Winter Break is Almost Here!

I love my kiddos but we . all. need. a. BREAK!


We spent last year pushing writing and the result was "Luna - A fractured Cinderella story".  If you didn't make it to Lit night last Thursday, please read it in our "other handouts" section of this site.

In Language Arts, we studied Cinderella tales from around the world.  The study concentrated on North America including the following books:  The Rough Face Girl, Cindy Ellen, Cinderella is So Annoying!, Cinder-Elly, Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters, Domitila, and Little Gold Star.   

We are continuing our study of traditional literature genres (fairy tales, fables, folktales, myths and tall tales).   We learned that traditional tales were preserved in the oral tradition before people started to write them down. Generations were and are taught proper ways to behave.  Customs, values, traditions, and beliefs are celebrated in these tales.   Students are working on their own version of a traditional tale. 

In math we are working on geometry focusing on 2D plane figures.  This unit is vocabulary rich.  Most words and concepts were introduced in previous grades. Students are expected to know and use the vocabulary when talking about shapes and their attributes. Kids got a "fortune teller" to help them practice 2D shape names.

When we return in January we'll be looking at the attributes of 3D figures -- with another batch of vocabulary!  So please review these terms if you have the opportunity.

In science, we finished a unit on landforms and rapid changes to the Earth.  In social studies we are wrapping up a look at mapping.  Big exciting project in social studies coming up in January.  Be on the lookout for parent letters when we return. 

I will not be sending homework over the break - BUT ... your child's brain is a muscle that needs to be exercised to stay fit.  I strongly recommend that you do not break routine.  Your child should read at least 20 minutes a day, log into i-station twice a week, and continue to practice math facts on xtra math and math concepts on Think Through Math.

There is nothing more frustrating for a teacher than to administer the reading assessment mid year and have NOT show the growth I know a student has worked for.  PLEASE encourage reading over break.  You should read too!!


Reminders/Announcements:
1. Thursday December 15th PARTY TIME from 8:00-9:00.  
2. Thursday December 15th is also the last day of the grading period for Quarter 2.  Students should make sure to have all work turned in.  Don’t forget to check Home Access! 
3. Tuesday January 3rd, 2017 – Students return to school.
4. Thursday January 12th – Report cards go home.

Have a wonderful restful holiday and I'll see you next year.

Week of December 5th (aka I will not countdown to the break)

Parents:
It has been a crazy busy week with the kids with the emphasis on crazy.  The abrupt change in the weather and the proximity of Winter Break has altered our class performance and behavior.

On the bright side, we managed to write and illustrate a pretty darn cute fractured Cinderella tale.  You can read it here on the website.  It is under "Other Document/Reading".

We are continuing to review landforms and discuss rapid changes to the Earth.  Most of the landforms the kids can identify easily by sight (they were introduced in 1st grade) however, they cannot identify them by definition.  In other words if there is a picture of an island, no problem naming it.  If I ask what area of land surrounded by water on all sides is ... the results are less than confident.

We are in the beginning stages of geometry in math and this unit has a TON of vocabulary.  Again, many of these shapes were introduced in K, 1 and 2.  But 3rd graders have to think critically about the attributes of the shape while using the vocabulary.  So that a student who could sort all the four-sided figures easily might fail a question asking for all the quadrilaterals.  Parallel lines, right angles, quadrilaterals, pentagon, hexagon, parallelogram, rhombus, trapezoid, octogon and decagon are the terms that need to be rehearsed.  This week they made a plane figure fortune-teller that can be used to review.

Coming very soon in January will be many more vocabulary words for 3-Dimensional shapes.

Week of December 5th

Parents are encouraged to review the district-approved flyers by going to Peachjar.  Use this link : )

December 6th is the deadline for parents to nominate students for TAG testing.  Use this link for the form nominate your child for TAG testing.  The form must be turned into the FCE office by December 6th. We have instructed parents to turn the forms in directly to the office themselves.

