Saturday, January 28, 2012

Wk 18 Information & Homework

 Week 18: January 30 - February 3, 2012

Notes & Reminders:
  • Beginning this week, students must read and test on five AR books per week. We are not reading up to our full potential. Many students are reading well below their reading levels. They are choosing to take the easy way out, which only hurts them in the long run. They are not being challenged by these easy texts and are not growing as readers. If you're curious about your child's reading level, be sure to check the weekly goal sheet that's stapled to your child's work for the week. The AR box tells you how many test he or she has taken, at what level, and even how many words your child read this week. At this point in our school year, students who are on grade level should be reading on a 3.5 book level and approximately 10-15,000 words per week.
  • Our class will exchange Valentine cards on February 14th. Please watch binders for our class list and more information about special treats for Valentine's Day. 
  • Please ensure your child dresses appropriately for the weather. Coats must be worn on cold days. Sweatshirts and hoodies are NOT coats nor do they provide enough warmth to protect your child from the cold temperatures. On cold days, students without coats will not be allowed to go outside for recess.
Week 18 Homework 

Monday
  • Review Thurgood Marshall newsletter.
  • Review Soil newsletter.
  • Read your fluency passage. Remember target rate is at least 92 wpm.
  • Complete Reading Lessons 5 & 6 in the ELA Coach Book.
  • Read your AR book.
Tuesday
  • Review Thurgood Marshall newsletter.
  • Review Soil newsletter.
  • Read your fluency passage. Remember target rate is at least 92 wpm.
  • Complete Reading Lessons 7 & 8 in the Math Coach Book.
  • Read your AR book.
Wednesday
  • Review Thurgood Marshall newsletter.
  • Review Soil newsletter.
  • Read your fluency passage. Remember target rate is at least 92 wpm.
  • Complete Reading Lessons 22 & 23 in the ELA Coach Book.
  • Read your AR book.
Thursday
  • Review Thurgood Marshall newsletter. Test tomorrow!
  • Review Soil newsletter. Test tomorrow!
  • Read your fluency passage. Remember target rate is at least 92 wpm.
  • Complete Reading Lessons 5 & 6 in the ELA Coach Book.
  • Read your AR book.
Friday
    • Have a great weekend! 
    • Happy birthday on Sunday to Jeremiah!
    • Clean out the back pocket of your STAR binder.

    GPS Focus Standards

    Social Studies
    • SS3H2 The student will discuss the lives of Americans who expanded people’s rights and freedoms in a democracy.
    • SS3G2 The student will describe the cultural and geographic systems associated with the historical figures in SS3H2a.
    • SS3CG2 The student will discuss the character of different historical figures in SS3H2a.
    Mathematics
    • M3N5. Students will understand the meaning of decimal fractions and common fractions in simple cases and apply them in problem-solving situations. 
      • a. Identify fractions that are decimal fractions and/or common fractions. 
      • b. Understand that a decimal fraction (i.e. 3/10) can be written as a decimal (i.e. 0.3). 
      • c. Understand the fraction a/b represents a equal sized parts of a whole that is divided into b equal sized parts. 
      • d. Know and use decimal fractions and common fractions to represent the size of parts created by equal divisions of a whole.
     Reading
    • ELA3R3 The student uses a variety of strategies to gain meaning from grade-level text. The student..
      • m. Recalls explicit facts and infers implicit facts
    English
    • ELA3C1 The student demonstrates understanding and control of the rules of the English language, realizing that usage involves the appropriate application of conventions and grammar in both written and spoken formats. The student
      • a. Correctly identifies and uses subject/verb agreement and adjectives. 
    Science
    • S3E1. Students will investigate the physical attributes of rocks and soils. 
      • c.  Use observation to compare the similarities and differences of texture, particle size, and color in top soils (such as clay, loam or potting soil, and sand). 
      • d. Determine how water and wind can change rocks and soil over time using observation and research.




    What's your angle?

    This week during our Geometry unit, we reviewed various geometric figures including pentagons, triangles, rectangles, octagons. We also explored the different types of angles that made up each figure. We learned to classify those angle into the following types: acute, right, and obtuse.


    There are a couple of online games available, if you feel you need more practice or just want to have some math fun!

    Identifying angles and definitions of geometry terms.






    Adjectives Practice

    This week we began a study of adjectives. Adjectives are what we use to make our sentences, stories, and conversations more interesting and precise. Adjectives are describing words. They tell us: which one, how many, what kind, how something feels or acts, and much more!

    Here are a few online interactive games that will improve your skills of identification and use.




    Pick It: Adjectives from EZ School







    Adjective Adventures from Sheppard Software

    I love this site! Tons of fun games for learning!





    The Adjective Detective from The Children's University of Manchester.










    Choosing Adjectives










    Grammar Blast from Houghton Mifflin English

    Tuesday, January 17, 2012

    Reader's Workshop

    This week, our reading focus is main idea and supporting details. We made this artifact to help us remember the important things about finding the main idea of a text or passage. Tomorrow, we will add this artifact to our STAR binders. 

    The green box is very helpful for testing practice. I tried to include the various ways test questions are worded so that students will know it (the test) is asking for the main idea.

    Perimeter

    Today during Math Workshop, we began our study of perimeter.  Perimeter is the distance around the outside of a polygon. It may be found by adding the lengths of all sides of the polygon. I told students a good way to remember perimeter is that its the distance along the "rim" or edge of a shape.

