Welcome to the 2011-12 School Year!

We're off to a wonderful start!  Things are coming along nicely as everyone seems to be adjusting to new expectations, classmates, teacher, and procedures. We are working diligently to settle into our routines despite missing school on Tuesday and a delay on Wednesday because of the weather.
On the first day of school, we read Laurie Keller's book, Do Unto Otters: A Book About Manners. In this story, Mr. Rabbit gets new neighbors and he's a little concerned about them because he knows nothing of otters. A wise owl suggests he should treat "otters" the way he would want to be treated. Students enjoyed the humorous otters! This was a great start to our discussion about the need for rules to keep all of us safe while at school. After much debate, these are the rules we decided our class needed. We are using the STAR acronym to help us remember our rules.

• Stay on task and organized.
• Talk politely and work quietly.
• Always listen and follow directions.
• Respect everyone and everything.

With the weather events of this week, I chose to go ahead with assigned spelling. I backed up one list below where your children should have started. I am happy to report that Friday's spelling test was a huge success! Everyone made an A! I hope this happens every Friday!
I have pictures to post of Math Workshop as soon as I find the camera cord to upload them. We explored the properties of addition and reviewed the expectations for Math Workshop.
A couple of reminders:

• Pictures have been rescheduled for October 17. New forms will come home in the days just before that date. :) Save those beautiful smiles!

• Ice Cream is considered a privilege in third grade. Students must be on blue and green all week. Ice cream is "lost" even if the yellow occurs on Friday.

• Please review the STAR rules with your child! I have been reluctant to change colors due to the craziness in our schedule. However beginning on Monday, students will receive no warnings. We've been over procedures and expectations every day we've been in school. Third graders should be more than aware that Mr. Harris expects no noise in the hallways. This is an area of concern for us. We're having difficulties controlling talking throughout our entire day. 

• I'm still missing emergency cards, lunch forms, third grade info sheets, and FYI forms. Please understand that the FYI form must be returned. Students without that form are not allowed to use the computers nor access the Internet. We must have your permission for them to do so. The FYI pamphlet is the legal sized (tall, skinny) booklet. I also need the 3rd grade sign off back so that I may post pictures of our class. I must have your permission to post your child's image on our class site.

• The Walker County email system has been restored. You may contact me via email @ elisarichardson@walkerschools.org. The school phone number is 706-638-2432. I'm available via phone from 6:30 - 7:00 a.m., 12:45 - 1:30 p.m. (my planning time), or from 2:20 - 3:05 p.m. each afternoon. 

• The County's websites are still down. You may access our classroom blog here.

• We will pick up our regular homework schedule this week. Be sure to check STAR binders each night!

Happy Tuesday!

Greetings everyone!

Today I am attending a training session for Common Core GPS. On my way into class, I saw Mrs. Long, our student teacher from last year. I'm happy to announce that Mrs. Long will be teaching at Gilbert this year. She is replacing Mrs. Pope who retired this summer. Mrs. Long will be teaching Science and Social Studies. She is here at AEC for new teacher orientation. I'm sure you will join me in wishing her all the best!

Time for class to start. Until next time...

Mrs. R :)

Open House 2011

Open House 2011

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

4:00 - 6:00 p.m.

You are cordially invited to Gilbert's Open House! Drop in any time between 4 - 6 p.m. to see your new classroom, meet your teacher, and pick up some important information for you and your parents.

If you have already purchased your supplies, you may drop them off at Open House. It would save valuable time as I can get everything put away and ready to go for the first day of school. Not to mention, your book bag will be lots lighter. :)   

I'm very excited about our year together and cannot wait to meet you and your family! I hope you will make plans to attend! I have a special surprise for you!

See your smile in a little while!

Longest Summer Ever?

Greetings All,

I hope your summer is going well! I am enjoying the break from school. However, I find myself ready to go back. This is the longest summer we've had since I started teaching. My mindset says it's time to go back already!

I went to school a few days last week to work in my classroom. School is a strange place during the summer. It's quiet and dark. There's no children, no laughing, no conversations, no questions. There's really not much there without you guys! I look around the room and remember our year together. All the learning and growing that you guys did! You were amazing! I miss you guys!

I want to take a moment to remind you that you truly can accomplish anything you set your mind to! Attitude is a small thing but is capable of making a BIG difference. Just pull out your CAN DO attitude and fourth grade will fly by! Take time each day to smile and learn something new!

Until next time,

Mrs. R. :)

P.S. Don't worry, I'll still get to see you guys at lunch every day!

Supply List 2011-2012

For a copy of this year's school supply list, please click here.

The file is a pdf.

End of Year Video!

Thanks for a wonderful year!

Let's hit the road!

 Let's hit the road!

Third grade is hitting the road!  The week of April 25-29 will be a very busy one for us! We have not one, but three field trips! Please be advised of the following dates and deadlines! Also be sure to sign all three permission forms! 

Third grade classes at Gilbert have been busy learning about rocks, minerals, fossils, and soils. To culminate our unit, we have planned a field trip to Ruby Falls on Monday, April 25. The cost of the field trip is $7 per student. This price includes transportation and admission. Because our time at Ruby Falls is limited, we will not be able to visit the gift shop. If you attend with your child and check him/her out after lunch, you may visit the gift shop if you choose to do so. We would love to have parents accompany us on this trip. Parents are not allowed to ride the bus so you must provide your own transportation.  If you are interested, please let your child’s teacher know. The price is $12.50 per person.  Payment will need to be made before the deadline to receive admission at this price.

