Starting in January, math time in our class will be structured a little bit differently.  I'll now be incorporating Unit 5 of Everyday Math with a new model called "Math Workshop".   Some of you may have heard the term "Guided Math".   It is structured very similarly to the concept of Guided Reading that I utilize during literacy time where groups are differentiated.

Before a unit starts, your student is given a pre-test over the upcoming unit to determine concepts that your child already has mastered and ones that I need to reinforce with them. Based off of the pre-test, I will place your child in an appropriate guided math group with similar students working at their same ability level.   

The beginning of our math time starts off with a whole group "mini-lesson" that focuses on the math concepts for the day.   Afterwards, your student is placed with their guided math groups for more in-depth practice of the whole group skills.    Depending upon the group your child has been placed in, some students will work on reinforcement skills if I feel they can use more practice in an area, while others will work on enrichment skills if I believe that they can use an additional challenge in a particular area.

The groups rotate through stations utilizing the following stations:
1.  Meet With Teacher: Students work on journal pages with teacher involving reinforcement or enrichment skills.
2.  Math Fact Practice/ Math Boxes: Students work with a partner to practice their math facts or a review of what we've covered by working on individual Math Boxes.
3.  Supplemental Activity or Technology: Students are given group reinforcement or enrichment supplemental activities, Khanacademy.org, or other online game focusing on the topic at hand.

After each station, students are asked to reflect upon their time at each station.  Each day I look at their reflections and progress with their journal, Khan Academy, and/or supplemental activity to determine additional reinforcement or enrichment activities for the next session.   

Homework will still remain the same with the students having a Homelink page to complete.   If your student missed 5 or less on their pretest, they are given challenge Homelinks that they can use in lieu of their regular Homelink pages.       

From a teacher standpoint, this new model allows me to work more individually with students that are struggling with a particular concept.  While at the same time, it also provides more of a challenge for students that need enrichment activities in a particular area.   Hopefully this success will continue and we can utilize this model with upcoming units throughout the rest of the year!  :)

October/November Classroom Snapshot

Wow!   It's hard to believe that we are well into Trimester 2 and are now ready for Thanksgiving Break!   The kids have been working so hard and are starting to get deep into the routines of being 3rd grade learners. I look forward to seeing everyone at conferences and I hope that you have a wonderful, safe, and restful holiday with your families!   

Here's what has been happening in our class:

Literacy Time:
We just completed a literacy unit of study of nonfiction.  Our mini-lessons and interactive read alouds involved the following concepts, skills, and strategies:

• Reading a variety types on nonfiction books (reference, literacy nonfiction, and biography)
• Identifying common nonfiction text features and use them to sort information and find answers to questions
• Using comprehension strategies before, during, and after reading to monitor and deepen comprehension
• Using textual evidence to support thinking about nonfiction reading in both conversation and writing
• Inferring an author's purpose or viewpoint
• Summarizing and synthesizing information to determine important ideas
• Analyzing the impact of the author's language choice on the meaning and tone of text
• Synthesizing and comparing information across texts and in various formats
• Determining meaningful goals for enhancing the reading of nonfiction

Spelling:

I appreciate all of the hard work that each student gives to spelling each evening. Please continue to make sure that they are sorting their words correctly into their various spelling categories. The goal of our spelling program is for the students to learn and retain the spelling rules and word patterns for future use in their writing. The nightly spelling sorts and activities will help your student to reach this goal.

Writing/Grammar:

Throughout Writer's Express (WEX) time, our class continues to work hard learning about the important elements to include in a personal narrative. Together, our mini-lessons have been focusing on writing our paragraphs in a more logical and organized manner. In addition, we are continuing to make sure that our work focuses on a single moment in time. Our lessons have been stressing the importance of utilizing strong verbs, good sensory detail, and proper sentence mechanics in our writing.

During grammar time, we have been focusing on the concepts of irregular and plural nouns, singular possessive nouns, and using action verbs in our writing.   

Math:

We just wrapped up Unit 3  involved learning about both the U.S. Customary and metric forms of measurement.   Currently in Unit 4,  we will focus on introducing multiplication and division fact strategies, using arrays to demonstrate the meaning of multiplication, work with multiplication and division word problems, determine the area of rectangular shapes, and collect data to discuss the topic of probability and chance. 

