Mrs. Minier's 3rd Grade Class

So happy to have started a brand new year with such wonderful ladies and gentlemen.

Be patient as we finish our testing, practice our routines and procedures and enjoy getting to know one another better.

It was great to meet parents at my parent meeting.  I appreciate your support.

Tonight is Open House!  I am sure your child is excited to show you where they spend most of their time.  Can’t wait to see you.

Next week, I will begin including what we will be studying in each subject area.  Until then, enjoy the cool weather.

Can you believe it is almost May?  It seems like we were all anxiously awaiting the first day of 3rd grade.  Now, it’s almost done.  Here’s what’s ahead…

M-Step Testing will begin on Tuesday, May 8th.  Please make sure your child has a good night’s sleep and a healthy breakfast.  If your child can bring a pair of earbuds/headphones from home, that will help us make sure every child in the 3rd and 4th grade has something to use for the listening part.  They will be returned once testing is finished.

Our room moms are busy planning the birthday bash.  The date will be announced.  This is the day when we all get to celebrate our birthdays.  Although, cupcakes are not needed, treats or treat bags are welcomed.  Details will be provided soon.

As far as what we are doing in the classroom…

Daily 5 – Each group continues reading their chapter books while working on specific strategies.

Writer’s Workshop – We will be finishing our last Personal Narrative and turning it in as a Google Doc.

Math – Unit 9 covers multiplication with double digits – using arrays, area, partial-products, lattice and traditional methods.

Science – We have been learning about animal life cycles.  Next, we will talk about specific traits passed from parents to offspring.

Social Studies – This unit focuses on Michigan Government.

It is a pleasure to watch children develop so many skills during 3rd grade.  They come a long way from the first day of school.  You would be amazed how much they have accomplished.

Enjoy the weather!  Spend time with each other!  Smile!

I am guessing the March is Reading Month calendar that I sent home was printed before Spirit Week was added!  So, Monday is PJ Day!  Let’s have fun and wear our Pajamas!

Tuesday is Mismatch Day – let’s get crazy and look like we got dressed in the dark!

Wednesday is Crazy Hair/Hat Day!

Thursday is Sports Day – hopefully we can wear something for U of M!  Final 4!

Thank you to Mrs. Zaghir for bringing it to my attention that the calendar I sent home did not have Spirit Week on it. Otherwise, our class would be spiritless – and we know that is not true – we are full of school spirit!

Can you believe 3/4 of 3rd grade is finished?  Your babies are getting older!

This was a very short card marking (6 weeks).  The last card marking is 12 weeks.

Here is where we are heading in those last and final 🙁 weeks together.

Language Arts:  We continue reading in our strategy groups engaging in deep discussion about the themes in our stories.  Mr. Farkas has been coming in to help us prepare for the M-Step Writing Prompt.  It is a new type of prompt given on the test and we want to make sure our students feel prepared.

Math:  Unit 8 focuses on fractions.  The week after Spring Break the students will have their Unit 8 Assessment.  This assessment will highlight fraction representation, equivalent fractions, fractions on a number line and problem solving with fractions.

Social Studies:  We will begin our unit on Michigan government.  Right now, we are about to finish learning early economic activities in Michigan.

Science:  Our class is learning about animals, their ecosysems, adaptations and traits.  This unit will continue into the next card marking.

As March is Reading Month comes to an end soon, I am proud of all of the reading our kids have been doing.  Keep up the good work and thank you for your support.

Well, Romeo and Juliet (our Zebra Finches) laid 6 eggs.  I’ve waited 14 days to see if they would hatch before bringing them back into school.  As I went to clean out their cage (remove the eggs) over the weekend to bring them back, they decided to lay 2 more.  So, in order to minimize the stress of bringing

them back and forth in the cold, I will bring them back after our Winter Break.  (See the attached photo – eggs are located in the lower right corner of the photo.)

Valentine Update:  Please do not have your child bring a lunch this Wednesday.  We are having PIZZA!  Our room mom’s are busy getting everything ready.  Also, please send $3 with your child to help cover the costs.  Valentines should be made out to the entire class – a chance to share our friendship.  Thank you for your support.

As for our classroom:

Language Arts: Each group continues to read their chapter book with me focusing on specific strategies in reading.  In writing, we are tackling our second Informational Compare/Contrast piece.

