MATH, SOCIAL STUDIES & SCIENCE CLASS NOV. 1-5, 2010

MATH: This week our Wednesday multiplication time test will be x8. In class we will continue to study elapsed time. On Thursday November 4th there will be test on elapsed time. Then, the class will move on to adding and subtracting with trading.

SOCIAL STUDIES: We are beginning part 2 of our Community unit. The theme is about technology connecting the world. We will discuss supply and demand, human resources, manufacturing and working products. The corresponding pages in the text are pages 227-257. For review, the classroom Social Studies notebook can be used.

Have a great week,
Kathy Vega

Literacy News: Week of November 1-5

Literacy News: Week of November 1-5

The word wall words for this week are:

1. probably

2. enough

3. either

4. anyone

5. nobody

* The word wall test will be this Friday/Nov. 5

Reading Goals:

This week students will be learning about reading and following written directions. We will read a book called, What do Illustrators Do? Students will identify and tell the different steps illustrators follow as they make pictures for a story. The students will also be exposed to directions on how to do different things to help them identify the steps and what comes before and after a given step. Students will have a quiz on Thursday and a test on Friday to assess this skill.

Language Goals:

This week students will be working with homophones. These are words that sound alike, but that are spelled different and have different meanings. Students will work on a reference chart where they will be able to access the different homophones they often misspell. For example: too, to , and two. Look at the Language Book pgs. 352-353 as a reference. *Some homophones will be on the word wall test this Friday.

Writing Goals:

How To... Students will be writing directions for doing something. These directions need to be step by step, clear, and easy to follow. They will pick to write about things they are good at and give written instuctions. Example: How to Make Your Bed

Students will also get to choose a topic to write about and apply the 3 writing traits they have learned about: IDEAS, ORGANIZATION, and VOICE.

News/Special Announcements

* Remember we have en early dismissal at 11:15 a.m. on Monday/Nov. 1st. We will give report cards and have Parent- Teacher conferences. Conferences will be from 11:30a.m. - 3:00p.m.

*There will be a book sale (books in Spanish) in school during Parent/Teacher Conferences. The books' prices range from Lps. 100-400. Because students are now required to read every day in Spenish too, the school was able to arrange for this book sale to take place next Monday.

Thank you,

Mrs. Lila Paredes

MATH, SOCIAL STUDIES & SCIENCE CLASS OCT. 25-29, 2010

MATH: We will continue our unit on telling time. On Wednesday there will be a test on time to the half hour and quarter hour. The class will then work with elapsed time. This week's time test will be x7 also on Wednesday. Please continue to practice at home.

SOCIAL STUDIES: On Thurdsday we will have a test on our communites unit. This will cover part 1 in our social studies notebook. The notebook will be ready to take home this Friday.

Have a great week,

Mrs. Vega

Literacy News: Week of October 25-29

Literacy News: Week of October 25-29

Oct. 25 is a holiday!!!

Word Wall News

Last week's word wall test is moved to this Thursday/October 28. Last week our students participatesd in AASCA tournament, by cheering for a team we adopted: EIS. They enjoyed this very much!
This week we will have the same word wall words than last week plus 3 more. Please help your child review these words at home before our test on Thursday.

1. went

2. thought

3. your

4. you're

5. were

The 3 new words are:

6. does

7. against

8. tired

All these will be on Thursday's test. The grammar aspect that will be evaluated in this test is: singular and plural possessive nouns. Ex:The boy's test has an A+. (singular possessive noun) Ex. All the boys' backpacks are lined up against the wall. (plural possessive noun) Students will be expected to know where to put the apostrophe.

Reading Goals:

This week we will study different authors' points of view. Sometimes, as authors tell a story, they share their opinion or point of within the writing. We will read 2 different texts and discuss authors' and characters' points of view.

Language Goals:

Students will learn all about contraction words: how to spell them, and where to put the apostrophe. They will learn contractions with not, is, will, am, and have.

Writing Goals:

This week students will finish their writing assessment for VOICE. They have a plan they completed last week, however few students were able to start their stories. This is the week they will write, proofread and improve their stories for VOICE. If time allows, students will begin to write Halloween stories, or stories of any other topic, where they will practice applying all the traits learned so far in writing (ideas, organization, and voice). Most students' writing is really good!

News/Announcements

* Special thanks to Isabel Futch for decorating our classroom for Halloween and sharing Halloween erasers with the students! We send a BIG THANK YOU!

* On Friday, students will come to school dressed up in their Halloween costumes.

* The Halloween Parade is at 1:10pm, followed by the class party around 2:00p.m.

