My final message...

I have had a wonderful year teaching all the different personalities in Room 23.  Thank you, parents, for trusting me with your precious children this year.  It has been a pleasure to teach them and watch them all grow academically and personally.  I will miss them all and but I know they will continue to be amazing in their new classes with their new Teachers.  I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a fantastic holiday.
All my best
Miss Calvert

Party Time

What if Paper, Scissors and Rock were human???

In class, we watched a short video clip that depicted Paper, Scissors and Rock as characters with human attributes.  Students then drew Wanted posters for Scissors - who it turns out is the bad guy! Here are just a few of the great posters.

Fitness - Egg and Spoon Race

Class Party

Our class party will be happening at 12pm on Wednesday this week. Students took home a note requesting them to bring a savoury, sweet or drink - please stick to this so we have an even spread. 

We don't have facilities for heating food in Room 23 so if you are bringing anything hot it will need to be dropped to the class at 12pm. If students do not being a plate to share they will need to bring their own lunch. I will be providing plates and cups.

We have no food allergy concerns is Room 23 but please avoid bringing anything with nuts in it.

Thank you 
Miss Calvert

Room 23 Head to the Kitchen

Science - Day and Night

A Final Bit of Shakespeare

To complete our learning about Shakespeare we watched Gnomeo and Juliet - an animated version of Romeo and Juliet.  We discussed how they were the same and different and why movies are often different from books.  We are also writing a sequence of events in the movies.

We have also completed our Romeo and Juliet storyboards.  We practiced retelling the story then took them down to our buddies in PrePrimary and presented Romeo and Juliet to them.

2014 Presentation Night and EduDance

Some great Art work done with the Fabulous Miss Randall

Another Secret Homework Task

Here is another SECRET homework task: ask you parent's how they decided on your name. Be ready share it during Morning Circle.

Getting into the Christmas Spirit

Last week I had the students think about what they most enjoyed learning about this year.  We brainstormed and wrote a list on the board.  Students were then given a cut out of a hand and wrote one thing they most enjoyed learning, then coloured the hand.  I have them all displayed in the shape of a tree - they look great!!  It seems Kung Fu Punctuation and VCOP were very popular, so were some Maths concepts.  Glad to see that Shakespeare made it on there too!!

NO SWIMMING TOMORROW

Please remember that we will not be having swimming tomorrow.  This applies only to the classes who swim at the same time as us.

Important Notes

Remember that tomorrow is a School Development Day - so do not come to school... unless you are a Teacher!

Also, there will be no swimming for Room 23 next Tuesday.  We will be swimming on all other days next week.

A Couple of IMPORTANT Notes...

Canteen Orders and Swimming
Please do not order lunches during swimming - Weeks 7 & 8.  As we have to be lining up for the bus at 12.20 it does not leave enough time to get lunch orders and eat them.  Please save orders until Week 9.  Thank you.
 
Presentation Night
If you are not attending Presentation Night please let me know as soon as possible as this will affect the students EduDance routine.  I hope that every family will be there to see what wonderful work the students have done with their dancing.

Overdue Library Books
There are a couple of students with overdue library books - VERY overdue!!  All library books MUST be returned in Week 8 (next week). Please assist your child in locating these books and returning them to school.

Learning About Shakespeare in Year 3!!!

We have been learning about William Shakespeare in Room 23! We started by doing a KWL - Listing what we know about him, what we want to know and leaving a column for what we have learned. Then we read a biography about Shakespeare - we discussed the difference between a biography and an autobiography. This was a fun biography as it rhymed! We took notes and made a mind map of the information, then used this to write our own reports about Shakespeare. We also looked at insults that Shakespeare made up, sayings he invented such as 'all that glitters isn't gold' and 'fair play' and looked at some of the 3000 words he invented. We also had a timeline to unscramble and comprehension questions to answer. The lovely Bella from Year 7 came and gave a powerpoint presentation about Shakespeare sharing some interesting facts with us - did you know Shakespeare wrote his own epitath and that his grave is cursed?? We read Romeo and Juliet and storyboarded the story - students are still working on these. We also looked at clothes worn during Shakespearian times and then, in groups drew our own designs and collaged them. 




