Our Presentations!

Today was the day! We presented our information about recycling and collecting bottle caps to ALL of the 4th grade classrooms. Each group took one classroom to do their presentation, and had to answer any questions that came up as well.

I know that everyone was quite nervous about presenting to older students - They all breathed a big sigh of relief after the last presentation!

All I can say is...WOW!

I am SO IMPRESSED by all of the kiddos today! They were FABULOUS! Each presentation was unique, but all gave correct and interesting information about our project, and inspired many questions afterward from the 4th grade students!


I took a few pictures, which you can see in my Twitter feed to the right. Great job, kids!


In your Thursday folder today is a copy of our flyer. Start collecting caps and lids over the holidays! This would be prime time to get family members involved as well!

This Week

Hello All!

How exciting to get our first snow this weekend! Maybe we will get to see some more over the two-week break!

Cap Collection Update
On Thursday, our class will be teaching the 4th grade classes about our cap collection and recycling project! Each student is part of a group, and each group will present to one of the 4th grade classes. Ask your student about our project at home so they can practice explaining to other people and answering questions! 
After the winter break, we will begin collecting caps from each classroom every week, ensuring they are clean, weighing them, and bagging them. Remember, you are always welcome to send in caps from home! We have a collection bin in our room.

Here's whats on the schedule for the week:
- Interim grades will be emailed out tonight, as it is midway through the second quarter. Please let me know if you have questions or concerns about anything you see.

- Reminder: TONIGHT is the make-up Holiday shop and Pancake "breakfast" (dinner). Come out to shop and eat pancakes! Starts at 6:00pm.

Hour of Code

Wohoo! Hour of Code is here!

Tomorrow, your student will be participating in "Hour of Code", sponsored by Code.org. You can read more about this initiative here. You can also do your own "Hour of Code" at home, and watch these tutorial videos on how to create different things online using code.

Students, click these links to access different coding websites:
PNB Hour of Code Symbaloo
Scratch - Remember, you'll need to log in to your account to save any work on Scratch!


Get Coding!

Cap Collection!

Reminders:
- Word Study Quizzes on MONDAY (Dec. 4)
- Geography Test on TUESDAY (Dec. 5)


Cap collection update and info! 

So far, we have collected about half of a pound in caps and lids - in only 2 days! Woohoo!

The kids were talking to me about wanting to share this information with family members, neighbors, etc., and we decided that there might need to be a "standard" flyer to show people with specific examples of what we can collect. Below is what they helped come up with. You can also download/print it here.

I also found a website that has some good FAQ information about why caps can be more cumbersome to recycle, and why it can be better to reuse them instead. Here's the link if you want the entire website, or you can see some of the info below.

Happy weekend, and KEEP COLLECTING!

Recycling Project - Collect your plastic lids and caps!

Hello All!

The kids have been noticing a lot of trash and litter out on our recess playground, and other places, and have become excited about trying to spread the word about proper disposal of trash and recycling. To learn more about this, the third grade team invited Mr. Tony Hayes from Loudoun County Waste Management to talk to our classes about recycling, landfills, and how to correctly sort items for trash or reuse. He came today to present his information!

Some cities and countries are trying to create less waste by recycling more materials. San Francisco is one city that has started this "Zero Waste" initiative. You can watch a short video about it here. Other countries like Japan also recycle up to 34 different categories! You can see more information and a video clip about the town of Kamikatsu here.

We further discussed this in our classrooms, and the kids wanted me to share recycling information with you. Much of this can be found on the Loudoun County website, here.

Firstly, what to recycle at home! Here are some guidelines about what can be recycled:

Secondly, did you know that plastic grocery bags and ziplock bags CAN be recycled? They just can NOT be placed in your home/school recycling bin. Ask your student why! You can take your bags to your local grocery store or locations listed here to be recycled:

This is why you should put the extra effort into recycling your plastic bags!

We also learned that plastic bottle caps can be recycled, BUT ONLY if they are ATTACHED to the bottle! If they are not attached, the machines that sort the plastics have a hard time picking out the lids, and they often end up being sent to waste because of this! The kids have decided to collect bottle caps to donate to a company that recycles them to be made into new products, such as Trex, benches, tables, etc. We have started a collection in our room, and already today we have 14 caps! 

The kids had the idea to create posters to spread the word about what can be recycled, and about our collection of plastic caps/lids, so the entire school could help us collect more! We'll be creating posters this week to hang in our school hallways and near trash receptacles.

Please collect at home as well! All caps/lids must be clean. We will take any of the following kinds of lids:

Thank you in advance for helping us with our collection! The kiddos are VERY excited about this!
Feel free to contact me with any questions you have about our project! 

Thanksgiving Break & Field Trip Chaperones

Hello All!

Thanksgiving Break

Over the break, please have your student utilize the study tools posted in my last blog to review Geography! We will be continuing the unit when we come back, and their test is on Dec. 5th. Also, please be sure to have your student READ as much as possible over the break, and log any time they do. Encourage them to read both fiction and nonfiction! 

Check out my twitter feed for some "Who Was..." Biography poster pictures! They look awesome!

Book Fair Family Night:

Coming up next WEDNESDAY, Nov. 29th, is Book Fair Family Night. Come browse the book fair with your student and find some good reads for the holiday breaks or gifts for friends and family! Books make good gifts for teachers, too! 😉

Chaperones:

Our chaperones have been picked! The kids helped me pick the names from a bucket. I sent out an email to all parents who were chosen, so please check your messages! 

