Wike's World

Immigration

2011-11-21T14:59:00.000-05:00

See if someone with your last name came through Ellis Island!

Ellis Island

username: wikesworld

password: kids

This is a free site!

Have fun!

Immigration

2011-11-21T14:56:00.000-05:00

See if someone with your last name came through Ellis Island!

www.ellisisland.org

username: wikesworld

password: kids

This is a free site!

Have fun!

Matter

2011-10-26T14:48:00.000-04:00

This week we've been learning about the states of matter and how we experience them using our five senses. We know that we can change matter by changing the way it looks (physical change) or by combining two substances to make a different state of matter. Today we combined baking soda and vinegar to make a gas that would blow up our balloons!
Play the States of Matter games by following the link below!
Matter Games

Have fun!
W

Physical Features

2011-10-12T15:51:00.001-04:00

Today we learned about Manmade Features and Physical Features. Physical features, also called landforms are what the Earth looks like without people changing it. Follow the link below to find more physical features, worth 100 points each. For 100 more points apiece, list important physical features on YOUR CONTINENT. You have to give the proper name of the physical feature. For example--the Everglades is a physical feature of North America.

http://www.mrnussbaum.com/wlandforms.htm
Leave a comment with your suggestions!

Have Fun!!
Mrs. W.

We Remember 9/11

2011-09-09T05:14:00.001-04:00

On Thursday Bruce Elementary remembered 9/11 with a special assembly, which was attended by the first responders from Eaton including police officers, firefighters, emergency medical personnel and the Sheriff's office. Our class began discussing the events on 9/11 by watching The Man Who Walked Between the Towers, which is the story of Phillipe Petit and his daring tightrope walk between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. At first the kids thought that the story was fiction, but then we saw a real news report confirming the event. It was a great way for them to see how an author will use great pictures and words to make a real story interesting for third graders!

Here's the link so you can watch the book again!

The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordecai Gerstein

A New Year!

2011-08-26T20:05:00.000-04:00

This week I want everyone to enjoy looking at all of the links on our class blog. Try www.sheppardsoftware.com. Click on Math games and try out Math Man! Great, fun fact practice...and you choose what you want to work on. Also take a look at Math Mahjong for some fact matching and a place value game.
Enjoy--oh and DO YOUR HOMEWORK!!! :D
W

10, 9, 8, 7.......School!

2011-08-10T13:58:00.000-04:00

The countdown to third grade has begun! I have been working in our classroom to get it ready for you on August 24. We will have a surprise this year--Mr. Jobes will be teaching you along with Mr. Silver, Mrs. Donaldon and me. The more, the merrier, right?
I would like to invite all of you to drop by to visit the classroom on Friday, August 19, from 9:00-1:00. You can look the room over, think about where you want to sit, find the bathroom and cafeteria--you know, all the important stuff! Can't wait to meet Jenna, Erin, Cole, Caleb, Riley, Jarell, Ty
Felix, Megan, Heather, Yori, Lucy, Paige, Brooke, Kayleigh, Gabe, Kylan, Cameron, Kylee, Travis, Ryota, Kyla, Ari, Moyu, Evan, Nick, Katelyn AND Kenny! (did I miss anybody?)
See you soon,
Mrs. Wike

Summer is almost over!

2011-07-22T15:21:00.000-04:00

Hello, Kiddos!
I am glad that summer is almost over. I guess I'm a weird teacher, wishing that I was back in school. I do hope that the weather cools off a bit, especially since my room is now on the HOT side of the building. Yuck.
Anybody need to see how they're doing in math or science? Follow this link:
http://education.jlab.org/solquiz/
Choose math or science and your grade level, decide how many questions you want to answer and take a quiz! My class will be using this site a lot next year!
W.

SUMMER!!

2011-06-15T21:03:00.000-04:00

Hello, Wike's World Kiddos!
Welcome to the "oldies" and the "newbies!" I hope that my former students--who I love deeply--and my new students--who I will love deeply--use the links on this blog all of the time and get lots of use out of it. Hey, NEWBIES! We get to have IXL next year to practice math again. Whoop! Until you get your username and password, get on the other sites listed here--Oldies, could you comment and suggest your favorite sites to practice math and everything else? If you find a new site, let me know and I'll post it.
Love to all of you,
Mrs. W.

ps. I wish I was in school right now!!!

We Love Words!

2011-03-17T20:12:00.000-04:00

We are enjoying working with new words that we find in our reading. Big words don't scare us! We like to look them up in the dictionary, think of a good synonym for the word, also think of an antonym, just to be sure we really know what the word means, then return to our good book to really understand what we're reading! Today I'm posting some new sites to help us look up unknown words quickly.
Also, we love the site www.freerice.com. It feels good to help hungry people just by solving multiplication problems or finding word definitions. What a great thing it would be for every one of us to take five or ten minutes a day to practice facts while doing a good deed!
I'm proud of my Prairie Dogs! We had a great day today!

Another Great Inventor

2011-02-03T20:51:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Becks and Addie, we have learned about two great Ohio inventors. For challenge number 3, name another inventor from Ohio....Dayton to be exact, who had 4 important inventions that made our lives and our Country better.
Oh, and you need to name the inventions. This will be worth 500 points.
See ya tomorrow, Prairie Dogs. Don't forget your homework!
W

We Have A Winner!!!

