Taiko Drumming Performance Thursday Night!!!

Hello, third grade families! 

Chamberlin students will be taking part in a taiko drumming performance on Thursday evening, September 29^th,  at South Burlington High School.  Please arrive at the SBHS gym by 6:30 PM.  Upon arrival, your child should meet up with his/her classmates and teacher, and get into the seating order for the performance. 

Sensei Paton has asked third graders to wear blue jeans or dark colored pants and a red shirt.  Students who don’t have a red shirt, should wear a white or purple shirt.

The children are very excited to perform for you on Thursday evening.  We hope to see you there!

Sincerely,

Keelin M. Simpson

Wild About Third Grade!

                                                                                  

 Dear Third Grade Families,

            Third graders are off to an excellent start this year! We have an awesome class!  We have been getting to know each other and learning new routines.  Here’s some information about what’s happening in Room 15 this month.

Our class loves to read! We are hooked on books! This class has many favorite series that they are enjoying reading (The Notebook of Doom, Junie B. Jones, The Bailey School Kids, Ricky Riccotta’s Mighty Robot, The Rescue Princesses, Lego Ninjago, Battle Bugs, etc…).  It is exciting to see students who love to get lost in their books each day.  I get goosebumps!  The best way for a student to become a stronger reader is to READ and TALK about the books he/she reads!  Students can read to a sibling, read to grandparents or parents, read silently, or partner read (take turns reading pages). Please encourage your child to read at home each night for 20 minutes.     

Third grade mathematicians have started to learn about the concept of multiplication. Our calendar has pictures of equal groups, ratio tables, and arrays.  Students are learning to write multiplication equations and recognize situations where they might use multiplication.  Third graders have written and conducted surveys and represented data using bar graphs.  Also, students are playing math games each day to help them remember addition and subtraction facts within 20.

Third graders are enjoying working with Chamberlin’s artist in residence, Sensei Stuart Paton of the Burlington Taiko Drummers. Sensei Paton spends 30 – 40 minutes with the third grade each day.  Students are learning the art of Taiko drumming and are being introduced to interesting facts about Japanese culture.  Mark your calendars!  On September 29^th, at South Burlington High School, at 6:30 PM, there will be an evening performance by Chamberlin students to show off their new drumming skills. 

Third graders will begin to have homework starting on Monday, October 2^.  Homework will be sent home every Monday and should be returned each Friday.  If it’s a busy week, and you need the weekend to finish up homework, that’s okay!  Just send in the homework on Monday. 

Please read the back of this notice for instructions on how to subscribe to our classroom blog.  Subscribe to the blog to view classroom newsletters, updates, and class photographs.

If you have a spare package of Clorox (or other brand) wipes for desk cleaning, please send them in.  Soft tissues for colds and allergies would come in handy, too.

            Please call me (652-7415) or email me (kmcgrath@sbschools.net) if you have any questions.  Have a great weekend!

                                                                                                Sincerely,

Keelin M. Simpson

Mrs. Simpson’s Third Grade Blog

Dear Third Grade Families,

        In order to communicate with you throughout the school year, I will post announcements and updates on our “classroom blog.” Rather than send you a paper newsletter, I will post periodic classroom updates on our blog. This way, you can stay up-to-date with the learning that goes on in room 15!

        You can view the blog at any time through Chamberlin’s webpage, but you must subscribe to the blog in order to receive email updates. There will be some great features, such as sharing pictures, events, and websites. Plus, it’s convenient! The blog posts will be sent directly to your email.

        I hope you join our blog!

Here is how to view the blog and subscribe:

1.    Visit the Chamberlin School webpage: (http://chamberlin.sf.sbschools.net/)

2.   Click on Our Classrooms  (along the side menu on the main page)

3.   Next click on Mrs. Simpson. You will arrive at my blog!

4.   To subscribe, please enter your preferred email address in the box on the right where it says “Subscribe to Mrs. Simpson’s Blog.”

5.   After you have entered your email, click “submit.”

6. An email will be sent to you asking you to confirm your subscription. Your subscription will not go through unless you confirm this email!!

Thank you for joining! J

Dear Third Grade Families,

                Welcome to third grade! I am looking forward to an exciting year of fun and learning! 

                Our curriculum is based on the philosophy that children grow and develop at individual rates and that they learn best when they are actively engaged through a careful balance of whole group, small group, and independent learning opportunities. Themes will be developed across subject areas to encompass all modes of learning.

