Iowa Assessments!

Upcoming this week: 

4/16-4/20 Iowa Assessments (Formerly ITBS) testing. Please have students get A LOT of rest and eat a good, healthy breakfast!
4/19 3rd grade music program 7:00 pm at the High School  

 
Math- We will not be having regular math classes this week. We have a lot of math based assessments. We will play some math games on days we are not taking math tests.  

Reading-  We will not have a story this week due to testing. :) Next week will be our last basal story  

Science- I will be showing some videos about Sound this week, to help having a relaxing yet educational break from testing. I will also be giving spelling words and spelling tests, since we will not be sharing classes due to testing.

Writing- We will continue taking a look at different forms of poetry and creating our own.

**We will have poetry and spelling this week.
 
Upcoming this month: 

4/24- Mrs. Clark and I will be gone to a meeting (afternoon only)

4/25 & 4/26- I will be gone to work on PBIS (our school's behavior plan) at Grant Wood AEA (all day, both days)
4/27 I will be gone all day
4/30 – JK/Kindergarten Informational Meeting (6:00-7:00 – Kindergarten parents in gym, JK parents in music room, students in the JK and kindergarten classrooms

Upcoming May/June Events
5/2 –  Earth Day Movie at Galaxy 16 (12:20-3:20)
5/9 – Mr. Shucks Assembly at 1:45 in the gym to share Kernels Summer Reading Program. The Emerson Kernels Night at the Ballgame will be Thursday, May 17 at 6:30. The deadline for purchasing tickets through the school is Monday, May 14.  A note will be sent in the Brown envelopes explaining this information.
5/10 – DIBELS Testing
5/11 – Family Fun Night at Emerson
5/17 Emerson Night at the Kernals Game 6:30
5/22 – Grade 3 Field Trip to Lebeda (10:00-12:30)
5/23 -  1:30 Dismissal
5/28 -No School
5/30 – Emerson Beach Party
5/31 Last Day of School (OH MY!)

Have a great week!

Mrs. Jodie Yuska 

Happy belated Easter!

I hope you had a chance to go out and enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend. This week temperatures are going to drop and there are chances of rain. Please remember that if the temperature is below 60 degrees your child will need to wear a coat outside. This goes for all recesses! :) I also hope everyone had an enjoyable and relaxing extended weekend. 


Please take a close look at upcoming dates. My calendar has seemed to explode with information lately! :)

Upcoming this week:
4/11 Pictures and/or picture money DUE! 

4/11 1:30 Dismissal (teachers have professional development)

4/13 Donuts With Dad – 8:15 – 8:40 

4/14 Jump Rope for Heart at the High School (red gym) from 9:00-11:00 am

Math- We will continue our review with estimation, rounding, multiplication, division, fractions, 3-d shapes, time, and hopefully money. I am trying to fit a lot in this week! 

Reading-    This week we will read The Rooster who Understood Japanese by Yoshiko Uchida. In this story Mrs. Kitamura and her odd assortment of pets live next door to Miyo and her mother. One day a new neighbor demands that Mrs. Kitamura stop her pet rooster from crowing in the mornings. Sympathetic to Mrs. Kitamura’s predicament, Miyo comes up with a clever idea that solves the problem.  

Text Talk- This week we will use  Koko's Kitten. This is a nonfiction piece about a gorilla who uses sign language named Koko and his deep love for his kitten named All Ball.  Our text talk words are: accustomed, affection, aggressive, distress, capable, and console. This will be our last text talk book for the year. 

Science- Mrs. Clark will be reviewing some science concepts for the Iowa Assessments tests. Students should also find out more about Simple Machines. Soon they will begin learning about their next science unit covering the physics of sound.

Writing- We are continuing to discuss and write different kind of poems. The students are amazed that poems can describe items and not have to rhyme. :) We will continue taking a look at different forms of poetry and creating our own.

