Report Cards will be coming home in backpacks on Wednesday, 11/25 (early dimissal is at 1:00 p.m. that day).  Conference reminders were sent home in backpacks yesterday.  If you cannot make your conference time, please contact me to reschedule.  Thank you! 

Thank you to all of the 3T families who ordered books during the month of November through Scholastic Book Clubs.  Due to the totals of our November order, we have earned 13 FREE books for our classroom library, which should be coming in soon.  THANK YOU!

Browse all the great monthly Book Club selections at low prices and order online. Plus, our class earns a FREE book every time a parent orders online.

Here’s how it works:

1. Use the information below to access the Scholastic Book Clubs Web site.
2. Browse the titles with your child and place your order with your credit card.
3. Your order will come to me, and your credit card payment will go directly to Scholastic’s secure server. There’s no need to send money to school.
4. After I submit the entire class order to Scholastic, your order will be delivered to our classroom for your child to take home.

To get started, go to the Web address below and enter our class’s personalized user name and password in the sign-in fields on the right side of the page. Note: You do not need to create your own user name and password.

www.scholastic.com/bookclubs

User Name: turschmann

Password: school

Ordering online is the most convenient way to use Scholastic Book Clubs. You can order anytime, right up until the online order due date. You’ll also get instant access to over 500 additional titles plus online-only specials and discounts.

And don’t forget: Every time a parent places an order online, we earn a FREE book for our classroom library!  All orders are due on Friday, November 13th.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

This morning, the third grade watched the Stranger Danger video and answered questions about what to do when a stranger approaches. We want to stay safe! Please make sure that you have a plan with your child so that they know what to do if they are ever in danger.

It is extremely important that all students memorize their home address, phone number, and know what to do in case of an emergency.

We also met the newest member of the Darien Police Department.  He’s a two year old German Shepherd named Zulu and is part of the first Darien K9 team.  He has been specially trained to help Officer Nick Aranzullo.

The most recent edition of Reading Connections has been posted:

Reading Connections- November

We have started our practice of cursive letters.  We will practice two letters twice per week.  The two letters we practice in class will also be part of our homework that night.

If you need help, please click on the link to the right under “Blogroll” which is labelled “Cursive- Animated”.  This is a great website that animates  each letter so that you can write it correctly.

Do you need help with the slant of your paper or how to hold your pencil correctly?  Please use the two documents below:

Cursive Left Handed

Cursive- Right Handed Writers

Here’s what is currently going on in 3T:

Reader’s Workshop:  As a group, we are reading Angel Child, Dragon Child by Michele Maria Surat.  We’ve learned about characters, setting, problems, solutions, story mountains, and climax.  We’ve discussed similes (comparisons using “like” or “as”) and personification.  When we read our own books during independent reading, we are trying to identify the same literary elements as we read.  It’s great when a 3T classmate says,  “I found a simile!”.

Writer’s Workshop:  We are currently working on personal narratives.  Writing about yourself is not easy!  We’ve discussed beginnings, main events, endings, and using descriptive detail.  We’ve learned that a short story is never short and we’re trying to write strong stories that are 2 1/2 to 3 pages long.  Wow, that’s a lot of writing!  It’s better to have good quality of writing rather than a story that rambles on and on.

Math:  We are continuing our practice of addition and subtraction math facts.  We are showing improvement and we will need to continue to practice, practice, practice!  In Growing with Math, we are working on Measurement using centimeters, meters, inches, and feet.  Today, we conducted a ball roll experiment using tennis balls, baseballs, ping pong balls, and golfballs.  We learned that there are many variables that can effect how a ball rolls.  For example, the height and slant of the ramp, the texture of the floor, and the size, weight, and texture of the ball can effect the measurements drastically.

Science:  We will be  finishing up our unit on Recycling and the Environment.  The Lorax by Dr. Seuss and A River Runs Wild by Lynne Cherry have helped us understand how our actions can impact the Earth.  We will be visiting the Garbage Museum next month to see recycling in action!

Social Studies:  Geography is all around us!  We’ve learned the oceans, the continents, the Equator, the Compass Rose, cardinal and intermediate directions, and how to read map grids.  Landforms will be a big topic for the next few weeks as we learn about the water and land features here in the United States and around the world.

Today in the Computer Lab, we visited the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Kid website, and played “Recycle City- Dumptown Game”.  We learned about different recycling efforts that towns and cities can use.  Some cost money to run, and others save cities and towns money when implemented.  Figuring out how to rid cities and towns of garbage without spending tons of taxpayers dollars is not an easy task!  If you would like to try the game at home, please click on the link to the right under “Educational Games”.

Please make sure that students are dressed appropriately each day for the weather. We will be going outside for lunchtime recess as much as possible, and it gets chilly out on the playground!

Our rule in 3T is… if you brought a coat, jacket, sweater, or sweatshirt to school, you must take it outside with you to recess!

Show your Hindley Spirit!

Friday, 10/23- Pink Day (Breast Cancer Awareness)

Friday, 10/30- Black and Orange Day (Halloween)