Thank you,

Lila Paredes

MATH, SOCIAL STUDIES & SCIENCE OCT. 18-22, 2010

MATH: In math class we will continue working with time using the classroom clocks. On Thursday, Oct. 21st there will be a test on time to the nearest minute and 5 minutes. Please practice at home.

Please see the new multiplication time test schedule posted on the right side of the blog. Weekly tests will be on Wednesdays. We will begin this Wednesday, Oct. 2oth with x6 time test. Continue practicing daily at www.multiplication.com

SOCIAL STUDIES: In social studies we will continue with our unit on people working together. We will review services, natural resources (removeable and non-removeable) and learn about the Amish life style.

Have a great weekend,

Kathy Vega

Literacy News: October 18-22

Literacy News: Week of October 18-22

The new word wall words are:
1. went
2. thought
3. your
4. you're
5. were

These words will be tested this Friday/Oct. 22. Please review all words on a regular basis because they keep reappearing in Word Wall tests and students' writing. Third graders must master the spelling of all these words.

Reading Goals:
Students will continue working on identifying the author's purpose in different books and other short texts. They are doing very well so far. There will be a reading comprehension test, focusing on author's purpose on Friday.

Language Goals:
Students will learn all about possessive nouns. They will learn the rules for singular and plural possessive nouns. As a reference, you may look at pgs. 92-95 in the Language Book. Students will review and re-learn that an apostrohe is used for possessive nouns and for contraction words only.

Writing Goals:
This week, students will be working on their final piece for VOICE. This is the writing test. Students will be carefully guided through the process of creating and publishing a piece that shows VOICE. They will get a checklist that will tell them what their piece needs to have. It will be a one-week writing project.

Special News/ Announcements:
*Please take note of the Late Start: Tuesday/Oct. 19. Students will start class at 9:30 a.m. sharp. Please make the necessary arrangements.
*Friday will be a color's day for Lps. 5.00

Thank you,
Mrs. Lila Paredes

Week of Nov. 29 - Dec. 3

Literacy News: Week of Nov. 29- Dec. 3

The new word wall words this week are:
1. tomorrow

2. use
3. going
4. alone
5. how
*Please make sure your child is reviewing these at home. All the other words need to be reviewed on a regular basis.

Reading Goals:
This week we will continue working on identifying the main idea and the details in books and individual paragraphs. Students will have a test on this skill on Friday. It's important for students to pay attention in class to be able to do well in the test.

Language Goals:
Students will learn irregular past tense verbs. These are the verbs that do not end in ed. They will learn the verb in the present, past and past with have, has or had. For example: eat (verb in the present), ate (verb in the past), has eaten (verb with have, has, or had). Students will writie a list of these verbs during interactive writing. It will be a good chart for students to look at for reference.

Writing Goals:
Students will finish their WORD CHOICE writing assessment. They will be writing about what they are learning in Science: How to Say No, and Peer Preasure. They will be applying the 4 writing traits studied so far: ideas, organization, voice, and word choice. We will also write together a paragraph with a main idea and details from the readings.
Special Announcements/News:
1.Please take note that there is a late start on Thursday/Dec. 2. Students will start class at 9:30 a.m.
2. Please continue sending in items for Navidad Sin Frio!
3. Please come to the Parent Conference: Internet Security. It will take place on Wednesday/Dec 1st at 11:30 a.m. in the Multipurpose Room.
4. As a tradition, the school puts together food baskets for the mainenance workers, bus drivers, and nannies. Our grade level is contributing with 1 bag of sugar. Please help with this good cause and send this before Dec. 10. This will be greatly appreciated!
5. For your child to have a picture taken with Santa, please send Lps. 200 and fill out the form. These will be taken this Friday/Dec. 3, and children who pay for this picture may come to school wearing their special Christmas clothes.

Thank you,
Mrs. Lila Paredes

MATH , SOCIAL STUTIES & SCIENCE - OCT 11-15, 2010

MATH: We are beginning a unit on time using classic clocks for practice. The students are responsible for time to the nearest hour, half hour, quarter hour and nearest five minutes. The corresponding pages in the text are pages 73-79.


This week our multiplication time test will be x0-x5. A new time test schedule will be posted to the left of our blog page. Please remind your child to practice at http://www.multiplication.com/


SOCIAL STUDIES: Our new social studies unit will begin with people working together in a global community. Although we will have review notes in our social studies notebooks, there are corresponding pages in the text pages for more information (pages 209-265).


SCIENCE: The class will renew their studies in science in approximately one month. We will be investigating personal health and conducting several related scientific investigations.



Have a great weekend,

Kathy Vega