Hi All,
It's a short week, so this will be short as well! First of all, there will be no homework this week. Secondly, if you haven't already done so, please send in permission slips for the upcoming field trip to the Aptos History Museum.  The trip happens the week we get back from the holiday!
Finally, have a great Thanksgiving!
Carroll Mayer

Hi All,
On Tuesday report cards will go home with the kids.  Please use this as a time to reflect on the past term, and set goals for the next trimester.  All the students have also been given a new AR goal, which you will find is much larger than the last trimester's.  Please continue to support the kids in achieving these more challenging goals; most of the class did really well with the Trimester 1 goal.

In math, we are moving into a unit on measurement and geometry. This week kids will not be bringing home a homework packet, as the one sent home last Tuesday is to last for this week as well.  There are 2 Reading Logs attached to the packet, which should be entirely filled out, despite the Veteran's Day holiday.

Have a good week,
Carroll Mayer

Hello All,

I hope you all have enjoyed this 3-day weekend, and been able to commemorate the veterans in your life in your own way.  Because of the long weekend, we are sending home one Homework Packet for the next two weeks.  It has 2 Reading Logs, but only one spelling list to study.  We will not have a spelling test this Friday, and the packet is not due until the following Friday, November 22nd.

Thanks to all the parents who drove on our field trip last week to the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History.  The kids had an excellent jump start to our study of the Ohlone people and culture.  We had fun and will continue learning about our community's Native Americans in class, and on our next field trip to the Aptos History Museum.

This week we will wrap up our math unit on multiplication, and then move into a chapter on Geometry and Measurement.  However, you will continue to see multiplication drill sheets, as well as Rhymes 'n Times handouts throughout the year.  In RTI, we will finish the story of Anthony Reynoso: Born to Rope,  and our study of the Questioning strategy and the Categorize/Classifying skill.

Finally, this is the beginning of the second trimester.  Report cards will go home in a week, on Tuesday 11/19.  I will be working on new AR goals based on the kids' most recent AR STAR as well, and will distribute them to the kids later this week.

Take care, and have a great week,
Carroll Mayer

Hello All,
I'm sorry to be so tardy this week but the blog just slipped my mind!

First of all, thanks to all the parents that were able to help with last week's Halloween party.  The kids had a great time, but remained calm and pleasant.

Secondly, please send kids with lunches on Friday. We will be squeezing our lunch break around the museum's schedule, so sack lunches will work best.

Finally, just a reminder that the trimester officially ends next Tuesday.  Most kids have reached their AR goal, but if your child is finishing a book and testing in order to make their goal, please encourage them to let me know.  You are also welcome to send a reminder note.  Please also be aware that I realize AR is new to the kids, and that their goal is just that: a goal.  AR is designed to encourage kids to read and is not an end in itself.

Take care, and I'll try to be more timely next week!
Carroll Mayer

Hello All,
This week we wrap up the story The Keeping Quilt, and begin a new one, Anthony Reynoso: Born to Rope.  These two stories focus on family traditions, so they're well-timed as we move into November and the holiday season.  In Social Studies, we are kicking off our study of the Ohlone Indians, the Native Americans in our community.  The visit to the Natural History Museum will be the introduction to this unit of study.  We are also beginning a science unit on plant and animal adaptations.  Finally, we will continue with our math unit on multiplication.  It may feel as though we are racing through the math unit, but we will continue to practice multiplication throughout the remainder of the year.  The math unit is designed to give the students an understanding of the concept of multiplication, and a variety of strategies to solve simple multiplication problems.  The Rhymes 'n Times program is to build automaticity with the facts.

On another note, the kids are doing a great job on the weekly homework packets, with the quality of all students' Reading Logs greatly improved.  Please remind your child that they can take AR tests on books they've read at home.  Many in the class have already met their AR goal, but if your child has not achieved it yet,  please remind them to continue taking tests.  The AR program is designed to motivate and monitor kids in getting the reading practice they need.

Halloween festivities are on the agenda for Thursday.  For those of you new to the school, it's tradition to have a "parade" on the intermediate playground at about 8:15.  Parents and younger siblings often come to watch.  Our party is scheduled for later in the day, and a notice was sent out by our room parent Kristin Barrett,  and her able assistant, Amy Danish.  Thank you Amy and Kristin!

Finally, please send in your child's permission slip for the field trip scheduled 11/8. Also attached to the permission slip was a request for a $10.00 donation toward the cost of all the field trips this year.  Thank you, Sandi Kolassa, for preparing the notes and organizing all of this year's trips for the entire Third Grade!

Take care, and have a happy and healthy week,
Carroll Mayer

Hello Room 24 Families,

It was great to meet with you all and have chats about your kids.  They are a nice bunch,  and I think you all could tell that I'm enjoying this year.  Please feel free to get in touch with me if you have any new questions as the year progresses.

This week we will wrap up our chapter on subtraction, which concludes this particular unit in math.  There will be a unit test midweek,  and then we will begin several math chapters on the concept of multiplication, and various strategies to learn the multiplication facts from 0-9.  We will also continue drilling on the facts throughout the entire year, and begin Rhymes 'n Times ( a multiplication program utilizing rhymes, pictures, and manipulatives.)

As I hope you all know, the landform projects are due on Tuesday.  The kids will share their landforms with the class, and then we will tour and view the projects in Mrs. Allen's and Miss Grable's classes.  Kids will bring home their projects on Wednesday, as we don't have a lot of space to store them.

Finally, permission slips will be coming home this week for our next field trip, in November, to the Natural History Museum.  Attached to the permission slip is a request for donations to cover the cost of the four field trips we will have this year: Natural History Museum, Aptos History Museum, SC Museum of Art and History, and the Agricultural History Museum.

Take care, and I look forward to seeing you at the Harvest Festival on Friday evening,
Carroll Mayer