2011-02-02T19:19:00.000-05:00

Good Job, Becks! You gave all of the correct answers to today's post. Yes, Snowflake Bentley's real name was Wilson Bentley and he was famous for photographing snowflakes. He showed how every single snowflake is different from any other. Wow! Looking at all of the snowflakes out there, I can hardly believe that!
Beck also gave 5 of Thomas Edison's inventions and told me that Granville Woods was known as the Black Thomas Edison. He invented a telegraph that trains could use while they were in motion, saving many lives. The reason that we don't know about him is because he was African American. Doesn't seem fair, does it?
SOOOO, for 1000 points, who invented the stoplight? Sorry, Beck, you'll have to call one of your teammates to get them to answer. You've thought enough for one day!
Good Luck, Prairie Dogs!
W

What a Winter Blast!!

2011-02-02T11:29:00.000-05:00

Well, Prairie Dogs, the weather outside is pretty crummy, but that's no reason you can't get your brains working! Here are a couple of challenges for you. Call your friends, let them know that they can get online and follow some brand new links and get points while they're at it!
First of all, take a look at all of the sites that I've listed for you to learn about famous people. You can read on your own and have some books read to you. Since we're in the middle of an icy blast, why not get on Bookflix and check out the book about Snowflake Bentley. For 100 points, what was Snowflake Bentley's real name? For 100 more points, what was he famous for?
Secondly, you can do a search for some inventors that were extremely important. Look at Thomas Edison! We remember him for the lightbulb, but he also invented some other important items. For 100 points apiece, name 5 more of his inventions. THEN for 1000 points, who was the Black Thomas Edison? What did he invent, and WHY DON'T WE KNOW HIS NAME AS WELL AS WE KNOW THOMAS EDISON'S?
Send your answers to me and I'll award points in my next post.
Mrs. Wike's email
Have a great time off and PUT DOWN THOSE VIDEO GAMES! Read a book, play a math game, count money, play store, play school......
Oh I am also adding a site for you to practice cursive.
Love,
W

Yay!

2011-01-20T18:37:00.001-05:00

Greetings, Prairie Dogs!
Guess what? I'm going to be Grandma tomorrow! I won't be at school so I'll see ya on Monday.
I'm very excited!!!
W

Happy Holidays Again!

2010-12-24T12:57:00.000-05:00

Well, I missed seeing all of you on Wednesday and giving you your Christmas Vacation Survival Kit. You'll be getting it when we get together in the New Year.
Now here's another great greeting for you....
Kitty Card

Have a nice Christmas. Check back for info next week on our first challenge of the New Year.
W

Merry Christmas

2010-12-17T12:16:00.001-05:00

I hope everyone has a great holiday!
Mrs. Wike

A Christmas Card for You

America's Giant Statue

2010-12-03T15:14:00.000-05:00

America’s Giant Statue

By Room 2

Not like the famous, bronze statue of Greece,

With powerful, boasting legs standing across the ocean;

Here at the gates to our country will stand

A strong woman with a flaming torch like lightning

That lights the way.

She is the Mother of people who are abandoned

And need a home.

The torch in her hand welcomes all to our free land

Her mild eyes are looking at

The harbor and out to the sea.

“Europe, you can keep all of your precious valuables!” She utters without speaking.

“Send me your poor, tired, and hardworking

Your boats crowded with hopeful people, desiring to be free

The miserable, unwanted souls from your overflowing lands.

Send the downhearted and disappointed to this land,

I lift my torch to welcome you to the Golden Entrance of Freedom!”

The Great American Melting Pot

2010-11-17T09:02:00.000-05:00

This month we are discussing immigration and are celebrating the diversity of American culture. We've started with the great poem by Emma Lazarus
"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free..."
The kids are analyzing the entire poem, beginning with the comparison of the great Colossus of Rhodes

to the Statue of Liberty.

The kids will be defining difficult words in the poem, then rewriting it so third graders can understand its powerful meaning for third graders. They will then work to make a large mural illustrating the poem for our Hallway of Learning.

Follow the new links to learn more about immigrants!

October Fun

2010-10-21T10:40:00.003-04:00

Sorry that it's been such a long time since I posted about the goings on here in Wike's World. We've been busy, busy busy, like a bunch of PRAIRIE DOGS! We are trying to be just like Prairie Dogs--alert, bright eyes, listening and thinking!

We're learning all about the world around us, specifically, physical features and landforms, manmade features such as buildings, monuments and houses and are making connections about how those two features connect! Plains + Farms=Crops Forests+Cabins=Ft. St. Clair. Now we're working on travel brochures for our community, showing our climate and features that make Eaton a great place to visit.

A Great Week

2010-09-24T06:50:00.002-04:00

We have had a great week, here in Wike's World. Our focus has been on the Preamble to the Constitution. The Preamble is full of big hopes and dreams for our country, but is hard for third graders to understand. So we circled words that had difficult meanings, looked those words up in the dictionary, and are replacing them in the Preamble. THis will help us write out own Preamble and Constitution for our class this year!
The Constitution is an important list of principles that guide the United States today. We need out own Constitution! Your challenge is to list 3 principles to put in our class Constitution next week. 100 points for each good suggestion.
Good Luck!