Our Winter Class party will be held December 15th from 8:00-9:00. Third grade has a breakfast tradition (wearing pajamas). Please consider donating something to make this a special event for our kiddos. The Sign-Up Genius link is below (Thanks to our our homeroom parent Irene Merkin!)

 www.SignUpGenius.com/go/60B044DACAD28A57-mrs 

Election 2016

Dear Parents:

I have had the opportunity to experience the election through the eyes of  a 3rd grader. In class, our discussions have been about the two party system, the branches of government and the rights and privileges of citizens. In the students' homework packet there was an electoral map that they can use to watch a little of the campaign results for extra credit in social studies.  I realize full results will not be in by bedtime : )

In class, we have read 3rd grade appropriate material about the candidates and I have made a point to explain that both candidates want what is best for our great nation, but they have different views about how to keep it strong.  (Notice I used key words from both campaigns there).  We will continue to learn that our government has a system of checks and balances.

I have repeatedly said that the winner, whomever that may be ... will be "THE President" and will deserve our respect and loyalty as the leader of our nation -- even if our choice didn't win.  Please reinforce this at home.

Talk to your child about what they “know” about the candidates and what their fears might be.  You would be surprised some of the things kids believe at this stage.

Oh --  and please tell them you aren’t really moving to Canada!

Email me if you have any additional concerns.

Calling All Veterans ...

Parents: I truly believe in teaching children the honor and sacrifice inherent in military service. If you or a relative have served, please participate so that we can put a face to the abstract concepts of bravery and sacrifice.

3rd grade changed our mini-field trip performance so that choir members could be involved in both programs.

From the Coyote Call -

Veteran’s Day:  We have planned a tribute to Veterans for the morning of November 11th.  Please invite any veterans you know to Forest Creek to have breakfast with the student(s) they know.  The cafeteria will serve cinnamon rolls, fruit and milk or juice from 7:15-7:30 a.m.  Please help us prepare for breakfast by completing this form to provide an accurate number of those eating.  There is no charge for our special guests.

We will be having two patriotic programs to honor our Veterans on November 11th - one at 8:15 a.m. for grades Kinder-2nd and another one at 9:00 a.m.  Veterans may attend one or both.  

Thank you for helping us teach our students the meaning of this holiday and why it is so important to honor those who have served our country.

Veteran’s Photo Needed

We look forward to recognizing these special men and women who have contributed so much for our country through a slideshow presentation.  Please send a photo of your special Veteran to Kelly_Erickson@roundrockisd.org. Please include the Veteran’s name and unit or job title during their service. Veterans do not need to be present for our program to be included in our slideshow.

The end of October?! I can't believe it.

A few things:

Halloween is NOT a school holiday.  No costumes or party please.

We have a "freebie" mini-field trip provided by the district.  On 11/11 we will go see the Cedar Ridge High School presentation of "The Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe" at the Hartfield Performing Arts Center.

It is a 45 minute presentation and we ride district buses there and back.  There is no room for any chaperones for this trip.  We will need you in the spring, but not for this quick trip.
If you want your child to have a sack lunch that day, it must be ordered Monday 10/31 and the field trip form must be in.

No way are we one-fourth of the way done with 3rd grade!

We are wrapping up our first nine weeks!  Your children will be getting their first official report cards and I think the grades represent their understanding and their effort.

Coming up we have red ribbon week, if you want we will be dressing ...
Monday - Team Jerseys
Tuesday - Boots
Wednesday - Dress crazy (or wear red if you are Mrs. Shogan)
Thursday - Picture Day
Friday - Tie-Dye and Peace Signs

We rolled out a new approach to homework using the million dollar program I-Station.  Kids had a few questions about where programs were located.  I-station must be downloaded according to the directions on the bright yellow letter.  Think Through Math can be accessed through the school website under "Resources for Students" and Xtra Math can be found on my website under "Links for Students" on the right hand side.  You will have to scroll the symbaloo grid to see it.  You can always go directly to www.xtramath.com but you will have to enter my email address in the first time and then bookmark it.

This is new, so please give me your thoughts about this as part of the 3rd grade homework packet.

The kids loved the vampire game for solar energy, that too is on my symbaloo grid towards the left hand side with a black background.

We learned sound energy is caused by vibrations, but the kids loved seeing how different pitches created different patterns in this clip
Clahdni plate sound wave experiment

Photocopier Uncooperative - Homework coming Monday

The spelling words are:

to
you're
wait
there
two
their
your
piece
bear
hare
too
they're

The hare gave the bear a piece of pie, too.
They're going to wait an hour.

I'm also going to try to upload the math part of the homework under math handouts.  If you have a printer you can get a start on it.

FCE Donation Drive - Prize entries!

