News+11-2


 * Brown’s Blurb**
 * November 2, 2006**


 * New in the classroom: We have started our classroom blog and we are all excited about this fun and savvy way of communicating with each other! I will monitor this site very closely and have already discussed the importance of using the blog for educational purposes only. Students are to only use their first names when posting comments. This week we researched the passenger list from the //Mayflower// and students picked names and posted these on the blog. You can access this at anytime to check out what we are doing (**[|**http://brownthird.blogspot.com**]**). Let the blogging begin!**


 * Reader’s Workshop:** We have finished our //Bunnicula// unit! Students worked in pairs to create projects that highlighted their learning from this exciting book. Each pair chose a different project and then presented their final product to the rest of the class. The projects are now hanging in our classroom and include: a new book cover, comic strip, character portrait, character wanted poster, an ad for the book, letter to the author, dinner invitation, dinner menu, poem, different ending, radio commercial, and an acted out scene from the book.


 * Writer’s Workshop:** All memoir conferences are finished so our memoir unit is complete. Please stop by our room to take a look at the beautiful memoirs that are on display. We will begin a new study on non-fiction soon.


 * Social Studies:** We are wrapping up our government unit and will take our chapter 8 test on Tuesday. Students have been working in pairs to generate their own test questions. We have been discussing strategies for generating questions that will encourage higher order thinking skills and the students are beginning to get the hang of this. I compiled all of their questions and created a practice test that they completed and can use to help them study for their test.


 * STAR STUDENT- Congratulations to Madison Darsey! She was our star student this week!**

Reminders: --Tuesday, November 6th –Social Studies Test (Chapter 8) --Tuesday, November 6th-Grade 3 parent meeting (CTP4 tests) at 8:15 a.m.** Highly recommend attending** -- Scholastic orders are due on Tuesday
 * -- Monday, November 5th- GISA/In-Service (No school)