8/27
Announcements
Please look in your child's yellow homework folder tonight. There are two parent surveys I
would like you to complete to help me to get to know more about your child from a parent's
perspective. There is also a packet that includes various forms that need to be
returned. Here is a list of everything that was sent home today:
-Student Emergency Information
-Household Application for Free and Reduced-Price Meals
Packet:
-Emergency Dismissal Form
-Student Accident Coverage
-A Letter (from Ms. Martinsen and Mr. Palmisano) About Computer Usage and Media
Forms
-Your Rights Regarding Student Records and Directory Information
-Student Computer Use: Taking Responsibility
Class Update
We had an amazing first day of school! I can't believe how fast it went by! It was so much
fun getting to know your children better and starting to build our classroom community. I
had a blast eating lunch with the class. I'm looking forward to a wonderful, productive
year!
Today the students filled out a questionnaire all about themselves for me to read over. We
reviewed some of our classroom routines, expectations for behavior, and positive
consequences (ask them about tickets!). We got to know each other (our fellow classmates
and our fellow third graders) better by playing some games. We also began to unpack and
organize our supplies. We were able to begin organizing our binders and we labeled our
homework folder.
Tomorrow we will continue doing community building activities to learn more about each
other. We will also talk more about behavioral expectations and work as a class to develop
a set of classroom rules. We will finish sorting through our supplies and will label our
folders and composition/spiral notebooks.
Homework
Monday's Homework: Students need to begin thinking about 5 different objects that
represent their personality, their interests, and/or what's important to them to put in their
Artifact Bag. Remember, the objects cannot have their name on it and should not contain
pictures of them. The 5 objects should be put in a plain brown paper bag (like the ones
used for lunch) and brought to school this Friday . Their name should not be on the bag
either! On Friday I will collect all of the bags and then distribute them randomly
throughout the class. The students will then look through the bag and use the objects as
clues to try to figure out whose Artifact Bag it is. After that, students will share out the
objects in their bag. This is a great way to learn more about each other and to see our
common interests! As always, this should be written down in their agenda book and the
packet/Artifact Bag assignment sheet should be in their yellow homework folder. I will
present my Artifact Bag to the class tomorrow so they will have a better understanding of
the assignment.
Archive
This is where I will post a link to our Class Website Archive, so if you miss a day you can
go back and find out what you missed!
Upcoming Events





9/3 Labor Day-No School
9/11 Back-to-School Night (7:00pm-9:00pm)
9/17 Rosh Hashanah-No School
9/26 Yom Kippur-No School
9/28 Early Release Day
Schedules
To see our class schedule, click here: Mrs. Talvac's Class Schedule
To find out when we will be celebrating your child's birthday, click here: Birthday
Celebration Schedule
8/28
Announcements
Please look in your child's yellow homework folder tonight. I sent home a letter
introducing myself, our morning routines, and our birthday celebration schedule.
Thank you for returning the parent surveys I sent home! I really appreciate it. If you
haven't returned the parent surveys, please return them as soon as possible. They really
help me to get to know your child from a parent's perspective. Don't forget to send in the
Emergency Dismissal Form, Emergency Information Form, and Computer Use Form.
Tomorrow afternoon I will post a checklist so you can see what forms I have received and
what forms I'm missing from you. I can send home additional copies if needed! Just email
me and let me know.
Here is a list of everything that was sent home with the students yesterday:
-Student Emergency Information
-Household Application for Free and Reduced-Price Meals
Packet:
-Emergency Dismissal Form
-Student Accident Coverage
-A Letter (from Ms. Martinsen and Mr. Palmisano) About Computer Usage and Media
Forms
-Your Rights Regarding Student Records and Directory Information
-Student Computer Use: Taking Responsibility
Class Update
We started the day with a morning work activity that asked the students to think about
and write down their goals for this year. This included "At Home" goals and "At School"
goals. After that, I gave the students a room tour so they could become more familiar with
the location of various things in our classroom (our classroom library, the jobs board, the
supply bin, the math wall, etc). Then, we went to computer lab. At the computer lab, the
students used an interactive 100s chart to practice counting by 2s, 3s, 4s, and 5s. While
completing this activity, the students noticed lots of patterns and were thinking about
which numbers they were shading in more than once. For example, 20 is shaded in when
counting by 2s, 4s, and 5s. We will continue more 100s chart activities in class tomorrow.
To see the website they used to access the interactive 100s chart, click here:
http://www.teachingtables.co.uk/paint/paint99.html
In the afternoon, we began reading the book How to Behave and Why. While reading, we
discussed the advantages of being honest and the disadvantages of being dishonest. We will
finish reading this book tomorrow and will work together to create our classroom rules.
Later, we had some time to continue organizing our binders. We finished labeling the
sections of our binder and labeled our blue Weekly Graded Work folder. Tomorrow, we
will finish sorting through our remaining supplies and labeling our remaining spiral
notebooks/composition books. Here is the order of the materials in their binders:
1. Pencil bag
2. Planner
3. Dividers: Sci/SS, Reading, Writing, WW/DOL, and Math
4. Notebook paper
In science, we completed the K and W section of our science KWL chart (K=What we
already know about science, W=what we want to learn about science, L=What we learned
about science). After that, we discussed the definition of science. Then, we looked at various
pictures. While looking at the pictures, the students discussed what elements of science they
saw. Later, I did a demonstration with a ball to help the students understand that science is
everywhere! We will continue our science explorations tomorrow.
At the end of the day, we played a challenging memory name game! It was so much fun! I
was really impressed with how well the students remembered their classmates' names and
interests. We also had a fire drill. I was proud of how mature the students were! They
walked quickly and quietly outside and waited patiently until we were given the signal to
return.
Homework
Tuesday's Homework
Math: On the 100s chart worksheet, count by 6 and shade the numbers in blue.
Then, count by 7 and shade the numbers in red. Write down the numbers they have in
common (that were shaded in blue and red).
Other: Students need to begin thinking about 5 different objects that represent their
personality, their interests, and/or what's important to them to put in their Artifact Bag.
Remember, the objects cannot have their name on it and should not contain pictures of
them. The 5 objects should be put in a plain brown paper bag (like the ones used for lunch)
and brought to school this Friday 8/31. Their name should not be on the bag either! On
Friday I will collect all of the bags and then distribute them randomly throughout the class.
The students will then look through the bag and use the objects as clues to try to figure out
whose Artifact Bag it is. After that, students will share out the objects in their bag. This is a
great way to learn more about each other and to see our common interests! As always, this
should be written down in their agenda book and the packet/Artifact Bag assignment sheet
should be in their yellow homework folder. I will present my Artifact Bag to the class on
Wednesday so they will have a better understanding of the assignment.
Archive
This is where I will post a link to our Class Website Archive, so if you miss a day you can
go back and find out what you missed!
Upcoming Events





9/3 Labor Day-No School
9/11 Back-to-School Night (7:00pm-9:00pm)
9/17 Rosh Hashanah-No School
9/26 Yom Kippur-No School
9/28 Early Release Day
Schedules
To see our class schedule, click here: Mrs. Talvac's Class Schedule
To find out when we will be celebrating your child's birthday, click here: Birthday
Celebration Schedule
8/29
Announcements
Please look in your child's yellow homework folder tonight. They should have a copy of
our class schedule and some notices.
Thank you for returning the parent surveys I sent home! I really appreciate it. If you
haven't returned the parent surveys, please return them as soon as possible. They really
help me to get to know your child from a parent's perspective. Don't forget to send in the
Emergency Dismissal Form, Emergency Information Form, and Computer Use Form. I
posted a checklist below so you can see what forms I have received and what forms I'm
missing from you. I used your child's inititals. An X means I have received it and a blank
space means that I'm missing it. I can send home additional copies if needed! Just email me
and let me know. Some forms might have gotten lost in translation between home and
school or might still be sitting in your child's homework folder, so please check their
folder. Mrs. Talvac's Forms Checklist
Class Update
We started the morning by answering a question from our What Makes You Tick? Packet.
This packet has a series of questions that help me to get to know the students better. Today
I learned what each student liked best about second grade. We talked about writing in
complete sentences and trying to add “because” to help explain our thinking.
In social studies, we discussed what the students think social studies means and different
things they have learned during social studies. I explained that today we would be focusing
on maps. Then, I had the students sketch the shape of Maryland. Next, the students
sketched the shape of the United States of America. Last, they put a star where they
thought Maryland was located on their map of the USA. It was very interesting to see the
students' sketches!! There were many different shapes and sizes of both Maryland and the
USA. After that, the students began a mental mapping activity in which they had to draw a
map of our classroom from a bird’s eye view. While the students were working, I also
sketched a map of our classroom. We will compare our maps tomorrow to see what the
differences and similarities are. We will focus on how a child’s perspective is often different
than an adult’s perspective.
We were able to finish labeling our folders and our spiral/composition notebooks today!
In the afternoon, we finished reading the book How to Behave and Why. While reading, we
discussed how to be honest, fair, strong, and wise. After that, we worked together as a
class to discuss behavioral expectations and develop our classroom rules (posted
below). The students did a great job!
Classroom Rules
1.Show good listening at ALL times
2.Do YOUR best
3. Respect others and their things by treating them the way you want to be treated
4. Follow directions and behave appropriately at all times
5.Have fun!
After that, the students had time to work on their All About Me Tee poster. I'm so proud of
how hard they worked! I loved their creativity! We will finish the posters tomorrow. I will
be hanging these posters up for Back-to-School Night!
In math, the students worked on a pre-assessment that will help me to better understand
what concepts they already know and what concepts they need to work on. This will help to
guide my math instruction.
Homework
Wednesday's Homework
Social Studies: Complete the bedroom "Mental Mapping" worksheet
Other: Students need to begin thinking about 5 different objects that represent their
personality, their interests, and/or what's important to them to put in their Artifact Bag.
Remember, the objects cannot have their name on it and should not contain pictures of
them. The 5 objects should be put in a plain brown paper bag (like the ones used for lunch)
and brought to school this Friday 8/31. Their name should not be on the bag either! On
Friday I will collect all of the bags and then distribute them randomly throughout the class.
The students will then look through the bag and use the objects as clues to try to figure out
whose Artifact Bag it is. After that, students will share out the objects in their bag. This is a
great way to learn more about each other and to see our common interests! As always, this
should be written down in their agenda book and the packet/Artifact Bag assignment sheet
should be in their yellow homework folder. I presented my Artifact Bag to the class today,
so they should have a strong understanding of the assignment.
Archive
This is where I will post a link to our Class Website Archive, so if you miss a day you can
go back and find out what you missed!
Upcoming Events





9/3 Labor Day-No School
9/11 Back-to-School Night (7:00pm-9:00pm)
9/17 Rosh Hashanah-No School
9/26 Yom Kippur-No School
9/28 Early Release Day
Schedules
To see our class schedule, click here: Mrs. Talvac's Class Schedule
To find out when we will be celebrating your child's birthday, click here: Birthday
Celebration Schedule
8/30
Announcements
Thank you for returning the parent surveys I sent home! I really appreciate it. If
you haven't returned the parent surveys, please return them as soon as possible.
They really help me to get to know your child from a parent's perspective. Don't
forget to send in the Emergency Dismissal Form, Emergency Information Form,
and Computer Use Form. I posted a checklist below so you can see what forms I
have received and what forms I'm missing from you. I used your child's inititals.
An X means I have received it and a blank space means that I'm missing it. I can
send home additional copies if needed! Just email me and let me know. Some
forms might have gotten lost in translation between home and school or might still
be sitting in your child's homework folder, so please check their folder. Mrs.
Talvac's Forms Checklist
Class Update
We started the morning by answering three more questions from our What Makes
You Tick? Packet. This packet has a series of questions that help me to get to
know the students better. Today I learned about three things they think a good
teacher should do, how they would set up our classroom, and what they thought
of the last book they read.