Attention Coyotes:

Thank you to all that have already donated toward our school fundraiser. We appreciate your support as the PTA funds MOST of our incredible school programs and activities. If you haven't had the chance, please consider donating here: https://www.pt-avenue.com/ShopGP.asp?schcode=FCE or send your cash/check with your donation form in your child's folder. There are extra forms in the main office. This year there are weekly class competitions and grand prize entries for every $25 donated (IPAD, YETI HOPPER20, swim lessons, rounds of golf at Forest Creek.) Let's work together to achieve our goal of $20,000!

Technology Survey

Dear Parents,

RRISD is partnering with BrightBytes, an educational data analytics company, in order to learn more about our students’ school and home technology use for learning. We are reaching out to ask you to take part in our questionnaire.

Your participation is essential in helping us form a more complete picture of  technology use for learning in our students’ lives. Please know that all of your responses will remain anonymous to protect your privacy and they will help your child's school choose the right technology for their classrooms. It will take approximately 5 minutes to complete.

The last day to complete this questionnaire is Monday, October 10, 2016.

Please go to www.BByt.es/ZC6ZP

Thank you for taking part in this important initiative!

Week 6 Try to Remember the last week in September ...

The weeks are passing by so quickly!

Math can change!  Parents, if you have heard the kids talk about "Boxing" their subtraction problems or "Stealing One" and want to know how these methods work, please see my explanation document under Math handouts.  I seriously wish "boxing" had been in my learning toolbox as a child.

In math:  We are beginning multiplication!  Practice 0, 1, 2, 5 and 10 facts first!

In reading:  We are wrapping up Fiction and moving on to Poetry for several weeks.  There will be a lot of new vocabulary but it is a fun and enjoyable unit.

In science:  We are still looking at the physical properties of matter and understanding the results of adding and subtracting heat.

In social studies;  Looking back at some important cultural periods in history and how they changed our perception of freedom and community

PLEASE:

• Consider a direct donation to the PTA for their drive, our PTA does so many wonderful presentations and offers so much support to our school.

• Be on the lookout for a sign-up genius scheduling Fall conferences!
• If you have any questions or concerns - email me.  I will get right back to you and we will meet to problem solve.

Another Great Week

Third grade is rolling along nicely!

I am so proud of how the class is managing their learning.  This week we tacked subtraction with regrouping which is a difficult concept.  The kids used their strategies, took their time and did great.

It's hard to believe it but we will be moving on to our first unit on the concepts of multiplication next week.

Beyond straight computation, we are discussing the heart of problem solving and understanding what words might be clues for each operation, or multiple step problems.  It's a process and the students are doing well.

In reading we continue to understand ourselves as readers and think about comprehension.  We discussed author's purpose and how knowing what the author intends with their writing can influence how we read.  This week we'll be working on a summary technique "Somebody Wanted But So Then" which is a framework for a basic fiction summary.

We'll have our first gallery walk of our own personal narratives this week.  The point of our lessons has been to understand that to be great writers we have to rewrite, add, stretch and change our words from our first draft to our last.

The kids are natural scientists and they respond with interest and enthusiasm even when our investigations don't work out.  Which they didn't on day!  But you can hear their reaction on a couple of videos posted in the handouts/pictures folder on this site.

REMEMBER!  Wednesday is EARLY RELEASE AT 12!  This is a new time this year.

Week Three and "What's the Deal with Reading Logs"

Week 3 went great with the exception of a tummy bug that is being passed around.  The students have been demonstrating that they understand my expectations for the classroom and we've gotten down to the business of learning.

In math we have been working on place value and addition.  I've been so impressed I had to compliment the second grade teachers.  The students know multiple strategies.  In third grade we will be working with the algorithm for addition and subtraction and ultimately place value up to 999,999.  You can help at home by making sure your children are fluent in basic addition facts.  This computation recall makes the kids so much more confident when we are doing more problem solving.

In science we have been studying matter and it's physical properties.  This week we explored magnetism and the definition of different states of matter.  More fun stuff to come.

Social Studies these next few weeks focuses on the concept of freedom in our country.  This week we have been looking closely at the first document defining the United States -- the Declaration of Independence. 

Our reading goals this week have been understanding the story structure of fiction, answering questions with proof from the text and determining character traits.

Generating a first draft for a personal narrative will be our job in Writing for a few weeks.  Specifically we'll delve into creating an interesting lead, using descriptive words and closing with a satisfactory ending.

