This is a good time of the year to remind your child that in our class we work hard and are nice. We continue to have days full of meaningful learning activities:)

We are beginning to write our class newspaper with Mr. Seley and we are reading Tales of A Fourth Grade Nothing (next we'll read the sequel Otherwise Known As Shelia the Great) to work on summarizing what we've read, making a movie in our mind, and reading with expression. These are fabulous classics!

For good dinner time conversation ask each family member these three questions:

-how were you brave today?

-how were you kind today?

-how did you fail today?

(http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/11665530?utm_campaign=hp_fb_pages&utm_source=parents_fb&utm_medium=facebook&ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000037))

Homework:

3rd grade math: do one lesson or more on xtramath.org per day at home (to practice math facts), do a bit of Compass Learning -Fractions each day to practice fractions!

·         Go to xtramath.org

·         Click Sign In

·         Click Students

·         Enter Teacher’s Email:  kd06bps@birmingham.k12.mi.us

·         First name: from your sticky label

·         PIN: from your sticky label

4th: due Friday 8-3 HR and SAB

Tuesday

Here the classroom opinion magazine. The kids really enjoyed making it!

Hopefully they brought it home yesterday. But, if they didn't, click on this link to read their work...

Opinion Magazine 2017

We presented our non-fiction reading projects today. (By the way, we have the cutest kids!)

Marvelous Monday

Today was a very special day because we have published our opinion essays! We read outside with a partner from the opposite class, then we complimented writers for elements that we noticed they did especially well. 

This booklet of all students' opinion essays is coming home tonight. When you read your child's writing, here are the learning targets of lessons and conferencing. Kids revised with this checklist to prepare their final drafts:

Our outdoor publishing celebration!

Calling on each other to compliment other writers :) We were full of compliments for our many deserving writers!

Tonight's Homework:

Friday

Our salmon release is included in this week's Eagle!  http://www.candgnews.com/news/birmingham-covington-students-take-part-dnr-fish-release-program-101334 

We'd like you to know that we are having kids leave fidget spinners in their lockers to play with at lunch or recess times, but not in the classroom. After some patient experimentation, they are distracting others.

3rd grade math students began their test this morning, but many kids were making many mistakes. I collected their tests and gave them a practice test to practice this weekend with a parent. Before getting their tests back to finish, I'd like them to show me their copy of this practice sheet, signed by a parent. I have included the answers as well. We did a review together in the book as well-answers are posted in yesterday's blog post.

Davis' class would like to share our non-fiction reading projects with each other Tuesday afternoon. Some kids might want to work at home over the weekend.

Have a great weekend!

Kim and Tom

Terrific Thursday

One of my favorite days at BCS is the day we host our alumni breakfast for high school seniors. Here are some Davis/Seley kids who returned to visit us today They told our third graders about high school and college. Before we know it, our 3/4 kids will be graduating from high school!

Third grade math review:

Opinion writing is our favorite time of the day. Many kids are done and they worked today on their reading project from their non-fiction reading. This was my view from my editing station.

Today we learned about opportunity cost and scarcity. 

Third grade math homework hints:

Remember our BCS goal for the fourth quarter is to finish strong!! We have so many fun, engaging, important learning activities to do with each other for the last few weeks of the year! Here are a few curriculum updates.

Reading: We are completing our non-fiction unit with a research project. Mr. Seley's class each did a state, and Mrs. Davis' buddies each chose a topic of their choice from titles available in our book room. We will be sharing projects with our classmates on Friday.

Writing: We are in the editing stage of our opinion essays and will have our whole-class magazine published this week.

Science: We are studying plants. Here are our learning targets from our interactive books:

Additionally, we are growing herbs and letttuces in our hydroponic tower garden and look forward to enjoying the bounty of our harvest.

Social Studies: We are studying the U.S. economy! Look for daily teaching points on the blog.

3rd Grade Math: We are doing perimeter and area story problems this week and reviewing for our geometry (unit 6) test that we will take on Friday.

We are also doing a few story problems from unit 5 every day.

4th Grade Math: We will be taking our Unit 7 test on Friday on decimals and fractions.

Thursday

Tomorrow is Moms Eat and Run (11:45-12:25) and Davis swims/Seley PE shoes :)

Today we did a live webinar with non-fiction author Seymour Simon, who shared with us his tips on writing non-fiction. We are currently reading non-fiction and writing research reports, and today's webquest with such a prolific non-fiction writer was so helpful and inspiring.

4th graders have their final day of MStep tomorrow!!! (Part 2 of the science MStep)

Today, Mrs. Davis did end of the year reading testing and Mrs. Taylor subbed while Mrs. Davis was with kids in the science lab. If I saw your child today, I gave him or her a neon yellow paper to report his/her reading level :)

Homework:

Tomorrow is our salmon release field trip!!! We are so excited and hope that many parents will be able to join us.  :) 

WHEN:  Tuesday, May 9^th, 9:30 a.m.-12:20 p.m. 

WHERE:  Riverside Park (near Squirrel Road and Auburn Road);  3311 Squirrel Ct, Auburn Hills, MI 48326

WHAT TO BRING:

    --Wear RAIN BOOTS if you have them or shoes that can get wet.  (Bring a change of shoes to wear later in school.)

    --Dress for the day’s weather (WINTER coat, gloves, hat/hood)

    --Pack a NUT-FREE lunch to eat at the park. Recyclable or reusable bags are great.

    --A camera or device to record photos or video. It is easiest if your photo device has Seesaw app downloaded.

    --A book to read.

CHAPERONES:  All parents, siblings, families are invited to join us!  Meet us at BCS and follow the buses in your car, or meet us at Riverside Park.  Mali/Harvath will leave BCS at 9:30 and Davis/Seley will leave BCS at 9:45.

                                                                              

We are hoping to picnic and stay to enjoy the park. The morning's forecast is 45-50 degrees at the time we'll be outside, so please wear the suggested items above.

Homework:

• Third graders are done with the MStep except for a handful of kids who need a few more minutes to finish. Homework will resume.
• Fourth graders take a two-part Science MStep on Wednesday and Thursday mornings.
• Third grade math: Compass Learning Geometry

Due to tomorrow’s forecast, we are moving our Salmon Release Field Trip to Tuesday, May 9^th. The radar and hourly forecasts indicate a substantial amount of rain which will make the park conditions unsafe for the kids. The area around the river is slopes downhill and will be very muddy and slippery and we imagine it will impact water level and current speed of the river. Tuesday looks more temperate, so keep your fingers crossed!

Thank you for your flexibility!

Kim, Tom, Erica, and Mandy J

Whew! What a week we're having! The kids have been working so hard on their English Language Arts and Math MStep tests. Mrs. Davis had strep yesterday :(

Tomorrow, a few kids will be finishing up their tests. Monday, everyone takes a new Math Performance Task MStep. After that, third graders are finished.  Fourth graders take two parts of the science MStep on Wednesday and Thursday, while the third graders enjoy a long math class. Homework will resume on non-test nights :)

For tomorrow:

--Seley gym, Davis swim

--Regular day :)