In social studies, we began by discussing the activities we did in class yesterday. I
used the satellite view of Google Maps to show the students the shape and
location of Maryland and the United States. I also showed the students where
Alaska and Hawaii are in relation to the 48 contiguous states. We practiced the
cardinal directions (north, east, south, west) and identified states on the east and
west coast. We also listed states that border Maryland. Later, I had the students
guess the location of Potomac/Bethesda in the state of Maryland. Then, I zoomed
in on Carderock Springs ES and a couple of students came to the Promethean to
point out where they lived in relationship to Carderock Springs ES. Some students
were unsure of the street they lived on. I gave them unofficial "homework" to
memorize their full address (house number, street name, city, state, zip code).
This is very important and students should have this memorized at their age. I
loved how engaged and excited the students were about the activity. They
especially enjoyed when I showed them a bird's eye view of my house! Later, we
reviewed the activity we did in class yesterday in which the students and I drew a
map of our classroom. Students compared/contrasted their maps of the classroom
to my map of the classroom by using a venn diagram. It was fascinating to see the
differences in our maps! We concluded that we each had a different perspective of
the classroom based on where we were sitting and what objects are important to
us.
Before recess, we spent some time reviewing our class jobs and what
responsibilities each job has. We also discussed how to check out a book from our
classroom library. The students are becoming more familiar with our classroom
routines and expectations. I'm so proud of them!
In the afternoon, we reviewed our classroom rules and agreements. Then, we
signed them!
After that, the students had time to finish their All About Me Tee poster. I'm so
proud of how hard they worked! I loved their creativity! I will be hanging these
posters up for Back-to-School Night.
Later, the students took a spelling inventory that I will use to help me determine
what stage of spelling development each student is at. This will help to guide my
instruction.
In math, the students worked with partners to number a blank 100s chart. I
challenged the students to work together to number the chart in a way other than
counting by 1s. I was impressed with the multiple methods the students came up
with! Once the students had numbered the hundreds chart, they shaded in the
multiples of 9. Then, they shaded in the multiples of a number of their choice.
After that, they wrote down the multiples that 9 and the number of their choice
had in common. Later, students made their own color pattern on a hundreds chart
and wrote a rule for the pattern of each color. See example below (please ignore
the For Evaluation Only watermark):
The rule for the red number pattern would be start at 0 and add 4. The rule for the
blue number pattern would be start at 1 and add 4. The rule for the yellow number
pattern would be start at 2 and add 4. The rule for the green number pattern
would be start at 3 and add 4. At the end of class, I began a color pattern on the
100s chart (see below) and asked the students various questions. For example:
would the number 98 be shaded in blue? and what would the 12th orange number
in the pattern be?
Homework
Thursday's Homework
Math: Complete the Naming Numbers worksheet (to see an example, click here:
Naming Numbers Example)
Social Studies: Complete the map worksheet
Other: Artifact Bag due tomorrow! Remember, the 5 objects cannot have their
name on it and should not contain pictures of them. The 5 objects should be put in
a plain brown paper bag (like the ones used for lunch) and brought to school
TOMORROW Friday 8/31. Their name should not be on the bag either! I will collect
all of the bags tomorrow and then distribute them randomly throughout the class.
The students will then look through the bag and use the objects as clues to try to
figure out whose Artifact Bag it is. After that, students will share out the objects in
their bag. This is a great way to learn more about each other and to see our
common interests!
Archive
Class Website Archive 2012 Updated 8/29
Upcoming Events





9/3 Labor Day-No School
9/11 Back-to-School Night (7:00pm-9:00pm)
9/17 Rosh Hashanah-No School
9/26 Yom Kippur-No School
9/28 Early Release Day
Schedules
To see our class schedule, click here: Mrs. Talvac's Class Schedule
To find out when we will be celebrating your child's birthday, click here: Birthday
Celebration Schedule
8/31
Announcements
Thank you for returning the parent surveys I sent home! I really appreciate it. If
you haven't returned the parent surveys, please return them as soon as possible.
They really help me to get to know your child from a parent's perspective. Don't
forget to send in the Emergency Dismissal Form, Emergency Information Form,
and Computer Use Form. I posted a checklist below so you can see what forms I
have received and what forms I'm missing from you. I used your child's inititals.
An X means I have received it and a blank space means that I'm missing it. I can
send home additional copies if needed! Just email me and let me know. Some
forms might have gotten lost in translation between home and school or might still
be sitting in your child's homework folder, so please check their folder. Mrs.
Talvac's Forms Checklist
Class Update
We started the morning by answering three more questions from our What Makes
You Tick? Packet. This packet has a series of questions that help me to get to
know the students better. Today I learned about a moment at school that has
made them proud, what they think a good author/writer does, and what they
think the worst thing about math is.
In social studies, we continued familiarizing ourselves with the satellite view of
Google Maps. Today, we used it to explore Hawaii! While using Google Maps, we
discussed important parts of the map we saw, such as the scale. There were also
symbols on the map that represented different things (for example: a tree
represented a forest reserve and a mountain represented a volcano or a
mountain). The students knew that on a map, the key or legend explains what
different symbols on the map mean. First, we explored the island of Oahu. I
showed the students the bird's eye view of Waikiki Beach (they loved saying
Hawaiian words!). Then, I showed them a poster of Waikiki Beach. We discussed
how Diamond Head looked different from a bird's eye view than it did on the
poster, which was taken from the perspective of a person standing on Waikiki
Beach. We also looked at a bird's eye view of Hanauma Bay. I taught them the
name of the Hawaiian state fish humuhumunukunukuapua'a. The students had a
lot of fun sounding the word out and saying it! Later, we explored the Big Island.
We saw lots of lava fields and learned about Kilauea and Mauna Loa. I showed
them where the lava meets the ocean and they were shocked to learn that Kilauea
has been erupting since 1983. I loved their enthusiasm and excitement!
Once the students got back from recess and lunch, I distributed the Artifact Bags
randomly throughout the class. The students looked through the bags and used
the 5 objects as clues to try to figure out whose Artifact Bag it was. A lot of the
students guessed correctly! We had so much fun sharing out all of the cool objects
we brought in. While presenting their Artifact Bag, the students practiced
speaking clearly and loudly. I took notes on each students' presentation so I could
learn more about them. The students also had to take notes on 4 presentations.
From this activity we were able to learn even more about each other and realized
our common interests!
In reading, we read an article together from the National Geographic Explorer
Pioneer Edition magazine titled Insect Olympics. To read the article, click
here: Insect Olympics Article. While reading, we learned that insects may not look
strong or fast, but they are. In fact, when compared to other animals, the
advantages of insects are hard to ignore. The article compares the speeds of a
cheetah and a tiger beetle; the flying skills of a peregrine falcon and a dragonfly;
the strength of a silverback gorilla and a horned dung beetle; the loudness of a
howler monkey and a cicada; and the spitting ability of an archer fish and a
grasshopper. After reading, we thought about all of the new information we had
learned from the article. Then, we watched a short video clip of a sportscaster who
was calling a horse race. While watching the clip, I told the students to focus on
the sportscaster's tone and volume. The students realized that he spoke loudly
and with lots of expression! He was energetic and excited about the race, which
made the race more exciting for the audience. Then, the students split into groups
of 2, 3, or 4. Once in their groups, they imagined that they were sportscasters
announcing a race between the cheetah and tiger beetle (or two animals of their
choice). They worked with their group to write a script as if they were the
sportscaster. At the end of class, each group presented their scripts trying to use
proper tone and volume. I'm so proud of how hard the students worked! I loved
their creativity and excitement. We will continue working on reading with
expression throughout the year!
Homework
Friday's Homework: None. Have a great weekend!
9/4
Announcements
Please continue to send in the many forms that have been sent home! I have
posted a checklist below so you can see what I have received and what I'm
missing. I used your child's inititals. An X means I have received it and a blank
space means that I'm missing it. I can send home additional copies if needed!
Just email me and let me know. Some forms might have gotten lost in translation
between home and school or might still be sitting in your child's homework
folder, so please check their folder. Mrs. Talvac's Forms Checklist
Class Update
We started the morning by answering the final three questions from our What
Makes You Tick? Packet. This packet has a series of questions that help me to
get to know the students better. Today I learned about their family and the many
different words that your child would use to describe themselves!
In social studies, we began class with a blank map of the United States. The
students had time to work with their table groups to try to fill in as many states as
they could. After that, the students were given a labeled map of the United States
so they could check their answers. I was impressed with how well the students
worked together and how many states/locations they got correct. Later, we
discussed the definitions of rights, responsibilities, and citizenship. I read the
book Being a Good Citizen: A Book About Citizenship by Mary Small to give the
students many different examples of children their age being good citizens. After
reading, we brainstormed how to be a good citizen of our classroom and of our
school. Then we compared the rights and responsibilities of US citizens with the
rights and responsibilities of students at Carderock. We focused a lot on the
words cooperation and collaboration. We will continue this discussion tomorrow.
In writing, we did an activator called Round Robin Writing in our table groups.
The purpose of this activity is to have the students participate and work together
as a table to write a creative story sentence by sentence. Each table was given a
piece of chart paper with one of the following story starters at the top,"I was
walking home from school one day when I heard a weird sound behind me. I
turned around, but nothing was there. All of a sudden, something grabbed me. I
turned around and saw…." or "It was midnight when I woke up to a loud noise
outside. I ran to my window and looked up into the sky. I couldn’t believe it when I
saw……." One person at each table group finished that sentence and then passed
the marker to the next person at their table group who wrote the next sentence.
This continued on around and around the table group with each person only
writing one sentence before passing on the marker. We had a lot of fun! Some of
the topics from the stories include: creepers, candy land creatures, wolves,
monkeys, cheese, and carnivorous bunnies. Such creative ideas! I was happy to
see the students cooperating and working together to make sure the story made
sense.
In reading, we discussed making inferences. Making inferences is a skill we will
be reviewing and practicing all year. An inference is when we use the author's
clues and our background knowledge/past experience/logic to draw a conclusion
about what we're reading. I explained to the students that we all make inferences
everyday! To give them an example, I did a short skit. I asked the students to
figure out how my (pretend) morning was based on how I entered the classroom.
For the skit, I came in the classroom by slamming the door. I stomped my feet as I
walked over to my desk, had my arms crossed over my chest, and had my
eyebrows knitted together. The students told me they knew I had a bad morning
because I was mad/upset. I asked them how they knew that I had a bad morning
because I hadn't actually told them, "Class, I've had a bad morning." The students
explained that they knew because I slammed the door, stomped my feet, had my
arms crossed over my chest, and had an angry expression on my face. They said
they knew that people who are angry usually slam the door, stomp their feet, etc.
They said if I was angry/upset, then I probably had a bad morning. I told them that
they had just made an inference! I talked more about how an inference is when
you 'read between the lines' to figure something out that the author doesn't
explicitly say. To practice this skill, I shared parts of the book Free Fall by David
Wiesner. This book is a wordless picture book, so we had to make a lot of
inferences! I challenged the students to figure out the events in the story based
on the clues the pictures gave us. The students did a great job! We will continue
this tomorrow.
In math, the students played the game "100 or Bust!" in groups of 3. The game
requires the students to use estimation and their knowledge of place value in
order to place each of seven randomly generated digits on a place-value chart in
either the ones or tens column to make a sum as close to 100 as possible without
going over 100. To see the activity, click here: 100 or Bust! After that, we
completed a logic puzzle with the hundreds chart (similar to their homework).
This gave the students practice with their critical thinking and problem solving
skills. While solving the problem, we practiced reading the problem carefully and
taking it step-by-step to solve it. I'm so proud of how hard they worked!
Homework
Tuesday's Homework
Math: Complete the hundreds chart logic worksheet
Social Studies: For Zahava, Sean, and Maddie only-Your current events projects
are due on Friday 9/7
9/5
Announcements
Please look in your child's yellow homework folder tonight. There were notices
sent home with your child today if they're youngest in family. All students should
have received an application for the Best Buddies program. Contact Ms.
Klotzman if you have any questions about the program!
