Things are off to a great start in Room 1!

• We have a delightful group of respectful, hard working students.  I feel so blessed to have your children this year.  The children are quickly learning the classroom routines and how a combination class functions.  

• The first week we spent doing getting to know you activities.  This week we have started the literature arts and math series.  I hope that both grade levels noticed the spelling list that came home on Monday.  The spelling tests will be given on Fridays.

• I have assessed the children on their math facts and time tests will be given on Wednesdays and periodic Fridays.  Your child will bring home his/her time test next week and you will get an idea of where he/she is going to start.  The tests are individualized so your child can move at his/her pace.  I do encourage both grades to practice the facts nightly.  At this point, minus one student, all of the third graders need a little more practice on  subtraction facts before moving into multiplication.  All of the third grade classes are starting with subtraction.

• We are currently reading the book, Charlotte's Web by E.B. White as a group and as we read, we are completing samples of the Literature Circle activities.   I do not plan to conduct Literature Circles for awhile.  We may start with Literature Circles in-class for a semester and then send them home as homework.  Last year my second grade combination students were the only second graders to have Literature Circles added to the traditional second grade homework load.  I am open to comments regarding the extra work.  Feel free to email me your thoughts.  Third graders do not get a choice as it is a third grade homework expectation.

• We are looking forward to the field trip to the County Fair.  Please send in your child's forms if you have not already, and if you plan to drive, please, please complete the driver forms asap.  Thank you to all of the volunteers.  I will notify the first 6 "free" entrance fee recipients soon.  All parents are welcome but unfortunately only 6 get in free.

• Finally, if you have not done so already, please sign and turn in the computer agreement.  Your child cannot get on the computers until that form has been signed.

• Thank you to all of the parents who have emailed me to offer to help in the classroom.  I plan to have a sign up list at Back to School Night.  

• Again thank you for your lovely children.  It is going to be a great year in Room 1!

Welcome Back!

What a lovely group of children!  I can see that we are going to have a great year of learning in Room 1.  This is my second year of having a blog and my goal is to try to update it every other week.  If all goes well, the new post will be on the first and third weeks of the month.  Here are some reminders for the next two weeks:
-Next Wednesday is not a restructured day.
-After School Club begins Monday, August 22.
- Back to School Night is Thursday, September 8.

Update for the week of March 28- April 1

Hello.
-The students are actively working on their animal reports.  I will be asking parents to volunteer to type their child's report.  I have found that the value of the report is researching, note taking, and  learning how to transfer their notes into sentences.  The energy and time spent re-writing the report does not seem like a valuable use of class time.  If you are unable to type your child's report, or if you are willing to type an additional report, please let me know and I will work something out.  Thank you.
-This Sunday, Posey and Mento (our class ducks), will be heading off to life on the farm.  They are huge and ready to be in open space with other ducks.  We will miss them but I think they are ready to go.  Thank you for making the effort to have your child have the ducks for an evening.  It has been a great experience for the children and I know that they will be sad to see them go.
-Our next field trip is scheduled for May 26th.  We will be going to the Agricultural History Project.  Field trip forms will be sent home as it gets closer to the date.
That's all for now!

This Week

-Today we had our green and yellow chili pepper party and it was a huge success!  There was a perfect combination of healthy and sweet and there was drink for all.   Thank you very much for contributing.
-On that note, I do not think that I have ever had so many parent volunteers!  I have weekly volunteers, a personal shopper, a terrific room parent, a volunteer for yearbook, the auction, and so much more!!  I have parents randomly asking if I need anything and parents staying far, far beyond their scheduled times.  I am so lucky!!! Thank you all very much.
-Another statement of my terrific parents this year is homework.  This is the first time that I have ever had 100% of the homework returned.  Minus a few stray assignments here and there, we have a very responsible class.  As strange as it may sound to all of you, many years I can have up to 8-10 students who do not consistently turn in their assignments.  Thank you for your support at home.
-Thursday, tomorrow, is the 2nd grade spelling test and Friday is the second grade field trip to the San Jose Discovery Museum.  We have a 1:3 parent-student ratio so the trip should be a great experience.  I will be at Rio with the third graders and Mrs. Cooper is going to be the acting teacher.
-The children will be very tired next week due to the time change.  Please try to get them in bed early (even if the sun is shining) as their bodies have a hard time adjusting and they work very hard in Room 1.
-Both grades will be starting animal reports next week.  The reports will be done in-class.  If your child has a specific animal, please help him/her print out information off of the internet about the animal.  Please, please make sure that there is enough information on the animal to write a report and that your child can read the information independently.
-That is all that I can think of right now.  Thank you again for your support and your delightful children.

Week of Jan. 31-Feb. 4

This Friday is our field trip to the Museum of Art History.  I will need all of the drivers who signed up.  Please remember to provide your child with a snack to take to the museum.  We will return and have lunch at school.

Next Friday, Feb. 11 is our Valentine party.  Thank you to Camille's mom (Carol) for organizing the party and thank you to all of the parent volunteers who are helping behind the scenes.

Monday, Feb. 14 is a school holiday.

3rd grade math final on X8 and X9 is Friday, Feb 18-study, study, study!

We have duck eggs that are scheduled to hatch around Feb. 25th.  We are very excited!

That's all I can think of for now.

The Week of January 24-28

Family night with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!  Before the break, Ms. Dorney phoned to invite all Rio students and parents to read the book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl.  As a culmination to reading, there will be an informal evening discussing the book, enjoying refreshments, games, and a golden ticket raffle.  We encourage all families to participate in this fun-filled evening.  The date is next Tuesday, January 25 from 6:30-8:00. 

2nd grade Spelling test is Friday, 1/28.

3rd grade final on multiplication facts 8 and 9 is Friday, February 18th.

Reading Logs are due Friday, 1/28.

Field Trip is Friday, February 4.  At this point I will need all drivers who have signed up to drive.  Thank you for volunteering.

That's all I can think of for now!

Welcome Back!

The children returned rested and happy.  Thank you to Tonya (Tobin's mom) and  Amanda (Sophie's mom) for a delightful holiday party.  Thank you also to all of the parent volunteers who helped at the party and/or behind the scenes.  The children were thrilled.

This week we will be studying Trickster Tales in the third grade and Fables in the second grade.  Both grades will be comparing characters and discussing and analyzing morals and/or lessons.  Ask your child to tell you the icon that stands for "details".

There is a holiday next Monday (Martin Luther King Jr.) and there is another holiday on February 14th.
We will still celebrate Valentine's Day on Friday, 2/11.  Valentine cards are encouraged but not required.  A class list will be coming home soon.

We have a field trip to Museum of Art and History scheduled for February 4th from 8:20-11:30.  the field trip forms will be coming home this week.

Literature Circles will resume next Wednesday, 1/19.

The third grade spelling test is next Friday, 1/21 and the second grade spelling test is scheduled for Friday, 1/28.  The second grade list will go home on Tuesday, 1/18.

The third grade multiplication final covering X8 and X9 is scheduled for Friday, 2/18.

Finally, we have a Spectra artist coming to work with our class every Friday for the next 4 weeks.  Woot woot!

That's all for now.