The summary provides an overview of classroom news and upcoming assessments from Mrs. Crandall's 3rd grade class. Students are beginning reading units on different genres and strategies. They are also taking MAP and AIMSweb assessments to guide instruction. In other subject areas, the class is focusing on map skills in social studies, math facts and unit 1 concepts, and creating digital postcards of landforms. The newsletter highlights recent work and provides information on spelling tests, writing assignments, and an upcoming student challenge.

1. Crandall Chronicle September 2012
Classroom News from 3-1
Welcome to the 2011-2012 Next week the students will
school year! We are already take MAP (Measures of
off to a great start! We have Academic Progress)
a class full of children who assessments in the subject
are eager to learn. There areas of math and reading.
was a wonderful turnout at The students’ fluency is also
Curriculum Night. Thank you being assessed using
all for coming! Each month I AIMSweb. The data from
will be posting a newsletter these tests will be used to
on our class website plan for classroom
highlighting what we have instruction. You will receive
done over the past few your child’s scores with his
weeks and what we are or her progress report in
looking forward to in the November. Additional
coming weeks. I will information about the
generally have newsletters assessments can be found
available on the first Friday at the Arlington Heights
of each month. I decided to district webpage:
In this issue:
wait a few weeks before
Reading 2 posting this first issue of the
Spelling 3 Crandall Chronicle since the Assessments Overview
Writing & school year just began.
MAP Assessment
Grammar 3 Please take time to check
Social Studies 4 our class blog frequently, as AIMSWeb
Math 4 new information and
Science 4 student work will be added
Web Updates 5 regularly.
Reminders 5
Dates/Events 5
Student
Challenge 6

2. PAGE 2 OF 6
What We’re Studying
Reading
A few weeks ago we began our first in reading, word study, writing, and
unit in our literacy program called content literacy. The students are
Treasures. This balanced literacy responsible for completing the work
program includes instruction in at all four centers each week. They
reading, writing, spelling, and are graded based on the neatness
grammar. Each week in reading we and accuracy of their work, their
focus on a specific genre, strategy, quiet participation, and how well
and skill. During whole class they get along with their group
instruction, the class will read two members.
short texts and one longer selection On Fridays, the class takes an
over a five-day period. During the assessment that covers what we
first full week of school we read a have studied in reading, grammar,
humorous fiction story titled First and spelling that week. The points
Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg. The that the students earn on these
students were able to connect well assessments will be factored into
to the weekly theme, which was new their total points that they
beginnings. accumulate each trimester for
The students have been focusing on reading. However, the main purpose
analyzing story structure by of these assessments is to identify
identifying the characters and areas that the students may need
setting of the story, and finding additional support with and to inform
important events that occurred in me of strategies that may need to
the beginning, middle, and end of be taught again or reviewed. We
the text. We continued to work on completed the assessment together
our skills in analyzing characters, during the first week so that good
setting, and plot as we read our next test-taking strategies could be
main selection, Dear Juno, by modeled. The students took their
Soyung Pak. The theme was about first assessment independently last
communicating and keeping in touch week. We reviewed these graded
with friends and family. tests today before the students took
Recently, students also began their second test. Please look for this
working on centers. These include assessment in your child’s take
various activities that focus on skills home folder.

3. PAGE 3 OF 6
Spelling
The students completed their third list Since the purpose of the homework is
of spelling words this week. Each to help the students learn their
Monday, the class takes a spelling pre- spelling words, it is crucial that the
test. Students who score a 90% or spelling words are spelled correctly on
higher on their pretest will have the these assignments. If homework is
opportunity to study spelling words turned in with misspelled spelling
from a challenge list. We will complete words, the students will be required to
in-class activities throughout the week practice writing each word correctly
to learn and practice spelling patterns. ten times. This will help to ensure that
However, it will also be the students’ the students will be prepared for their
responsibility to practice their spelling post-test, which will be given weekly
words at home, particularly if they are on Fridays.
on the challenge list that week. Two
spelling homework activities will be
sent home each week to help the Spelling lists will be posted on
students practice their words. These our class website on Mondays
assignments will be due each Thursday. after the pretest has been given.
Writing & Grammar
During our first weeks of school we In grammar the students are learning
reviewed some of the writing strategies to distinguish between a variety of
and skills that the students learned in types of sentences including
second grade. The students spent time statements, questions, exclamations,
drafting, revising, editing, and and commands. They continue to work
publishing the letters you read at on forming complete sentences
Curriculum Night. I hope you took as containing correct capitalization and
much pleasure in reading them as the punctuation instead of sentence
children did writing them! fragments. In third grade, the students
The students recently developed “juicy are held accountable for writing these
sentences” that are rich in detail. The complete sentences. Missing
goal was to include so much detail that punctuation, incorrect
the reader could picture the exact same capitalization, and sentence
thing that the writer has pictured. Their fragments will lead to students
final products were illustrated and are losing a half point for each
occurrence on graded assignments.
hanging in the hallway.