Please continue to send in the many forms that have been sent home! I have
posted a checklist below so you can see what I have received and what I'm
missing. I used your child's inititals. An X means I have received it and a blank
space means that I'm missing it. I can send home additional copies if needed!
Just email me and let me know. Some forms might have gotten lost in translation
between home and school or might still be sitting in your child's homework
folder, so please check their folder. Mrs. Talvac's Forms Checklist
Class Update
In social studies, we reviewed what we discussed yesterday about rights,
responsibilities, collaboration, and cooperation. Then, we talked about the
purpose of government, who makes up the government, and how our government
(a democratic republic) is different than other forms of government. We briefly
discussed the balance of power in the form of checks and balances. We focused
on how elected officials receive their power from the people and are accountable
to them for the use of that power. Later, the students worked together to sort
various statements into two categories: examples of American democratic
principles and non-examples of American democratic principles. The students
did a great job working together with their table groups to complete the activity!
In writing, we began by talking about how many writers keep a collection of
things they know or care about to refer to whenever they want to write so that
they never suffer writer’s block. We talked about how writers use the people,
places, things, experiences, and ideas that are important to them as a person to
help them write. Then, we did an activity called Heart Mapping. I did an example
for the students and mapped my heart. After that, everyone received a blank heart
on a piece of paper to start mapping their own heart. Starting from the center of
the heart, the students wrote the most important
people/place/thing/experience/idea and worked their way outward-filling their
heart with things that mean something to them (this included things that upset
them or scare them). Later in writing, the students filled out a graphic organizer to
prepare them to write their Free to Be Me paragraphs. Once the students
organized their thoughts, they began writing their rough draft in their writer's
notebook.
In math, we explored more patterns on the hundreds chart. Look at the image
below to see the patterns we recorded (ex: if you go down one row, the number
increases by ten; if you go to the right, the number increases by one) . After that, I
challenged the students to find my mystery number by using the starting number,
their hundreds chart, and the arrow clues I gave them. Ask your child to show
you an example! After finding several of my mystery numbers, I challenged the
students to do it without using the hundreds chart. They realized that the arrow
clues I had been giving them could be written using all numbers. For the rest of
class, the students worked on various activities that gave them practice with
place value concepts, rounding, computation, number sense, and patterns on the
hundreds chart. I'm so proud of how hard they worked while I met with small
groups! We will continue this tomorrow.
Homework
Wednesday's Homework
Math: Complete the Arrow Math worksheet. If you need a hundreds chart to help
you, click here: Hundreds Chart
Social Studies: For Zahava, Sean, and Maddie only-Your current events projects
are due on Friday 9/7
9/6
Announcements
Please continue to send in the many forms that have been sent home! I have
posted a checklist below so you can see what I have received and what I'm
missing. I used your child's inititals. An X means I have received it and a blank
space means that I'm missing it. I can send home additional copies if needed!
Just email me and let me know. Some forms might have gotten lost in translation
between home and school or might still be sitting in your child's homework
folder, so please check their folder. Mrs. Talvac's Forms Checklist
Class Update
We started the day with a morning work activity that gave the students practice
with making inferences. They read a short poem and had to use clues the author
gave them to determine who the narrator of the poem was. Then, they had to
explain how they figured out who the narrator was and what they thought the
lesson was.
In science, we evaluated ourselves and identified character traits (from a list) that
we thought contributed to our personal uniqueness. Some of the words included:
dedication, cooperativeness, enthusiasm, patience, confidence, courtesy, etc. I
had the students read the list of character traits and check off the traits they
thought describe them. After that, we discussed the character traits that a good
leader usually has. Then, the students split up into their table groups and I came
around to whisper one of the character traits that we had just discussed. No other
group was allowed to know the character trait. The groups had to work together
to develop a simple skit they will act out to demonstrate the character trait that
their group was given. The other groups will have to watch every other group's
skit and try to determine the character trait they are acting out by looking at what
the characters say and what the characters do. One group was able to share their
skit today. The other groups will share their skits tomorrow. I'm looking forward
to seeing their creativity!
In reading, we continued to practice making inferences. We reviewed that an
inference is when we use the author's clues and our background knowledge/past
experience/logic to draw a conclusion about what we're reading. I reminded the
students that we all make inferences everyday! We finished the book Free Fall by
David Wiesner. This book is a wordless picture book, so we had to make a lot of
inferences! I challenged the students to figure out the events in the story based
on the clues the pictures gave us. The students did a great job! After that, the
students rotated through various activities that gave them practice with using a
dictionary, using a thesaurus, pronouns, capital letters, and character traits.
While the students worked, I began meeting with small reading groups to practice
making inferences in their reading group book. I will continue meeting with
groups tomorrow. The students did a great job working hard!
In math, the students began class with an entrance card so I could assess their
understanding of rounding and patterns on the hundreds chart. While I met with
small groups, the students worked on various activities that gave them practice
with place value concepts, rounding, computation, number sense, and patterns
on the hundreds chart. The students are improving on cleaning up after
themselves and making sure that all of the materials are put away in the
appropriate location. I'm so proud of them!
Homework
Thursday's Homework
Math: Complete the Numberline worksheet
Social Studies: For Zahava, Sean, and Maddie only-Your current events projects
are due TOMORROW Friday 9/7
9/7
Announcements
The students had a great week this week! They're really settling in and are
impressing me with how well they know our routines and my expectations.
Today, we spent a lot of time talking about the importance of making good
choices during independent and group work time. We discussed various
strategies we could use to help us to do our best work and collaborate with
others. Our schedule this year requires the children to remain focused for the
entirety of the afternoon (during math, reading, and writing) between 12:05 and
3:05. Please reiterate to your children the importance of focusing on their work
for this important academic time frame.
Please continue to send in the many forms that have been sent home! I have
posted a checklist below so you can see what I have received and what I'm
missing. I used your child's inititals. An X means I have received it and a blank
space means that I'm missing it. I can send home additional copies if needed!
Just email me and let me know. Some forms might have gotten lost in translation
between home and school or might still be sitting in your child's homework
folder, so please check their folder. Mrs. Talvac's Forms Checklist
Class Update
We started the day with a morning work activity that gave the students practice
with answering multiple choice questions while making inferences about a book's
table of contents. The students had to use the table of contents and titles of the
various chapters to determine which chapter would be most helpful for them to
find certain information. Utilizing different organizational tools in a book is an
important skill for strong readers to develop and practice!
In science, we started with our three Current Events News Anchor presentations.
We learned about a female golfer, the drought that has been affecting parts of the
United States, and adopting a pet! The students did a great job during their
presentations. These presentations are an excellent way for the students to
practice their speaking skills and for me to evaluate them. I expect the News
Anchors to speak clearly, loudly, and with expression. Making eye contact is also
an important part of the presentation! After that, the groups who didn't present
their skits on Thursday had time to briefly practice their character trait skits.
Then, they presented their skits. I was impressed with how creative they were!
The students in the audience did a great job determining the character trait that
the groups were acting out by looking at what the characters said and what the
characters did.
During our extended writing time, we focused on the organization of paragraphs. I
defined what a topic is and we talked about how a paragraph should focus on one
main topic. After that, the students watched me type a paragraph in which the
topic was "my favorite after school activities". As I typed, the students quickly
noticed that my paragraph didn't focus on the topic and I included lots of
irrelevant details. They also noticed that I didn't have a catchy introductory
sentence (which we call a "hook") or a conclusion sentence. I explained that
strong writers make sure every sentence in their paragraph is focused on their
topic and they include lots of details to make their writing more interesting. Later,
the students learned about the many different types of hooks (question, capital
letters, riddle, etc). The students spent the rest of class working on their rough
draft of the Free to Be Me paragraph. I began meeting with students to revise/edit
their rough drafts.
In math, the students worked on various activities that gave them practice with
place value concepts, rounding, computation, number sense, and patterns on the
hundreds chart. I love the students' enthusiasm and excitement about working
together and playing math games!
Homework
Friday's Homework: None. Have a great weekend!
9/10
Announcements
Back to School Night is TOMORROW (Tuesday) night from 7pm-9pm! I look
forward to seeing you all there. The schedule is below:
7:00 – 7:25 p.m. All Purpose Room
7:25 – 7:35 p.m. Transition to Session I
7:35 – 8:05 p.m. Session I (Please visit the classroom of your choice.)
8:05 – 8:15 p.m. Transition to session II
8:15 – 8:45 p.m. Session II (Please visit the classroom of your choice.)
Please continue to send in the many forms that have been sent home! I have
posted a checklist below so you can see what I have received and what I'm
missing. I used your child's inititals. An X means I have received it and a blank
space means that I'm missing it. I can send home additional copies if needed!
Just email me and let me know. Some forms might have gotten lost in translation
between home and school or might still be sitting in your child's homework
folder, so please check their folder. Mrs. Talvac's Forms Checklist
Class Update
The students started the day by writing in their Dear Mrs. Talvac journals. This
journal serves a line of communication between me and the students. It gives me
the opportunity to get to know them even better and keep up with what's going on
in their lives! The students can write anything they want in the journal. Every
Friday, I collect all of the journals. During the weekend, I write back to the
students. On Monday morning, the students receive their journals back with my
responses in them. They read my response and write back to me. They can write
in the journal all week until I collect them again on Friday. The students and I both
love this activity!
In science, we started by discussing the difference between a need and a want.
We also thought of a couple of examples of each. A need is something you must
have to survive (water, food, shelter) and a want is something that you would like
to have, but you don't need it to survive (games, toys, etc). After that, I showed
the students the pyramid below to help explain the hierarchy of our needs (based
on Maslow's Hierarchy of Human Needs):
We are using this structure to help the students better understand our needs. The
pyramid helped remind the students of the importance of building each level from
the bottom to the top. All human needs build on the base. The students realized
that it is important to satisfy each level of needs as we strive to be self-fulfilled.
After that, the students worked in their table groups to read different scenarios.
Each scenario had the students think about what need the person had that wasn't
being met and what emotions they would feel because of their need not being
met. While discussing the scenarios as a class, we talked about what level of the
pyramid each scenario would fit in. At the end of class, we talked about stress.
The students shared times they have been stressed and the signs/symptoms they
had. The students learned that there is positive stress (eustress) and negative
stress (distress). We will continue this discussion tomorrow and learn ways we
can use to cope with stress.
Right before recess, we went outside. I challenged the students to put themselves
in order by their birth date without using any verbal communication. I was so
impressed with how well the students did by using ways (other than their voice)
to communicate. We will talk more about verbal communication and non-verbal
communication tomorrow.
In reading, we read the book Boxes for Katje by Candace Fleming. Before we
began reading, we talked about making connections to texts we are reading in
order to help us to better understand what we are reading. I explained to students
that they make connections all the time and might not even realize it. I gave some
examples of how they make connections to what people are saying and what they
are reading in books. While reading, I modeled how to make connections to the
text while reading the book. I emphasized how important it is to not only be able
to tell me their connection, but to explain how their connection helped them to
understand the story better. While we were reading, I loved how the students
made lots of inferences and predictions about what would happen next. After we
finished the book, the students read part of Ramona Quimby Age 8 by Beverly
Cleary to help them practice making connections.
In writing, the students continued to work on their Free to Be Me paragraphs.
Students are at various stages of the writing process. I'm very proud of how hard
they all worked! We are excited for you to see our Free to Be Me paragraphs at
Back to School Night tomorrow!
In math, we began class with an activator in which each student was given an
index card. On the index card was a number, an expanded form of a number, or a
base-ten block form of a number. The students had to look at their card and find
people that had the same number as them in a different form. I was impressed
with how quickly the students were able to do this! After that, the students
practiced using their knowledge of place value and a numberline to help them
round numbers. Since it was such a beautiful day, we went outside at the end of
class to use chalk and work with our group to practice rounding numbers to
different place values. For example, the students had to round 4,356 to the
nearest tens place and nearest hundreds place.
