Some people in our class can not be seen on the web so I deleted the picture. I tried to cover their faces with a circle but it moved when putting on web.

Can you believe it’s already November? Time flies when you’re having fun I guess. J We have a lot of upcoming events in the next few weeks so I thank you in advance for reading this newsletter and keeping up with all of our projects. I need several parent volunteers to help with the silk screening of T-shirt when Ronn Wilson is here on November 19^{th with} exact times to be determined. Also I need 2 parents to help with crafts in the classroom on Mon. and Tues. with times to be determined. Please e-mail me if you would like help. If you are asking for the additional month’s packet, I would like to suggest that your child does the math on line games for Everyday Math and quality homework first before requesting an additional packet.

******You can access future Unit letters and Parent answers for Everyday Math by logging on to this site: http://www.wrightgroup.com/index.php/home/everydaymathematics/emthirdedition/familyletters/692?SID=4344

Upcoming Events:

November 2^nd Hard turkey decorated for a profession due

November 2^nd Reflections Deadline

November 2^nd Dad’s Play Day at lunch recess

November 6^th Picture re-take day

November 6^th Your child needs to show me their mystery book

November 7^th Study Guide for Salmon Test in place of Wed. H.W.

November 7^th Veteran’s Day Assembly- 9-10 (wear red, white, & blue)

November 7^th Gift wrap delivered

November 8^th SALMON TEST

November 12^th Veteran’s Day – No School

November 13^th & 14^th Conferences – No School

November 14^th NO HOMEWORK CLUB

November 15^th Art with Pam Savore

November 16^th Mystery Book Celebration sent home due Dec. 17^th

November 16^th T-shirts DUE for Ronn Wilson silk screening on the 20^th

(Clean white shirt)

November 19^th & 20th Ron Wilson Workshop “Of Cedar and Salmon”

November 19^th Silk Screening with Ronn Wilson

November 21^st NO HOMEWORK CLUB

November 23^rd & 24^th Thanksgiving – No School

November 30^th PTSA Winterfest 5-8PM

November 30^th Report Cards go home

THANK YOU to all my wonderful parent volunteers… Thank you for all the help you have given me in the classroom. Your time is greatly appreciated. I couldn’t do it without you!! Please let me know if you cannot come in because I save needed work for you to do.

I had 5 incredible chaperones for our trip to the Cedar River/Cavanaugh Pond. Thank you to Andrea Tjom, John Hsia, Tina Sypher, Julene Barrett, and Linda Yee. We lucked out with the weather and everyone enjoyed seeing all the salmon, the salmon dissection and the many eggs that were unable to spawn.

Thank you to Patty Pelkola and Tina Sypher for organizing our Halloween Party and all the helpers. We also had a fun art lesson with Mrs. Ducich.

SOCIAL STUDIES

RONN WILSON Nov. 19 & 20^th

We are working with Ron Wilson as part of our Northwest Native American studies on Nov. 19^th and 20^th. Students will be participating in activities with Ronn all day long on both of these days. They will be learning traditional dances, artwork, exploring artifacts and learning about the culture of NW Native Americans. Ronn tries very hard to provide an authentic experience for the students so that they develop a deep understanding of the culture. Ronn will also be silk-screening a Native American designed coyote T-shirt on Tuesday, Nov. 19^th. I will need several people to help with the silk screening. It will probably be near the end of the day. Please be sure to have your child bring in a white T-shirt by Friday Nov. 16^th to use for the silk-screening. See the letter attached at the end of this newsletter for more information. Maybe you can get together and have someone buy a package of 3 t-shirts from Target or Fred Meyer and share.

*You are welcome to join us during any part of the workshop. I could really use the help during our craft times on Monday and Tuesday. I am not sure of the time yet. If you can help, please call me at 837-5555 or e-mail me at deremeri@issaquah.wednet.edu.

A day with Ron Wilson learning about Native American culture.

LANGUAGE ARTS

Salmon Project – We have been working hard in the computer lab to complete an in school salmon project. The students have been learning how to highlight important information from text related to the 6 stages of the salmon using different colors for each stage. Then they will then select 5 important facts from each stage and cut and paste that information into a chart. From that, they will organize their thoughts and write a paragraph for each of the stages. They will also work on editing and revising their work. The students are making great progress in their writing abilities. They have been working hard on their first graded writing prompt where they first do a pre-write to organize their thoughts, write a rough draft, edit it using their “telephones”, and writing a final copy. Thank you to my Computer Lab Docents John Hsia for your help in the lab.

Fall Poems - Thank you for sending in so many pretty leaves, pinecones and fall foliage. We will be starting our poems after the prompt are completed. They will be displayed in the classroom for everyone to enjoy. I am sure they will turn out wonderful since I have a very creative bunch!!

Cursive - We have been working hard on learning our lower case letters! I have a class of wonderful cursive writers. The students are anxious to write their names in cursive. As soon as they have learned all letters in their name, they can write their name in cursive. Their cursive writing is just beautiful. As soon as we complete all the capital letters, we’ll be using cursive writing exclusively with the exception of spelling tests. Students will be writing in cursive for their schoolwork beginning in Jan.

DECEMBER BOOK CELEBRATION - MYSTERY

Students should be reading their book in preparation of their December book celebration now. I encourage your child to read a chapter book that is appropriate for their reading level and preferably an AR book. Your child can select a book at the library or purchase one. This project will be an alternate endings report and due Dec. 17^th. A format and instructions for this report will come home on November 16^th. Presentations will begin on December 17th. The order of presentations will come home with the project. I strongly encourage your child to practice their presentation at home so that they are prepared to share their summary as well as 1 made up mystery endings and 1 real ending from their book. The class will vote so try to stump your classmates.

