Week of October 19-23

Hello Everyone!

Students have been LOVING learning about the world, different countries, and our state in researcher's workshop! Feel free to continue these conversations at home. They love to hear about different places and find them on a map. We even explored Google Earth this week too!

Reminders:

• Check out the Homecoming Week dress up days below! Some dress up days have changed since last week
• If you are looking to do some fall cleaning and get rid of clothes your child has grown out of, our Health Office is taking donations. They are in need of all sizes of pants, but especially sizes 8-10. 
• It's starting to be quite chilly in the mornings. Please remind your child to be bringing a jacket or sweatshirt, as it is usually still cold for at least their first recess. 
• Handbook forms were sent home this week. If you haven't yet, please sign and return them!

Coming Up:

October 19: Pajama Day

October 20: Purple/NDLC Wear

October 21: Crazy Sock Day

October 22: Crazy Hair/Hat Day

October 23: Kaukauna Spirit! Wear Kaukauna Gear/Black and Orange

October 26-28: Red Ribbon Week!

October 26: Wear Your Favorite Sweats/Team Apparel 

October 26: Baby Kocourek is due! Stay tuned to see when baby arrives :) 

October 27: Wear Flannel/Plaid/Checkered Clothing

October 28: Deck Yourself Out in ORANGE Apparel! OR Wear a Costume!

**Costumes should be school appropriate. We also ask that the student's face is not entirely covered. 

October 29: NO SCHOOL

October 30: NO SCHOOL

November 3: Red, White, and Blue Day

November 11: Picture Retake Day

Curriculum:

Math: We've been working hard at really understanding what multiplication means! Here's a link to a video about multiplication and how it progresses over the years for students. It is 6 minutes long, but the first 3 and a half minutes is talking specifically about third grade. 

Writing: I was so impressed with how much our writers improved in their small moment stories! They really tried to get the reader to feel like they were right there with them in their story. Check out Seesaw to hear your child's latest story! Next week we will start drafting our information (all-about) books and thinking about how to structure or organize them in a way that makes sense. 

Reading: Readers have been learning so much and teaching so much! A big goal for this unit is to have students think about the main idea of a chunk that they're reading or a chapter. For example, instead of saying the topic -- "frog's bodies," we want students to say the main idea -- "frog's bodies help them survive." 

As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns. 

Jenny Kocourek 

Week of October 12-16

Hello Everyone!

Today Miss Raasch joined us again in our class so she could get a feel for what the schedule looks like on a typical day with me being here and get to know the students even more. Starting on Monday, she will be with our class in person, and I will be with our class virtually. I will still be instructing the class, meeting with small groups, and conferring individually with students -- up until baby comes! It is just recommended that I quarantine to protect myself, baby, and hospital staff since I am so close to my due date. It breaks my heart that I can't be with our class in person, but I know they are in good hands with Miss Raasch here. I am hoping that this will also make the transition easier for students when I am away on maternity leave. Miss Raasch and I are in communication each day, so feel free to email me or Miss Raasch (raaschh@kaukaunasd.org) with any questions that you have. 

Reminders:

• If you are looking to do some fall cleaning and get rid of clothes your child has grown out of, our Health Office is taking donations! They are in need of all sizes of pants, but especially sizes 8-10. 

Coming Up:

October 12: Miss Raasch will be here! 

October 26-28: Red Ribbon Week!

October 26: Wear Your Favorite Sweats/Team Apparel 

October 26: Baby Kocourek is due! Stay tuned to see when baby arrives :) 

October 27: Wear Flannel/Plaid/Checkered Clothing

October 28: Deck Yourself Out in Red Apparel!

October 29: NO SCHOOL

October 30: NO SCHOOL

Curriculum:

Math: This week, we'll fix up mistakes on our math test and start the next unit -- Multiplication and Division! It is important that students understand what multiplication means... "groups of" or "rows of." To help with this, we will read an equation like 4 x 5 as "4 groups of 5" or "4 rows of 5." Even though mathematicians do use the word "times," we won't be using that until we have a solid understanding of what multiplication means. 

