Sunday, December 19, 2010

Hi All,
Just a brief note to wish you all a wonderful vacation, and Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it.

There will be math homework on Monday and Tuesday, but no spelling this week. Please encourage your children to read daily throughout the vacation; they have Reading Logs for December/January. Otherwise, there is much to discover about our selves and our world outside of the school environment. Enjoy it!

Finally, thanks to those who are participating and/or supporting our "Snowman" party, especially Amy. The kids are excited to kick off the vacation with a celebration of an iconic winter activity.

Peace and love,
Carroll

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Hi All,
This week students are bringing home a spelling packet for The Garden of Abdul Gasazi. The spelling focus is homophones (words that sound the same, but have different meanings and spellings.) It's essential that students study the meaning of the word along with the correct spelling, because I will give the test using examples of the word in its correct context. For example, a sentence for "hear" might be, " I hear birds chirping in the tree." I am not including multiplication practice in this week's packet, but students should practice all facts from 0-5 in preparation for a test on Friday. In January, we will begin practicing the facts from 6-9.

A big thank you from me to all the wonderful parents that drove and chaperoned on our trip to the Natural History Museum, and to Sandi Kolassa, our extraordinary field trip coordinator. The museum trip does a great job of reinforcing our study of the Ohlone people and culture.

Finally, Amy Humphreys has been in contact with many of you regarding our holiday party. The theme is "snow man" and the party is scheduled for Wednesday, December 22. Please contact Amy if you missed the email.

Have a great week,
Carroll

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Hi All,

We had great days last week with our new student teacher, Joy Butler. The kids received a letter from her and wrote letters in response. Miss Butler worked with small groups, individual students, and began teaching a few whole class lessons. She has already proven herself to be a wonderful addition to Room 24!

Homework packets go home tomorrow for the spelling words for Raising Dragons, and continued multiplication practice as well. Students are generally responsible about the Friday packets, and the nightly math homework. Two problems that arise every week are missing Literature Circle assignments, which are always due on Wednesday (and hurt the entire group when not completed), and "Nameless" homework assignments. Please insist that your child develop good homework habits; in the upper grades this work has a big impact on the students' grades.

On Thursday, our class is visiting the SC Museum of Natural History. Kids need to bring sack lunches that day. Also, if you are driving and need to update your Driver Information, please do so early in the week.

Finally, I've asked the kids to hold back on wearing Santa hats until the last week before break. I find that the class is excited enough as the break approaches, and that the hats are just an extra distraction.

Take care,
Carroll Mayer

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Hello All,

I hope you all had a joyous Thanksgiving. This week, we return to a normal routine, with a homework packet on The Mysterious Giant of Barletta, and multiplication to practice. We will have another multiplication timed test before break focusing on the facts under 5. When we return from Winter Break, the entire class will move on to the 6-9 facts. Please encourage your child to practice the facts enough so that they can do them automatically. This week's Lit. Circle assignments were sent home before Thanksgiving, with children having 2 weeks to complete the assignment. Please make sure your child is giving these assignments the appropriate time and energy to produce good quality work.

Our field trip to the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History is coming up fast. If you have volunteered to drive, please be sure to update your driver information in the office. This is required by the district at the beginning of each trimester. There are also a few students who have not returned permission slips or have not handed in their $2 for the museum. Please be sure to send in these items if you have not already done so. If your child's permission slip has been misplaced, the school website has a link to a slip to print out, or send a note requesting a duplicate.

Finally, I know you will join me in welcoming our student teacher, Joyanne Butler. She will be with the class for 8 weeks. The kids and I will surely benefit from this additional academic support.

Take care, and have a great week!
Carroll Mayer

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Hi All,

Just a few reminders for this very short week! First of all, please send your child with a cup of something to contribute to a communal "trail mix" on Tuesday. Secondly, the only homework the kids have this week is math on Monday, and the Reading Log. Finally, for those that haven't brought in permission slips or $2 for the SC Museum of Natural History, please bring these in ASAP.
Have a great week, and a lovely Thanksgiving Holiday.
Carroll Mayer


Sunday, November 14, 2010

Hello All,

I hope you enjoyed this long weekend; I know I did! Tomorrow students will bring home their first trimester report card. Please spend some time discussing the report card with your child and setting goals for the new term. Have your child return the signed envelope on Tuesday, as we reuse them for all 3 report cards.

This week we will also be having a normal amount of homework. We will be reading the Dogzilla story, and the spelling and multiplication packet for it is due as usual on Friday. Literature Circle assignments are due, as always, on Wednesday. Some students are saying they don't have time to complete the Lit. Circle, despite being given a week to read and do the "job". Please make sure your child organizes their time, and doesn't look upon the Lit. Circle homework as a task to start on Tuesday night.