MATH

We have started Unit 3 in math. The class has created a common unit of measure by using an average shoe size for our class. They used this to measure objects within the classroom. The students will also measure lengths using U.S. customary and metric units. This unit also incorporates extended work on area and perimeter. They will investigate the value of x by exploring the relationship between diameter and circumference.

TURKEY WRITING PROJECT

Your child received their basic bird shape this past Friday, October 26^th and the completed turkey is due on Friday, November 2^nd. Help and/or suggestions from family member are encouraged. The goal will be to design a collage-type occupationally dressed turkey using a pre-cut pattern. In class students will be writing persuasive stories about their turkeys and occupations. By giving each turkey a name, family, personality, occupation, and most of all...a reason for living, the children will create turkeys with identities. After each child reads their letter, we will vote and decide which turkeys will be saved from being eaten for Thanksgiving dinner.

SCIENCE

Our first class field trip to the Cedar River/Cavanaugh Pond was a lot of fun. The students observed the effects of the weather on salmon in their natural habitat. They observed many salmon in the river and were amazed at the condition they were in. Many of them were pretty tired and beat up. They also observed 1 male and 1 female salmon dissection and learned a lot about invasive and native plants. It was a good experience for us all. Thanks so much to the parents that chaperoned. This week we will be finishing up our salmon studies with a final assessment on Thursday Nov. 8^th. A study guide will come home for Wednesday night homework on, Nov. 7^th.

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You should be proud of your child as they put themselves in the place of a scientist during our salmon dissection with Kate Poaster on the 25^th. They also enjoyed doing a salmon print using a real salmon.

Our next science topic is chemistry/changes. In this unit, students expand their understanding of solids, liquids, and gases and how they change. Through their experiences, students are introduced to many concepts and skills that should help them to develop an interest in investigating changes in the properties of solids and liquids.

PEN PALS

We have written our first pen pals this year with Mrs. Knoll’s 3rd grade class at Challenger Elementary and are awaiting our first letters back. This is a fun experience where the students can ask questions and find out information about someone via letter writing. We have been working on correct friendly letter format and will continue to do so. They will get to use their cursive skills once we have mastered all the capitals as well as their typing skills.

Marble Reward

The students are close to earning their first marble party. The students voted for a movie and party.

Class Auction

Our first class auction is this Wednesday. Thanks so much to everyone who contributed items. It is not too late to send in donations. Webkinz are a big thing for the girls and I have received one, but could use a few more. Anything that you think a boy would enjoy will be welcomed. If you have anything to contribute, please send it in by Wed. Earning money is very motivating to each and every one of the students.

Halloween Party

Our class Halloween party will be this Wednesday. A special thanks to Tina Sypher and Patty Pelkola for organizing it and to all the parents that will help. If you have not contributed your money for the yearly parties, please send a check in addressed to Tina Sypher. Your child can wear their costume and change at lunch recess if they like.

Please e-mail - so that I know you have seen and read this newsletter.

Thanks for all you do!

Have a wonderful week.

Ilene DeRemer

Dear parents,

Native Americans are an important unit of study in third grade. For the next several weeks our primary area of focus will be on the Northwest Coast Native Americans. The introduction of our unit is a two-day program ‘Of Cedar and Salmon’ presented by Ronn Wilson. He spends two days with the students teaching them history, legends, crafts, and games about Northwest Native Americans. He also spends a great deal of time discussing endangered animals and encouraging an understanding and appreciation of our environment. He has an extensive museum of artifacts to share with the students, as well as a wonderful collection of animal pelts.

Ronn Wilson will also be silk-screening a Northwest Coast design on t-shirts. The design will have selected for our silk-screening is the salmon. If your child would like to silk-screen this special design, please send a pre-washed T-shirt that is white or light in color to school by November 16^th. (Since most t-shirts come in packages of 3, we suggest you coordinate with other families and buy a package to share).

Please follow these T-shirt guidelines given by Ronn Wilson to insure a quality print:

1. LIGHT IN COLOR (pastel) or WHITE
2. CLEAN! New shirts must be washed first to remove lint that could destroy the silk-screen.
3. MASKING TAPE on the inside of collar over the tag size with the student’s name and room number.
4. NO POCKETS. NO BUTTONS.
5. NOTHING SMALLER THAN A CHILD’S LARGE---size 14-16 or the print will not fit on the shirt.
6. NO PUFF INK OR PUFF ART, STUDS, ETC.
7. NO SWEATSHIRTS, NO TANK TOPS, NO TURTLE NECKS, NO “V” CUTS.

The culminating activity of our two days is a Potlatch (a Native American celebration not involving food) held the afternoon of Tuesday, November 20^th. All families are welcome to attend the potlatch that is designed to give the audience an understanding and feeling of participation in the Winter Ceremonial. It is a dramatic, narrated dance presentation of traditional Northwest Coast style masks seen as they were meant to be seen and used. Each is shown in its own context (song, dance, story, and costume) and illustrates a particular facet of Northwest Coast culture. The gym will be used as an artistic replica of a Kwakwakawaka ceremonial house as seen by simulated firelight. Students will dance, play drums, and perform various parts of the ceremony.

Thank you for your support,

The Third Grade Teachers