Happy Thanksgiving

Today we are grateful for T.E.S.P.T.O. for all of the exciting cultural enrichment events they bring to Steward School. This morning we were treated to a performance and learned about the roots of American music. We enjoyed listening to blues, jazz, country and rock music. 
I am also thankful for each of my amazing students, their supportive families and the wonderful staff at Steward School.  Remember, tomorrow is an early release at 12:00. We will have snack, but lunch will not be served. Happy Thanksgiving!

Curriculum Update

We have been very busy in Room 215!

Reading

Our study of Realistic Fiction is coming to an end. The class has been learning about character traits and discussing how characters change over time. We also learned that good readers ask questions as they read. We read The Stranger by Chris Van Allsburg, and had a lot of questions! The students shared their questions and answers as they read. We also learned that sometimes you have to use the author's clues to make inferences.

Writing

The students have been revising their personal narratives. They have been working on adding descriptive details, varying sentence beginnings and making interesting word choices. 

Math

During our study of multiplication, students have been using number lines, array models and area models to solve multiplication problems. Over the next seven nights, students will be assigned multiplication facts to learn for homework. I encourage students to practise the facts for 15 minutes each night. This will help them tremendously throughout the year!

Social Studies

We have begun learning about the daily life of  the Wampanoag Tribe and the Pilgrims. The students have been gathering information for a short research project which they will be working on over the next few weeks.

The class has also been working on a Thanksgiving gift which they will take home on Wednesday.

We loved listening to Tony Toledo's stories on Thursday. Thank you T.E.S.P.T.O.!

On Wednesday students from North Shore Community College came and read the book Duck for Turkey Day.

K -Rob's Tricks

K-Rob taught us to "Believe and Achieve."

Yesterday, Kevin Robinson (K-Rob) visited Steward School. K-Rob is an X Games Gold Medalist and Guinness World Record Holder. K-Rob captivated the audience with the tricks he did on his bike. 

He also taught us the most important trick...

Teamwork

Respect

Inspire

Confidence

Kindness

                                                    

We are very grateful to TESPTO for inviting K-Rob to our school!

Native American Perspectives

Today our class participated in the second part of the  Native American Perspectives program. The children learned about Native American cultures across the United States. We learned about some of the different houses and tools used by tribes that inhabited different regions of the country.

The children had an opportunity to look at artifacts from various tribes.  They also learned about the everyday life and customs of many tribes, including those that lived in the surrounding area.

Thank you TESPTO for bringing this program to Steward School!

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Watch us Build Our Tipi

Here is a slideshow of our class building our tipi on Wednesday. This was a wonderful team building experience! Click here to watch us build our tipi
When it opens click on the image. Enjoy!

Today our class participated in the first part of a program about Native American Perspectives. Do you see that amazing tipi the class is standing in front of? The children built it all by themselves! They had to listen carefully to the directions and work together. I'm so proud of the team work I saw today! We look forward to learning more about  Native Americans on Friday. Please check back soon for more photos. Thank you to TESPTO for generously funding this Cultural Enrichment event!

Raz Kids

Today the class was introduced to Raz-Kids. This is a wonderful resources which gives the children access to hundreds of e-books.When using Raz-Kids, the children should listen to the book, read the book and then answer the comprehension questions. When the students read the book, they can even choose to record themselves as they read. Passwords and a letter explaining Raz-Kids went home today. 
Although Raz Kids will be assigned for homework periodically, the children can use the website whenever they would like.
The class was really excited about Raz-Kids. I love how excited they are to read!

Click on the book to access Raz-Kids

Standard Addressed:RF.3.4. Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

Parent Night

Parent Night for third grade parents will be held on Thursday, September 22nd from 6:00-6:45. At this time, I will share information about our classroom, third grade and the curriculum that will be taught this year. I look forward to meeting each of you and hope that you will be able to attend.
Mrs. Corliss' class is in Room 215

Welcome Back!

Our class had an excellent first day of school! The students had fun playing the  Name Game and did an activity collecting signatures to learn about one another. We also spent some time learning about our classroom. The children couldn't wait to  borrow books from the classroom library.  I was so impressed with the role model behavior I saw today! The entire class earned multiple boxes for listening the first time. It's going to be a fantastic year!
The Homework today is to read for 15 minutes. Please return the forms that were sent home today at your earliest convenience.