Finally, if you haven't returned the permission slip and $2.00 for the Museum of Natural History, please do so.

Have a great week!
Carroll

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Hi All,
Thank you to the parents who drove on the field trip to the Aptos Museum on Friday. The kids had a great time and learned some valuable local history. We have another field trip coming up in December to the Museum of Natural History in Santa Cruz (across the street from Seabright Beach). Permission forms will be sent home on Monday. We are asking $2.00 per student for the cost of this field trip. If you are driving, you will need to resubmit driver insurance information because the new trimester begins this week.

Due to the Veteran's holiday, there will be no weekly spelling homework packet sent home. Nightly math homework from the Houghton Mifflin program will continue, as well as Lit Circles. I will not stamp Reading Logs this Wednesday; they can be turned in the following week on Friday.

The report cards for first trimester will go home on Monday, November 15th.

Take care and have a great week,
Carroll Mayer

Sunday, October 31, 2010

HI All,
I hope you enjoyed a busy Halloween weekend. The party was great. Thanks so much to Jennifer, Patti, and the team of parents that helped and/or sent in goodies. All the photos are really cute too! (Thanks Maria.) Many of the kids said they had never had a caramel apple, so you provided them with a cultural experience. This holiday is fun; however, please have your children save their candy for after school treats.

Last week, the kids took a set of multiplication quizzes on 2-5s. Most students were well-prepared, with mostly accurate responses. While I gave the kids 2 minutes for each 18 question section, I'd like to see them completing each part in 40 seconds or less. Very few kids met this goal. We will continue to practice the 2-5s on the weekly homework packet, and retest again in a few weeks. The homework practice will be reinforced with our in-class studies, as the current Math Unit is on the concept and practice of multiplication.

This Friday is our field trip to Aptos History Museum. There are quite a few children who have not returned their permission slips, and we are still a little low on drivers. Please send the slips in right away, or let me know if you need a duplicate. Many people also need to send in the dollar donation to the museum. On that note, I am finding that students are really slacking off when it comes to homework. Please remind your child to properly load and unload their backpack, and note that papers are not returned without a stamp or corrections on them.

Have a great week!
Carroll

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Hi All,
I hope you have enjoyed this cozy indoor weekend weather; I know I have!

This week will proceed as normally as possible (given students' increasing excitement as Halloween nears.) The homework packets covering the spelling words( three letter consonant blends and unexpected two letter patterns) as well as practice sheets on x3, 4 and 5, will be coming home on Monday. Please supervise your child's work, making sure that they write their name on each page and do them accurately and carefully. Every week I receive many pages without names. In addition, Lit. Circle assignments are due first thing on Wednesday morning. Kids should bring their book and completed assignment, and should also be prepared to read from their work. Make sure your child can fluently read everything he/she has written.

Permission slips for the Aptos History Museum field trip are coming home this week. This is an interesting (and short) trip. Please try to drive and attend if you are able.


On Friday, all of Rio del Mar will have our annual Halloween parade. After that we are going to try to do some work, including a spelling test and a multiplication test covering 3, 4, and 5. The class Halloween party is scheduled for Friday afternoon after lunch. Thanks to all of you who have volunteered to send in supplies or help with the party. I am sending a special thanks to Jennifer Benson for organizing the party, and Patti Long who is assisting.

Have a great week,
Carroll

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Hi there,

It was great to see you all this past week, and have a chance to discuss your children's progress so far this year. I enjoyed running into many of you at the Harvest Festival, as well. I feel so fortunate to be part of a learning community that supports children in so many ways.

This week, we return to a more normal schedule. As we have begun LIt. Circles, the weekly homework is now at the level that it will remain for the rest of the year. Please be certain that your child is completing (and turning in) math homework every day. The Spelling/Multiplication Packets and Reading Logs are due on Fridays. Finally, the Lit. Circle assignment are due on Wednesdays. Each week students must bring their book and assignment to be fully prepared for the Lit. Circle meeting on Wednesday morning at 8 AM.

Thanks for all your hard work, at home and at school. I realize that Third Grade is a jump from Second Grade, and some kids may need extra support and monitoring with their homework.

Take care, and have a great week!
Carroll

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Hi All,
This week every day will follow the restructured schedule so that teachers can meet with parents at Conferences. Students will be dismissed at 12:20 and there is no Homework Club. Conferences begin at 12:45 and are scheduled in 20 minute intervals, so please arrive on time. The Scholastic Book Fair is in the library and will be open during school and conference hours. You can send your child with money after you have identified purchases you would like to make, or you can stop by yourself before or after your conference. This is a great time to select holiday/ birthday gifts. On Friday, Rio caps off the week with the Harvest Festival. Please try to attend. It's a fun community-building activity and a great time to see your child mingle with their peers.

