Mrs. Kalnbach's Clan

Christmas Card

2011-11-25T08:59:00.000-06:00

Stationery card

View the entire collection of cards.

Twelve Days of Christmas Project

2010-12-07T09:12:00.000-06:00

We just finished up our latest writing project, the 12 days of Christmas songs. Check out the video to here us explain the process, and listen to our songs. Click here to watch the video.

Christmas Fun

2010-11-30T07:54:00.002-06:00

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Thankfulness

2010-11-23T13:24:00.001-06:00

We have so much to be thankful for. We spent some time last week writing about it. Our writing is hanging in the hallway, but I know that many of you aren't able to stop by and read it. So, we decided to make a video of us reading our Thanksgiving compositions. Click here to enjoy the video.

I hope that you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Halloween Silliness Continued

2010-10-28T13:17:00.002-05:00

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Polygon Song

2010-10-27T21:37:00.000-05:00

This video was posted on YouTube but is not a public video. It will not show up in a search. The only access to the video is through this blog.

JibJab Silliness

2010-10-19T14:19:00.000-05:00

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Symmetrical Skeletures

2010-10-18T18:02:00.002-05:00

Make your own free photo slideshow

Fractions

2010-10-07T09:29:00.000-05:00

Our focus in Math this week is fractions. Third graders are expected to be able to identify fractions as being a fractional part of one whole (example: 3/4 of a circle), or as a fractional part of a set (example: 2/3 of the pencils are sharpened).
We have done several fun activities this week! We started Monday with a Readers' Theater about fractions. Click here to view the video of our play. Tuesday we used colored goldfish to model fractional parts of a set. Wednesday we had some fun doing "Beary Colorful Fractions," and today is going to be a mean game of Fraction Bingo!
I think through these great activities we are mastering our fraction skills!

Team Work

2010-09-27T15:39:00.000-05:00

Often times at the end of a unit of study, students will work together to complete a project. As we wrapped up the first 6 weeks, the students worked in groups to complete a setting project for Reading. They also worked together on a Social Studies project to create maps of our classroom. Please check out the pictures below to see some of the incredible team work displayed by the students in order to accomplish some fabulous projects!

Our Class Book Report

2010-09-27T15:15:00.000-05:00

We just finished reading The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo. Please watch our video and we will tell you about how important the settings were to the story. Click here to view the video.

First Two Weeks

2010-09-02T14:11:00.000-05:00

This is an amazing group of students! They are doing great at settling in to our classroom routines, and they are very respectful of our classroom procedures. Our class even received a compliment on the morning show this morning. They were bragging on us for standing quietly, and using our manners while going through the cafeteria line. What a proud moment! I believe that a well structured classroom leads to some amazing learning . . .

New Year

2010-08-06T18:24:00.000-05:00

I am very excited to begin a new year! I can hardly wait to know who my students will be. This will be my seventh year teaching 3rd Grade, and I'm ready to jump in. I'm very passionate and diligent about finding ways to teach the content, while still having fun. I love to incorporate tons of technology and cooperative groups in my teaching. I strive to help my students grow in character as well as excel in academics. I look forward to the experiences we will share and the memories that will be made!

Safety City

2010-04-22T12:02:00.004-05:00

Last week we visited Safety City. It was a great chance to learn about bike, pedestrian, and fire safety. We got a little wet in the rain, but still had a blast! Here are some pictures:

Kite Flying

2010-03-26T14:46:00.002-05:00

What a fun packed day! This afternoon we were able to buddy up with Mrs. Guebara's Kindergarten class and help them fly kites. Here are a few pictures:

Sand Dad

2010-03-26T14:37:00.003-05:00

We had a special guest on campus today! Jon Woodworth, Sand Dad, was visiting Lamar today as part of our Arts in Education program. The program is part of our PTA and is headed up by Margaret Lupton, Philip's mom. Mr. Woodworth is a talented artist who sculpts sand. It was a special treat for us to be able to watch him create an amazing piece of art in just a day and a half. Please cruise by Lamar this weekend and check it out for yourself!

Practice TAKS Tests

2010-03-01T15:25:00.002-06:00

The TAKS tests are approaching in the end of April. I am really proud of the progress that all of the kids are making. I know they will all do so well. If you would like to see what the test looks like or perhaps give it a go yourself, here is the link to the online tests. Click here to see the tests. Have fun!!