The trip is on December 8th. Before coming, I will need you to view the attached PowerPoint, and sign the chaperone form with your emergency contact information. Please return this form and your $9.00 as soon as possible. I can provide a printed copy if needed.

If you are no longer available or something comes up in the near future, please let me know as soon as possible so I can ask another parent! Thanks for volunteering! 

I hope everyone enjoys the days off, and Happy Thanksgiving!

Nearpod & Quizlet - Geography Study Tools

Hello All!

Here are some tools that your student can use to review and study some Geography information. We did the Oceans one at school, but they can log in again to view it or show you.

We will be having a short quiz on just the continents and oceans on Tuesday, but the test will be on December 5th!

Nearpod:
Just log on to Nearpod at www.nearpod.com, then enter the code to view it:
Continents: RALDX
Oceans: KPLTA
*If they want to watch the Brain Pop video in the Oceans presentation, they will need to log on to their LCPS GO and go to Brain Pop - NOT Junior! - to search for the ocean video.

Quizlet Vocabulary practice created by Mrs. Hite: Click here

Padlet of various activities and study links created by Mrs. McKinley: Click here


Happy Studying!

Upcoming Dates, Tests, Pictures, Info!

Hello All!

Yet again, I dropped the ball on passing out Thursday Folders today! I do apologize... they will come home tomorrow.

Dates to note:
- Nov. 17th - PTA Basket Bingo
- Nov. 20th - Picture Retake day - see below for more info
- Nov. 21st - Multiplication test (My math class)
- Nov. 22-24 - No School, Thanksgiving
- Nov. 29th - Family Book Fair Night
- Dec. 5th - Geography Test
- Dec. 8th - Field Trip (Our class & Mrs. Martinson's class)
- Dec. 9th - Holiday Bazaar & Pancake Breakfast
- Dec. 13th - Division Test (My math class)
- Dec. 14th - Water Cycle quiz


Geography Unit:
This unit is NOT in the kids' Social Studies notebook, again due to the standards changing. Please keep their notes in their Pinebrook folder and return them to school each day so they can complete notes/work in class!

Mrs. Hite also created a quizlet for reviewing vocabulary. If you have not already joined the class link, here it is: https://quizlet.com/join/DHF44c2DM

I am also linking this on the sidebar to the right for easy access in the future!

Here are two websites with different practice activities on them for Geography as well:
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/World_Continents.htm
http://mrnussbaum.com/continents/

Picture Retakes:
If you would like to have a school picture retake, you MUST send back the original picture packet to return to the photographer. If you already sent them in, I have them. Please let me know if you would like retake pictures so I can send a form home for you to fill out with pose, background, and payment info.

Report Cards:
If you didn't already, please log on to ParentVue to see your student's report card! They were only sent out online this year, not paper copy. Most parents have logged in to view the report card, but we can see from our end that there are still many who did not. If you still have not set up your ParentVue or need to request access, please follow the link sent out by Mr. Thiessen explaining where to find this and what to do. If for some reason you are not able to access your student's report card, please contact me or the office! 

Homework & Field Trip

Happy Short Week of School!

Field Trip:
Today in your student's folder they should have a Field Trip permission slip. Please fill out the stapled sheet for your child for them to be able to attend the trip. If you would like to chaperone, fill out the bottom of the letter and return it to me asap. I'll wait until next Wednesday, Nov. 15th, then pull all names from a basket.

Due to size/number, the 3rd grade classes have be separated over three different days. Mrs. Martinson's class and Mrs. Malley's class will have their field trip on Friday, Dec. 8th. The Field Trip is to Ballentine Farms. You can see more information on their website here.


Homework and Upcoming dates:
Due to holidays and frequent travel, I want to give you some test dates through December. Please let me know if you have a planned absence so your student can make up their tests.
- Nov. 15th - Simple Machines Test
- Nov. 21st - Multiplication Test (My math class)
- Dec. 5th - Geography Test
- Dec. 13th - Division Test (My math class)

Nearpod & Homework

Hello All!

I hope everyone enjoys some extra time with their kids over this long weekend!

Simple Machines:
In class, we have been supplementing my lessons with Nearpod (a website). When I'm running a lesson in class, this allows me to show what's on my screen on each of the student's computers, and they can respond to questions, watch videos, etc.

Today I had the kids pick which Nearpod they wanted to view, so they likely only got through one. If they would like to look at any of them over the weekend, here are the codes. They just have to go to www.nearpod.com and enter the class code to participate.

Codes
Levers: PLYSJ
Inclined Planes: LPACG
Wedges: ZMDLW

Don't forget about biography reading homework over the weekend! Every student should have the biography they picked in class with them tonight.

Have a great weekend!
Mrs. Malley :) 

Pink Forms & Homework

Hello All!

Pink Form in Thursday Folders
Today in your student's Thursday Folder there is a PINK form that needs to be completed and returned to school TOMORROW! Please fill out the form and return it. Every student needs to have a paper submitted, no matter if your answer is yes or no. Thank you!

If you're interested in volunteering for Thursday Folders, you can sign up here.


