January 4, 2016
Happy New Year! I hope that you all had a restful break. We are headed into the third quarter of third grade and I am excited with the growth each child has made over the last several months. As we start the New Year, I want to communicate a couple of items with everyone.
This next semester I will be preparing your children for 4th grade. We will be doing a lot of critical thinking and solving problems using what we know. We will also be finding evidence in what we read to justify our answers. I have set the ground work first semester for the students to start using these skills independently. I look forward to watching them succeed.
Communication:
I will continue to update the website weekly with a blog about what we are doing in the classroom and any announcements for the week or month to come. You can also find many other resources on the website like web links for educational games, reading, and math help. There is also a page for spelling with the lists for the entire quarter 3 words. The current spelling list will always be listed on the main blog page. If you haven’t sign-up for notification of blog updates, please do this for this semester. The website is
www.tesmillersminutes.weebly.com .
Math Fact Challenge:
This semester we will be working on making our math multiplication facts automatic. Atomicity of the math facts is crucial to allowing the brain to open up for critical thinking. Did you know that just to add two fractions with unlike denominators it takes up to 14 basic math facts to complete this problem correctly? Crazy, I know. If kids are still drawing circles with dots, or using their fingers to solve basic math facts it’s hard for the brain to handle new concepts.
So, here is the challenge…between now and the end of the semester I challenge the kiddos to have their facts 0-12 memorized. We will take time tests weekly starting with the 0 & 1 facts. As your child passes with a 95% or higher they will move into the next set of facts. Each of the time tests will be 100 problems in 5 minutes. They will add the new facts to facts already learned so the kids will continue to use the facts they have already learned. The students will have a recording sheet in their math folder at school to keep track of their progress. Each week I will take a grade on the math facts on the Friday time test.
Students will be working for a brownie and ice cream sundae party. By completing levels students earn part of their sundae. Levels 0-2 equal the bottom layer, a brownie or cookie. They next two levels 3&4 equal ice cream. The rest of the facts will add a topping of choice until they reach 12 which allows for unlimited toppings…YUM!!
I will provide the ice cream and brownies. I ask that families help supply their child’s favorite toppings. We will celebrate our success on the last day of school.
Istation:
Right before Christmas break I went to a training on the Istation computer program. It is a free program offered by the State of Kansas to empower kids through literacy. The program is an adaptive curriculum that provides purposeful instruction that identifies needs and adjusts to the individual learner. Reading instruction includes phonological awareness, phonics and word analysis, vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency. We will taking the initial assessment this week during class. Then students will spend time weekly working through individual instruction. The program is set up in a “game” format so it is engaging for the students. Each month the program will reassess the student and adjust the curriculum accordingly.
I am looking forward to using this resource along with the guided reading and whole group instruction that is already established in the classroom.
As always, if you have any concerns or questions feel free to email, or call. I look forward to another semester of working together with you as a partner to best serve your children!
Missy Miller