Miss Liddle's Classroom - 'Liddle' Updates

information for incoming 3rd graders

6/14/2017

Welcome to Grade 3! In order to prepare for the year, I have attached the supply list and summer work information for incoming third graders. My goal for your child this summer is to continue reading regularly, while staying sharp on basic comprehension skills. Reading at least 15-20 minutes a day is my recommendation!
The required reading for the summer will consist of any (not previously read) Magic Tree House book, in addition to any books that your child has found on his or her Accelerated Reader “bookshelf” (basically, any books that fall in your child’s ZPD level). ***If your child is new and does not have an account set up through Accelerated Reader, using a Magic Tree House book (or a book of a comparable reading level for the 2nd report is fine! Students will complete a report tailored to Magic Tree House books, as well as another report that will be completed using a second book choice. My summer challenge is for students to read more than the required Magic Tree House book and record all the “places” they have traveled in their stories on a type of passport!
Students NEED consistent review of addition and subtraction problems over the summer. Practice of fact families of 10 (i.e. numbers that add to 10 and are subtracted from 10) is very helpful. Multiplication and division is a large focus in Grade 3, so being familiar with doubles facts is especially helpful; however, during the school year, memorization of facts will be CRUCIAL!! It’s never too early to start with flash cards!
Although there is no math packet work to complete, I encourage children to start each day this summer with a math problem you can easily provide. Keeping track in a notebook isn’t necessary, but may serve as a means for you to review and determine areas where more practice is needed.
I appreciate all that you do to work with and encourage your child over the summer!

Lastly, for any students who do not live in Warwick, the following books for Reading/Language Arts will need to be picked up from your own town.
Scott Foresman Reading Street 3.1 (Pearson)
ISBN 978-0-328-45562-1
and
Scott Foresman Reading Street 3.2 (Pearson)
ISBN 978-0-328-45563-8
Have a safe and relaxing summer!
Miss Liddle

School's Out for summer.......almost!!

6/14/2017

Well, 3rd grade, it's sure been a fun and busy few weeks, but we made it!! 3rd graders have worked very hard completing Charlotte's Web, Pollyanna (for read aloud), and especially our autobiographies! Please make sure you take the time to look through and find a special spot for the autobiographies--students worked hard in a short amount of time and they are very fun to look at years from now. The class can confirm, I showed them my autobiography, written in 4th grade!
Our class party was a huge success thanks to all of those who kindly brought in different treats for us to share and special thanks to Mrs. Gioffreda for helping with planning and serving.
This has been such a fast year--there has not been one month that hasn't felt like a total blur, which is a good thing because it meant we were so focused that we didn't feel like time was dragging!
I hope you all have a wonderful and safe summer! See you in the Fall!!

March Came in Like Lion!

3/5/2017

With the week of absolutely beautiful weather we were so lucky to have during February vacation, these past few days have felt bitter cold....I want the Lamb to come! Isn't it funny though, similar to the weather, this is how we are entering the Lenten season, with faith and hopefulness of the coming of Easter, and with that a change within the Church and ourselves!

This past Friday and for the next 4 Fridays, we come together as a school community in the gym to meet with Fr. Matt and journey through the Stations of the Cross. This is a time for sacrifice--sometimes losing time at a special (major sacrifice for some students) but truly a time to give time to God and reflect on the greatest sacrifice we can imagine.
If you have not had a chance to attend the Living Stations at the church, I highly recommend you mark your calendars for this event, as it is another opportunity to quietly reflect on Jesus' sacrifice for the world as the 8th graders portray a tableau scene of each station.

In the classroom this week, we are anticipating a math test, to wrap up our chapter on multiplication, for either Wednesday or Thursday. However, this doesn't mea we're finished with multiplication.....we're moving on to division, which is the inverse operation. Students have been working hard to create and study flash cards, which should be kept in their back packs at all times, so that on Friday we are able to get started with Rocket Math to help reinforce memorization and increase speed.

