STEM Task: Red Cup Challenge

Today students completed their first STEM challenge of the year. (STEM = Science + Technology + Engineering + Math).We collaborated with our group to stack 10 cups into a tower without touching the cups. We had to use only the materials provided in our baskets. An extra challenge at the end: we had to put our Lego figure at the top of our tower without touching it with our hands. It was great to see the students use their critical thinking and communication skills to solve this problem. We learned as a group the importance of following direction and listening to our group to finish the task. We will do many more STEM challenges and as a class we will need to review how to work effectively in a group when solving challenges or tasks. 

Ask your child about this fun activity. What strategy worked best for their group? What strategy didn't work at all? What would your child do differently next time? What would your child do the same next time?

Our Positive Digital Footprints

As part of our current religion focus into digital citizenship, we continue to have conversations on the importance of being positive digital citizens. Last week we had a conversation about the many different digital platforms we use at home and at school. We made a list and discovered that there are many platforms that students use in common and some that only a few of us use. The most important message we agreed upon was the importance of making a positive digital footprint. Students wrote about how they will make sure they are making positive and safe choices on the digital platforms they use most. This was our first time using the green screen this year and our first time practicing our reading fluency. Students have an important message to share about their social media use. We hope they inspire others to make better choices when they post, share or connect with others online.

 

Students watched the video today and reflected on their writing and their reading fluency. They had a lot of great suggestions for what they want to change for next time. Have a read at our goals for next time we made on Twitter:

Adjective List

Here is our list of "juicy" adjectives. We are adding as many describing words as we can so we can help make our sentences extra juicy this year. We will use this list all year when writing. Please feel free to add more if your child would like to complete this for homework.

Students played this game in class to help them review how to find describing words.

 http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/grammar/adjectives.htm

Raz Kids Ready to Go!

Raz Kids account access is ready to go. In your child's agenda you will find your child's username and password. Your child's reading level on Raz Kids reflects what their current reading level is or what their level was at the end of Grade 2. As I complete further reading assessments I may alter the level on your child's Raz Kids account over the next while.
Raz Kids is easily accessible through the Student Portal. Students can also download the app on any iOS device or simply click on the Raz Login Page. My username is: mrsmciampa

Remember: if students are reading on Raz Kids for homework, please limit their reading or comprehension practice to no more than 30 minutes a day!

Happy Reading :-)

Dot Day

September 15th is International Dot Day. An interactive initiative hosted by Peter H. Reynolds the author of many famous books including The Dot. The author invites readers to celebrate their Dot Day by collaborating, creating, connecting and celebrating the power of a simple dot. Students make their mark by starting with a dot and finding out where it might take them.

In our class we began the day by brainstorming with friends how we might demonstrate our growth mindset. Students chatted about what the words meant to them and came up with phrases, words or advice to share. Some key words that we came up with the most: Try, GRIT, believe, guess and more! The best part, one of the messages they said over and over was: "It's OK to make mistakes, because that's how we learn". Our class works so well together and I was so impressed with how invested they were in this activity. Ask your child about it! We completed our day with dot art using q-tips. Once the photos are dry we will put them up to remind ourselves to try our best and believe in what we can accomplish together as a class!




 

Program Night Slide Deck

Thank you to all families who joined us this evening at our school's Program Night. It was a pleasure meeting all of you and I look forward to growing and learning with each of your children. Please view below the slide deck from this evening's class visit. Feel free to add more of your comments or what you or your child are looking forward to in our class this year on our Padlet below!

   

Being Safe Online

Our current focus in Religion is learning about how to be a good digital citizen. We are watching videos and having discussions about internet safety. Students collaborated in groups and came up with a great list of ways they will be safe while on a digital platform. Have a look at what we came up with! Did we miss something? If so, please feel free to add more ideas at home for homework!

Wanted: Newspapers

Our class is in need of unwanted newspapers. We will be using them all year to line our compost bin in our classroom. If you have any newspapers that you are looking to discard, send them to school with your child and we will recycle them in our class  compost bin!

Many thanks!

Program Night This Thursday!

Welcome to Grade 3A

Lake George, New York. July 2017

Hello and welcome! My name is Maria Ciampa and I am very excited to be your child's Grade 3 teacher for this academic year. This is my first year teaching at St. Emily School and I look forward to growing and learning with our class and with the school community. I am coming back from over a year off on maternity leave and am blessed with a busy 14 month old boy named Michael. 

With my husband Joey and son Michael

I have a passion for educational technology and collaborating with others for shared learning opportunities. This year our class will participate in a variety of global projects that will allow us to connect with different classrooms on a global scale. My goal is to encourage them to think critically while communicating and collaborating with their classmates and with other classes globally. We are fortunate to have some flexible learning spaces in our room. Remember, flexible learning happens not just in their physical classroom space, but beyond our classroom walls too!

We are fortunate this year to have Mme. Borger as our French Teacher. This year in Grade 3 students will prepare for EQAO! We will work on practice questions throughout the year to get ready. We will be practising quiet entry by modeling how to read silently (DEAR time), answering some would you rather scenarios and completing brain snack math problems daily. Students will be encouraged to use their agenda to stay organized. Nightly homework will not always be mandatory. Students will be encouraged to demonstrate their responsibility by choosing to either review their word wall words, write on their blog, read on Raz Kids or complete the occasional math review. Please check the agenda daily for important notes or information. Class updates will be shared daily on our class Twitter (@MrsCiampaClass) written by myself and your children!

Your child will get the opportunity to share their learning on a variety of online tools including our class Twitter (@MrsCiampaClass) and their individual student blogging accounts (to be introduced later in the fall). Please read and sign the Blog/Twitter permission form for more information on how we will use blogging to enhance our learning. 

This year our Grade 3 class will be learning in Portable 2 outside. Please ensure that your child has a pair of indoor gym shoes with non-marking soles and earphones to use while working on our various tech devices. Below are some suggested, optional items that you can chose to donate to our classroom to help keep it clean and organized:

-Kleenex

-hand sanitizer

-baby wipes

-Ziploc bags (large and small)

There are several notes in your child's new agenda this evening. Please take the time to read them over, sign each form,  and return them to school at your earliest convenience. If you have any questions, please write me a note in the agenda and remind your child to show me! Scholastic Book Orders for September will be sent home next week. Scholastic Parent Pay is available for payments online. More information to come next week.

I am excited to meet you at St. Emily's Open House next week on Thursday September 14th at 6:30pm. I have a class magnet that I'd like to share with each of you when we meet in person in Portable #2. 

Yours in Education,

Mrs. Ciampa