Happy Spring Break!!
Just a quick update on what we'll be doing when we come back to school in April.
Language Arts: We'll continue reading our novels and meeting as Literature Circles. We've also been completing Reader's Response papers and answering comprehension questions for chapters. It certainly looks like everyone's enjoying their books!
Math: Angles! Right angles...obtuse angles...acute angles... we'll be measuring and identifying angles most of the week!
Science: Our composting is coming along quite nicely! Our worms are comfortable in thier dirt, food, and paper strips. While watching them, we are also talking about rocks and minerals. There are sooo many ways you can sort minerals - ask your child about the "hardness" test we did! We'll also be talking about erosion and weathering.
Cursive: Our next letters will be V and W.
Writing: We're continuing writing narratives during our Writer's Workshop.
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I'm sure you've heard by now that our teachers' union, FCTA, has initiated a work to contract action with its members beginning today. I want to assure you that your child's instruction will not be impacted by this decision. Your kids will continue to have challenging, thought provoking lessons and assignments...the same quality of instruction they have had all along.
However, there will be a few things impacted and I just wanted to give you a heads up.
My 45 minute planning periods will HAVE to be spent preparing lessons...in order to make sure instruction is not impacted. I use my mornings, evenings, and weekends to write my weekly emails, do my blog, grade papers, write weekly checklists, and plan for the week . I'm not sure I'll be able to do as thorough a job as I like during this time ahead. Also, I respond to and answer many emails in off hours - This is something I like to do...but will only do during my planning time.
Typically, I am at school every morning at 7:00 am and I leave around 5:00...that is NOT a complaint...I happen to LOVE what I do and I like having time to plan, organize, and make sure I'm 100% ready for my week...I will not be doing that, so something will have to give. And last, I really do try to get your kids' work back to them graded as quickly as I can...and that quick turnaround will definitely be affected.
It is my hope the work to contract action will be resolved as the BOE and FCTA enter into negotiations. Your support is always appreciated, and I just hope I have yours as I join my colleagues and stand up for something I am incredibly passionate about....teaching your kids.
I hope you have a wonderful, relaxing Spring Break and I look forward to seeing your kids on April 10th!! Can you believe we'll be apart that long?!?!
Faith Humerick
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Happy Thursday!
We have survived a "regular" week again... except for the early dismissal tomorrow!
What a great week we've had - here's what we've been doing and what we'll be doing next week:
Language Arts: Discussion Director, Super Summarizer, Literary Luminary, Artful Adventurer, Character Captain...... Ask your child what these jobs have to do with Literature Circles!!!!
Math - We'll continue with our instruction with Geometry. Points, lines, rays, parallel, perpendicular, intersecting... all of these terms are being studied - WATCH OUT... they'll be looking for them in your home and neighborhood!!
Cursive: Our next two capital letters are U and Y. You may have realized that I am expecting a lot more work to be done in cursive. This is a county and school-wide expectation. These kids are really stepping up to the challenge. Please let me know if your child is having difficulty with this at home.
Science: Well, the fun begins next week. We have our compost containers ready and the worms are coming! At this time we have plenty of food scraps - I'll have them write it in their agendas when we need more - Thanks!
Writing: We are finishing up stories that need to have all story elements - characters, setting, problem, solution... beginning, middle, and end. Writer's Workshop has really helped this class become great writers!!
Please remember that tomorrow is an early dismissal day. Monday is a teacher work day. Can you believe Term 3 is over tomorrow??? Third grade will be over before we know it!
Please keep an eye out for important dates from the PTA - so much goes on near the end of school, I don't want you to miss out on anything!
Have a great, relaxing weekend!
Faith Humerick
We have survived a "regular" week again... except for the early dismissal tomorrow!
What a great week we've had - here's what we've been doing and what we'll be doing next week:
Language Arts: Discussion Director, Super Summarizer, Literary Luminary, Artful Adventurer, Character Captain...... Ask your child what these jobs have to do with Literature Circles!!!!