Your First Challenge!

2010-09-08T07:09:00.003-04:00

We are enjoying learning about the Continents and Oceans here in Wike's World. Every group now represents a Continent, all except Antarctica which is cold and lonely and uninhabited. Each group needs points! You're earning points for working together, keeping your area neat and great behavior. Here's a chance for MORE points!

We've learned about the 7 Continents and 4 Oceans. For 50 points an answer, name other bodies of water. Also for 50 points, name some physical features on your continent. Remember that physical features are places that are not made by man. (a mountain is a physical feature) Lastly, name some countries and they Continent they are on.

Leave a comment with your answers! Be sure to only use your first name in your comment.

Have FUN!!

New Third Graders

2010-08-24T06:29:00.002-04:00

We've begun our new school year and I'm so impressed with my new students. We had a great day yesterday. I hope that all of you find this blog to be fun and useful in practicing math facts and just learning new things!
How did everyone's first day go?

My DUH Moment!

2010-08-16T15:48:00.002-04:00

Yay! The school year hasn't even started and I've already had my huge DUH moment! I'm getting it out of the way early this year. I sent out my new student letter inviting folks to visit on Wednesday, August 17. Well, DUH, Mrs. W! Wednesday is the 18th!
That's ok! I plan to be in my room from 10:00 until 2:00 BOTH days, so I'll be looking forward to meeting my new families on either day.

2010-08-13T15:11:00.002-04:00

Check out the new Eaton City Schools website:
http://www.eaton.k12.oh.us
Click on William Bruce Elementary, scroll down to teacher pages, then scroll on down to the "W's" to find my homepage. I've posted my new student letter. Let me know what you think!
I've been in to work in my room a lot over the past week and it looks good! I think my former students will be surprised and proud of me--I got rid of lots of stuff! Can you believe it? Also, the desks look ok. I let last year's class talk me into them--you guys had better be right! :D I also put lots of pictures from the last two years out on the big bulletin board, so come on by and take a walk down memory lane!
THANK YOU, Mr. Powell, for getting us all new fans for our rooms!

Almost August

2010-07-25T09:59:00.002-04:00

Hello, Kiddos,
I'm sorry that I haven't posted, but I've been taking a class for the last two weeks. The class was called Teaching Integrated Language Arts, which is big talk for teaching kids to be good writers in all subjects in school. I learned some REALLY COOL new ideas for pubishing and some EVEN COOLER ideas for getting thoughts organized for writing. Can't wait to give it all a try.
I hope that some of my new students are reading the blog and getting ready for a great third grade year. You'll be happy to know that all of your school supplies will be provided for you this year! We will have community supplies of pencils, crayons, scissors, glue and folders. I'll be sending you all a letter in August detailing the items that you'll need to buy on your own.
Hope everyone is having a great summer. I hope it cools off a little! :)
W

2010-07-09T20:14:00.002-04:00

I've been pretty busy this summer, but I've also been able to relax and do lots of knitting and crocheting. Since I'm going to be a GRANDMA I've got to work on little booties and sweaters. How about you guys? What have you been up to?
Also, I'm thinking a lot about next year and I'd like for my former kiddos to list their top 2 or 3 things that we did in third grade that they like the best AND learned the most from. Too bad I can't still award points!
Help me out, GANG!

Let's see what you remember.........

2010-07-04T11:05:00.002-04:00

Ok, World Cup soccer goes on for another week. The results have been pretty surprising to me. I guess John and I had the whole bit wrong...no Argentina! What's up with that? :D
Now, the challenge: what is the season in South Africa right now? HOw do you know that?
Is anybody watching the Tour de France? I like it because you get to see what Europe/France looks like. I also like to watch the cycling. Those guys are really great athletes! Quite cool!

World Cup Challenge

2010-06-24T19:20:00.002-04:00

Now, Kiddos, let's look at your answers to the World Cup Challenge. My question was what chance did the US have to win the World Cup at the beginning. Of course this question doesn't take into account the talents of all of the teams, etc. Just wondering the simple probability of the US winning.
Remember that anything in front of the decimal is a whole number. No team has a 100% chance of winning (sorry, John), which is what 1 would be. I also don't think that the US had a 60% chance of winning.
Think about the number that makes up the whole. That would be 32, since 32 teams started the competition. Therefore, the US had a 1 in 32 chance of winning the world cup. Now when I divide 1 team by 32 teams, I get 3%.
Now there are only 16 teams. What's the chance the US will win now? (ah, who are we kidding? Argentina is going to win :D )
Please try to remember this stuff before you all go to fourth grade. Ya bunch of NUTS!!!
Miss ya!
W

ps Welcome to any brand new third graders for next year! Can you figure out this challenge? Ask you parents for help!

