Last two chapters of Brendan Buckley's Universe and Everything In It

We ran out of time on Friday, and were unable to finish our last read aloud. Here are the last two chapters for you and your family-I encourage you to read them aloud, and discuss these big ideas together. This book has sparked countless discussions regarding "Big Ideas", and most students have really enjoyed this book and its great tie in to our study of Rocks and Minerals.

Have a great summer, everyone!

Bridge Tour Slideshow-Thanks for sharing your photos!

Bridge Tour

Wow-Today, we walked 10,739 adult steps, crossed 6 bridges, walked 5.1 miles, and had a wonderful time with Peter Chausse, of Peter's Walking Tours of Portland. He was an incredible wealth of information about Portland-and leads public, private, school, and group tours. Thank you to the wonderful chaperones that kept the students safe, happy, and moving forward-as well as to the students, for their curiosity, engagement, and positive attitudes!

Some folks asked for Peter's information, and that can be accessed at www.walkportland.com

All Class Invite-Connor's Birthday!

Hello all,

I have been e-mailing back and forth with Connor's family, and they are inviting us all to a birthday gathering at Sunnyside School park on Saturday, June 15th at 12pm. From Rebekah-she hopes that any and all of us can/will stop by.

Best,

Catie

Weekly Update-Catie's Class

This is it!  My final newsletter of this school year.  It has been a pleasure working with all of your students this year.  I’m really going to miss them, and you, next year!  If I don’t see you before school gets out, I hope that you all have a restful and fun summer. Our field study today was fascinating, and we finished off the day with fresh juice (apple, carrot, beet, ginger, and cucumber watermelon (thanks Katy for your support!)

Bridges

Our study of bridges culminates with our Bridge Tour on Tuesday and our “Bridge Strength Challenge” on Thursday.  The kids will be given limited materials and time to create any kind of bridge they choose for this challenge.  Using what we’ve learned about bridges, they will try to construct a bridge that will hold the most weight possible.

Writer’s Workshop

Our class book is currently at the district print shop.  ($10 suggested donation for our class yearbook and zine). I should have them by the last day of school, but I may not have them by Thursday’s Author’s Tea.  If this is the case, I will print out the students’ writing so that they can share.  They will also be reflecting on their growth as writers this year.  We would love to have some treats to go with our tea for the celebration.  If you are able to bring something, please e-mail Bonnie. The students will be sharing their writing about Portland and reflecting on themselves as writers at our final Author’s Tea on Thursday, June 13th at 9 AM.

Reader’s Workshop

The kids have been enjoying the adventures, questions, and discoveries of Brendan Buckley in our final read aloud book.  They have also been learning a lot about rocks and minerals from this book.  We are going to wrap up this book as a whole third grade on the last day of school.

Rocks and Minerals

The students are working on their field tests on the mystery minerals in our classroom.  On Wednesday, the kids will make their educated guesses about which minerals descriptions match the results of their testing.

The Big Clean Up

On Thursday, after our Author’s Tea, the class will be emptying our desks and lockers, cleaning the classroom, and sending a lot of things home.  Please send your child to school with an extra bag so that they can take these things home.

Ask Your Third Grader...

What shapes and parts make bridges stronger?

Tell me about Brendan Buckley’s Universe.

What did you see and learn at the rocks and minerals museum?

Thanks for sending such sunny students to school each day,

Catie

Important Things Coming Up...

June 11 - Bridge Tour

June 13 - Author’s Tea (9 AM)

June 13 - Classroom Clean Up

June 14 - Last Day of School!

Weekly Update-Catie's Class

It’s the home stretch!  This week will mainly be about bridges, rocks and minerals, and tying up other loose ends.  Don’t forget that we have one field study this wee, and another next Tuesday: a trip to the Rice Museum of Rocks and Minerals in Hillsboro on Friday, and the Bridge Tour on Tuesday.

Bridges

Last week, we began learning about the various bridges that cross the Willamette River in Portland, and we started learning about the different kinds of bridges in the world.  This week, we’ll focus on building beam, arch, and suspension bridges, and learn about some of the math and physics behind these amazing and amazingly useful creations.

