Hello 3V Parents,

          I hope your new year is off to a great start!  3V has been very busy and here is a glimpse into what’s happening in our classroom:

Math – We have been working hard on multiplication with double digits and regrouping and division with double digits and regrouping.   This has been a challenging concept and we will continue to revisit this.  Our next unit is understanding bar and line graphs.  This is a short unit and from there we will be studying time – telling time and elapsed time.

Reading – We are currently reading The Miraculous Adventure of Edward Tulane.  While reading we are working on many reading skills such as visualization, predicting, and inferring the deeper meaning of the story. 

In reading we are also working on identify figurative language – idioms, metaphors, similes, and exaggerations. 

Phonics/Spelling – The students are currently exploring words with r-controlled vowels (ar, or, er, ir, ur) and words ending with /on/ and /en/ sounds.

Writing – Our team is working on informational writing.  They are getting ready to publish a writing piece that they have taken through the writing process (prewrite, writing, revising, editing, publish).  Today we met with a partner and did peer editing.  They will be publishing their final draft by creating a Google Doc. 

We will continue to stay with informational writing for the next few weeks and learn how to take notes from 2 sources of information and write an essay from our notes.

Science – We have finished our study of landforms.  In class the students made diorama of their landmark/landform to go along with their informational article.  They are currently displayed in the library. We wrapped up the unit with an erosion experiment. 

Next week we will begin our new science unit about simple machines. The students love this unit because they explore and experiment with each type of simple machine. Very hands on!  They will also complete a webquest which allows them to further their understanding of simple machines.  Please feel free to take a look at the Animoto that I've created and will share with the students to introduce them to simple machines. 

Odds and Ends

Valentine’s Day -Team 3V will be celebrating Valentine’s Day with a small party on Friday February 12^th.  Julie Zapton has graciously agreed to contact a few parents to ask them to provide some goodies for us.  I have already sent home a class list just in case your child wanted to get started on their Valentines. If you need another copy, please let me know.

Homework – You may have noticed that I did not send home a log this week.  My team and I are discussing the topic of homework and how to proceed.  I have noticed that I am only getting a small percentage of the logs returned to me.  Also if they are returned, the student is not practicing their facts or reading many nights. While our team is revisiting our homework policy, I am asking that you continue to have your child practice their facts and read every night.  I cannot stress enough the importance of this practice.  If you wish to continue receiving the log, please send me a quick note or email and I will certainly make sure it is sent home.  Thank you for your support and patience. 

A quick reminder – if your child is going home a different way than usual, please send in a quick note.  I cannot allow a child to go home a different way unless I have a note from a parent and sometimes the child does not tell me until we are packing up to go home.    

February Break begins Monday the 22^nd.   

As always, thank you for your support!

Karen

December, 2015

Greetings Team 3V Parents,

I hope that you are continuing to enjoy this warm (?) December weather.  Although it is warm, it can still be a bit chilly on the playground.  Please be sure that your child has a jacket every day.

Here’s what is happening in our classroom:

Science – We are continuing our study of landforms.  The students are finishing their research and will start typing their brochure in the computer lab within the next week.  They will also be constructing a diorama for their landform project.  Shoeboxes with lids would be greatly appreciated.  Last week HMS was fortunate to have the giant map of North America visit our school courtesy of National Geographic.  Before exploring on the map, we practiced map skills in the classroom.  We learned about continents, the compass rose, directions (cardinal and intermediate), map scale, and the map key.  They were then given an opportunity to explore on the giant map and find where their landform is on the map.  They also did a scavenger hunt trying to find symbols on the map using a map key.  It was a great opportunity and the students truly enjoyed this activity.

Phonics – Students have just finished closed syllables and are now focusing on silent-e syllables  (VCe).  They are reading and spelling two and three syllable words that contain both closed syllables and a silent-e syllable.  An example of this is invade (in is a closed syllable and vade is a silent-e syllable).

Math- We are practicing our 6, 7, 8, and 9 tables.  The students are learning strategies for these facts, such as starting with facts they know, area models, and arrays.  Please continue to practice facts at home.  Homework is now using MobyMax 4 times a week.

Reading – The students will be introduce to the concept of cause and effect in stories.  They will be looking for key words in their reading to help them identify the cause and effect to help build story comprehension.

Odds and Ends

-Report cards will be sent home Wednesday, December 9^th.  The report card should stay with you, please just sign the envelope the return ASAP.

-Our holiday concert is this Thursday, December 10th at 1:45.  Parents will be seated beginning at 1:35.  Hope to see you there!

- 3V will have a holiday party in the afternoon of December 18^th.  Julie Zapton has agreed to organize the food and drinks for this and may be contacting some of you to help out. 

-We will be making gingerbread houses with our 1^st grade book buddies also on the 18^th but in the morning.  I will be sending out a note letting you know what we will need for supplies if you are able to donate.