Science:

Our unit on habitats studied closely at how a habitat meets the survival needs of individual organisms and how physical and behavioral characteristics help organisms survive in their habitat.  Students concluded the unit by learning about the biomes around the world. The class was divided into a biome group that was in charge of researching the location, weather, plants, and animals located in their biome. Afterwards, the group learned how to make a webpage and posted their findings for the rest of the class to learn about.  Please click here to see our final webpage products: http://hynekbiomeresearch.weebly.com/

Social Studies:

The 3rd and 3-4 classes are busy preparing hosting our Chicago's World's Fair in December.  The classes are responsible for showcasing the north, south, west, and downtown neighborhoods of the city at the fair.   Our class in in charge of representing the neighborhoods on the west side of the city that involve Humboldt Park, West Town, Little Village, Pilsen, West Loop, and Little Italy and University Village.  Currently, students have been divided into groups researching, planning, and creating how they will represent their neighborhood at the event.  

Our World's Fair will be taking place on Tuesday, December 15th from 6:15-7:30 pm for all 3rd and 3-4 families to attend.  More information will be coming home from our teams soon.  

Biome Research Project Webpages

Did you know that there are many different kinds of biomes all around the world? Click on this link to learn more about some of the major biomes that members in our class have researched and discovered.  

Weekend in Chicago Podcasts

Over the past couple of weeks, the students were put into research groups to work on our "Weekend in Chicago" podcasts.   Within their group, their job was to become a travel agent by researching and planning a weekend for a family to spend in the Windy City.    

Through the research, the groups learned how to take notes on attractions and activities they wanted their family to visit,  suggested restaurants for them to eat at, and provided overnight accommodations for them to stay in. (Please click here to view the websites that the students used to research from.)  

After the students researched and planned their weekend, their group created a podcast in our LMC Production studio with Mrs. Seisser to try and promote their touring itinerary.

Please click on this link to view our final podcast shows:
http://hynekclass.weebly.com/a-weekend-in-chicago-podcasts.html

Halloween Parade and Party

We would like to thank our room parents, Jan Russell, Kathy Moran, and Dawn Dalton, for planning, organizing, decorating, and implementing a fantastic Halloween Party.  We would also like to thank Julie Daly, Nicole Towle, and Jeni Riley for helping out to assist with the games and food.  The kids had such a fantastic time playing various Halloween "Minute-to-Win-It" games.  They also enjoyed eating all of the creative spooky foods from the buffet table.

Please click on this link to view a slideshow of pictures from our fun day: http://hynekclass.weebly.com/halloween-fun.html

Halloween Party Information

Westgate will be celebrating Halloween on Friday, October 30th.   

A BIG THANKS goes out to all of the parents that signed-up to bring in an item for our Halloween Party.   It’s so amazing that the sign-up is now full!  Please click on this link for a reminder notice: http://goo.gl/e7F6je

Halloween Party Message from Administration:

1.     All school lunch period: 12:30PM to 1:30PM.

2.     Students leaving for lunch may not return to school until 1:25PM (Doors will not open until 1:30PM.)

3.     At 1:30PM students returning to school may enter the building through the Main Doors (Door #1) or the Primary Doors (Door #2). Students will not be let in the building prior to 1:30PM!

4.     Parents may not prepare “goodie bags” to be passed out to students at school.

5.     At Westgate, Halloween costumes promoting excessive violence, sharp objects, weapons, and unnecessary gore will not be allowed at both the parade and party.

Halloween Parade starts at 1:45PM (A SchoolMessenger will be sent out at noon announcing cancellation of the parade or the reduction of the parade route.)

Global Read Aloud

This year, our class will be participating in a project called the Global Read Aloud.  This project started on October 5th and will run for approximately 6 weeks.  The idea behind it is very simple; teachers around the world read the same book aloud to their students and then use technology to share the reading experience with these other classrooms.  It is a free project and it fits perfectly into the standards we have to cover.  

During the project, our class will be reading Fish in a Tree and connecting with students Mrs. Fredrickson's 3/4 multi-age class from Saskatchewan, Canada.  We will use technology tools such as Edmodo and Twitter to facilitate these connections and conversations. Last week we were able to meet them and ask and answer questions via Skype.

We are very excited to connect with others, especially since more than 200,000 students are already signed up to participate.  This project will allow for our students to use technology tools in a meaningful way, as well as learn about other cultures, all while listening to a fantastic read aloud.  

If you would like more information about the Global Read Aloud, feel free to visit the website www.theglobalreadaloud.com or I would be happy to answer any questions you may have.  I look forward to starting this exciting project with your child, as well as seeing the connections we will make.

September Snapshot of Events

Here's a snapshot of some of September's classroom events:

Fun adventures of having a "fishbowl" guided reading discussion of The Bee Tree.