Upcoming this month: 

4/16-4/20 Iowa Assessments (Formerly ITBS) testing. Please have students get A LOT of rest and eat a good breakfast! We will have poetry and spelling this week.
4/19 3rd grade music program 7:00 pm at the High School

4/24- Mrs. Clark and I will be gone to a meeting (afternoon only)

4/25 & 4/26- I will be gone to work on PBIS (our school's behavior plan) at Grant Wood AEA (all day, both days)
4/27 I will be gone all day
4/30 – JK/Kindergarten Informational Meeting (6:00-7:00 – Kindergarten parents in gym, JK parents in music room, students in the JK and kindergarten classrooms

Upcoming May/June Events

5/2 –  Earth Day Movie at Galaxy 16 (12:20-3:20)
5/9 – Mr. Shucks Assembly at 1:45 in the gym to share Kernels Summer Reading Program. The Emerson Kernels Night at the Ballgame will be Thursday, May 17 at 6:30. The deadline for purchasing tickets through the school is Monday, May 14.  A note will be sent in the Brown envelopes explaining this information.
5/10 – DIBELS Testing
5/11 – Family Fun Night at Emerson
5/17 Emerson Night at the Kernals Game 6:30
5/22 – Grade 3 Field Trip to Lebeda (10:00-12:30)
5/23 -  1:30 Dismissal
5/28 -No School
5/30 – Emerson Beach Party
5/31 Last Day of School (OH MY!)

Have a great week!

Mrs. Jodie Yuska 

Welcome Back!

I hope everyone had a fabulous spring break! I am really enjoying watching my girls outside and enjoying some sunshine while working on school stuff. :) Once again, thank you for coming to conferences, it is always fun to watch the kids show off what they can do. We are now in our final stretch of school, therefore it will be very busy in our classroom! 

Upcoming this week:  

4/2- Classes back in session :)  

4/6- No School 

 
Math- For the next two weeks we will be completing a review of what we have learned so far. One, to be ready to continue our work; two, to help the students hopefully feel more prepared for the Iowa Assessments coming up in April.  We will start by reviewing place value (2 days), then addition (1, 2, and 3-digit), and subtraction (1, 2, and 3-digit) this week. 

Reading-    This week we will read Operation Rescue by Christina Wilsdon. This is a nonfiction selection about the Exxon Valdez oil spill off the coast of Alaska in 1989. Students will learn that oil spills can kill the sea animals who get caught in them. The author’s careful explanations and excellent photographs show different methods used to clean and care for otters and sea birds pulled from the area of a spill.  

Text Talk- This week we will read  Angel Child, Dragon Child. Book Summary from Scholastic: Ut, a Vietnamese girl attending school in the United States, is lonely for her mother left behind in Vietnam. She has difficulty adjusting to her new life, and her classmates do not accept her because she is different. Then she makes a new friend who presents her with a wonderful gift. A heartfelt, gentle, and realistic story. Our text talk words are: tilted, tender, yearn, gleam, mumbling, and cooperative. 

Writing- April is National Poetry month. Therefore, this month we will be taking a look at different forms of poetry and creating our own. This is one of my favorite units! :)

Upcoming this month: 

4/16-4/20 ITBS testing (Please have students get A LOT of rest and eat a good breakfast!)

4/24- Mrs. Clark and I will be gone to a meeting (afternoon only)

4/25 & 4/26- I will be gone to work on PBIS (our school's behavior plan) at Grant Wood AEA (all day, both days)

4/27- I will be gone once again! Oh my... but will be happy to return to school on 4/30. 

Have a great week!

Mrs. Jodie Yuska 

Happy (late) St. Patrick's Day!

I hope you had a chance to go out and enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend. This week temperatures are going to drop and there are chances of rain. Please remember that if the temperature is below 60 degrees your child will need to wear a coat outside. This goes for all recesses! :)

 

Just a reminder:  On Monday, 3rd grade is supposed to be getting a new student. As of right now he will be placed in Mrs. Clark's class, but since we share rooms this is vital information to all of us. He is allergic to nuts. So both 3rd grade classrooms will become a nut-free zone. If you send treats or are wanting to celebrate a birthday, treats will now need to be prepackaged, with all ingredients listed clearly. Sorry for the inconvenience with this, but it is vital that we have all students safety and best interest in mind. Thank you in advance!  

