Hello Team Hendricks Families!

Thank you for the donations to our blanket project.  We currently have about half of our goal!  Students are really excited about the project.  Again, if you can spare a couple extra dollars to donate to the project, I will match the donation and it will go toward our final delivery.

Study Island

During conferences, several families asked about additional homework for students to work on after assigned homework time.  I would like to remind parents of a new program that Southeast has released to all third and fourth grade students.  Study Island at www.studyisland.com is available for students to use for free.  Each parent received their child’s username and password in the progress report.  If you need another copy of your child’s credentials, please email me, call me, or send me a note.  I will be happy to provide it.

Now that the snow is flying, I would like to request that parents send in the following items for their child:

• Extra Pair of Socks (Snow gets into boots and soaks socks!  Dry socks make the afternoon go so much better!)
• Extra Sweatshirt (The room can be a little chilly at times, especially on cold days.  An extra sweatshirt kept in their locker can be grabbed in a second to warm up.)

Also, snow items need to fit into their lockers or be placed under their desks.  An extra bag (like those new reusable bags from the grocery store) can be used to keep everything together in one place.

Questions about these items can be sent to me by click on “About” at the top of the page and scroll to the bottom of the page for my information.  Have a great week!

• December Project Information
• December Project Proposal Sheet

Choose to be Challenged
December Project

 The following activity extensions are provided for students to extend their learning.  These projects provide opportunities to explore concepts that have been presented during class.  Each student should decide on one or more projects for homework this month.  I hope that the open design for homework will help students and families juggle the many extra evening demands during this month.

All projects are due on Monday, December 22.

Research toys from around the world and design a book or presentation that tells about and illustrates each type.

1. Investigate two holiday traditions and compare how each holiday is similar and how each is different. Christmas, Kwanzaa, GruBe der Jahreszeit, Feliz Dia de los Reyes, Diwali, and Hanukkah are some examples. Prepare a presentation with a visual chart or poster to share with the class.
2. Research a country that you would like to learn about. You may wish to research a country that is part of your own heritage. Focus your fact-finding on how this country celebrates traditions and holidays. Organize your information into a large, over-sized travel brochure.
3. Have your family help you create a family tree. Go back as many generations as you can recall facts about. Create a fancy design and mount it on cardboard or in a picture frame. Consider making several copies to give as gifts. Note: Family tree making software programs should not be used for this project.
4. Self-design option. You and your parents may elect to design your own independent research topic. This should be a project related to cultural traditions or family heritage. Please submit a written proposal a general description of what you would like to do, to me for approval by Monday, December 8.

 This is your time to shine!  Presentation is very important with this project.  Computers can be used.  Neat handwriting is a MUST!  Classroom materials are available to use for this project; ask when you need them.  Don’t wait until the last minute to complete your project!  Use your best effort to make a project that you can be proud of!

Dear Families,

Community service is an important part of a theme we are exploring during the month of December.  This month, we will complete a short community service project that will allow our class to create fleece blankets that will be donated to families in the Mansfield.

I will be purchasing fleece material to make these blankets.  If you can spare a few dollars to help with this project, it would be extremely appreciated!  Depending on the funding, we will make as many blankets as we can.  Donation of money to the project is completely optional and all students will be able to participate in this project.

This is a great project that will allow your child to “give back” to our local community.

Best wishes,

Jamie Hendricks

Weekly Planner for November 3, 2008 & Weekly Planner for November 11, 2008

Reading Journal Homework Due November 5, 2008

Reading Journal Questions

Reading Response Paper

Welcome to November!  Team Hendricks has been extremely busy over the past several weeks preparing for the Vote Southeast mock election.  We researched candidates, set up our ballot, were poll workers, and analyzed results.  Mrs. Brenda Sullivan from Mansfield Today came to interview students about Vote Southeast; links to her article are available at www.teamhendricks.com.  Your child was extremely excited about our democracy in action.  I hope that it continues throughout his or her life. If you have a chance to take your child to the polls tomorrow, please consider it.  It is a great way to instill the “right to vote.”

In reading, we have started our second theme Celebrating Traditions.  Students have read two stories:  The Keeping Quilt and Anthony Reynoso: Born to Rope.  Both of the stories provide insight into different cultures and how those families celebrate their heritage and traditions.  We continue to read chapter books during reader’s workshop.

In writing, students are working on developing their own stories during writer’s workshop.  Students create first drafts, revise using writing hint cards, conference with peers, and then with adults to create a finalized piece.  The entire process takes awhile to complete, but as students finish they will have their own little book that has been word processed and illustrated.  We are just starting to computerize some stories.  Several students are working on wireless laptops in the classroom.

We continue to work in the new mathematics program.  Over the past several weeks, students have been working with numbers in base five.  Even though this seems like a high-level concept, students are able to “forget” misconceptions about our regular base ten number system and gain a deeper understanding of how number systems work.  A green letter came home early last month about flexible groupings.  Some students are working with our third grade mathematics interns and Mrs. Susan Irvine, our enrichment teacher.  Other students remain in the classroom.

It really is hard to believe that we are coming up to the end of the first marking period.  On October 31, 2008, I sent home a letter about scheduling parent conferences.  Due to a scheduling conflict beyond my control, some conference will need to be scheduled outside of the normal school conference times.  If you can use one of those other time blocks, it would be be greatly appreciated!

Informational articles, like this one, are placed online periodically.  Please visit www.teamhendricks.com for more information.  As always, please feel free to email or call me if you have any concerns or questions.

Have a great week!   Jamie Hendricks

Link to Article

• Cursive |p and |a
• Bring back library field trip permission slip and library card (if you have one). Due as soon as you can bring it in!!

• Bring back library field trip permission slip and library card (if you have one). Due as soon as you can bring it in!!
• Bar graph Paper

  WEDNESDAY

• Fire Prevention Plan Worksheet

  THURSDAY

• Fire Prevention Plan Worksheet

As we are beginning the new Bridges in Mathematics program this school year, there are bound to be bumps along the way.  After collaborating with our mathematics consultant on Home Connection #1, there apparently was an issue with the timeline.  For that, I apologize!  Because of the issue, I am going to reduce the “written” homework this week and will only be assigning the Home Connections activities.

As I told the students today, it is important for them to get as much done on Home Connection #1 on Monday and Tuesday.  This will alleviate some of the homework this weekend.  I do not normally assign homework over the weekend, but the timing of the Home Connection #2 is important.  Below, you will find the homework for the week and weekend.

Math Pack Weeks 5 and 6 - This pack is due on Friday, 9/19.

Home Connections Book #1 - This book should be completed and handed in on Friday, 9/26.  We have been working diligently on the activities that are included in the book.  Students should be able to do this with a little assistance.

Home Connection 1 * Activity Sheet - This is a letter about the Home Connections Book.  Please sign and return that tomorrow, Tuesday, 9/16.

Second Grade Muscle Word Corrections - Students received a blank pack.  District guidelines report that students who did not get all of the words correct must write them 10 times.  The corrected test is included on the last page.  As some students only had two or three words wrong and some students had more, the due date is different for every student.  It is written on the top of the sheet.  Please have your child pass it in by the approprite date.

There is a lot of things on tap this week.  Please use your best judgement when it comes to math facts and the third grade muscle word practice.  Students should always read at least 15 minutes and this should be integrated into their daily homework routine.