Science Test

Parents, 

Your child's science test over the Plant and Animal Populations unit will take place at the end of next week.  We will begin the testing on Thursday and finish testing on Friday.  So how should your child study for the test?  Your child is bringing home the Plant and Animal Populations book on Friday to help him/her study for the weekend.   Your child is also bringing home his/her "Illustrated Dictionary," to help them study newer science vocabulary words that they have learned in this unit.  (Some of these words are NOT completed, but they can be completed at home if you would like).  Please reread the material with your child and focus on the bold-faced words that are in the glossary or "Illustrated Dictionary." 

Please consider this as homework that your child will need to do to be prepared for the science test.  This would include rereading the book and telling you what the words mean in his/her dictionary.  Please have your child return the Plant and Animal Populations by Thursday, October 18th.  Thanks and happy studying! J

Mrs. McCarville

Parent Letter

Dear Parents,

Hello everyone!  I hope that you had a wonderful weekend! J

For starters, thank you for coming to Crestwood Elementary’s Global Cardboard Challenge.  Unfortunately, I was unable to attend Thursday afternoon, but I heard WONDERFUL things about the 3^rd graders and their creations.  Thank you for helping your child with this homework project and I hope that you enjoyed helping them create something from cardboard.  It was a fun project and day! J

There is some EXCITING news that will take place in our classroom.  Our class is going to have their own class Twitter page.  Through Twitter, we hope to get connected with other classes throughout the world.  We hope to learn and collaborate with other students and are excited for this journey.  If you have a Twitter account, please “Follow” our class at “MrsMcCarville3C.”  Feel free to read our tweets about our day, what we are learning about, or ask a question.  We are excited for this opportunity, so stayed tuned!

We have ALL of our MAPs (MISIC) tests this week.  We are testing Monday-Wednesday morning this week.  Again, please see that your child receives plenty of sleep and eats a good breakfast, either at home or at school.  Also, mention to your child taking his/her time on the test and trying his/her best.  Thank you!

Next week, we will be starting our first assessment in science.  We are finishing up on our Plants and Animals unit and the test will start the following week.   At the end of this week, your child is bringing home his/her Plant and Animal Population booklet to help them study.  They are also bringing home their illustrated dictionary to help them study newer science vocabulary words that they have learned in this unit.  (Some of these words are NOT completed, but they can be completed at home if you would like.)  Please reread the material with your child and focus on the bold-faced words.  (These books will need to be returned to school when the testing starts next week.)  Thank you! 

Lastly, there will be a 3-hour early out on Wednesday, October 10^th, due to a teacher in-service.  We will be dismissing at 12:25, so please plan accordingly.  Thank you!

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.  I am available anytime.  Thanks for everything, and have a fantastic week!

Sincerely,

Mrs. McCarville

I'll be the One!

On Monday, we had great discussions and activities dealing with bullying.  We read the book One by Kathryn Otoshi and learned that it only takes one to stand up to bullying.  After reading that book, we all made a commitment saying that we will be "The ONE" to stand up against bullying.  We also watched a video that you can click below on "I'll be the ONE!"  Enjoy!

I'll be the "ONE!"

Parent Letter

Parents, 

Hello to everyone!  Happy October to everyone!  I cannot believe how fast September went.  The school year seems to be flying by!

Your child's math test will be sent home TODAY!  I know I mentioned sending them last week, but I was unable to get them all corrected and graded in time, so they are going to be sent home today.  Please look over your child's test with your child and discuss any problems that your child may have missed.  Please sign and return the test TOMORROW with your child.  There is a sheet stapled to your child's test that you can sign.  There is also some information that you will need to read about review work that your child can do after the test.  Thanks!

The Global Cardboard Challenge seems to be a hot topic in our classroom.  I hope that your child is enjoying this experience, as well as you!  I am super excited to see what the class has created.  Please join us for our "Day of Play," on Thursday, October 4th, at 2:30 PM.  Your child is to bring in his/her project on Thursday and later that afternoon, we will be displaying all of the 3rd and 4th graders cardboard creations in the cafeteria.  Parents are welcome to come in and see what we have made!  Mark the calendars!

Beginning this week and continuing next week, your child will be taking the MISIC tests.  These tests are on the computer and are similar to the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS), and that is why it is very important that your child takes his/her time on these tests and does his/her best.  Please see that your child receives a good night’s rest.  We have tests Thursday this week and Monday and Tuesday next week.  It is important that the students are well rested and prepared for testing.  Thanks!

