Week of Dec 9 - Dec. 13

Hello on this cold wintery day!
Just a few reminders;
- please dress your child appropriately for the cold weather. Even though they do not go outside for recess, we are still traveling to different buidlings for lunch, music and P.E.
- Christmas concert for K -4 is Thursday, December 12, at 6:30 in the West High Auditorium.

Reading - We are reading our novel called The Best Christmas Ever. The kids are really enjoying the book.

Math - We are doing our multiplication and division unit.

Science - We have been studying beans and their life cycle growth. My science kids have a test on Wednesday covering plant parts and photosynthesis.

Spelling words for the week - Concept : "ea"
stream, meal, breathe, peanut, meantime, oatmeal, daydream, meant, gingerbread, spread, meadow, head, thread, breakfast, because, watched, receive, and they.

Happy studying

Week of December 2 - 6

Hello!
I hope you all had a very relxing Thanksgiving and an enjoyable long weekend.
Here is our week as follows:

Reading : We are starting a chapter book called The Best Christmas Ever. We will spend two weeks on it and it will help us get into the holiday spirit!

Math : We continue to work on our multiplication unit. This week we focus on the multiplication properties.

Spelling : (Concept: "oo") The words are:
cartoon, toothpick, loophole, boomerang, cookbook, woodshed, moon, igloo, footprint, and shampoo. Review words are: thirteen, November, they, freedom, caution, and because.

Reminders:
-- The third graders are filling the "holiday" basket. Please bring items if you are able to help fill this fun basket.

-- Early outs are Dec. 4 and Dec. 20.

-- The Christmas concert is December 12 at 6:30 in the West High Auditorium.

Thank you!
Mrs. Staffileno

Week of November 18 - 22

Hello!
We will be studying many great things this week!

In my reading class we will have a test over Young Thomas Edison on Monday and Tuesday. Then we will begin a story about Michael Jordan called Jump!

In math we will finish our graphing unit and begin multiplication on Wednesday. Your child will be bringing home a plastic bags with facts that they should review every night. I will check these slips on Monday.

Science - If your child has me for homeroom, they have a science test on Friday. Your child received a study guide on Thursday ( Nov. 14) to help them study.

Spelling words for the week are:
Concept: "ow" words
plow, flow, sundown, flower, snowplow, outgrow, shallow, elbow, owl, cowboy, bow CHALLENGE: cousin, birthday, great, watched first

Specials:
Monday: Library
Tuesday: P.E.
Wednesday : Music
Thursday: Library
Friday: Health

Have a great week!
Mrs. Staffileno

Week of November 11 - 15

Hello!
It was wonderful meeting with all of you at parent - teacher conferences. together we can make a great team for your child!

In reading, we will start the story Young Thomas Edison. This is a fascinating story about Thomas Edison's inventions. Look for the story to come home and listen to your child read.

In math, we are doing a unit on graphs. My math kids have some homework to do on graphs and it is due on Monday.

Spelling - Concept ( "oa" and "ou" )
cloud, ground, house, bound, sound, found, south, railroad, carload, coat, boat, bloated, there, they're, their, and wouldn't

Specials this week:

Monday - Rules at stations
Tuesday - Music
Wednesday Library
Thursday - Health
Friday - Music

Remember to send canned green beans for the food drive!

AR points this quarter is 12.

Mrs. Staffileno

Week of Novemember 4 - 8

Hello!
I am looking forward to meeting with you at Parent - Teacher conferences. It is always so good to work together for the best possible learning for the kids.

Reading - We will read the story The Kamishibai Man. This is an excellent story and your child can read it to you when they get the folder this week.

Math - We continue to work addition and subtraction story problems.

Spelling - Concept : (ee) words
Deep, street, freedom, canteen, sweep, fifteen, keep, weekend, beep, thirteen, Halloween, also, were, shouldn't, October and November.

Specials :

Monday : Music
Tuesday: Library
Wednesday : Health
Thursday : Music

No school! Enjoy the day!

AR points start over today for 2nd quarter. The goal is 12 points for the quarter!
Be sure to return reading logs weekly. They count as part of the Reading Skills grade on the report card.

Mrs. STaffileno

Week of October 28 - Nov. 1

Hello!
This will be a fun week with Halloween being on Thursday. Please send a costume with your child. The parade starts at 1:00. Then we will have treats brought by the boys. Children are encouraged to bring games for this occasion.