This week's homework will also be slightly different. There is no spelling in the homework packet. Instead, students will have a one page reading comprehension passage. They are to read the passage and identify the main ideas and details. Attached to this sheet are multiplication practice pages for 3s and 4s, which we are still working on. In addition, the Landform project is due on Tuesday. Students will view each other's project, and those of other classes as well. Finally, the first Lit. Circle assignment is due on Wednesday. New Lit. Circle assignments will be sent home each Wednesday and are always due at least one week later. Please make sure your child paces herself on the assignment; the reading and work tasks should be done over a period of days, not minutes.
Enjoy this busy week!
Carroll

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Hello All,

This week the third graders at Rio will have the good fortune to receive new dictionaries from the Rotary club. They will be getting the dictionaries on Wednesday and will be able to bring them home, or keep them in their desks. We will be writing Thank you notes on Wednesday as well! The dictionary gift is particularly timely, because I will be sending home Literature Circle assignments later this week, and some kids will need them for their "jobs".

In addition to the Lit. Circle assignments, students also have a special homework this week: the Landforms Project. Kids in our class brought home a description of this assignment last Thursday, on orange paper. In Social Studies, Mrs. Maraldo explained the various landforms. The students are to make models that include three of the landforms, and label them. This is a project the kids really enjoy, and an opportunity to discuss which aspects of geography interest them most. I encourage you to make this a fun project.

Thank you to all of you who continue to send in donations of pens, pencils, prizes and cash. And you also fund raise! Your support is so valued, and makes a huge difference in our classroom and school.

Finally, please remember that conferences are scheduled a week from Monday, October 11-15. This week I will send home reminders for the days and times you have scheduled. The Harvest Festival wraps up conference week; and there will be a Scholastic Book Fair in the library during the week as well. All of these are community building events, and important to your child and the school.

See you soon,
Carroll

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Hi All,
Unbelievably, we have already completed the first theme in our Language Arts anthology. This week's spelling words will be a review of the last three weeks. We will also be having a Theme One Test. Students will need to recognize the different types of sentences--statement, question, command, and exclamation. They will also need to identify the subject and predicate in statements. In math, we'll continue to focus on rounding up to the thousands place. We will have a special homework on Monday with additional practice on rounding to the tens, hundreds, and thousands place. On Tuesday, I'll send home a Unit Review, and the test will be on Wednesday (with no math homework that day.) At the end of the week, students will also be "quizzed" on their multiplication facts for 2s-4s. Fact practice has been part of their homework packet for the last 4 weeks. Children have generally been quite responsible with homework. Please remember to review and initial your child's work. Ideally, you are "spot checking" for sloppy errors or misconceptions. A few students have handed in incomplete or poorly done homework, which is noted on your child's paper when it's returned. Your supervision will reinforce your child's work habits. Please note that Homework Club staff does not check your child's work, although they happily support students with questions.

Thank you for the swift return of the Highlights parent forms. I was able to order pencils, stickers, and squishy pencil grips for FREE. Our first Scholastic Book Order is due by September 28th. Ordering online really streamlines the process, although anyone wishing to use the traditional method is welcome to. Scholastic gives our class many free books based on the quantity of items ordered, and is most generous with their Bonus Points at the beginning of the year.

Finally, I have the majority of conferences scheduled. I will send home a note confirming your child's time in the next week or so. If you have not yet scheduled your child's conference, please email or send in a note.

Once again, thanks for all the parent help in class. I was at a training on Wednesday and Thursday of last week, so I didn't get to touch base with some of you, but your presence is much appreciated. Lit. Circle parents, I'll see you soon!
Carroll

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Hi All,

It was great to connect with so many of you last Thursday, both at the fair and at BTS Night! Hopefully, your immediate questions have been answered. Feel free to send in notes,write emails, or leave messages with the office (or our new messaging system) as additional questions arise! At Back-to-School NIght, we had sign ups for conferences and for the class roster. I also went over the Volunteer Schedule. If you were unable to attend, please email me so I can get you up-to-date on these items.

A big "Thank you" to the parents who attended the fair with the kids. Without your help driving and supervising, so many of the rich experiences our kids have on field trips would be impossible. For those of you who work during the school day, I would like to encourage you to schedule time off to attend one of our field trips. Your child will appreciate it, and you will enjoy putting faces to the names you hear from your kid when discussing school. It's also interesting to see your child interact with his/her peers. Most kids are at their best on field trips, and we go on a lot of really interesting outings. Once again, thanks to all the parent chaperons.

On Monday, students will bring home the homework packet for The Waterfall spelling words and multiplication packet for 2s-4s. The spelling test will be on Friday; the multiplication test a week later on October 1st. Most students are working carefully and responsibly on their homework packet. However, please continue to check their work for quality, as a few were missing names or were not complete. This is true even if your child attends Homework Club.