4. PAGE 4 OF 6
Social Studies
postcards on the iPads using the apps
Map Skills is our first unit in social
TourWrist and Pic Collage. These
studies. We have already been learning
postcards feature photos of landforms
about many different types of maps
they toured. Links to a slideshow of
along with the advantages and
these postcards and our seven
disadvantages of using each. The
continents film are posted on our
students are now able to determine
class blog.
which type of map should be used
based on the types of information that Don’t forget to have friends or family
they are looking for. Following cardinal send our class a postcard if they
and intermediate directions is another travel to other states or countries! We
major topic that we are focusing. The are already off to an incredible start!
students were recently assigned a Mrs. Crandall’s Class (3-1)
project that reviews the many skills Dryden Elementary School
they have learned during this unit. 722 S. Dryden Place
The students have been busy creating Arlington Heights, IL 60005
content in class. They created digital
Math The students have been taking timed
math fact tests twice a week on
We have been steadily progressing Tuesdays and Thursdays. It is the
through Unit 1 of Everyday students’ responsibility to continue
Mathematics and will be taking our first practicing their math facts at home.
math test on Tuesday. The students
Don’t forget that our class website
have been reviewing and will continue
has a variety of links to websites
to review major math concepts such as
that allow children to practice their
number patterns, telling time,
math facts!
measuring, using a calculator, and
identifying shapes. They also reviewed Students are also encouraged to visit
data-related concepts including the Everyday Math website, which is
collecting data, making tally charts and linked to our class website. Once they
bar graphs, and comparing data. Thank have logged in using their login name
you for taking the time to review these and password, they can access a
skills with your child each night on the variety of online games that will help
Homelinks. In Unit 1 the students have them to practice skills we are learning
also been counting money, finding in class, as well as the Student
differences, exploring number patterns, Reference Book that is mentioned
and solving word problems. frequently in the homework.

5. PAGE 5 OF 6
Monthly Reminders
I sent home a Scholastic Book order with your child. Please
place your order by Friday, September 21st. The online
ordering continues through Saturday. Our activation code is
GRNPB.
Please sign (and have your child sign) the school handbook
form (blue papers) if you have not yet done so. Your
cooperation is greatly appreciated!
Students will have gym class on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Please remind your child to wear gym shoes to school on these
days.
Our class will go to the LMC on Tuesdays. Library books that
are checked out will be due after two weeks, but may be
returned weekly on Tuesdays.
Please continue to initial your child’s assignment notebook
each evening. Thanks for your cooperation!
The students have been doing a great job of filling out their
weekly reading logs. Remember that students need to read
100 minutes every week! I will check the logs each Monday.
Visit our class blog to view recent updates including class
projects and activities.
http://ccrandall3.blogspot.com
IMPORTANT DATES & UPCOMING EVENTS
September 19 – MAP test (Math)
September 21 – MAP test (Reading)
October 1 – School Photos
October 3 – International Walk to School Day
October 5 – SIP Day (No School)
October 8 – Columbus Day (No School)

6. PAGE 6 OF 6
Student Challenge
Each month’s newsletter will feature a section called “Student
Challenge!” In this section, I will propose a challenge for the
students to complete. They will have at least one week to
submit their answers to me. If they correctly complete the
challenge, their names will be added to our Student Challenge
bulletin board. For each challenge that they complete, a star
will be added next to their names!
This week’s challenge: Complete the ABC boxes worksheet
that was passed out during class. Think of really juicy
describing words that each begin with a different letter of the
alphabet. Write at least one word in each box. You can write
down words that you read in a book, hear in a conversation,
or look up in a dictionary. Make sure that you know what the
words mean! Try to write down words that you think will be
different from your classmates’ words. Be creative! After
finding your words, use each word correctly in a sentence on
the back of the paper. An example has been done for you
using the letter Z.
Turn in your ABC boxes and sentences by next Friday.