything other than stud earrings (boys are not to wear earrings).

*If your child still needs 2 sets of flashcards (multiplication & division), please obtain them and have your child bring them to school on Tuesday, 9/1/08. They are available at Walgreens, Target, and many teaching supply stores.

*Hot lunch begins next week.

*Textbooks will be sent home next week to be covered by parents (one per night). Stretch book covers are preferred, but not mandatory. Please return each textbook to school the following day. Thank you.

*This year, Wednesday envelopes will also contain graded work for your review. Missing work notices will be sent home each Friday, as well as the work needing to be completed. Please review the graded work and missing work notices so that you are aware of your child's progress. Email me if you have questions or concerns about such work.

*To celebrate birthdays, you must purchase a birthday book from the selection available outside of the third grade classroom. Furthermore, please give me one week's notice if you would like to celebrate your child's birthday in the classroom with a treat. The parameters for celebrating birthdays in the classroom have changed. Each child is limited to one treat and one drink. If you recognize that many students have birthdays around the same time, it may be helpful for you to partner with another parent to celebrate birthdays together. Email me if you have questions about the celebration of birthdays. :)

Lastly, please contact me via email any time you wish if you have questions or concerns. I'm looking forward to an exciting year with all of you!