Volunteers should begin this week, except the Wednesday morning Lit Circle people. You will not begin until we have completed Charlotte's Web, and all the Lit. Circle jobs have been taught. The weekly volunteer schedule is below, although sadly the blog would not let me copy it in!

Monday: 9:30-10:30 Alysen Lanagan and Patti Long alternating
12:15- 1:00 McBrides

Tuesday: 8:30-9:10 Kelly Morrison
9:30-10:30 Jennifer Benson

Wednesday: 8:00-8:30 Karen Fisher, Lisa Bird, Amy Humphreys, Lisa Zahraie (not for a few weeks)
9:30-10:30 Maria Meade

Thursday: 8:30-9:10 Shannon Pryor
9:30-10:30 Hurleys

Friday: 8:00-8:30 Wendy Rice
8:30-9:10 Melissa Irwin
9:30-10:30 Michael Jacque

Scholastic: Lisa Bird
Art Project Prep: Sara Fernandez
"Home" Work: Ellen Abelar & Beth Catesi

Have a great week,
Carroll

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Hello All,

This week students will have homework packets on more short vowel spelling words, The Ballad of Mulan Practice Book pages, and 6 more pages of multiplication practice (2s, 3s, and 4s). I was impressed with the quality of most students' homework last week. The assignments were completed neatly and accurately. Thank you for looking over your children's work and initialing the pages. I think this added accountability helps the kids understand that good quality work is something that we all expect of them! We will have a multiplication test on the 2s, 3s, and 4s in a couple of weeks, so encourage your child to use the practice sheets to memorize the facts.

On Thursday all four third grade classes will be going to the fair. We will be there all day so students must bring a lunch including a drink. They are NOT allowed to buy anything so please don't send them with money. Adult chaperons will not be treating kids to drinks etc., although we are asking the drivers to cover the $5 cost of the fair parking. Thanks so much to the six parents that volunteered to spend the day at the fair!

Also on Thursday, at 6PM, we will have Back-to-School Night. I will go over the organization of the classroom and give you an overview of the academic highlights of the year. This is an adult event, so please arrange to leave kids at home. I look forward to meeting you all.

Have a great week,
Carroll

Monday, September 6, 2010

HI All,
I hope you are enjoying the lovely three day weekend!

This week I will be sending home a questionnaire for parents who wish to volunteer in the classroom. Please respond by Friday, as I will be scheduling volunteers according to responses to the form. In the past, I've had sign-ups at Back-to-School Night, but that can be problematic for people with several rooms to visit. I will attempt to give everyone their preferences for volunteer time, but depending on response, may need people to alternate weeks. I will send out a schedule and begin with volunteers on the 20th of September. I'm looking forward to working with all of you who are able to come into the classroom. For those of you who can't volunteer regularly, I encourage you to schedule one or more days off during the year to chaperon on a field trip. It really makes a difference to your kids. Finally, I will also have some "at home" volunteer opportunities.

On Tuesday, students are bringing home a complete homework packet (usually Monday.) The work includes a spelling list and sentences to study for Friday's test, a Practice Book page addressing the spelling concept, and multiplication practice pages. All of this work is to be completed and handed in each Friday. In addition, students are to turn in their Reading Logs on Fridays, and math homework every day. While the majority have been responsible, several kids have forgotten their Reading Logs or math. Also, please check over your child's work for completion, and quality (including neatness). Let me know if your family would prefer to receive the packet on Fridays, in order to work ahead on the weekend.

Finally, I received quick responses to the Fair permission slip and have exactly enough drivers. If you have not returned your child's permission slip, please send it in on Tuesday. Some drivers still need to submit forms and information to the office. If you are one, please send it in on Tuesday as well.

Thank you for all your hard work at home,
Carroll

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Hi All,
Whew! What a first week. After Tuesday's hot weather I sure was happy to see that Aptos fog roll in! The kids and I are all settling in, getting to know one and other. We have been working on routines and procedures this week. I have introduced two of the six Lit. Circle "jobs", and we've jumped right into the math curriculum. As you probably noticed, the math homework is quite rigorous. I appreciate the support I've seen parents giving their kids with this work. The quality has been good, and most students have returned their work each day, as expected. I do accept late homework, but I prefer the kids to keep up and develop the habits that they'll need throughout their school and work life. I'll explain more at Back-to-School Night on the 16th of September. A few students also need to bring in their Mystery Bags, which were due on Friday. We will look at 5 or 6 bags each day this week.

This coming week students will bring home a homework packet on Monday. This packet is due on Friday, but may be turned in sooner. There will be a test on Friday of each week that will include the words and sentences on the list. This week's spelling words are the months and days of the week, but there are no sentences to study. The packet also includes September's Reading Log. Children are to read OUT LOUD for 15 minutes each day and return the log to be stamped on Friday. This is an ORAL reading contract and doesn't include the hours of silent reading your child may do each week. Please sign the log each day, but your kid can fill out the rest.