In reading we will read The Harvest Birds. Neat story!

Math - Our unit on addition and subtraction words problems begins.

Science - We will start studying life cycles. There will be a test on Wednesday over plant parts.

Spelling words: concept (oy and oi) spoil, oyster, boil, joyride, poison, boycott, loyal, turmoil, oil, soil, coil, toys, compete, stampede, also, doesn't.

Specials for the week:
Monday: Library
Tuesday : Health
Wednesday: Music
Thursday : Halloween party
Friday : P.E.

Conferences will be held on November 6th and 7th. Thank you!
Mrs. Staffileno

Week of October 21 - October 25

Hello!
I hope you all had a relaxing 4 day weekend. The kids came back to school feeling very refreshed!!

In reading we are reading a story about illustrators. The kids have been very involved in numerous art projects. There will be no story sent home to read at night.

Math - We continue with subtraction. We are starting a "new" thing in our math class. It is called Gumball Math. Ask your child about it!

Science - We are doing an extensive study on seeds.

Spelling - concept: ( vowel - consonant - e ) Here are the words:
hope, bone, joke, rake, snake, hideout, side, rude, huge, stampede, compete, curtain, server, because, caution, and their.

Specials for the week:
Monday - Health
Tuesday - Music
Wednesday - Library
Thursday - pep assembly in big gym
Friday - Music

Parent / Teacher conference slips will be coming home on Friday with your time on them.

Thank you, Mrs. Staffileno

Week of October 14 - 16

Hello!
This is a short week for the students. They have been working very hard so I know they will welcome a long weekend.


Reading : We will finish the story Max's Words. The test will be Monday and Tuesday.
Reading logs are due Monday or Tuesday of each week.

Math: We will continue with subtraction.

Spelling : No new words this week. If you child missed any words last week they will be retested on them on Tuesday.

Science: I will now have Mr. Leintz's class for science for the next 6 weeks. We will learn about plants, life cycles, heredity, and food chains.

WEDNESDAY IS ZOO DAY! PLEASE HAVE YOUR CHILD DRESS ACCORDINGLY! iF THEY DID NOT SIGN UP FOR A SACK LUNCH WITH THE SCHOOL, THEY NEED TO BRING THEIR OWN!


Specials:
Monday : P.E.
Tuesday : Music
Wednesday : Zoo Day

Week of October 7 - 11

Hello!
this week is something new for the 3rd graders. We have MAPS testing. the kids will use the computers and be tested in the areas of reading, math, and language arts. It will be a new experience for them but I think theywill do very well.

Reading : We will read the story Max's Words.

Math: We will begin our subtraction unit. This entails, story problems, borrowing and application of the skill.

Science: This is our last week of the life science unit. After this week the kids will go to Mrs. McMorris for a 6 week unit on earth science.

Spelling words for the week : ( ar and or sounds)
are, or, blizzard, backyard, partner, border, shortstop, cargo, farm, argue, order, record, because, sauce, cause, bay, trait, and play.

Specials for the week:
Monday : Music
Tuesday : Library
Wednesday : Health
Thursday : Music
Friday : Library

Week of September 30 - October 4

Hello!
As of Friday we reached midterm. You can expect your child's midterms on Friday, October 4.

Early out is Wednesday, October 2.

All kids should be at 5 AR points!!!

In reading we will start our next story called Roberto Clemente. This has always been a favorite of the kids!

In math, we begin an extensive addition unit. The kids have done very well in math so math.

Spelling words this week: curtain, birthday, turn, server, birdbath, whirlwind, burned, nerve, teacher, caution, because, laid, friend, there, they're, and their

Specials for the week:
Monday: Library
Tuesday: Health
Wednesday: Music
Thursday: Library
Friday: P.E.

Week of September 24-27

Hello!
Wow! This Friday is already mid-term. We will send mid-term reports home on Friday, October 4.

Another reminder: All kids should be close to 5 points for their AR points. Since 10 points are required for the quarter and we are half way through, that = 5 pts. Since your child is already reading at home and filling out the reading log, please remind them to test on their AR books when they come to school. We go to the library every 3 days so it shouldn't be a problem for them to get books!