Homework over the weekend & days off
Over the weekend please make sure your student completes their homework, as they have Monday and Tuesday off! They have:

Reading Worksheet
Read a nonfiction biography and respond to the questions on the worksheet. Every student picked a biography from my library today so they should have one with them tomorrow when they come home.

Math Worksheet & Reflex Math:
I am handing out my math homework THIS Friday, to be due NEXT Friday, so the students can begin working on it rather than having to complete it in just two days next week. They can work on the Review side and Reflex math, but they may not be able to do the new content part of the homework until next week when we have our first multiplication lesson.


Enjoy the sunshine today!
Mrs. Malley

Coding Course - For Student

Students: Click the link to go to the coding course.

https://studio.code.org/s/coursed?viewAs=Student

Conferences & Homework

Hello All!

Please be on the look-out for a small slip of paper in your student's folder over the next few days. A few days before your conference with me I am sending home reminders of your conference date/time.

Conferences During School Hours
If you're meeting me during the school day, please be aware that I will only be able to meet you exactly at the times chosen (ie: 10:40 and 11:10) due to needing to drop off/pick up the class from specials. So, if you're early you will need to wait in the office for me to come get you, or if you're late I'll only have until a certain time to meet before I have to go get the class!

Conferences in PM or Nov. 6th
If you have a conference with me after school or on the conference days, please keep me on schedule by knocking on the door if it is your conference time! I love to chat with everyone but I prefer that you interrupt if it is time for your conference so I can stay on schedule for you!
While you wait, feel free to browse the students' writing hanging in the hall! They have written some great pieces.


Homework This Week:
The next upcoming Science test will be on Simple Machines.
The test will be Wednesday, Nov. 15th.

Conferences, Homework, & Dates

Hello Families!

I hope everyone has been enjoying the cooler weather this week. With that in mind, please remember to send your student with a jacket and/or other appropriate clothing. We do go outside for recess unless it is raining or below freezing.

Homework this week:
I do apologize, I forgot to put the screenshot image of the agenda up yesterday. Here it is (below). For Math, if they did Reflex on Monday that counts for homework this week even though we were not in school. Also, if they can not get on a 2nd time by school tomorrow, I'm fine with them doing Reflex through Friday (I'll check after school Friday). Just looking for 2x during this week.

Conferences:
There are several people who have not yet signed up for a conference time with me! Please click the link over to the right on my blog page to schedule a time. When you come for your conference, please check in at the main office.
At this point, I have started recording my conference times and making a schedule for myself. If you need to cancel or reschedule for any reason, please CONTACT ME (even if you changed your time on the sign-up genius!)

Dates to note:
Oct 27th - Fall Party in the classroom
Nov 3rd - Quarter 1 ends
Nov 5th - DAYLIGHT SAVINGS ENDS - TURN YOUR CLOCKS BACK and enjoy your extra hour of sleep!
Nov 6 & 7 - Conference Days - NOTE that yesterday was TURN YOUR CLOCK back day! :) 
Nov 10 - Veterans Day program (TBD)
Nov 12th-17th - American Education Week - More info to come soon about what 3rd grade is doing!
Nov 17th - PTA Basket Bingo
Nov 22nd-24th - No School (Thanksgiving)
Nov 26th - Scholastic Book Fair week - *Nov 29th - Family Book Fair Night
Dec 8th - Our first field trip! More info to come in November.

Test Moved & Other Notes

Hello Families,

Due to awesome behavior and following our PBIS characteristics of being ready, responsible, and respectful (3Rs), the 3rd Grade has received a prize of NO written homework this week! There are still word study quizzes on Friday.

Test Change
A change has been made to the Famous American Test: Due to the whole-school reward of a lip-sync battle between Mr. Thiessen, Mrs. Rodgers, and Mrs. Wilhelm (who will win?!), we will be having our test on Tuesday, Oct. 24th. This also gives the students 3 extra days to study as we do not have school on Monday. Use this time wisely!


Fall Party Permission Slip
Tomorrow, your student will come home with a permission slip for our fall party snacks. Please fill it out and return it to me by FRIDAY so I can let the room parents know about numbers for snacks!

Here's the work for the week:

Bully Prevention Week and Posters

Hello Families,

Please note that next week is...

Bully Prevention Week!
Each day next week, you can dress as the following.To see details about each day, WHY each day was chosen, and examples of what to wear, see this flyer.

Also, the Bully Free at PNB poster date has been extended. See the poster paper here if you need to see the details again.

Oct. 16-20
Monday - Mismatch Day
Tuesday - Superhero Day
Wednesday - Inside-Out Day
Thursday - Different Shoe Day
Friday - Pinebrook Colors/Spirit Wear

Pack a Lunch Tomorrow!

Hello! 

Just a reminder that tomorrow is our class reward day! Please send in a packed lunch if possible. The kiddos seem very excited!

A few notes today:

1. Name change:
My name change has officially been processed with the county, so my new email is now rmalley@lcps.org. I will NOT get emails at "rstrong" anymore, so please save this email! 

2. Homework
Your students have in their agenda that they have a reading worksheet for homework. I ended up extending a lesson that the class needed more time/practice with and so did not give this homework. Free pass! Don't forget to still READ tonight and LOG your pages!

3. Thursday Folders  
Many things came home this week since missing Thursday Folders last week. Please be sure to check through your student's folder today for graded work, as well as flyers, class pictures, and important information from school. 