IF YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE PARENTS THAT DETEST READING LOGS< READ ON ...
The debate about reading logs is time-honored.  As a teacher, I'm on the fence.  

Here's the fact:  A child that reads more becomes a better reader.  They learn more vocabulary and their reading strength supports all other academic areas.

I'm not taking a grade on the reading log - ever.  But I feel strongly that a third grader needs to read nightly.  I also want them to enjoy their reading.  Counting down the minutes or the pages means that they are completing a chore -- not falling into the land of their book.  A true reader reads until the action is over or the chapter is done or until they fall asleep.

On Fridays I am going to ask your students to write to me about their reading life for the week.  They will be able to write what they enjoyed, what they think will happen next, why they choose a certain author.  This will be a difficult task for "chore readers".  You can help as parents by getting your kids to talk to you about the book they are reading.  Your interest will motivate them and hopefully my guidance and questions will help them view themselves as true readers.

Wonderful Week 2

This week was so great I'm giving everyone next Monday off.  Okay, it's Labor Day but if I had any power at all I would totally reward the kids.

Thank you to all that attended the "Back to School" Night on 9/1.  If you didn't, the powerpoint is linked on this site under current handouts/other documents.

Please consider joining our wonderful PTA.  I did!  https://www.pt-avenue.com/parents.asp?schcode=FCE  FCE PTA Membership .  We are enjoying additional technology, programs and materials due to their generous management of fundraising and membership funds.  There's going to be an additional sunshade and new bottle-filling fountains installed soon as well.

100% of Salamanders turned in their homework!  Yee Haw!

Two of our units of study are changing for the coming weeks:

In math we will be focusing on addition, subtraction, rounding and place value.  Much of this will be review from 2nd and then applying that learning to larger numbers.

In social studies will are starting a unit that covers Freedom Week, so kids will get a little US history background.

Please join our class dojo to see how your child is doing in class.  The first two weeks we did a lot of whole class rewards and penalties so don't panic if it doesn't look like your kiddo has a perfect record.  Moving forward it is much more about individual behavior.

Always feel free to contact me if you have any questions, comments or concerns!

Fabulous First Week! Looking forward to Week 2

You'd have to be a teacher to know how quickly a roomful of strangers can become "your" kids.  My '16 Salamanders have already won my heart.

Week one is full of rules which isn't that interesting - but my students are learning and demonstrating the classroom expectations and bringing in the dojo points*.

Behavior is key to setting the environment for learning.  I am CON- SIS-TENT!  That's a little intimidating for new students.  It's not personal, it's efficient.  The more quickly we master transitions to the carpet, getting out or putting away materials etc., the more time we have to do fun activities.

Your kids probably haven't come home saying it's the best year ever (it will be) or that their teacher is hilarious (Oh, I am) but they shouldn't have come home saying they hated school or that they felt anything but valued and cared for.  Please email me if you have ANY concerns.

Sept. 1 is our Back to School night beginning at 6:00pm.  I would love if parents could attend.

What you need to know:

1. Kids got their first 3rd grade homework packet, it will be due Friday 9/2.
2. Students will have a quiz on their PBIS vocabulary 9/2.  We've been studying these concepts in class, but the vocabulary list is in the "Other handouts" folder.
3. Kids will be the first spelling unit on Monday 8/29 which will be tested 9/9.  For these two weeks we will be modeling activities in class.  After that students will choose their own spelling review activities.

Dismissal Routines

Parents/Guardians:

We had a fabulous first day and the only point of confusion was at dismissal.  We have a very short amount of time to move a large number of kids, they have to know where they are going.  If their dismissal changes, send an email or call the office.

GYMMERS - This is where most daycare kids go and kids that get picked up by parents to walk or drive.  Some kids were confused because they walk home ... but not independently.  If your child is meeting another sibling before walking home, they should go here.

At dismissal, these kids line up in the courtyard with Mrs. Miller

WALKERS/BIKE RIDERS** - These kids are totally independent and are not picking up a younger sibling.  They go straight out the front door.  At dismissal, these kids line up against the chain link fence with Mrs. Coats and Ms. Troxel

**BACK WALKER/BIKE RIDERS - Kids are totally independent.  They go straight from the back entrance home.

At dismissal, these kids meet at the foursquare curb and walk with Mrs. Couture.

