Happy Holidays

I am compiling last week and this week in one post. 

As many of you are wondering, the FMI staff will not bring up the events, which took place in Newtown, Connecticut on Friday. We will gladly discuss our procedures and why we practice lockdown drills. However, many staff members and parents have voiced their opinion and they feel this discussion is one to have at home, as different children will react differently to details of the situation. I thought it would come up when they had a guidance lesson today with Mrs. Shields, but there was no mention of what happened on Friday. I thank you for having such meaningful conversations with your children. It is important. As a parent of a child with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, I see the need to discuss this and threat of more anxiety go in both directions. It is important for our students to know why we practice such things, but there are also the handful of children that do not know how to deal with the added anxiety and thought of a threat. It is a careful thread to be on. I am more than willing to discuss it with your child, if they would like. 

Here are a couple of links I was sent from Grant Wood AEA, which may be helpful for you. They also discuss the importance of conversation with their children. I have included them below, in case you are interested.

http://commonhealth.wbur.org/2012/12/experts-kids-school-shootings

http://commonhealth.wbur.org/2012/12/experts-kids-school-shootings
http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/aftermath.aspx

Please make sure any time you are entering the building, you enter through the front entrance and sign in at the office. Please do not be offended if someone asks why you are in the building. 

I hope you know I care very much about each and everyone of your children. Within the first week of school I talk about how our class becomes like a family and it is true. I spend a lot of time with your children and treat them as if they were my own. I can not imagine anything happening to them. I love being able to share in their excitement when they do something well and help when they struggle with a new concept or something that is bothering them. They are always free to come discuss anything with me and I will do everything in my power to keep their best interest front and center in my classroom. Thank you for raising some pretty remarkable children! I love seeing their smiling faces each and everyday!

Math- If you have not seen them yet, Multiplication Monsters, are starting to arrive home. These provided a great opportunity for all 3^rd grade students to use their listening to direction skills. Students can use these independently to quiz themselves over their multiplication facts. You could use the monsters to create a family game where the student and another person at home quiz each other. This year in math we have covered basic addition and subtraction skills. These were necessary to review as some students still struggle with the basic facts. In 3^rd grade we teach a wide variety in our math curriculum and these facts are very important for your child to have or be working on mastering. We are continuing to practice our multiplication skills. Today we even look at multiplying by 3 or more numbers. Some examples of these would be: (2x4)x4 or (3x3) x (7x1)

Last week we did a lot of work with our arrays, and even learned some new fun games! :) 

However, if you see your child struggling or know your child is struggling in math, building their basic facts can be a quick and fun way to help them achieve. Flashcards are great! I am in the process of creating some different sheets of flashcard games, which the whole family can play. These monsters are a tool for you to use at home; because I know you are all busy, but all teachers do appreciate any additional support you can give your child at home.

Reading-  Last week we did not have a story. We reviewed material covered in the last unit and took our unit quiz. We were also introduced to some new characters of Reciprocal teaching. A reading strategy your child will practice often in whole group and guided reading. Reciprocal teaching works on predicting, questioning, clarifying, and summarizing. We worked a lot on making predictions this week! This week we are enjoying some books and activities involving winter and the holidays.

Text Talk- Last week we read The Princess and the Pizza by Mary Jane and Herm Auch. This is a story about a princess named Paulina who thinks she wants to get back into princessing since her father has given up the throne. She undergoes a series of princess tests (pea under the mattresses, an essay, etc.) to prove she is fit to marry Prince Drupert. After accidentally inventing the pizza, she decides not to become a princess but to open a pizza palace instead. Words we discussed were: fragrant, gracious, humble, muttered, fret, and practical. There will not be a Text Talk book this week.

Science- A study guide went home with students on Thursday for their Ideas and Inventions unit assessment. This assessment will take place on Thursday. 

Last week, we finished up talking about Chromatography. We had a mystery pen where they had to determine which kind of marker would have their colors separate like the sample they were shown. They created snowflakes and used what they had learned from chromatography to add a lot of color to our room. Snowflakes can be seen under the student work tab.

Last week the students discussed being entrepreneurs and opened a restaurant in their groups. They had to determine how they would advertise, what they would charge for food, and create a budget to cover all costs. It was an eye opening experience for some kids. This week we will have our last two Junior Achievement lessons which will cover banking, and creating a newspaper article. A HUGE THANK YOU to Dru for volunteering in our room! 

From my family to yours- we hope you have a safe, happy, and wonderful holiday break! 

Happy Holidays! 
Mrs. Jodie Yuska  

Time flies when you are having fun!

I can't believe it is  December already. If your house is like mine it is buzzing with planning and getting ready for the upcoming holidays. There is nothing like wrapping presents, grading papers, baking, hiding the elf that is currently living in my house (Elf on the Shelf), writing lesson plans, dance performances and practice, holiday musicals, enjoying holiday festivities (like the Fire and Ice parade, The Nutcraker, Winnie the Pooh's Christmas at Old Creamery, and a lot more!) and having that cycle around while still enjoying my two little ones! :) Life is hectic at times, but I love it and wouldn't change a thing! 

Starting today, when students receive a red ticket, they will be bringing home a slip with their name on it and why they received a red ticket. This way they can share all the wonderful things they are doing with you at home! 

Math- For the last month we have been working on multiplication. We have gone through all of our basic facts, and a lot of strategies. We will continue to work on multiplication facts up until winter break. The kids are going to be introduced to arrays today. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED CUT! You would not believe the days of math classes you have saved us!

Reading-  Last week we read On Granddaddy’s Farm by Thomas B. Allen. This is an autobiographical account of the author’s life as a child on his grandparents’ farm in the 1930s. He describes how life on the farm revolved around his grandfather’s job with the railroad. He also recalls the farm chores and playtime typical of the era. We worked on sequencing events and applying the text to the knowledge we had of farm life.

Text Talk- This week we read Grandpa's Teeth by Rod Clement. This is a story about a grandpa who wakes up to discover his teeth have been stolen. He suspects the whole town of stealing them. Everyone in town has to smile all the time to show they are innocent. The mystery is solved when it turns out that the dog had taken them. Words we discussed were: complain, description, mystery, suspect, conspiracy, and sleuth.

Science- This week students created and shared their Carbon printing inventions. I wrote their scores on the Chromatography page (oops, I didn't even notice till the next day!). So, needless to say our inventions next week will be on the carbon printing sheets. Sorry! The kids loved finger printing, some had a lot of fun taking prints of other areas of skin for their inventions too! :)

Today, students were introduced to chromatography. Chromatography uses water to cary pigments from one place to another. Today the kids learned chromatography separates a mixture of pigments in watercolor inks. The process of water moving through paper is called wicking. We marked cut stripes of coffee filters, marked them with a marker and let the water move and separate the pigment. Monday, the kids will have to guess which mystery pen made the mark on the coffee filter I will have on the board, on Tuesday, we will create our last invention. Our chromatography invention will be a colorful snowflake created by the students. These will hang proudly in our room.

Junior Achievement this week the students examined the role of a builder and became aware of how that job is interconnected with the job of a city planner. Students learned to understand the importance of the construction business in the city's economy and recognized some of the skills a builder needs. They reviewed the zones, worked on blueprints and why things are scaled down, last but not least, students created their own buildings and had to place it in the correct zone on the map. Next Wednesday, they will talk about what it takes to run a restaurant. 

Have a great weekend!

Mrs. Jodie Yuska