Week 5 Update

Written by Margaret, Blogger of the Week.

Edited by Emma, October Blog Editor. 

This week was great.  We kicked butt in the NECAP using our ninja super powers. We had a review of name collection boxes in math. We are looking forward to the last day of NECAP testing. This week was the first week of desk rental, some people bought their desk.  We started a new book called The One And Only Ivan which is this years global read, so we get do Edmodo a Facebook like thing where you can talk to kids in different states. So far we are talking to kids in Illinois. We are in mini groups to talk about the book. We are also looking forward to reading and discovering more of Chasing Vermeer.  This week was great, we look forward to more!:)   

Global Read Aloud: Previewing The One and Only Ivan

Today is our first day participating in the Global Read Aloud! We watched the trailer for The One and Only Ivan by Katharine Applegate, then read the book jacket and the first few pages. Students then jotted down what they were thinking.

Here are some of our thoughts:

• Heartbreaking. A circus that only has Ivan.
• I think this book is going to be a sad book and is probably life-changing.
• Is Ivan really happy or has he just been away from the jungle where he was born so long that he thinks he's happy in a cage?
• Why does Ivan need to protect Ruby? I wonder what's going to be "heart-breaking" in this story? I wonder how Ruby's going to change Ivan's way of seeing things?
• I think The One and Only Ivan is going to be very good. When Ivan said he had no one to protect until now, does that mean when Ruby the elephant comes he protects her?
• How will Ivan meet Ruby? What is the flash of red light? Will Stella die? How is he friends with elephants if he lives in a mall?
• Ivan and Ruby are going to be best friends forever and I think Ivan will see his family and Ruby will see his family. 
• The book seems sad. I bet he will escape from the cage and save the elephant and they will have an adventure.
• Why is Ivan alone?
• What isn't as easy as it looks?
• Does Ivan want to save someone? Is the baby elephant scared? Does the elephant want someone to save him?
• I think that Ruby (the elephant) and Ivan (the gorilla) are going to become very close friends and I think that Ivan is going to take really good care of Ruby.
• I think that at sometime in the book Ivan will try to escape.
• How will Ivan protect Ruby and what will happen to the dog and the elderly elephant? How will art relate to the story?
• I wonder, is someone going to plot against Ruby? And is he going to see his duty through new eyes to save her?
• I am thinking this book will be sad and funny and smart too. 
• It seems like Ivan does not like his life and he is all alone with no one by his side to catch him when he falls but does Ivan like his life in the mall at the video game stop?
• I wonder if Ivan's going to quit the circus and go with the elephant?
• I wonder how popular the circus is?
• Is Ivan going to protect Ruby?
• I think this book is about a fantastic friendship of Ivan and Ruby.
• I think he is going to be sad and lonely. I wonder how it is hard to be a gorilla.

Thanks to Franki Sibberson's fourth grade class for the inspiration for this preview activity!

Week 4 Update

This week was so jam-packed with learning and thinking, we didn't even have time for the Bloggers of the Week to write a post! Mrs. Parkin will try to recap it for you-- please ask your child for details!

• We read several chapters in our read-aloud, Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett. Students worked on using sticky notes to track their thinking, and this week they wrote their first reading response in their Reader's Notebooks based on the book. We have 23 amazing thinkers in our class! Watch a video of students working together to try to crack the pentomino code on The Parkin Space, our Gallery of Student Learning and Thinking.

• Students took the Unit 1 math assessment and they rocked it! I will be sending it home soon. Kids should continue to practice their math facts at home. Click on the Student Resources page for games and practice quizzes on ThatQuiz.org. Our goal is to accurately answer 50 facts in three minutes (for addition, subtraction, and multiplication fact families up to 10).

• We spent time practicing our test-taking strategies ninja superpowers for the upcoming NECAP test. As a reminder, test days are Oct. 2nd-4th (Tues.-Thu.) for reading and Oct. 9th-11th (also Tues.-Thu.) for math. Testing runs from 8:30-10:00 a.m. each of those days. Please make sure your child gets plenty of sleep the night before each test and eats a healthy breakfast on the day of. These little things make a big difference! Also, students should complete the packet of 2009 released items for homework over the weekend (due Monday). They should be utilizing the strategies we learned in class, which are outlined on the pink sheet they've also brought home. Watch this video to see our test-taking strategies ninja superpowers in action! (Thanks to NECAP Ninjas Odin and Madison, and Parker and Ellie!)