On Monday students will also be bringing home a permission slip for our first field trip, to the SC County Fair. Please return these slips immediately, especially if you are volunteering to drive. The district is requiring us to hand in the Driver Forms well in advance of the actual field trip, on the 16th of September. The first six volunteers to return their slips will get free admission to the fair; all others will have to pay their own admission. Students get in free.

Several kids also brought home a second copy of the PVUSD Internet Agreement. Every child must have a copy on file before we can use the Computer Lab. If your child has a copy of this agreement in their folder, please send it in on Monday. In addition, please return your green forms and yellow cards if you have not already done so.

Thanks you for all the great support this week. The kids jumped right into their homework responsibilities, which will grow throughout these first few months. Clearly, they had great support and guidance at home. We also received many donations, both monetary and material, toward classroom supplies, and several donations for the classroom funds, which are more general.

I'm looking forward to a great year. As you can tell, the 16th will be a big day for the third grade, and a wonderful opportunity for me to meet you at the fair and Back-to-School Night.

Yours,
Carroll Mayer

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Dear Parents and Students,

Welcome to Third Grade! We are going to have a great year. There are a few changes to the school schedule, with a slightly later start (7:55) and ending (2:10). I am very happy to have Wednesdays back for Restructured Days, although the first one is a full day.

A short supply list is posted. Please don't send pencil boxes, as they take up a great deal of space and are underused by the kids. I will have communal boxes with markers, colored pencils, and other supplies, which we will pull out as needed.
In addition, if you have copies of Charlotte's Web, please bring them as we will start reading this wonderful book on Monday. Apologies to last year's second graders, who have already read the book. I will try not to have you repeat a lot of activities, but I love this book and have read it many,many times myself!

We are also going to hit the ground running with math homework on Monday night. In addition there will be a Mystery Bag assignment that will be due on Friday.

I look forward to seeing you on Monday morning at 7:55. Have a great weekend!

Ms. Mayer

Monday, May 31, 2010

Hi All,
I can't believe that we have reached the last week of school. This year has rushed by!

As I'm sure most of you know, we were unsuccessful with our chick hatching. Some of the other classes also had trouble, but it was still disappointing and sad for the kids. Fortunately, they were able to visit and observe the chicks in the other second grade classrooms during Rotations.

This week we will focus on finishing up odds and ends, and cleaning and organizing the classroom. I have not received all the permission slips or money for the Wednesday beach party, so be sure to send those in if you haven't already. I am also still low on drivers. Many of the parents involved in organizing the party are committed to being at the beach to set up. Please let me know if you can drive to and from the beach.

Finally, thank you so much for all your efforts to make this year a spectacular one! Your support week in and week out really enabled me to address two grade levels with confidence. I know that this year has been a growing one for your children, likely more than in an average year because of the responsibility they have shared in successfully mastering learning in a multi-grade classroom. Thank you for the opportunity to share in this growth!

Yours,

Carroll

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Hi All,
It was great to see so many of you at Open House. I know the kids were excited to show off their desks, classroom, and schoolwork!

This week homework will continue as usual, although the third grade spelling packet is one of those shorter ones. Continue to read and record in Reading Logs, study for Timed Tests, work on nightly math homework, and --for the 2nd graders--Red Hot Readers. Lit. Circles will be completed for the year on Friday, May 28th.

This Thursday our class will be attending The Princess and the Pea at the Mello Center, along with the other primary classes. Several people still need to return their permission slips and $7.00. If there is a hardship, please let me know. The second graders have an additional permission slip for the second grade only field trip to the farm, where they will see the home of the hatched chicks. A few second graders need to return that permission slip as well. Our class is currently incubating chicks which should hatch on May 26th. Assuming all goes well, we will arrange for home visits with interested second grade families and will continue them into the summer as needed. I will let you know about this once we have hatched chicks.

Take care, and have a great week!
Carroll Mayer

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Hi All,
As I am certain your children shared with you, we began CSTs last week. Both second and third grade took the first 2 portions of the Language Arts test. Fortunately, no one was absent on Wednesday or Thursday! We will continue this week, wrapping up the ELA and then moving into the 3 math sections. Your kids have been working hard, and have behaved responsibly by remaining quiet until all their classmates have had time to complete the tests. They have also enjoyed the gum, and snacks provided by the district. Please continue to avoid absences, unless your child is ill!

Our other big activity this week is writing the animal reports. Most of the third graders, and all of the second graders, have completed their research and are drafting the reports. Those third graders that need additional time will be bringing home paragraphs to edit and/or recopy throughout the week. In light of this, there will be no spelling homework. This extra time should also be used to work on dioramas, which are due the following week, on May 11th.