Literacy:

Our class has really been taking off with our Schoolwide Reading Fundamentals Program that focuses on important  reading strategies that we should  be implementing everyday in our reading.  Together, we've been following the reading workshop structure that involves both interactive read-alouds and mini-lessons.

Over the past few weeks, we've been working on the following skills strategies:

Using schema, making inferences, speaking to communicate, listening and responding, engaging in discussion/collaborating, text and genre features, determining importance, questioning, visualizing, monitoring and repairing comprehension, finding word meaning, and synthesizing.   

Our lessons have involved:

• Learning about routines, procedures, and expectations of members of a reading community.
• Developing an understanding about our unique identity as a reader.
• Learning how to find "just-right" books.
• Asking questions to interact with text and make meaning of what we read.
• Monitoring for meaning and us "fix-up" strategies when meaning breaks down.
• Discussing with others about their thinking of what we read.
• Creating a reading notebook to notate our thinking about texts.
• Finding evidence from the text to support and clarify our ideas and opinions.

Throughout the past two weeks.  I've also been individually assessing your child in the areas of fluency and comprehension. Guided Reading groups will start at the beginning of October once everyone has been assessed. 

Through the reading benchmarking assessments, I will be able to place your child in a guided reading group and provide them with appropriate books that I feel matches their reading strengths and capabilities. Guided reading time involves assigning students chapters or pages to read independently, having them answer comprehension questions about their book, and meeting with their group for a novel group discussion. Throughout the year, your child may be moved to a different guided reading group depending on their needs. If your child has a difficult time finishing their reading assignment during the schedule 60 minute guided reading period, they will be asked to finish it that night for homework.

Writing:

Our class is really starting to get used to the format and routines our new WEX Writing Program. Over the past couple of weeks we have been learning about the writing concept of focus. Throughout our lessons, the students have been learning that when we focus on one moment, setting, sound, or object in our writing, it results in more interesting words, unique perspectives, and surprising fun-to-read details.

Additionally, the students have also been working hard making sure that they are "showing details" in their writing. Showing is the skill of using precise observations, descriptive details, and expressive language to demonstrate emotion, create images, and present evidence within our writing. The students have been learning the difference between telling the reader what is happening in their writing versus "showing" the reader. For example, instead of telling the reader "I was cold", the students have learned that they can better show how the person is feeling by saying, "I was shivering outside on my front porch as I zipped up my coat". Thus, we are learning how to write details in our work that are more precise and authentic to the reader.

Spelling:

A big thanks goes out to all of the parents that are working with their student on spelling each evening this week with our "Words Their Way" Program!  Spelling lists will be reviewed at school with individualized groups on Monday.  Our tests will always be on Friday, unless otherwise noted. Please continue to make sure that they are sorting their words correctly into their various spelling categories. The goal of our spelling program is for the students to learn and retain the spelling rules and word patterns for future use in their writing and not to just memorize the words for the test and forget them by the next week.   The nightly spelling sorts and activities will help your student to reach this goal.  Please continue to make sure that your child completes at least three of the assigned homework activities. Each weekly homework packet is worth 6 points.  

Math:

The students will be finishing up with Unit 1 on Tuesday that reviews some of the concepts that they learned already in 2nd grade. Our lessons  involved analyzing data and plotting it into various kinds of graphs, finding equivalent names for a given number, discussing the concept of chance, learning how to utilize our new calculators, and counting money. 

Our Unit 1 Test will be on Friday of this week.   On Wednesday, we will spend time reviewing the unit and a review sheet will go home that night for practice for our test.  

Social Studies:

The class has been having a fun time learning all about Chicago.   Together, we have been discussing about the meaning of the parts of the Chicago flag and learned about the first settlers that moved into the Chicago area.   In addition, the students have been reading various articles to learn more about events that happened in Chicago's history involving Fort Dearborn, the Chicago River, the Chicago Fire, the Century of Progress, and the Chicago World's Fair.   The students have been having fun responding to the articles in their online Edmodo accounts.   Parents are welcome to view their responses online at home.  Student passwords are attached inside of your student's take home folder.   Have them show you how to log-in online to view their responses.   

We're having a blast learning how to log into our new Edmodo accounts.

On Thursday, students will have the opportunity to view all of the things we have learned in our Chicago unit on our Wendella Boat Ride.   More information will be coming home this week to prepare for the trip.   As a reminder, permission forms and money are due on Monday.   Pre-orders for a school sack lunch cannot be accepted past Monday.   

Personalized Learning:

Over the past couple of weeks, students have been having fun coming up with questions that they may have for a possible upcoming Genius Hour research project.   Students have also been exploring and answering many of their questions in a website called Wonderopolis.com.