•  We got some exciting news the other day-- on Oct. 11th, we will have an author Skype visit! Stephen McCranie, author of the graphic novel series Mal and Chad, will virtually visit our classroom and teach us how he creates his books. I just bought the first Mal and Chad book and already it's getting rave reviews by the students! I would love for as many kids as possible to read these books before our Skype visit, so I've added them to my Amazon wishlist. 

• Speaking of wish lists, I've updated the Wish List page. Thanks so much to those of you who have purchased books, contact paper, and stickies, and thanks too for the socks so we can erase our math slates! Your generosity of time and treasure is much appreciated. Also, thanks for filling out the volunteering form. If you still want to let me know of your availability, it's not too late! I hope to get an email out about a volunteering schedule this weekend.

Thank you for your ongoing support! 

- Mrs. Parkin

Week 3 Update

Written by: Kate
Edited by: Parker

We’ve had a fun exciting wonderful  week in Parkinville.
I hope everyone enjoyed open house. We worked really hard on our Where I’m From poems. We had all lot of fun with the Classroom Economy but we have also learned about taxes
and fines and the joy of having money. Auctions have been the number one thing on are list along with spending money. In math we are learning how to use compasses (the math kind)And we are also learning about geography. We’re working very hard at finishing the books that we start. Right now as a class we’re reading Chasing Vermeer which is about a century old mystery, we’ve been using sticky notes to experience writing are thoughts down. We’re learning the joy of having a courtyard and being outside.

I hope you liked our blog post.

Google Docs Log-in Info

Today in class, students started typing their "Where I'm From" poems. However, many students need more time to finish typing, so your child may choose to continue this weekend at home, if possible.

Students can log into their YES Google account from any computer, anywhere. They can access the Google log-in page via the YES homepage. Please email Mrs. Parkin if your child has forgotten his or her log-in and password.

I hope this helps! Feel free to email with any snaffoos. I am loving reading the kids' poems!

Happy Friday!

Week 2

[This post was written by our Blog Editor, Parker. Stay tuned for next week's update which will be written by our Bloggers of the Week! Also, please ask your child about our first payday in our classroom economy-- it was action-packed! Unfortunately, we didn't get to our auction, but we plan to catch up next week.]

Here you will find each students opinion on what we learned and did this week in school and what we are excited  about for the upcoming year.
  

- Olivia learned how to write a long poem, she did the M.A.P math testing and she is excited about band.

- Kiarah learned that it doesn’t matter if you are different, Kiarah also did the M.A.P testing and she is also excited about band.

- Emma learned how to be a better mathematician, she also did the M.A.P testing this week and she also is very excited about band

- Ellie learned about line segments, she made a Where I’m from poem and she is excited about band.

- Parker learned how to right a name for an angle with the angle sign, she wrote down lots of notes about the read aloud book Chasing Vermeer and shes very excited about reading 40 books this year.

- Madison W. learned how to be a better mathematician with patterns, she did orff with Mrs. Renton, and she is excited about band.

- Camden learned that we are going to get paid for our jobs this week, he did line segments in math and he is excited about band.

- Margaret learned about geometry, she did lots of reading and writing and she is excited about the classroom economy.

- Ned learned about vertices, he wrote poems, and he is excited about the classroom economy.

- Austin learned about geometry, and he read across Amika.

- Chase learned what right angles are, he did lots of writing and he is excited about his birthday.

- Odin learned about right angles, he wrote in his readers notebook.

- Ruben learned how to be respectful, he read lots of books and he is excited about trying new things.

-Maddy .L. learned about geometry, she listened to the book Chasing Vermeer and she is excited about the upcoming auctions.

- Lilly learned about geometry, she listened to Chasing Vermeer and she is excited about our jobs.

- Carter learned about vertices he played 4-square.

- Alex learned about line segments, he played with his friends and he is excited about his new job.

Week 1

This post was written by the students of Parkinville. Mrs. Parkin was the secretary. :)

This was a wonderful, fun, creative, exciting first week in Parkinville! It was sort of difficult to get back into the routine of school, but once we were here we were happy and excited to reconnect.

We learned how to use our Student Reference Books in math. We also learned the procedures for our new classroom, for example using our new book bins with their blue stabilizer wings. 

We did several things this week. We started a new routine of Math Workshop, where students rotated to different stations in small groups. We also learned a new song ("Ground Squirrel," a.k.a "Brown Squirrel") which we sing when we need to take a wiggle break. We wrote about superpowers we wished we had. We read some books together-- especially serious ones like Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed by Mo Willems. We watched an inspirational movie called "Caine's Arcade." We took a walk around the school and played Follow the Leader. We wrote about our hopes and dreams (on an outline of our hands), because we hope this will be the best year ever!