2010-06-23T06:33:00.002-04:00

The South Carolina State Capitol has be home to many people who have made an impact on the history of the United States. Some are Henry Clay and Strom Thurmond, who was the longest serving US Senator in history. During the Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman attacked Columbia, turning his cannons on the State House. When the battle was won, he rode his horse up the steps and through the building to show that he was the conqueror! Now you can walk around the outside and see the places where cannonballs hit the outer walls because there is a gold star to mark the holes. You can also see where the Union troops tried to destroy the statue of George Washington, but it was so sturdy that they could only chop off the bottom of the walking stick!
I really enjoyed seeing the Capitol building and learning about it.
And the State Capitol building that was voted the most beautiful? Harrisburg, Pennsylvania! Now that I'd like to see!
Here's a World Cup Cup challenge...in the beginning of the competition, what was the chance that the US would win the World Cup?

Greetings from Columbia, South Carolina!

2010-06-16T06:48:00.002-04:00

Hello, Kiddos,
I am in Columbia, South Carolina, for a conference. It's been very hot here--over 100 degrees with high humidity. We have had some meetings, but have also been able to explore and swim in the pool. The very best, most interesting place that I visited was the South Carolina State Capitol building, which was voted the second most beautiful statehouse in the country. THere are lots of monuments and you can even see where cannonballs struck the statehouse during the Civil War! My favorite part was standing inside and looking up into the dome on top. It was beautiful.
For your challenge.....give me 5 facts about the South Carolina State Capitol building. How is is historic? What famous people have worked or warred there? AND if it's the second most beautiful statehouse, which is the first?
Leave me a comment!
I'll be back in Ohio tonight.
W

The BIG ONE!

2010-05-21T18:52:00.002-04:00

Ok, people. I want to know what a sesquicentennial is and just when the sesquicentennial of Eaton Ohio took place. What did the people look like? How did they dress? What did the transportation look lik? What technology was available at that time? Describe the Eaton of that time. How about, oh, say, 1000 points? I'll go up to 5000 for a really good entry with great details. Game ON!

Write a review!

2010-05-15T12:56:00.003-04:00

I will still be rewarding points for the previous post. Looks like John, AvaBeth and Tyler have each earned 500 points already. NOW, I'd like for some people to follow the new links on soil and write a review for you classmates. Which sites did you like the best and which sites taught you the most. Remember to give good details and reasons for your choices.
HMMM, Let's see....this should be worth 1000 per review, don't you think?
Also, don't forget to bring in some small rocks on Monday!

Rocks, Soil and the Environment

2010-05-14T11:24:00.003-04:00

Use the new links to learn about rocks and soil. For 500 points, how can you make bad soil good for gardening? Why are plants important to soil? What is erosion?

An easier challenge--I hope!

2010-04-01T21:08:00.002-04:00

Sorry, Gang, but the last challenge was pretty hard. Tyler Sue and I exchanged several emails regarding the problems with my numbers and she was exactly right! I was wrong! YIKES. Good Job, Sweet Peets.
NOW a new challenge which should not be such a big problem. Yesterday I walked around my yard, which is 2 acres. I took 520 steps. I'd like to see how many times around my yard I'll have to walk to walk 1 mile. What do I still need to find out in order to see how many times around my yard will equal 1 mile?
Let me know! 500 points for your suggestions!
W

A New Challenge,

2010-03-30T19:35:00.002-04:00

Ok, I've been working on some crochet designs and you can help me figure them out! When I start the top of a hat, I want to crochet around and around, making a flat circle, so I have to put more stitches in each row.
If I start with 8 stitches, I will need to double them on the next round, which of course, gives me 16 stitches. On the rest of the rounds, I want to increase by 1/3, 1/4, 1/5, 1/6, 1/7 and so on until I get to 10 rounds. How many stitches will I have on the tenth row? How many will I have on every round until I reach 20 rounds?
Have fun! Oh and you can all blame Tyler Sue for this one! :)
Wikey

Ohio Wildlife

2010-03-11T09:35:00.001-05:00

Follow the link to the Ohio Wildlife for Kids magazine. You'll learn lots about the animals that we can expect to see right here in our own state!

Ohio Inventors

2010-03-10T09:42:00.002-05:00

We are thinking about great heroes from Ohio. For 50 points apiece, name the 5 inventors from Ohio and tell what each is famous for.

Yay! I see the sun!!`

2010-03-08T19:33:00.002-05:00

Hello, Team Wike!
Aren't you glad that we've had some lovely, sunny days lately? BUT, as we already have discussed, there is a saying about March....if it comes in like a lion, it goes out like a lamb. This time, March has come in like a lamb, so it will go out like a lion. Where do you think these sayings come from? They must have beginnings from many years ago.
Good luck to the few who are researching Gandhi's March to the Sea. Questions to answer are:
1. Why did it happen?
2. What did Gandhi do?
3. What was the result of Gandhi's actions?
Did Gandhi always obey the law?
For that matter, did Harriet Tubman always obey the law? Do you agree that they were right in what they did? Why?
You are all great students. Good luck with this challenge. I'm giving 1000 points for a great response to these questions.
W

March 1??? Are you kiddin' me?

