April 22-26

Reading Camp

We are getting a lot of volunteers for Reading Camp--THANK YOU! You will find that it is a favorite day of the kids and volunteers. We could still use a few more volunteers so please join us if you can. The camp date is May 31st.

M-Step Practice Items and Tools

There is a practice site for M-Step and the link is on our ItsLearning pages. If this is your first child to take the M-Step, you would benefit from going through the practice items with your child. We will practice using the tools at school, but please have your child demonstrate the tools for you. These are designed to help children track reading and make notes for themselves. Being able to fluently use these tools will be important for students.

Charlton Park

Our field trip is approaching quickly! May 6th is a Monday so mark your calendars as we are sometimes forgetful on Monday mornings! Please remember:
          *Bus leaves at 8:00 a.m. Please have your student at school at 7:45 a.m.
          *Your child will need a brown bag lunch. Please make sure all items are 
            disposable.
          *Students will need a morning snack and afternoon snack that will be eaten
            on the bus rides there and back.
          *No money is needed for your child. There is no gift shop.
          *Electronics are allowed on the bus, but there is no wi-fi. Please label all
            electronics (piece of tape with name works great). Please no phones that
            can make calls.
           *We will arrive back at school around 3:15.

Ren Baldwin Tech Festival

All informational books have been submitted to the technology festival. The technology festival will be held at the high school on the evening of May 10th. It is a lot of fun to drop by and  see your child's project and all the amazing work that St. Joe students have created. Your child will enjoy seeing what others, all the up to 12th grade, have created. The festival begin at 6:00 and ends at 7:30.

Track Meet

The track meet is scheduled for May 10th. Specific times will come later, but feel free to stop by and see us. This year the track meet will be at Upton Middle School because of issues with the high school track. All students will participate in the 100 m dash, 60 m dash, standing long jump, and running long jump. 4 boys and 4 girls are selected from each class to participate in the relay race. 

          

Next Week's Schedule:

Monday: B Day
Tuesday: C Day
Wednesday: D Day
Thursday: E Day
Friday: F Day

Upcoming Events:

May 6: Charlton Park
May 10th: Track Meet at Upton

What we've been up to:

Reading: We have been working on cause and effect and making connection during reading. We just completed a Reader's Theater and were able to perform in various classrooms in our building. 

Word Study:  We just finished our study of words ending with -ed and -ing. Our next test will be Friday, May 3rd over words with suffixes. 

Math: We are nearing the end of our fraction unit. Students should be quite comfortable comparing fractions and showing fractions on a number line.

Science: Will will begin our discussion on Animals Through Time. 
Social Studies: Our social studies test will be Monday over chapter 4. There is a paragraph to write so please check in on your child's planning for this paragraph.
Writing: We have started to study important issues in Michigan and will write persuasive essays about these topics. 

Week of April 15th-19th

Reading Camp

Letters for Reading Camp went home on Thursday. We would appreciate your help if at all possible. We will be in need of tents, canopies, and/or volunteers.  If you only have a half day to volunteer, feel free to split the day with another parent. We can help with that if you can't find anyone to share the day with. Please return the bottom portion of the slip as soon as possible. 

End of Year Testing

The window for 3rd grade testing begins on April 29th. Your child will participate in the M-Step Reading and Math Assessments for the first time this year. This is an online assessment. We will review how to use the tools for the test at school. It would be beneficial for you to check them out at home as well. In addition, to M-Step, your child will take the end of the year NWEA test.

There are two distinct differences between these tests. The M-Step assesses your child on skills that were taught during 3rd grade and before. This assessment will give you a good indication how your child is doing with grade level material in reading and math and the results will be compared to other Michigan schools and students. Again, this test only covers concepts up through the 3rd grade. The NWEA test is an adaptive test. This means that your child is given different types of questions to determine his/her level of knowledge in the area of reading and math. As your child answers questions correctly, the answers will become more in-depth and of a higher skill level. The results of this test will show you how your child is performing in the areas of reading and math and will compare them nationally to other students.

While it is important to keep students relaxed and stress-free about these tests, we also want them to put forth their best effort. In the classroom, we will be discussing strategies for keeping yourself calm during testing as well as having perseverance and grit when things feel tough. Reinforcing these ideas at home will benefit your child during these testing sessions.

