Ms. Arnold's Weekly News
Week of 3-23-15
March is Reading Month!!!!
**New videos attached at the end of the newsletter each week. Please share with your student. :)
***Multiplication Fact Focus attached to weekly math and multiplication videos attached to help with studying at home.
****See Mrs. H's website below for extra copies of My Math Homework pages.
What information do you need from me?
Our Classroom Learning Time
Our Focus Points
Reading / Language Arts
Students are continuing to work through our Daily 5 rotations, Read to Self, Read to Someone, Partner Fluency Time, Listening Time, and Teacher Time. Students are also meeting with me one-on-one and/or in small groups through the week to work on specific skills and set goals. Other areas of focus throughout our Daily 5 rotations are: response to reading, writing, fluency, listening, book talks, book analysis, and word building. I am very excited to see their excitement and focus to their day to day reading and writing grow. We are truly building life long readers and writers. In addition to the Daily 5 rotations, a reading resource we are excited to have this year is RAZ-KIDS. It's an online reading program that the students use a lot through the week. I monitor there reading and meet with them to discuss various reading skills and strategies.
At Home Reading Tips:
*students should witness their role models reading at home
*parents/guardians are encouraged to read every day with their child
*alternate reading with and to students
*ask students to make predictions before reading a chapter or a new book
*ask students to summarize or retell the story, after reading the text
*help students decode words during reading
*don't be afraid to ask students if what they read made sense
*don't worry about things such as names and titles. These are small things that don't change the meaning of the story
*praise students for what they did well
*help students make connections to the text
Writing
Students are continuing to gather stories in their writer's notebooks. This is an ongoing process through the entire year. We are also creating an interactive "grammar" notebook that students will use through the year. This notebook will include pages that focus on: nouns, plural nouns, singular nouns, proper nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, possessive nouns,... Students will also be working on building sentences, stories with multiple paragraphs, using commas in a series, developing informational pieces on a variety of topics and working on their revising and editing skills. Paragraph structure and legible handwriting are continuously encouraged and taught. We have begun our "informational" research piece. Students have selected a topic on how they can help animals in our community/state. Students are drafting their copy of our research report. We will finish drafting and editing this week.
Writing topics this year include:
-personal narrative
-paragraphing and sentencing (writing multiple paragraphs in the same story)
- a variety of informational pieces (short and long pieces)
-an opinion piece
-a variety of poetry
Science and Social Studies:
Science topics we're learning about this year:
*Motion
*Forces
*Magnets
*Traits (OUR TOPIC)
*Plants/Animals
*Organisms/Habitats
*Weather
*Hands-on engineering
Social Studies topics we're learning about this year:
*Michigan geography and maps
*The people of Michigan: the three fires, the french, the pioneers (OUR TOPIC)
*Michigan's economy: fur trade, farming, logging, mining, lumbering, automotive
*State government
*Public issues
Math (Chapter 8/Unit 8)
We will be wrapping up Unit 8 on Wednesday with the Unit 8 assessment. Each day students rotate through Math Workshop. Math Workshop consists of 2 rotations. The 2 rotations are: Teacher Time (the day's lesson) and Ipads: Front Row Math. Homework comes home with each lesson taught through the week.
Multiplication Fact Focus: multiplying by 5
-Strategy focus: repeated addition
-Memorization
Previous Fact Focus: multiplying by 0, 1, 2, 3, 4
Another Fact Focus: multiplying the "doubles" (1X1, 2X2, 3X3, 4X4, 5X5, 6X6, 7X7, 8X8, 9X9, 10X10, 11X11, 12X12)
Multiplication Tricks:
0- When multiplying by 0, the product (answer) is always 0
1- When multiplying by 1, the product is always the other number (1 x 2 = 2)
2- When multiplying by 2, the factor is doubled (2 x 3 = 6... 3 + 3 = 6)
3- Sing the 3's to the tune of "Jingle Bells"
4- Sing the 4's to the tune of "Dashing Through the Snow"
5- Just count by 5's
6- Hold up the number of fingers you are multiplying, count by 5s, then count again by 1s
7- Sing the 7's to the tune of "Happy Birthday"
9- Starting with your left hand, count the number of the factor you are multiplying. Then count the number on the left of the bent finger, and then the number to the right of the bent finger.
