Week 3

2009 – 2010 Week 3

We started off with great results from the weekly spelling test. The children are also becoming more familiar with the homework format and are remembering to turn in their homework on time. Keep up the great work 3b; you are stars!

On Wednesday we had our first flag ceremony and everyone looked great in their yellow (or white) and blue .. we looked like a real team. Great job everyone!

Also on Wednesday we had our “Welcome Party”. Thanks to all the parents who prepared food and came to join us. It was a very delicious lunch!

Our story this week was “The Day Eddie Met the Author” and we discussed who we would like to meet.

In Phonics we learned how to add “-ed” and “-ing” to the end of words. Sometimes we need to drop the “e” at the end of the root word before adding “ed” for example dance becomes danced, and sometimes we need to double the consonant at the end of the root word before adding “ing”, for example hop becomes hopping.

Our grammar lesson covered commands and exclamations – a command ends with a period and is when we tell someone to do something, for example, “Please turn in your homework.” And an exclamation ends with an exclamation mark and is when we show strong feelings, for example “That was amazing!”

Our skill of the week was alphabetical order. Everyone could put words in order based on the first and second letter but many of the class are still struggling with using the 3^rd or 4^th letters. We will need to do a bit more practice over the next few weeks.

We have continued reading the African folk tale, Kabuka and the Magic Calabash. This is the story about Kabuka, a mischievous little monkey who meets Amanzi (the rain spirit) and is sent on a mission to save the world from a terrible drought. Ask your children to give you updates on Kabuka’s adventure.

In Math we have now completed Chapter 1 and most students are comfortable rounding, comparing, and ordering numbers. We can write numbers up to 999,999 in the table form, standard form, expanded form, and word form.

The Chapter 1 test will take place on Tuesday 22^nd Sept. (and not on Monday as they wrote in their homework books). We will use Monday to review Chapter one concepts and vocabulary.

Chapter 2 will start on Thursday. We will be looking at how $1, 10c (dimes), and 1c (pennies) can be written in table form. We will then learn to count out change using American money denominations of 1 cent (a penny), 5 cents (a nickel), 10 cents (a dime), 25 cents (a quarter), 50 cents (a half dollar), $1, $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100.

This is a difficult concept and seeing real American money would help. If you have any money to lend or donate to 3b please will you send it in on Monday. Thank you.

Here’s a game for you to play at home which would really help the students be able to master this difficult section.

The game is “Dollar Dunk” (based on the card game called “Go Fish”)

For this game you need:

Ten 1c cards, ten 5c cards, eight 10c cards, eight 25 c cards, and four 50 c cards (a total of 40 cards)

You can play with 2 – 4 people

Each person starts with 5 cards

The object is to put down cards which add up to $1

If the person can’t put down cards adding up to $1 they need to ask someone in the group for a card e.g. Sonia do you have any 50 c cards? ... if Sonia has, she must give the person the card ... if she doesn’t, the person must pick up a card from the extra pile of cards.

The first person to get rid of all their cards is the winner

Good Luck … may the best person win.

In Social Studies we looked at our heritage and how that influences our customs and what holiday’s we celebrate. We also learned how important laws are and how we can be responsible citizens. We will review Chapter 1 vocabulary this week and start Chapter 2 by looking at some basic map skills.

During the week a few students shared some information about themselves. This is what we learned:

Victor shared with us his toy alligator which can be registered on-line as a pet.

Jason showed us a great 3D shiny glass model which had a picture of the Beijing Olympic Stadium inside. He made it light up and it looked really awesome.

Sonia showed us her pet crab which she has kindly given to 3b as our new class pet. It is really cool and tried to climb up the side of the glass. We need to think of a name for him/her .. so let me know your ideas.

Yao showed us a clever trick, where he caught a coin after first balancing it on his elbow.

Next week we will not have presentations but I have an exciting lesson planned instead.

On Monday we will have a spelling test on all the spelling words from this past week.

Next Saturday is PTA open house and so I may not be able to update the blog next weekend. Please look in your homework notebooks for any important notes.

The UNICEF project has started and I would like to thank you all for the school supplies you have sent in for the children down south who lost so much in the recent typhoon. If you still have any pencils, erasers, colored pencils etc. at home which you don’t need please send them in before Wednesday. Thanks.

I will be sending home a sponsorship form for our Walk-a-thon which will be held on Friday 2^nd October from 5 to 6:30pm. I really hope that you can all join us and help raise money to help those far less fortunate than us.

Some of the other things happening in October as part of the UNICEF project are:

• Wednesday sales during lunch in Grade 5 (so bring money and buy some tasty snacks each Wednesday).
• There will be a coin collection competition during the week of 12-16 October. Please collect your coins and bring them to school that week.
• On Friday 16^th October from 6-9pm there is a Music night. Mrs. Levine and I are encouraging our classes to join us in performing the song “Tell me why?” by Declan Galbraith for this music night. Rehearsals will take place after school until 5pm every Tuesday and Friday until the 16^th . I hope all of 3b can join in.
• On Wednesday 28^th October from 11am to 3pm we will have our Halloween Carnival. We need to have a 3b booth and I would really appreciate your ideas for this. I hope you will all dress up and join us for this fun day.

See you on Monday, 3b!

Mrs.DB