Winter Break 2008-2009

It's only been a few days, but I miss my students already! I hope you're all enjoying our time away from school. It's a great chance to spend time with family and friends...and relax in the holiday spirit!

Here's your chance to check in with each other and report on what you're up to during the break. Let us all know how your Christmas or Hanukkah is going, and any relatives you're getting the chance to see. What are your plans for New Year's Eve? Do you plan on trying to stay up all night?

CONGRATULATIONS 3P!

Through TEAMWORK and DEDICATION, 3P won 1st place in the Fall 2008 Southern Boulevard School Scooter Polo Tournament! Students have been working very hard and doing their best to work as a team for the past few weeks, and their hard work has paid off!

The other classes posed a strong challenge, but 3P ended up being the top team in the tournament. I am so proud of my students for showing such great sportsmanship after each game they played. They have displayed so much respect for their opponents and have been a perfect example of how to act as a team!

Keep up the great work, 3P. Let's do it again in 2009!

Math Madness in 3P

On Wednesday, November 26, 3P will hold our annual Math Madness Day! Parents, siblings, and other family members are invited to come to Room 203 at 11:00 AM to play math games with the students. We have really been practicing, so get ready to learn some fun games! The idea of this activity is to show families that there are so many games you can play with simple items you have around your house like dice and a pad of paper.

I would love it if students and families left comments on how they thought our Math Madness went! Which games were your favorite? Which do you think were the most difficult to learn? Will you try some of these games at home? Do you have any suggestions for games for our next Math Madness? Did you enjoy using the SmartBoard?

Please leave a comment and tell us what you think!

Election Day 2008

Our school election went WONDERFULLY today! I was so proud of my students and the students of Southern Boulevard School that participated in our election for president. You are responsible members of our school community and you exercised your right to vote!

The election asked students what they thought was the most important characteristic of our next president. SBS decided through this election that honesty was the most important.

I'm glad we had the opportunity to discuss the voting process and how elections work in our country. We had a very important discussion before we voted that gave us a little more information about each candidate and where they stand on certain issues.

We learned a little about each candidate today, but I still have lots of questions I'd like to ask to find out more about them. Do you?

If you had the chance to ask the presidential candidates a question, what would it be? What is important to you that you'd like our next president to understand? What information would you still like to know about the candidates before citizens of this country vote for our next president?

Hooray for Halloween!

I don't have to remind you that Halloween is just around the corner! We can tell this because of all the ghosts, goblins, witches, and monsters that are lurking around....

There's nothing to be afraid of, but LOTS to be excited about!

What are you looking forward to about Halloween? Are you excited about dressing up in your costume? Are you looking forward to our parade on Halloween morning? What is your favorite kind of candy? Do you have a favorite brand?

What are your plans for the night of Halloween? Are you planning on trick-or-treating with family or friends? Tell me all about it!

Happy Halloween!

Conference Time is Coming!

In just a few days, I'll be spending some quality time with my students' parents in conferences at SBS. This time is set aside for parents to ask teachers questions about their child, or for teachers to tell parents about how their child is learning and growing as a student. I have plenty of positive things to say to each my students' parents during conference time.

I had the chance to meet most of your parents already at Back-to-School Night and we discussed all the great things that will be going on in 3P this year.

But...a lot has changed in our class since Back-to-School Night. Is there anything new you'd like me to tell them about? It might be how hard you're working in class, all the technology projects we've done, or the kinds of books you like to pick out. Tell me if there's something you'd like your parents to know when I see them during conferences!

Good-Bye Yankee Stadium!

Tonight, as I sit at my computer, I am watching the final home game for the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium! The show I'm watching has been showing many video clips from the tremendous history of this famous stadium.

Among the video clips I've seen tonight have been many of my own memories and favorite players from my 30 years of being a Yankee fan. I'm sure I've been to over 50 Yankee games at Yankee Stadium and it will be hard to say "good-bye" to such an important part of my life. However, I will be looking forward to many more memories and exciting new players next season when the Yankees play at the new Yankee Stadium.

As we all know, there will be times in our lives when we must say "good-bye" to someone or something that is very important to us. As much as we dislike leaving something that is so familiar, sometimes it is just as exciting moving on to something new.

Share a time in your life when you had to say "good-bye" to something or someone. Maybe it was a friend, a pet, or a school you loved. How did you feel when that part of your life was over, and something new began?

New Class, New Responsibilities

Now that we've gotten a chance to meet our new classmates, I hope you've been enjoying the first few days of third grade in 3P! I think most of you would agree that third grade students at SBS will learn to take on more responsibilities than they have in past years. Since you're the "seniors" of the school, teachers will ask more of you, and have high expectations for your behavior at school and in the classroom.

How do you think your responsibilities will grow this year as a third grader? How will you act more responsibly as one of the "seniors" of the school? How will having these responsibilities also be more fun? Do you think you're up to the challenge?

Back to School!

Well, there's no doubt that school is just around the corner. I've been in the classroom at SBS this week, getting ready for the first day of school! It was so great to hear from my former students over the summer, and especially nice to hear from a few of the members of 3-P 2008-2009.