Students were told that their Shakespeare creations had to look exactly like their design... here they are!  Which one do you think is closest to the design??  Vote in the comments.

Scitech and Kings Park

On Wednesday, 19 November, all Year 3 classes went on an excursion to Scitech. We first went to Horizon Planetarium to watch a film about seasons called Tilt, then looked around the Scitech floor at all the exhibitions. We then jumped back on the bus and headed to Synergy Playground at Kings Park for lunch and a little play before heading back to school.

A HUGE Surprise from Dr Paul Swan

I have uploaded posts before about the Paul Swan Maths games and how much Room 23 students enjoy playing them.  So we decided to write to Dr Swan and tell him which games were our favourite, why and what we are learning.  And we have received a HUGE surprise back from him!!  Dr Swan sent a letter to Miss Calvert, 8 new games and a Maths Fun Fact book for each student with a personal inscription inside!!  WOW!!  We were so excited!!!

EduDance Costumes

Presentation Night is fast approaching (9 December!!)  and it's time to discuss costumes for the EduDance item.

Room 23 will be dancing with Room 11.  

Students will need to wear:
- their own summery outfits
- shorts, bright t-shirt/rashie
- own sunglasses and cap
- sneakers or joggers.

Please make sure you have these items ready.

Inside Fitness

Friday was a little wet in the morning so we decided to do fitness in class.  Straight to YouTube and the clip for "I'm Elmo and I know it"... Dance party ensued!!

 

Final Assembly Merit Certificate Recipients

Our final assembly Merit Certificate recipients are...

Mitchell and Fardeen

Swimming

Swimming starts on Monday!! 

Here are a few things to remember:

1. Wear their bathers to school under your school uniform. 

2. Bring thongs to change into before swimming, but you must wear school uniform footwear to school.

3.Remember to bring goggles, towel and a plastic bag to put wet items in after swimming.

4. Especially remember underwear to change into after swimming. (Changing will take place at school not at the pool).

EduDance

Room 23 students have been dancing up a storm in preparation for Presentation Night!  Here are a few pictures of my movers and shakers!

 

Kagan Stategy - getting noisy!!!

Recently I introduced the students to a new Kagan Strategy.  I gave each student a card with an animal on it.  They had to form different sized groups where they all had different animals.  Then the fun really began!!  Students had to find a spot on their own around the classroom.  They had to close their eyes and find others with the same animal - by only making the sound of their animal!!  The result was a very hilarious symphony of sound!!

 

Christian Religious Education

On Tuesday we had our last Christian Education class (Scripture).  Thank you Miss Aubry for spending the year with us teaching us about God.

 

Scitech Excursion TOMORROW!!!

Don't forget out Scitech Excursion is tomorrow.
Things to remember:

1. Be on time!!
2. Bring recess and lunch in separate bags marked with your name and recess or lunch.  We  
    will not be taking any containers!
3. Bring a water bottle and hat.
4. Bring your best behaviour and manners!!!

Looking forward to a sensational excursion.

Secret Homework

During the week I told you lovely munchkins that I was going to post some secret homework for you, to see who is really reading the blog!! There will be prizes so don't tell anyone - they must find it for themselves .... And here it is...

1. Go on the internet to this site: http://shakespearewa.com
2. On the homepage a series of pictures will flip through - watch these.
3. Write down the plays that were performed is the 2012, 2013 and 2014 seasons.

I look forward to seeing who is really reading the blog!

Scitech Excursion - Wednesday , 19 November

Our Scitech excursion is next week. Please send in permission slips and money as soon as possible. If you are able to come along as parent help then please write a note and send it in.  I'll confirm who is coming closer to the date. Thank you.

Kung Fu Punctuation

Last term I introduced students to Kung Fu Punctuation to get them to focus more on the punctuation they use in their writing.  Not only do we do the Kung Fu, we also play Sensai says, and they have to be able to tell me when and why we use different forms of punctuation.  Students have set themselves targets to reach the next level in our punctuation chart.  Here is an example of a Kung Fu session.

