Wow! What a week!  I tried to get on the computer the other night, and I could not remember my Google password. I had to go through the whole process to have Google send me a new one.  I felt silly, but I know it happens a lot.  Mrs. Bond has a folder with all of the log ins for her students.  She has brought a red folder down to the computer lab each time they go there. Mr. Hester, the media center teacher, has the kids bring their log-ins to media, but many of the kids say they have it memorized when Mrs. Bond reminds them to bring their books down.  I hope I will be able to memorize my log-in information soon. 

I am really into the book that Mrs. Bond is reading to the class!  I have learned so many new words.  I think Mr. Chick must have a Thesaurus right by his notebook when he writes. The kids tell Mrs. Bond to add many of the interesting words to a chart they have created.  There are words like puny, crevices, illuminate, etc. on a chart.  I wonder if kids will try to add these words into their own writing?  Yesterday the class brainstormed ways to add details to a sentence.  They started off with the sentence, “I saw a tree.” Next thing I knew, they had a sentence that had 34 words.  They added when, where, how type details.  The kids are also writing opinion paragraphs.  I so hope someone asked the question, “What is the best day of the week?”  I am so curious of what people said.  Mrs. Bond taught the class about transition words. Examples of transition words are “In Conclusion, First, Next, Similarly, etc.” 

It got really busy on Thursday, as the entire Third Grade got together for a New Year’s project.  All of the third graders came into the classroom to watch a video on 2012.  There were awesome video clips and photos.  My favorites were the photos from the Oympics. Mrs. Bond had shown the “Call Me Maybe” video with the Olympic Swim Team on Wednesday to discuss numbers in the millions, so it was nice to see Michael Phelps on this video too! Having all of the third graders in the room made me think about the other classrooms.  I wonder if they are learning the same things as Team Bond?  I may just have to pop over there for a day or two to compare. Maybe I can even make some Venn Diagrams.  Teachers always like to use those when they compare things.

One thing that I have noticed is that there are some students that really struggle with staying on-task.  There are kids that will talk to their table mates when they are supposed to be working.  I noticed that Mrs. Bond has been getting frustrated.  I can’t understand why they continue to make these poor choices.  Kids have had to put their sticks down and some have had to stay in from recess.  Maybe Mrs. Bond needs to move some students away from grouped tables.  If they are by themselves, there won’t be anyone to talk to.

There was a girl that looked a little different the other day.  I was trying to figure it out, but then she told her friends…she got her braces off!  I have always looked at the kids with braces and wondered what they feel like. They look like they are uncomfortable, so I can imagine she is much happier now.

Oh…on Wednesday the kids had a new teacher for a bit of time. Mrs. Bond’s daughter was sick at her school.    It was not that Mrs. Share that was there last week. This time it was a lady named Miss Crist.  The kids recognized her, as she is an intern teacher with Mrs. Wormlinger. She did a good job! 

 

The room is getting more and more holiday spirit!  They have beautiful wreaths hanging, a snowman that cheers, holiday cards from all over the US, and they even made up new verses to the Dreidel Song!  At the end of the day today Mrs. Bond found out that the third graders won a contest for edmodo!  She made a banner wishing everyone Happy Holidays.  Edmodo even added it to their blog! What a fun way celebrate the season of joy! 

 

There has been a lot of energy in the room this week, so I am looking forward to some peace and quiet over the weekend.  I do remember that it gets chilly, since they turn the heat down.  I wish Maxi the Moose was here to cuddle with.  He sure did keep me warm. He went home with one of the boys for the weekend.  Luckily there is another moose that is hanging out on Mrs. Bond's filing cabinet.  He should be able to keep me warm...and in good company!