Reminder: The Bullying Prevention posters are due soon! See my post from October 5th for more information, and the see the flyer in your Thursday Folder.

4. Make-up Pictures: 
Will be on November 20th. 

5. SIGN UP PLEASE!
Mystery Readers
Thursday Folders
Conferences

Class Reward - Pack a Lunch!

Hello Families,

The class has voted on their BINGO reward. They would like to do a lunch in the classroom with a movie and popcorn! The movie will be G-rated.

We will be doing this lunch THIS FRIDAY, Oct. 13th. If possible, please send your student with a PACKED lunch on Friday so we can eliminate going to the cafeteria. 

I will be giving out SkinnyPOP Popcorn to the class as their treat. It is FREE of GMOs, MSG, peanuts, soy, tree nuts, and gluten. As far as my medical records go, this covers all allergies in our class. Please let me know if your student may NOT have this popcorn for any other reason. 
Here is the SkinnyPOP website if you'd like to look up other information: https://www.skinnypop.com/skinny-faq/

Homework & Progress Reports

Hello all!

A few notes about this week:

- NO new word study words this week (no quiz Friday)
- My math class - Addition Test on Friday
- Famous Americans test will be Oct. 20th
- Progress Reports were emailed home today
- The class won their first BINGO reward. I'll be letting you know what day we plan it. They will be having a movie lunch in our room with me!

Social Studies - Famous Americans
This is our next unit in Social Studies. I have printed a packet with the notes for this unit, as this is NOT IN the students' bound notebooks. Please make sure they RETURN the packet each day to fill in the notes. The study guide can be found in the packet, and also here on my blog.

Progress Reports
Today I emailed home progress reports. These are simply to inform you of your child's current grade status in each subject. You are not necessarily receiving it because I am concerned about a grade! Please look at the report and bring any questions or comments with you to our 1st quarter conference. You can sign up on the sign-up genius here.

Homework this week:

Sign Up!

Hello All!

As a reminder, here are links to three sign-ups for your convenience. We are in need of many mystery readers and Thursday Folder helpers, and there are many conference times available! Please sign up!

Mystery Readers

Thursday Folders

Conference Times


I hope everyone enjoys the long weekend!

Important Information

Hello All!

What great weather we have been having! I hope everyone is getting some outside time!


Dates to Note:
- Oct. 6th - Science test Tomorrow
- Oct. 11th - Monday Schedule (in school only, does not apply to after-school clubs)
- Oct. 13th - My math class Addition test
- Oct. 9th - No School
- Oct. 16-20 - Bully Prevention Week & Spirit Wear
- Oct. 23rd - No School for Students

Conferences
Please sign up for a conference with me here so we can meet to discuss your child's first quarter and progress. I have several dates/times available outside the student holiday dates, as well as a whole day blocked for conferences on Nov. 6th. If you are not available to meet with me at any of these times, please email me and I will work with you to find a common time.

Thursday Folders
My Thursday folder volunteers have requested that this sign-up be sent out for others to help with Thursday Folders. This is something I really would love to have filled every week so I know I can rely on someone coming. Today your student did not come home with a Thursday folder.

Fall Party
Our Fall Party will be on Friday afternoon, Oct. 27th. Our room parents are planning a fun time for the kiddos! There will be food involved, so please be watching for a permission slip to come home in the next week or two. I will need to have your student's permission slip in order for them to eat any food at the party.

 Bully Prevention Week
One of our School Counselors' initiatives is being an up-stander to bullying situations. Along with guidance lessons and classroom discussions, our counselors are hosting a Bully Prevention spirit week to raise awareness and remind students to stand up for others and encourage friendliness. The students are also encouraged to participate in a bullying prevention poster contest. They will receive a flyer about this with more information.

Bullying Prevention Poster & Spirit Week timeline:
October 13^th: All poster entries must be turned in to Mrs. Ross & Mrs. Nocito’s office mailbox

Week of October 16^th-20^th: Posters will be displayed, and students will vote on poster entries.

The spirit week schedule will be:
- Oct 16 - Mismatch Day
- Oct 17 - Superhero Day
- Oct 18 - Inside Out Day
- Oct 19 Wear Two Different Shoes Day
- Oct 20 - Pinebrook Colors/Spirit Wear

October 20^th: All votes will be tallied
October 25^th: All winners will be announced on the Morning Announcements and prizes will be distributed.

The poster information/flyer can be found here as well!

Homework and TEST CHANGE

Hello all!

I hope everyone has been enjoying this lovely weather! I have some very important notes about homework this week:

Reading Homework - DO IT!
Reading homework IS HOMEWORK! The class and I had a talk about this last week, as over 50% of them did not do ANY reading homework!! YIKES! 
EVERY night, students are expected to read for 20 minutes or more AND LOG THEIR READING in their My Reading Life folder! (This will soon go up to 30min!) Any night that an actual paper comes home for homework, it will be in this folder as well. You can see days they have reading papers for homework in their agenda marked as "Reading WS". Even if it is just writing a sticky note, the students ARE expected to write a sticky note and bring it to school the next day! These homeworks are extensions of what we are doing in class and help your student to practice reading skills and apply critical thinking on their own outside of Reading Class.