Conferences will be held this week. If you do not remember your conference time or can not make it, please notify me or the office. Please feel free to come into the classroom and get started as soon as you get there. These are student-led conferences so, your child can get started sharing their folder and I will make sure I speak to you, to answer any questions you may have before you leave.

Upcoming this week: 3/20 Conferences 4-8 p.m.
3/22 1:30 Dismissal, Conferences 2-6 p.m.
3/23-3/30 No School- Spring Break

Math- Last week we began our graphing unit. So far we have discussed tally tables, line plots, and pictographs. This week we will work on bar graphs and interpreting data. 

Reading-   This week we will read  Dream Wolf by Paul Goble. This story is about a Native American legend, which tells the story of two young children who wander away from their mother. When night falls, the children, cold and lost, take refuge in a cave. A friendly wolf keeps them warm and the next morning leads them home.  

Text Talk- This week we will use  The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig. This is a spin on the classic story of the 3 Little Pigs. Our text talk words are: trembling, extremely, persevere, prowling, secure, and generous.

Science- Mrs. Clark started to discuss weather with the students last week as well as how the earth is the moon's satellite and how the moon orbits. She will be continuing these lessons this week as well.

Writing- We have finished our PowerPoints and are finishing up our editing on our ABC books. The students will present these items to their peers and practice for conferences. They are very excited about showing all their hard work!

Upcoming this month: 
4/2- Classes back in session :)  

4/6- No School 

4/16-4/20 ITBS testing (Please have students get A LOT of rest and eat a good breakfast!)

4/24- Mrs. Clark and I will be gone to a meeting (afternoon only)

4/25 & 4/26- I will be gone to work on PBIS (our school's behavior plan) at Grant Wood AEA (all day, both days)

Have a great week! Happy St. Patrick's Day! 

Mrs. Jodie Yuska 

I'm lovin' it!

There are so many positive things going on in our classroom right now. 

*The kids are working really hard getting ready for conferences.

*They are enjoying the warmer weather! 

*They are still loving the rainforest unit that is coming to an end. 

 

A quick note: On Monday, 3rd grade is supposed to be getting a new student. As of right now he will be placed in Mrs. Clark's class, but since we share rooms this is vital information to all of us. He is allergic to nuts. So both 3rd grade classrooms will become a nut-free zone. If you send treats or are wanting to celebrate a birthday, treats will now need to be prepackaged, with all ingredients listed clearly. Sorry for the inconvenience with this, but it is vital that we have all students safety and best interest in mind. Thank you in advance!  

On Friday, conference notes when home. Please call the office or email me if there is a scheduling conflict.

Upcoming this week: 
3/13 Encore performs- 7:00 p.m. Marion High School
3/14 1:30 Dismissal

Math- This week we will finish talking about coordinate graphs. We will then begin our graphing unit. During this unit, which will last until spring break, we will learn and practice making many tally tables and graphs. These will include: pictographs, bar graphs, and line plots. We will also learn to interpret data. 

Reading-   This week we will not have a Basal story. Instead will will review for our unit quiz and take some extra time to finish work before spring break. We will review and focus on a few of our different comprehension strategies we have been learning this year.

Science- Mrs. Clark has been using science time to discuss the water cycle. I believe she is planning a few more weather themed activities before spring break.

Writing- We will continue working hard on our ABC books and PowerPoint presentations. Students will have a chance to work on presenting and listening skills when they have a chance to share these out.

