Hello Parents!

This week the kids will wrap up their third grade year!  In reading, they will practice poetry, and explore what makes them laugh.  There will be two very funny, bonus stories and activities posted on Tuesday and Thursday, in addition to the regular LPS lessons on Monday and Wednesday.  There will be no spelling list this week.

In math, the final two lessons will focus on polygons and quadrilaterals.  Both lessons will have sorting activities posted to help them apply what they have learned.  No extra items or printed materials will be needed.

In social studies, the kids have one more set of lessons for the week that focus on “Producers and Consumers.”

Thank you SO MUCH for making sure your child completes these final lessons to wrap up the year.

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Portfolio Work

The kids have been assigned three bonus assignments this week that are part of their “School Days…” portfolio project.  When completed, I will print them and add them to their year end portfolio.  Please see that your child completes these, as they will prove to be great keepsakes to remember their third grade year.  I can’t wait for the kids to receive their memory books when we return to school!

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Zoom Meetings

This week, there will be THREE Zoom Class Meetings!  (Code: 526-181-3917) I really hope everyone can join us on the following days and times to celebrate the end of the year.

Tuesday at 1:00:  Don’t miss the chance to watch the movie “Kicking and Screaming,” and learn the origin of, “Coffee is the Lifeblood that Drives the Dreams of Champions!”  🙂

Wednesday at 11:00:  Join ALL FIVE 3rd grade classes for a final Reading Rainbow Watch Party!

Thursday at 1:00:  Say, “I’ll see you next time,” to your classmates, as we take a trip down memory lane and watch the “School Days…” memories music videos for 2019-20!

Please don’t miss out!!!

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“Schools Days…” Music Video Memories

On Thursday, the kids will watch their year in review in pictures, set to music.  We will reminisce with 7 or 8 sets of pictures, and celebrate all the fun we had!  When we return to school, the kids will receive not only their portfolio, but either a DVD or flash drive copy of all the music videos we’ll watch.  This project is a labor of love, and one I cannot imagine not sharing with the kids!

I will also email parents downloadable links to each of the videos.  That way you can can save them now, and rewatch whenever you please.  I will likely email these Thursday after our meeting, or perhaps on Friday.

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LPS Daily Challenges, Lexia Reading and Dreambox Math

Good news!  The kids can keep practicing their skills over the summer!  LPS will continue to post weekly challenges on their web page.  Also, the Lexia reading program will be offered free through July 31st, and Dreambox math will be offered free through June 30th!

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Thank you again for working so hard to help the kids finish strong and wrap up their school year.  I truly appreciate all you have done to make this trying time the best it can be!

Have a great last week!

Eric Wachter

Hello Families,

I swear…my days are so confused lately.   I spend most of my time prepping for the next week, and it’s hard to stay in the present.  It’s like all the days feel the same.  In the process, I can’t seem to get these weekly updates out on Sunday or Monday anymore.  Ugh!  I bet some of you can relate?  Ha!

This week in reading, the kids will enjoy expository text stories about animals!  There are two good lessons…one about butterflies (Monday), and another about alligators and crocodiles (Wednesday).  Both lessons also have some AWESOME short videos to enjoy to help add context to the animals they are reading about.  During the lessons, the kids will practice comparing and contrasting animals, rereading and adverbs.  You probably also saw there is a spelling list that goes with Unit 6, Week 4.  Lastly, there are two fun bonus lessons featuring the books “Make Way for Ducklings” on Tuesday and “The Garden of Abdul Gasazi” on Thursday.  Two classics I hope the kids enjoy.

In math class, the kids will learn (or did learn today) about milliliters and liters on Tuesday.  Then on Thursday, they will have a lesson about customary weight and metric mass.  Both lessons have follow up assignments that are Chromebook friendly, and don’t need to be printed.

In social studies, a second lesson set was posted, as well.  I believe the kids have to log in through MyVRSpot in order to see the videos, just like they do for reading and math.  There were a few problems with viewing last week, so I’m hoping that is the solution to seeing those videos.

On Friday, I’m looking forward to seeing the kids at our weekly Zoom Class Meeting at 12:00 (Code: 526-181-3917).  We’ll watch a great Reading Rainbow about “Humphrey the Lost Whale.”  A classic!

Last Week of School

On Tuesday, May 19th at 1:00…I’d like to invite the kids to a special Zoom watch party of the movie “Kicking and Screaming.”  It’s a hilarious movie about Will Farrell becoming a soccer Dad.  It’s a tradition I show this movie the last day or two of school, so why not continue during quarantine, right?  🙂  Grab some popcorn and a soda, and watch with us!

On Thursday, May 21st at 1:00…I’d like to invite the kids to another Zoom watch party.  We’ll take a trip down memory lane and watch a video called, “School Days…”   It’s a collection of photographs and memories from the past year set to music.  It KILLS me we can’t do this in person, as it’s my favorite tradition of the year.  But, this is the next best thing!  Traditionally, my past students LOVE this day of reflection, and I can’t wait to show it to everyone.

The code for both meetings will remain the same: 526-181-3917.

Please, please, please, make sure your child can join us for both of these fun days, especially the last day of school.   I don’t want this darn virus to steal closure to the school year for all of us!

Thanks for reading, and have a great rest of the week!

Eric Wachter

Hello Families!

I hope you are all doing well, and getting outside a bit to enjoy the nice weather.  I’m so encouraged by the warmth, and the notion that some things are beginning to open up in the community!

This week in reading, the kids will enjoy two different stories about astronauts and outer space.  Both stories are biographies, and the kids will practice rereading, as well as identifying and solving problems.  To help bring some background knowledge, I’ve included several links to videos for the kids to watch regarding both stories.  I hope they give them a look!  The kids will practice adverbs and adjectives, as well as root words with their vocabulary.  I absolutely love both stories, and it kills me we aren’t in class together to enjoy them!

In math, the kids will wrap up word problems, and move on to new set of lessons about customary and metric measurement.  Both follow-up assignments this week are interactive with their Chromebook, so you won’t need to worry about printing any forms.

With the conclusion of Embryology, the kids will shift to Social Studies to end the year.  The first lesson set is about why a community needs goods and services.  A pretty timely set of lessons considering the state of our world at this point!

I have been really proud of the kids and their engagement during this time.  I know this is very trying for us all, but I think we’re enduring well!  Just a reminder, the kids should go to their “Reading” Google Classroom every day to see the “Job Board” posted for that day’s lessons.  Everything there should be pretty self-explanatory, regarding what they should be doing each day.

However, I have had some parents ask for a more specific checklist of weekly work.  So, under the “Remote Learning” tab of the class web page, I will insert a more detailed list of weekly assignments.  This new list will hopefully give you a better, more specific list for each day.  Ideally, it will make your life easier to manage!

Just a reminder that we will have another Zoom Class Meeting and Reading Rainbow Watch Party this Friday at 12:00.  The class code is still the same: 526-181-3917, so I hope everyone can join us!

Thanks for reading, and thank you for everything you continue to do during this crazy time.  Take care and stay safe!

Eric Wachter