10- Take the other factor and just add 0
Addition/Subtraction Baseball (tests given weekly)
By the end of 3rd grade, students are expected to be able to add and subtract fluently within 1,000. To help students with this concept we take weekly mixed addition and subtraction quizzes. There are six quizzes for students to pass, each quiz with 25 problems; students are given 10 minutes to complete the entire quiz, and may only miss 2 problems to pass. If a quiz is not passed, students will continue to retake the quiz until they pass it. The quizzes start with small numbers 0-10 and gradually move onto larger numbers 0-1,000. When students pass each quiz they move around the baseball field. Upon passing the last tests, students will have hit a home run! Students earn a token upon passing all quizzes. Students fully pass the tests once they have passed all tests A-F.
Multiplication Football (tests given weekly)
3rd graders are expected to be able to fluently multiply up to 10 x 10 by the end of the school year. Each week we focus on a new factor, starting at 0 and moving along to 10; then we take a timed (3 minute) multiplication quiz at the end of the week. Each multiplication quiz consists of 30 problems. To pass they have to get 100% before moving to the next number. Students must continue to take the quiz until they have mastered the fact. As students pass each fact, they move along the football field. After passing all facts 0-10, students will receive a token.
This Week's Spelling Words
No spelling this week!!!
Keep reading! I hope all are able to meet their AR goal!
Math Homework News
Go to www.mrshkeicher.com to print off My Math homework pages. There will be other homework assignments other than the My Math pages. These "other" homework assignments cannot be printed off this website. They have to get a new "other" homework copies from the classroom instead. We are working on uploading end of unit study guides as well.
Weekly Specials and Nightly Homework
Tuesday: Gym; Math Homework #2; Study X facts; study spelling, Red folders come home
Wednesday: Computers; Math Homework #3; Study X facts, study spelling, folders come home
Thursday: Gym; Math Homework #4, Study X facts; study spelling, Red folders come home
Friday: No specials; Bring library books, Fun Friday (if earned); Facts Tests; Spelling test; Red folders come home; Study X facts
Math Strategies and Videos
Coming soon...a list of KEY math vocabulary!
Fast Fact Focus: X5
X0, X1, X2, X3, X4
Click the Link Below: Multiplication Videos
Click the Song Below: Multiplying by 5s
Keicher News!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Keicher News
DATES AT A GLANCE
March
23 “Read My Button Day” – Wear a button with words on it to school
Fifth Grade Parents - Sixth Grade Band Information Meeting Open House– 7:00 p.m. – Keicher West Cafeteria
24 “Wear Pink”
Michigan Center Community Food Pantry – 6:30 –
7:30 p.m.
25 Reading Rainbow–Wear as many colors as you can to school
Credit Union Day
26 “Exercise your right to read”–Wear workout clothing to school
27 Wear your favorite team apparel
March is Reading Month Assembly – 1:30 –
3:00 p.m. – Keicher West Gym
30 START OF SPRING BREAK – ENJOY – SEE YOU ON APRIL 7TH
April
3/30- 4/6 SPRING VACATION – NO SCHOOL
7 Return to School
8 Credit Union Day
10 Progress Reports go home
13 Bible Release
Good News Club – Flyers the week before
School Board Meeting – MCHS – 7:00 p.m.
14 Michigan Center Community Food Pantry – 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
15 Credit Union
3rd Grade Parent Mackinac Informational Meeting – 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
17 Keicher Parents’ Night Out - Glow Party – 6:00 –
9:00 p.m.
22 Credit Union
27 Ann Arbor “Hands on Museum” – 3rd Grade – 8:45 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
28 Michigan Center Community Food Pantry – 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
29 Credit Union Day
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ROCK INTO READING
1. ACCELERATED READER CHALLENGE. The students have been doing a lot of reading to meet their “Student Self-Challenge”. They have earned 5,100 points of the 9,000 needed for the month of March. They continue to strive to reach their goal. The winners of the bikes will be announced on Friday at the assembly. There is still a long way to go so grab a book and READ, READ, READ!
2. The MICHIGAN CENTER COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY will be open every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month from 6:30 -7:30 p.m. The pantry is located at the west end of Keicher. Follow the signs through the Pre-School playground gate. See dates above.
3. 6TH GRADE CAMP is coming soon! Parents, we need you! We especially need dads for overnight supervision of the boys’ cabins. In order to make our kid’s experience at camp wonderful, your assistance is needed to help us chaperone on June 1st and 2nd. Any time you can spare is most appreciated. Please call 764-5200 if you can help us out or have any questions. The final payment of $35.00 is due on May 8th.