On Wednesday we are lucky enough to have a visiting performance of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. In preparation for this performance, we will take some time on Monday and Tuesday to begin reading the book in class---perhaps to be finished at a later time! To help defray the costs of the tickets for each student, we held one dress down earlier last month, and we will be having another dress down for St. Patrick's Day. All of those proceeds are going towards tickets, but there is still a $3 fee per child. Please send in the $3 ASAP so I can mark students as paid and send the money to the office! If money is sent in with a sibling, please send a note so that all children will be marked.

We are also preparing for a Science test on Ch. 10, which has focused on states of matter and how to measure properties of matter. Please encourage your child to review parts of the chapter nightly so they are feeling confident and well-prepared for the test on Friday!!

The Time Has Come!

1/24/2017

The time has come to send in re-registration packets for the 2017-2018 school year! The best way to get a jump-start on preparations for next year is to return your child's packet to reserve their spot!!

In addition to re-registration packets, the school is also preparing for another major Box Tops Battle! 3rd grade is lucky to have a slight advantage against the rest of the school since we are such a small class. Let's see if we can reign supreme for another challenge!!

For upcoming planning:

School Choice Event at the RI State House is this Thursday, Jan. 26th. There is a bus leaving from school at 11:45, which will return around 3:30. You are welcome to join with your child on the bus if you would like to attend this event.
Catholic School's Week is kicking off this coming Sunday at 10:30 am Mass on Sunday, Jan. 29, 2017.
As part of a school service project for Catholic School's Week, each grade has been assigned certain items to bring in that will be put into care packages nd distributed to local shelters for those who are less fortunate. Grade 3 is asked to bring in travel size packages of tissues and hand sanitizer. You can send in the items throughout this week and next week!

...Another Year Over, A New One Just Begun...

1/3/2017

With every "milestone' that is hit during the school year, I always find myself saying, "I can't believe _________ has already come and gone!" This is exactly how I feel about the whole first trimester! It's as if we blinked and BOOM here we are in the 2nd trimester! Christmas is just a thing of the past and now we're on track for Easter!

Grade 3 was very busy before vacation tying up some loose ends in various subjects so that we would be ready to delve into other new and exciting topics upon our return to school. One topic, in particular, that many of the students have been looking foward to is multiplication---so here we are: Ready and rearing to go with multiplication facts!

At this point, I like to remind parents that one key part to truly mastering multiplication is through memorization of facts! This is something that you can do even while in the car or whenever you have a bit of free time! As we get a little further into the multiplication chapter, we will also begin with Rocket Math in the classroom to help speed up our accuracy with facts.

We have completed our chapter on Rock and Minerals in science, and we are now ready to learn all about the different states and properties of matter. This chapter will lead us into changes in matter, such as the difference between chemical and physical changes. Before vacation, the students got a taste (literally) of matter changing from one state to another. As a class, students saw how salt, when added to ice, helps to melt the ice, while also making the temperature become cold enough to change a baggie of milk, sugar, and vanilla extract into icecream (ok, it was more like frozen yogurt consistency...but still tasty!).

In S.S. we completed our chapter on 4 Native American tribes and up next is a Chapter about a few different explorers and reasons behind their explorations.

Here are a few pictures I have been meaning to post. They actually serve as a nice reminder of some of the fun things we have been able to so so far this year.....the Colombus play...a reminder to the school to maintain an Attitude of Gratitude always.....and our fond farewell to Miss Davidson and Mr. Clarkin!

I've Got Plenty To Be Thankful For....

11/13/2016

Believe it or not, the Thanksgiving Season is here! Of course, that also means that Christmas isn't far away either!! I'm not sure where September or October went, but time sure is flying.

Third grade has been hard at work over the past few weeks. We were lucky to have 2 perfectly prepared volunteers who represented us on All Saints' Day! We also had an opportunity to participate in our school's mock election last week, which gave us a chance to discuss a few of the people working in our local government, as well as the importance of getting one's own voice heard.