Writer’s Workshop

Last week (finishing up tomorrow) the class worked hard to finish up the articles for our class zine.  This week I will be sending the book to the print shop so that each child will get a copy.  We also got a visit from Melissa Delzio and Steven Snell on Friday.  Melissa was the editor and creator of the book Our Portland Story, which inspired the creation of our book.  Steven wrote a piece for the book about Portland’s bridges.  They spoke to the students about writing, the creative process, and Portland.  The kids had many great questions for our visitors.  The students will be sharing their book about Portland and reflecting on themselves as writers at our final Author’s Tea on Thursday, June 13th at 9 AM. If you are interested in helping set up or bring snacks/tea, please send me an e-mail. Also, there is a $10 suggested donation for our class yearbook and zine. Every student will receive one regardless of ability to pay, but every amount helps! Thank you. 

Reader’s Workshop

Last week, we began our final read aloud book of the year, Brendan Buckley’s Universe and Everything In It.  This book is about a 10 year old boy living near Seattle who spends a summer discovering things about himself and the world.  The main character, Brendan, has a black father and a white mother and sometimes struggles with ideas of where he fits racially.  This has led to some great conversations with the class.  Brendan is also a budding scientist who is fascinated with rocks and minerals - a great tie-in for our own study.  

Rocks and Minerals

Last week, we began doing field tests on our 12 “mystery minerals.”  These field tests, along with some research, will help the kids determine the identity of each one

Ask Your Third Grader...

What are the three types of bridges?

What is your favorite Portland bridge?  Why?

Tell me about Brendan Buckley. In what way can you relate to Brendan's feeling that he is like "a puzzle piece that just doesn't quite fit".

Tell me about some of the field tests you have done on the mystery minerals.

Important Things Coming Up...

June 7 - Rice Museum of Rocks and Minerals Field Study

June 11 - Bridge Tour 

June 13 - Author’s Tea (9 AM)

June 14 - Last Day of School!

Rice Museum Field Study Friday, June 7

Hey all,

I was just reading up on the Rice Museum trip next week.  It's supposed to be warm so students should wear closed toed shoes in order to get a rock from the rock pile at the end of the tour.

Best,

Catie

Photos from a busy, beautiful week!

Reader's Theater, practicing fluency, expression, and acting!

A student's long delayed birthday circle.

Oshi, our Lewis & Clark undergraduate intern.

The founder of Our Portland Story Volume 1 (and Volume 2 is on its way to publication) and poet Steve share their work, advice, and inspire passionate zine writers.

Celebrating Walk & Bike to School Month this morning.

Student initiated support to stick to the deadline! The pressure!

Video Footage Courtesy of the Timbers

Video Recap of the Green Machine game today.

Words Not Necessary

Today was the best day of my life.

Please see below:

http://photos.oregonlive.com/photo-essay/2013/05/portland_timbers_grant_the_wis.html

I can't wait to return to the classroom on May 13th. I think I got a hug and at least a few words in with each student today, and my heart is filled to the top. 

Thanks for sharing your strong, enthusiastic, kind, resilient, and of course, energetic, students with me,

Catie

Seen on Facebook

Pretty sure we know some of those soccer players!! Way to represent Sunnyside!

Photos from a busy Monday!

Modeling the staff Queer Straight Alliance T-shirts before personal delivery

Ask your student different words they may prefer to be called over "guys" or "dudes", and why.

Staff QSA Shirts, one for each staff member at SES. Ask your student why the middle school QSA members chose a snail, and why the snail is saying "We are who we are!"

Getting a couple of minutes on the iPads trying to snap some great shots to show and thank our DonorsChoose donors.

What a lovely day.

April 1 Homework & Quick personal update

April 1st Homework:

Here is the link to the Google Map Distance Calculator mentioned on the homework:

http://www.daftlogic.com/projects-google-maps-distance-calculator.htm

Use this tool to mark Portland, mark the place you want to measure the distance to, and find the distance/direction (the distance is found in a box at the bottom of the screen).  Once you find the distance and write it down, click "Clear Last Point" before marking a new location.

Personal Update:

Hey there all of you lovely students and families,

I just wanted to let you know that I left the hospital yesterday, and am happily (ecstatic, actually) to be at home, on my comfy couch, with Kuma, good books, beautiful and brightening get well cards, and home cooked meals by my lovely mom. Lesley R. (parent in our class) is coordinating meals, visits, etc. I am still very weak, though getting stronger every day-today was huge, as I walked up my stairs to the second floor!!!! 

For my most part, I am staying off of my computer and cell phone, so please direct your interests and questions to Lesley. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I appreciate each and every one of you for being you, and supporting me and those you care about around you.