Math - We'll continue with our instruction with Geometry. Points, lines, rays, parallel, perpendicular, intersecting... all of these terms are being studied - WATCH OUT... they'll be looking for them in your home and neighborhood!!
Cursive: Our next two capital letters are U and Y. You may have realized that I am expecting a lot more work to be done in cursive. This is a county and school-wide expectation. These kids are really stepping up to the challenge. Please let me know if your child is having difficulty with this at home.
Science: Well, the fun begins next week. We have our compost containers ready and the worms are coming! At this time we have plenty of food scraps - I'll have them write it in their agendas when we need more - Thanks!
Writing: We are finishing up stories that need to have all story elements - characters, setting, problem, solution... beginning, middle, and end. Writer's Workshop has really helped this class become great writers!!
Please remember that tomorrow is an early dismissal day. Monday is a teacher work day. Can you believe Term 3 is over tomorrow??? Third grade will be over before we know it!
Please keep an eye out for important dates from the PTA - so much goes on near the end of school, I don't want you to miss out on anything!
Have a great, relaxing weekend!
Faith Humerick
Friday, March 16, 2012
Happy Friday!
Well, the testing is over! And... this class did an awesome job! The persevered and stuck with it until the end! Please tell them how proud I am of them!!!
So... next week will start with some new units.
Language Arts: We are starting our Novel Unit. I'll be working on story elements through Literature Circles. Ask your child which book he/she is reading for this.
Math: We will be taking our third quarter post assessment soon, so we'll be reviewing for it. Can you believe third quarter is almost over???? Then, we'll start with fourth quarter skills. A list of these skills will be coming home on Monday or Tuesday.
Science: We've ended our Chemical Tests unit and will begin Rocks, Soil, and Fossils. We'll start with sorting rocks and minerals and learning the difference between the two.
Word Study: Our list this week will be vowel combinations.
Cursive: Our letters this week will be H and K.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend. The weather looks beautiful - I hope you get to enjoy it!
Faith Humerick
Well, the testing is over! And... this class did an awesome job! The persevered and stuck with it until the end! Please tell them how proud I am of them!!!
So... next week will start with some new units.
Language Arts: We are starting our Novel Unit. I'll be working on story elements through Literature Circles. Ask your child which book he/she is reading for this.
Math: We will be taking our third quarter post assessment soon, so we'll be reviewing for it. Can you believe third quarter is almost over???? Then, we'll start with fourth quarter skills. A list of these skills will be coming home on Monday or Tuesday.
Science: We've ended our Chemical Tests unit and will begin Rocks, Soil, and Fossils. We'll start with sorting rocks and minerals and learning the difference between the two.
Word Study: Our list this week will be vowel combinations.
Cursive: Our letters this week will be H and K.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend. The weather looks beautiful - I hope you get to enjoy it!
Faith Humerick
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Happy Thursday!!
I wanted to get this out before things got really crazy!!
As you know, our MSA's (Maryland State Assessments) are next week. PLEASE be sure your child is well rested and has had a nutritious breakfast.
We will be doing our Reading tests on Monday and Tuesday. We have Wednesday off, and then finish with our Math tests on Thursday and Friday.
The afternoons will consist of our Novel Unit and Science - very low key... It's amazing how 1 1/2 to 2 hours of testing will completely wear you out!!
There will also be no homework next week! The kids were thrilled with this news!
If your child is a car rider, please have him/her here on time (before 8:55). Testing will begin promptly at 9:00. If your child is late, he/she will have to sit in the office and wait until the next section... no fun!
I think that's it for now. Please know that your child is completely ready for these tests. Now... if they just read directions carefully and take their time........
Have a great weekend!
Faith Humerick
I wanted to get this out before things got really crazy!!