Writing: This week we'll show off all we learned in our Small Moment Narrative unit! Then, we'll begin our next writing unit that aligns with our current reading unit: information! Students will be writing books on topics they are already an expert on (being a sister, NDLC, different areas of the playground, etc.) 

Reading: Students should be reading fiction (stories) at home for homework each night. Even though we are in an information unit, we don't want them to lose their stamina and skills they learned in fiction reading! 

Check out some pictures from this week: Students making their Reading Notebooks their own and receiving their dictionaries donated from the Kaukauna Elks Club!

As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns. 

Jenny Kocourek 

Week of October 5 - 9

Hello Everyone!

This week we talked a bit about recess. I know this year is tricky with needing to stay in a certain area with just our class when we are out there. We talked about things that we should say, and things that might make someone not feel good at recess (check out what we came up with here.) Because we have such a limited number of friends to hang out with at recess, I told students that if want to play alone, that is always okay. However, if they're playing with friends and someone asks to join, then it is kind to say yes. Feel free to extend these conversations at home and let me know if there's anything I should know. 

Reminders:

• If you ordered Kwik Trip gift cards, they should have come home today. Be sure to check your child's backpack!

• Here are three easy ways you can support NDLC:  

• Download the app and select New Directions Learning Community. Buy participating items online or at the store. Scan your receipt. Every item you buy earns 10 cents for NDLC.
• Download the app and select New Directions Learning Community as your Fundraiser. When you shop, buy eGiftcards and scan local receipts through the app. NDLC receives a percentage of each sale. 
• Start your shopping at smile.amazon.com. Choose to support New Directions Learning Community. Most purchases sand 0.5% back to NDLC at no extra cost to you. *Make twice the impact: Buy Amazon gifcards through HuTerra, then shop through AmazonSmile! 
• These programs are coordinated by NDLC's Parent-School Committee (PSC). Please join us. Email NDLC.PSC@gmail.com for more information

Coming Up:

October 26: Wear Your Favorite Sweats/Team Apparel 

October 27: Wear Flannel/Plaid/Checkered Clothing

October 28: Deck Yourself Out in Red Apparel!

October 29: NO SCHOOL

October 30: NO SCHOOL

Curriculum:

Math: Whew, students have been working so hard this unit! We've practiced rounding to the nearest ten and hundred and using lots of different strategies to solve 3-digit addition and subtraction problems. This week, we'll be reviewing before we take our very first test! I will send home a review with students Monday - they should work on it a little bit each night. This is just to help them see the format of the test (the review is VERY similar) so that when they get to the test, they're confident and think, "I got this!" Please just have your child stop and let me know if the review is not feeling good at home--I want this to be a positive experience for your child, not a stressful one!

Writing: We'll be writing our last small moment story in this unit! You can ask your child the story they are writing -- have them storytell it to you! Storytelling and rehearsing is a great way to get kids to write their story bit by bit, adding in all of the details of exactly what people said, did, or thought. Acting out a story can be even more fun! :) 

Reading: We will finish our first "Reading Life" unit this next week! We'll be celebrating just how much we've learned and dive into our next unit: Information! Check out a video here that explains what we'll be learning next. 

As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns. 

Jenny Kocourek 

Week of September 28 - October 2

Hello Everyone!

Wow -- just looking this blog has made me laugh a little bit. I had started writing the blog Tuesday morning, but boy have things changed since then! I appreciate everyone being so flexible with the changes happening this week (Monday expecting a guest teacher and not having one, Tuesday unexpectedly having a guest teacher, having me be with your children virtually, and also your child missing out on seeing some friends from Mr. VW's class in person at school.) I'm sure this has been A LOT for you and your child. Please keep me updated if there is anything I can do to help ease these changes or any worries your child may have. I did talk with our class about this, and we brainstormed ways to make this feel better if it's not going well, or ways that we can continue to feel good about this if it already is. Let me know if you talk with your child about this too and there is anything you'd like to pass on to me. 