Best,

Catie

Photos from another busy week

Medical Leave

Dear Families,

I hope that everyone has a restful and fun Spring Break, as tomorrow is the first day of spring!  Some of you may not be aware that I am having abdominal surgery and will be taking 5-6 weeks off to heal, recover, and be back to work healthy and happily. This is all news to me, and am handling new information daily as it comes. If anything, patience, being present, and appreciating our class has been so helpful and a reminder of my own good fortune. My intentions are to work until April 1 (the Monday we return from Spring Break), at which point Jens (Heather's guest teacher from her maternity leave this fall and Jeremy's student teacher from last year), will take over for me. I plan to return in mid-May, barring any complications. 

Jens will be in the classroom tomorrow for a short time during student-led conferences, going over lesson plans, routines, and students. As a class, we are collaboratively writing a "What You Need to Know to Teach and Learn Successfully in our Classroom" pamphlet for Jens, and anyone else!. I am confident that he will do a stellar job while I am away, and he taught all of this curriculum last year.

Of course, if he has any questions he has Jeremy and Heather, too! 

During my absence I plan to check my email, if you have any questions you can contact me. Regarding daily classroom needs/questions/etc. please contact Jens at jenskh1984@gmail.com, who is already very knowledgeable about your children and their specific needs, and a great friend of mine.

Thank you so much for your support,

Catie

Student Led Conferences

              Hello Families,

I look forward to seeing all of you that can make it tomorrow from 3:30- on. Your student is so proud of the work they have done this year and are looking forward to sharing it with you. 

Are there any families that plan on coming after 6:00 or 6:30? I am just trying to get a handle on my schedule, and if no one is planning on it, I'll lock up the room around 6:00.

                                                              Adult Guide for Student-Led Conferences

·     Your student is in charge. This is not a parent-teacher conference. I am happy to schedule an appointment with you should you have something you would like to discuss.

·     Let the student be in charge (help only if your child gets stuck).

·     Listen attentively.

·     Keep it positive and celebrate accomplishments.

·     Ask questions: What did you learn? What did you like about this activity? Why are you proud of this work? Tell me more about…

·     Give appreciations: I really like…You have gotten better at…I noticed…I’m impressed with…I especially like how you…It looks like you did your best because…

Weekly Update-Catie's Class

Math

The students have been working on learning strategies for solving multiplication and division problems.  They have easily memorized the rules for 0 and 1.  We developed strategies for multiplying by 2 (doubling), 3 (doubling plus one more group), 4 (doubling twice), 5 (the minute hand on a clock), 6 (minute hand plus one more group), and 10 (counting by tens which they find pretty easy).  Next week, we’ll take a break from multiplication and division to start our unit on fractions. The reason for jumping into this, unfortunately, is due to the upcoming state math test.  A large portion of the test’s questions deal with fractions, and I want to make sure that the students are prepared for this.  We will probably take the state math test in about a month.

Writer’s Workshop

Thanks to so many of you for attending our Poetry Slam - it was great!  This week, they have been wrapping up their poetry anthologies, personal page for our class poetry book, and experimenting with Dog Tag Poetry (look for your students poem in the hallway on your way to student led conferences).

Reader’s Workshop

This week, we refocused on identifying “iPick” books.  I’ve noticed a number of students choosing books that were not “just right” during silent reading time.  Students are tempted to choose books that are too difficult, too easy, or simply because of the cool pictures in them.  We’ll continue focusing on this during this week. See the graphic I created based on the class criteria, and each student now has their own new bookmark, copyright 2013!

Portland Study

You may have  heard about the “mysterious” messages that we received and decoded this week.  This led to the class learning about Portland’s various land forms and creating a class-made map of Portland’s geography.  We’ll finish the map this week and see where things go from here.

Student-Led Conferences

Please mark your calendars for Wednesday, March 20th for student-led conferences.  These conferences are an opportunity for your child to lead you through their current studies, reflect on progress, and set goals for the spring.  Keep in mind that this is not a time to conference with me - if you would like to do that, please contact me to set up a time to meet. It is "Open House" style, and you may come and conference with your child any time between 3:30 pm and 7:30 pm.

Ask Your Third Grader...

How did it feel to read your poem at the Poetry Slam?  Why do you think poetry is important?

Tell me about pentominoes.

What is geography?  What are some of the Portland land forms you know of?  How were they formed?

Important Things Coming Up...

March 20 - Late Opening

March 20 - Student Led Conferences 3:30-7:30

March 23-31 - Spring Break

Thanks for sending such creative and collaborative students to school each day,

Catie