November 30, 2018

 

Greetings from Room 116!

I hope that everyone enjoyed a lovely Thanksgiving with family and friends. Thank you for ensuring that students returned to school ready to learn. We had a wonderful week, as outlined below:

ELA: We continued our realistic fiction books in guided reading groups, focusing on what is revealed about the characters through their thoughts and words. For grammar and writing, we concentrated on adjectives and description. We also studied the i/igh spelling principle.

Math: We took our mid-Module 3 assessment and worked on 6-10 facts.

Science/SS: We made scientific observations about our bean plants. In addition, we discussed how the Wampanoags adapted to the changing seasons. We also created our own Wampanoag personas, including family roles and names.

Other: In Library/Technology, we worked on our weather scripts and sets. During Calmer Choice, we discussed the power of perspective and optimism, which we reinforced in many ways.

Best wishes to all for a wonderful weekend!

Most Sincerely,

Ms. Feeney

November 16, 2018

 

Greetings from Room 116!

We had an excellent week and were extremely efficient, as you can see:

ELA: We started new realistic fiction books in our guided reading groups. We are learning how to evaluate characters through their spoken words. In connection with this, we are concentrating on dialogue for grammar and writing. We also studied the ee and ea spelling principle.

Math: We started Module 3, which returns to multiplication and division, with a focus on units of 6-9 and multiples of 10.

Science/SS: We examined the life cycle of cranberries and made observations about our bean plants, which (like cranberries) seem to thrive in sandy soil. In addition, we continued to study the Wampanoags who understood the importance of both beans and cranberries and shared their knowledge with the Pilgrims.

Other: In Technology, we began creating our weather reports on thunderstorms, blizzards, droughts, tornadoes, hurricanes, and floods. During Calmer Choice, we discussed generosity and the power of kindness, which we reinforced with several award-winning read alouds by Jacqueline Woodson.

Please remember that the EHBi Turkey Trot will take place the morning of Tuesday, November 20th. Also, there is no school from Wednesday, November 21st through Sunday, November 25th.

Best wishes for a blessed Thanksgiving. We are so grateful for your support!

Most Sincerely,

Ms. Feeney

October 19, 2018

 

Greetings from Room 116!

We are definitely in full swing! Here are some highlights from our very productive week:

ELA: We continued to read more mysteries during Guided Reading. We also reviewed the oi and ou spelling principles as well as common and proper nouns. In Writer’s Workshop, we worked on personal narratives.

Math: We explored the metric system of weight measurement with a variety of hands-on experiences.

Science/SS: We continued to learn about how meteorologists make observations and forecasts. Our air pressure lab helped us discover that air has weight and causes pressure that affects our weather patterns. In addition, we began an in-depth study of the Wampanoags.

Other: Calmer Choice sessions commenced with lessons on mindful attention and mindful breathing.

Best wishes to all for a glorious weekend!

Sincerely,

Ms. Feeney

 

October 12, 2018

 

Greetings from Room 116!

We certainly made the most of another short week, as you can plainly see:

ELA: We continued to read mysteries in our guided reading groups, while practicing various comprehension strategies. We also discussed the essential parts of a sentence (subject and predicate) and launched our Writer’s Workshop.

Math: We began Module 2 by measuring elapsed time and telling time to the minute.

Science/SS: We created thermometers and rain gauges to collect data regarding temperature and rainfall. We also learned about the life of Wampanoag and Pilgrim children, comparing their lives to our own.

Other: We enjoyed a terrific field trip to Plimoth Plantation. Thank you to all of our chaperones for helping to make this such a special experience.

Fortunately, I have been able to accommodate everyone’s conference preferences thus far. If you have not already signed up, please indicate several possible times from the remaining options.

Best wishes to all for a peaceful weekend!

Sincerely,

Ms. Feeney

October 4, 2018

 

Greetings from Room 116!

We enjoyed a short but sweet week. Here are some of the highlights:

ELA: We started mystery chapter books and practiced summarizing and making predictions. We also reviewed short u spelling patterns and brainstormed writing topics/ideas that might become good stories.

Math: We took our End-of-Module 1 Assessment, persevering and demonstrating strong multiplication/division skills.

Science/SS: We explored several different nonfiction topics, while focusing on cause and effect text structures.

Other: We continued Fall ELA assessments.