End of Year Wrap Up

The end of the year has been very busy in third grade. We went on  two field trips, had an amazing Field Day and and incredible Fun Finale. The third graders also visited Proctor School and had their Step Up Day.  Our class also packed in as much learning as we could around all of these fun activities. During reading the children participated in Book Clubs and wrote fact-filled nonfiction books on a topic of their choice during writing. The children also learned about lines, angles and symmetry in math. 
I can't believe that tomorrow is the last day of school. The children have had an amazing year of learning and have made so much growth. They have demonstrated grit, resilience, innovation and teamwork countless times throughout the year and I'm so proud of them! Thank you to all the families for all your help throughout the year and your continuous support!
Just a reminder that tomorrow is an Early Release at 1:15 and lunch will be served. The children can leave their binders at home, but should bring their backpacks as they will take their portfolios home. Throughout the year the children wrote many poems and stories in Google Docs. Some of their writing pieces have been printed and are in their portfolios. Their Google Account will remain active and they will use it in fourth grade. I encourage the children to finish any of the writing pieces they started or begin something new over the summer. I also highly encourage practicing multiplication and division facts, as well as reading a few good books. I hope everyone has a wonderful summer!

Geography Gameshow

Neal Nichols brought his Geography Gameshow to the Third Graders on June 9th. He started by drawing from memory the state of Massachusetts. Then he added pictures and dates to the map in order to teach the third graders about the history of Massachusetts. This was an incredible way to learn about the geography of Massachusetts, as well as review and extend some of the information the class learned about the Native Americans, Pilgrims, Puritans and the American Revolution. Some members of our class even got to participate in the Geography Game Show! 

Thank you to T.E.S.P.T.O for bringing this program to Steward for the first time. We hope to see Neal Nichols again next year!

Boston Tea Party Museum

On June 8th, our class went to the Boston Tea Party Museum. The students learned about the events leading up to the Boston Tea Party and the American Revolution. They even got to throw tea into the harbor! This field trip was packed with learning opportunities. Thank you to T.E.S.P. T.O. for generously funding it!

To learn more about the Boston Tea Party Museum, please visit

bostonteapartyship.com/

                                          

Tour of Topsfield

     On June 2nd, the third grade went on a Tour of Topsfield. We visited the Parson Capen House and the Gould Barn. We leaned how Topsfield was settled and about early life in Topsfield. Our class also learned about transportation and early industry in Topsfield, as well as the important role of  the Meeting House. 

     One of the most important parts of the social studies curriculum in third grade is to learn about the history of your town. All of the third graders would like to extend a big thank you to Martha Morrison, Anne Barrett, Joyce Bergsten and Ed Roman for volunteering their time and teaching us about the rich history of Topsfield.

Important Reminders from Mrs. Corliss

Important Reminders from Mrs. Corliss

Tomorrow is Field Day- 3rd graders should wear RED shirts, bring in a refillable water bottle with their name on it and wear sneakers. Sunblock and bug spray should be applied at home. Due to the lack of shade on the playground, hats are also recommended.

Thursday is Fun Finale- Children will be outside for most of the day. Once again, students should bring in a refillable water bottle with their name on it and wear sneakers. Sunblock and bug spray should be applied at home. Hats are also recommended.

You should have received information about the schedule from the Fun Finale Committee. “Graduation” is around 1:30.

Friday-Mrs. Corliss’ class will have a read a thon in the morning and play games in the afternoon. If your child has a book or game that he/she would like to bring in for the day that would be great!

PLEASE let me know if you are starting your vacation early. It is really important to me to be able to say good-bye!

Poetry Celebration Reminder

Poetry Celebration

The children have been very busy writing poems. We hope that you will be able to attend our Poetry Celebration, which will be held tomorrow, May 20^th at 9:00 AM in room 215. The students are very excited to share their poems!

Poetry Celebration

You’re invited to our

Third Grade Poetry Celebration

Who: Grade 3 Families                

What:  A celebration of poetry

Where:  Our classroom           

When:  Friday, June 6th at 9:15am

Why:  To share our love of poetry

Student Council

STUDENT COUNCIL IS RESCHEDULED FROM TOMORROW TO FRIDAY, MAY 13TH.

Thank you!

Thank you to Mrs. Costa, families and students for an amazing Teacher Appreciation Day! The teachers were all treated to some "Me Time" which included delicious hors d'oeuvres, coffee, and cookies. Then we had fun taking pictures at the photo booth and doing Zumba. The grand finale was the children singing to us! When I got back to our classroom, I received these beautiful flowers and thoughtful cards from the children. I will treasure them always! 

I am truly grateful to have a job that I love and am blessed to work in such a supportive community! Thank you to my awesome class and all the families that make me feel appreciated every day!

Important Dates

There are a lot of fun events at the end of the year. If you click on the "Important Dates" page I have listed all of the events that have been scheduled at this time.

PARCC Information

Our class will begin taking the first session of the PARCC test tomorrow, April 27th.  The class has completed some practice tests over the past few weeks to help them learn to navigate the test. During our most recent practice sessions, the children appeared comfortable with the test format and tools.  I'm very proud of the effort and perseverance they have demonstrated!

Please be sure that your child arrives on time for school on the scheduled testing days, as some sessions begin at 9:15 AM. You can help your child do their best by making sure they’re well rested and have eaten a good breakfast each morning. The children may bring in two healthy snacks each day of testing. We will have time for an extra snack on each day of testing.