So, what kinds of things have you been doing to get ready for the first day of school? Have you gone shopping for new clothes or school supplies? Have you been picking out some new books to read this year? Will you set your alarm early one morning to practice getting up EARLY for a change?

Are you nervous about the first day of school? Are you excited to have new teachers (or a new school)? Tell me all about it!

Summer is Here!

The last few days of school were fun, relaxing, and certainly memorable! It was nice to spend some quality time with our 1st grade buddies on the playground for one last time. You have really been an example of how hard-working, responsible students should act at school, and their 2nd grade teachers will be happy for it!

Our talent show on Wednesday was a complete success! If I knew 3-Pal had that much talent, we would have had more talent shows this year! Even Mr. Pesapane was impressed with your talent!

Over the past few weeks, the students of 3-Pal showed me exactly how they have grown to be respectful and responsible young students and how ready they are for 4th grade at Lafayette Avenue School!

Now that you've shaken the confetti from the Clap-Out out of your hair, and tossed your back pack into the corner of your bedroom for a few months...

SUMMER VACATION IS HERE!

Over the summer break, take the time to check in here on our blog. I would love to hear what you are doing, where you are going, what books you are reading, and how you're keeping cool this summer! I'll do my best to check the blog and post comments as they come in. If you'd like, you can even use this post as a Reading Log, responding to the books you're reading this summer.

No matter what, HAVE A GREAT SUMMER! Don't forget to keep in touch!

Online Reading Log #2

Our first reading log went well...many of you posted your comments on the excellent reading you're doing at home. Some of you made predictions, some gave detailed summaries, and some of you recommended the book to other students!

I'm looking for the same quality responses from the ENTIRE CLASS this week! Set aside time for reading each night, but also set aside time to get on the computer and leave a comment about what you are reading.

Make sure your comment is clear to your audience (who probably hasn't read that book) and explains the great reading strategies you're using at home.

Remember, this assignment is due by Friday! Good luck! :)

Weekly Reading Log ONLINE!

Instead of a monthly reading log assignment, in June, I will ask students to record their thoughts about their reading on Palladino Pages!

Just like in previous months, you will still read at home for at least 20 minutes per night. Instead of writing your thoughts down on paper, you will log on to Palladino Pages and post your thoughts as a comment to this post! Remember all of the reading strategies we've learned this year, including making connections, asking questions, making predictions and writing a summary.

For the comment you leave, tell us the name of the book you are reading. Make sure to tell us the strategy you're using while you read and an example of how you use it. Give us enough details for us to understand your thoughts. Read over what you've written before you "publish" so that it's the best work you can do!

You only have to make one comment per week, but you may post more comments if you wish. This assignment will be due by Friday each week. If you have any questions, please ask Mr. Palladino.

Oh What a Day It Was!

I don't think I'll ever forget this day at the Bronx Zoo! Even though our bus had a little trouble on the way to the Bronx, the weather was perfect and the zoo was amazing!

I had so much fun walking around and seeing all the awesome animals there! The Monorail was one of my favorite parts. We got to see elephants, rhinos, and red pandas! The gorillas in the Congo were WILD! When one of the large gorillas was near the glass, a girl waved to him AND HE WAVED BACK!! Walking through JungleWorld and seeing the fantastic animals made me feel like I was actually in a rainforest!

Every SBS student (and SBS teacher) I saw today had a huge smile on his or her face and wanted to tell me stories about the animals they visited. I would love to hear about your favorite part of the field trip....

Which animals were your favorite? Did you get to see all the animals that you wanted? What was your favorite exhibit or section of the zoo? If the Bronx Zoo could add one animal exhibit, what should it be?

An International Day to Remember!

International Day at SBS was certainly one that I'll remember for many years! Every child at SBS got the chance to learn about countries, cultures, and traditions different from ours. The parent volunteers were spectacular and I think the teachers did a wonderful job representing each country in their classroom. The assembly this morning was fun, the demonstrations were exciting, and I really enjoyed the many different traditional costumes worn by our classmates and friends.

I have so many memories of the day, and I've learned so much about each country. How about you?

Please leave a comment about the activities we experienced today....What facts do you remember about the countries you "visited"? Which activity in those countries did you enjoy the most? After learning so much, which country is the one you'd most like to live in (besides the U.S.) or visit? Why?

I can't wait to hear your responses on International Day at SBS!!

Math Madness in 3-Pal

On Friday, May 9, 3-Pal will hold our first annual Math Madness Day! Parents, siblings, and other family members are invited to come to Room 203 at 1:50 PM to play math games with the students. We have really been practicing these games, so you'd better come ready to multiply like a champ! The idea of this afternoon is to show families that there are so many games you can play with simple items you have around your house, like dominoes, dice, and cards.

I would love it if students and families left comments on how they thought our Math Madness went! Which games were your favorite? Which do you think were the most difficult? Will you try some of these games at home? Do you have any suggestions for games for next year's Math Madness? Please leave a comment and tell us what you think!

