Hi All,

Wow, the dioramas were wonderful! The kids took a lot of pride in sharing their projects and visiting the other third grade classes and dioramas as well. It is impressive to see the time and thought kids put into their work.

This week we will begin CSTs (state testing). In order to pace ourselves, we will continue after the break as well. Kids should come to school well-rested. They may also bring gum to chew (in class, during testing only.) Because of testing, there will be very little homework this week: Lit. Circles and reading logs only. I will not be needing volunteer parents, with the exception of Wednesday Lit. Circles.

On Friday, permission slips for our final field trip, to the Agricultural History Museum at the fairgrounds, were sent home. Please return the permission slips and $3.00 this week. The trip is one of my favorites, interesting and well-organized. The kids really love the hands-on activities.

Finally, most children have selected a "Famous American" to begin reading about. If your child has not made a choice, please discuss possibilities and support him/her in making a decision. We will not begin formal note-taking and writing until after break, although children are welcome to read about their person during the week off. Please do not have them write reports during this time, as we have a specific structure.

Have a wonderful week off. I think we are all ready!

Carroll Mayer

Hi All,

This week students will be bringing home their Animal Reports to complete the final drafts, which are due on April 15th, along with the diorama. Directions regarding the final drafts are attached to students' folders. Some students may need to complete part of their writing as well, but this will be noted on your child's folder if it is the case. The spelling homework is light this week, with no multiplication attached. In addition, children do not need to do the writing assignment on the bottom of the Practice Book page, as it references a story we will not be reading until next week. Most of the class is doing a great job with multiplication, with many achieving a time of less than 4 minutes for 100 multiplication facts. Continue to encourage your child to practice their math facts regularly, particularly if they are struggling to complete the facts in a reasonable time.

We are beginning a new project on April 18th. Students should be thinking about and selecting a "Famous American" that they would like to research and write about. Each student should have selected their person and found a book to read about their choice. I have many biographies in class, as does the school and public library. We will also be researching on-line. The kids have been instructed to choose a person who has made a contribution to the U.S.; and not to choose people who are celebrities unless they have done something to support our country beyond their "claim to fame".

Also, we are in desperate need of wipes, which we have been using heavily during Spectra!

Take care, and have a great week,

Carroll Mayer