2010-02-28T19:53:00.004-05:00

It just can't be that the date tomorrow will be March 1! What Up??? I guess after all of our snow days that I just got a little lazy.
Sooooooooo, who watched the Olympics today? Wow! Mr. Wike (my sweetie) and I watched the 50 kilometer cross country skiing race. For the same amount of points, how many meters would 50 kilometers be? (I'm going to catch you on this one!!!) Also the winners were only separated by 1 second between gold and bronze. It was so hard for me to comprehend! So, just for fun, about how many miles would 50 kilometers be? (same points as the answer)
And how about that hockey??? The USA was so very close! We got the silver medal and gave Canada way more than they wanted! Right, KJ?
See you tomorrow, Wike's Wonders!! Be ready to work on those Presidents Reports.
Wikey

March 1??? Are you kiddin' me?

2010-02-28T19:53:00.000-05:00

Yay! I'm back onlines

2010-02-22T20:16:00.001-05:00

Hello, TeamWike!

Yes, my laptop has been resurrected, and I can now respond to your posts. I will be looking at your comments and awarding points tomorrow.

Mrs. W

Hello Snow Bunnies

2010-02-16T17:43:00.004-05:00

Here we are finally back to school! Thanks everybody for the great comments you've been leaving on the blog. Hopefully my laptop at home will be revived so I can post more challenges for you.
Challenge: watch the Olympics on tv or get updates on a computer. You need to choose an event, list the top 5, their times and the difference between the times. For example:
Women's super combined:
Vonn, Lindsay 1:24.16
Riesch, Maria 1:24.49
Mancuso, Julie 1:24.96
Suter, Fabienne 1:25.29
Marchand-Arvier, Marie 1:25.41
I'm not going to take the time to figure out the difference in their times, but I can tell must by looking that the top 3 were separated by less than 1 second---less than half a second! Wow! This challenge is worth 100 points for each group that you do. NO calculators! Also, 25 extra points for giving an example of what could have happened to make one skier go slower than another.
Have fun!

Snowy days

2010-02-09T22:26:00.003-05:00

Ahh, Old Gutenburg...........

2010-02-05T19:42:00.002-05:00

Troops, the Gutenburg Bible was the first book printed widely on his brand new printing press. Don't forget that people in the 1400s were extemely religious and they wanted to read the Bible more than anything. (the Bible is the most widely published book in history!)
500 points to Avabeth, Squidgy, and JEA for pinpointing this great historical event.
AND 150 points to Kam9, since I'll have to agree about the historical importance of the toilet!
NEW CHALLENGE!!! Who, in your OPINION, is one of the greatest inventors or scientists of all time? I'm going with Benjamin Franklin for his invention of bifocals, the lightening rod and the Franklin stove. What do you think? Give me a name and evidence. 250 points at stake. Good Luck!

2010-02-05T11:18:00.001-05:00

Yes, AvaBeth and Tyler Sue. Johannes Gutenburg did invent the printing press, which is generally considered the greatest invention of all time. Until that time (1468) books were hand written and had to be chained to the library shelves to make sure that nobody stole them! Now, what was the first book that he printed? (500 points!)

Congratulations and you can double your points!!

...and a good time was had by all!

2010-01-30T23:15:00.003-05:00

Hello, Kiddos,
Just wanted to let everybody know that the wedding of the decade was a smashing success. Everything was just beautiful AND the cupcakes were faboo!
NEW CHALLENGE: On Wednesday we had quite a discussion about what is a fact and what is an opinion. Remember that you cannot have an argument about a fact. Oh, you can question details about a fact, but you cannot argue that it really happened. An opinion is what you feel about a subject after you learn the facts. You will think about what is most important to you about something, then form an opinion. Many times other people won't agree with you, but that's ok...everybody has their own ideas and opinions!
Just before the year 2000, I watched a tv show that gave a list of the greatest inventions of the past 2000 years. I remember what that show said--in the opinion of the writers--was the greatest invention. They had really good reasons and I will have to agree with their conclusion.
So, what do you think was the greatest invention of the past 2000 years? Why do you think it was the greatest invention? Can you guess what is generally accepted as the greatest invention ever? Write a comment with your OPINION of the best invention along with your facts that support why it is the best and I'll award 250 points. If you can guess the greatest invention, I'll double whatever points your team has now.
Have fun discussing this with your family!
Good Luck, Team Wike!
W

Rock On, Team Wike!

2010-01-24T18:38:00.002-05:00

Great job, KayCon, Avabeth, and KJ, aka Hockey Dude. They left correct and insightful comments regarding the importance of Rachel Carson and Marian Anderson in American history.
NEW CHALLENGE!!! What would our world be like if Thomas Edison had never lived? You'll need to write a few sentences and make comparisons between our world and a world without the inventions of Thomas Edison. This one's a doozy.......500 points!
We have a new policy about homework. I will be grading reading homework every week. If a student does not have his or her homework for 2 weeks in a row, I'll be mailing home a letter to make sure that parents are aware that the homework wasn't completed. Also, the grade will be a 60% (sorry, an F, but not a 0, which would be worse!) until the homework is completed and returned, at which time I'll grade the work and change the grade.
Great job for the 81% of the class who returned homework. Keep up the work, and let's help these others to get on board as we work for 100%!

Famous People

2010-01-14T14:57:00.000-05:00

This week we continued to read about famous people and learned about 2 courageous
women: Marian Anderson and Rachel Carson. Both of them made a mark on history
in very different ways. Ask your child why we remember them and why I characterize
them as "heroic and courageous." I'll give 100 points for each student who leaves a comment
on the blog with the correct answer.