Please be sure to reinforce this at home with your student and ensure they are doing this as part of their nightly homework. With word study activities being done in school, having a week to turn in math homework, and almost no Social Studies/Science assigned work other than studying, they should be having time to read at home. Please let me know if your student is having some issue with this and we can chat.


Science Test Moved
I wanted to note that I am MOVING our Science test from this Wednesday to this FRIDAY. Please note the change in your student's agenda, and use the extra time to study!


This week's homework:

Picture Day & Homework

Hi Families,

Some notes for the week:

Picture Day - Tomorrow!
Please send your student to school ready for their picture tomorrow! You can fill out/bring in the picture form your student brought home this week, or order online. Our pictures will be before lunch, so don't worry about any messes. :)

Homework
My math class has a test this Wednesday! Don't forget to review using math notebook notes and study guide. Your student should also come home today with classwork to review from the unit.
Math homework this week is due WEDNESDAY (one day of Reflex), the day of the test. Use the homework to review!

Reminders/Dates and Mystery Readers

Hello All!

I hope that all family members or friends of yours are safe if they live in areas that experienced hurricanes. I also hope everyone is enjoying the start of some Fall weather and spending time outside!


Mystery Readers - your time has come! 
I finally set up a sign-up genius for you. I set one day each month for the reader to come, but if you need some flexibility with this we can work out a date/time that works for you as well. I just tried to space them out so it wasn't back to back readers. Plan on reading a book that will take roughly 10-15 minutes, and don't forget to think about things you may want to have the kiddos think about, discuss, or share!

The kids LOVE being read to, especially when you are enthusiastic and read with a lot of energy and expression! Friendly reminder: Practice reading your book at least once if you're not familiar with it!

To sign up to be a mystery reader, go to this link. It will automatically send you a reminder 2 days before in case you forget!


Reading Homework
Please remember that students should be reading every night! I have been conferencing with many students and notice that many of them are not logging that they read each night, and/or do not complete the homework. Even if it is just writing a sticky note, they are expected to do the assigned work. Keep in mind that each night they read they can (and are encouraged to!) write sticky notes about any of their thinking - it does not have to be only the nights I send home directions!

Dates:
Sept. 14th - Believe Kids fundraiser opened! Please return any sales/packets to school.
Sept. 20th - Mrs. Baxter's math class Place Value Test
Sept. 22nd - I will submit our online Scholastic Book order on this day! Enter your order online ASAP if you're planning to buy books!
Sept. 27th - My math class Place Value Test
Sept. 20th - Fall Festival 4:00-7:00pm


Smiles,
Mrs. Malley :) 

Homework Info & Word Study

Hello All!

The kids told me today there was some confusion with homework so I wanted to clarify. I also have some more information about Reading and Word Study in case you are someone who had questions about either of those topics.

Word Study
Each night your student will bring home their word study notebook. This is for them to have the word cards they cut out in school, as well as the copy of the CORRECTLY sorted words we did together as a class. For homework, they need to study the spelling and sorting of their words. They do NOT need to write any of the activities in their notebook for homework. We do all of that in class. Of course if they WANT to do an extra activity for homework, go ahead!

This week we did a word list of commonly used/misspelled 3rd grade words, sorted by their syllables. Starting next week everyone will go to different word study classes on Mondays to be instructed on how to correctly sort their words and what they spelling patterns are. They again will switch into word study classes on Fridays to take their quiz. Otherwise, they will do the daily word study activities in our classroom.

Reading
Every night your student should be reading. They should log their pages every day in their Reading Life log folder. If there is a "reading worksheet", it is often directions about a sticky note to write or thought prompts/discussion for after reading.

Yes, yet again I forgot to give out the reading homework directions last night! ARGH! I promise I'll get better at that. So, tonight they have the homework instructions in their reading log folder, and I will pass out the others tomorrow and Thursday since we missed a day.


This is what your student should be doing for homework this week, updated here to show the missed Monday Reading homework.

ASEP After School Clubs/Classes

Hello Families,

ASEP Classes
This paper should have been sent home today. It is the list of ASEP clubs/classes that are being offered this fall.

Registration runs from TONIGHT at 8:00pm - Tuesday, September 19th. ASEP will begin the week of September 25th.

To register and pay, go to www.pay4schoolstuff.com. If you have never used this website, you will need to sign up and create an account (free).

To see the flyer, you can go to our PeachJar link and view the first and second pages (they are separate files on Peach Jar - one has information, one has class names/prices).

If you have questions about any of this, contact Michele Leffler at asep@pnbpta.org


Other Notes
- We did NOT have all Thursday folders returned :( Maybe next week!
- I plan to put up a Mystery Reader sign-up soon. Be on the look out for that if you're interested.
- If anyone has families in southern states, send good thoughts their way.

Have a wonderful weekend!
Mrs. Malley :) 

Thursday Folders & Dates

Hello Everyone!

You'll see in your student's bag today that they have their first Thursday Folder! This is how I will typically sent home any graded work, as well as any other paperwork from the school, PTA, etc.

This week's folder should have:
- Third Grade Newsletter for September
- Our class list
- Spirit Wear information
- Scholastic Books order (you can order online using our class code!)
- LCPS Zoning information for the new elementary school
- NNAT testing information from Mrs. Ciardiello

You may have your kiddo bugging you to make sure their Thursday Folder is emptied and returned by the next day - This is because if ALL students return their EMPTIED-OUT-(at HOME) folder by the next day (Friday) each week, the class gets extra Bingo points!