Please note that there is no school for students from Friday, 10/5, through Monday, 10/9. Also, the entire third grade will visit the Plimoth Plantation on Tuesday, 10/10. This is a walking field trip, so students should wear comfortable shoes. It can be quite cool by the water, so layering is also recommended.

Finally, conferences are just around the corner. Please fill out the attached form with your top three choices, and I will do my best to accommodate everyone’s preferences.

Best wishes to all for a beautiful weekend!!

Sincerely,

Ms. Feeney

September 21, 2018

 

Greetings from Room 116!

In accordance with Constitution Week, we set group goals for our classroom and laid the foundation for a safe learning environment through the creation of classroom rules. Following is a brief recap of the rest of our busy week:

ELA: We discussed the key elements of non-fiction and started reading leveled non-fiction books in reading groups. We worked in these small groups to study the life cycles of individual species and create informational posters to teach others what we learned. We also continued to review the “short a/i” spelling patterns and discussed basic sentence grammar structures.

Math: We explored the distributive property and learned how to apply tape diagrams to help model multiplication and division problems.

Science: We continued our exploration of weather by engaging in a scavenger hunt and some brain pop activities.

Social Studies: We focused on our classroom community through interactive read alouds about inclusion and growth mindset.

Other: We practiced keyboarding skills and learned how to use new educational iPad applications.

Please remember that our EHBi Open House will take place on Wednesday, September 26th. Have a fun, fall-filled weekend!

Sincerely,

Ms. Feeney

September 14, 2018

Greetings from Room 116!

Thank you so much for helping students to settle back into school successfully. We have already started internalizing daily routines, which will help us to maximize our time on learning. This week, we set individual academic goals and discussed classroom expectations. Following is a brief recap of the rest of our busy week:

ELA: We discussed the key elements of non-fiction and introduced leveled books within reading groups. We also reviewed the “short a/i” vowel patterns and enjoyed several more interactive read alouds to build our classroom community and reinforce the notion that we learn and grow by persevering through challenges.

Math: We explored basic concepts of multiplication and division, focusing on the number of equal groups, the size of the group, and the total number of items (factor x factor = product and dividend/divisor = quotient).

Science/SS: We began a year-long exploration of Weather. We also worked on several getting-to-know- you activities and set personal objectives for the first half of the year.

Other: We reviewed Library/Technology routines and explored our iPads further. We also enjoyed a terrific school-wide NED presentation on growth mindset.

The EHBi Open House will take place on Wednesday, September 26th. I look forward to meeting everyone then. Have a wonderful weekend!

Sincerely,

Ms. Feeney

August 23, 2018

 

Dear Room 116:

I am so excited to meet everyone. We are going to have a fabulous  year together. Before we start school though, I would love to learn a little bit more about you. Please tell me about yourself by clicking on the link below and answering a few quick questions.

https://goo.gl/forms/a5nwDMqfYrCXhtgp

I look forward to seeing you on Tuesday, September 4, 2018.  Enjoy the rest of your vacation!!

XO Ms. Feeney

Check out the latest edition of the Room 116 Gazette!

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1S5M4K2-dM6pRp4p2wzHpc4e4a0pKzK2P

May 11, 2018


Greetings from Room 116!

We are officially done with our Math MCAS!!   I am so proud of everyone’s effort and persistence.

Here is a quick overview of the rest of our week:

ELA: We studied contractions in Spelling and verb tense in Grammar. We looked at different ways to end a story and tried some in our own writing. We also continued reading our historical fiction novels, noticing how setting influences characters’ actions.

Math: We used our knowledge of perimeter to create rectangular robots.

Science/SS: We learned about the four stages of the water cycle(evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and accumulation/runoff) and set up a long-term experiment. In addition, we learned about colonial schools and colonial trades, and picked colonial names for ourselves.

Other: We ended the week with a special project and some yummy treats courtesy of Mrs. Hanley.

We will be going on a field trip to the Josiah Dennis Manse on Wednesday, 5/16. Please make sure to return the permission slip that was sent home for this and other upcoming events, including field trips to Wixon (5/21) and the Jericho House (6/7). Please note that the first annual EHBi Fun Run will be held on 5/24, while Field Day is scheduled for the afternoon of 6/6. Finally, the Grade 3 Celebration will be held on Friday, 6/15, followed by the EHBi Family Picnic.

Best wishes for a very Happy Mother’s Day weekend!!

Most Sincerely,

Ms. Feeney