October 31, 2011

• Math - Classifying Triangles: Lesson 36
• Science - We watched part of a volcano DVD today: no homework
• Journal - red, green, and blue journals due today
• Spelling - new spelling lists handed out today
• P.E.
• English - Singular Possessive Nouns: Worksheet 5
• Halloween Party

Have a safe and happy Halloween everyone!

October 26, 2011

• Math - Division With Zeros in the Quotient: Lesson 34 (Test Friday)
• Science - Students shared their stories of why volcanoes do what they do.  That was a lot of fun. They are very creative.
• Journal - Yellow journals due today
• Spelling - speed sort, and blind sort with a partner
• Writing - Mother Ghost books were due today.  We were able to get on to the writing program in the computer lab.  We are working toward success with persuasive essays.
• Reading - independent practice in recognizing features in non-fiction texts
• Social Studies - test on Standard 1
• P.E.

I will be out of town for the next two days, so there will not be blog updates.  Friday is the last day of the quarter, it is an early out day.  Any late work needs to be turned in by Friday.

October 25, 2011

• Math - Rounding Numbers Using a Number Line: Lesson 33
• Science - Volcanoes and Plate Tectonics: write a fictional story about volcanoes and how they erupt.  It should be about half a page long.  Be creative and have fun with it.
• Journals - orange journals due today
• Spelling - independent sort, write the words in your word study notebook, write the pattern and rules you observe, hunt for other words that fit this pattern
• Writing - Persuasive writing organization - state your opinion, give four reasons that support your opinion, think of one reason that supports the opposite opinion, restate the opinion.  And Mother Ghost Nursery Rhyme books are due tomorrow!!!
• Reading - Non-fiction features - guided learning
• English - Review of Common and Proper Nouns: Worksheet 2
• Social Studies - Review of Standard 1: Complete the review worksheet.  Test tomorrow

Friday is the last day of the quarter.  I will have a substitute on Thursday and Friday.  Please complete any late work and get it turned in right away, so that the grades will be up-to-date.  Thanks.

October 24, 2011

• Library - Exchange books (first book report is due Monday, October 31)
• Math - Angles & Polygons: Lesson 32
• Science - We watched a Bill Nye: Earthquakes DVD
• Journal - red journals due today
• Spelling - new lists for the week, test Friday
• P.E.
• Reading - We spent some time finding the features found in some non-fiction texts.
• Writing - Mother Ghost books are due Wednesday. Please keep working on them at home and at school.
• Social Studies - Reviewing Standard 1, that will continue tomorrow as well.
• Red Ribbon Week Assembly

We have been instructed to decorate our door.  Students are invited to draw a picture or write words describing something healthy they can do.  I would like for them to add color to it for some visual appeal.

October 19, 2011

• Math - Pairs of Lines and Polygons: Lesson 31
• Science - Our Active Earth: We took notes regarding predicting earthquakes.  If students bring an article regarding the Japanese earthquake and predictions made for it, they can earn extra credit.
• Journals - yellow, green, and blue journals due today
• Writing - Mother Ghost Nursery Rhymes: Today we added covers and stapled the booklets together.  If students are on pace, the only thing left is illustrating the booklets.  Please work on it over the break, so that it is almost finished by Monday.
• P.E. with Mrs. Lyman
• Reading - Small test on Out of the Dust.
• English - Review of Unit 2 - Nouns: Worksheet 1
• Social Studies - Iroquois Confederacy: We took notes as a class.
• Walk-a-thon pizza party.

Have a great four-day weekend!!!