Homework
Monday's Homework
Math: Complete Name Collection Boxes worksheet
Science: Complete Pyramid worksheet
Writing: Students who didn't finish their rough drafts for their Free to Be Me
paragraphs should finish them tonight
Social Studies: For Rebecca, Jaymie, and Jeremy only-Your current events
projects are due on Friday 9/14
9/11
Announcements
Back to School Night is TONIGHT (Tuesday) from 7pm-9pm! I look forward to
seeing you all. The schedule is below:
7:00 – 7:25 p.m. All Purpose Room
7:25 – 7:35 p.m. Transition to Session I
7:35 – 8:05 p.m. Session I (Please visit the classroom of your choice.)
8:05 – 8:15 p.m. Transition to session II
8:15 – 8:45 p.m. Session II (Please visit the classroom of your choice.)
Please continue to send in the many forms that have been sent home! I have
posted a checklist below so you can see what I have received and what I'm
missing. I used your child's inititals. An X means I have received it and a blank
space means that I'm missing it. I can send home additional copies if needed!
Just email me and let me know. Some forms might have gotten lost in translation
between home and school or might still be sitting in your child's homework
folder, so please check their folder. Mrs. Talvac's Forms Checklist
Class Update
The students started the day by writing in their Dear Mrs. Talvac journals or
having DEAR time. The Dear Mrs. Talvac journal serves a line of communication
between me and the students. It gives me the opportunity to get to know them
even better and keep up with what's going on in their lives! The students can
write anything they want in the journal. Every Friday, I collect all of the journals.
During the weekend, I write back to the students. On Monday morning, the
students receive their journals back with my responses in them. They read my
response and write back to me. They can write in the journal all week until I
collect them again on Friday. The students and I both love this activity!
In science, we finished our discussions about stress management and
verbal/non-verbal communication from yesterday. Then, I did a demonstration to
introduce them to our next area of study. I had my teacher's assistant sit in my
desk chair and I rolled him slowly around the room. At one point, I stopped the
chair suddenly. This caused the student to fly forward slightly and almost fall out
of the chair. I asked the students to share their observations of what happened
when I stopped the chair. Our discussion caused us to focus on the following
important terms: push, pull, motion, and force. I related my demonstration to real
life by discussing air bags, seatbelts, and their importance in a car crash. The
students are excited to learn more!
In reading, we reviewed what we have been learning about making connections
and making inferences. We talked about how important it is to not only be able to
make a connection, but to explain how the connection helps us to understand the
story better. Then we read the book Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No
Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst. While reading, the students patted their
heads to let me know when they were making a connection or an inference. I
modeled several examples of making connections and making inferences
throughout the story. Several students shared their connections/inferences and I
guided them in explaining how their connections/inferences helped them to better
understand the story. You can help your child at home by asking them questions
about books they are reading. Include questions about if they can relate to a
character in the story and make a connection to something the character is
feeling or thinking. Discuss with them how it is easier to understand a story when
you have felt the way the character is feeling or have experienced something they
are experiencing.
In writing, the students looked at the two pictures (see below). Before I presented
the pictures to the students, I told them to tell me the FIRST thing that they saw
when they looked at the pictures. The students saw two different things for each
picture. In the first picture, they saw a young lady with her back turned to us or an
old woman's face. In the second picture, they saw a rabbit or a duck. While
discussing what we saw, I told the students that we all have a different point of
view, which is why we were able to see different things while looking at the
pictures. I related this to our writing by explaining that most books are written in
first person point of view or third person point of view. I explained that their Free
to Be Me paragraphs are written in the first person point of view because they are
writing about themselves and are using the important pronouns: I, my, me, etc. I
explained that the third person point of view would be if someone else was
writing your Free to Be Me paragraph about you. They would be using different
pronouns: his, her, she, him, etc. Then, the students finished their Free to Be Me
paragraphs!
In math, I met with small groups to review place value and using the number line
to help us round numbers. We also talked about how rounding can be used in
“real life” situations. I gave the students a “real life” word problem that we
worked to solve together. The students really enjoyed getting to use their
ActiVotes throughout the small group lesson today! They did an excellent job
following directions and using the ActiVotes appropriately. ActiVotes are little
remotes that each student gets to use to answer questions (by pushing buttons)
that were asked throughout the lesson in order to check their understanding of
place value and rounding. The ActiVotes are connected to the computer and,
immediately after the students answer the question, we can view and analyze the
results to see if there are any misunderstandings or a need for further
discussion/clarification of a concept. While I met with small groups, the students
worked on solving several rounding riddles and various activities that gave them
practice with place value concepts, rounding, computation, number sense, and
patterns on the hundreds chart. I'm proud of how hard they worked!
Homework
Tuesday's Homework: None. Back to School Night is tonight!
Social Studies: For Rebecca, Jaymie, and Jeremy only-Your current events
projects are due on Friday 9/14
9/12
Announcements
Weekly Graded Work folders were sent home today! There should be 1 graded assignment
in their folder. Please take all of the notices and graded work out of the folder once you
have reviewed it with your child and be sure to sign the Communication Sheet that is
stapled to the back of the folder. Thank you!
As a reminder, we are using a new standards based grading system this year. Mr.
Palmisano is holding a meeting for all K-3 parents to talk more about the new
grading/reporting system in mid-October. Please see the chart below to understand the
grade your child received (taken from the following document): 3rd Grade Report Card.
The new scores are NOT equivalent to A, B, C, D, E.
All of the students should have brought their binders home today. Please reiterate the
importance of staying organized and putting papers in the proper section. We have been
working on this a lot at school! They should have the following items in the order listed
below:
1. Pencil bag (the kind that clips into the binder rings)-This should hold a few necessary
items (i.e. 2 pencils, a blue or black pen, a red correcting pen or pencil, etc). Remember,
we are trying to keep the binder as light as possible. Please remind your child that there is
no need for them to carry unnecessary or bulky supplies (crayon boxes, markers, colored
pencils, glue sticks, etc) in their pencil holder because those can be stored in the student's
desk or will be provided by their teacher.
2. Homework Agenda-This is where the students write down their homework everyday and
it must stay in their binder so they don't lose it or forget it. I expect it here at school
everyday!
3. Five dividers in this order from top to bottom: Math, Reading, Language Arts/Daily
Oral Language, Science, Social Studies. We abbreviated the longer subjects, so you might
see LA/DOL, Sci, SS.
4. Loose-leaf notebook paper right-side up (with red margin line on the left)-Students
should have their loose-leaf paper at the very back of their binder. Students do not need
more than one package of paper in their binder. Any extra paper packages they have
should be kept at home so they can refill their binder as their paper supply is depleted.
Some students chose to leave their extra paper packages on a shelf in the classroom so they
can refill their paper supply at school.
Please continue to send in the many forms that have been sent home! I have posted a
checklist below so you can see what I have received and what I'm missing. I used your
child's initials. An X means I have received it and a blank space means that I'm missing it.
I can send home additional copies if needed! Just email me and let me know. Some forms
might have gotten lost in translation between home and school or might still be sitting in
your child's homework folder, so please check their folder. Mrs. Talvac's Forms
Checklist
Class Update
The students started the day by reading the letters that you wrote them at Back to School
Night! They were smiling and sharing the letters with each other. Then, they had DEAR
time.
In social studies, we reviewed how important it is to be able to work collaboratively in
groups because we can achieve more when sharing ideas and responsibilities. We discussed
how to show caring, compassion, and respect while working in groups. Then, we talked
about various ways to be involved in your community and how people in the community
work collaboratively to contribute to the common good. After that, we watched a video
about a young boy who made a difference in his community. At the end of the video, we
talked about how Percy had taken responsibility for a problem in his community and
worked towards the common good by doing everything he could to solve the problem. The
students were eager to share a time that they or someone they know has contributed to the
common good! I loved hearing what they had to say!
In reading, we talked about the genre of realistic fiction and the characteristics a realistic
fiction book has. Then, we read The Memory String by Eve Bunting. While reading, the
students had to decide whether or not they thought the book was realistic fiction. I modeled
for the students how we can learn a lot about a character by what the character says and
does. I also modeled how to ask questions while reading to help us stay focused and
interested in what we’re reading because we’re searching to find the answers to our
questions. This is similar to when we make predictions while reading and are eager to find
out if our prediction is correct. After we finished reading, the students voted on whether or
not they thought the book was realistic fiction-we decided that it is because it had the
characteristics of a realistic fiction book. See chart below. After that, the students read
various book summaries and determined if they were realistic fiction. Then the students
worked on a Story Map of the book we just read. In the story map, they had to include the
characters, setting, and beginning, middle, and end of the book.
In writing, we did a Quick Write activity! This is where I give the students a writing topic
and let them write for a certain amount of time. They must write for the entire time! Our
topic today was: If you could only meet one person, alive or dead, who would it be? Why
would you want to meet them? What would you ask them or what would you do with
them? After their time was up, the students had to stop. We came to the carpet and had our
Writer's Circle to give students the opportunity to share what they had written. I was
fascinated by their responses and explanations! Here are some of their responses: a
President, Tom Brady, God.
In math, we started class with a brief activity that helped me assess their understanding of
Arrow Math on the hundreds chart. After that, the students worked briefly on their math
spelling words. Later, I asked the students to look at two patterns I had written on the
board. I asked the students what the rule would be to describe the pattern. The students
noticed that the patterns both increased by 6, but they had different numbers. We came up
with many different patterns that all had the rule "increase by 6". See below:
1, 7, 13, 19
206, 212, 218, 224
3, 9, 15, 21
I explained to the students that we need to make our rule more specific by including a
starting number so we would all come up with the same numbers in the pattern. The rule
for the first pattern above would be: start at 1 and add 6. At the end of class, the students
looked at an addition table and began highlighting different patterns they saw. The
students were so observant! We also talked about how an even number + an even
number=an even number, an odd number + an odd number= an even number, and how
and even number + an odd number=an odd number.
Homework
Wednesday's Homework
Math: Broken Calculator worksheet Broken Calculator
Spelling: Math Spelling Words "Syllable Clap" activity due on Friday 9/14
Reading: Read 20 minutes!
Social Studies: For Rebecca, Jaymie, and Jeremy only-Your current events projects are
due on Friday 9/14
9/13
Announcements
Please continue to send in the many forms that have been sent home! I have posted a
checklist below so you can see what I have received and what I'm missing. I used your
child's initials. An X means I have received it and a blank space means that I'm missing it.
I can send home additional copies if needed! Just email me and let me know. Some forms
might have gotten lost in translation between home and school or might still be sitting in
your child's homework folder, so please check their folder. Mrs. Talvac's Forms ChecklistUpdated 9/11
Class Update
The students started the day with DEAR time.
In social studies, we reviewed various ways we can be involved in our community and how
people in the community work collaboratively to contribute to the common good. After
that, we watched the same short video from yesterday about a young boy who made a
difference in his community. After the video, I told the students they would be working
collaboratively in groups to act out short skits. Each script the groups were given focused
on different scenarios in the community in which a group of people worked together to
contribute to the common good. Three groups were able to present their skits today. After
each skit, we discussed what the problem was and how they solved it by working together.
The problems from each skit were: the public library was too far away from the
neighborhood to be easily accessible by kids, the park was covered with litter because there
weren't any trashcans, and there weren't any sidewalks in the neighborhood which caused
the children not to be able to ride their bikes. Some groups even wrote their own endings
because they felt that the ending in the script didn't completely solve the problem. I'm so
proud of their creativity and use of props!
In science, we went to the computer lab to explore the motion of an object and how its
motion can be affected. The students used various objects to try to get a ball into a cup.
Check it out by visiting the link posted below in the Homework section! The students were
so excited and engaged with the activity!
In reading we discussed how we use character traits to describe characters. We also talked
about how we determine the character traits of a character by paying close attention to the
actions of the character and what the character says. We discussed how character traits
are different than physical traits and emotions. Then we read The Rainbow Fish by
Marcus Pfister. Before reading, I told the students that I wanted them to determine a
character trait for Rainbow Fish at the beginning of the book and at the end of the book. I
explained that this was because Rainbow Fish changes throughout the story. After
reading, I asked the students to think about a character trait they would use to describe the
Rainbow Fish. The students decided that at the beginning of the book Rainbow Fish was
selfish because he wouldn't share any of his scales with the little blue fish. At the end of the
book Rainbow Fish was friendly because he played with the other fish when they invited
him to play and he gave every fish one scale. I reminded students that not only is it
important to be able to identify a character's traits, but that is important to be able to
explain how you knew the character had those traits. We explained the two traits we
decided on by using examples from the text to support our answer. This is an important
skill that we will be practicing all year. Giving examples from the text to support your
answer is very important!