                I feel that cooperation and communication between us is important throughout the school year.  Remember that you are your child’s first and most important teacher.  I hope you will be a partner in your child’s education.  I respect your knowledge of your child’s temperament and personality.  You know them best!  We can work together to make third grade a successful, happy year for your child. 

                As the year progresses, let me know about any changes or information that you feel is important in your child’s life that may be affecting his or her school day.  Please do not hesitate to call if you have questions or concerns, or if you’d like to set up a conference. 

                I hope the information in this letter will help to make a smooth transition back to school!  If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to call or email me. 

                                                                                                                Keelin M. Simpson

                                                                                                               

652-7415

                                                                                                                kmcgrath@sbschools.net

Outdoor Play/ Recess: Part of our daily schedule is 20 minutes of recess outside.  Please make sure to send your child with appropriate clothing for the weather, especially as the weather gets cooler in the fall and winter.  Please write your child’s name in his/her outdoor gear (coats, hats, gloves, snow pants, etc…). Some children choose to leave a pair of sneakers at school during the winter and spring months, wearing their boots to and from school.  There will not be extra winter clothing in the office this year, so please help your child remember everything they need.  If you wish to leave extra winter items in the classroom, feel free. 

Homework: Homework will consist of reading for 20- 30 minutes and regular weekly math activities that review what we have worked on in the classroom. Students will practice spelling words at home, too. Each week I will send home a packet of homework on Monday, and it will be due back on Friday.  I do understand that issues come up and nighttimes are very busy.  Please send a note if you need extra time for homework or have any other concerns about that night’s homework.  Home folders will go home on Mondays with the homework and come back on Fridays with the completed homework.  They will go home on Friday nights with work from the week and notices. Please help your child to remember his/her home folder on Mondays and Fridays. 

Book Orders: Book orders will be sent home monthly throughout the year.  If you choose to order books, please be sure to send a check, written to Scholastic Book Clubs.  No cash please. I will also send home a code that will enable you to place your order from your home computer.

Snack: We will have a 10-15 minute snack time early each morning.  Please make sure to send in a piece of fruit or another healthy snack for your child to enjoy at snack time.   

Birthdays: There are new school guidelines about food that is permitted to be brought into school. See your Family Handbook for more details.  If your child would like to bring something to share at school on his/her birthday, instead of sending in food, consider sending in pencils or stickers for your child to hand out to his/her classmates.

Integrated Arts Times

Monday – 12:15 PM   P.E.

Tuesday – 12:15 PM   ART

Wednesday – 12:15 PM  MUSIC

Thursday – 12:15 PM  P.E.  and   12:45 PM  MUSIC

Friday – 12:15 PM Media Center

Recess and Lunch Times

11:25 – LUNCH

11:50 - RECESS

*** Please be sure to send sneakers with your child on P.E. days, and return library books on Fridays. ***

Third Grade News

Dear Third Grade Families,

Time surely has flown!  I have enjoyed working with this amazing group of students over the past year (or two for many students).  They have grown so much, and I am so proud of them!

We wrapped up the school year with a study of area and perimeter.  We used tiles and linear pieces to build models which enhanced our understanding of these challenging math concepts.

Third grade readers read many different fairy tales and studied fairy tale motifs.  We read several different versions of Cinderella from the classic tale to Cinderellis and the Glass Hill, The Rough Faced Girl, and Cinderella Skeleton.  

I wish you all a wonderful summer, and I hope you will stop by and keep me updated on all of the wonderful things your children are doing in the years to come.  Thank you for sharing your children with me.  It has been my privilege to teach and learn from them this year!

Third Grade News

Dear Third Grade Families,

We had a fabulous week in Room 15!

The SBAC testing is complete.  Yahoo!  Thanks to family members for contributing gum and Life Savers for testing time.

We enjoyed the Fun Run despite the rain.  I was proud of our class for running, walking, and singing along to the music.  Thanks for all who were able to get away from work to cheer the children on!

On Tuesday, May 17,  a Vermont author, Tracey Campbell Pearson, will be visiting Chamberlin School to speak with children about the writing process. If  your child would like to purchase a book and have it signed by the author, please return the form that was sent home today by May 17th. 

I will continue to send home a reading log for homework on Mondays throughout the rest of the school year.  It's so important for the children to read each day to develop a love of reading and increase their skills as readers.  Please encourage your child to complete the reading homework and return his/her reading log each Friday.

Have a great weekend!