October 18, 2011

• Math - Fractions - Thirds, Fifths, and Eighths: Investigation 3
• Science - Students were given time to finish working on the label, description, and pictures of the four types of mountains (due tomorrow)
• Journals - orange journals are due today
• Writing - Persuasive Essay - We practiced forming an opinion and supporting that opinion with four reasons.
• Writing - Mother Ghost Rhymes - All mother ghost rhymes should be printed and glued in the booklet. Begin working carefully on the illustrations.  Tomorrow we will add the cover and staple the booklet together.
• Reading - Out of the Dust - We finished the book today!  Billie Jo's dad got remarried at the end. The doctor told Billie Jo to stop picking at her hands, put ointment on them, and use them.  She is back to playing the piano.  Billie Jo decided that the dust made her stronger.
• English - Plural Possessive Nouns: pg 76-77 (1-22)
• Social Studies - Today we watched an educational DVD called, "The History of American Government"
• Art

October 17, 2011

• Library - exchange books
• Math - test 5 - The tests have been corrected and were given back to the students this afternoon.  The grades will be on powerschool by the end of the day.
• Science - Mountain Building: Label, Describe, and Draw the four types of mountains discussed on pages B43-B48 - due Wednesday
• Journal - red due today
• Spelling - no spelling lists this week, because we don't have school Thursday and Friday.
• Computer
• Writing - All students should have their nursery rhymes text printed by tomorrow at the end of writing. 
• Reading - Out of the Dust - Billie Jo ran away.  She hopped a train.  After a man told her about his family and then stole her food, she decided to go back home.  She and her father will probably get along a little better now, because Billie Jo forgave him and herself for the kerosene and the accident.
• English - Singular Possessive Nouns: pg 74-75 (1-22)
• Social Studies - We discussed how leaders established the first colonial governments at Plymouth, and Jamestown.
• P.E.

October 14, 2011

• Math - Interperting Pictures of Fractions and Percents: Lesson 30 (Test Monday)
• Science - Investigation - What happens when two continental plates collide?  Sometimes a mountain is formed.
• Journal - blue journals due today
• Spelling test
• English - More Plural Nouns, such as leaves, women, deer, children: pg 72-73 (1-28)
• Writing - Mother "Ghost" Rhymes - Students should have completed making three nursery rhymes spooky. Next week we will spend time printing the rhymes and adding illustrations for a creepy Halloween-ish book.
• Reading - Out of the Dust - Billie Jo has a crush on Mad Dog.  It seems like everyone is moving away. Including Mad Dog.  Will Billie Jo move to Lubbock with her aunt?
• Social Studies - Freedom Continuum - What freedoms did women, slaves, indentured servants, landowners, or Native Americans have during colonial times?
• Computers

Have a fantastic weekend! 

October 13, 2011

• Math - Multiplying by Multiples of 10 & 100: Lesson 29
• Library lesson
• Journal - green journals are due today
• Spelling - blind sort - test tomorrow
• Reading - Out of the Dust - Billie Jo's dad is going to night school. She has mixed feelings about him being at classes with all those women. She misses her mom.
• Writing - Students began illustrating their Nursery "Ghostly" Rhymes books.

October 12, 2011

• Math - Measuring Time: Lesson 28
• Science - Students were given time to finish their drawings and descriptions of convection, colliding plates, separating plates, and sliding plates.
• Journal - Yellow journals were due today
• Spelling - speed sort
• Writing - we began typing the nursery rhymes in the computer lab.
• Reading - Out of the Dust - Billie Jo played the piano in a contest and won third place. She played so much in the contest that her hands are really sore and tired.  However, she was really happy that she played well.
• English - Singular and Plural Nouns: pg 70-71 (1-38)
• Social Studies - We began an investigation of the freedoms (or lack) of Native Indians and Africans during early colonial times.
• P.E.

October 11, 2011

• Walk-a-thon assembly results were announced today.  Our class earned the most money.  Next week we get a pizza party.  I have not yet heard when we get to have the party at the gymnastics place.  It will probably in a few weeks. I'll give you more information as I get it.  Yeah!!!
• Math - Reading Scales: Lesson 27
• Science - We discussed why plates move (convection currents), and how they move (colliding,  sliding, and separating).  Students have been asked to draw a picture with a label and brief summary of those four things 1. convection currents, 2. convergent plates, 3. sliding plates, and 4. separating plates.  Students will be given more time to work on the assignment tomorrow during science.
• Journals - orange due today
• Spelling: Sort the words, write the sort in your word study notebook, write about any patterns you discovered through your sort and study.
• Writing - today we brainstormed some word lists for our upcoming writing assignment.  We're going to re-write nursery rhymes to make them spooky.
• Reading - Out of the Dust - Things seem to be getting a little better.  Billie Jo's dad is getting work, it rained.  The kids got lunches at school, and they ate their fill.
• English - Common and Proper Nouns: pg 66-67 (1-22)
• Social Studies: Draw a Colonial Trade Routes Map similar to the example found on page 198 of the textbook.
• Art