In math, I met with small groups to practice Arrow Math with the hundreds chart. While
meeting with groups, the students worked on various activities that gave them practice with
place value concepts, rounding, Arrow Math, the hundreds chart, and basic facts. The
students are getting better at putting away materials and keeping the classroom organized!
I'm so proud of them!
Homework
Thursday's Homework
Math: Rounding worksheet Rounding
Spelling: Math Spelling Words "Syllable Clap" activity due TOMORROW Friday 9/14
Reading: Read 20 minutes!
Science: Show your parents the website we used during Science! Tinker Ball!
Social Studies: For Rebecca, Jaymie, and Jeremy only-Your current events projects are
due TOMORROW Friday 9/14
9/14
Announcements
Please continue to send in the many forms that have been sent home! I have
posted a checklist below so you can see what I have received and what I'm
missing. I used your child's initials. An X means I have received it and a blank
space means that I'm missing it. I can send home additional copies if needed! Just
email me and let me know. Some forms might have gotten lost in translation
between home and school or might still be sitting in your child's homework folder,
so please check their folder. Mrs. Talvac's Forms Checklist
Class Update
The students started the day by writing in their Dear Mrs. Talvac journals. I can't
wait to read their notes and respond to them this weekend!
After the announcements, we talked about what the MAP-R is, why students take it,
and how to take it. Then we went to the computer lab to take the assessment. The
Measures of Academic Progress in Reading (MAP-R) is a formative assessment that
all students in Grades 3, 4, and 5 take on the computer to measure reading
progress. It is given in the fall, in the winter, and in the spring so we can monitor
how each student is improving in reading throughout the year.
In social studies, we started with our three Current Events News Anchor
presentations. We learned about: the new quarterback of the Redskins (RGIII), how
Stephen Strasburg's injury has kept him on the bench, and about a new pet spa
called WagTime. The students did a great job during their presentations. These
presentations are an excellent way for the students to practice their speaking skills
and for me to evaluate them. I expect the News Anchors to speak clearly, loudly,
and with expression. Making eye contact is also an important part of the
presentation!the remaining groups presented their skits and we discussed what the
problem was and how the characters in the skit worked together to solve the
problem and contribute to the common good.
In writing, the students watched me write a short paragraph on the board about my
pets. While writing, I asked the students to raise their hand if they noticed
edits/revisions that needed to be made. The students quickly realized that my
paragraph wasn't organized because I kept jumping around and talking about
different pets. We talked about how I need to revise my paragraph by adding
detail and talking about one pet at a time. This will help my paragraph flow and
make sense. After that, the students filled out a graphic organizer for their Family
Secrets paragraph and began working on their rough drafts.
In math, I assessed the students' understanding of rounding concepts with a
"check-in".
In science, we headed outside for a tug-of-war with the entire 3rd grade! The point
of the activity was to explore what we've been learning about push and pull. Before
we started, the classes lined up in order from shortest to tallest. Then, all of the
classes looked at each other and tried to predict who they thought would win the
tug-of-war battles. We talked about how size, strength, and numbers could give
some classes an advantage. Before the tug-of-war battles began, each class
huddled up to form a plan. Our class planned to have the shortest people at the
front and the tallest people at the back. They also decided to alternate which sides
of the rope they were standing on and to dig their feet into the ground if they
started to lose. Our strategy worked because our class beat Ms. Smith's class and
Ms. Higgins's class!!! YAY Mrs. Talvac's class!!! I'm so proud of you for working
together towards a goal!! After that, we had a girls vs boys tug-of-war battle and
the girls won. I'm proud of everyone for being a good sport.
We ended the day with our September birthday celebration. The students were so
well-behaved and respectful. I'm so proud of them! Thank you parents for the
treats and goodies you provided!!
Homework
Friday's Homework: None. Have a great long weekend!
9/18
Announcements
Students should be bringing home their binders every day! We are focusing a lot
on organization this year, so I would greatly appreciate you reinforcing this at home
by checking your child's binder weekly. Thank you for your support!
Please continue to send in the many forms that have been sent home! I have
posted a checklist below so you can see what I have received and what I'm
missing. I used your child's initials. An X means I have received it and a blank
space means that I'm missing it. I can send home additional copies if needed! Just
email me and let me know. Some forms might have gotten lost in translation
between home and school or might still be sitting in your child's homework folder,
so please check their folder. Mrs. Talvac's Forms Checklist
Class Update
The students started the day by writing in their Dear Mrs. Talvac journals. This
journal serves as a line of communication between me and the students. It gives
me the opportunity to get to know them even better and keep up with what's going
on in their lives! The students can write anything they want in the journal. Every
Friday, I collect all of the journals. During the weekend, I write back to the
students. On Monday morning(Tuesday morning this week because we didn't have
school yesterday), the students receive their journals back with my responses in
them. They read my response and write back to me. They can write in the journal
all week until I collect them again on Friday. The students and I both love this
activity!
In science, we discussed how an object's position can be described and changed.
Then, each student was given 2 unifix cubes and an index card. I passed out folders
that the students set up between them so their partners couldn't see their desk.
The students took turns moving the cubes and index card around on their desk.
Once they picked a place for their cubes and index card, they had to describe where
the cubes and index card were on their desk to their partner using position words.
Their partner used their description to try to replicate the position of the cubes and
index card on their desk. When the students finished their description, the partners
took down the folders and compared the location of the cubes and index card on
their desks. The students talked about how they were similar and different. Then,
they brainstormed ways they could have been more specific when describing the
location of the cubes and index card. After that, the class shared out position words
they used during the activity and I recorded them on the Promethean. I loved how
engaged the class was!
In reading, we reread the book Boxes for Katje by Candace Fleming. Before we
began reading, we set a purpose for reading: identify main events and identify how
the character's actions affect the sequence of events in the story. While reading, we
worked together as a class to record the main events. I asked the students
questions to get them thinking about how the character's actions/choices influenced
the events in the story. For example, what would have happened if Katje didn't
share the items that Rosie sent her? How would the story be different? After
reading, the students read a short story and wrote down the main events in their
reading journal. Then, they worked on various activities that gave them practice
with using a dictionary/thesaurus, pronouns, capital letters, character traits, and
non-fiction books. While they worked, I met with small reading groups to focus on
identifying the main events of their reading group book.
In writing, we began class by reviewing the importance of organizing details in our
paragraph so it makes sense. Then, the students continued working on their Family
Secrets paragraph. While waiting to meet with me to revise/edit, the students read
various books that helped them compare/contrast their point of view with the point
of view of someone else.
In math, the students worked with their table groups and rotated through 4
different stations. The stations gave the students practice with rounding, place
value, number sense, and multiples on the 100s chart. Ask your child about the
highly engaging activities that they worked on at each station! I'm proud of how
hard they worked!
Homework
Tuesday's Homework
Math: Place Value worksheet
Reading: Read for 20 minutes
Spelling: Spelling test on math words on Friday 9/21
Social Studies: Current Events project due on Friday 9/21 for Lily, Evan, and Goldie
9/19
Announcements
Weekly Graded Work folders were sent home today! There should be 3 graded
assignments in their folder:
-Arrow Math Assessment (max score ES)
-Rounding Assessment (max score P)
-Realistic Fiction or Not (max score P)
Please take all of the notices and graded work out of the folder once you have reviewed it
with your child and be sure to sign the Communication Sheet that is stapled to the back of
the folder. Thank you!
As a reminder, we are using a new standards based grading system this year. Mr.
Palmisano is holding a meeting for all K-3 parents to talk more about the new
grading/reporting system in mid-October. Please see the chart below to understand the
grade your child received (taken from the following document): 3rd Grade Report Card.
The new scores are NOT equivalent to A, B, C, D, E.
Starting Wednesday, September 19th, the third grade teachers welcome Miss Veihmeyer,
Staff Development Teacher at Carderock Springs ES, to our instructional team for
math. In collaboration with the three third grade classroom teachers, Miss Veihmeyer will
provide our math students enrichment and support opportunities several days each
week. Miss Veihmeyer will be working with different students at different times; her
groups will be fluid, and the instructional objectives on which she focuses will be identified
to align with the third grade curriculum. As mentioned at Back-to-School Night last week,
this instructional model will allow the three classroom teachers more time to focus on
smaller-group instruction within the math period in their own classrooms, and it will allow
our students the opportunity to work with another master teacher on skills and strategies
deemed beneficial for their mathematical development. Welcome aboard, Miss
Veihmeyer! We look forward to working with you.
Students should be bringing home their binders every day! We are focusing a lot on
organization this year, so I would greatly appreciate you reinforcing this at home by
checking your child's binder weekly. Thank you for your support!
Please continue to send in the many forms that have been sent home! I have posted a
checklist below so you can see what I have received and what I'm missing. I used your
child's initials. An X means I have received it and a blank space means that I'm missing it.
I can send home additional copies if needed! Just email me and let me know. Some forms
might have gotten lost in translation between home and school or might still be sitting in
your child's homework folder, so please check their folder. Mrs. Talvac's Forms Checklist
Class Update
The students started the day with a morning work activity that gave them practice with
reading a menu and a table with information about past presidents.
In science, the students worked with their table groups to determine a way to show a
change in an object's motion. The students were given the following materials: an index
card, a unifix cube, a 12 inch piece of string, a T-pin, and a bouncy ball. The students came
up with some really creative ideas! After each group presented their idea, we discussed
whether they used push or pull in their design to get the ball to start motion and change
motion. Overall, the students worked well together and tried to make sure everyone's ideas
were heard. Some groups struggled to come to an agreement on an idea. We will continue
to work on the skill of collaborating with others throughout the school year. I will send
everyone pictures of this activity on Friday!
In reading, we read a Japanese folktale called Ooka and the Honest Thief from the Junior
Great Books program. Before we began reading, the students previewed the folktale by
taking a picture walk. The students shared out different things they noticed about the text
and predictions of what they thought the story would be about. Then, we practiced making
inferences from illustrations. I asked the students to look at a particular illustration and
asked them to use clues to try to figure out who the characters were and which one was
Ooka. I also asked students to share with a partner whether or not they thought it was
possible for a thief to be honest. I enjoyed hearing the students' responses! Then, I read the
folktale aloud. As we read, I asked the students to use sticky notes to mark places in the
story that they could make a connection with, surprised them, confused them, and caused
them to have questions. Tomorrow we will discuss dialogue in the story and where they
placed their sticky notes.
In writing, the students continued working on their Family Secrets paragraph. While
waiting to meet with me to revise/edit, the students read various books that helped them
compare/contrast their point of view with the point of view of someone else.
In math, we began class with the last station rotation from yesterday that each table group
didn't get to complete. The stations gave the students practice with rounding, place value,
number sense, and multiples on the 100s chart. Ask your child about the 5 (4 yesterday, 1
today) engaging activities they worked on at each station! Then, the students practiced
identifying a pattern's rule and expressing a number in different ways (standard form,
expanded form, word form, base-ten block form). While the students worked, I met with
small groups to begin practicing adding and subtracting 3 digit numbers with regrouping.
We used Digi-Blocks (place value blocks) to help model the numbers and the process of
regrouping.
**Students should be reviewing their basic facts (addition, subtraction, multiplication)
every night at home!! Basic facts are very important and will only be learned with lots of
practice. 10 minutes of review a night can make a huge difference! There are some great
free educational apps that can be downloaded on smartphones and other electronic devices
such as iPads and iTouches that give the students practice with basic facts. If you'd like to
get an idea of some of the educational apps there are out there, please visit the following
link. The link includes apps that were created by the publisher of our former math
program, Everyday Mathematics. http://www.padgadget.com/2011/04/15/mcgraw-hilleducation-offers-free-ipad-math-apps/**
Homework
Wednesday's Homework
Math: In/Out Boxes worksheet. Optional Logic worksheet.