As you have heard from Mrs. Frischmann's email or probably from your child, the guest teacher who is with our class will be my long term substitute teacher for when I am on maternity leave. I'm hoping the students are enjoying getting to know Ms. Raasch and that she will be a welcomed familiar face when I need to leave. 

I also just HAVE to share the feedback from our guest teacher when she was in my room Tuesday:

"The kids were AMAZING!!!  I cannot believe how motivated and bright they all are.  

Silent reading....WOW!!  To have your nose in a book for 45 mins is awesome!!

If you ever need any help in your classroom again, please let me know.  I thoroughly enjoyed my day with your students.  Thank you for sharing them with me."

I want to say I'm shocked or surprised, but really I am not. Everything she said is very accurate of each one of your children...they are simply amazing!!! I felt a little bit sad that I needed to share the students with her that day, which I imagine is how you may feel sharing your child with their teacher any year. For that, I want to thank you. I am loving every moment I get with these kids. 

Reminders:

• Picture Day is this week -- forms can be filled out online, or let me know if you'd prefer a paper copy and I can send one home with your student

Coming Up:

September 30: Picture Day

October 29: NO SCHOOL

October 30: NO SCHOOL

Curriculum:

Math: Our mathematicians showed each other many ways we can add 3 digit numbers. Next week, we'll be sharing strategies to subtract 3 digit numbers, paying close attention to when we need to "ungroup." We use words like "ungroup" so students can see and understand what is actually going on -- words like "borrow" or "carry the one" don't hold much meaning for students, so your child will not be familiar with them :) 

Writing: In writing, students became job captains of their own writing and decided what they need to do to make it even better. Some chose to revise by rewriting the important parts, bringing their characters to life, or finding the parts that do not make sense and rewrite it. This week, students will get their very own writers notebook!

Reading: We really tried to amp up our predictions this week in our books. Instead of just saying what we think will happen next, we tried to make a 4 star prediction by using details in the book to explain what we think the character will do, say, or feel next (and exactly how they will do it!) You can encourage this at home by asking your child to make a prediction. You can ask things like "Why do you think that? What details in the book made you predict that? Does _____ seem like the kind of character who would _____? How do you think the character will _____?" 

As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns. 

Jenny Kocourek

Week of September 21-25

 Hello Everyone!

I have been enjoying the start of the year so much - if third grade hasn’t felt great for your child, please let me know so we can turn that around. They only get to experience third grade once, so I want it to be the best it can be. Please don’t hesitate to reach out. 

 Reminders:

• Our first Virtual Family Night is this next week! Check it out: 

Play games with NDLC teachers and families!

Look for a link that will be emailed through infinite campus the day of! There will be a parent question and answer with Mrs. Frischmann from 5:45-6:00. There will be 20 minute sessions starting at 6; come for one or all three sessions. All you need is paper, pencil, and a device!

• Seesaw: Please sign up to Seesaw if you haven’t yet! Your child’s account will transfer with them next year, so it is something that will continue to be used. To get connected to your child's Seesaw account, please click this link and then choose your child's name. Third graders added a video this week!
• Picture forms can be filled out online 

Coming Up:

September 21: Kwik Trip Gift Cards due

September 21: Mrs. Kocourek will have a guest teacher

September 24: Family Night - Virtual Game Night from 6-7

September 25: NO SCHOOL

September 30: Picture Day

Curriculum:

Math: This week we were able to log on to Think Central on our chrome books. This is a website where students can practice and work through math problems (the assignments look very similar to what they are used to in their math workbooks.) We also took our first quiz! Students should be coming home with them today to show someone. You can say things like, "Show me how you solved this problem." "What did you learn from your mistake here?" "How did you check your work?" 

Writing: Wow -- students' stories has improved so much already! They are working hard at bringing their characters to life by including exactly what they said and did. Next up, we'll be writing fiction stories. 

Reading: Our readers this week learned how to do a comprehension check - this is when we check that we understand what is happening as we read. This is so important! Anytime your child is reading, you can have them do a comprehension check by asking “who is in this part? What happened in this part?”

As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions. 

