The week of May 8th through 12th, 2017
*Please read all the way to the end of this blog post for testing information.

➤ Spelling list #13 Homophones
ant     aunt     there     their     they're     brake     break     your     you're     beat     beet
sail     sale     bare     bear     

Review words:  license     distance     yesterday

Challenge words:  clothes     close

**Spelling Test this Friday, May 12th.  Last Spelling test for the year.

➤ Reading and Language Arts and Math this week:
          ➦Chapter Book Story Bag Project:  We are finishing up our Story Bag Book Project. Students can bring their story bag any day this week to share their book.  I will send an email attachment to show any specifics you may be wondering about and details that explain how to do a story bag presentation. 
          ➦  We are starting our final class novel- a biography- this week, "I am Helen Keller."  We have read so many great books this year!  I hope the kids will remember them fondly.

➤Science Fair Project: DUE THIS FRIDAY!!
The science fair projects are completed at home.  You can use the Science Fair packet that will help outline what to do to complete the project.  Science Fair projects take some time to develop an experiment or investigation.  Projects do not come to school until Friday, May 12th. We don't have the space to store them before that.  The weekly email also has the science fair guide as well as a few videos that help outline the process
The science fair packet does not have to be turned in.  It is a guide to help create and complete the project.

➤Homework:
           ➦Since we are testing two days this week we will take a break on math homework.  Students who have not finished their chapter book might be bringing their books home to finish.  
          ➦Reading at home or on MyOn and record your minutes read on the calendar. (Choice)
           ➦Permission Slip for "Annie" signed and returned.  Donations to pay for the bus would be greatly appreciated and helpful but not mandatory.
          ➽April Reading calendars are due.


➤State Testing information:
     Third grade will begin their SBAC testing on April 27th and complete the testing by May 11th.
Here is the schedule we will follow: 
               *April 27th (Thursday):  ELA PT-English Language Arts Performance Task.
               * May 1st ( Monday):  MATH PT- Math Performance Task.
               * May 3rd (Wednesday):  ELA CAT- English Language Arts Computer Adaptive Test. 
               *May 9th (Tuesday):  MATH CAT- Math Computer Adaptive Test.

Helpful Information:  CAT (Computer Adaptive Test) means that the test will adapt to how the child is answering questions so that it will provide a measure of the child's understanding of third grade standards, somewhat like below, average, above average.
          PT (Performance Task) means students will answer a set of questions that are centered on a common theme or problem.
➦If you have further questions about SBAC you can go to this site for helpful information for parents: http://www.smarterbalanced.org/parents/

We need your help and here's why and how:  
     ** The testing information is very important to teachers and the state but we want our kids not to worry that this test measures them as a person so please support and encourage them to do their best and show what they know and that's it.  It will not be the determining factor of promotion to fourth grade. 
     **Please have them get a good night's sleep the night before each test.  I know this can be hard with sports and other things going on but it is super important to their stamina during testing.
     **Snacks- I think the biggest thing the kids look forward to with testing is getting to have some snacks with them to munch on as they test.  The school will provide a cheese stick, mints and crackers and I will buy some mint gum and fruit snacks as well. You can send snacks with your child also but we ask that they are not just sugar or liquid as the sugar won't help the body regulate and attend and the liquid could spill and ruin chrome books.  
     **I am so proud of the kids and I am looking forward to seeing how much they have grown and learned this year! I will be there to cheer them on and make this a stress free experience! 

Field Day:  Wednesday, May 24th is our Field Day!  Our class will go out from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm.  Students can wear comfortable clothes that follow modesty rules.  Sunscreen and water bottles will be important as well as a hat and shoes they can run in-not sandals or flip flop shoes.  We will need a couple of volunteers who could travel through the stations with our class.  Please let me know if you would like to come.

Summer Birthday Celebration:  On Tuesday, May 23rd we will celebrate our students who have birthdays from May 26th through August 15th.  If you would like to send treats for your child's birthday on that day that would be wonderful!  We have 31 students and we will celebrate outside with treats and an extra recess time! 

Count Down Chain:  We will countdown our last precious days of third grade with a chain each day. It will either have a question for the class to share answers to or will have something fun for the class to do.  I will send emails when it is a day they get to do something special. 
➤Dates to remember:
          ➦Pizza orders can be placed on Tuesday.  $1 for a slice of pepperoni or cheese. Pizza delivered on Wednesday lunch time.
          ➦Snack shack will now be open on the last day of every school week- Thursdays or Fridays.
           ➦Wednesday, May 10th:  Annie Field Trip to the Nampa Civic Center! 
           ➦Tuesday, May 23rd:  Summer Birthday Celebration!
           ➦Wednesday, May 24th:  Field Day!
           ➦No school Friday, May 19th for our high school graduation ceremony!  
           ➦Last day of school is Thursday, May 25th- early release at 1:45 pm.  How did it get here so fast!!!
➤Snack is every day at 10:30 am.  Please send something small to nibble on so they will have energy to keep working all day.