March P.E. News from Mr. Dunlap

We have a major activity taking place during the month of March. The
third and fourth grades will be participating in the annual Jump Rope
for Heart event. This is a fundraiser for the American Heart
Association. I will be giving the kids a lot more information about
the fundraiser during the first week of March. They will bring home a
fundraiser packet and have a few weeks to raise money. It is not
required that all kids raise money, but strongly encouraged as all the
money goes against the fight against heart disease and stroke. We will
jump rope during the last two P.E. classes before spring break. This
is a fun activity that goes to a great cause and the kids can earn
some prizes along the way.

Arrr Matey! Get to Reading!

Over the next four weeks students will be earning prizes for turning in the regular weekly reading logs. This new reading incentive program has a pirate theme. Last week we had an entertaining assembly with a skit and some great pirate songs to introduce the program. A letter was sent home with each student explaining the rewards. In order to earn the prizes, students must have read AT LEAST 100 minutes for that week. Prizes are as follows:


week 1- ring pop, bookmark
week 2- root beer floats
week 3- sword pen, pirate tattoos
week 4- free recess
Grand Prize for returning 3 out of 4 reading logs- "Peter Pan" movie in the gym and a school wide pajama party

As with any other reward system, students must of course earn the prizes. I hope that this will help get the kids reading through the last of our winter blahs. Thanks for your help from home! Get those kids reading or you'll walk the plank!

New P.E. Blog

Mr. Dunlap has created a P.E. blog to help keep you informed of what's going on in P.E. class. Please check it out!

http://mrdunlapspeblog.blogspot.com/

Iowa Test of Basic Skills

We will be taking the Iowa Test of Basic Skills for six days beginning Thursday, February 10 and ending Thursday, February 17. Testing is scheduled for the first hour of each day. This letter is to inform you of some important information and tips for testing. We have talked about the following things at school, but please read and discuss this with your child.

We would appreciate nutritious snacks for our class to have during testing. Examples: graham crackers, granola bars, cereal bars. There are 22 students in our class.

Changes from 2nd grade:
-All of the tests are timed. When time is up, you must stop, finished or not.
-Every test is read independently. The teacher cannot give help on any words other than the directions.
-The answers are marked on a separate sheet. You don’t mark in the test booklet.

Tips for testing:
-Read every answer before marking a choice.
-If you don’t know an answer, take a guess.
-Work at a comfortable pace.
-When you finish, go back over all of your answers on that test.

Tips for parents:
-Make sure your child is well rested.
-Have your child eat a good breakfast.
-Send a bottle of water to have during testing.
-Encourage your child to do his/her best and not get too stressed about the testing.

Thank you for the help from home. Results will be sent home in a couple months.