Student Teacher

2010-02-17T11:22:00.002-06:00

We are lucky to have a student teacher in our classroom for 7 weeks. Ms. Christine Rico will be working in the classroom until Spring Break. Ms. Rico is doing a super job! For the next two weeks, she will be in charge of planning and teaching all of the lessons. I know that the kids will enjoy the activities that she has planned. In the meantime, I have some more time to work with small groups of students and make sure that everyone is on track. I hope you get the chance to meet Ms. Rico and make her feel at home in our classroom!

100th Day of School

2010-02-02T16:10:00.002-06:00

I can hardly believe that we are 100 days into this school year! It seems like just yesterday that we were meeting and beginning the year. I'm already dreading letting them go in May! This is just the best group of kids!
I am very proud of the progress that we have made. Everyone is working hard to master our Third Grade content. I certainly am seeing lots of growth.
I'm looking forward to the rest of the year. Everyday I am amazed at the thirst for knowledge and I hope to continue to push them in their desire to learn!

My One Word

2010-01-26T19:01:00.002-06:00

I challenged the students this week to do something beyond their age. We began a project that is based on the idea found at www.myoneword.org. The premise behind the idea is that too many of us make shallow New Year's resolutions instead of evaluating our character. We spent some time evaluating ourselves and talking about the kind of people we would like to become. Then we each listed those ideas and chose one word that would encompass those qualities. I was amazed at the thought that went into some of the word choices and the maturity that was shown. We then each took our word and wrote a paragraph explaining our choice. The paragraph explains the challenges we might face and the goals we have set for ourselves to become a person of high character. I'm super excited about this assignment and hope to find a way to post some of our projects. So now parents it's your turn. I challenge you to spend a few minutes analyzing yourself and pick your one word!

Back in the Grove

2010-01-06T08:48:00.002-06:00

We are getting back in the swing of things! We spent some time yesterday reviewing our class rules and procedures. We really had a great day! I think the hardest part was trying to control our stomachs. We have gotten used to snacking whenever and eating lunch at different times, so getting our bodies back in routine may take a few days. Please send a healthy snack with your child to help.

Gingerbread Houses

2009-12-11T11:11:00.003-06:00

We spent some time this morning creating gingerbread houses. Melissa White, Brian's mom, headed up this project. She spent a lot of time gathering goodies, gluing graham crackers, and even bringing breakfast! Thanks Melissa for your time and thanks to everyone who sent supplies. The kids had a blast! Here are some pictures:

Our Class Snowball Fight!

2009-12-04T09:11:00.000-06:00

Thankfulness

2009-11-19T12:57:00.002-06:00

As Thanksgiving approaches, we are focusing on the history of Thanksgiving and being thankful for things in our own lives. I am so thankful for each student in my class! They are such a blessing my life. They keep me on my toes and a smile on my face.
We are writing some paragraphs about what we are thankful for. You should know that the most popular thing in our lives that we appreciate is our families. These students realize how important you are in their lives. Here are a couple of my favorite thoughts that they wrote; "My mom is always around to help, kind've like God." "My dad loves me and supports me no matter what I do." "Without my family, I wouldn't have any friends." These thoughts are encouraging to me! Eveyone deserves a safe place to fail and a place to be loved.

Goosebumps Webcast

2009-10-28T12:56:00.005-05:00

We did the coolest thing today! We participated in a webcast today with the author of R.L. Stine. A webcast, for those of you who are technologically challenged, is similar to a live television show. It is broadcast over the internet. The webcast was hosted by Scholastic and there was a moderator that interviewed R.L. Stine, author of the Goosebumps books. Kids were also allowed to participate in polls before the webcast, and Mr. Stine used the poll answers to tell a ghost story to us. We had the BEST time! The kids were brainstorming and taking notes as he spoke. I'm so glad that we have the technology available on our campus to be able to participate. I hope it was a memorable and inspiring experience. Mr. Stine gave some tips about being a good writer. Ask your child and see what they remember!