    For example:
    Perimeter = side + side + side + side
    P = 5 + 4 + 5 + 4
    P = 18 inches

    Students did pretty well with the concept. However, I noticed some students wanted to draw pictures to do their addition. In the example above, a student wanted to draw out circles to add 5 + 4 + 5 + 4. Students should compute the sum. He could have said, "4 + 4 = 8 and 5 + 5 = 10, then I add 8 + 10 to get the 18 inches." There's not enough time to draw pictures especially when the numbers are large!
    A few students forgot to regroup or "carry" when adding larger numbers!

    I found an awesome site on the Internet today that I'd like to share! It may help to clarify perimeter for you! Just click on the link below the picture to visit the site.

    Choose Perimeter for a detailed explanation.  There's a game with three levels to help you practice your Perimeter skills! Good luck!

    Parents, your student will bring home graded papers on Friday. Please take a moment to look through to see how well your child performed on this week's standards. If he or she did not do well, it's worth the time to go over the problems with your child.

    Saturday, January 14, 2012

    MLK Holiday


    There will be no school on Monday, January 16 in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Martin Luther King Day is a federal holiday held on the third Monday of January. It celebrates the life and achievements of Martin Luther King Jr., an influential American civil rights leader. He is most well-known for his campaigns to end racial segregation on public transport and for racial equality in the United States. 

    Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Life's most persistent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing for others?'" He believed in serving his fellow man. He worked diligently to improve things through non-violence and by showing love to everyone. We could learn a lot from Dr. King.

    His most famous address was the "I Have A Dream" speech. 
    I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."
    I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
    I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
    I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
    I have a dream today!

    Do you have a dream? What will you do in the future? Are you willing to work hard to achieve your dream?

    Until next time,

    Mrs. R :)

    P.S. If you'd like to listen to Dr. King's speech, click here.

    Wk 16 Homework & Information

    Week 16 January 16-20, 2011

    Parent Note
    Please take the time to ensure that your child completes his or her CRCT homework. This is a pretty good example of what the actual CRCT is like for students. He or she should be reading carefully and looking back to be sure they understand what is being asked.  Your child must past the CRCT Reading in order to be promoted to 4th grade. Grades were less than expected last week. I know we can do better!

     Focus on Standards
    This week our focus is on the following Georgia Performance standards for 3rd grade.

    Social Studies: Franklin D. Roosevelt
    • SS3H2 The student will discuss the lives of Americans who expanded people’s rights and freedoms in a democracy.
    • SS3G2 The student will describe the cultural and geographic systems associated with the historical figures in SS3H2.
    • SS3CG2 The student will discuss the character of different historical figures in SS3H2.
    Mathematics: Measurement (Perimeter & Area)
    • M3M3. Students will understand and measure the perimeter of geometric figures. 
      • a. Understand the meaning of the linear unit and measurement in perimeter. 
      • b. Understand the concept of perimeter as being the length of the boundary of a geometric figure. 
      • c. Determine the perimeter of a geometric figure by measuring and summing the lengths of the sides.
         
    • M3M4. Students will understand and measure the area of simple geometric figures (squares and rectangles). 
      • a. Understand the meaning of the square unit and measurement in area. 
      • b. Model (by tiling) the area of a simple geometric figure using square units (square inch, square foot, etc.). 
      • c. Determine the area of squares and rectangles by counting, addition, and multiplication with models.
     ELA Reading: Main Ideas & Supporting Details
    • ELA3R3 The student uses a variety of strategies to gain meaning from grade-level text. The student 
      • j. Identifies and infers main idea and supporting details.
    ELA English: Context Clues
    • ELA3R2 The student acquires and uses grade-level words to communicate effectively. The student  
      • f. Determines the meaning of unknown words on the basis of context.  
    Science: Rocks and Minerals
    • S3E1. Students will investigate the physical attributes of rocks and soils. 
      • a. Explain the difference between a rock and a mineral. 
      • b. Recognize the physical attributes of rocks and minerals using observation (shape, color, texture), measurement, and simple tests (hardness). 
      • c. Use observation to compare the similarities and differences of texture, particle size, and color in top soils (such as clay, loam or potting soil, and sand). 
      • d. Determine how water and wind can change rocks and soil over time using observation and research.   
    Homework
    Tuesday, January 17
    • Review Franklin D. Roosevelt Newsletter. Test Thursday!
    • Review math facts for 10.
    • Read your fluency passage.
    • Complete Lessons 3 and 4 in the Math Coach Book.
    • Read your AR book and be ready for your test tomorrow.
    Wednesday, January 18
    • Review FDR Newsletter for Test on Thursday.
    • Review math facts for 10.
    • Read your fluency passage.
    • Complete Lessons 18 and 19 in the Reading & ELA Coach Book.
    • Read your AR book and be ready for your test tomorrow!
    Thursday, January 19
    • Review math facts for 9. Math quiz tomorrow!
    • Read your fluency passage.
    • Complete Lessons 3 & 4 in the Science Coach book.
    • Read your AR book and be ready for your test tomorrow!

    Congrats!

    Congrats to Thursday's class Spelling Bee winners!

    Daylen Stevens 1st
    Cody Gribble 2nd
    Jared Haney 3rd

    Monday, January 9, 2012

    Happy Birthday!


    Happy January Birthday!

    Gracie Bennett - January 15

    Daylen Stevens - January 20

    Mrs. Richardson - January 25
    (P.S. We won't be telling how old Mrs. R is!)

    Sarah Denson - January 28

    : PBS LearningMedia

    Here's a video clip introducing our new unit of study, measurement. Just click the link to watch the 3 minute video!

    : PBS LearningMedia