Upcoming this month: 
3/20 Conferences 4-8 p.m.
3/22 1:30 Dismissal, Conferences 2-6 p.m.
3/23-3/30 No School- Spring Break
4/2- Classes back in session :) 


Have a great week! Happy early St. Patrick's Day! 
Mrs. Jodie Yuska

Crazy Weather

It must be March, the month of crazy weather. If there is snow on the ground or a chance of snow, please send winter boots to school with your child. Also, we have a lot of students not dressed appropriately for the weather. It is still technically winter. Please make sure your child has a winter coat EVERYDAY! Even if the weather is supposed to get to 60, like the forecast predicts for one day this week, morning recesses can still be chilly. If it is nice enough for the students to go in a lighter coat we will let them know. Thanks! :)

Upcoming this week: 
3/5 Last Nutrition Lesson

3/8 Conference times sent home in Brown Envelopes

      Book orders DUE! :)

3/9 Muffins with Mom breakfast sponsored by the Parent Group (slips were due last Friday 3/2)

       Emerson Encore Practice 8:10-8:45

Math- This week we will discuss flips, turns, and slides of tetrominoes (you would find similar shapes in the game Tetris). A sheet when home last week in brown envelopes with practicing this skill. We will also discuss symmetry, motion and congruence, and ordered pairs this week. Next week we will begin our graphing unit that will last until spring break. 

Reading-   This week we will read Storm in the Night by Mary Stolz. This story is about a grandson named Thomas who listens to his grandfather tell a tale about a storm that occurred when he was a boy. As he listens, Thomas begins to overcome his fear of the thunderous night while realizing that fear is a natural response.  

 

Science- Earth Materials test will be taken today in Mrs. Clark's class. I believe she is scheduled to discuss some properties of weather such as the water cycle and precipitation after this unit is over.


Writing- We will continue working hard on our ABC books. During our technology time for the next couple weeks students will be typing reports and creating a 2 slide PowerPoint presentation, which will be shared at conferences. 


Upcoming this month: 
3/13 Encore performs- 7:00 p.m. Marion High School
3/14 1:30 Dismissal
3/20 Conferences 4-8 p.m.
3/22 1:30 Dismissal, Conferences 2-6 p.m.
3/23-3/30 No School- Spring Break
4/2- Classes back in session :) 


Have a great week! 
Mrs. Jodie Yuska

it's March already?!?!?!?

Where does the time go? I can't believe it will be March by the end of the week!

Upcoming this week: 
March 1st- (Thursday) Spring Pictures
March 2nd- Encore practice (8:10-8:45), Dr. Seuss activities in our classroom


Math- Last week we discussed 2-D and 3-D shapes. We spent a lot of time talking about what a vertex (corner), an edge, and a face (sides) were. The kids even categorized the different shapes and had a chance to build using marshmallows for the vertices and toothpicks for the edges. This week we will focus on lines, line segments, rays, and angles. We will take our geometry test on Thursday and take some time to make geobots (robots made from geometric shapes).

Reading-   This week we will read  Tornado Alert by Franklyn M. Branley. This is a nonfiction piece about the dangers and destruction that comes with tornado season. The students are always amazed to learn that Iowa is part of the “Tornado Alley,” and how they can be catastrophic. Students will discuss the main ideas and supporting details of the story.

Text Talk- This week we will use  The Cow Who Wouldn't Come Down again. Our text talk words will be different from our reading vocabulary words. So the kids will get a double dose of vocabulary from this text. Our text talk words are: contrary, glide, ignored, sternly, innovative, and rivals.
 
Science- The students are finishing up talking about rocks and minerals. The study guide and test for this may or may not be given out this week. I will keep you posted, a lot depends on the rate of  evaporation. 


Writing- We will continue our work in our ABC books. Our reports have been written after creating a t-chart and transferring it to number notes. Students thought taking the t-chart to number notes was far more complicated than taking the number notes to a 4 paragraph report! :) We will continue to work with transition words as I did not require them in our non-fiction report. During our technology time for the next couple weeks students will be typing reports and creating a 2 slide PowerPoint presentation, which will be shared at conferences. 


Upcoming this month: 
3/13 Encore performs- 7:00 p.m. Marion High School
3/14 1:30 Dismissal
3/20 Conferences 4-8 p.m.
3/22 1:30 Dismissal, Conferences 2-6 p.m.
3/23-3/30 No School- Spring Break
4/2- Classes back in session :) 


Have a great week! 
Mrs. Jodie Yuska