Finally, remind your child to work on Lit. Circles throughout the week, and hand them in on Friday. Several students forgot their Lit. Circles this past week. It really hurts the group when students are not prepared.

Have a great week; hopefully it will continue to be sunny!
Carroll

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Hi All,
I hope you all are enjoying our beautiful spring weather; I know I am!

This week, on Wednesday, we will begin CSTs. Because of this, I will not need Parent Volunteers for Wednesday through Friday of this week, or any days the following week. In addition, please make sure your children get to bed on time, and eat a good breakfast before school. Students may bring sugarless chewing gum to have in the classroom during testing, but please send enough to share. It is also helpful if you avoid scheduling doctor and dentist appointments during these weeks, particularly in the morning.

If your third grader has not yet printed an article on their chosen animal for animal reports, please have them do so right away. The kids are very enthusiastic about this project and it streamlines the process if students locate their research materials at home. Second graders are making great progress on their animal reports, which are being written during Rotations with their second grade group. And a reminder: second graders and all interested third graders should also have their Science Fair projects well under way.

Finally, please stay on your kids about homework. There have been several kids who have not turned in Lit. Circles, which are due every Friday. If your child forgets their Lit. Circle, it effects the entire group. A sense of responsibility is an important component of homework process. For the third graders, fourth grade --with graded homework-- is just around the corner. Students in both grades should also be studying nightly for their math timed tests. If your child is stuck on a particular level, it's time to re-evaluate his/her math practice sessions. However, during the testing period there may be some days when your child will not have the regular math homework because we will be doing CSTs in math.

Have a great week! As we enter this testing period, I will be working to keep the environment in school both focused and relaxed.
Carroll

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Hi All,

We have another busy week ahead!

On Thursday, our class is heading to San Jose to visit the Discovery Museum. All students must bring lunches on that day, as we will be gone from 8:00 until about 1:30. All of the parents who signed up for the trip are needed as I have exactly the right number of spaces for our class. Parent drivers need to send in money for their own tickets to the museum, as well as their kid's. At this point I have permission slips and money from all students but one, however many drivers need to send in their money. Thank you to all of the non-drivers who sent in extra cash to offset the cost of parking in San Jose. Drivers on this trip are: Mr. Bettencourt (3), Mrs. Benson (3), Mrs. Kolassa(2), Mrs. Jaque(3), Mrs.Lanagan(5), Mrs.Broxton(3), Mrs.Woodley (3). Thank you so much for your help.

This is our last full week before CSTs begin. We are doing some practice tests in class, which gives us an opportunity to review concepts addressed earlier in the year. Practice tests are also a chance to expose 2nd graders to the testing format, as this will be their first "state tests." Testing (for real) begins on 4/28.

We are also beginning our second block of Spectra Art. Claudia Stevens will be teaching drawing and painting for the next 5 weeks on Monday afternoons from 11:45-12:45. We are happy to have a real art teacher. Thank you, parents, for the fund-raising that makes this possible!

Third graders are beginning mammal reports this week and should locate articles on-line. Please help your child print a readable (to them) article. They may also bring books with information about their mammal. Details about the at-home component of this project (the diorama) will be coming later this week.

Third graders have spelling homework again this week. In general, some students are getting less reliable with homework, particularly Lit. Circles and math. Remind your child that it is his or her responsibility to carefully complete the homework, and get it from home to school.

Finally, a reminder to keep going on science projects. These are required for second, optional for third. However, many of the third graders are eager to do a project, which they didn't get to do last year.

Thanks again, and have a great week.
Carroll

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Dear Parents and Students,
Welcome back! This week we are back to the routine of 3rd grade spelling homework, as well as the nightly math assignments, Lit. Circles, and 2nd grade Red Hot Readers. The third graders will also begin mammal reports. During the break, students were encouraged to select a mammal, but were not expected to work on the report. This week we will send home guidelines so that students can locate articles on their chosen mammals. Our second graders have already begun their animal reports, on animals other than mammals.

Just prior to the break, I sent home Science Project organizers with the third graders. This is an optional activity for third grade, but it is one they didn't do last year in second grade. Several of the third graders expressed an interest in doing a project this year. It is mandatory for the second graders. The projects are due in May, so there is plenty of time to develop a hypothesis and test it out. The second grade plans looked great!

This week we will also begin reviewing for CSTs. The testing window is only a couple of weeks away, so we will spend some time practicing with the testing format, and reexamining concepts addressed earlier in the year. In addition, if you have not turned in your parent education survey, please do so.

Finally, we are still short on drivers for this Wednesday's field trip to the MAH. This is a very cool field trip; the kids learn a lot about local history. We also need drivers for the field trip to the Discovery Museum the following week.