Upcoming dates to note:
Sept. 11 - Patriot Day ceremony @ 8:05am, Room Parent Coffe @ 8:35am
Sept. 12 - Room Parent training 6:30-7:30pm
Sept. 14 - Believe Kids Fundraiser opens
Sept. 15 - Box Top Collection, Spirit Wear Order Deadline
Sept. 30 - Fall Festival 4:00-7:00pm
Dates to note can be found in the Third Grade Newsletter as well.


Happy Almost Friday!
Mrs. Malley :) 

Weekly Update/Homework

Hello Everyone!

I hope that you all enjoyed the long weekend and beautiful weather (at least some of the days)!

I wanted to share the homework for the week, as I know the agenda can take some getting used to for lots of kiddos! It can be tricky with all the lines/boxes... This week they have:

*My math class homework is due Friday. If your student has other math homework, they should have it written in their agenda from math class.


Social Studies Test
This is coming up next Friday, September 15th. I asked all students to take home their Social Studies notebooks with them today so you should see that in their bags. Take a look to see what their notes look like. You can also find the study guide at the beginning of each unit, as well as on the sidebar to the right on my blog.

Volunteers & Mystery Readers
I had several people sign up to help out in the classroom, at home, be room parents, etc. THANK YOU! If you would still like to sign up, you can find the form here. Please note that I do like to have Mystery Readers, which always seems popular with families, so even if you can't/don't want to help in other ways, you can sign up for this! I will put out a survey monkey schedule for this so anyone can sign up who wants to. I have had siblings, grandparents, aunts/uncles, etc. so all are welcome!

Volunteers, I am in need of a copy helpers and Thursday Folder helpers first and foremost. I'll send an email to anyone who signed up about this so we can get that rolling. I will be in contact soon about other items (Fluency, etc.) as I get reading assessments completed and put together work for that.

As always, let me know of any questions/concerns.
Smiles,
Mrs. Malley :)

Math Homework Info

Hello Everyone!

Today we started our first official math class. I talked with the class about how homework will be given/checked. I mentioned this at Back To School Night, but wanted to remind you all about math homework so you know what to expect!

Next week I will give their first math homework paper. It will look like this:

The math homework will be given on Mondays (Tuesday next week), and due on Fridays. It will include some new content, some review content, and 2 days of Reflex Math. Your student has the whole week to complete the worksheet so it should not interfere with after school activities. 

Reflex math will "count" for the week from Sunday-Thursday. I will check Reflex reports Friday AM to see that it was completed.

Again, the first homework will be next week even though we are not in school Monday.The "new content" on this first homework is really review of 2nd grade since we are just getting into math for the year. Please let me know if you have questions about this! 

Enjoy the Labor Day weekend! 

Mrs. Malley :) 

Agendas and Upcoming Info

Hello Everyone!


Today is the first day we wrote in our agendas. It can be tricky getting used to the lines/boxes, so I'm going to post homework here as well for the first few times. We filled in all of the homework for the rest of the week.

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Homework:
Reading:
Your student should be reading about 15 minutes (or more!) every day, and logging what they read in their blue My Reading Life folder. This is the "Log & Read" you should see in their agenda. JR Spot is their "Just Right" spot that they chose on the first day of school for homework. It is OK if this sometimes changes, it is just to encourage picking a good reading place (ie: not in front of the TV, in a loud or distracting area of the home, etc.)

You'll also see "Reading WS" on Wednesday and Thursday. These will be given out on those days, but you know they'll be coming. All reading homework will be kept in their blue "My Reading Life" folder as well.

Social Studies:
You'll see that we wrote in "Govt. (Government) Test Sept. 15th" in the agenda. We have been informally discussing government with our first few days of school such as rules, leadership, being a good citizen, etc. but have not formally filled in any notes about this in school yet. The students will start bringing home their Social Studies notebooks/study guides next week.
However, if you are interested in looking ahead you can find all study guides linked here on my blog in the sidebar to the right!

Extra:
At the bottom of the agenda page, you'll see and empty "extra" box. Here is where I have them write any other notes not related to classroom subjects. I had them write in the days they need to remember PE this week since we are still getting used to the schedule.
*They WILL have PE next TUESDAY, Sept. 5th. We do not normally have it on Tuesdays, but next week we have a Monday Schedule in school since we are not in school on Labor Day.
Our typical PE days are Monday, Thursday, and Friday.

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In other news, check out my Twitter for a few pictures of us getting used to our Flexible seating! As of now, they are using them at certain times during the day. The kiddos will get more and more opportunities to use them over the coming weeks as we learn procedures and best ways to use our flexible seating. So far, they seem to love it! If you'd like to contribute to our flexible seating options, check out our classroom wishlist for some ideas!

I hope everyone is enjoying getting back to school! If at any time you have questions or concerns, please email me at rstrong@lcps.org

Smiles,
Mrs. Malley :)

Back To School Night

Hello Families!

If you saw my email earlier, I suggested bringing a device to Back To School Night (laptop, iPad, Chromebook, Smart phone, etc.)

Please click this link to access my Back to School Night presentation if you'd like to follow along.