Reading: Read for 20 minutes
Spelling: Spelling test on math words on Friday 9/21
Social Studies: Current Events project due on Friday 9/21 for Lily, Evan, and Goldie
9/20
Announcements
Starting Wednesday, September 19th, the third grade teachers welcome Miss Veihmeyer,
Staff Development Teacher at Carderock Springs ES, to our instructional team for
math. In collaboration with the three third grade classroom teachers, Miss Veihmeyer will
provide our math students enrichment and support opportunities several days each
week. Miss Veihmeyer will be working with different students at different times; her
groups will be fluid, and the instructional objectives on which she focuses will be identified
to align with the third grade curriculum. As mentioned at Back-to-School Night last week,
this instructional model will allow the three classroom teachers more time to focus on
smaller-group instruction within the math period in their own classrooms, and it will allow
our students the opportunity to work with another master teacher on skills and strategies
deemed beneficial for their mathematical development. Welcome aboard, Miss
Veihmeyer! We look forward to working with you.
Please continue to send in the many forms that have been sent home! I have posted a
checklist below so you can see what I have received and what I'm missing. I used your
child's initials. An X means I have received it and a blank space means that I'm missing it.
I can send home additional copies if needed! Just email me and let me know. Some forms
might have gotten lost in translation between home and school or might still be sitting in
your child's homework folder, so please check their folder. Mrs. Talvac's Forms Checklist
Class Update
The students started the day with an activity that gave them practice with synonyms and
antonyms. It also gave them practice with multiple meaning words.
In social studies, the students watched a brief video that told the story of Pearl Moscowitz's
Last Stand by Arthur Levine. The story is about a woman whose neighborhood is changing
over time and is being threatened. While watching, the students used a "capture sheet" to
help them take notes and write down important examples of actions people took to toward
the common good and actions people took that went against the common good. After the
video, the students wrote their own definition of common good. The students shared their
unique definitions. After that, I split the students into 4 groups. Each group read a short
text about a real person that has contributed to the common good. The students had to
work collaboratively with their groups to figure out what important information they
would share with the class about the person they read about and their contributions to the
common good. The students will present information about their person tomorrow.
We had a Shelter in Place (code blue) and Lock Down (code red) drill this morning before
recess. Some students were not taking the drills seriously, so, after the drills, we had a long
conversation about the importance of these drills and how/when they would be used in a
real life situation. After our discussion, the students seemed to have a greater
understanding of and appreciation for both Shelter in Place and Lock Down.
In reading, we reread a Japanese folktale called Ooka and the Honest Thief from the
Junior Great Books program. Before we began reading, we reviewed the names of the main
characters and set a purpose for reading. I asked the students to use sticky notes again
today to mark places in the story where they: made an inference, made a connection with,
caused them to have a question. I also asked them to use sticky notes to identify places
where Ooka was fair or unfair. While reading, I pointed out the dialogue in the story and
how an author uses dialogue in a story to show how the characters are interacting with
each other. We also discussed how an author uses quotation marks to show when the
author is speaking. Tomorrow we will have a class discussion about the story.
In math, we began class with a warm-up in which the students had to watch me complete
various two and three digit addition and subtraction problems on the board. While
working, I made lots of common student mistakes. The students had to point out the
mistakes and explain what I had done incorrectly. Then, we reviewed the process of
regrouping. Next, the students came to the Promethean Board and showed different
strategies they use to help them when they are adding three or more numbers. After that,
the students worked alone or with a partner to write a word problem that involved
addition or subtraction with regrouping. The students had to show at least two strategies
they could use to solve the word problem. While they worked, I met with small groups to
practice addition and subtraction with regrouping. I'm so proud of how hard they worked!
Homework
Thursday's Homework
Math: Number Patterns worksheet. Optional Table Pattern worksheet.
Reading: Read for 20 minutes
Spelling: Spelling test on math words TOMORROW
Social Studies: Current Events project due TOMORROW for Lily, Evan, and Goldie
9/21
Announcements
I hope to see you all at the Back to School Picnic tonight from 5-7pm!
Starting Wednesday, September 19th, the third grade teachers welcome Miss Veihmeyer,
Staff Development Teacher at Carderock Springs ES, to our instructional team for
math. In collaboration with the three third grade classroom teachers, Miss Veihmeyer will
provide our math students enrichment and support opportunities several days each
week. Miss Veihmeyer will be working with different students at different times; her
groups will be fluid, and the instructional objectives on which she focuses will be identified
to align with the third grade curriculum. As mentioned at Back-to-School Night last week,
this instructional model will allow the three classroom teachers more time to focus on
smaller-group instruction within the math period in their own classrooms, and it will allow
our students the opportunity to work with another master teacher on skills and strategies
deemed beneficial for their mathematical development. Welcome aboard, Miss
Veihmeyer! We look forward to working with you.
Please continue to send in the many forms that have been sent home! I have posted a
checklist below so you can see what I have received and what I'm missing. I used your
child's initials. An X means I have received it and a blank space means that I'm missing it.
I can send home additional copies if needed! Just email me and let me know. Some forms
might have gotten lost in translation between home and school or might still be sitting in
your child's homework folder, so please check their folder. Mrs. Talvac's Forms Checklist
Class Update
The students started the day by writing in their Dear Mrs. Talvac journal.
In social studies, the 4 groups presented important information about the person they read
about in class yesterday. The groups shared who the person was and what
their contributions to the common good were. Ask your child about Mattie Stepanek, Joe
Breeze, Carien Quiroga, and Leonardo Lucini!
In science, the students worked with their table groups to determine a way to show a
change in an object's motion. Each table group was assigned one of the following changes
in motion: start from a standstill, change direction (left to right), change direction (up to
down), change speed, and stop from moving. The students were given the following
materials: 2 pipe cleaners, 2 popsicle sticks, masking tape, a small rectangle piece of
cardboard, and a bouncy ball. The students came up with some really creative ideas! I will
send pictures from this week out later this evening.
In writing, the students continued working on their Family Secrets paragraph. While
waiting to meet with me to revise/edit, the students read various books that helped them
compare/contrast their point of view with the point of view of someone else.
In math, we began class with a check-in to assess their understanding of patterns. Then, the
students got into groups. I gave the groups numbers and asked them to try to determine if
the numbers were divisible by 6 without actually using division. The students had to use
their number sense and knowledge of place value to try to help them figure it out. I loved
all of the math discussions I heard! After that, the students continued working on the word
problem activity they started working on yesterday. The students worked alone or with a
partner to write a word problem that involved addition and subtraction with regrouping.
They had to show at least two strategies they could use to solve the word problem.
Homework
Friday's Homework: None. Enjoy your weekend!
9/24
Announcements
Starting Wednesday, September 19th, the third grade teachers welcome Miss Veihmeyer,
Staff Development Teacher at Carderock Springs ES, to our instructional team for
math. In collaboration with the three third grade classroom teachers, Miss Veihmeyer will
provide our math students enrichment and support opportunities several days each
week. Miss Veihmeyer will be working with different students at different times; her
groups will be fluid, and the instructional objectives on which she focuses will be identified
to align with the third grade curriculum. As mentioned at Back-to-School Night last week,
this instructional model will allow the three classroom teachers more time to focus on
smaller-group instruction within the math period in their own classrooms, and it will allow
our students the opportunity to work with another master teacher on skills and strategies
deemed beneficial for their mathematical development. Welcome aboard, Miss
Veihmeyer! We look forward to working with you.
Please continue to send in the many forms that have been sent home! I have posted a
checklist below so you can see what I have received and what I'm missing. I used your
child's initials. An X means I have received it and a blank space means that I'm missing it.
I can send home additional copies if needed! Just email me and let me know. Some forms
might have gotten lost in translation between home and school or might still be sitting in
your child's homework folder, so please check their folder. Mrs. Talvac's Forms
Checklist
Class Update
The students started the day by writing in their Dear Mrs. Talvac journals. This journal
serves a line of communication between me and the students. It gives me the opportunity to
get to know them even better and keep up with what's going on in their lives! The students
can write anything they want in the journal. Every Friday, I collect all of the journals.
During the weekend, I write back to the students. On Monday morning, the students
receive their journals back with my responses in them. They read my response and write
back to me. They can write in the journal all week until I collect them again on Friday. The
students and I both love this activity!
In writing, the students continued working on their Family Secrets paragraph. While
waiting to meet with me to revise/edit, the students read various books that helped them
compare/contrast their point of view with the point of view of someone else. The students
also worked on revising a paragraph for organization and writing from different points of
view based on a picture.
In reading, we reviewed the Japanese folktale called Ooka and the Honest Thief from the
Junior Great Books program. Then, I wrote our discussion focus question on the
Promethean and had the students think about the question independently. After that, we
all sat in a big circle on the carpet. We discussed what a Shared Inquiry discussion is and
what the purpose of the discussion is. We also went over the ground rules for our
discussion and what it should look like/sound like. I reminded the students that it is
important to support your answer to the focus question with evidence from the text. After
that, I told the students we would be using the Fishbowl strategy. The “fishbowl” is a
teaching strategy that helps students practice being contributors and listeners in a
discussion. Students ask questions, present opinions, and share information when they sit
in the “fishbowl” circle, while students on the outside of the circle listen carefully to the
ideas presented and pay attention to process. Then the roles reverse. The students did a
good job! We will continue to work on referring to the story to support our answer and
making sure we're using good listening skills when we're not in the fishbowl.
In science, we went outside on the blacktop. Once there, I explained that we would be
conducting an experiment to see how the texture of a surface affects an object's motion.
The 4 surfaces the students tested were: the blacktop, the concrete path, grass, wood chips,
and the baseball field. Prior to starting the activity, the students had to make predictions
about what would happen to a ball that they rolled across each surface. The students
thought about which surface they thought the ball would roll the straightest on, which
surface they thought the ball would roll the farthest on, and which surface they thought the
ball would roll the fastest on. Then, they wrote a brief description of each texture. After
that, the students worked with their groups to roll the ball on each surface. We will share
our observations tomorrow!
In math, we started class with a warm-up that got the students thinking about steps and
strategies they can use to solve a word problem. I posted the word problem below on the
board and had the students think about how they would solve the problem. Then, the
students shared out their thinking and strategies they would use to solve the problem.
361 students attend Park ES. 149 students walk to school. 123 students eat waffles for
breakfast. The rest of the students ride a bus to school. How many students ride a bus to
school? Solve the problem. Show your work.
-What is the question asking you to find?
-Circle the information that you do NOT need to solve the problem.
-What operation will you use to solve the problem?
-Solve the problem. SHOW ALL YOUR WORK!
After that, the students solved the word problem independently and continued practicing
their word problem solving skills by working on the problem below with a partner. Try to
solve it!
442 people are competing in the marathon. 62 people get hurt and withdraw from the race.
256 people get sick and withdraw from the race. 100 people cross the finish line. The rest
got too tired to finish the race and gave up. How many people crossed the finish line? Solve
the problem. Show your work.
-What is the question asking you to find?
-Circle the information that you do NOT need to solve the problem.
-What operation will you use to solve the problem?
-Solve the problem. SHOW ALL YOUR WORK!
Finally, I introduced the students to some new math vocabulary. Together, we completed
several addition and subtraction problems similar to the ones below. We discussed the fact
that when we are regrouping in the subtraction problem below, we are "decomposing" a
ten or a hundred. We also discussed the fact that when we are regrouping in the addition
problem below, we are "composing" a ten or a hundred.
423-159
149+298
I'm proud of the students for working so hard!
Homework
Monday's Homework
Math: Complete Word Problems worksheet. Optional Patterns worksheet
Reading: Read for 20 minutes
Social Studies: Current Events/News Anchor project due Friday for Isabella, Chris, and
Taylor
9/25
Announcements
No school tomorrow (Wednesday)!