Sincerely,

Keelin M. Simpson

Third Grade News

Dear Third Grade Families, 

We had a fabulous Friday!  We began the day with a surprise breakfast of bagels and cream cheese and a special math project to celebrate all of our hard work on learning the multiplication facts.  I am very proud of our class for all of the effort and practice time they have devoted to memorizing the facts.  Way to go, third graders!

Chamberlin students filled the Bee Hive again by being safe, responsible, and respectful.  We celebrated with ice cream and extra recess at the end of the day!

Miss Lizzie came to our classroom from the Farm to School program this month.  Our class made pesto from fresh cilantro. We ate it with crackers.  It was delicious!  

Remember that we have SBAC testing in mathematics and language arts during the first two weeks of May. Students will only have reading homework during those weeks so that they can get plenty of sleep at night and have some extra time to play outside after testing during the day at school.  

Thank you to families for all you've sent in this week - bagels, zip lock bags, and cleaning wipes!  We are still in need of gum and Life Savers for students to share during our testing sessions. Your help with this would be appreciated.  Thanks!

Have a great weekend!

Sincerely,

Keelin M. Simpson

Third Grade News

Dear Third Grade Families,

I hope that everyone enjoyed some fun family time during the April vacation.  We surely had some wonderful, sunny weather!  We will be very busy in Room 15 this week and throughout the month of May.  Here's some information about what's happening in Third Grade.

Third graders have been preparing for the SBAC assessments of math and language arts by taking practice tests intended to introduce them to the tools and style of the tests. Students will complete the actual SBAC assessments during the first two weeks of May.  The assessments will be spread out over two weeks so that there is not too much time spent on testing during any one day. 

Some families have asked how they can help prepare their child for the SBAC testing.  The best way for you to help your child to be successful during the testing sessions is to make sure that your student reads and talks about their reading each day, gets a good night’s sleep, and eats a healthy breakfast.  We stress that we simply want students to “do their best”. This means that while we want them to work carefully and give the tests their full attention, we also do not want them to be overly stressed by it. Any conversations you can have to that end are appreciated.  I will be giving students a piece of gum and a couple of Life Savers to have during the testing sessions. If you'd like to contribute packs of gum or Life Savers for the class to share during the testing sessions, please send them in this week.  Thanks!

Homework will be minimal during the SBAC testing window (the first two weeks of May).  Children will be asked to read and return their reading logs. After testing during the day, it's important for students to have plenty of time to run around outside and play.  J

In literacy, we continue to develop our comprehension of complex texts. Our focus has been on understanding how a character changes across a story, and how readers track those changes.  In Because of Winn Dixie, we are seeing that the main character, Opal, continues to act in ways that help to define her character by creating patterns of behavior within the book.  We are also looking at character development in the chapter books we are reading independently, as well as working on other important story elements. 

In writing, we are coming to the end of our unit on persuasive writing. We are increasing our skills at building an argument, taking the important reasons that support our position, and then adding more and more relevant details to each reason. This also has led us to the creation of multi-paragraph pieces of writing.  In doing so, we pay attention to important skills in the mechanics of writing- indenting, proper punctuation, topic and concluding sentences, and spelling.  Students are building their collection of “google docs”, which is where they utilize their growing keyboarding skills to write final drafts on their Chromebooks.

Third grade mathematicians have been exploring the concepts of multiplication and division more deeply, and seeing the relationships between the two.  We have been looking at understanding division as an inverse operation to multiplication, and seeing the relationships in fact families. We have also been working on story problems involving multi-steps, and focusing on using multiplication and division to solve them.  

I am very proud of the students of Room 15 for how hard they have worked on learning the multiplication tables!  Keep reviewing and practicing the facts with your student at home to help him/her become even more fluent.  Play multiplication games on Mrs. Simpson's blog.  Play Multiplication War with a deck of cards at home.  Split the deck in half.  Aces are 1's, Jacks are 10's, Queens are 11's, and Kings are 12's. Remove the Jokers or make them worth a number of your choice (25 for a challenge). Each player flips over a card. The person with the highest number multiplies the cards and states the product. "11 times 8 equals 88."  He keeps the cards in a pile to use when he runs out of cards. The person with no cards left in the end loses the game.  

We have finished our study of  force and motion.  Students have had fun conducting a variety of experiments to learn about force, motion, friction, and gravity.  This week we will be learning about wind and clouds as part of our study of climate and weather.  We have a wonderful class of scientists in Room 15!

We are in need of Clorox cleaning wipes and large and small zip lock plastic bags.  If you have a package to spare, they would be appreciated.  Thank you!  

Have a great week!

Sincerely,

Keelin  M. Simpson