Hi All,

Just a few reminders...

This week we will continue CSTs. We should finish on Thursday and will return to a normal homework schedule after this week. I will also be ready for parent volunteers again when testing ends.

Permission slips and $4.00 for the Agricultural History Museum are due right now. I still need 1-2 more drivers (depending on car size.) The trip is on May 17th.

May 17th is also the day for the kids' Spring Choir Performance at Aptos High.

Jogging for the Arts is this Friday. This fundraising event pays for our special Art teachers: Choir this year, various Spectra Art teachers in the past.

Finally, Famous American speeches are due in written form this Friday. The kids will be giving their speeches on May 7th and 8th. I will tell them which day they are speaking this week.

Have a great week!

Carroll

Hi All,

This is a big week!

First of all, everyone has now brought home their research and writing on the "Famous Americans." As I said in the cover letter attached to the work, most students have completed their research and the first draft of their writing. All students will need to dedicate some, or a lot, of homework time to taking their work to a final draft stage, and practicing delivery of their speech. They will also need to put together an appropriate "dress up" style costume. Please don't spend money on special clothing or props. Regular homework will be much lighter than usual for the couple of weeks, so there should be plenty of time to focus on the speech.

As for regular homework, the weekly packets will now contain a Reading Log and multiplication practice sheet only -- No spelling! In addition, this week's Lit. Circle will be due in 2 weeks, not one, because of state testing. Students will have math homework on Monday and Tuesday of this week only; after that we will begin state testing.

Students are also bringing home a permission slip for our final museum field trip-- the Agricultural History Museum. This is a fun, hands-on activity. Please return the permission slip quickly, so I don't have to nag the kids.

Finally, as you have probably inferred, state testing will begin in Room 24 on Wednesday, April 25. Please make sure your child arrives on time, well rested and fed. The tests will continue into the week beginning April 30th. Students may bring sugarless gum to chew in class, but school rules about gum elsewhere will be enforced. Thanks for your support this year in all matters, including these assessments.

Take care, and have a great week,

Carroll Mayer

Hello All,

This week we will be working on long division in math. For homework, I will be sending home some practice pages that focus just on this skill. The homework will look different from our usual HM math pages. After this week, we will move on to 2 chapters on capacity, but will still be practicing long division daily.

In Social Studies, we will continue working on researching and writing Famous American speeches. After this Thursday, students will be bringing home their work, and completing the project at home. While many have made a lot of progress in class, some of the kids will need a lot more time and support at home. The speeches will be due on May 8th and 9th, but more details in terms of expectations will come home with the kids at the end of this week. This week is the last week the homework packets will include spelling words; starting next week they will just have reading logs and multiplication drills.

Have a great week.

Carroll Mayer

Hello All,
I hope you had a great break. I know I enjoyed the time off and beautiful weather.

First, as so many students forgot their Lit. Circle assignments today, I am delaying the groups for one day. Students will receive their new assignments on Wednesday this week.  If your child has not completed their assignment (which they have had for 2 weeks) please have them wrap it up tonight!

Spelling homework for this week will be due next Friday, April 20th. This is the last spelling lesson of the year, so packets after this date will just contain multiplication practice and reading logs. Also, I am having the kids add a word to the list: doesn't.

This Friday our class has a field trip scheduled for the MAH.  I have many volunteer drivers, so if you signed up the field trip and are having second thoughts, please let me know.  I will send a reminder home ASAP if you volunteered for the trip.

Finally, the date for Rio del Mar's spring choir concert is Thursday, May 17th.  It will be at Aptos High, just like the Winter Concert.

Have a great week!
Carroll Mayer

Hello All,

I hope you are all enjoying this weekend.

First of all, a big thank you goes out to Ben and Corrie Slyder. Our class got to have an excellent Science Party organized by Ben, a high school Science teacher. He demonstrated some cool properties of matter and light, and gave the kids some tools to take home and replicate the activities. It was an interesting and fun way to end the week!

As you probably know, there will not be a Homework Packet going home this Monday, because last week's packet was not due until this Friday. I imagine everyone will do very well on Friday's Spelling Test because they will have additional time to practice! There will also be a timed multiplication test on Friday, covering the facts through 7. As we do 3 and 4 digit multiplication problems, those kids who have been practicing the facts all year are really seeing a payoff. This will continue as we move into long division. Please make sure your child is practicing multiplication until it is automatic!

In addition, if you have not returned your child's permission slip for the April field trip to the MAH, please do so. We will be going on this trip right after Spring Break, and it's much easier to organize ahead of time.

Finally, the kids are working hard on note-taking for their Famous American speech. This week we will move into writing the first of the five paragraphs. While most of this project will be completed in class, some kids may need the extra support or time that they can get at home to complete the project. I will let you know when this assignment becomes homework, and notify you about the final completion date at that time.

Have a great week,

Carroll Mayer

Hi All,

As mentioned last week, Third Graders are beginning research on their "Famous American" reports. Be sure to send your child with a readable (to him/her) article about their chosen person. If this is not possible, please send a note.

Also, just a reminder that Lit. Circles are due on Tuesdays. I understand that this is particularly difficult to remember when it's a 3 day weekend, but students can bring in completed work ahead of time too. Several of the kids have become "Frequent Fliers" when it comes to missing Lit. Circles, and it has a very negative impact on the entire group, who miss out on that person's contribution to the discussion. Please impress upon your child the importance of being responsible about this obligation.

Finally, I will be sending home permission slips and information about our field trip to the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History (MAH). As the trip is scheduled right after we return from Spring Break, I need all permission slips and volunteer information before we take the week off. Thanks for your support in this matter.

Take care, and enjoy the week,

Carroll

Hello All,

It was great to see so many at Saturday's Auction Dinner Dance. Thank you so much for the opportunity to attend. Parents really had fun dressing up in early 60's style.

This week, we will begin instruction for the 3rd graders' "Famous American" Report. At home, please select a "Famous American" and print an article that your child is able to comfortably read. In addition, I have a variety of short biographies in class, as does the school library. The person selected must be someone who has contributed in a leadership role to American society, not simply a person with celebrity or artistic/athletic talent. Children should have their person chosen by Friday, March 16. Articles to be used for research are due on Tuesday, March 20th. Please send a note if you are unable to print an article at home.

Take care,

Carroll Mayer