Welcome Back From Spring Break!

Well, we're back to school after a long time away. Many of you may have gone on vacation to a faraway place. Some of you may have stayed nearby and enjoyed the super weather here in Chatham. I spent a few days with friends, and went to a wedding in Washington, DC.

Did you spend some quality time with your family or friends over the break? Did you read any good books or see any movies? Are you happy to finally be back at SBS?

Tell me all about your Spring Break and what you did while we were away from school!

Happy Earth Day!

Southern Boulevard School will be celebrating Earth Day 2008 on Wednesday, April 16. We have special assemblies this week and have been discussing all the ways we can help keep our Earth and the environment clean. We had so much fun with our 1st Grade Buddies in Mr. Vogel's class making Earth Day posters that are hanging around SBS.

Students have suggested recycling, using less energy and water, and reusing things like water bottles and lunch bags to reduce the waste we produce each day.

Do you have any suggestions on how to help keep our environment clean?

Hot Stuff!

Our class had the chance to spend time with Firefighter Bill from the Caldwell Fire Department today, learning about fire safety. The students listened and learned about the dangers of fire and the safe ways to exit their house if it catches on fire. We learned how to keep safe while cooking and what to do in case we can't get our of our homes the way we're used to. The students even had the chance to practice a safety drill, escaping from a pretend fire in the Fire Safety Trailer.

What did you learn from Firefighter Bill today? Could you give us some advice on how to be safe in case of a fire at your home?

Bravo! Bravo!

What an amazing performance we saw today! The play Freedom Train was a dramatic and exciting view into Harriet Tubman's life and how she escaped slavery around the time of the U.S. Civil War. The actors showed how Harriet fought for her freedom by sneaking away from the evil slave owner and travelling to the north. Even after escaping, Harriet was so brave to return to the plantations to free other slaves and help them travel north, to freedom.

Right now, American soldiers all around the world are fighting to defend OUR freedom! Just like Harriet, these brave men and women are risking their lives so that others could be free.

Think back to your own experiences: Can you think of a time in your life that you needed to be brave? When did you have to put your fears aside and do something very scary or important?

Coming to America...

3-Pal will soon be discussing how important it was for immigrants from other countries to settle in New Jersey in the early 1900's.

As a class, we will explore why these people decided to leave their homes and relocate to America. We will discuss what they experienced when they checked in at Ellis Island. We will also discover what their lives were like once they settled in New Jersey and the surrounding areas like New York City.

I know I had relatives that came to America from Italy, Germany, and Ireland in the early 1900's. They were immigrants that left their country to find a better life in the United States.

Do you know of any of your family members were born in other countries and are immigrants to the United States? You or your parents may be immigrants! Did any of your family members pass through Ellis Island when they arrived in America? Tell us all about it!

Enjoy a video about what it was like to enter America through Ellis Island:

The End to An Exciting Week!

I had a great time at the Roller Skating Party yesterday afternoon! We have such talented skaters in this class, and EVERYONE that was there showed their SBS spirit by having fun with their friends. I really enjoyed being there with you all!

Our week of testing is finally over! I think the students of 3-Pal did a fantastic job, being respectful and responsible during the testing, and I'm sure they did an excellent job on each part of the test. All of that nervousness can MELT away over the weekend!

Our EXTRA LONG Weekend

I kept busy this weekend by cleaning my apartment. I vacuumed the floor, did some laundry and re-potted a plant! It looks great! I also visited a friend that lives out of town. What did you do over the long weekend? Tell me all your great stories! - Mr. Palladino :)

The Big Test!

We have worked so hard to prepare for the NJASK. How did you feel before you began taking the test? Were you worried, or confident, or something else? Now that we've completed one section, how do you think you'll do on the next two days of testing? - Mr. Palladino :)

The Big Storm!

Outside SBS, there were fallen trees, downed telephone poles, and the power went out for a few days. Did anything happen to your house after the storm? - Mr. Palladino :)

Video Games

I played "Guitar Hero" and "Mario Galaxy" this weekend on the wii. Did you play any video games? What games did you play? - Mr. Palladino :)

Week of the NJ ASK!

After a powerful storm on the night of Saturday, March 8, parts of Chatham Township and Boro were left without power for a while. This included Southern Boulevard School! The power remained out for the weekend and tree limbs were scattered all over the parking lot and outside the school.

The power company worked hard to get the town back in order, but couldn't get the power on at our school until Tuesday! What a storm! That meant that we couldn't open the school Monday or Tuesday and the NJ ASK would have to wait.

We have been working so hard in class preparing for the test. We have done many picture prompts, poem prompts, reading passages, and have learned so much in math this year! I am confident that students of 3-Pal will do wonderfully on the test...once we get to take it!

The following posts are by 3-Pal students that have finally taken the test. Here you will read their reaction to the SURPRISE days off and how they are feeling about the test so far.

Enjoy!

Mr. Palladino :)

Welcome!

Here is my first entry on my new blog! I'm looking forward to many more posts, sharing information, and discussing classroom events.

Keep checking Palladino Pages for more new and exciting posts!