Calling All Colors

All third grade classes will participate in their 2nd session of Calling All Colors this month. The dates are as follows:

Knuth: April 22nd

Deis: April 25th

Covert: April 15th

Next Week's Schedule:

Monday: C Day
Tuesday: D Day
Wednesday: E Day
Thursday: F Day
Friday: A Day

Upcoming Events:

April 22: Knuth to Calling All Colors

April 24: 1-hour Late Start

April 25: Deis to Calling All Colors 

               PTO at noon
May 6: Charlton Park
May 10th: Track Meet at Upton

What we've been up to:

Reading: We have been working on cause and effect and making connection during reading. We just completed a Reader's Theater and were able to perform in various classrooms in our building. 

Word Study:  We will continue to practice words that end in -ed and -ing. Our next test will be Thursday, April 25th. 

Math: Our focus will be on fractions this unit. Students will be identifying and representing fractions on a number line and comparing them. 

Science: Will will begin our discussion on Animals Through Time. 
Social Studies: As we continue with Michigan history, we will learn about key people that helped us to become a state as well as the process that led us from a territory to a state.

Writing: Our informational books have been submitted. Please join us at the technology festival on Friday, May 10th to celebrate their hard work! The festival will be from 6:00-7:30 at the high school. 

April 8-12

Charlton Park Field Trip

The Charlton Park field trip is scheduled for May 6th.  Here students will experience the activities of a typical 19th century community.  More information about Charlton Park can be found here. This is an all-day field trip and students will need to bring a sack lunch that day and arrive at school at 7:45 a.m. The bus leaves at 8:00 a.m. sharp so we can enjoy a full day!  

Limited chaperones are allowed due to space in the park.  If you would like to volunteer, please fill out the bottom portion of the note sent home with your child this week.  Please return by Monday! 

Reading Camp

Reading Camp is scheduled for Friday, May 31st.  We will need a great deal of volunteers for that day in order for it to happen. Activities are very easy to run as a volunteer and all materials will be set up and provided by teachers. If you only have a half day to volunteer, feel free to split the day with another parent. We can help with that if you can't find anyone to share the day with. Please watch for the volunteer sign-up note to come home soon.

St. Joseph Elementary Track Meet

Track Meet volunteers are needed for May 10th, 10am-2pm. This will take place at Upton Middle School on the track and field.  If you are able to help out that day, please e-mail Beth Lehner at bclehner@sbcglobal.net.

End of Year Testing

Just a reminder that the M-Step and NWEA testing window opens on April 29th. We will provide more information later about specific dates and times. Please remember to be sure that children get plenty of rest and a good breakfast on those days. Specific information about the tests was in last week's blog if you want to look it over.

Remember this message as well...
While it is important to keep students relaxed and stress-free about these tests, we also want them to put forth their best effort. In the classroom, we will be discussing strategies for keeping yourself calm during testing as well as having perseverance and grit when things feel tough. Reinforcing these ideas at home will benefit your child during these testing sessions.

Reminder: Calling All Colors

All third grade classes will participate in their 2nd session of Calling All Colors this month. The dates are as follows:

Knuth: April 22nd

Deis: April 25th

Covert: April 15th

Next Week's Schedule:

Monday: D Day
Tuesday: E Day
Wednesday: F Day
Thursday: A Day
Friday: B Day (1/2 day)

Upcoming Events:

April 15: Mileage Club Begin

               Covert to Calling All Colors

               Deadline to submit Technology Projects

               Dress Rehearsal for Creative Arts Festival--H.S. 5:30

April 16: Creative Arts Festival at H.S. 6:00 p.m. for evening performance

April 17: 1-hour Late Start

April 19: 1/2 Day (12:05 dismissal)

April 22: Knuth to Calling All Colors

April 24: 1-hour Late Start

April 25: Deis to Calling All Colors 

               PTO at noon
May 10: Tech Fest @ HS and Track Meet @ Upton

What we've been up to:

Reading: We are doing Reader's Theater this week!

Word Study:  We've begun soft c and hard c words this week.  Test on F Day.

Math: We've started Unit 7 and focused on fractions thus far.  Our math WINN time is focused on 2-step word problems. Please remember that multiplication is the focus in 3rd grade and the facts need to be memorized. If your child is struggling with this, please continue to practice a few facts each night until your child can recall the facts without counting or using strategies to solve.

Science: Before spring break, our unit on Force was completed.
Social Studies: As we continue with Michigan history, we will learn about key people that helped us to become a state as well as the process that led us from a territory to a state.

Writing: We are finalizing our informational books on BookCreator (due Friday 4/12) and will be submitting to the technology fest by Monday!