As always, thank you for your support,

Karen

Hello Team 3V Parents,

            I hope you all enjoyed your Halloween weekend.  It was wonderful to see you at parent conferences and I appreciate your support of your child and our class.  They are certainly coming together and forming a wonderful community.

Here’s an insight into our day:

In math we wrapped up our chapter on subtraction with regrouping and subtracting across zeros.  Today we will began our unit on addition and subtraction word problems. We will also tackle two step word problems.

In reading, we are continuing character traits, how a character changes over the course of the story, and how this effects the story.   The students will begin writing about their reading and citing evidence from the story to support their ideas.  We will also be exploring nouns – what is a noun, common and proper nouns, pronouns, and abstract nouns.

During writer’s workshop we continue to write personal narratives.  The students will be focusing on constructing engaging leads.

            We are continuing our study of closed syllables in phonics.  This concept will support the students in reading and writing multi-syllable words.

Upcoming events/Odds and Ends:

            I have created a classroom blog that can be found at http://www.vittoriavillagevoice.blogspot.com/  I will be posting my newsletter there rather than sending home a paper copy.  If you wish to still receive the paper copy, send in a note with your child or just send me a quick email at kvittoria@sau66.org.  I will email you to let you know when the blog has been updated.

            As I mentioned during parent conferences, I am compiling a list of websites for students to practice math and sites that students can use to get in their reading time at home.  I will send that home within the next week or so.

  A note from Kim Emerson:  Kids Kreation fundraisers were sent home. If you would like your child to create a different artwork or second artwork, additional order forms are available in the office.  Younger siblings are welcome to participate as well - submit the form and artwork with the older sibling's grade/classroom.  Each artwork needs its own order form.  

In order to receive the items prior to Christmas, all forms and any new artworks are due by Thursday, November 5th.   The stickers inside the form are yours to keep.  Thank you for your support.

Finally, if you allow your child to have Halloween candy for snack or during lunch, please limit it to one piece a day. This is in line with our wellness policy.

Have a wonderful week!

Mrs. Vittoria

Hello Team 3V Parents,

I hope you all are able to get outside and enjoy this wonderful fall New England weather!  Speaking of the weather, please remind your child to bring a jacket/sweatshirt for outdoor recess and fresh air break.  The temps fluctuate throughout the day and at times it can drop and become chilly in the afternoon.

Here’s what’s happening in our classroom:

In math, we have just finished our unit on addition with regrouping (carrying) up to the thousands.  We are now practicing subtraction with regrouping (borrowing) up to the thousands.

During writer’s workshop we are continuing to write personal narratives.  Students are focusing on writing descriptive sentences by adding precise verbs, sensory details, and adjectives.  The students have also received their first letter from their pen pal.  They are responding to their pen pal and are practicing the the format of a letter – date, greeting, body of the letter, closing and signature- in their rough draft.  The students are also practicing drafting paragraphs by indenting and keeping like facts or information together.  Final drafts will be complete by Monday and sent to the seniors.

In reader’s workshop, the students are focusing on character traits.  Also during this block of time, students meet with me for guided reading.  The students read books that are at their instructional level and focus on particular skills such as story comprehension.  When they are not reading with me, they are engaged in learning stations such as Scholastic News, read to self, writing, or completing a task on Google Classroom.

We have completed our science unit on plants and we will beginning our study of landforms this week.

In phonics, we have just finished compound words and now we are learning about closed syllables.  Closed syllables have 3 parts – it contains 1 vowel, the vowel has a short sound, and it ends in a consonant. 

Upcoming events/odds and ends:

We will be having a small celebration at HMS Friday. Students are encouraged to wear black and orange for our HMS school picture and they will be given popcorn and cider at the end of their day. This will be a fun but light transition to Halloween and the fall.

On Wednesday, our class will be reviewing the Scholastic Book Fair.  Students are invited to purchase books or fill out their wish list.  Your child will bring home their wish list and if you chose, you will have an opportunity to purchase items at the book fair during parent conferences Wednesday from 1 – 5:30.

Reminder that we have early release Wednesday, October 29^th at 12:00. This week I will be meeting parents for conferences.  If you have not signed up to meet with me, please call the school to schedule or contact me by email at kvittoria@sau66.org.   Students will have lunch at school. 

Our classroom is in need of baggies – gallon size, quart, and sandwich size.  We also need tissues, hand sanitizer, and whiteboard markers.  We appreciate your help.

Have a great week!    

Mrs. Vittoria

Hello Team 3V Families,

Welcome to our classroom blog!  This blog is a  place where I can keep you updated with the happenings in our classroom.  It will also be a place where I can communicate with you about any important classroom and school news or important reminders.  I hope you enjoy having an insight into our day in Team 3V!

As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns either by email at kvittoria@sau66.org or by phone at 746-3473.

Karen Vittoria