Hi Parents (and Kids),

Just a few things to wrap up this week…

• I have sent you all invitations to Epic Books. Thank you Jena, for alerting me to this. You will need to have the invitation to access this free (until June) service for your child. 
• Epic Books should allow us to have some shared books, which I am excited about. I am new to this site, but I think it will increase our options, although I know a big challenge for all of you is varying the work, and selecting your tech time with care. 
• On the tech topic, please be sure that your kid is completing their designated Lexia minutes. I would like to see a minimum of 40 minutes/week for each kid, but if your child is working below their grade in reading or writing, or is simply below their grade in Lexia progress, I suggest you increase it to as much as 20 min/day.
• Not that many people are accessing Khan Accelerator. If this is due to tech/log in problems, please let me know. 
• After break I will be setting up Google Hangout meetings in various groups. We may also experiment with Zoom.

I will not be posting assignments next week—Spring Break!  Your child is welcome to access any of the technology available during this time. I am also posting this cool “Engineering Bingo”. on the Google Classroom page.

It is not an assignment, and I will not be collecting work. If you want, you can take pictures and send them to me after break.

Have a healthy and joyous Spring Break. I am filled with gratitude to be a part of this loving, hardworking Rio del Mar community!

Take care,

Carroll Mayer

Hi All,
I hope you’ve had a pleasant weekend, and are settling into some new, healthy, and happy routines. I’m finding that I have more time for long walks, and have found some less crowded spots in which to do them!  I am including a link to the Choice Board for the week, which is similar to Third Grade’s, but not exactly the same. Third Grade families only may pick up the Third Grade packet in front of Rio from 8-10 on Monday.   You all can print whatever you need as well!

Choice Board March 23-27


This week I will be posting a daily agenda, as well as a journal prompt. I’d also love to see your faces via FlipGrid, which is on the Google Classroom.

Have a productive week, with lots of bonding time with the family.

Take care,

Carroll Mayer

Hi All,

It’s been so great to hear from most, if not quite all of you!  When you communicate privately with classmates, on the phone or via text, check in and see if they are up-to-date with class info. There are still a few friends who haven’t checked in.


Next week, we will begin our “regular” distance class routines. I will post a Choice Board with a lot of links here, and in Google Classroom on Monday. I would like you to get in the habit of checking Google Classroom in the morning every school day. I will have an agenda, a journal prompt, and special messages.

One thing that’s already on Google Classroom, is Flipgrid. There’s  a link to a pdf explaining it, and our first grid. Feel free to try it out today, or this weekend.

Please contact me with any questions. I understand the district will be activating your email soon, so you can do it that way, or by posting a question on Kidblog or Google Classroom. I think we are all going to get very expert with technology!

Finally, Third Graders can get in on packets that will be printed once a week for Grades K-3. Our assignments are not 100% the same as the other classes, but math and writing pages match up, and that will save printing at home. You do not have to get the packet; all the links will be on Google Classroom and the Choice Board. The packets will be in boxes in front of the school office on Monday morning. It’s just to help you out. Sorry 4th Grade.

Thinking of you all, each and every day!

Ms. Mayer

Hi Kids and Families,

It looks like we will be doing this for a while!

First, a "shout out" to Evie and Sophie, who posted on Kidblog. This will be a great place for you to share ideas and opinions!

Secondly, way to go Maxine and Luke, who responded to my question on the Google Classroom. This will be another way we can keep in touch!

Here are a few things I have put up on the Google Classroom this week.

1. A link to a PE blog from Mr. Kurek, so you have lots of ideas for staying active.
2. A link to Studies Weekly, so you can set up a digital account and read Studies Weekly that way. Down the road, there may be assignments and tests too!
3. Links to a few interesting Mystery Science activities. These are not long ones like we do at school, although I may add some of those later.
4. This week's Seahawk News. Mrs. Avey wants you to send her videos so you can be in the Seahawk News in other weeks.
5. Information, including 2 short videos on tessellations. Drawing these is a fun Art/Math activity!

Parents, please let me know your situations regarding technology. I realize Ms. Jones sent out communication about Chromebooks, but I'd also like to know how it's going. Especially, what school technology are you comfortably accessing from home? 

Here is a picture, because I miss your smiling faces!

Hi All,

I am thinking of you all.  What a topsy turvy time this has been! 

I will be updating my blog a lot during the coming weeks, so please
 subscribe if you didn’t earlier this year, or make a note (or set a
phone reminder) to check in every day or two. I will also be using the
Google Classroom to push out materials and links to the kids. 

First, some questions:

1. Has your child logged into Lexia, Google Classroom, or Khan                                                                                Accelerator from home this school year?
2. Will your kid have access to a computer?                                                                                                                            If so, will they be sharing with siblings? Sharing with parents? 
3. Do you have access to a printer?

Next, some links to share:

From our Therapist Natalie--

Reducing Anxiety PSA by CA Association for Marriage and Family Therapists 

and 

Resources and ideas from the district for learning at home.

https://sites.google.com/pvusd.net/learnfromhomeresources/other-digital-tools?authuser=0

Finally, here are some activities from me for this week. I will also post them on the blog, and share them with the kids on Google Classroom.

 School at Home

I am thinking about you all every day, and looking for interesting things
 for you to do during this time. 

Carroll 

Attachments area

Hi All,

I hope you are having a great week!

Just a few reminders...

• Third Graders have permission slips to return for the Neary Lagoon field trip. Our kids will attend with Mrs. Chekouras’s class, and she will be the teacher in charge. We will need approximately 4 drivers for 14 students. 
• We have begun a new trimester. This final term is a good time to reboot any scholarly behaviors that have fallen by the wayside, such as returning Homework Choice Board, daily reading, or practice using technology like Lexia, Newsela, Khan Accelerator, and Moby Max. 
• When bringing in treats for birthdays, Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Avey are requesting that students provide only individually wrapped food during this cold and flu season. In our class, we also prefer fully labeled packages so that kids with various dietary restrictions can participate. 
• Our class has run low on Kleenex. Donations of a box or 2 are welcomed!

Have a lovely week!

Carroll Mayer

Hi All,

This week is the final week of the trimester. Kids have finished their Opinion Writing, and the Mystery Unit in reading.  This week we begin a biography unit in reading. We will spend a couple of weeks working on punctuation exploration before we begin the next writing unit. Third Graders will also wrap up the Geometry Unit (Module 4) this week, and have an assessment on Friday. In addition, each student set an AR goal with me at the beginning of the term, and many have achieved that goal already. The kids have until Friday to take any AR tests they wish to count toward this term's goal. Report cards go home two weeks from Friday.

This Thursday the 4th Graders will head to the symphony in Santa Cruz. They should bring bag lunches, as they'll return to Rio del Mar after lunch time.

Have a great week!

Carroll Mayer