Mr. Draper's 3rd Grade

With so much going on in Mid-December, it’s no wonder  that we are all rushing toward Winter Break.  Yet, we remain focused on the tasks at hand.  There is a lot of neat stuff going on in the classroom.  From developing their own Nutritious Breakfast Cereals to composing our 2nd book, The Misadventures of Cause and Effect, students are making sure that each day is worthy of their efforts.  We have started our study of Mutliplication and Division.  Please continue to work to master these number facts and be sure to practice over the long break.

It’s December and we’re all wondering…Where did the time  go?  Students are working hard to develop their creative writing skills and are engaging in a Free Write today.  The need for students to be able to write in a variety of contexts is crucial to their understanding of literature and composition.  After completing our Geometry Unit this week, all students took their Unit Assessment and their performance exceeded expectations.  I am so proud of everyone for giving their best effort and making tremendous growth from the start of our Unit, 5 week ago, to now.  Have a wonderful weekend and enjoy the chill of the Holidays!

Today marks the beginning of our yearlong foray into creative writing.  Students received a binder in which they will compose, draft, and publish their creative works.  While students will sometimes be given prompts, this notebook will represent a variety of writing samples.  Some will be similar to compositions, while others reflect a style akin to that of a diary.  Now that we’ve learned our writing conventions, it’s time to explore our ideas and strike into the heart of creativity.

I hope this holiday provides everyone with an opportunity for reflection about the many wonderful things in their life.  If you have an opportunity, please check out our Turkey Pardon letters.  Students did a wonderful job making a plea for their safety and came up with many creative ideas for why they should be spared.  I’ll see you all in a few days.  Enjoy some time for relaxation.

Who will it be...?

It has been a very exciting week.  Students are showing signs of tremendous growth and responsibility.  Having talked to the other 3rd grade teachers, we have agreed that this is the first week we feel all students have truly transitioned from 2nd grade students to 3rd grade students.  As the 2nd nine weeks progresses, I look forward to continued growth and progress.  Many independent learning activities lie ahead and I know this group is poised to do some amazing work.

Hexagon…From Head to Toe!!!

People Pentagon : )

Check out our classroom for more GeoMANtry photos!

Students have done a wonderful job so far this year taking responsibility for their education.  As we continue on throughout the year, it becomes increasingly important that students see value in what they’re doing.  That they begin to realize that all of this work and effort is not for their parents or me, but to help better themselves.  It’s quite an alien concept as most children do things “because adults tell them to.”  However, I need them to see beyond the initial annoyance and see the big picture.  Each day is a step in right direction towards a bright future.  I know in 3rd grade that may sound overstated, but it’s true.  Those kids who take pride in themselves and their work now are more likely to have a greater chance of success.  Responsibility and independence are huge concepts for successful individuals.  Let’s work together to take the right steps early.

After quite a stressful week, students have really embraced the rigorous pace of the past few days. We are focusing on honing our math facts.  Students seem to be struggling with subtraction, a common problem, but one that must be attended to early if it is not going to hinder our academic progress.  Likewise, we have started to discuss the difficult task of summarizing.  It is often hard for students to identify the most important ideas within a larger context of information.  However, we have made tremendous growth from the start of the week.  As the leaves begin to change and we hold on tightly to the final days of warmth, please find some time to enjoy the outdoors before winter comes again.

I am proud to announce that every student in the class received an A on his or her Spelling Test.  Considering the tremendous difficulty of their words this is a tremendous feat.  While the lists will continue to challenge each student, their confidence will increase as they truly discover their limitless capabilities.  To celebrate, each student had a Tootsie Roll Pop to enjoy throughout the afternoon.  Maybe more treats to follow….Keep up the hard work and always push your limits!

After a very strenuous morning, students completed their first OAA test.  I know this created a lot of anxiety and concern for many, but it should be noted that each student came ready to do their best.  Everyone is to be congratulated for completing this huge assessment and successfully negotiating the hours of stress and strain.  I know we are all looking forward to the weeks ahead, when we can refocus our attention on something a bit more pleasant.