October 10, 2011

• Math - Division Algorithm: Lesson 26 (no worries about the equations on the first several problems.  I am looking for the right answer with a correct label)
• Science - Earthquake and Volcano Maps showed that earthquakes and volcanoes tend to happen along tectonic plate boundaries.
• Journal - red and blue journals due today
• Spelling - new list, test will be Friday
• Writing: Choose three nursery rhymes.
• Reading - Out of the Dust; Billie Jo tried playing the piano again.  It doesn't sound great, but at least she is getting back to it.
• English - What is a Noun?: pg 64-65 (1-30)
• Social Studies - Discuss the impact of trade between North America and other markets: Draw a Colonial Trade Routes Map (pg 198) - I'll give you more time to work on it tomorrow in class.
• P.E.

Have a great afternoon and evening!

October 7, 2011

I am so sorry about a link that went to an inappropriate site.  Thank you for letting me know so that I could get rid of it.  From now on I will check the links frequenlty to be sure the site is still appropriate.  Once again, I am very sorry. 

October 6, 2011

• Math - Test 4
• Library lesson
• Journal - green due today
• Spelling test
• English test

Please enjoy your three-day weekend!!!

October 5, 2011

• Math - Listing the Factors of Whole Numbers: Lesson 25 (test tomorrow)
• Science - Tectonic Plates: Draw the continents, draw the lines of tectonic plates, and label the seven major continental plates.  (See page B21 of the science textbook.)
• Journal - yellow journals due today
• Spelling - speed sort - we didn't do a blind sort today, please practice one at home (test tomorrow)
• Writing: print rough draft or write five (or seven) nursery rhymes
• Reading - Out of the Dust - Billie Jo's hands are scarred from the accident, and she can't play the piano anymore.  Her mom and baby brother died, and she is mad at her dad for leaving kerosene by the stove. Things aren't looking good for Billie Jo and her dad.
• English review of Unit 1 (test tomorrow) Please teach your family members about subjects and predicates.  That is something I think most students are still struggling with.
• Social Studies - List reasons for the decrease in the Native American population.
• P.E.

Remember, no school on Friday.  Parent teacher conferences are today and tomorrow.

October 4, 2011

• Math - Parentheses - Associative Property: Lesson 24
• Science: The Great Puzzle
• Journal - orange journals due today
• Spelling - independent sort: write the sorted words in your word study notebook, what do you notice about the words and how they are sorted, and find words that fit the pattern you are studying.
• Art - with Mrs. Jones
• Reading - Out of the Dust - Billie Jo's parents are fighting about growing wheat, and apples.  Billie Jo is excited for this year's crop of apples, but many of the apples are destroyed in a storm. Billie Jo and her mom were burned in a kitchen fire accident.  We are wondering if she will still be able to play the piano? 
• English - Review of Unit 1 - The test will be Thursday.  Please take a moment and review these concepts with your child. 
• Social Studies - American Indian's Contributions to Colonists: notes in class.
• Assembly - third grade singing program

October 3, 2011

• Math - Recognizing Halves: Lesson 23
• Science - Evidence for Continental Drift: Draw a map of the continents at 200 million years ago, 160 million years ago, and 60 million years ago (See page B9).
• Journals - Red due today
• Spelling - new lists out today - test will be Thursday instead of Friday
• Writing : print rough draft narrative, or write down five Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes
• Reading - Out of the Dust - Billie Jo thinks her mom is jealous of her piano talent.  They've had a dust storm at home and one at school.  It makes everything dirty.
• English - Run-On Sentences Review: Worksheet 8.  We will have just a couple more days to review Unit 1 in English. - The test will be either Wednesday, or Thursday.
• Social Studies - Contributions Native Indians made to colonists: class notes

Pelase remember Parent Teacher Conferences this week.  No school on Friday.