Weekly Graded Work folders will be sent home on Friday this week!
Starting Wednesday, September 19th, the third grade teachers welcome Miss Veihmeyer,
Staff Development Teacher at Carderock Springs ES, to our instructional team for
math. In collaboration with the three third grade classroom teachers, Miss Veihmeyer will
provide our math students enrichment and support opportunities several days each
week. Miss Veihmeyer will be working with different students at different times; her
groups will be fluid, and the instructional objectives on which she focuses will be identified
to align with the third grade curriculum. As mentioned at Back-to-School Night last week,
this instructional model will allow the three classroom teachers more time to focus on
smaller-group instruction within the math period in their own classrooms, and it will allow
our students the opportunity to work with another master teacher on skills and strategies
deemed beneficial for their mathematical development. Welcome aboard, Miss
Veihmeyer! We look forward to working with you.
Class Update
The students started the day by completing a morning work activity that gave the students
practice with making inferences.
In writing, the students continued working on their Family Secrets paragraph. Everyone
finished their final draft today! Students who already finished their final draft read various
books that helped them compare/contrast their point of view with the point of view of
someone else. The students also worked on revising a paragraph for organization and
writing from different points of view based on a picture.
In reading, we practiced making inferences. We read the short script below and then used
a 3-step process to make an inference. See our inferences below!
Johnny: I'm so nervous!
Susie: Me too! I studied really hard though, so I think
I'll be fine.
Johnny: Yeah, my mom helped me study. I think I'm ready!
Susie: Good luck! Hopefully we'll both get a good grade!
(Example from Text) Because the author said...Johnny talked about his mom helping him
study.
(Background Knowledge, Past Experiences, Logic) Because I know...when I have a test, I
usually study hard and ask my parents to help me.
(Inference) I can say that....Johnny and Susie are about to take a big test.
(Example from Text) Because the author said...Susie said that she wants to get a good
grade.
(Background Knowledge, Past Experiences, Logic) Because I know...that you usually get
grades on assignments and tests at school.
(Inference) I can say that...Johnny and Susie are probably at school.
Then, we made a list of strategies that good readers use before, during, and after reading.
Making inferences was one of these strategies! We applied many of these strategies while
reading Sachiko Means Happiness by Kimiko Sakai. This story involved a girl whose
grandmother developed Alzheimer's disease. While reading, I did a "think aloud" to show
the students how I was using many of the reading strategies from our list to help me make
meaning and understand the story better. After we finished reading, I asked the students to
write in their reader's journal and explain why they thought the grandmother was acting
the way she was in the story. I also asked them to explain if they thought the book was
realistic fiction or not. We will discuss this on Thursday.
In math, we reviewed the homework from last night. While reviewing the homework, I
emphasized the importance of solving a word problem step-by-step to ensure we are
understanding what the question is asking us and identifying what information we need to
answer the question. I loved how excited the students were to share the strategies they used
to solve homework problems! Throughout class, I reminded the students that it's ok if they
made mistakes because we learn from them and our classroom is a safe place to make
mistakes! After that, the students worked through a couple of word problems
independently. Some of the word problems didn't have enough information to solve the
problem and other word problems needed multiple steps and operations to the solve
problem. Later, the students wrote their own tricky word problem and solved it!
In science, the students shared out their results from yesterday's experiment in which they
observed how a surface's texture could affect an object's motion. We explored this further
by building a ramp using a piece of cardboard and two dictionaries as the support for the
ramp. The students let a ball roll down the ramp and made observations. I asked the
students if they thought putting felt, aluminum foil, or wax paper on the cardboard ramp
would affect the ball's speed and/or distance. We will make observations and record data to
help us answer this question on Thursday!
Homework
Tuesday's Homework: None.
Social Studies: Current Events/News Anchor project due Friday for Isabella, Chris, and
Taylor
9/27
Announcements
Weekly Graded Work folders will be sent home Friday (TOMORROW) this week!
There is a half-day tomorrow! Dismissal is at 12:50pm.
Class Update
The students started the day by writing in their Dear Mrs. Talvac Journal.
In science, the students explored how a surface's texture can affect an object's motion.
Each table group was given one of the following materials to cover their cardboard ramp:
felt, aluminum foil, wax paper, or cupboard liner. The students set up their ramp by using
two dictionaries that they leaned the cardboard ramp against. The students used a timer to
record how long the ball rolled and used estimation (their feet) to determine about how far
the ball rolled. We conducted 3 trials to help us gather our data. After that, the students
conducted another part of the experiment to see how long it took for the ball to roll to the
end of the ramp. Again, we conducted 3 trials. We shared out our data and made a chart.
We will analyze our data tomorrow to help us draw conclusions!
In reading, we read an article about Alzheimer's Disease. While reading, I introduced the
students to some non-fiction text features that help organize the article and help readers to
better understand informational articles. We focused on headings today. After we finished
reading, the students related the informational article to the book we read on Tuesday
called Sachiko Means Happiness by Kimiko Sakai. In the book, a young girl has to cope
with her grandmother's Alzheimer's. The students wrote in their reading journal about
different things that Sachiko's grandmother did in the book that helped us to know she had
Alzheimer's. After that, the students created a Venn-Diagram to show the similarities and
differences between non-fiction/informational text and fiction text.
In writing, I posted the following words on the Promethean board: cover, act, stand, mind,
and clear. The students worked with a partner or a group to come up with as many words
as they could that had those 5 words in them (for example: uncover, react, mindful, etc).
The students shared them with the class and I recorded them on the Promethean board.
Tomorrow, we will look at the words and identify prefixes, suffixes, and affixes.
In math, we began class with an entrance card so I could see where the students are with
adding and subtracting 3 digit numbers. Then, we reviewed the new vocabulary we learned
last week and how to compose and decompose tens and hundreds in addition and
subtraction problems. After that, the students wrote their own addition and subtraction
problems that involved the composing/decomposing of tens and hundreds. Then, I met with
small groups to practice solving multi-step word problems. When not meeting with me,
students worked on various activities that gave them practice with patterns, addition,
subtraction, place value, and basic facts. I'm so proud of how hard they worked today!
Great job Mrs. Talvac's class!
Homework
Thursday's Homework
Math: Complete word problem worksheet
Writing: Write a paragraph about what you like to do in your spare time
Reading: Read for 20 minutes
Social Studies: Current Events/News Anchor project due Friday for Isabella, Chris, and
Taylor
9/28
Announcements
Weekly Graded Work folders were sent home with students TODAY (Friday) because we
didn't have school on Wednesday (our normal Weekly Graded Work folder day)! There
should be 3 graded assignments in their folder:
-Patterns Math Assessment (max score ES)
-Spelling Test on math words (max score P)
-Making Inferences (max score ES)
Please take all of the notices and graded work out of the folder once you have reviewed it
with your child and be sure to sign the Communication Sheet that is stapled to the back of
the folder. Thank you!
As a reminder, we are using a new standards based grading system this year. Mr.
Palmisano is holding a meeting for all K-3 parents to talk more about the new
grading/reporting system in mid-October. Please see the chart below to understand the
grade your child received (taken from the following document): 3rd Grade Report Card.
The new scores are NOT equivalent to A, B, C, D,
E.
An important message from Miss Klotzman regarding Best Buddies:
Please take a look at your yellow sheets with your Best Buddies assignment.
If you see an assignment of a class/buddy and a single day (for example – Ms. Jilkova/Jack,
Monday) this means that you will be having Best Buddies time in the classroom EVERY
WEEK on that day.
If you see an assignment of A WEEK and B WEEK, this means that every other week you
will be in the classroom with your Buddy and on the weeks you are not in the classroom,
you will be having Best Buddies time at recess with Ms. Pirone’s class on WEDNESDAYS.
Please be sure to check the ‘When Do I Begin?’ line to know when you will start Best
Buddies. If you have an A WEEK and B WEEK assignment, you will have TWO start
dates, so read your assignments CAREFULLY.
Best Buddies officially kicks off on MONDAY, OCTOBER 1st which is a B WEEK.
Miss Klotzman will have a schedule posted outside of her room as a reminder, but please
do your best to remember to always come to Best Buddies on your assigned day. Your
Buddies really look forward to Best Buddies time each and every week, so make sure you
remember to show up for your Buddy. Have fun! J
Class Update
The students started the day by writing in their Dear Mrs. Talvac journals. I'm so excited
to respond to them over the weekend!
In reading, the students had time to work on various activities that gave them practice with
pronouns, capital letters, using a dictionary and a thesaurus, completing a story map (to
identify characters, setting, problem, events, and solution in their reading group book), and
sequencing events. I'm so proud of how hard they worked!
In math, we began class by reviewing how to compose/decompose a ten and/or a hundred
in addition and subtraction problems. After that, I challenged the students to decompose a
thousand in a subtraction problem. I love the students' enthusiasm! Then, we continued to
work on solving word problems with multiple steps. I have seen lots of improvement from
the students in reading the problems carefully to determine what information they need or
don't need to solve the problem. Today, we solved problems similar to the two below:
1. There are 111 students in 5th grade. There are 64 boys and 47 girls. At the end-of-year
party, 30 of the girls and 12 of the boys ate chocolate ice-cream. The rest of the boys and
girls ate vanilla or strawberry ice-cream. How many 5th grade girls ate ice-cream?
2. Johnny and Timmy collect baseball cards together. Last year, they collected 546 baseball
cards. This year, Timmy collected 256 baseball cards and Johnny collected 728 baseball
cards. How many more baseball cards did they collect this year than last year?
We will review the steps we used to solve each of these problems on Monday and will
continue working on solving complex word problems. I'm so proud of how hard the
students worked!
Homework
Friday's Homework: None. Have a great weekend!
10/1
Announcements
Scholastic book magazines were sent home with the students today. They should have come
home with 4 magazines. Scholastic book magazines give you and your child the opportunity
to pick out books they would like to read and have them delivered right to our classroom!
-1 Arrow October
-1 Arrow November
-1 Lucky October
-1 Lucky November
You can return the order form to me with payment and I’ll order the books, or you can
order the books online.
Every time you order online, we earn a FREE book for the classroom library!
To order online, go to http://www.scholastic.com/bookclubs. Our Class Activation Code is
J7B8H
SIGN UP at http://www.scholastic.com/bookclubs. On the parent page, click the “Register”
button in the “First Time Here?” section. Register for your own user name and password.
When prompted, enter the one-time Class Activation Code: J7B8H. This unique code
ensures that your order is sent to me.
• SELECT the books you’d like to order—choose from thousands of titles—many more
than in our monthly flyers.
• SEND your order to me online by the due date and your child’s books will be delivered
directly to my classroom.
If you decide not to order online, please return the order forms with payment (cash or
check made payable to Scholastic Book Clubs) by Wednesday October 24th. Please feel free
to email me if you have any questions!
Class Update
The students started the day by writing in their Dear Mrs. Talvac journals. This journal
serves a line of communication between me and the students. It gives me the opportunity to
get to know them even better and keep up with what's going on in their lives! The students
can write anything they want in the journal. Every Friday, I collect all of the journals.
During the weekend, I write back to the students. On Monday morning, the students
receive their journals back with my responses in them. They read my response and write
back to me. They can write in the journal all week until I collect them again on Friday. The
students and I both love this activity!
In the morning, we went to an assembly. At the assembly, we celebrated our
accomplishments during last year's lemonade ripple. The students were excited that the
money they raised last year was donated to Just Tryan It, which is a non-profit
organization helping support families of children with cancer. Then, we heard from the
President of Just Tryan It and Ryan (a child who has cancer) Later, Paul Reichert read us
his book The Lemonade Ripple (a new version that just came out this summer!). Mr.
Reichert's daughters are students at Carderock! Like the ripples made in a river, one act of
kindness can ripple out through the community and make a real impact on a person’s life.
The story was written to engage and inspire kids in philanthropy and to inspire them to
find easy, creative, and fun ways to better their own communities. We really enjoyed the
story and the students had such wonderful ideas to share about how they can get involved
(or how they already are involved) in their community and help others. We also talked
about how there are many people who are less fortunate than us and that it is rewarding to
give back.
