We have decorative chalkboards in various locations around our school for special quotes and/or important announcements. I am the lucky one that gets to do the art! My hands have been itching to doodle on these boards since yesterday. I was so excited about how they turned out, I had to share!
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21st Century Skills...As part of my coursework this week, I was to familiarize myself with the following website: http://www.p21.org/. This website is devoted to communicating and facilitating 21st century skills. These are the skills, knowledge and expertise students should master to succeed in work and life in the 21st century. They fall into four main categories: Core Subjects (the 3 Rs) and 21st Century Themes, learning and Innovation Skills, Information, Media and Technology Skills, and Life and Career Skills. My reaction to the website I feel that the website makes these skills and support systems very understandable through thorough explanations and also graphics. The website is organized in a way that is not overwhelming. Each section is outlined, but then is linked to further extended explanations and in some cases, supplemental outlines and additional links. I was even able to follow a link to how my own state is involved with this partnership: http://ed.sc.gov/agency/programs-services/174/Pathways/PersonalPathwaystoSuccess.cfm. Information on the site that surprised me or helped me develop a new understanding of the issues surrounding 21st-century skills Honestly, I was a little surprised that not all states have become partners with P21. I am just curious if states have adopted these skills, but simply have not gone through the steps of becoming a partner or if they are truly reluctant about implementing the 21st century framework within their curriculum plan. http://www.p21.org/members-states/partner-states As mentioned on the partner state tab, to become a P21 Leadership State, a state demonstrates commitment from the governor and chief state school officer, and submits an application to P21 that describes the state’s plan to fuse the3Rs and 4Cs (critical thinking and problem solving, communication, collaboration, and creativity and innovation) within standards, assessments and professional development programs.
The implications for your students and for you as a contemporary educator
Before this assignment, I was somewhat aware of 21st century skills. I now have a better understanding of them and plan to take by the graphic presented on the website to my colleagues so that we can reference it when planning activities for our third graders. I failed to mention in my email this morning that we have our new “Update Us” area up in the room. Students are encouraged to bring in pictures and post “status updates” of exciting information they want to share. I enjoyed reading all of their “posts” this morning and I hope they will continue updating them and sharing valuable information about their personal lives!
Good morning! I have attached all documents needed for this week. Graded test papers and Dojo reports will be sent home today as well. Please be sure to sign them and return them tomorrow. In Science, we are beginning with our habitat and food chain research. Unfortunately, we were unable to get much completed in Science last week due to Mock Aspire testing. It was very exciting to watch them work in groups this morning to begin their research. By Friday, students will have a completed illustration of their habitat and a food chain represented within. I cannot wait to see them and hear their presentations! If your student would like to do further research from home, please allow them to go to the following site: https://www.blendspace.com/lessons/lP5UKCGnz326ZA/habitats I have also attached the rubric again so that you can better understand the expectations for the project. We do have Watershed on Wednesday where students will learn about fossils. Please remember to send in $1 so that your child may attend. In Math, we have many fun activities planned to review fractions. We will be making fraction bracelets, doing an activity with Skittles, and crating pizza fraction models. I will share more pictures as I have them available. We are also working on Math 4 Today Week #21 with our test on Friday. Please remember to continue studying multiplication at home, as we will continue with our Kiwanis tests. I have attached the test in the event you wish to practice at home. We now have 10 students on our medalist list! I can’t wait to add more names! Through my coursework for my Master’s degree, I have learned about many new technology resources. One website I thought was particularly useful was http://www.mathplayground.com/. I wanted to share as another avenue for your student to review our math topics at home in a fun way. Please let me know if you have any further questions or concerns. I am looking forward to a wonderful week of learning with your children. Thanks for sharing them with me, as I am truly blessed to be their teacher!
ello! I have attached the DREAM worksheet and Newsletter for the week. Dojo reports and graded test papers will be in your child’s homework folder. Please sign them and return them by tomorrow. Also included with the newsletter, you will find a letter about the Science fair. I have also attached it for your convenience. Science fair projects are not required for 3rd graders, however, we will award extra credit for anyone that chooses to submit a project. In Science, we will be discussing habitats, how they change, and the food chains within a habitat. Students will work in groups this week to research about different habitats and create a poster-size illustration of their assigned habitat. They will also be required to label a food chain with producers, consumers, and decomposers. I have attached the rubric and website that will be used for this project for informational purposes only. https://www.blendspace.com/lessons/lP5UKCGnz326ZA/habitats I have enjoyed assessing the “Animal Creation” extra credit projects that were due last Friday. I had 25 students return them! I was very impressed with their participation and willingness to do extra work to improve their grades. In Math, we will continue with our study of fractions. Students will work in small groups to rotate through various stations and practice representing and comparing fractions. We will also continue with our Kiwanis tests. I have attached it so that you can practice more at home if you wish. We now have 7 students on our “Kiwanis Medalists” list and many more that are so close! Old fashioned drill and practice is a method that has definitely proven beneficial. Whether you are in the car on the way to school, waiting in line at the grocery store, or at home during supper…you can continually drill your students to assure mastery. We are working on Math 4 Today Week 20 and will test on Friday. Please let me know if you have any further questions or concerns.