Returning From Spring Break--April 8

We would like to welcome everyone back from what we hope was a very relaxing and restful spring break. it is always nice to have that week to get ready for the end of the year activities of the spring. We have only 9 weeks left of school--so hard to believe! The year has gone so fast.

• Reading month was a huge success. We would like to thank Mrs. Bacolor for organizing such fun activities for the month. The kids loved ending with the p.j day and a fun movie to celebrate.
• Mrs. Knuth's Class and Mrs. Deis' Class had a lot of fun at the planetarium. Mrs. Covert's class will be attending on April 10th. The bus for the planetarium leaves at 8:45 so it is important to be to school on time. We are so lucky to have our own planetarium in St. Joe so our children can learn about our solar system.

PTO & Parents--THANK YOU!!!

The third grade teachers would like to send a very heartfelt thank you to all of you! Our PTO has provided us with funds to purchase sets of high quality literature that provides an opportunity for students to analyze literature, practice important reading skills while reading authentic literature, participate in book discussions, form and backup opinions about text, and build vocabulary. This is such a wonderful opportunity for our 3rd graders. It is important to remember that this money comes from your donations through Paws on the Path. Your donations, your support, and our PTO is what make St. Joe a wonderful place to send your children to school. So, from Mrs. Covert, Mrs. Deis, and Mrs. Knuth--THANK YOU!

Reading Camp

We will be setting a date soon for our annual reading camp. We will need a great deal of volunteers for that day in order for it to happen. Activities are very easy to run as a volunteer and all materials will be set up and provided by teachers. If you only have a half day to volunteer, feel free to split the day with another parent. We can help with that if you can't find anyone to share the day with. Please watch for the note to come home at the end of the week.

End of Year Testing

The window for 3rd grade testing begins on April 29th. Your child will participate in the M-Step Reading and Math Assessments for the first time this year. This is an online assessment. We will review how to use the tools for the test at school. It would be beneficial for you to check them out at home as well. In addition, to M-Step, your child will take the end of the year NWEA test.

There are two distinct differences between these tests. The M-Step assesses your child on skills that were taught during 3rd grade and before. This assessment will give you a good indication how your child is doing with grade level material in reading and math and the results will be compared to other Michigan schools and students. Again, this test only covers concepts up through the 3rd grade. The NWEA test is an adaptive test. This means that your child is given different types of questions to determine his/her level of knowledge in the area of reading and math. As your child answers questions correctly, the answers will become more in-depth and of a higher skill level. The results of this test will show you how your child is performing in the areas of reading and math and will compare them nationally to other students.

While it is important to keep students relaxed and stress-free about these tests, we also want them to put forth their best effort. In the classroom, we will be discussing strategies for keeping yourself calm during testing as well as having perseverance and grit when things feel tough. Reinforcing these ideas at home will benefit your child during these testing sessions.

Calling All Colors

All third grade classes will participate in their 2nd session of Calling All Colors this month. The dates are as follows:

Knuth: April 22nd

Deis: April 25th

Covert: April 15th

Next Week's Schedule:

Monday: E Day
Tuesday: F Day
Wednesday: A Day
Thursday: B Day
Friday: C Day

Upcoming Events:

April 15: Mileage Club Begin

               Covert to Calling All Colors

               Deadline to submit Technology Projects

               Dress Rehearsal for Creative Arts Festival--H.S. 5:30

April 16: Creative Arts Festival at H.S. 6:00 p.m. for evening performance

April 17: 1-hour Late Start

April 19: 1/2 Day (12:05 dismissal)

April 22: Knuth to Calling All Colors

April 24: 1-hour Late Start

April 25: Deis to Calling All Colors 

               PTO at noon

What we've been up to:

Reading: We have been working on comparing and contrasting and reading some great books that were purchased from our wonderful PTO.

Word Study:  We have been practicing with our gi, ge, gy, and hard g words. Test will be early this week. Please check your child's planner for the exact day as the classrooms vary by a day or two.

Math: We have completed our unit 6 math unit. We will now begin unit 7 which will focus on. Please remember that multiplication is the focus in 3rd grade and the facts need to be memorized. If your child is struggling with this, please continue to practice a few facts each night until your child can recall the facts without counting or using strategies to solve.

Science: Before spring break, our unit on Force was completed.
Social Studies: As we continue with Michigan history, we will learn about key people that helped us to become a state as well as the process that led us from a territory to a state.

Writing: This week it is important that we finalize informational writing. If your child needs additional time to complete his/her chapters, please find time at home or allow your child to come in early to our lab.  Our goal is to have these ready for the Technology Festival April 14th.