In reading, we read the book Tonight is Carnaval by Arthur Dorros. Before we began
reading, we practiced making inferences by using the cover illustration to predict what the
book would be about. Then, we reviewed the characteristics of realistic fiction. While
reading, the students had to decide if the book was realistic fiction or not. After reading, we
practiced writing a complete response to explain why we thought the book was a realistic
fiction. We focused on using examples from the story to help support our answer. We also
practiced identifying a character trait that could be used to describe the main character.
Again, we focused on using examples from the story to support our answer.
In writing, we talked about how author's have a purpose when they are writing. We
discussed the three purposes: to entertain, to inform, and to persuade. I explained that our
next writing piece will be an informative piece about a former President of the United
States. We talked about how we will need to do research to learn about the Presidents. The
students knew that we should use multiple sources (the internet, books, magazines, etc) to
help us find out information about the President we are researching. To practice taking
notes and identifying important information, we read the article Meet Barack Obama on
the Time for Kids website. We stopped multiple times while reading to make notes in our
graphic organizer. We practiced organizing the information and putting it in the correct
section. The graphic organizer had 4 sections: childhood, education, experiences, and ideas.
Tomorrow, the students will practice taking notes while reading the article Meet Mitt
Romney on the Time for Kids website.
In math, we started class with an entrance card that assessed the students' problem-solving
skills. After that, we worked together to solve a complex word problem similar to the one
below.
There were 128 brown dogs and 251 white dogs at the dog park. Some of the dogs had a
dog toy. Some of the dogs had a frisbee. Johnny and Susie counted 76 frisbees and 23 dog
toys. How many dogs didn't either a frisbee or a dog toy?
Then, we discussed the difference between an estimated answer and an exact answer. We
analyzed why our estimated answers are greater than or less than the exact answer by
looking at whether we rounded the numbers up or down. We also discussed different
scenarios in which an exact answer would be needed and when an estimated answer would
be enough. I'm so proud of how hard the students worked!
Homework
Monday's Homework
Math: Complete Estimate/Exact worksheet
Reading: Read for 20 minutes
Social Studies: Current Events/News Anchor Project due Friday for Adam, Shelby, and
Katheryne
10/2
Announcements
Scholastic book magazines were sent home with the students yesterday. They should have
come home with 4 magazines. Scholastic book magazines give you and your child the
opportunity to pick out books they would like to read and have them delivered right to our
classroom!
-1 Arrow October
-1 Arrow November
-1 Lucky October
-1 Lucky November
You can return the order form to me with payment and I’ll order the books, or you can
order the books online.
Every time you order online, we earn a FREE book for the classroom library!
To order online, go to http://www.scholastic.com/bookclubs. Our Class Activation Code is
J7B8H
SIGN UP at http://www.scholastic.com/bookclubs. On the parent page, click the “Register”
button in the “First Time Here?” section. Register for your own user name and password.
When prompted, enter the one-time Class Activation Code: J7B8H. This unique code
ensures that your order is sent to me.
• SELECT the books you’d like to order—choose from thousands of titles—many more
than in our monthly flyers.
• SEND your order to me online by the due date and your child’s books will be delivered
directly to my classroom.
If you decide not to order online, please return the order forms with payment (cash or
check made payable to Scholastic Book Clubs) by Wednesday October 24th. Please feel free
to email me if you have any questions!
Class Update
The students started the day with a morning work activity that gave them practice with
reading and interpreting data in a table. We also practiced reading questions carefully to
make sure that we were looking in the correct row/column of the table to answer the
question being asked.
In science, we analyzed the data we gathered last week when we conducted an experiment
to determine if the texture of a ramp will affect the speed and/or distance a ball will
roll. The students discussed their observations with their table groups before they shared
their ideas with the class. We realized that the texture of the ramp does affect the speed and
distance of the ball. After that, the students had an opportunity to apply this knowledge to
a new situation in which they had to analyze two data tables and explain the conclusions
they made about whether or not the textures affected the speed/distance of the ball.
In writing, the students practiced taking notes and identifying important information while
reading the article Meet Mitt Romney on the Time for Kids website. The students practiced
organizing the information and putting it in the correct section of their graphic organizer.
The graphic organizer had 4 sections: childhood, education, experiences, and ideas.
In reading, we read part of the book As Big as a Whale by Melvin Berger. Before we began
reading, I showed the students the cover of the book. Based on the title and the photograph
on the cover, I asked the students to make an inference about what type of book this was
(fiction or non-fiction). While reading, we practiced identifying text features. We worked
together to fill out a chart on the Promethean board that listed the text features we found,
what each text feature's purpose is, how that text feature helps us to understand what we're
reading, and if that text feature can also be found in fiction books. The students were very
engaged throughout the lesson. They loved learning about different types of whales! After
that, the students read a Time for Kids article where they wrote down all the text features
they could find and explained how the captions helped them understand the article. Later,
the students read an article that had NO text features. They had an opportunity to decide
what text features should be in the article. I'm so proud of how hard they worked!
In math, we began class by reviewing the "check-in" that the students worked on yesterday
to help me assess their understanding of solving word problems with multiple steps. See the
problem below:
There were 400 books checked out in the library. 147 of them were picture books. The rest
were chapter books. How many more chapter books were there than picture books?
While looking over their work, I noticed that many students were determining how many
chapter books there were (instead of how many more chapter books there were than
picture books) because they were not reading the directions carefully. We discussed the
importance of reading the questions carefully and double checking our work to make sure
we are answering the question being asked. I reminded the students that we love mistakes
because we learn from them, but many careless mistakes can be avoided by simply
rereading the problem. After that, we made a list of key words we can use to help us
identify the operation we should use to solve the problem. For example, if the problem says
"all together" or "total", we know that it probably involves adding. If the problem says
"how many more" or "the rest", we know that it probably involves subtracting. We spent
the rest of class solving complex word problems.
Homework
Tuesday's Homework
Math: Complete Word Problems worksheet
Reading: Read for 20 minutes
Social Studies: Current Events/News Anchor Project due Friday for Adam, Shelby, and
Katheryne
10/3
Announcements
Weekly Graded Work folders were sent home with students today. There should be 3
graded assignments in their folder:
-Math Word Problems #1 (max score P)
-Math Word Problems #2 (max score P)
-Realistic Fiction and Understanding Characters (max score ES)
Please take all of the notices and graded work out of the folder once you have reviewed it
with your child and be sure to sign the Communication Sheet that is stapled to the back of
the folder. Thank you!
As a reminder, we are using a new standards based grading system this year. Mr.
Palmisano is holding a meeting for all K-3 parents to talk more about the new
grading/reporting system in mid-October. Please see the chart below to understand the
grade your child received (taken from the following document): 3rd Grade Report Card.
The new scores are NOT equivalent to A, B, C, D, E.
I have created a wish list for our class! Please click this link to view it: Mrs. Talvac's Class
Wish List. It works like a gift registry. You can view what's on my wish list, the desired
quantity, and the quantity that has already been purchased. When you place an order, it
can be shipped directly to me at Carderock Springs. Thank you so much for everything
you all have already contributed to our class! I am so grateful!
To order Scholastic Books online, go to http://www.scholastic.com/bookclubs. Our Class
Activation Code is J7B8H. If you decide not to order online, please return the order forms
with payment (cash or check made payable to Scholastic Book Clubs) by Wednesday
October 24th. Please feel free to email me if you have any questions!
Class Update
The students started the day with a morning work activity that gave them practice with
reading and interpreting data in a table about dinosaurs. While reading the names of the
dinosaurs, we practiced breaking the word into parts to help us sound it out. We also
practiced reading questions carefully to make sure that we were looking in the correct
row/column of the table to answer the question being asked.
In science, we began class with a discussion about what a variable is. Then, I explained to
the students that the independent variable in the experiment we did last week was the
texture of the ramp and the dependent variable was the speed of the ball/distance the ball
traveled. After that, the students worked with their table group to choose one of the
following testable questions:
-How does the steepness of the ramp affect the speed of the ball?
-How does the size of the ball affect the speed of the ball?
The students spent the rest of class designing an experiment to collect data to help answer
their testable question.
After I picked the students up from lunch, we had a long class discussion about the new
grading system. I explained it in child-friendly language, so the students should have a
better understanding of what the various letters on their graded work mean (ES, P, I, N).
In reading, we started class by reviewing the part of the non-fiction book we read yesterday
called As Big as a Whale by Melvin Berger. We reviewed what non-fiction means and the
various text features we saw while reading (captions, photographs, headings, table of
contents, etc). Then, we read a fiction book called The Day the Whale Came by Eve
Bunting. This book is a fiction book about a dead whale who is brought to a town in Illinois
for educational purposes. After reading, we completed a Venn-Diagram to compare the two
books (fiction vs non-fiction). The students realized that both books were about whales, but
the fiction book's purpose was to entertain us while the non-fiction book's purpose was to
inform us.
In math, we began class with another "check-in" to help me assess their understanding of
solving word problems with multiple steps. The students did much better today than they
did on Monday! After that, we checked the homework. For the rest of class, I spent time
meeting with small groups to go over the word problems they missed on the homework
step-by-step. The students who weren't meeting with me rotated through various center
activities that gave them practice with using rounding to estimate answers to word
problems, determining when an estimated answer or exact answer is needed,
addition/subtraction with regrouping, patterns, and place value.
Homework
Wednesday's Homework
Math: Complete 2 sided worksheet (one side word problems and one side estimate vs exact)
Reading: Read for 20 minutes
Social Studies: Current Events/News Anchor Project due Friday for Adam, Shelby, and
Katheryne
10/4
Announcements
SPECIAL REQUEST: I'm trying to get my hands on as many paper towel rolls, toilet
paper rolls, and any other roll you can think of... for a science activity on Monday. Send in
one, send in ten. I will also happily accept random boxes, pieces of wood, and other "stuff"
the children might be able to use as they build a track. Thank you!!!
I have created a wish list for our class! If you'd like to view it, please click this link: Mrs.
Talvac's Class Wish List. Please do not feel obligated to purchase something from the wish
list. It works like a gift registry. You can view what's on my wish list, the desired quantity,
and the quantity that has already been purchased. When you place an order, it can be
shipped directly to me at Carderock Springs. Thank you so much for everything you all
have already contributed to our class! I am so grateful!
To order Scholastic Books online, go to http://www.scholastic.com/bookclubs. Our Class
Activation Code is J7B8H. If you decide not to order online, please return the order forms
with payment (cash or check made payable to Scholastic Book Clubs) by Wednesday
October 24th. Please feel free to email me if you have any questions!
Class Update
I was out of the classroom in the morning for a planning meeting with the other 3rd grade
teachers.
In reading, we read an article from Time for Kids about the clown fish. Before we began
reading, I explained to the students that our purpose for reading was to identify the main
idea of the article. I told the students that the main idea is the most important piece of
information the author wants you to know about the article. To help us determine the
main idea, we look for key details. To practice this skill, I modeled for the students how to
highlight key details as we read the article. Once we finished reading the article, we used a
graphic organizer to record three supporting details and the main idea. The students
practiced this skill by reading another Time for Kids article about a new species of monkey
that was recently discovered. While reading, they highlighted key details. When they
finished reading, the wrote down the main idea and three supporting details. They did a
great job working hard!
In math, we began class with a "check-in" to help me assess their understanding of adding
3 digit numbers and their ability to interpret the difference between an estimated answer
and an exact answer. After that, I spent time meeting with small groups solving word
problems. While not meeting with me, the students rotated through various center
activities that gave them practice with using rounding to estimate answers to word
problems, determining when an estimated answer or exact answer is needed,
addition/subtraction with regrouping, patterns, and place value. I'm so proud of how hard
they worked!
Homework
Thursday's Homework
Math: Complete word problem worksheet
Reading: Read for 20 minutes
Social Studies: Current Events/News Anchor Project due TOMORROW (Friday) for
Adam, Shelby, and Katheryne