Math:  Unit 7  We will be revisiting multiplication and division with multiples of 10.

Science:  We continue our study of life – learning about habitats and adaptions.

Social Studies:  Michigan truly does have a hi”story”.  It has been fun to learn about it.

All of our NWEA Testing is done.  I am happy to say 82% of our class went up in Reading, 95% in Math, 83% in Language and 91% in Science.  It is wonderful to see that kind of growth.

What’s Ahead?

Unit 6 in Math will be focusing on line segments, lines, rays, angles, and polygons.  This unit will be fairly short.  The Unit Assessment will be coming up quickly.

In Social Studies we continue to look into Michigan’s past.  After the Revolutionary War, we now focus on the formation of the United States and lives of the Pioneers.

Our Weather Unit is finished with Posters I am sure will make my head turn. Next, we move onto Life Science – one of my favorite things to teach being a Naturalist!

Each group was just assigned their new chapter books in Daily 5.  We continue to work in small groups focusing on strategies specific to their needs.

Looking forward to the rest of the year!  As always, thank you for your support.

I can’t believe it!  Time flies when you are learning and having fun!

A quick update to what’s ahead….

Language Arts – Daily 5 continues.  Each group will be wrapping up their chapter books.  We have completed Narrative and Opinion Writing…next will be Informational.

Math – Multiplication! Multiplication! Multiplication!  We will begin our Ice Cream Sundae Timed Tests.

Science – We are studying weather and climate.

Social Studies – Michigan has such an interesting story beginning with the very first people that lived here.  There is so much to learn.

Our Holiday Party seems like it is right around the corner.

Trip to Lansing in January.

Thank you for all of the wonderful feedback at conferences.  I enjoyed talking with everyone.

I am looking forward to meeting with everyone for conferences.  It is always a pleasure.  Keep in mind that in 3rd grade we begin recording percentages.  Dearborn’s report card scores as such: 95%-100% = 1, 80%-94% = 2, 70%-79% = 3, and 69% and below = 4.  Many of the children will not receive 1’s – not by my standards – by Dearborn’s.  To obtain a 95% and above consistently is not common.  So, please be happy if your child receives 2’s.  Praise them for the good work they are doing.

Next, I apologize in my previous BLOG entry if I offended anyone by saying “I am not God.”.  I tend to want to share pieces of myself and my personality in my BLOG so that you can get to know me but I realize that reading what someone wrote and hearing it are two different things.  By saying that, I simply meant that I wish I could look down from above and know which student has a tummy ache, which student couldn’t sleep last night, or which student is afraid to ask a question.  If they don’t tell me, I don’t know.   It would be wonderful to have the ability to “fix” everything.  So, from now on, I will stick to the facts in my BLOG.

Spelling- The week of Thanksgiving there will not be a test.  We will be doing some word work with spelling words from previous lists.

Daily 5- All students are reading their new chapter books.  Groups are going well.  We have some interesting discussions.  They are responsible each night to keep up with their Daily 5 Chapter Activity Book.

Writing- We will have an Opinion piece done by Thankgiving.  Fingers crossed!

Math- Unit 3 Test will be given before Thanksgiving on Line Plots, Measurement, Perimeter and Area.  Unit 4 is Multiplication…get those flash cards out!

Science- Weather is our next unit. Magnets will be finished this week.

Social Studies- We begin learning about Michigan’s history – from the time the Native Americans were here up to the Present Day.  It has been fun learning about Michigan’s Human and Natural Characteristics.

I will see everyone soon.  Be thankful for your children – I am.

I’m sorry I haven’t visited my blog in a few…but no worries…I’m back.

Just a quick update on what is going on in our classroom.  I am your eyes and ears during the day.  LOL.

Spelling:  Words will continue coming home on Monday.  They should be written in the planner.  I hear “My mom threw out my spelling words.” quite often.  Please be aware I always tell the kids that their parents have already been in 3rd grade and what they bring home is their responsibility.  Tisk, Tisk, trying to blame you guys.  As if!

Daily 5:  We have be using an easy book to learn the strategies that we will be applying to our new books next week.  The kids will be grouped by strategies that they are working on like comprehension, vocabulary and accuracy/fluency.  During Daily 5 it is imperative that the children know they are to remain on task, work silently and stay in one spot.  I am with groups and cannot interrupt to manage behavior.  When I stop to do that, it ruins the flow of learning.  This is when a lot of colors are changed.

