The Class Reward Chart

Our terrific class has already filled in the entire behavior reward chart.  The students voted to have a Pajama Day/Rootbeer Float party.  The party is scheduled for next Friday, October 1st from 12:45-1:15.  Pajamas are OPTIONAL.  It is a P.E. day so please no slippers.  Please keep all blankets and stuffed animals at home. 

This is the first week of parent help and I am so grateful!  Thank you to all of the dedicated parent volunteers both in the classroom and behind the scenes.

Third Grade Final on X 2, 3, 4 Facts

We have been sending home the math facts practice sheets to help your child prepare for the 2, 3, 4 multiplication facts final.  The final is Friday, October 1.  The third graders will need to pass a two minute test on X2 facts, a two minute test on the X3 facts, and a two minute test on the X4 facts.  The practice sheets are based on the Kumon teaching practices and they are intended to help your child memorize his/her facts.  However, if your child finds it easier to memorize his/her facts a different way, I encourage him/her to do that.  We are not sending home flashcards, and unlike 2nd grade, the facts tests are a final every 4 weeks versus two times a week.  If you or your child has any questions, please feel free to email me.

The Houghton Mifflin third grade math program is a standards-based, state adopted program that covers all of the third grade standards.  It is patterned and formatted after the state Star Test, and it is the mandated math program for both Rio del Mar and PVUSD.  If you have any questions or concerns regarding the math program please email me or stop by and I will be happy to explain how it works and how it benefits our children. Your children will be taught and will master all of the third grade math standards this year.  The third grade classes all differ.  Some are teaching Houghton Mifflin alone and some are teaching another program called Excel.  Some classes are teaching both.  Rest assured, the 2/3 combo class is not the only third grade not using Excel.  I am confident that your child will be prepared for the Star test in the Spring and for the fourth grade.

My goals are for the children to feel confident and successful with their math skills.  Above all, I want to foster a love for math with very little confusion and frustration.  Again, please talk email me if you have any questions.  You can also email the PVUSD math curriculum coordinator at Frances_whitney@pvusd.net.  Thank you.

Back to School Night Questions

I thoroughly enjoyed meeting all of you last Thursday evening at Back to School Night.  Thank you for coming.    

Thanks to Mary (Matthew's mom), we have some answers to the mystery of AR points and book levels.  After researching several websites, Mary concluded that the best and easiest place to find book titles, points, and reading levels, is to go to the Aptos Junior High School webpage- aptosjr.pvusd.net.  Once you are on their home page, select the library link and then go to AR Home Connect.  If you want to find a book, click on the AR book finder link and it will take you to a list of AR books by level.  Thank you Mary for all of your investigative work! Again, your child's ZPD reading level is coming home Monday.              

Thank you to all who volunteered to help in the classroom.  I look forward to having you join our classroom this week.   We still are looking for a volunteer to coordinate the Halloween, Holiday, and End of the Year parties.  Please let Tonya (Tobin's mom) know if your are interested.   I am a big fan of low key, simple celebrations.    

Finally, thank you again for the generous donations.  I plan to hit the Dollar Store and Target this weekend to buy prize box items.  

AR Reading

This year, the second and third grade students are participating in the Accelerated Reading Program.  Next Monday, September 20th, your child will bring home a Star Reading Diagnostic Report that will give his/her ZPD (grade range for optimal reading challenge).  Please help your child find a book from home or from the Library that fits in his/her ZPD.  Once you and your child have selected a book, please have your child read at least 5  pages if it is a picture book or 2 pages if it is a chapter book to assess if it is appropriate for your child's reading ability and/or if it interests your child.  If your child is missing more than 5 words on a page, the book is too hard.  After selecting a book, please place the book in a gallon size Ziploc bag and have your child bring it to school to read in class.  Your child may take AR tests on books read at home and books read in class.  Finding a book with your child is far more effective than me assigning a book.  However, I am happy to help your child find a book at recess if he/she cannot find a book at home or at the local Library.  Please save thick chapter books for the Upper Grades as a child cannot take a book twice and there are far more AR points required in the Upper Grades and in Junior High.  To access book points, please see the Rio del Mar Web under Accelerated Reader.  Thank you for your support.

Weekly Classroom Volunteers

At Back to School Night, I will be asking classroom volunteers to sign up for specific times to help.  My first priority will be to fill spots during math on M, T, W, Th, and F from 9:30-10:30.  If I am lucky enough to have those spots fill up, I will then be asking for four parents to help facilitate Literature Circles from 8:00-8:30 on Wednesdays.  If there is a parent who would be willing to stay until 9:00 on Wednesdays, I would love to have help with organizing the next round of Lit. circle assignments.  Finally, should I be really, really lucky, I will be looking for parents to help with a 2nd grade spelling program from 1:30-2:10 M, T, Th, and F.  I am so grateful to all of the parent volunteers both in class and at home.  Thank you for all of your time and support.