We are very excited about our classroom economy which will start next week! We will have jobs and earn money. However, we also have to pay expenses, like rent for our desks.  We are also excited for band and chorus. [Mrs. Parkin says, if you want to learn more about our classroom economy system, check out this link.]

It was a wonderful week in Parkinville!

Back to School!

I hope that you and your families have enjoyed this beautiful summer. I am so excited about starting this next school year with your children. Fourth grade together will be amazing!

I wanted to reach out with a couple of notes. First, I invite you all to our welcome back drop-in event this Thursday, August 30th, from 9:30-10:30. It's a great opportunity for the kids to reconnect and alleviate any back-to-school anxieties, as well as drop off their supplies. Please note that we have switched classrooms and are now in Room 302 (formerly Mrs. Colfer's room).

Second, I'd like to update our supply list. We received new desks over the summer which, while shiny and beautiful, are more limited in storage space than our desks last year. Because of this, there are some tweaks to our supply list. I am sorry to do this to those of you who have already purchased supplies! Also, we will have a communal supply system, meaning that most of the students' supplies will be shared over the course of the year. Each table group will have a caddy of supplies to use which will be replenished as the year goes on.

Here is the updated supply list. I have separated it into personal supplies (the student will use what he or she brings in) and communal supplies.

Personal supplies:

• 1 sturdy 3-prong pocket folder (for homework)
• 1 set of binder dividers with subject tabs
• 1 three-ring white binder- 1" with pockets inside

Communal supplies:

• 3 highlighters- different colors
• 1 package washable markers- fine point
• 1 dozen #2 Ticonderoga pencils
• 2 large glue sticks
• 1 package colored pencils
• 1 pair scissors
• 2 thin black flair markers (no sharpies please!)
• 1 package lined sticky notes 
• 1 box eraser tops

You do NOT need to purchase: plastic pencil box (no room!) or a 12" ruler

Optional supplies: 1 black and white composition book (we have many left over from last year)

I apologize for not getting this updated list to you sooner. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Lastly, I am in the process of updating this blog. Please check it out for news and announcements as we make our way into the school year!

I look forward to seeing you and your children on Thursday!

End of the Year Updates!

Happy Friday! I have a few brief announcements to share. These next two weeks will be action-packed!

• Monday, June 4th is the Third Grade Concert. The show begins at 7:00 p.m. but students should arrive between 6:45 and 6:55. They will wait in the classroom and we will enter as a group. I will not be in the room to supervise until 6:45. 

• Next week we are going on a field trip to the planetarium at USM. Because of the size of the planetarium, the third grade is going in two groups. Half of our class will go on Tuesday, chaperoned by Mrs. Spencer and Mrs. Colfer, and the other half will go on Wednesday with me and the other two third grade classes. See your child's permission slip (in today's Friday Folder) for the date they are attending the trip and, if applicable, their chaperone. Please let me know if you have questions about this.

• I would love some help with putting together the kids' portfolios in advance of our learning celebration next Friday. If you are available for an hour or two for photocopying, hole-punching, and/or helping students put papers in their 3-ring binders, please let me know! 

• A reminder that our Learning Celebration will be on Friday, June 8th (next week!) from 7:45-8:45 a.m. Please bring a breakfast treat to share if you can, and just email to let me know what you will bring. Also, our well-received "Wax Museum" will return for an encore performance, so please make sure your child comes wearing his or her "famous person" get-up. We look forward to seeing you! 

• The next two weeks will be exciting but BUSY! Please let me know in advance if your child will be out due to doctor's appointments or planned family absences. With so much going on in terms of assessments, end of year wrap up, etc., it is helpful to know when a child will be missing.

I think that's it for now! Please continue to monitor this blog for updates over the next two weeks. As always, thanks for your continued support. It is so rewarding to look back at the year of tremendous growth these students have made!

Biography Poems & Wax Museum

It's hard to believe, but our school year is rapidly drawing to a close! Our geography unit has now wrapped up, and the kids are excited to share their brochures, commercials, and interviews with you at our learning celebration in June!

We have jumped into a mini-unit on biographies this week. Students have chosen to research a famous person from history. They will do the research in class, then write a poem about their person. Finally, they will be creating a wax museum to share what they've learned! 

To create our wax museum, each student will need to come up with a costume and props reflective of their historical person. It does not have to be anything elaborate or expensive, but the costume should help us understand who the student is portraying. The wax museum will be showcased at Grandparents Day (9:15-11:15 a.m. this Friday, May 25th) and as part of our end of the year learning celebration.

Please let me know if you have any questions!