Thanks to all,
Carroll Mayer

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Hi Parents,
Just a few reminders...

Third graders' "Famous American" speeches have moved from Tuesday to Wednesday due to the 1st grade play on Tuesday. When I scheduled the speeches, I was not aware of the timing of the first grade school performances.

Secondly, I sent home 2 permission slips for April field trips. One is scheduled just 2 days after we return from Spring Break. I am still missing EIGHT permission slips. I am also short on parent drivers for both trips. If you have not sent in your child's permission slip, please do so right away.

Finally, Literature Circle assignments will be due on Thursday this week instead of Friday (since it's a holiday.)

Thanks so much,
Carroll

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Hi All,
I hope you have been enjoying this beautiful spring weekend! The kids certainly seemed really stimulated last week, between St. Patrick's Day, Daylight Savings, Red Hot Readers, and "the Big Read". We also worked on our class's auction project with Alysen Lanagan and Cynthia Jauque! I expect this week to be much calmer, however there will be a substitute in class on Thursday and Friday, so that I can attend a district training.

I am looking forward to receiving the completed biography reports from third graders this Wednesday, March 24th. I have decided to postpone students' speeches from March 30th, to March 31st. The change in day is due to a schedule conflict with the first grade play. I know both second and third graders look forward to seeing the younger kids perform, and their play for the school is on March 30th. I have not heard from any parents volunteering to videotape, so if you've thinking about helping in this way, please let me know. I will also be working with second graders in wrapping up their "game cards" project this week.

Last week I sent home 2 permission slips. Just to clarify, both grades will be attending both trips. While the third graders have already gone to the Discovery Museum, it's a place that can be revisited year after year. They were quite insistent that they really wanted to go on this trip.

Thanks again for all your hard work. Combination classes can be tricky, and you and your children have been a real pleasure.
Have a great week.
Carroll

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Dear Parents & Students,
Sorry to miss posting last week; the days just seemed to run away! First of all, I will be out of the class this Monday, March 15th for a training. Mrs. McCraw will be substituting.

Monday will be the last day third graders will have time in class to work on their biography reports. The class has had many hours to do research and work on writing but students' progress has varied. Some children will be typing or handwriting a final draft at home. Other children may need to complete the first draft, or even do additional research. The completed report is due in class on Wednesday, March 24th. The report should be 3-5 paragraphs long. Each of the boxes of the graphic organizer should be a paragraph, with the first 2 parts possibly combined into one. Students may have help with typing, or may do their work in neat printing or cursive. The speeches will be scheduled for March 31st. Because I want third graders to focus on completing their report, and then rehearsing their speech, there will be no spelling homework for the next several weeks. Additional information regarding the report and speech will come home on Tuesday, March 16th.

As for second graders, they will continue working on their biography game cards in class. Most students are ready to word process their clue cards. Second graders really enjoyed the Egg Drop this Friday. Many children in our class came up with successful packaging, but "scrambled eggs" teach just as much. Information about the 2nd grade Science Fair projects is coming home on Monday, March 15th. This project is to be completed at home in its entirety. Mrs. Hegerle, the 2nd grade science teacher, has reviewed the scientific method several times throughout the year. This project is not as involved as the 6th grade one, but is an opportunity for the kids to initiate and investigate a question. The projects will be on display at Open House on May 13th.

Finally, a heads up about several more field trips. Our class will be going to the Museum of Art & History on April 14th. The following week we will be going, along with all of 2nd grade, to the Discovery Museum. Our third graders will attend the Discovery Museum field trip too.

Have a good week,
Carroll Mayer

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Hi All,
Here it is --March already!

Last week, third graders began note taking on their Famous American, using an organizer. They will continue with their research, and then begin writing a report on their person. Second graders should have a person chosen, and an article, by Tuesday. They will also be doing research, and taking notes for their game cards. All of the research and writing for both groups will be done in class. The third graders will do their final drafts at home, which may be typed or hand written.

Please remind your children to pace themselves and plan ahead for their Lit Circle assignments. It is evident when the kids are poorly prepared, and effects the whole group when children come to school with sloppy work, or unfinished assignments. This is the only mark that will be lowered if it is turned in late, because it impacts the entire Lit. Circle.

A big thank you to the parents who offered to provide the class with more dry erase pens, and thank you Benson family for sending them. I've found the white boards to be an invaluable tool for math class. The children really enjoy using them, and we save paper too!

Finally, please remember to send in the permission slips for the Natural History Museum. Both second and third graders from our class are attending, although this is typically a third grade trip. I still need drivers as well. I do not need money,however, as this is the trip the was originally scheduled and paid for in December.

