Happy Friday!
Can you believe that Thanksgiving is just around the corner??!! We've been really busy this week! Here are a few things we've been working on:
* Our penny collection is GROWING! Thanks for allowing your child to send some in... We are now at 2,341. WOW!! Keep them coming if you can... the collections will be given to a program that makes care packages for Frederick Marines in Afghanistan.

*Speaking of the special people that serve our country, we have written and drawn pictures for "Soldiers Angels". This is a school-wide program Urbana adopted this year. These letters will go to soldiers overseas who don't get any correspondence. The kids did a fantastic job! I told them about when my husband was in the Persian Gulf and received a letter from a 4th grader. It meant so much to him...he still has it! This is also why the school has been asking for envelopes and stamps. Thanks to all who have donated!

NOW... on to next week:
LA: We've finished our Short Story unit and are beginning a Poetry unit on Monday. It's fun to work with poetry around the holidays! We will be reading and writing all types.

Math: We are still working with big numbers. I began testing students today on their addition math facts. Please continue working with your child. They really need to know them within 3 seconds!

Writing: Along with writing poetry, we are still focusing on Organization. Is there a great beginning, a good middle, and an appropriate ending?

Science: We're still experimenting with mixing powders with liquids. Be sure to ask your child what happens when water, vinegar, iodine, and red cabbage juice is added to our mystery powders!

Next week is American Education Week! We're lucky to have Scott Schartner on our third grade team - he's also the Urbana High School Varsity Soccer Coach! He's having some of his players come to our classrooms and read their favorite picture books to our third grade classes! I know they'll LOVE IT! On Friday, we're asking all students to wear their school spirit wear. Staff will be wearing their school wear also! It should bring about some great discussion about education!

Report Cards: Remember that this year's report card will look VERY different... Lots of added information about each subject. Please sign the envelope that it's in and return it for the next term... Thanks! Please get in touch with me if you have any questions!

Thanks for all you do - enjoy your hard-working third graders this weekend!
Mrs. Humerick