I am send home your child’s October reading calendar.  I am attaching another letter to the reading calendar to give information about the program.  The calendar will also include a reading goal that your child will be asked to complete by the end of the month.  Beginning each month, if your child reads 20 minutes or more a night, he/she is to color in the box for that night.  If he/she brings the calendar back at the end of the month and read the amount of minutes his/her goal requires, he/she will get a pizza certificate to Pizza Hut.  If your child brings back all the calendars through April, he/she will get a pizza party in my room at the end of the year.  This is an OPTIONAL program for students.  Each student will get a calendar every month, but I am not requiring him or her to complete it if they choose not to.  However, if they do not complete the calendars, they will not get the opportunity to eat and celebrate with those who complete it.  Look for the “Pizza Hut Book It” letter tonight, along with the reading calendar, and a small reading packet of printables based off the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series that go along with the "Book It" program.  If you have any questions about the program, please ask. 

If you have any questions, please contact me.  Have a fantastic week!

Mrs. McCarville

Attention....Math Tests

Parents,

I wanted to let you know of a change with sending your child's math tests home.  I originally planned to send the tests this week.  However, not all of the tests have been graded, so I will be sending all of the tests home on Monday.  You will need to look over the test with your child, discuss problems that were missed, and then sign and return the test to me on Tuesday.  Thanks for your flexibility!

Mrs. McCarville

Global Cardboard Challenge

Hello all!  How is the Global Cardboard Challenge?  Is it overtaking your home?  I hope that your child is enjoying his/her project.  I had several students take cardboard with them today, so hopefully your child is getting enough materials to use.  If your child needs any more cardboard, please let me know and we will see what we can find.  Remember that our "day of play" takes place on Thursday, October 4th at 2:30.  Mark your calendars!  Thanks!

If you haven't seen the "Caine's Arcade" video, the reason the Global Cardboard Challenge was inspired by, please click below and meet a very creative little boy.

Caine's Arcade

Parent Letter

Dear Parents,

Hello to all!  It definitely feels like Fall this weekend!  Wow!  It was chilly!

We are adding a new component to “The Daily Five.”  It is called “Word Works/Study." Word Study is your child’s spelling “program” for the year, and it is also a component of “The Daily Five.”  There will be some changes to the word works/study program this year.  Every week your child will work on a word study skill in school but will NOT take a spelling test on Friday.  He/she will create a list of words from the skill that we are learning, practice the words during the week, but will NOT take a test over the words.  The emphasis on your child's word list, will be choosing words that your child feels will be useful in his/her writing.  This week we will be practicing the routine of word works by using words related to fall.  Again, your child will practice these words during the week with NO testing on Fridays.  If you have any questions on word study, please let me know.  

  

This week, we will be finishing up our first assessment in math.  We are finishing Unit 1 in math as we have reviewed various math skills from second grade.  I will send home the graded math test later this week.  Also, any time that we have a math test that is sent home, I am asking that you look over the test with your child, and sign and return the test to me the following day.  Also, because we are finishing Unit 1 in math, you will be getting a letter home regarding Unit 2 in math on adding and subtracting whole numbers.  Please take time to read the note so you can help your child with this unit at home.  This test will be sent home tomorrow.  Thanks!

Hopefully your child has taken the opportunity to go onto his/her blog page at home.  If you have yet to go to your child's blog page, please do so!  if you would like to read his/her post,  you can check out their blogs at: http://kidblog.org/MrsMcCarvillesClass/  You can also click on the “Student Blog Page” on my classroom blog page.  When you go to your child’s blog page, simply click on the post you would like to read and have fun!  Students would love to read your comments!  You do not have to “log on” to make a comment.  I would prefer you do NOT have your child log on and post your comment through them.   You can simply type your comment in the “comment area” and put in your name to keep it simple for now.  If you have your 3C child log in and you make a post, it is posted as being made by them, the student, and I would rather it be from you, the parent.

  

Please continue to remind your child about reading nightly.  I remind the class that reading should be considered homework and that they should be reading every night.  Your child may have books from home that he/she would like to read or have a book checked out from our classroom library.  Please encourage reading at home and “checking their understanding” for what your child is reading.  Your support is appreciated! 

Please check your child's folder tonight as there will be a parent letter about the "Global Cardboard Challenge."  The class is VERY excited about their homework assignment and cannot wait to get started.  Check and make sure that you have some cardboard to help your child complete this assignment or you can come tomorrow after school to pick some cardboard up.  Please contact me if you have any questions.  Thanks!

Also, starting NEXT week (and continuing the following week), your child will be taking the MISIC tests.  These tests are on the computer and are similar to the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS), and that is why it is very important that your child takes his/her time on these tests and does his/her best.  Please see that next week and the following week your child receives a good night’s rest.  It is important that the students are well rested and prepared for testing.  Thanks!

Lastly, there will be a three-hour early dismissal on Wednesday, September 26th, due to a teacher in service.  Please make arrangements for that afternoon.  Thanks!

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.  I am available anytime.  Thanks for everything, and have a fantastic week!  

Mrs. McCarville