The First Week
We had a great first week! Transition to 3rd grade and all the new demands that being a “big kid” can bring, are tough but this class handled it like champs. I am so excited for the year and all the new stuff we will learn. If there is anything you want to know or you are wondering about please ask in the comments. Weeks are so full of great stuff that I often find myself at a loss for what to say in these newsletters. I will do my best to only email you once a week (sometimes bi-weekly). I know that you get inundated with emails from CSS. I really hope that you can find the time to read mine so that you can know all the important details.
All School Storyline
This year our all school storyline will be using the book The Starry Messenger. It is about the life of Galileo Galilei and how he spent his life using critical thinking skills. We will spend the whole year flexing our critical thinking muscles and looking at different ways to do that. We will focus on 1) Asking Questions 2) Challenging Assumptions 3) Thinking About Thinking 4) Seeking Evidence 5) Considering Other Ideas.
Worktime
In my classroom we spend a large portion of the day in something that I call Worktime. We have 3 different sections of Worktime. Storyline Worktime, is a chunk of time where we work on Storylines, writing and exploring our passions. Math Worktime, a time where we spend learning new skills, practicing old skills and looking for ways to put our learning into practice by following what interests us in Math. Daily 5, a time where we work on what makes us better readers and writers. Students spend time reading and writing what they believe are important texts as well as working with me individually and in small groups to improve on reading and writing skills. What all three times have in common is that it is time spent with a lot of choice about what they are learning. You will find me in front of the whole class for a small period of time just pointing out the nuts and bolts of the session. Showing them where to find supplies, reminding them of due dates or showing them examples of work. The rest of the time is spent with students making choices. They have certain assignments that must get done during the week, some easy and some more challenging. I meet with individuals and small groups teaching the necessary skills to complete the assignments. This model allows me to group kids based on their needs and appropriately challenge all students for the maximum amount of personal growth in all subjects. This freedom is amazing for some students and other students find it more challenging but by the end of the year all of them will be experts of managing their own worktime.
Volunteers
Volunteers are the heart and soul of our school. We are so fortunate to have so many parents willing and able to come into the classroom to help out. The way that I use volunteers is primarily in book groups and field trips. Book groups will start in January and they are a really fun way for students to get some small group attention with an adult and learn how to interact with a book. They are super fun, some say even more fun that the book group you might have with your own friends. I will start recruiting for Volunteers in December. Field trips come on an as needed basis. Our new Principal would like to minimize Field Trips with parent drivers. I am in favor of that change as those trips make me incredibly nervous (if not for the bleach I think I would be completely gray from field trips;). We will try our best to take Trimet and School Buses if possible.If you have an idea about how you want to contribute, please let me know.
Random Notes
If you have an extra fan around your house we would love to borrow it for a couple of weeks.
They are itching to have stuff for the invention center. Although what they were able to create with extra laminate alone was pretty impressive.
Ok that got long fast, sorry I promise to be more brief in the future and please let me know if there are specific things you want to hear about.
Allison
The First Day of School
Hello All,
I was glad to see so many of you at the picnic. I am so excited for another year of 3rd grade. The room is ready, all of my stuff is ready all we have to do is just get started. A few things to keep in mind for the 1st day of school.
1. Please send your child with their supply money (if you haven’t dropped it off already). $15, cash or check. You can write the checks out to Creative Science School.
2. Your kids are now in the big kid hallway, which means a couple of new things. You no longer need to drop them off or pick them up. You are of course welcome any day during those times but if you are in a hurry or have younger kiddos to drop off they can make it here on their own. I will ask that on the first day you come to the class to pick them up. After that you should make a plan with your child about where you want to meet them after school. It is fine if you want them to stay in the room and wait for you. You can have them walk to a siblings classroom or they can meet you out front. One nifty trick is to park out behind the playground and then have them come out the back door and meet you. Whatever you decide is fine with me but it should be a plan with you and your child.
3. They will get a packet on the first day of school with their reg forms and all manner of other stuff to look at and sign. It would be so helpful if you could get that back to us ASAP.
I’m sure there is stuff I am forgetting and if there is anything you want to know just comment on here or send me an email.
-Allison
Message from the Library:
Hello 2014-15 3rd Grade Families
Hey Guys,
We are almost ready to go, I can’t believe the summer is almost over. You are welcome to check out any of the posts on the site but they were posts that I wrote for last year’s class. You should however, definitely check out My Super Long Policy On Homework. I promise it’s not as terrible as it sounds, also not that long;) It just explains what I am planning to do and the reasons why. Last year families were very pleased with this version of homework and I was over the moon.
I hope you all can make it to the picnic on the 27th but if you can’t make it and want to drop by I will be in and out of the building all next week (18th-22nd) and then of course the week after that. Let me know if you want to come by and I will make sure that I am in the building.
I will have emailed out the link to this post to the email addresses that are listed on Synergy. If you want me to send it to a different address, include the grandparents or spouses, or take an email address off the list let me know. If you see that a friend of yours should have received this email but did not please forward it to them. If you got a forward from your friend please email me at ahalvors@pps.net to get yourself on the list.