As you know, our MSA's (Maryland State Assessments) are next week. PLEASE be sure your child is well rested and has had a nutritious breakfast.
We will be doing our Reading tests on Monday and Tuesday. We have Wednesday off, and then finish with our Math tests on Thursday and Friday.
The afternoons will consist of our Novel Unit and Science - very low key... It's amazing how 1 1/2 to 2 hours of testing will completely wear you out!!
There will also be no homework next week! The kids were thrilled with this news!
If your child is a car rider, please have him/her here on time (before 8:55). Testing will begin promptly at 9:00. If your child is late, he/she will have to sit in the office and wait until the next section... no fun!
I think that's it for now. Please know that your child is completely ready for these tests. Now... if they just read directions carefully and take their time........
Have a great weekend!
Faith Humerick
Friday, March 2, 2012
Happy Friday!
These past two days have been really crazy! Lots of things going on!
Here's what's happening in the classroom:
Language Arts: We have finished our "Reading Science Texts" unit and are moving on to our "Novels" unit. I'll be using Literature Circles during this time. At any given time, your child may be a discussion director, an illustrator, a connector, a vocabulary enricher, or a summarizer. Next week will be spent understanding these roles and practicing them.
Math: We'll be doing lots of review of different skills to be sure we're ready for the "BIG" test.
Science: Testing our mystery powders with heat is the last experiment! Then...we'll try to guess what the powders really are!
Word Study: We'll be working with different prefixes and how they change the meaning of the root words.
Cursive: Our next two capital letters are H and K.
Writing: We'll be continuing with Writer's Workshop.
*** You are receiving some very important information today - Please be sure to check your child's backpack for it!
1. There is a note from FCPS explaining the dates for our MSA testing. Our first day is Monday, March 12. It is VERY IMPORTANT that your child have a good night's sleep the night before and a nutritious breakfast the morning of the testing. If nothing happens (weather, etc.), we will be testing Reading on the 12th and 13th. Our Math testing will be the 15th and 16th. Testing begins right after announcements, so if you are driving your child please have him/her here on time!
2. A big brown envelope will be coming home with a note from me in it. Each year we like to have parents write a surprise note of encouragement to their child. Please send the note back in the envelope to me. It's such a nice surprise for the kids to have something to open and read on the first morning of MSA's.
I think that's it for now... Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns about the MSA's or anything else. Have a great weekend!
Faith Humerick
These past two days have been really crazy! Lots of things going on!
Here's what's happening in the classroom:
Language Arts: We have finished our "Reading Science Texts" unit and are moving on to our "Novels" unit. I'll be using Literature Circles during this time. At any given time, your child may be a discussion director, an illustrator, a connector, a vocabulary enricher, or a summarizer. Next week will be spent understanding these roles and practicing them.
Math: We'll be doing lots of review of different skills to be sure we're ready for the "BIG" test.
Science: Testing our mystery powders with heat is the last experiment! Then...we'll try to guess what the powders really are!
Word Study: We'll be working with different prefixes and how they change the meaning of the root words.
Cursive: Our next two capital letters are H and K.
Writing: We'll be continuing with Writer's Workshop.
*** You are receiving some very important information today - Please be sure to check your child's backpack for it!
1. There is a note from FCPS explaining the dates for our MSA testing. Our first day is Monday, March 12. It is VERY IMPORTANT that your child have a good night's sleep the night before and a nutritious breakfast the morning of the testing. If nothing happens (weather, etc.), we will be testing Reading on the 12th and 13th. Our Math testing will be the 15th and 16th. Testing begins right after announcements, so if you are driving your child please have him/her here on time!
2. A big brown envelope will be coming home with a note from me in it. Each year we like to have parents write a surprise note of encouragement to their child. Please send the note back in the envelope to me. It's such a nice surprise for the kids to have something to open and read on the first morning of MSA's.
I think that's it for now... Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns about the MSA's or anything else. Have a great weekend!
Faith Humerick
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