Goodbye September!

I love the Fall weather and it is so much nicer when we go out at recess!  To recap our week, in ELA we used our pet rocks to write a narrative from the rock's point of view.  We have some creative students!  On Friday, we started presenting book reports and I am so impressed with the creativity in our classroom!  We started learning about fossils and will be making our own fossils, a cast and a mold.  Thanks to those that have sent in play dough and I still need some the modeling clay, if anyone has a chance!  We took our first two assessments in Social Studies and Science, overall the students did really well.  In Social Studies, we started our study of the branches of government.  In Math we studied the concept of multiplication.  How can we figure out a multiplication problem if we do not have it memorized?  Mental math, arrays or repeated addition!  Time to get out the multiplication cards and drill the facts!  Math facts are just like sight words, practice, practice and they will be like second nature.  Noelle's mom has been making some timed power point slides with math facts on them and I will start drilling the kids during any few minutes we may have! 

Noelle's mom also will be coming on Wednesday during recess to teach us ZUMBA!  It was so great this past Wednesday, the girls and BOYS were dancing and moving!  This is wonderful because with a big field to play in, no play ground and limited equipment the students need some structured exercise!  Thank you, Thank you!!

I am still trying to teach the students some independence and taking responsibility.  Writing both first and last name and number on papers, emptying out their own take home folder, and not blaming Mom or Dad for lack of homework!!  I wonder how many of you know that if your student didn't do homework, 90% of the time they blame you! (Or me because they say they didn't hear me say it the 500 times I said it!)  3rd grade is a huge transition to harder curriculum, more responsibilities, and higher expectations.  Remind your student to also do their personal best!

Have a great week!
Mrs. Borg