Due to testing, homework will be reduced. Students should complete the required 15 minutes of reading each night, but are encouraged to do more if they are interested. Students are also encouraged to complete an activity of their choice from the April or May  Enrichment Menu.

The PARCC schedule for our class is as follows:

April 27 ELA 9:15-11

May 2 ELA 1:15-2:45

May 11 ELA 9:15-11

May 17 Math 9:15-10:30

May 18 Math 11-12:15

May 19 Math 11-12:15

May 25 Math 1:15-2:30

Please contact me with any questions or concerns.

Diving into Nonfiction

We have been studying nonfiction and nonfiction text features.  Nonfiction text features can help the reader better understand what they are reading. This week something crazy happened in our class. We jumped right into a nonfiction book! Thankfully we knew all about nonfiction text features. Please watch the video above and come on an adventure with us. This was a very fun project! They put a lot of effort into learning the scripts that they wrote. I'm so proud of the boys and girls!

Reminder

Tomorrow, April 12th, we will be recording our Nonfiction Text Feature project using Green Screen.  The children cannot wear green to school tomorrow. We look forward to sharing this project with you soon!

Open House & Book Fair

The Steward School Open House and Book Fair is Thursday, March 10th. K-1   6:00-6:45  2-3    7:00- 7:45   
The children have been working very hard. We hope you are able to visit our classroom and see some of their recent work.
*The children may purchase books from  the Book Fair tomorrow during library, Thursday morning or Thursday night.


           

Read Across America Day

Last week we celebrated Dr. Seuss's Birthday at Steward School! First, we had a whole school assembly to kick off the our celebration of reading, which will continue all month. Then my sister-in-law, Danielle (A.K.A. Dr. Pelletier) and my adorable niece Maddison read to our class.

We loved listening to Oh, the Places You'll Go!

 Maddison enjoyed the story and checking out our library. I think she caught the reading bug today!


My sister-in-law is a veterinarian. After she read to the class, she told the children about her job and they had an opportunity to ask questions. When talking to the children, Danielle shared how she uses math, reading and writing every day at her job. We had such a great day today! Thank you to Danielle and Maddison for reading to us!

There are more fun activities planned to celebrate reading this month. Please check back soon to share these events with us!

                             

The whole school decorated doors to celebrate reading and Dr. Seuss. This is our door! I am so proud of the students in room 215. They impress me every day with their curiosity and creativity!

Hoops for Steward

The students have been learning about opinion writing over the past few months. One of their assignments was to write about a way to improve Steward School or our classroom. A few students thought a basketball court would be a wonderful addition to our playground. They decided to form a committee "Hoops for Steward" and discussed ways to make a basketball court a reality. They met regularly, collected signatures of interested students and made posters. They also spoke at a whole school assembly to share their work with the school. 

Last Thursday, the Hoops for Steward Committee presented their ideas to the Topsfield School Committee. They shared how they got the idea, what they've done so far and fundraising ideas. The children also shared reasons why we should have a basketball court and supported their thoughts with details. 

One of the committee members was sick, but he was able to Face Time with the School Committee to share his part of the presentation. Now that's dedication!


I'm so proud of all the work the children have put into this project. They've definitely shown G.R.I.T.!

Valentine's Day Party

The class had a wonderful time celebrating Valentine's Day with a "Party in a Bag!"

Thank you to all  the families for making the children's party bags! They loved opening their bags, eating all of the delicious treats and reading their special messages from you!

Balloon Experiment

What state of matter is produced when you mix baking soda and carbon dioxide?

On Thursday, we used the scientific method to answer this question. Mrs. Corliss put vinegar in a bottle and used a funnel to put baking soda into a balloon. Next, she put the balloon on top of the bottle and tipped it. When the baking soda and vinegar mixed it bubbled and created a gas called carbon dioxide. 

We were very excited about the experiment! We wanted to see how big the balloon would get!

We know we created a gas because it filled up the balloon.

Today we were scientists! We are looking forward to more science experiments.

REMINDER-Valentine's Day Party

Tomorrow is our Valentine's Day Party. Remember to pack your valentines and Party in a Bag. 

Discovery Science Museum Visits Steward School

Last week the Discovery Science Museum visited Steward School and presented a matter workshop to the third grade. The students loved  all of the hands-on activities and remembered many facts they learned during our study of matter!

First, we had to figure out how to melt an ice cube. The students used their hands or breath to warm up the ice cube.

Adding heat or taking away heat changes the state of water.

We also observed some cool experiments with liquid nitrogen and dry ice.

Rubber bands freeze in liquid nitrogen!

Ask your child how Ms. Stella used a banana as a hammer and shrunk medal.

  

If students visit http://tinyurl.com/TSWactivity with their parents they can find some at-home science activities. If you complete the five question survey you will receive a FREE admission pass for the Discovery Science Museum. Thank you TESPTO for bringing this program to Steward School.