Have a great week,
Carroll Mayer

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Dear Room 24 Families,
Happy birthday George Washington! As you all know by now, third graders will begin researching their chosen "Famous American" subjects this week. The kids will work on this project in class for the next several weeks, and then bring home a draft to copy or type, and to rework into a first person speech. The second graders will also be reading biographies, but will complete a different project. Second graders will be researching a "Famous Person" and then designing game cards that highlight the achievements of their person. Parents of second graders are encouraged to discuss potential figures for their children to research. Please encourage your child to select people who have contributed to our society's well-being. Books and articles are most easily located on historical figures, but the kids' options are open.

Have a good week!
Carroll

Monday, February 15, 2010

Hi All,
Well, I hope you enjoyed this last three day weekend! It will be a long time until we have another one.

First of all, thank you to all the parents who made the Valentine's Day party successful, especially our fabulous room parents: Cynthia, Sandi, and Jennifer. The kids really enjoyed the party and didn't get too sugared up.

This week third graders should make their final choices of their Famous Americans, and locate a book and Internet article. The completed "Bibliography" is due on Friday instead of a spelling test or homework. Second graders will also be doing a Famous Person research project, but I have not sent home the requirements yet.

Finally, I've rescheduled our field trip to the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History. It will be on March 10th and I will send home permission slips and requests for drivers shortly.

Have a great week,
Carroll

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Hi All,
We get to have another "normal" week! Tomorrow, and every Monday, student leadership is requesting that people dress in Rio clothes, or the school colors (blue and white). This Monday we will also have our second class with Jenni, the Spectra Art teacher. As the next 2 Mondays are holidays, our art class will stretch into March. We will also have our second meeting with Catherine Murray, the Spanish teacher.

Lit. Circles continue to go well. Once again, every student remembered their assignments and was ready to participate in the group. Unfortunately, several third graders neglected their spelling homework. "Seal Surfer" was due last Friday and "Two Days in May" is due this week. I am also seeing an epidemic of "No Name" papers. When you look over your child's homework, or when you look at returned papers, please note if this is an issue for your kid. If it is, please reinforce the development of this important habit.

Finally, a big thank you to the Benson family for their purchase of a vacuum cleaner for our class. As you all know, the floors of the classroom can get bad, especially after special projects.
Have a great week,
Carroll Mayer

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Hi All,
What a week we've just experienced! The field trip was an informative one. Parents seemed to learn as much about Aptos history as the kids. Thanks to all of you who were able to support the class by chaperoning.

The kids are now great at the rainy day routines, and have learned how to manage umbrellas, raincoats, etc. They have even learned at school in the dark!

This week, we return to a regular schedule. Third graders will bring home a homework packet on Monday which is due this Friday. Both grades have Lit Circle assignments, also due on Friday. The kids were very successful at remembering to bring in last week's Lit. Circle, although several said that they had done it all the night before. Please continue to remind them to pace themselves and not save all the work for Thursday afternoon. One of the important lessons of homework is time management, and work quality really suffers when that habit is not established.

Finally, we are beginning Spectra Art (pottery) with Jenni Ward. She will teach our class on Mondays for the next 4 weeks. Later in the year the class will have Spectra Art on a different topic. As I hope your child has shared with you, we also have the good fortune to begin Spanish class with Catherine Murray on alternate Fridays. She is a dynamic teacher and really sets a positive tone about learning a new language. Thanks to all of you for the fund raising that makes these great activities possible!

Take care, and have a great week.
Carroll Mayer

Monday, January 18, 2010

Hi All,
I hope you all enjoyed this 3 day weekend. My family and I really appreciated the time, and even enjoyed the rain.

This Friday, all the homework I sent home last week will be due. Third graders will take their spelling tests, and students will share their Lit. Circle assignments. I saw many Lit. Circle books noted on Reading Logs last Friday. Just a reminder, these are due every Friday! In math, Second graders will be finishing their unit on regrouping in subtraction, and Third Graders will begin a unit on fractions. I appreciate all the parent support in math. I find this program to be interesting and rigorous and I'm glad to have parent comments regarding the homework.

This Wednesday, I will be at a District Training. Mrs. Nigh will be substituting.

On Thursday our class will be going on a field trip to the Aptos History Museum.
Thanks to all the parents who volunteered to drive. However, many students have not turned in their permission slips; please make sure to do this right away.

Thanks again,
Carroll

Monday, January 11, 2010

Welcome back!

This week we are going to start gently. Third graders will have a spelling packet, but it won't be due until a week from Friday, on the 22nd. As promised, Literature Circle assignments will now be homework. Students will bring home their new "jobs" and books on Wednesday, but this work will not be due until the 22nd as well. After that, students will receive their weekly assignments at the Friday meeting, and have a week to complete it. The reading portion of this assignment may be noted in the Reading Logs. Just a reminder, this homework must be completed on time as the prepared discussion is an important part of Literature Circles.

See you soon,
Carroll