A few other links I'll be asking you to access tonight are:

My Pinebrook Page: https://www.lcps.org/Page/110511 
Scholastic Books: https://clubs.scholastic.com/
Google Forms:
- Getting to Know Your Student Form
- Directory Form
- Class Party Form
- Volunteer Sign-Up Form

There are two sessions tonight, 6:00pm and 7:00pm. I hope to see you at one of those times! 

Smiles,

Mrs. Malley :) 

Welcome New Students & Families!

Hello all new 3rd Graders and Families!

If you found this blog because I am your teacher, WELCOME! I'm so excited for this year to begin!

1. Parents: My blog is my MAIN FORM OF COMMUNICATION during the school year, so bookmark this tab and check it often! 
If you like, you can head to the bottom of this page now and SUBSCRIBE to the blog. This means you should get emails when I post something new on the page. However, I have found that this can sometimes be "flukey". If you don't see anything via email for a while, please check the blog regularly. I typically post at least once per week and occasionally more often as things come up.


2. Next, please download the Remind App and add my class! You can sign up for free online, download the app to receive push notifications, or receive text or email notifications if you prefer not to have the app.

It is very simple to sign up! You have a few options:
- Text "@malley3" to the number "81010" and it will add you
- Follow this link and enter your information
- Go online and create a free account, sign up via internet here
- If for any reason none of these seem to work, let me know and I can add you!

Please be aware that this program will NOT show your cell phone numbers, so your information will be kept private via the app. It WILL allow me to send out class-wide messages, private messages to individual parents, allows you to message me in return during my "office hours", and allows you to communicate with parents on the app if you so choose. I have found that many people like it!

3. Lastly, you can follow my Twitter page to see pictures throughout the year of things going on in our class! You can click on my name in the sidebar to the right (where it shows my tweets) to be linked to my page. Or, you can find me on your own by following me @mrs_malley

I'm so looking forward to meeting everyone at Open House and Back to School Night on August 22nd! See you there!

Smiles,
Mrs. Malley :)

STEAM Camp

Hello All STEAM Camp Families!

Here are some links that might be of interest this week for your student. We are building Rube Goldberg Machines!

Simple Machine Symbaloo for Games: http://www.symbaloo.com/mix/simplemachinesandrube

Rube Goldberg To Go game:  http://pbskids.org/zoom/games/goldburgertogo/index.html

OK Go song example: https://safeshare.tv/x/DJfdcxMIcg

Tom and Jerry example: https://safeshare.tv/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DGvnEBX9aedY

Purdue Society of Professional Engineers world record machine:  https://safeshare.tv/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D8X7f2zdQ3hc%26list%3DPLbpi6ZahtOH6jB4qX482tqpT8gJEtiNgf

Target Fresh Machine: https://safeshare.tv/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D6-TG6SNNL6I

200,000 Dominoes: https://safeshare.tv/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DYCDbiAhxJ4M

8th Grade Science Project:  https://safeshare.tv/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D-0gtGj-1nwE

Turkey Roaster Machine: https://safeshare.tv/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D01_udUeZ2GU

Amazing Chain Reactions: https://safeshare.tv/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DCGUvMJ6cbXA

LEGO Great Ball Contraption 2014: https://safeshare.tv/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Du_dADLKJ5i8
**If you're interested in this, there is a BrickFair (LEGO building competition) happening at Dulles Expo Center the weekend of August 5th! Click here to see the calendar: https://www.dullesexpo.com/page_event_current_year.html
And here to see more about BrickFair LEGO Expo: https://www.brickfair.com/


Enjoy and Happy Creating!!
Ms. Strong :) 

Happy Summer!

Hello All!

WOOHOOO! Last day of school, and summer vacation is here!

Today in class we had a lot of heart-felt farewells, and several emotional students. I started to tear up a bit as well as each student said good-bye when their bell rang. I have truly enjoyed working with this class of students. I will miss them all - I reminded them to come see me when they are old 4th graders next year!

I wanted to take a moment to say THANK YOU all for your support and for a wonderful school year. All of the parents who helped with parties and class events, field trip chaperones, copy/laminating assistants, Watch DOGS, Thursday folders, etc... You help keep me sane during the year, and your help is GREATLY appreciated! Even if you weren't frequently able to come to school, I also appreciate the kind words in cards, emails that helped keep me in communication with you and your students' lives, and just overall support from the home. You are a fabulous group of people!

I hope everyone has safe and FUN summers! I can't wait to see your kiddos again next year (remember to look for Mrs. Malley and not "Strong" on my door!)


Happy Summer!
Ms. Strong :)


   
 

Last Days to Note

Hello Everyone!

Can you believe there are only 8 days of school left?! Where has the time gone! Here are some important dates and information to note for the end of the year:

Thursday, June 1st - Field Day
Grades 3-5 Field Day is TOMORROW! Please have your student WEAR sneakers and an outfit OK for getting wet. Students may wear one-piece swim suits with shorts (girls), swim trunks with a shirt (boys), water-wear tops such as swim/surf shirts, etc.
Please also pack a change of clothes and a towel for your student! We will be ending with water stations, and will need to change after coming in from field day. Don't forget to pack different socks/shoes also, as the ones from the morning WILL be wet!

Friday, June 2nd
- Science test on Energy
- Volunteer Breakfast in Cafeteria
- FLIP open a good book, FLOP down and read: This is an OUTDOOR reading time! Please send your student with a towel or blanket and sunglasses (if they'd like), to read outside!