The slideshow
I feel pretty impressed with myself that I was able to figure this out, sort of.
Thanks to everyone who brought me gifts on the last day of school. It was so nice. I will miss you all next year but 4th grade will be awesome!
It’s the Final Countdown!
Hey all here are some important dates and times as we finish the school year.
1. Field Day – Thursday June 5th at 1:00. We are going to do the super fun processional so if you can come by it will be fun.
2. Culmination Tuesday June 10th – 1:30 in the cafeteria. They want to have snacks so please let me know if you are willing to bring a little something to share. I will get the cups, plates, napkins etc. I also need some people to help set up at 1:15 so if you are willing to do that let me know.
3. The Picnic at Mt. Tabor – Wendesday June 11th. will be leaving at 10:30 to head up there. We will picnic and play until 1:30 and then be back at school by 2:30.
4. We will be taking home ALL of our things on Thursday the 12th, prepare yourselves and your homes for this in coming stuff. It would be helpful if you could send them with a bag to pack it in too. If you have an extra paper bag or two send it along for those who forget. Thanks!
5. Last day of school – We will be having the last day of school picnic at 11:30. If you would like to come by and have lunch with us we will be out on the CSS field. You can pack your child’s lunch or you can buy one at school. We will head back into the classroom at about 12:30 to have our last celebration and goodbyes.
Volunteer Breakfast
If you are available to join us on Tuesday, June 10th please do so we can show you our appreciation.
Portland Walking Trip Details
Hey this is just a reminder about the walking trip next week.
1.) I would like to leave school at 8:30. No one said they were opposed to this so I am assuming you all agree to be at school early on the 30th.
2.) Pack lunch in a disposable container
3.) Wear good walking shoes, it is pretty challenging.
4.) We will be back at school on time. I had mentioned before that I would like it to be late but campout people need the time so we will be back as the bell rings.
The Portland Walking field trip.
Here is the itinerary for the Portland Walking Field Trip.
8:30 Leave CSS and travel to the Main Street Max Stop
8:55 Board the Green Line Max
9:15 Arrive at Rose Quarter and look at the Steel Bridge
9:42 Board a Red line Max to Providence Park
9:57 Arrive at Providence Park
10:11 Board Red line to Pioneer place
10:18 Arrive at Pioneer Place to use the bathrmoom
10:30 Walk to Voo Doo for snack
10:40 Eat Snack at Voo Doo
11:00 Leave for Skidmore Fountain and Saturday Market
11:15 Walk down the Waterfront over the Hawthorne to OMSI
11:40 Arrive at OMSI and look at Tilikum Crossing
11:55 Arrive at Vera Katz Statue
12:34 Board the street car at 5th and Market
12:44 Arrive at the Tram
1:44 We must board the street car in order to get back to school on time.
3:00 Arrive Back at school
I know these times are funny and it will not be an exercise in Military precision but we try to be on time.
Thanks!!!!
Hey guys,
Thank you so much for teacher appreciation week. I feel so fortunate to be able to teach in a building where parents and students have so much love and respect for teachers. You guys are the best, and maybe I say it every year, but I don’t think that I can remember a year where I have felt so supported. Oh also all the flowers and treats were very much appreciated as well. I know just how good I have it, believe me.
On our field trip we will be stopping at Voo Doo Doughnuts for our snack. We will be getting just the regular glazed doughnut. If your child has a dietary need and they cannot have this doughnut please let me know. I have a parent who has graciously volunteered to coordinate that for me. Thanks Sara!
Not much else to tell you other than a reminder that our Culmination is June 10th. Only 4 weeks left guys and they are jam packed!
May Update
Hello,
We are headed off to the farm today and I will post some pictures of our day there I thought I would write and check in.
1. Thank you for the feedback of not being able to find the field trip details. I will have to think of a way to name posts or structure the page so that you can quickly go back and look at the information.
2. OAKS testing will begin for the 2nd round next week. Only students who did not meet the 3rd grade bench mark will be tested again. We will test starting Wednesday of next week and then we will have another day the following week which is TBD.
3. I am sorry that the walking field trip had to be scheduled on the same day as the campout. It is a bummer but we didn’t have any choices. We have to be far enough along in the storyline to have written our articles but not so far along that we will not have time to print out the paper. Unfortunately those two things collided this week. If you are a campout parent and you are feeling like you have a million and one things to do that day I can offer you a few options to help. A) You can decide not to go on our trip we have more than enough volunteers. B) You can drive down and meet us for lunch. I haven’t determined the lunch spot just yet but this could be a crucial job so that we do not have to carry around our lunches. C.) You could drive down and meet us for 1/2 the day and then take off. I know this will be hectic for you so if you decide that you need to bow out, I think the rest of us can handle it.
4. June 10th is our culmination. Time is still TBD. Do you guys have a preference for time of day?
CSS 3rd Grade 