Augustine Spud"tastic" News!
Growing leaders with GRIT!
Week of November 1st Curriculum Updates
Reading: Next week we will take our first Lead 21 reading assessment. This is not a test that your child can study for as it measures their growth over the unit. Your child will read passages and then answer multiple choice questions. They will also respond to questions by writing their answers. We have been working on this skill for some time now. It is so critical that your child can write in complete sentences when answering a question. While the writing is not truly assessed for this test, it is still an important skill for your child to learn. Other skills that will appear on the test include determining importance, recognizing and understanding how text features help the reader to understand the author’s purpose and the main idea, and finally vocabulary will be assessed.
This week we did begin learning how to respond to our reading by writing our thinking and citing text evidence. In last week’s newsletter, I did address this. I am including this information because it is very important, - just in case you missed last week’s update!
Written responses in reading is a critical skill and a skill that PSSA measures to assess comprehension. This is a BIG goal for the second marking period and one that promotes students in becoming independent learners. The reading log that you see weekly is just one example of a reading response. In class the students will be respond to Lead 21 stories in reading, write responses in science to show their understanding of the content, and write responses in math to explain how they solved a problem.
The goals of my instruction include:
1. Restating the question in the opening sentence
2. Use of transition words to signal the reader to the different points made
3. Citing three pieces of evidence or supporting details to answer the question.
4. Distinguishing the important ideas in a text
5. Proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling of third grade high frequency words.
Read Aloud: We finished Everything For A Dog this week! The kids loved it! We took our read aloud assessment yesterday and today, Friday. I am eager to read their responses. I am extremely proud of how gritty they were with their work on the assessment.
7 Habits of Happy Kids: Next week we will learn habit 6, Synergize. This habit means that together we are better. We all have different strengths and using them when in a group is critical to everyone’s success. The following are the key points for that I will teach about this habit:
· I value other people’s strengths and learn from them.
· I get along well with others, even people who are different than me.
· I seek out other people’s ideas to solve problems because I know that by teaming with others we can create better solutions than any of us can alone.
· I am humble.
· I work well in groups.
Science- Next week we are traveling to the planets! We will begin learning about each planet and what makes each unique. I know the kids will love this! In library, Mrs. Kraus (library teacher) is teaching the students how to research. Each student is researching a planet with the end product being a power point. In class we will add additional information to their power points and then present them to our class. You will see this work when your child brings their flash drive home at the end of the unit.
Math: We are in the middle of Unit 3. Next week will focus on area and perimeter. This is a short unit, so I am planning for a math test in about 2 weeks. More information will come home when it is closer. Unit 4 focuses on multiplication! Yippee!!!!
Service Project- As you know we are making our mark by learning to be gritty in everything we do and by learning and applying the 7 Habits. Another component to both grit and the habits is gratitude. Gratitude in not just a feeling, but it is also an action. With this in mind, the homeroom moms and I are planning a service project that helps a local organization. We are putting our gratitude for the things and people in our lives in action by helping others. I presented two choices to the class. The one that the majority chose was to help the Bucks County SPCA. Our two read alouds really impacted our thoughts and feelings towards stray animals. I will have more information soon.
November Conferences: Conferences are just around the corner! If for some reason you need to make a change, please contact me via email. Thank you so much! I am looking forward to sharing the wonderful work that your child is accomplishing.
Veterans Day- On Wednesday a form came home announcing Butler’s celebration of our Veterans. We are having a Veterans Assembly on November 25th. If you are submitting a form please send it in by November 13th. I have a few items planned for Monday that will help the students better understand this important day.
Quote of the week!
Ask Me!
Below are a few questions to ask your child about their week.
1. Can you give me an example of what it means to seek to understand first, then to be understood?
2. Can you tell me what a text feature is?
3. What are you working on in math centers?
4. Can you tell me one item that your team decided to keep in your moon mission project?
Weekly Reminders and Updates
Important Dates:
11/11- Veteran's Day- in class activities
11/11- Book Fair Visit! 9:30- 9:55