Reading class: We are reading the story Pop's Bridge. It is a story about the Golden Gate Bridge being built. We are studying the history of this bridge and the kids are very excited about it!


Math class: We are concentrating on patterns! It's a lot of fun.

Science: In life science we are studying life cycles this week and then will begin food chains.

Picture Day is Thursday!

Specials this week:
Tuesday : Music
Wednesday : Library
Thursday : P.E.
Friday : Music

Happy reading! Mrs. Staffileno

Week of September 16 - September 20

Hello!
Things are going very smoothly in third grade. The kids have adjusted well and with the temperatures dropping a little, the kids have been more alert. Continue sending water bottles however because it does get hot in the afternoons!

Reading: The story this week is The Trial of Cardigan Jones. We will study the process of a trial including juries and verdicts.

Math: We are learning different ways to do mental math. We have math timings on Tuesdays and Thursdays to keep our addition facts up to par.

Science: In our life science class we will be dissecting flowers, learning plant parts and their functions. As of now, we have seeds growing in the window in baggies. Ask your child how their seed is growing!


Spelling: ( concept: "au" plus past "ai" and "ay" words to keep refreshed.)
The words are: cause, vault, fraud, sauce, because, jaunt, caution, daunting, mislaid, clay, bait, and stray. If your child missed any words on Fridays test they will spell them on this Fridays test and every Friday after until they are spelled correctly. Ask your child if they have any words on the "blue" sheet to learn.

Specials this week:
Monday: Library
Tuesday: P.E.
Wednesday : Music
Thursday: Health
Friday : Music

Early out is Wednesday, September 18!

Week of September 9 - 13

The first two weeks of school have gone great except for the classrooms being very hot. Hopefully some relief is in sight for next week!

Reading-
In my reading class we will read the story A Fine, Fine School. This story has many reading elements that we will cover. You will be seeing a large folder with the story in it that I would like your child to read to you. Please read it the night it is brought home, sign it, and then return it the next day so it can be given to the next child on the list.


Spelling words:
Concept (ai, ay) pain, stay, stain, playground, pathway, maintain, claim, midway, haystack, pigtail, display, raisin


Science:
We will continue our plant and seed unit in life science class.

Specials for the week:
Monday : P.E.
Tuesday: Music
Wednesday: Library
Thursday: Health
Friday Music

Reminder: Return the Reading Log on Monday! Happy reading!
Mrs. Staffileno

Mrs. Staffileno
September 3rd- 6th
• Tuesday folders will go home on Sept. 3. Please sign and return them Sept. 4.
• No school on Sept. 2. Enjoy Labor Day!
• Individual fall pictures will be taken on Sept. 26
Spelling Words:
sew, so, their, there, they're, aunt, ant, its, it's, road, rode, would, wood, to, too, and two
*************************************************
Reading Class - AR required points for 1st quarter is 10 points
• 5 points non-fiction
• 5 points fiction
The next two weeks in reading we will read the story Chuka”s Hawk. We will study hawks while incorporating poetry and art.
Math Class
Number patterns
Science
This week we will be starting our plant section in Life science. After a lengthy study and investigation on grasshoppers, we will study seeds, parts of a plant, dissect plants parts and create carnivorous plants.

Specials this Week!
Monday- No School
Tuesday- Library
Wednesday-Health
Thursday- Music
Friday- Library

Visit this site weekly for new updates. Please check your child’s planner nightly.
Have a super week!
Mrs. Staffileno

Welcome to a new school year!

Hello! I am so excited for the new school year to begin! I hope to see all of you at the Open House which is Monday, August 26 from 5:30 - 7:00. An informal informational session will be held from 5:30 - 6:00 p.m. fro people with the last name that starts with A - M. Those with the last name starting with N - Z may attend from 6:30 - 7:00 p.m. A barbeque sponsored by the EGPTO will also be that night. Thank you! Mrs. Staffileno

Week of April 15 -19

Hello! In our reading group we are reading and studying the novel, Sarah, Plain and Tall. Math groups continue wo work on time and measurement. Have your child measure some things around the house to the nearest inch , 1/2" and 1/4". Spelling words this week are from our reading novel: They are: receive, because, where, were, doesn't, everywhere, already, a lot, remember, forgotten, question, children, before, answer, brought, friends, anyone, and watched. Happy Spring! Mrs. Staffileno

