Happy Thursday! I am sending the newsletter a day early because we have an important time-sensitive request (see "Ohlone Day volunteers" below). It’s been a fun and busy week. This week, students delved deeper into their study of fractions. It’s been both challenging and fun. We’ve learned about Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, and Cyrus Field.  Each student has chosen a topic for their nonfiction book/research report and has started their research and note-taking. Students have been studying the different Native American groups that lived in different regions in California. We’ve been learning about the plants and animals that were important parts of their lives. We also did some reading, writing, and art inspired by MLK Jr. On Thursday, the class enjoyed an Art in Action lesson using chalk pastels to create a dark scene. They had so much fun blending the pastel and working with perspective in their art.  These are only a few of the week’s highlights. 

Curriculum for next week:
Math - Geometry (polygons, quadrilaterals, classifying shapes)

Spelling- (suffixes -ed, -ing): carried, changed, creating, introduced, relied, sharing, taking, using

Grammar - irregular verbs

Vocabulary- astronauts, cassette, CD, cylinder, magnetic, MP3, stereo

Reading - Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White 

 

Extra Credit Option: "The History of Hot Chocolate"

Announcements:

We have just found out that we received the funding for an incredibly fun and enriching Ohlone Day!  The only thing that is a bit of a challenge is that it is going to be on Tuesday, January 22 and we need parent volunteers!  We are hoping to have 5 volunteers from each class.  You will lead a small group through an Ohlone activity.  It is right here on campus at Green, it is easy, and a lot of fun!  Please email me and let me know if you will be able to volunteer on Tuesday from 8:15-12:00. *We may have to cancel last minute due to weather/scheduling so please do not take the day off of work to do this.  I'd hate for you to do that and then have to cancel on you.   Thank you so much!!

 

Please note that the writing packets will be coming home each Monday instead of Friday. I was only sending them home before the weekend in case students needed the extra time to get a head start on their writing. However, it seems a lot of packets are getting lost (I had to copy ten extra packets due to ones getting lost over this past weekend). I never mind copying extra for students, but the number of lost packets over the weekend is a sign there must be a better way. ️ If you would like the packet early each week so your child can get an early start over the weekend, please let me know and I will give it to your child before they leave on Friday.  *Because of the short week next week, there will not be a writing packet for homework. 

The third grade is so fortunate to have a visit by a local author/illustrator. Irma Grant will be visiting the third graders on to share her book titled. If you would like to purchase a signed copy of the book ahead of time, please fill out the bottom of the flyer that was sent home earlier this week and send it in with $10. Irma will collect this ahead of time so she can have the signed books ready by her visit. 

We will not have school on:
Monday, January 21st (MLK Jr. Day) 
Friday, February 1st (Staff Development Day)

If you’d like your child to take the GATE test, please use the following link to sign him/her up.  Testing will be during the school day. The test is approximately 2.5 hours. You will need to submit a permission slip online by January 24th via this link: GATE Permission link  Unfortunately, they will not accept late entries so please make sure you fill this out no later than 1/24.