4. PRESCHOOL – Michigan Center Preschool has a few openings left for the 2015-2016 school year. We have 3 and 4 year -old tuition classes open to any child from any district. Our 4 year- old state funded program is free for families that meet the criteria set by the State Scholarship Program. For more information or to enroll your child, contact Kim at 764-3380. Hurry – classes are filling up fast.
5. TEACHER REQUESTS for the 2015-2016 school year are now being taken in the Keicher office. We will continue to take requests during the month of April. We have a super teaching staff at Keicher Elementary, and are excited at the variety of teaching styles we can offer our students. Requests must be written and have an educational reason to be considered for the placement. As much as we are able, we will honor requests made, but there are no guarantees. The deadline is April 30, 2015.
6. PARKING LOTS AND BUS LANES – We thank you for using the parking areas other than the lot between the schools when you bring your child to school and/or pick them up after school. Also, we ask that you do NOT use the bussing lanes for a pick-up or drop-off area. Our first concern is the safety of our children and we would appreciate your help with this matter.
7. HAVE YOU MOVED OR HAD A PHONE NUMBER CHANGED? On a few occasions we have tried to contact parents and found that we were unable to reach anyone listed on the emergency card. Please send a note or call the school if you have ANY changes for your card. These cards are our only link to you if your child is ill or hurt.
8. 5th GRADE FIELD TRIP (TIGER BASEBALL) - We still have a few student openings left for the 5th grade field trip. If you have not signed up and are interested in going, please send in your permission slip with a $25.00 deposit or total cost $50.00 per person. The deposit is due on Friday, March 20th.
9. EASTERN BRANCH LIBRARY HAPPENINGS – March is Reading Month and we are celebrating here at the Eastern Branch! In addition to our regular preschool story times on Thursday mornings, we have several other great things for families and kids.
On Saturday, the 21st, is our March reading party. There will be great games, crafts, food, and other things for this fantastic activity. It is at 1:00, so don’t miss out! Don’t forget our Family LEGOS and Board Games on Sunday afternoons at 1:30 p.m. Finally, we will be showing an Anime movie, Ponyo, at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, March 30th, during Spring Break. Yes, there are fun things to eat. You had to ask?
Remember, we are located right next to Arby’s on East Michigan Avenue. Come check us out or call us at 788-4074 for more information on any of these programs!
Be there!
Regular attendance in elementary School sets up a good pattern for your youngster’s entire school career. Show your child that school comes first by trying to keep days off for illnesses and family emergencies. Also, schedule routine doctor and dentist appointments for after school or over school breaks.
Home & School connection
Worth quoting
“Kind words do not cost much. Yet they accomplish much.” Blaise Pascal
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“But math’s not my thing”
Q: My son does fine in math class, but whenever he gets stuck on homework, he gives up and
says “Math’s just not my thing!” What should I do?
A: Try to help him see things anther way. People may have different ways of learning, but everyone can learn math – and he can, too. Plus, he’ll need to use math throughout his life, just like everyone else.
Together, figure out how he learns best. Does he do better by hearing, seeing, or using a hands-on approach? For instance, ask him to solve a problem like 34-26, first by hearing you say it, then by doing a written version, and finally by moving around small objects (dry bean or pennies). Let him try these approaches with various problems until he sees which works best. Then, he could use that method when possible.
Note: If he continues to be frustrated, ask his teacher for suggestions.
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Chain-reaction bowling
A chain reaction happens when one event triggers another event, then another and another. Let your youngster have fun building her own chain reaction to see how this works.
Ask her to gather supplies like toy cars, balls, dominoes, empty paper towel tubes and books. Using an empty water bottle as a target, can she set up a chain reaction to knock it down?
For example, a car racing down a steep track could start a line of dominoes falling, which would start a ball rolling toward the water bottle. What will your child come up with?
Math + Science Connection
January 2015
HAVE AN AMAZING WEEK STUDENTS AND PARENTS!!!
Ms. Arnold
Email: Stacy.Arnold@mccardinals.org
Location: Keicher Elementary School, Broad Street, Michigan Center, MI, United States
Phone: 517-764-5200
Facebook: facebook.com/KeicherArnold
Twitter: @Arnold12Stacy