This week, students had the opportunity to start creating their own Weebly web pages and blogs.   Students will be using their webpages in the future to post some of their Genius Hour finding and blog about their experiences.   Our web pages are still a work in progress, but feel free to have your student show you the "skeleton" that they have started on their webpage at home.   The log-in information is also on their password card.   

Mrs. Seisser helped our class to start our very own Weebly webpages this week.

Have a wonderful weekend with your families!

There is No "I" in "TEAM"!

Wow! It has been great getting to know your child and becoming acquainted with all of our new families to our classroom over the past couple of weeks!  If for some reason you were not able to attend our Parent Night, do not worry.  Feel free to contact me with any questions that you may have.

My objective for this school year is to help your student have a positive and successful 3rd grade year.   In order to make this happen, it is vital for students, parents, teachers, and administrators to work together as a TEAM.   Without a doubt, as parents, you are your child's most important teacher.   As a result, your input and support is so appreciated throughout the year.

Having good and effective parent/ teacher communication is extremely important for getting to know your child and to having a successful school year. The best way to get a hold of me is through email (Dhynek@sd25.org). I try very hard to read my e-mail at least once in the morning and once after school.

Because my number one priority during the school day is working with your child, please understand that I cannot always answer your e-mail during school hours. If you have a message that needs to get to your child before the end of the school day, be sure to direct those requests to the office first (ex.: Johnny needs to go home with Mr. Jones today; Ellie's gym shoes are in the office, etc.). The office staff will then happily direct your message to me before the end of the day.

If ever you would like me to contact you over the phone, please send me an e-mail of the various times that I can get a hold of you both before and after school. I will try my best to be able to call you within 24 hours during school week hours.

Although it's sometimes easy to do, I would greatly appreciate it if parents do not make unexpected "drop-ins" to our classroom during school hours. This rule needs to also be respected before and after school. Many times when parents do this, I may be in the middle of preparing and setting up the classroom for the school day, in the middle of a lesson with students, or on my way to a meeting or school duty. In addition, it it important to me to respect the privacy of your child. As a result, I do not feel comfortable discussing any concerns you may have about them in front of their classmates. If you have a major concern about your child, I am always more willing to schedule a before or after school appointment with you. Please feel free to contact me through e-mail to make an appointment.

I appreciate your help with open communication about your student. Here's to continuing a great 3rd grade year!

Excited About Our Edmodo Accounts!

Today, your child learned how to use a new online website called "Edmodo".  Throughout research time during Social Studies, the students log into an Edmodo account.    Once on the page, an assignment is posted for them to complete with their group to learn more about a topic.   (Usually the assignments involve reading a webpage, watching a short movie, or watching a slideshow about the subject they are researching that day).   Afterwards, the student groups post a few sentences in Edmodo about what they have read. Together as a whole group, we discuss our findings.     

Feel free to view their postings by going to:   www.Edmodo.com.    Once on the site, your child can log into their account to show you their postings!  All of your child's usernames and passwords for their online accounts have been stapled to the inside pocket of their Take Home folders.   

Welcome to Third Grade!

Hi!   Welcome to Room 212!  My name is Mrs. Hynek and I’m so excited to be your third grade teacher this school year.  It’s going to be a fun year full of lots of learning and new adventures! I certainly cannot wait to meet your smiling face and see what the year has in store for us. 

Our first day of school will start on Thursday, August 27^th.  Please note that it is a full day of school from 9:05-3:35 pm.   “Welcome to Westgate Day” will be held on Tuesday, August 25^th from 3:00-4:30 pm.   This is a time where you are welcome to visit our new classroom and can drop off your supplies. (Please note, that our new classroom is now located in the upstairs wing in Room 212). If you are not able to make it to school on that day, please don’t worry!  You can just make sure to bring all of your supplies with you on the first day of school.   If you pre-ordered a school supply box, it will be waiting for you at your desk when you arrive by the first day of school.  Also, it is not necessary to label any of your supplies with your name.  We will label your supplies and folders with special name stickers that I have for you.

You are also welcome to bring in a snack and water bottle to have during class.   Please be sure that it is a healthy snack that does not contain any type of nuts.   We also ask that your snack be easy to eat and cleanup. 

 Before school starts, feel free to check out our classroom webpage at: www.hynekclass.weebly.com.  This is the spot where we will post important information for both you and your parents about events happening in the classroom as well as special projects we’re doing in class.

I am so excited for you all to become our classroom “directors” and to be a part of this AWESOME, all star “cast” we have lined up for our classroom! This is going to be a BLOCKBUSTER year! I look forward to seeing you soon!