Pancakes and Pajamas

What a fun day in the Lily Pad!  Friday was our annual 3rd grade pancake breakfast AND we added to the fun by making it a pajama day, too!  As students entered the classroom, parents busied themselves making piles of pancakes.  There was no shortage of food or fun! Of course, this event could not have been possible without our amazing parents!  Thank you to all of you who donated items for our breakfast and for those who were able to donate their time.  You are truly appreciated!

Whipped cream makes everything better

One of the youngest third graders we've seen!

As we bid adieu to September we welcome in the cooler (hopefully) days of October and a set routine and schedule. Last week we officially began our writer's workshop.  Students are working on writing personal narratives.  They have been practicing strategies for generating ideas for writing a personal narrative.  They are brainstorming people, places and things that are important to them and thinking of special moments about which to write.  

Examples of writings will be shared in the next blog post.

We will official begin reading groups this next week. Students have been practicing becoming independent readers and writers this first month of school.

This is the menu of literacy task students will choose from during literacy time.

Listening to Reading on the Computer

Listening to Reading by an adult

Working on Writing

Read to Self

Read to Someone

Listening to Audio Books

This next week, a calendar will come home.  This will be used for students to record the minutes they are reading at home everyday and the minutes they are practicing math facts.  We ask that at this point children are reading 15 to 20 minutes a day and practicing math facts 5 minutes daily.  The calendar should be signed and returned to school by the end of October.

Volunteer Opportunities
Here are sometimes you may consider helping out in the classroom:

Math time: This is first thing in the morning and we could especially use help on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday morning.  Tuesday and Thursday math begins at 8:20 and Wednesday math begins at 8:00.  Our block lasts about 65-75 minutes.

Literacy Time: We have literacy everyday right after lunch and our block lasts between 90 to 120 minutes.  This includes both reading and writing.  We are looking for volunteers to help by reading to children and listening to children read.  We also need help supporting students during our writing block.
Monday, Wednesday and Friday the Literacy block begins at 11:30 and last until 1:00 on Mondays and 1:30 on Wednesday and Friday. on Tuesday and Thursday our literacy block begins at 11:55 and goes until 1:30.
Reminder: PHOTO DAY IS MONDAY and Marquette Mile forms are due Friday.  Consider ordering a shirt for your child.  This is not only a fundraiser but most children get shirts.

Lunch Bunch Opportunities:
Students enjoy opportunities to spend time out of the lunchroom by participating in lunch bunches.  This is an opportunity for an adult and a small group of students to eat lunch and talk or play simple games.  Some ideas are a chess club, a card playing club, an apples to apples club or a social gathering to discuss ideas.

If any of these ideas sound like something you would like to help with, PLEASE let me know and we can hone the schedule more closely.

Finally, Farmer's market field trip forms due this week.


Upcoming Events

• MAPS testing - Monday, Oct 2
• Monday, September 30 - School Picture Day 
• Wednesday, October 9 - field trip to the Farmer's Market
• October 10 - making stone soup
• October 17 - Trip to the Overture Center to see Dr. Kaboom!
• October 18 - Marquette Mile (1:30)
• October 20 - PTG Packers and Pumpkins
• October 24, 25 - No School for Students