Writing:  We are finishing our Narrative Blueprint and will be writing our final copy before the card marking ends.

Math:  Unit 3 focuses on Geometric Figures – perimeter and area and measurement.  We will continue doing 180 Days of Math Everyday.

Science:  Next week we will begin Magnets.  Students just took the assessment for Forces and Motion.  Most did very well on it!

Social Studies:  We wil begin talking about Natural Resources and the effect humans have on them – whether positive or negative. Today we will make our Lighthouses!  Thank you parents for donations!

Face it, your child is stuck with me all day.  In middle school they have the opportunity to change classes and teachers.  Therefore, I try to make learning fun.  I give them many options to move from their seats. We have tents to read in (thanks to a parent), nice fluffy beanbags to read on (thanks to several parents), and a carpet to stretch out on if necessary.  I try to provide many hands on activities too.  However, recently I have done some of them whole class.  We are working on how to cooperate with others.  When we are supposed to be learning science/social studies/etc. – other things such as foolishness, chatting, tattling, arguing…are taking place.  Successful group work as you all know takes cooperation.  That is a skill we are working on.  I am giving them some group work today.  Fingers crossed.

Lastly, a note about homework.  I don’t normally just give homework.  Homework is anything not finished in class. Everything we have done in class is written in the planner.  When the timer goes off, the kids are reminded to put unfinished work in their mailboxes.  I have found work shoved in desks, students telling parents they don’t have homework or, as I mentioned above, they are blaming it on you.  LOL  They are now in 3rd grade.  Part of 3rd grade is preparing for 4th.  They are learning to become more independent and mature.  Some need more help than others.  I am trying to help as much as I can but please remember I am not God.  I really do wish I could do everything, help everyone, be the perfect teacher, but I am not.  Please be patient and know I am doing my best.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to such wonderful parents.  I have never met such generous, supportive people.  I appreciate you.

Didn’t I say my blogs wouldn’t be this long?  LOL

We have been practicing our morning routine now for 5 weeks.  Please remind your child when they enter the room to take out their planner and homework folder.  Homework should be turned in.  Jackets/lunches/backpacks go into the closet.  Snacks should be on their desk.  Lunch count must be taken.  Last, they are to begin their Daily Writing right away.  There is a lot of chatting going on and before they know it, the timer goes off and we are beginning spelling.  Their Daily Writing should be finished in the time I give them.  Many are not even close.

Our class is reading “Uncle Elephant” together as our first chapter book.  The book I chose is easy to comprehend (that was my purpose).  I want to practice the strategies in their activity books so that when we begin reading in groups they will already know what to do.

In math, we are working on Unit 2 – adding and subtracting with and without regrouping.  The third grade teachers are noticing quite a few kids do not know how to regroup in subtraction (or trade).  Please help them practice at home.

Our Halloween Party will take place on Halloween, Tuesday, October 31st beginning at 11:00.  We will eat a pizza lunch together as a class.  Healthy snacks will also be on hand.  A note will be coming home asking for $2 to help our room mom’s with the cost.

Listening and following directions seem to be our biggest challenge right now.  You would be amazed at the dynamic explanation I give before we do something.  I might say something like…”don’t forget to color it red…”  and the next thing I know I hear someone say…”do we color it red?”  or they color it yellow.  LOL  Third graders are learning to become more mature and independent.

I love October.  The sights, sounds, smells, tastes…enjoy time with your kids.  I am very busy with mine.  Mitchell, my youngest (12) just finished baseball, is running cross country and playing in a basketball league.  He plays the piano and the saxophone.  As a 7th grader, he was placed in an 8th/9th grade math class.  Mason, my oldest (will be 16 next month), is practicing driving – no worries, we don’t live in Dearborn…you’re safe.  He is a busy high schooler enjoying his friends.  He has a lot of homework every night because of the Honors Biology and History courses he is taking.  Currently he is winding up his soccer season.  Mason plays the violin beautifully.  He has been playing since second grade.  It is a pleasure to hear music in the home. Of all the accomplishments Mason has achieved, being a part of the Ping Pong Club at Salem High School is his favorite.  It is a blessing to have 2 dedicated boys. Sorry if it sounds like I am going on about them…as you know, parenting is a lot of work.