Measurement Playgrounds

To practice measuring skills, students had to cut coloured strips of paper to different lengths.  They then needed to stick these stips to an A3 piece of paper to make it look like an imaginary playground - there were some very creative ideas showing through.  It makes a great display on our classroom wall, don't you think?

A few things needing to be returned to school...

Scitech Excursion
Notes for our Scitech excursion went home yesterday.  Please return these permission slips and money as soon as possible.

Swimming Notes
Swimming notes went home last week.  Again these need to be returned as soon as possible.  Please also sign and return the NAIDOC refund form - all students had paid for this incursion that was cancelled.  If you complete this the money can be taken off your swimming fees ($6).

Test Books
I am still waiting for three test books to be returned.  Please return these this week.

Over due Library books
I have a long list of students who have overdue library books.  If students have not finished reading books they can renew them. 

Homework
Just a reminder that homework continues in Term 4.  Students need to practice their spelling words every day (and spelling test results tell me this isn't happening), read every night and complete their reading logs, complete New Wave Mental Maths for the day and complete Word Problem Wednesday.  Sadly, I am not seeing homework from all students.

Lexile Pro

I have added the Lexile Pro web link to the list of sites on the right.

Recently I have read The Lorax by Dr Seuss and Weir Do by Anh Do to the students.  These are both Lexile graded books. ALL STUDENTS need to log into Lexile Pro and complete the quizzes for these two books as well as a review by the end of the weekend.  Points for the quiz will automatically be allocated and I will allocate extra points for the review.

When reading a new book, always search on Lexile Pro to see if it has been graded and quizzes available.

A Few Notes

Test Folders
Please remember to return Test Folders as soon as possible!  These are now over due.

EduDance Props
Students need to bring in a cap and sunglasses for EduDance.  These will be kept in the classroom and used during practices as well as being ready for Presentation night.

Overdue Library Books
Sadly our class have over a page of overdue books.  If you have any overdue library books at home then please put them in your bag and bring in to school as soon as possible!!  If you are still reading the book then take it to the library to re-new it.

Friday's Assembly Awards

EduDance

Students started EduDance rehersals yesterday for the end of year Presentation Night and they did a great job.  

Some permission slips and monies are still outstanding.  Please send these in by the end of this week.

Also, students need a cap and sunglasses for the performance but will also be needed during practises (any colour).  Please send these in as soon as possible.  They will be kept in the classroom ready for practise.

Thank you
Miss Calvert

 

Can You Help???

The canteen is desperate for helpers.  They operate on Tuesdays and Wednesday.  If you are able to volunteer some time to help prepare or serve it would be greatly appreciated.  Please contact the office for more information.

Welcome Back

Welcome to term 4!!  The last term of being Year 3!!  Students have made a great return and it was wonderful to see all their smiling faces, hear their holiday stories and see their eagerness to learn.

We started the day writing recounts of the holidays on sunglass sheets, decorating them and displaying them in the classroom.

After recess, we did a maths test and I was impressed with the results.  To reward students, they got to play my new Paul Swan Maths Games.  They all really enjoyed this and are looking forward to playing them some more over the term.

It's going to be a great final term together!!

Holiday are almost over!!

Hello All
I hope you have had a fabulously relaxing holiday and are ready to get back into the swing of work for the last term of year 3!

Stationary
A number of student were borrowing MY rulers, scissors, glue sticks and pencils over the last term.  Please ensure that you have at least two pencils, a ruler, glue stick and scissors ready for term 4.

EduDance
Reminder: EduDance money ($27) and permission  slips are due back as soon as possible.  I have received some already and hope to receive the rest on Tuesday.

Test Books
Test books went home in the last week of last term.  Please make sure you have looked through your child's work and completed the Stars and Wishes sheet at the back.  Students need to return these books in week 1 of this term.

Term 4 Events
During Term 4 we will be doing EduDance and Swimming Lessons.  As yet we do not have a timetable for swimming, although it will be every day in weeks 7 & 8.  This term, we will be doing Religious Education immediately after lunch on Tuesdays, followed by EduDance.

Look forward to seeing you all Tuesday
Miss Calvert