January News

2010-01-06T12:41:00.003-05:00

We have hit the ground running here in Wike's World. On Tuesday we read the book Lou Gehrig, The Luckiest Man to kick off our famous people unit. The kids changed groups and group focuses to reflect our unit of study. Our groups are : Explorers, Adventurers, Movers and Shakers, Artists and Sports People, Inventors and Scientists. Each group has the task of listing famous people and the reason those people "fit" into their group. On Fridays each group will have the chance to teach the rest of the class about the people they've researched.
Also, grades are now being posted regularly on Progress Book. If you do not have your code, please call the office. Expect to see a weekly assessment or quiz for Reading, Language and Math.
Don't forget that grading is a process--never let one or two low grades throw you. Remember that I average in 10 points for every week that homework is completed, which is a whopping 90 points. This should encourage you and your child to be responsible to get that Friday Folder in on Friday!
As always, let me know if you have any questions!
Susan Wike

Great Job!

2009-12-30T21:43:00.004-05:00

Great Job, Team Wike on our Holiday Challenges! I'm so impressed with your efforts to keep learning over our nice break. Many of you have put your new continents ahead with your work over the holidays. Congratulations and have a sucker on ME when you come back on Monday!

LAST HOLIDAY CHALLENGE!

Research and find out the origin (beginning) of the Chinese New Year calendar. What can you tell me about the the animals on the calendar and the characteristics that are given to people who have the particular birth dates. (Lyd, are you reading this? :D) A short report (oh, about 10 sentences) will reap you 1000 points. Use the internet or whatever resources that you have, but be prepared to tell me where you got your information if I aske you.
Either send your report to my email or write it out to turn in next week.
Here's where you really impress me!

OH, and I'll give 100 points for every 10 minutes spent practicing math facts. Please let me know the site used and the amount of time and we'll work out the points.

Expecting great things,

Love you all,

Wikey

A New Challenge and Merry Christmas!

2009-12-22T16:39:00.005-05:00

Hello, Team Wike,
Congratulations to all of the kids who responded to the simile and metaphor challenge. You'll be starting your continent off on the right foot in January. Want to keep it up?
Click over to Brain Pop. My username and password are listed on the website. Watch up to 5 Brain Pop movies and take the quiz. Email your results to me-- susanwike@gmail.com-- and I'll give you 10 points for each correcct answer on each quiz that you complete. If you watch more than 5, I'll give 1 point for each correct response. I'll post results on the right. This challenge will close on Sunday, December 27.
Have fun, learn a lot and have a great Christmas!
Love,
Mrs. Wikey

PS--for 100 points answer this question: what is significant about December 22? (hint-watch Solstice and Equinox) Email me with your answer before Christmas Day.

Earn 25 points!!

2009-12-19T17:56:00.003-05:00

Hello, Team Wike!
Today I've been watching The Food Network and have noticed that the chefs try to use similes and metaphors to describe their different dishes. One chef has described his sweet dessert dishes as "light as a cloud."
For 25 points apiece, leave a comment with some similes that you know. Yes, please ask your family for ideas! Here's the kicker............you have to tell what the simile means in real words. For example the chef was saying that his dishes were so light and airy that you can almost see through it, just like a cloud!
This will be open until Tuesday, December 22. Call your friends so they can enter the contest.
I love you all and I miss you already!
Mrs. Wikey

How To Keep You Healthy

2009-10-28T09:25:00.004-04:00

**I will be posting examples of the excellent writing that our class is producing during our independent writing time. Each will have a spot where to identify "writer's purpose," or the reason that he or she chose to write. Mrs. W.

How to Keep You Healthy
by Tyler Sue

Always wash your hands in warm water for at least 20 seconds
Always keep your hands away from your mouth and nose.
Buy this GermXOff bottle and put it on your hands every once and an hour.
Try to stay away from people that are sick.
(Don't ever sleep with your brother/sister at night if they're sick.)
Buy some vitamins and take before school and after you get home from school.
Don't ever drink out of someone's cup if they're sick or a bit of their food.
Eat healthy foods.
****Dress up in the right clothes for the right season, like for winter, wear heavy warm clothes.

PEACE!
(My purpose is to list!)
Great Job, Tyler Sue!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Trying to stay Flu Free

2009-10-23T07:10:00.002-04:00

We are trying to stay "flu free" in our classroom these days. Our class has had several discussions about washing hands, using tissues and keeping our hands away from our faces. Unfortunately, even though we've tried, we still have several kids out with the flu. I miss all of you and hope that you're back soon.
If you have time, try some math games on Shepherd Software like Addition or Subtraction Mahjong. Also, try Changemaker on Funbrain, where you will be using the counting up method for making change. You might also enjoy learning the 50 states, also on the Shepherd Software geography site.
Get Well Soon, Everybody!
Mrs. W.

