Parent Volunteers Needed

Third graders are beginning their study of Dinosaurs and their Fossils! There are several different ways fossils can be formed. Third graders are going to learn more about the different types of fossils by creating “fossils” of their very own.  

We would love your help! The entire third grade will be working in stations on Wednesday, April 9 from 12:45-2:15. We are looking for volunteers to run stations where children will create their fossils. (You just need to bring your self. No prior knowledge necessary... :o) 

Please let us know if you can make it!

Biography

Third grade readers are learning to become stronger readers of biography. As you may know, each genre has its own characteristics that readers need to be able to understand in order to best understand the text. For example, third graders have learned that biographies are nonfiction. They are true stories of a person's life.

In addition, third graders have learned:

*Biography is a type of nonfiction that is narrative. That means that biographies are told as a story.

*Similar to fiction stories that we have read, biographies have a main character, but this character is a real person. The main character in a biography is the subject of the biography.


Ask your child who is the subject of the biography they are reading! Maybe you can learn about that person together.

Happy reading!

Different Kinds of Families

Did your child come home asking about adoption? We were blessed today to hear a special presentation by Mandy Mulliez and our very own Anna Mulliez. Thanks to their thoughtful sharing, third graders learned that all families are different. Family is not just about blood, it's about love. The topic of families and adoption is, of course, huge. Your child may still have questions. Mandy Mulliez shared some key points that may help you answer these questions at home.

 - One way that a child comes into a family is through adoption.  That means the child grew in one woman's belly but another family raises that child.   The child is adopted by that family.  A child can be adopted at any age - from a newborn to a teenager!  

 - There are millions of people who are adopted into their families all around the world.  

 - There are many famous inventors, sports players, musicians, actors, CEOs of companies that came into their families through adoption.  Two of the most  famous are Steve Jobs - the inventor of Apple computers and the iPod, and Babe Ruth, a baseball player.  

 - Some people may have been adopted into their family and look a lot like their adoptive family so you might not ever know they were adopted unless they told you.

 -People in a family don't necessarily always look like each other or act like each other

 - There are many different reasons why parents cannot care for their children and choose to find an adoptive family for them.  Those reasons could be that  they are very poor, that they are too young to be parents, they are sick or they may have died.  Again, there are lots of reasons and they are private to each family. 

 - People might sometimes ask "Well, which one is the real family?"  And the answer is both families are real. 

 - You don't have to be born into a family or look like your family for them to be your "real family".  

Thanks again to Mandy and Anna for sharing! The class was thoughtful and kind as they listened. I know many learned some valuable lessons.

Reading MCAS

As many of you know, the Reading MCAS begins this week. We will have a brief practice test tomorrow. This will be fairly short, and will simply give the children an exposure to the experience.

The actual test will be administered on Tuesday, March 25 and Thursday, March 27 at 9:00am. The test is created to take about 60 minutes. Some children will be done sooner, and others will take longer. The test is untimed, so the children can take as long as they need.

I am asking all students to be in bed by 8:00 the nights before the test (Monday and Wednesday night). Please help your children follow this guideline. In addition, all children should eat a healthy breakfast before coming to school each test day.

The children are welcome to bring in an extra healthy snack if they would like to eat before the test begins. They will be encouraged to eat lightly so they don't become sleepy from overeating. After all children have completed the test, they will also be able to eat snack and relax for a short time. The children will get extra recess each test day in order to run off any extra steam.

This week will look different in terms of homework. Written homework will not be assigned. I do not expect children to complete Spelling City.  Your children should continue to read (or be read to) for at least 20 minutes each night and continue to use Xtra Math at least 3 times this week.

Most importantly, I do not want your children to feel stressed about MCAS. It is important that they know we believe they will do well. Please encourage them to work hard and do their best. However, also remind them that no matter how they do on MCAS, we know they are smart children!

Thanks for your cooperation. Don't hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have.

State Fair!

Thank you to all who were able to attend the state fair. The children were very proud (and deservedly so) to show off their learning through facts, songs and their creative dioramas. Photos will follow soon! 

Needham Unplugged

As you can see from my previous post, tomorrow is Needham Unplugged. Teachers throughout Needham have agreed not to give homework on Thursday night so that families can spend time together. Therefore, this week's homework can be passed in on Monday, March 17. 

I hope you are able to enjoy tomorrow evening together as a family! :o)

Needham Unplugged

Needham Youth Services Presents…. Needham Unplugged It is so easy to get caught up in electronics --- TV, computers, Internet, X-Box, and Wii are fun, entertaining, and a nice way to relax.  However, it can become a problem when you find yourself spending 2, 4, 6 or even 8 hours a day plugged in…and little time is devoted to interacting with family and friends or simply engaging in quiet activities such as reading or walking. Needham Unplugged is a month long awareness campaign in March to remind Needham families and residents to “unplug their electronics” and “plug into” each other.  It is a reminder that there is more to life than what is on the other side of a plug. The highlight of this year’s program will be a no-homework, no-sports, and no-activities night for Needham Public School Students on March 13, 2014 Parents can play their part on March 15th by getting home from work no later than dinnertime, canceling/rescheduling any night meetings, and thinking about making this night a special time for the entire family. In addition, there will be no town-related meetings and virtually no community, school, or religious meetings held on that night.  We will also celebrate Social Networking-Free Thursday on March 6th, Phone-Free Friday on March 7th, E-Mail-Free Friday on March 14th, and Text-Free Tuesday on March 25th .

Poetry

Room 221 is filled with poets! I have been blown away with their poetry writing, and we've just started. Poets write about many different topics. Room 221 poets have written about their own lives, ideas in their imaginations and even things they can see around them.

As we continue in our unit, Room 221 poets will learn to:

-use line breaks
- include repetition
-include rhythm
-include alliteration
-choose powerful words
-show feelings

Ask your child about the first poems they have written. You can even write poetry together at home.

Happy writing! :o)