Students are progressing nicely in our chapter in math focused on addition. Most of what we are covering now is still a review from last year. My main recommendation for all students is daily continued practice with facts of 10 and doubles. Having those facts memorized will not only help significantly with speed and accuracy while doing addition with multiple numbers and addends, but it will translate in recognition for subtraction, and it will also be crucial once we begin multiplication! Sumdog is a wonderful way for students to get the practice while playing educational games. However, sometimes students need a reminder that speed (i.e. finishing a game ASAP) is not the way to earn points, answers must also be correct!

As Thanksgiving break approaches, we are working hard to tie up loose ends with as many topics as possible, especially because report card time will be upon us sooner than we think! This is the time that I remind students that if they have any grades they are not satisfied with, they have the opportunity to work extra hard and their grades will reflect the added effort!

Lastly, St. Rose is helping to collect canned goods to help our church make Thanksgiving baskets, which will be given to less fortunate families. Grades 3, 4, and 5 have been asked to contribute cranberry sauce, stuffing mix (boxed or bagged), and turkey gravy. Naturally, any donation item you are able to send in will be greatly appreciated!!

Land Ho!

10/4/2016

Can it really be October already?! Grade 3 has been so busy since the start of the school year, it hardly feels like we have been in school for a whole month--and the fun is just about to begin!!

One project grade 3 has been working on particularly hard is our Columbus skit. In collaboration with Señora Gomez, students have been practicing Spanish dialogue, all while learning about Columbus' journey as he explored the seas looking for a different route to the Indies. As you should have seen the invitation in your student's folder, parents and grandparents are invited to enjoy our skit on Tuesday, October 11th, at either 8:30am or 1:15pm. If you think you are able to join, please RSVP to jliddle@saintroseschool.com so I will have an estimated headcount.
Students are really excited for these performances!! Students are permitted to bring a white (or neutral colored) t-shirt to school for the day of the show (can be worn under school shirt in the morning). Boys are fine to wear either formal uniform pants or the warm weather shorts. Girls can wear black leggings or warm weather skort.

The list below is a combination of some topics I discussed at Open House and other pertinent information about upcoming events/goings-on in Grade 3

I have been lenient with students as far as writing in cursive for this past month, but we need to start making a transition to full-time cursive. Each student has a practice/review packet in their desk, and I will be sending home additional practice packets for those who appear to need additional review.
Please make sure to check folders regularly. I may not send home corrected papers nightly, but there are often important papers to look over. Student's homework should be in folders, which are then returned to school daily. This has already be a problem on occasion for some students--not a good habit to form this early in the year! I ask that you help encourage your child to be a responsible student who is prepared for class with their folder and therefore work be tuned in everyday.
Students forgetting homework will result in Homework Notices that will need to be signed and returned with the missing homework completed. Failure to modify work ethic may result in further consequences, such as detention.
Students all have a Spelling City account. There was a small glitch to the system, but everything has been straightened out and students are able to access their accounts for games!!
At the time of Open House there were 3 different papers that needed to be filled out and returned. I sent home the papers to individuals who were still missing forms because they were not at Open House. Most papers have been returned, a few are still missing. I will send home another copy of the missing papers. Please check folders and return completed papers ASAP!!

OTHER REMINDERS:
*Meadow Farms Fundraiser--a great way to help raise money for the school while earning some cool prizes (and getting a jump start on Christmas shopping)! Orders due back to school on October 17th.
*Join us on November 4th, at Warwick Country Club for the school auction. Tickets are $50 per person. If you, or someone you know, would be willing to donate an item or act as a sponsor, please see your Weekly Parent Email from Mrs. Izzi for the sponsor sheet.
*Grade 3 will be collecting items for a "Tailgating" theme basket for the auction. A list of suggested items went home last week. Please send in items ASAP!!
*BOX TOPS!!!! We need Box Tops! There is a school-wide competition starting now and running until Halloween for the top 2 classes to collect the most Box Tops per student. We can do this!!
*Paul Effman music lessons began on October 4th. It's not too late to sign up if you have a student hoping to learn an instrument--lessons for beginners are from 2:15-2:45. Students can be picked up from the front of the building, others will be sent to Kids Haven.