A Note about Grading

2009-09-23T06:34:00.003-04:00

Interims will be coming out on Friday and I think this is a good time for me to communicate my own philosophy of grading for third graders. I believe that students of this age need to practice their skills over and over which will make their confidence and self-esteem grow. I want them to review their work and make corrections and revisions when necessary so they are really learning the material or skill that we're working on. Remember that a grade in a gradebook is only a small snapshot of the learning that is going on!
I remember a sad little story that will explain my philosophy in this regard. I had a sweet girl in my class who was just of average abilities, but was absolutely the hardest worker in the whole class. At that time, I posted grades on Progress Book and she received a couple of Ds on very minor assignments. I knew that I would be taking more grades and that she would be able to pull that D up, so I wasn't worried. However, her zealous mom who checked grades every morning saw the Ds and totally flipped out! She berated this poor little girl, sending her in to school in tears. Do you think that child was feeling good about herself and her skills after that? No, she dreaded school and didn't even want to try for fear of failure. NOT WHAT I WANT!!! TOTALLY HORRIBLE!! So, that very day I took my grades off of Progress Book and only post interims and report cards. I cannot let another child feel that kind of despair ever again.
Come second semester you will start seeing more grades. At that time the kids will have honed their skills and will be ready for the "pressure" of grades. Most importantly, they'll feel good about themselves and understand the level of effort they will have to put forth to succeed in school.

August 28-Sept. 4

2009-08-28T14:37:00.004-04:00

Another great week for Team Wike. This is a lovely group of kids and we will work well together. What a sharp group! I'm impressed with their reading and writing abilities!

Weekly newsletter link:
http://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0BwWtEFhJKie-YTdkNjI2ZGQtOWEyNi00N2E5LTg0MWUtNzhmMWI2MWY3ODgx&hl=en
Top-it boards
http://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0BwWtEFhJKie-NjYxYmQ3MzUtYTkyZi00ODBlLTgwNGUtMjJhNWE3ZDVjNGZl&hl=en

You can also play Top-it by clicking on the Sail On link, going to third grade math and clicking the Top-it link. Be sure to say the number that you make!

A change of plans.......

2009-08-24T14:16:00.001-04:00

The PTA meeting originally scheduled for August 25 has been changed to September 8 at 7:00 in the Bruce Multipurpose room.

Our First Week!

2009-08-21T13:56:00.006-04:00

We had a great week. Although it was extremely hot and steamy, the kids had a great sense of humor and worked hard.
Parents, be sure to read our newsletter, remove it and other important papers to keep for your reference. Sign the signature sheet, checking appropriate boxes to show that reading and fact practice was completed and return everything on Friday.
Enclosed is a paper from Mr. Silvers concerning rules for PE. Please look it over, sign it and return as soon as possible.

ALSO, parents, please sign and return our School--Parent Compact with the Friday Folder!
Here's a link to our newsletter:
http://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0BwWtEFhJKie-YTlhYTg1YzctMzljMS00YzU1LTg0MTUtZjE2ZDU0YjE5N2Vk&hl=en

Here's a copy of homework:
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AQWtEFhJKie-ZGRmZmYzbm5fMTBmcmRoOXBmNg&hl=en
Now here's a copy of the Parent/School Compact. Be sure to fill one out and return it soon.
http://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0BwWtEFhJKie-ZDgyMDFmMmUtOWViZS00NWRlLWI4YmEtNzk5M2MxMzhiOGRi&hl=en
Hope this blog is helping! It's been a learning experience for me, that's for sure!
Let me know if it isn't working! :D
Mrs. W.

Dear Parents and Students,

2009-08-07T11:59:00.002-04:00

Dear Parents and Students,
It’s that time again! Do you hear those school bells ringing? I hope that you all had a great summer and are ready to get to Bruce Elementary to start the year as a member of Team Wike, the best class in the whole school!
I introduced myself and my lovely family in my letter to you at the end of last year. If you did not receive a copy or want to re-read it, now is a great time to get on our class homepage! Notice that the address has changed to be more user friendly. You can not only read the letter, but you can also follow some of the links for skills practice and fun.
www.wikesworld.blogspot.com
This page is for you to get announcements and links to our weekly newsletter and copies of homework if you’ve lost track of yours. I hope that the homepage will be a useful tool for you over the next year. Please give me your feedback!
Here is a brief overview of what to expect for your child for the coming year:

Literacy—We follow the Literacy Collaborative framework for teaching all aspects of literacy including reading, writing and word study. The students will be reading independently every single day, choosing books that are “just right.” These books will be interesting,
appealing and on that child’s comfortable reading level. The students will enjoy sharing books by
genre, author, topic, and illustrations. A big part of our reading instruction is Read Aloud where I will share books using the projector or ELMO choosing books that align with our monthly
theme.

We will also continue with guided reading groups where I will choose books for a group of students with similar reading abilities or interest in a particular topic. These groups will be a springboard for discussions about literary elements (characters, main ideas, important detail, and sequencing) then showing understanding of these elements by writing in the Readers Notebook.