Wednesday, June 7th
- Class party! If you have not already, please return your child's pizza permission slip and $5. We will have a movie/pizza lunch, recess and yearbook signing time, and a special treat from our room parents!

Friday, June 9th
- Last day of school!
As a note, I will start sending home a few things at a time with your student throughout the last week so they will not need to carry everything home on the last day.

Friday, June 16th
-Last Day to order School Supplies through School Kits! Go to the website: http://www.shopttkits.com/ and enter our school code: 12575 to order your kit for next year!


Happy last days of school!



 

Hello! I hope everyone is doing well and that you are using some of this warm weather to get outside!

A few notes/things I want to share with you. Please see my email as well – there is more important information for Parent Eyes Only in there!

 

SOL Dates Reminder:

Reading SOL – May 9^th & May 10^th

Math SOL – May 18^th & 19^th

**All of our SOL tests are in the Morning, so it is very unlikely that your student will need to stay after school to finish their test!

SOL Vocab List This Week:

You may have noticed your students new word list last night – this list is a compilation of all the frequently missed words on the previous quizzes. There are 12 words. Students are still not expected to spell them on their own; however, they DO need to know what the word means and how to answer a question that uses that word! The quiz will be on Friday.

This will be the last week of SOL Vocab word lists.

 

 

Fidgets: Keep them at home!

As you may or may not know, Fidgets are a new “hot” item for students. These fidgets are meant to be used as tools to help students concentrate if they are unable to focus on tasks, have anxiety, or otherwise need an adaptation to help them successfully navigate the school day.

Fidgets have increasingly become a distraction and are being used as toys in our classroom. As such, Fidgets are no longer allowed unless previously discussed and decided on by parent and teacher communication. Please keep them at home!

*As a note, fidgets are not allowed in the SOL testing environments.  

Classroom Info and SOL Tests

Hello All!

I hope everyone had a wonderful break and that you're all ready for the last nine weeks!
I imagine you're all feeling one of two ways:

  OR


I wanted to touch base about a few things - upcoming dates, classroom procedure update, and SOL tests.

Dates to Note:
4/27 - SOL Vocab list quiz
4/24 - Earth/Moon/Sun Test
4/26 - Report Cards sent home & Fitness Night @ 6:00pm
4/27 - Our class will have a PRACTICE session with TestNav (using the SOL test program, tools, etc.)
5/9 & 5/10 - Reading SOL Test
5/17 - Interims home
5/18 & 5/19 - Math SOL Test
5/24 - Bike Rodeo @ 6:00pm
5/29 - No School, Memorial Day
6/1 - Field Day Grades 3-5
6/2 - Volunteer Breakfast @ 8:30am & Ice Cream Social @ 6:00pm
6/6 - Field Day rain date
6/8 - 5th Grade Ceremony
6/9 - Last Day of School

Classroom Circle:
I have been working closely with our school counselor, Mrs. Ross, to implement aspects of restorative practice into our classroom. Restorative practice works hand-in-hand with PBIS (our school behavior initiative) to create a culture of respect and understanding amongst students, as well as with the adults they work closely with. Mrs. Ross and I have recently introduced one aspect of restorative practice in our room - classroom circles.

Circle talk can often be seen as "silly" or "fluffy" talk. However, I promise it is anything but this! Our students are just getting started using classroom circles, but they have already reported that they feel it is helpful and that they appreciate having this time to talk and share with one another. Circle times provide students with a safe environment to share their concerns, thoughts, and so on with the class and teacher. During circle I may present a questions or issue for the students to respond to, or I may ask the students to bring up anything they think needs to be talked about in the class. This is a great way to start the day and to help students set goals for behavior, friendships, or anything at all, as well as give them times to address things they want to discuss.

We will continue using classroom circle for the remainder of the year, and I will also be attending additional training on this practice. I encourage you to talk about circle at home with your student, and to encourage them to bring anything that comes up at school to our circle each day (such as problems with friends, questions or worries about school, issues they feel the class needs to talk about, etc). If you would like to know more about this, you may contact me or read some more information at these websites:
-http://www.umojacorporation.org/files/5413/5402/9632/Fact_Sheet_RestorativeJustice_PBIS.pdf
-http://www.iirp.edu/what-we-do/what-is-restorative-practices


SOL Tests:
It is that time of year - SOL tests are coming up quickly!

Our SOL tests are in Reading and Math. Both tests will be split into two testing sessions, each on a separate day. Our SOL tests are scheduled for the following dates:

Tuesday, May 9th - Reading SOL Part 
Wednesday, May 10th - Reading SOL Part 2
Thursday, May 18th - Math SOL Part 1
Friday, May 19th - Math SOL Part 2

It is very important that your student be present, and on time, for school on these dates! It is in your child's best interest to take the test with our class during our scheduled time. If an absence is unavoidable,  PLEASE LET ME KNOW ASAP so we can schedule a testing session for them. If they miss a date due to illness, we will schedule another test time afterward.

Reminder: Your student must finish their SOL Test on the day they begin. It is unlikely, but possible, that your student may need to be picked up from school if they do not finish their test during normal school hours.

Please refer to the packet of information that was sent home concerning the SOL Tests, or email me with any questions you have.

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I hope everyone is enjoying returning to their normal routines!
Ms. Strong :)