Chicks

2009-10-28T12:48:00.004-05:00

We have completed our egg to chick project. Our class was the proud parents to eight baby chicks! And when I say proud, I mean proud. They did such a good job of caring for the chicks. If you can spoil a chicken, then we did it. We cleaned their box, checked their food and water, and played with them. We did have several eggs that were fertilized, but did not hatch. We had a couple that tried to hatch and were not strong enough to survive. We made it through without any tears. Over all, I think it was a wonderful experience for everyone. However, it was time for the chicks to go. The kids were sad to see them go, but I can't say that I felt the same. They were begining to STINK!! I will post a couple of pictures of the chicks.

Pictures

2009-10-09T15:10:00.001-05:00

All of Our Eggs in One Basket

2009-09-29T13:38:00.004-05:00

Well, "the chicken lady", Jennifer Shawker, was in our classroom yesterday to deliver our eggs and incubator. We will be taking care of the eggs until they hatch. I think this is a great process for 3rd graders to be a part of! They are so excited!
Mrs. Shawker came and spoke with us about how to care for the eggs. She also explained the different parts of the egg and how the embryo grows. She even cracked open an egg and showed us the germ spot.
It will be our responsibility for the next 20 days to monitor the humidity and temperature in the incubator. The better job we do of this the higher our hatchability rate will be. We are looking forward to watching the chicks hatch. The big day is Oct. 19th! Stay tuned for updates about our Egg to Chick project!

End of the Day Chatter

2009-09-15T13:46:00.002-05:00

I am sitting at my computer and am cracking up at the chatter coming from my class! They are starting on their homework with the extra 10 minutes at the end of class. While working they are discussing anything and everything! I see a few sticking their tongues out at each other. Then one of them says, "Hey, do you know that band KISS"? They all giggle and say they saw them on American Idol. One kid even confesses that their mom is a BIG fan! The other table is working and discussing video games. They are trying to decide which game system is best. It fascinates me that they can still be working and solving the problems of the world at the same time. I love it!!!

Reading Tracking

2009-09-02T20:31:00.003-05:00

Part of starting a new school year is evaluating each student. I love the opportunity to spend a few minutes one on one with each of my students. The conversation I have with them gives me a good gauge on their vocabulary and communication skills. I also get to hear them read! I have some phenomenal readers this year. I even giggled at a few who like to add a little "drama" to their reading. I can tell that they have great adults in their lives who have been reading to them. Give yourself a pat on the back for reading with your child.

The First Three Days

2009-08-26T15:13:00.002-05:00

After the first 3 days, my thoughts are what an amazing group! I am SO impressed with all of them.
Today during Math we were working on reading and writing numbers. Everyone was so quick to catch on to writing numbers in expanded from! We wrote them in standard, word, and expanded form all the way to the thousands place. I am looking forward to going all the way to the hundred thousands place next week.
Not only are they a smart bunch, but they are considerate too. Today I shared one of my favorite books, You are Special by Max Lucado. The characters in the book go around giving each other stickers. They give gold star stickers for things seen as good, and gray dot stickers for things viewed as bad. The main character, Punchinello, seems to only be getting dots! He gets really down and out. With some help from Eli, Punchinello realizes that the he shouldn't worry about what others think because he was made special. When he realizes this, his dots begin to fall off. We got into a deep discussion about how we sometimes use our words to give each other stars and dots. Then we connected it to making deposits and withdrawals in a bank account. We have decided that we are going to work on making more deposits than we do withdrawals. What a goal!

About Me

2009-08-10T21:03:00.002-05:00

Teaching is my passion! I believe that teaching makes me a better wife, mother and friend. This is my 8th year in education, and my sixth year teaching 3rd grade. Third graders are my favorite! They are independent thinkers and workers, but they are willing to listen and follow my direction! I love to see their excitement while reading a new book, and the amazement when they learn a new skill!

I have been married to my husband, Michael, for ten years. He is also in education. He teaches World Geography at Central Freshman Campus. We have two amazing children, Abi and Mason. Abi will be in Kindergarten here at Lamar this year. I am thrilled to have her at school with me. Mason is two years old, and stays with his "Mimi" during the day. He is a WILD man who keeps us laughing!

Trying Something New

2009-07-14T21:43:00.001-05:00

I always love reading other people's blog, so I thought I would give it a run. I plan to blog about my life as a third grade teacher. I hope to share my thoughts as we learn and grow together as a class.