In grades 1-3 we learn to read, grades 4-6 we read to learn!

4/24/2016

READING WEEK IS HERE!!!

Here's a look at the week's schedule of events:
There are quite a few fun things that will be taking place over the course of this week, but as you already know, what better way to start off Reading Week than with a Read-a-Thon!
Tuesday students may come to school dressed as their favorite book character--this is sure to be very interesting!
Wednesday we will have a guest reader come in for a visit.
Thursday our class is lucky enough to go on the field trip to BayView to see their spring show, and in the afternoon we will do our Buddy Reading with Pre-K 4!
As a perfect ending to Reading Week, Friday is Grandparent's Day. Grandparents can join us at school in the morning and visit the classroom and check out all the biography projects. We will then join together for Mass and early dismissal (grandparents CANNOT transport children to church from school and students must be dismissed from school following mass).

I know that I am looking forward to getting back into the normal routine with students, since we have completed the Terra Novas! Students worked very hard and followed all the rules which made for 2 smooth weeks of testing!

It's Beginning to look a lot like....spring?!

4/4/2016

Well, if you had asked me on Saturday if I thought Spring was just on the brink of emerging....those flowers starting to bud, gras turning green, and the urge to wear only a sweatshirt....I would have said YES! This snow has certainly changed my opinion!! Hopefully, this is just Mother Nature's way of pulling a belated April Fool's Day joke on the world!

Today your child completed 2 practice tests, which are not scored, to help prepare for up-coming testing. Over the course of the next 2 weeks, students in grades 3-7 will be completing the Terra Nova standardized tests. As the note I sent home mentioned, these scores are in NO WAY reflected in your child's report card grades. However, I highly recommend that during this time, you work to encourage your child to go into the testing with a positive attitude (seeing as there are areas of content that may not have been taught yet). The last thing I want is for the children to get too stressed out over the testing; they just need to try their best and take their time. An additional part of being a well-prepared and high functioning test taker revolves around students getting a little extra rest at night (all testing is done in the morning hours before lunch) and coming to school having had something for breakfast (BRAIN FUEL!!!).

Last week I mentioned that I wanted to do a S.S. test before we went on April vacation, but this is a little more difficult because the teachers do NOT assign homework during the weeks of testing. In order to accomplish this, I will be doing an in-class review again, and students will complete a short open-book test in class on Friday. Although this is not "assigned" home work, students will be allowed to take home their S.S. book Wednesday and Thursday night so that they can do a little re-reading of the chapter to help prepare them on Friday. On this Friday, we will not be doing any testing due to First Friday Mass at 9am. Our class will get an opportunity to attend a reception after Mass because we did not have an opportunity after we hosted mass during Lent--a great treat after Week 1 of testing!!

Remember to think warm, sunny, spring-like thoughts...let's get this snow melted ASAP!!!

Earth's Saddest Day and Gladdest Day Were Just 3 Days Apart...

3/28/2016

It's hard to believe that the Easter Season has already come and gone! I hope that you all had a blessed Easter and had an opportunity to spend time with family especially since we were lucky enough to have an extra long weekend!

It is also hard to believe that we are moving out of the 2nd Trimester and entering in the the last trimester of the school year! This is a crucial time for students to really buckle down with their studies and end the year with their best foot forward. We are going to begin a biography project very shortly, and this will lead us into a project that students last year really enjoyed.....writing autobiographies! While the biography project is mainly an independent assignment, the autobiography will be completed in small portions in class for the most part!

This week will be another short week, so we will take a spelling test on Thursday using the words that we began practicing last week. We will continue our practice in division, but it is VERY important that students continue to review multiplication facts. Students are getting some time in class to review through Rocket Math (timed tests). We had a short chapter in Social Studies, and with some review in class and studying at night, I think they should be ready for a test on Thursday, which is my goal before we have another long weekend!

Author

Hello! My name is Miss Liddle. I graduated from Rhode Island College. I have been teaching for 3years, although this is my second year in 3rd grade. I am also a graduate from St. Rose!

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