Hi Third Grade Parents! I can't tell you how delighted I am to be working with your kids. We have been working on lots of things that we are looking forward to sharing with you this Thursday evening at Open House.
FALL TESTING
We have begun conducting our school-wide fall testing, starting with the NWEA (Northwest Evaluation Assessment) online assessment. This assessment provides us with information on where each child is working in each subject area tested (Math, Reading, Language Arts and Science). Each testing session generally takes about 40-60 minutes for each child to complete. The results of these assessments will be shared with parents later on this fall. Teachers will be using this information to more closely tailor instruction to better meet the needs of our learners. Next week we will begin our state testing (NECAPS). The results of this assessment does not usually come back to us until mid-winter.
CLASS WEBSITE
Our class website is off and running. I will be adding more information about the general approach to instruction in the third grade at LRS and the kids will be posting lots of "What's Happening?" posts on our classblog. Please bookmark it at http://kelleykids13.weebly.com/ You will find information on reading and spelling homework (spelling homework will start after the NECAPS testing is complete); building a positive classroom culture, and the Accelerated Reader reading assessment tool that we use in the third grade.
DREAMBOX
Third graders have also begun work on another math program called Dreambox. As with Big Brainz, our math fact program, Dreambox learns what each student already knows and then provides instruction in the areas that the child will most benefit. Because the program is using the responses a child gives to customize his experience it is important to allow your child to work on these problems independently. If a child actually was assisted beyond his ability, Dreambox would adjust the activities presented to a higher level and the child would quickly be presented with material over his head. I hope you get a chance to check this dynamic math program out!
CLASS PORTAPORTAL
Dreambox is accessible from home through a link on our class "Portaportal" (a social bookmarking site). I place bookmarks on this site after I have shared a site with the kids. Our portaportal is called kelleykids13. If you type kelleykids into the guest login you will see the link to Dreambox and a few other sites that we have begun to use. I plan to share many sites with the kids this year so our portaportal is a good site to bookmark at home too. Here is the link. http://guest.portaportal.com/kelleykids13
HOW TO FIND ACCELERATED READER (AR) BOOKS
Once you are on the portaportal you will also see a link to ARbookfinder. This is a webpage that helps students and parents determine if a home book is one that has an AR quiz. On our webpage there is a description of Accelerated Reader. I have asked the kids to choose AR books for homework books as I am better able to monitor their reading. There are over 150,000 books with AR quizzes so many of your homebooks will be fine for homework. I have encouraged the third graders to check out books from my classroom library as almost all of these are "AR books". If you suspect that your son or daughter needs some additional encouragment to ensure that they have a classroom book each night please let me know and we will make it happen! :)
FIELDTRIP TO COPPER CANNON CAMP THIS FRIDAY!
We just scheduled our Fall Field Trip to Copper Cannon Camp for this Friday afternoon, September 27th. We will leave school at 11:30 (with bag lunches) and will return to school in time for the busses. Our purpose for this venture is to enjoy a fall hike in the woods and examine the trees and wildlife along the way. Pete Christnault, the director at Copper Cannon will be our facilitator. We will need chaperones (and drivers!) for this trip. This trip is always great fun so if you have availability this Friday I hope you will join us. Watch for permission slips which will go home tomorrow (Tuesday).
Thanks so much for your terrific kids. I will see you this Thursday evening at Open House (6:00 - 7:00)!
FALL TESTING
We have begun conducting our school-wide fall testing, starting with the NWEA (Northwest Evaluation Assessment) online assessment. This assessment provides us with information on where each child is working in each subject area tested (Math, Reading, Language Arts and Science). Each testing session generally takes about 40-60 minutes for each child to complete. The results of these assessments will be shared with parents later on this fall. Teachers will be using this information to more closely tailor instruction to better meet the needs of our learners. Next week we will begin our state testing (NECAPS). The results of this assessment does not usually come back to us until mid-winter.
CLASS WEBSITE
Our class website is off and running. I will be adding more information about the general approach to instruction in the third grade at LRS and the kids will be posting lots of "What's Happening?" posts on our classblog. Please bookmark it at http://kelleykids13.weebly.com/ You will find information on reading and spelling homework (spelling homework will start after the NECAPS testing is complete); building a positive classroom culture, and the Accelerated Reader reading assessment tool that we use in the third grade.
DREAMBOX
Third graders have also begun work on another math program called Dreambox. As with Big Brainz, our math fact program, Dreambox learns what each student already knows and then provides instruction in the areas that the child will most benefit. Because the program is using the responses a child gives to customize his experience it is important to allow your child to work on these problems independently. If a child actually was assisted beyond his ability, Dreambox would adjust the activities presented to a higher level and the child would quickly be presented with material over his head. I hope you get a chance to check this dynamic math program out!
CLASS PORTAPORTAL
Dreambox is accessible from home through a link on our class "Portaportal" (a social bookmarking site). I place bookmarks on this site after I have shared a site with the kids. Our portaportal is called kelleykids13. If you type kelleykids into the guest login you will see the link to Dreambox and a few other sites that we have begun to use. I plan to share many sites with the kids this year so our portaportal is a good site to bookmark at home too. Here is the link. http://guest.portaportal.com/kelleykids13
HOW TO FIND ACCELERATED READER (AR) BOOKS
Once you are on the portaportal you will also see a link to ARbookfinder. This is a webpage that helps students and parents determine if a home book is one that has an AR quiz. On our webpage there is a description of Accelerated Reader. I have asked the kids to choose AR books for homework books as I am better able to monitor their reading. There are over 150,000 books with AR quizzes so many of your homebooks will be fine for homework. I have encouraged the third graders to check out books from my classroom library as almost all of these are "AR books". If you suspect that your son or daughter needs some additional encouragment to ensure that they have a classroom book each night please let me know and we will make it happen! :)
FIELDTRIP TO COPPER CANNON CAMP THIS FRIDAY!
We just scheduled our Fall Field Trip to Copper Cannon Camp for this Friday afternoon, September 27th. We will leave school at 11:30 (with bag lunches) and will return to school in time for the busses. Our purpose for this venture is to enjoy a fall hike in the woods and examine the trees and wildlife along the way. Pete Christnault, the director at Copper Cannon will be our facilitator. We will need chaperones (and drivers!) for this trip. This trip is always great fun so if you have availability this Friday I hope you will join us. Watch for permission slips which will go home tomorrow (Tuesday).
Thanks so much for your terrific kids. I will see you this Thursday evening at Open House (6:00 - 7:00)!