Each year, Walker County sponsors AG Day for third grade students. This year’s event is scheduled for Tuesday, April 26. Students will board a bus around 8 a.m. and travel to the Agri-center located behind the Walker County Civic Center in Rock Springs. They will spend their morning learning about agriculture from area high school students. There is no charge for this event. However, we will need your permission in order for your child to participate. We have no space for chaperones on this one.

On Thursday, April 28, we will visit the Hunter Museum of Art in Chattanooga. This trip is made possible by a generous grant from UNUM and the Art’s Council. We will tour the museum and enjoy a first hand view of art. It should be a fun-filled day on the bluffs beside the Tennessee River. There is no available space for chaperones on this field trip.

Due to scheduling, we are unable to order t-shirts and have them back in time for our trip. So, we will need your help. Each classroom teacher has chosen a color for her class. Having these shirts helps us to easily identify and keep track of our students. Please purchase and send in a solid color t-shirt in your child’s size and class color. You may want to put your child’s initials on the tag inside the t-shirt using a permanent marker (Sharpie). If you don’t have one, we can add the initials at school. We need the shirts by Friday, April 22^nd!  We’ll have them ready for students on Monday. At the end of the day, we’ll change back into what your child wore to school. We will take the colored shirts home and wash them in order to be ready for our next field trip adventure. 

Richardson - Blue

Deadline for Money & Permission forms 
Friday, April 22^nd!

I had an idea for our t-shirts. If everyone provides a plain blue t-shirt, we can make class shirts. We may not get a chance to do them before our trips. However, I'd like to have every child put their painted hand prints on all the shirts and sign them! That way every child will have a "class" memento! One of the other teacher told me that Hanes t-shirts are available at Walmart, Dollar General, and even "Trade Day" down in Trion. I have not had a chance to go by any area stores to check for availability. 

 Also, students were asking about the color of blue. It really doesn't matter. However, since Ms. Eidem's class has black t-shirts, we should probably not do navy blue. I'm including a photo to show the color of the shirt I'll be wearing. It was our class shirt from last year. 

How's Your Week?

 

 

Hopefully, your week is going as well as ours! We've been very busy preparing for the CRCT. I have every confidence in your children. I expect that everyone will meet third grade expectations. They are more than capable of exceeding those expectations if they stay focused and try their best. We've worked so hard this year. Now it's time to "Show What We Know"! We can do it!

Today, we took a practice Reading CRCT exam. I think students found out first hand what they should expect for next week! Firstly, an hour is an EXTREMELY long time to stay focused. We had a few problems with talking and leaving our seats but were able to work them out.  Secondly, one major difference from last year's test: Teachers are not allowed to read ANYTHING for you! Once I've read the instructions, explained the time limits, and we complete one sample question together to make sure students know how and where to bubble, I am not allowed to say anything else. I can't read the questions, help with any of the words, nor answer any questions for students. My job is to ensure everyone is on task and completing his test without cheating. Students must complete all the test questions independently without assistance. 

Homework Reminder

Students only homework this week is to read their AR books. Please keep in mind, students are required to complete three "short" books (worth 0.5 points each) and one chapter book (worth at least 1.0 points) each week. Next year's expectation is that students complete two chapter books each week. So, buckle down boys and girls! Read your 20 minutes each night! Third graders read on average 100-120 words per minute. That means you should read between 2,000 - 2,500 words (about 30 pages in a chapter book or all of a "short" book) each night!

 

•  Do your best to arrive to school before the tardy bell at 7:45 a.m.! CRCT testing begins promptly at 8:00 a.m.

•  Eat a healthy breakfast! Gilbert's cafeteria serves breakfast each morning from 7:05 - 7:40 a.m.

•  Go to bed early to ensure you are well rested!  Even I go to bed early during CRCT week. I turn in around 8:30. Try to be in the bed by 9 p.m. at the latest.

• Attendance is extremely important! Especially for third graders. We have field trips scheduled for the week following CRCT. If you are late or miss a day during testing week, you will not be allowed to go on the field trips Monday and Tuesday. You will have to remain at school in order to make up your missed testing. I would hate for anyone to not get to go on our trips. So, let's be sure to be at school every day during testing!!!!

AR Congratulations!

Congratulations to the following point club earners!

50 Points

Alexia Arvizu

Zach Sims

Anna Valle

100 Points 

Kai Lucas

125 Points

Levi Pettigrew

Spring Break....

Happy Spring Break!

I hope you guys are enjoying your Spring Break! Now that we're finally over the stomach virus at my house, we certainly are! How are you spending your time? I'm working on projects around the house that I never seem to have time to do. Chaz is spending his time hanging out with friends. Alex is still at school. He had his spring break earlier in March. My husband, Todd, is working as usual this week. 

My niece, Kyli came over today. She played with my iPad. She thinks third graders are pretty lucky to have iPads in their room. After playing Lunch Box, Kid Draw, and ABC tracers, she's hooked! She informed me  that she wants one for her birthday! Can you believe that? She's a character!

I know Camden got to go see the new movie, HOP last Friday. I haven't seen him to ask how it was. I may see him tomorrow. I have an appointment to get my hair done at the shop.

I think Isaiah was going to spend some time with his brother, A.J. at Kennesaw State. 

What are the rest of you doing? Drop me an email and let me know! :)

Also, I added a page to our blog that includes our favorite math games!
Check them out!