Spring has Sprung!

Parents,
Good evening! Spring break is behind us and now the weather is turning, too. This year has flown by so far, and it's just about to start moving faster! We are just 9 1/2 weeks away from summer vacation, but there is SO much left to learn and do! This post is devoted to giving you an idea of our timeline, including important dates for you to remember.

Next week we begin our Earth Science units- Rivers of the World (4/4-7). Classification of Animals (4/11-22), and Ecology (4/25-5/4). These are fairly short units. Our field trip on Thursday, 4/21 to SCRAP Pdx and on-campus 4/22 both center around finishing our Endangered Animals projects, which will be on display in our Animals Museum on the 22nd from 3:00-3:30. Parents, grandparents, etc are invited to attend this special event and learn all about the animal species that we'll be researching during the unit!

I am also nearing the Research portion of my Masters program, and I will be focusing on integrating our science units with reading instruction during these 4 weeks. An Informed Consent form should be sent home by the end of next week, which will give you a full scope of what this will look like in the classroom. I appreciate your support, and welcome any questions you may have about this process!

Throughout the month of May we will be learning about Astronomy! On May 13th we will be hiking from the Sun to Pluto (via a 3.6 mile trail in Eugene, OR!). Please note that this is an extended day trip. Students need to be here at 6:45am and we will return at 5:00pm. 

The 4th Annual Third Grade Family Camp-out is coming up on Saturday, June 4th! I will send a complete information page home the beginning of May, but please save the date- it's a phenomenal experience that you won't want to miss! 

Please note that we also have our spring MAP assessments on May 5th and our Smarter Balance assessments on May 25-26th. PLEASE do not plan any unexcused absences for these days! Our computer lab schedule is extremely tight, and finding slots for make-up sessions can be difficult. Of course, we also don't want students to miss class time and learning experiences because they are in the lab, either. If your child must miss one of these days, please let me know as soon as possible so that we can work together to ensure they have the time and preparation to do their very best at an alternate session. Thank you!

Please write "Spring" in your child's planner or send me a Dojo message and your student will receive a Home-school connection Dojo point!

Colonial America in 3rd Grade

We are already about half way through our unit on the 13 colonies!Read on for what's ahead, including important dates and field trip information!

Colony Map Project
Our big project for this unit is being done entirely in class. For the past 2 weeks, your child has been researching with a partner about one of the original 13 colonies. On Wednesday the individual colony groups came together in their respective Region groups to compare and find commonalities within each region.
New England - Never Make Connie Run!

N ew Hampshire
M assachusettes
C onnecticut
R hode Island

Middle Atlantic- New Pennies, New Dimes
N ew York
P ennsylvania
N ew Jersey
D eleware

Southern- My Vehicle Needs Some Gas!
M aryland
V irginia
N orth Carolina
S outh Caroline
G eorgia

Thursday we came all together to create a Map Key (or legend) using the information we've collected. Monday and Tuesday, colony groups will work on creating a draft and final piece to include in our giant map! Putting it all together to create the map will happen on Wednesday, and it will be on display in the hallway outside of the Spanish classroom. Please take a look if you're on campus!

Colonial Field Trip
This coming Thursday (3/17) we will be visiting the Old Aurora Colony in Aurora to learn about daily life in a colony. We leave after lunch around 12:30 and will return at 3:00 before dismissal. Students should be in regular uniforms (no FT t-shirts) for the day. We have 3 volunteers so far, which is technically enough. but I'd love to have a few more parents if anyone is interested.

Our unit assessment will be on Thursday, 3/31. A study guide will be sent home before Spring break.

Spring Break!
Spring break begins next Friday 3/18 through Sunday 3/27. Enjoy your time off!

Upcoming Dates to Note:
More information and details to come!

• Our April Field trip is a little different! We will be off-campus on Thursday, 4/21 to SCRAP Pdx. (We currently have 4 out of 8 volunteer spots filled) On Friday, April 22nd, we are on campus. I do not need any parent helpers for this day, but ALL parents are invited to join us at the end of the day (2:30-3:30) for our Endangered Animals Museum in the lunchroom. 
• Our May field trip date has changed due to scheduling conflicts. We will be going to Eugene for our Solar System hike on Friday, May 13th. Please note this is an extended day trip. Students will need to be on campus at 6:45 am and will return around 5:00pm. 
• Saturday, June 4th is our 4th Annual 3rd Grade Family Camp-out! I will send out more on this after Spring Break!

The Light at the End of the Tunnel!

As most of you know, I am in my final months of completing my Masters degree. It's been a long road, and I am very excited to be nearing the end! Thank you all for your patience as I've been splitting my energies these past few months in particular. In April I will be conducting my Action Research Project in class. A full explanation and a participant permission form will be sent home after the break.

Thank you for reading the blog! Please either write "Aurora" in your child's planner OR send it in a Dojo message to receive a Home-school Connection Dojo point for your student!