Week of April 8 - 12

Hello! We are still working very hard in class to prepare the children for 4th grade. I can't believe how fast the year has gone. In reading we will be starting the novel, Sarah, Plain and Tall. This is a required book for 3rd graders and we will work on literary elements during the course of the book. In math we finished our fraction unit and have begun working on time. The kids are doing very well with this concept. Spelling words for the week: she's, they'll, I've, you'll, we've, I'm, I'll, you've, it's, I'd, you'd, we'll, they'd, she'll, they've, and he's. Have a good week! Mrs. Staffileno

Week of March 18 -22

Hello! In reading class we are still working on our chapter book called Polar Bears and the Arctic. Math classes are nearing an end with our fraction unit. Spelling words for the week are: buy, Friday, fly, kind, why, child, mind, try, behind, sky, cry, high, right, by, light, and night. I realize that last weeks words were hard. Your child will bring home last week's test in their Tuesday folder. Please help them study any missed words so that they are successful with them this week. Early out on Wednesday due to conferences from 1 p.m. - 7 p.m. Thank you! Mrs. Staffileno

Week of March 11

Dear Parents, We are almost finished with testing. Tuesday is our last day with 2 math tests. Spelling - polar, bear, Arctic, Arctic Ocean, harsh, weather, animals, permafrost, tundra, equator, orbit, Inuit, Eskimos, caribou, parka, dogsled, kayak, and umiak. The spelling words are different this week as they follow a chapter book that we are reading in class about polar bears. We will spend two weeks on this book. Have a good week!

Week of March 4

Hello! The week of testing has finally arrived. We have been practicing for three weeks to get the kids ready and feeling confident. The first day of testing went well. The kids seemed very rested and energized. The spelling words for the week are: October, shop, block, bottle, o'clock, sorry, socks, problem, jog, what, wash, was, clock, bottom, forgot, and body. Our next early out is March 20 at which time spring parent - teacher conferences will be held. You will be notified if a conference is needed. Mrs. STaffileno

Week of Frebruary 25

Hello! We have been getting ready for the CRT's. We begin on Tueaday. Please see that your child gets a good night sleep and can eat something for breakfast. These are indicators that your child will be more successful during testing. Spelling words this week: sneezed, smiling, beginning, hoped, dropping, shining, stopped, pleased, dropped, liked, taking, driving, closed, jogged, hopping, and shopping. My class will begin a new social sudies unit for 6 weeks with Mrs. McMorris beginning on Thursday. Thank you!

February 19-22

Welcome back! I hope you had a great long weekend! Spelling words for this week are: nurse, work, shirt, hurt, first, word, serve, curly, dirt, third, worry, turn, stir, firm, her, girl, perfect, and hamburger. We are starting to do a lot of work for the CRT's which will be given the first 2 weeks in March. The kids have been working very hard.

Week of February 11

Hello! The Elder Grove website has been recreated so I was not able to get on to update this site. This will be a short week due to the days off. There will no spelling this week. We continue to study Montana for 9 more days. The Valentine's Day party will be Wednesday at 11:00. The girls are bringing the treats. Please bring a Valentine for everyone in the class. There are 23 kids. Thank you!

Week of January 21

Hello! We have Monday off so when we have a short week, we do not have spelling. We will be working on our cursive handwriting. MAPS testing is over for 3rd grade. The kids worked very hard. Reading- We will read the story Yonder Mountain. Math - We will continue working on multiplication and division. Social Studies - We have a test on Wednesday. Your child was given a study guide.

Week of January 14

Hello! In reading we are reading the story called The Science Fair. Look for the story in a folder. Spelling words : hole, whole, its, it's, hear, here, won, one, our, hour, their, there fur, fir, road, rode, peace, piece. We are starting 3rd quarter! Please continue reading with your child and doing the flashcards. We can see a difference when you do!

Week of January 7

Hello! Our reading group continues to work on the 15 AR points that are required for second quarter. We read quietly for 30 minutes every morning and the kids really enjoy it. We have been studying biographies and the kids did amazing poster on a person of their choice. We are now reading about Michael Jordan. The spelling words for this week are: joy, point, voice, join, oil, coin, noise, spoil, toy, joint, boy, soil, choice, boil, come, are, poison, destroy. In math we continue to pursue multiplication and division! Hope your new year is going well.