Look me up! :)

Hi, old friends! Many of you know by now that I am no longer teaching 3rd grade. I have just started a new school year teaching 2nd grade at Parkway Elementary, still here in St. Joseph. I would love to keep in touch with my Lake family, and you can still keep up with me by following my new blog at Ms. Auxier's Second Grade

Good luck to all as we begin the 2012-2013 school year! I wish you many happy adventures in learning!

:) Ms. Emily Auxier

Important Upcoming Dates!

Lots of excitement next week!!! Can you believe it's already the end of the year? :)

May

14     Talent Show 1:30 – 3:00

15     Yearbook signing 1:30

16     Last Day of School

10:30 3rd-5th Grade Assembly

Early Out 1:25

News and Notes...

Our class has worked SO hard the past couple of weeks on the MAP test!! As we finish up the year we still have benchmark tests in math and science, along with end-of-year reading testing. It’s very important that your child has good attendance these last few weeks of school. In addition to the end-of-year testing, we will also be doing some really fun projects, like creating our own blogs, learning about a favorite author, making moon models with Oreo cookies, and lots of special events at school. We are looking forward to finishing this year off with a bang! :)

OG the classpet: day one;OG ate one full worm! everybody went crazy...

OG the classpet: day one;OG ate one full worm! everybody went crazy...: day one;OG ate one full worm! everybody went crazy keep folloing .

Ms. Auxier's Third Grade: Time to Start Working on Book Reports!

This was the original post about book reports...click on the link to find the fiction and nonfiction book report forms as we think about wrapping up our year!
Ms. Auxier's Third Grade: Time to Start Working on Book Reports!: Parents- Many of you have been asking about book reports.  I am excited that you are all so eager to help your child be successful!  W...

March MAP Madness in 3rd Grade!

This week we are kicking off our March Madness as we prepare to take the MAP for the very first time!  Click here for more details about our weekly spirit days and March Madness incentives!  What an exciting time of the year in third grade! :)

Updates!

Check out the "Take a Peek at Our Week" and "Upcoming Events" sections!  There are updates!!!  Also, don't forget to visit Ms. Auxier's Spelling City under the Resources section to practice the current spelling unit!  :)

A Window to the Classroom

Next time you are in our building, be sure and take a look around at all the great hallway displays!  If you ever want to see a window into our classrooms, you can see both the processes and the products of our learning by taking a peek down our halls.  Here are some pictures from our latest displays!

Learning about Money in Math Workshop

Making Inferences and Drawing Conclusions in Readers' Workshop

Responding to Non-fiction Articles in Writers' Workshop...we're learning how to write an opinion essay!

News and Notes...

Just a few bits and pieces this week-

• We are still in need of tissues!  Thank you to those of you who have already sent us a box or two, we really appreciate it!
• Please remind your child to dress appropriately for cold weather.  With the unusual winter we’ve had, it’s important to have a warm jacket, especially at the bus stop or outside recess.
• If you haven’t returned the music trip field trip yet, please do so as soon as possible.
• Spelling questions?  Don’t forget you can help your child study by going to our Spelling City page!  The link is under “Resources” right here on our class blog.

Learning About the Water Cycle

Here are some fun resources for you to check out at home as we we learn about the water cycle at school!


Click on one of the links below!


Interactive Game
Water Cycle Animation
Printable Placemat

Ms. Auxier's Third Grade: Using Money

Ms. Auxier's Third Grade: Using Money: We have been working hard this week on using money. We all like to spend it, but there's a lot to know about using money to make purchases ...

Ms. Auxier's Third Grade: Introducing...Measurement!

Ms. Auxier's Third Grade: Introducing...Measurement!: Our class is beginning to learn all about measurement in our Math Workshop. Measurement incorporates a lot of different components, so here...

Hello, 2012!

I hope you all had a delightful Christmas break and are ready to begin 2012!  Did you make a New Year's Resolution?  One of my resolutions is to make a positive observation every day!  As I reflect on the first half of the school year I can make several positive observations and I'd like to share them with you!  

• Our third graders are on their way to becoming great non-fiction writers.  By using Time for Kids and other non-fiction resources, students are becoming proficient at early research and note-taking skills!  
• Our class saw great growth in the Communication Arts benchmark, raising our class average by almost 20%!
• In math, our students are mastering the problem solving strategies of making a picture and using tally marks, and are beginning to learn some more sophisticated strategies.
• By doing Math Daily Review, nearly 80% of our class is proficient at subtraction with regrouping, a huge challenge for us at the beginning of the year!

These are just a few celebrations as we begin the second semester.  It's hard to believe the year is half over already!  I look forward to continuing to see growth as we press on toward the MAP test later this year!  We are on the right track, so let's keep "chugging along" together!  

Welcome, winter weather!

As we enter the season where the weather and/or temperature could potentially cause a snow day or early dismissal, I just want to remind you to make sure the school office has your most current phone number.  In the event of an early out or no school, an AlertNow phone call will go out and it is very important that we have your number.  The closings will also be announced on KQTV, St. Joe Now, K-JO radio, and SJSD channel 41.

Setting Goals

"Today is your day!  Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way!" ~Dr. Seuss

A few weeks ago, our class set an end-of-year reading goal.  We want to reach at least 80% on-grade-level (meaning proficient or advanced readers) by the end of the school year.  Shortly after setting this goal, we read Dr. Seuss' Oh, the Places You'll Go!  The encouragement that we can climb any mountain, with some hard work, was well-timed!  We now have a Mountain in the front of our classroom to help us remind ourselves daily of our goal...and our ability to achieve it!

Note home this week...

Tidbits

• The brand new school district website will be launched later this month!  There will be lots of resources and information right at you fingertips, in an easy to navigate website.  There will also be a link to our class blog so you can continue to utilize this tool for keeping up with classroom happenings.
• Don't forget to use the FREE resources at our class Spelling City page to work with your child on his or her spelling words.  You can always find the link on the right-hand side of the blog under "Resources", listed as Ms. Auxier's Spelling City page.
• As the weather continues to cool down, please ensure that your child wears appropriate clothing for outside recess, including a warm jacket or coat.  We will go outside for recess any time the temperature is above 40 degrees and it is not snowing or raining.
• Don't forget you are able to make comments on this blog.  Just scroll to the bottom of any post you'd like to respond to, and follow the easy steps for commenting and posting.  This blog can be a form of two-way communication!

News and Notes…

I loved seeing many of you at the Lake Contrary Carnival last week!  I encourage you to attend the Southside Pride night this Friday as we cheer on our Benton friends at the football game!  Parent involvement is key to your child’s success as a student!

You will receive your child's current grades when you attend your parent/teacher conference next week.  Please return your Pre-Conference Questionnaire before your scheduled conference, to help us prepare for a great experience discussing how we can support your child together!

News and Notes…

Don’t forget to sign and return your child’s weekly grade report each Monday!  This is an important piece of communication, as we get closer to Parent/Teacher Conference time!

This Week's Newsletter!

 Misplaced the Friday newsletter?  Or did your child's orange folder "eat" it?  You can now view our weekly newsletter online!