Along with reading, we will focus on different writing styles this year during writing workshop. These will include summaries, friendly letters, poetry, creative writing, and research. Students will be required to write in the writer’s notebook for 10-15 minutes two to three times a week. This writing will be similar to a journal or diary and will be used as a tool for editing, revising and publishing. We will begin cursive writing soon and hopefully be finished with all of the letters by Christmas.
Math—We will be working on the basic facts, starting with addition. Please check the weekly newsletter for our fact focus of the week. There are many class activities that make math “make sense” to the kids. A few of these are third grade lunch count where the kids go to the rooms to collect the data, then we add and subtract to calculate the number of packers, buyers and absent in the third grade. We also use our data to make different types of graph to show how the entire third grade’s lunch choices for the day, week and month. Finally our school district has adopted a brand new math series called Math Connects for use in the classroom. You’ll find that our class is constantly finding ways to apply math ineveryday life, making it fun and useful!
Science/Social Studies—We will use science and social studies themes to integrate the entire curriculum and practice our reading and math skills. For example, we will look at the monarch butterfly migration, tying in life cycles, habitats, map skills, countries, and even comparing cultures. In January we look at famous people, both real and “pretend.” The class and I will read many biographies and discuss how this person made history. We’ll place that person on a timeline and on our map of the world and have a science or social studies activity to displaythis person’s influence on the world. The kids will choose a famous person that he or she admires to research and present in a report and display. You’ll see how this type of integrated learning makes sense to the kids and makes them eager to learn more!
Homework—All homework and the weekly newsletter will come home on Friday or the last day of the week. Each student will have a Friday Folder. In it you will find a newsletter with announcements, information and important events. Please remove this newsletter and keep it for your reference. Every week each student is expected to read for 60 minutes and practice math facts for 45 minutes. There will be a place in the Friday Folder to indicate that this has been done and the newsletter we received. There will also be math practice sheets and reading comprehension packets. Be sure that they are finished and returned in the folder on Friday. You may organize your homework any way that is convenient for you and your family, but be aware that I expect everything completed and returned on Friday, without fail. If you save everything for Thursday night, it will be quite overwhelming. Students who do not have their Friday Folder completed and signed will do that work at recess or computer time on Friday.
Grading—Students will receive letter grades in reading, language arts, science, social studies and math. I am a firm believer that kids learn best when they are successful; therefore kids will be giving ample opportunities to make corrections, redo assignments or do alternative assignments, have intervention from me or the tutor so that a firm foundation can be built. I want these students to feel confident about their abilities so their lifelong learning will be successful!
Snack—I have a structured snack time every day at 10:00 and 3:00. It just makes sense for the kids to have something in their tummies to keep their minds focused on school and not on being hungry! The kids may bring a small snack such as pretzels, Cheez its, crackers, breakfast bars or fruit. Please no candy! Kids may also bring in snack for the whole class if they would like. Remember that snack is a privilege that may be revoked at any time!
Behavior—Good behavior is expected. Students are expected to be a productive part of Team Wike and treat each other with kindness and respect. As a team, we respect the learning of other classes, monitoring our behavior in the hallway and lunchroom. Failure to follow our classroom rules will not only involve consequences for the individual, but will be a reflection on our team and a disappointment to teammates. I will be instructing the class on good behavior and will expect it for the entire year.
The official open house for Bruce is,Thursday, August 20. I would like to,meet you before school and let the kids come in to get settled. Sooooooooooo, I would like to invite all of,my families to come visit me on Thursday, August 13. I will be in the classroom from about 9:00,until 2:00. I will have a slide show,available for you to see (and will try to link it on the homepage as well) and,will have your first newsletter with our class procedures outlined for you at,that time. Hope to see you!
Finally, please don’t hesitate to,call or email any questions that you may have this year. My email is susanwike@gmail.com. Email is the best way to get in touch,because I check it several times a day and before dismissal. You can always reach me here at school at 456-3874.
Enjoy your last days of summer.

Your

Friend,

Mrs. Susan Wike

Wike's World Slide show

2009-08-06T16:43:00.001-04:00

Follow this link to see our slideshow detailing class procedures and other information.
http://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0AQWtEFhJKie-ZGRmZmYzbm5fM3NkZnB4ZnQ3&hl=en

2009-08-06T16:29:00.000-04:00

Welcome!
A big welcome to my new students and your families! I appreciate the opportunity to be a part of your lives for the coming year. Please check this blog frequently for copies of our weekly newsletter, attached homework as well as pictures of class projects.
Here is some important information for you to remember:
Supplies--
***Each student will need to bring a large box of yellow pencils and a box of crayons to put in the supply closet.
pencils--be sure you have plenty!
crayons--you really don't need the big box--24-32 crayons are enough.
ruler
scissors
erasers
calculator--get one for $1.00 at Dollar General
4 folders--2 with just pockets, 2 with "tangs" (plastic will last all year)
glue--white or glue sticks or both
1 box of tissues
composition notebook
pencil box

Optional supplies: markers, colored pencils

Students may bring a water bottle that can be closed between sips. Also, students may bring a small snack to eat at 10:00 and 3:00. Some ideas are crackers, goldfish, cheese crackers, or anything that can be eaten quickly and neatly while continuing with classwork.
Homework: Each student will have a Friday Folder that will contain homework for the week along with important papers and the weekly newsletter. Please remove important papers, keep the newsletter, sign the homework log and return the Friday Folder with finished homework to school on Friday.

Welcome to our class blog!

2009-08-06T16:17:00.000-04:00

Hello, new students and families!
Here is a link to the letter that you received in June:
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AQWtEFhJKie-ZGRmZmYzbm5fMGNtazR0emdy&hl=en