Part of this week's application assignment in my current graduate course is to explain the benefits and purpose of a classroom blog. Apologies for my blog post being a little late, as I could not get my blog to load on my computer at home.
I began my blog last year in an attempt to bridge the gap between school and home. I have used my blog for sharing student work, communicating with parents, sharing weekly assignment documents, and also as a resource page for quick access of sites we use in class. From the feedback I have received, the parents of my students love being able to have an eye on what's going on in the classroom. It has also made it easier if their child is absent or isn't sure what an assignment is. They can download and print documents at home. Parents also love that they can share with their friends and family what their child is doing in class. I had one student last year who had a father stationed for military. His mom was able to share presentation, photos, and videos of him in class with his Dad so that he wasn't missing out. Although it can sometimes be time consuming, blogging is definitely beneficial in the classroom! Jessica Burnette 3rd Grade - Math / Science Woodruff, SC Hello! I have attached all documents for the week. Graded test papers and Dojo Reports will be in your child’s red homework folder. Please sign these and return them tomorrow. Also, Dojo points have been reset for the new 9 weeks. In the packet to be signed, you will also find a letter about “Depth of Knowledge” that explains some changes you may notice on our assessments. I have attached a digital copy for your convenience. In Science, we are finishing up on our Adaptations unit. We will complete a study guide on Wednesday and have the assessment on Thursday. I have attached the study guide in the event you would like to study with your child at home. It may also be helpful to review some of the Brain Pop videos we have used in class. https://jr.brainpop.com/science/plants/plantadaptations/ https://jr.brainpop.com/science/animals/migration/ https://jr.brainpop.com/science/animals/hibernation/ https://jr.brainpop.com/science/animals/camouflage/ On Friday, we will introduce our next unit on habitats and food chains. Students will work the following week researching in groups about the habitats and the plants and animals that make up the food chains for their group’s habitat. They will be creating a model/representation to present to the class. Please remember that the extra credit “My Animal Creation” is due by this Friday. Late projects will not be accepted. I have attached the document in the event you need a replacement. In Math, we are continuing to practice with fractions. Students have learned how to cross multiply to compare fractions and also find equivalent fractions. Students will work on several group activities and performance tasks this week to show what they know. They will also get to play some fraction games comparing and finding equivalent fractions. Please remember that our Awards Program is tomorrow morning at 8:15 in the cafeteria. I hope everyone has a great week. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns!
As part of our school wide theme...Dream, Hope, Imagine...we are constantly telling our students that you are never too young or old to have dreams and set goals. As part of my dream showcase last year, I set a goal for myself to obtain my Master's Degree. I was accepted this past summer to Walden University and I am currently taking online courses to receive my Master of Science Education focusing on Integrating Technology in the Classroom. I am in my fourth class and will graduate this time next year.
The class that I am in now, "Understanding the Impact of Technology on Education, Work, and Society" just started this week. On of our first assignments was to create a blog. Lucky for me, I already have one! As part of the assignment, we have to subscribe to blogs of other classmates and comment on their posts. With that being said, other students in this class will do the same on my blog. Parents and Students, please feel free to comment on any posts to which you may be able to contribute valuable conversation. I hope that by adding an outside eye and feedback, we will be able to improve the blog and website to better serve our classroom! I look forward to the comments! Good afternoon! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday break. I have attached the newsletter and homework sheet for the week. Students have Dojo reports to be signed and returned by tomorrow. Please remember that these reflect the week before Christmas break (12/15/14-12/29/14). In Science, we will focus on Animal Adaptations. We have several activities planned to learn about migration, hibernation, camouflage, and mimicry. I am also sending home “My Animal Creation” project for 3rd Nine Weeks Science Extra Credit. Instructions are listed on the first page, and I have gone over this in class. These projects are due by Friday, January 16th. I will not accept any late projects. This will be recorded as two test grades. In Math, we are beginning our unit on fractions. We will discuss fractions as part of the whole, fractions on a number line, and fractions as groups. Students will also be responsible for recognizing equivalent fractions and comparing fractions. Some helpful videos: http://www.brainpopjr.com/math/fractions/ http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/math/index.htm Please let me know if you have any further questions or any concerns! Have a great week!
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My dream is to create a 21st Century classroom that encourages collaboration, integrates technology, and promotes thinking deeply.
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