Jenny Kocourek

Week of September 14 -18

Hello Everyone!

So I have been enjoying having everyone so much, but it really is clear how amazing this class is when I have other teachers telling me this too! This morning, Ms. Brown, our Library Media Specialist, came in to tell me how responsible the class was in library. She said they didn't need any reminders and were so respectful to one another -- she wished she could have them all day! I told our class this too, but I thought their parents should know this about their children too :) 

 Reminders:

• This next week is Safety Week! 
• Agendas / Google Calendar: Unfortunately I'm not able to add families to your student's Calendar account. However, you can log in to your child's account to see their homework/reminders each night. Please let me know if you need their log in information. 
• Seesaw: To get linked to your child's Seesaw account, please click this link and then choose your child's name. 
• Picture forms can be filled out online 

Coming Up:

September 21: Kwik Trip Gift Cards due

September 21: Mrs. Kocourek will have a guest teacher

September 24: Family Night - Virtual Game Night

September 25: NO SCHOOL

September 30: Picture Day

Curriculum:

Math: The next topic we'll be focusing on is rounding (to the nearest ten and to the nearest hundred.) You can help your child by talking about times when rounding is useful in your life (grocery shopping, planning a party, figuring out about how much something will cost.) 

Writing: We've been working hard to tell our stories over and over before writing them! We also spent a little time revising, or making big changes. Since we are starting with this narrative unit, it will be great for your child to hear stories at home too! Feel free to tell each other small moment stories and come up with story ideas with them.

Reading: This next week we'll be focusing on two big things in our reading: making sure we're understanding what we read and making predictions for what we think will happen next. Keep encouraging your child to read at home -- so many have been excited to come to school the next day to share just how long they read for homework the night before! 

Check out some pictures of students making posters of our class rules: Be kind to all, show respect to others and their space, be a good sport, and care for tools in our classroom. 

As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions. 

Jenny Kocourek

Week of September 8 - 11

Hello Everyone!

What a wonderful first week of school. It felt so good to be with your child and get to know each student a little more. I can already tell it's going to be an amazing school year -- they really are a great group of kids! (Mrs. Steif was in for Reading today, and she even noticed how awesome they are too!!!)

 Reminders:

• Your child can bring their decorated Writing notebook and locker tag back if they did not yet
• Agendas / Google Calendar: you should have gotten an email inviting you to access your child's Calendar. We will be adding our homework each morning to this Calendar. If you accept the invite, you can add this Calendar to yours so it shows up on your phone or device. 
• Seesaw: To get linked to your child's Seesaw account, please click this link and then choose your child's name. Once I approve you, you'll be able to see any time your child posts their work to Seesaw! (Seesaw is private -- you will only be able to see what I or your child posts, not any other child's work.) 
• Picture Day is September 30th. You can preorder and pay for pictures online or download the PDF to bring on picture day. (Picture retake day is November 11th)

Coming Up:

September 7: NO SCHOOL

September 21: Mrs. Kocourek will have a guest teacher

September 24: Family Night - Virtual Game Night

September 25: NO SCHOOL

September 30: Picture Day

Curriculum:

Math: We worked on deciding on some "norms" as mathematicians and math partners this week! Check it out: 

Next week, we'll start our first unit on place value. We'll be building numbers in different ways (for example, we can think of 843 as 800 + 40 + 3, or drawing it as 8 hundreds blocks, 4 ten sticks, and 3 ones.) 

Writing: Writers have been motivated to write, write, write this week, and I'm hoping to have this continue into our first writing unit: narrative stories. You might see your child come home with a "tiny topic notebook." Students got them this week to quick jot down any ideas they have to write about. Feel free to talk with your child about small moments stories they could write about, or even practice story telling with them.

Reading: Our readers impressed me with how long they could read already the first day! These first weeks we will be talking a lot about building our "reading life" - getting a good spot set up, finding just right books, and reading books as if they're gold! This is to set them up to love reading :) 

Our first Virtual Whole-School Assembly!

As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions. Enjoy your Labor Day weekends!

Jenny Kocourek