FRONT CAR RIDERS - Purple Tags.  Grades K, 3 and 5 go to the front UNLESS there is a younger sibling.  At dismissal, these kids line up against the chain link fence with Mrs. Coats and Ms. Troxel

BACK CAR RIDER - Green Tags.  Grades 1, 2 and 4 go to the back, so a 3rd grader would only go as a Back Car Rider if they have a sibling in 1st or 2nd grade.  At dismissal these kids meet at the foursquare curb and walk with Mrs. Couture.

BUSSER - You ride the bus.  You know what bus number you ride.At dismissal, these kids meet at the foursquare curb and walk with Mrs. Couture.

YMCA - You go to the cafeteria for YMCA care.  At dismissal, these kids meet on the sidewalk next to the main building with Mrs. Russell.

SPECIAL Programs:  When choir begins and special after school opportunities are announced dismissal routines may change.  If you inform the teacher, we can tell you definitively where your child will line up to dismiss.

Please make sure your kiddo knows where they are going.  It is a measure of independence and the best way to have students moving efficiently from one place to another.

Thank you,

Susan

Week 1

Week 1 will be jam-packed as we get to know each other and build our classroom community.  

Behavior:
I will be introducing Class DoJo to the kids.  This is a primarily positive reinforcement based site to monitor behavior.  For a while, all points will be distributed class wide.  Once our expectations for transitioning and learning times are established, each child will be gaining their own dojo points.  Parents will be invited at that point to monitor their child's daily behavior.

Social Studies:
Students will be learning key vocabulary included in the HOWL motto and how it applies to 3rd grade learners.

Math:
We will jump right in with a review of graphing which is always a favorite of students.  After we master frequency tables and the graphic representations of bar graphs and pictographs we will be focusing on how that information can be manipulated in problem solving.

Science:
After reviewing basic science safety and equipment we will delve into a study of matter from physical properties to states of matter.

Reading and Writing:
Third grade marks a change in our focus for reading.  While we still support students in becoming fluent and capable readers, we will be reading for understanding.  To this end we will be practicing different comprehension strategies that will contribute to the student's success in all academic areas.
This first week we will be monitoring our understanding as we read and making connections.  In our writing we will remember the non-negotiables from previous years:  Capital letters, punctuation and complete thoughts.

Parent Homework:
Make sure you have given me full contact information (Check out the Aug. 18 post that links to a Google form, AND remember to sign up for Remind101)

There is no kid homework ... this week : )

Mrs. Torres' Class Information Form

Shogan Salamanders '16-'17 Contact Form

School is starting! I have been in the classroom preparing and am looking forward to meeting my new "Salamanders". Meet the teacher night is Thursday August 18th beginning at 4:00. Stop by the cafeteria to find out whose class you are in before coming by the portable to drop off your school supplies.

Have a great summer!

It will go quickly, and I'll see my new set of 3rd grade faces for Supply Drop off on August 18th and the first day of school on August 23. If you are one of my "current" kiddos, keep checking back for pictures of Nugglets ... his goal is to grow legs this summer. What's your goal : )

Why your children are bored at school ...

As a teacher for over a dozen years, I have noticed a lot of changes in our kids ... and they aren't all good. Our lives have changed, simple fact. More mothers work, we seem to have less time and kids have a ton of access (some unlimited access) to technology. There isn't any one single reason, and I'm not calling anyone out as a bad parent. This article really speaks to me: http://yourot.com/parenting-club/2016/5/16/why-our-children-are-so-bored-at-school-cant-wait-and-get-so-easily-frustrated

Field Day Friday 5/20

The forecast looks good for a fun field day!  To make sure it goes smoothly, start with the appropriate dress:

For boys, swim trunks and tee shirt
For girls, one piece suit with shorts (two piece suits have to be covered with shorts and t-shirt which kind of defeats the purpose.

Tennis shoes required; lots of running activities and everything gets slippery.

3rd grade goes in the afternoon and there is never enough time for ALL 3rd graders to change (not to mention that the bathrooms get very dangerous with wet floors), so if you go directly home you will not change.  Only bring a set of dry clothes if you are going to the YMCA or another day care.

Tomorrow is the last day to return Library Books!

Spring Carnival!!

April 15th is our Spring Carnival!
 

That is just over 2 weeks away!!! Avoid the line the night of the carnival, and purchase your wristbands online at: www.forestcreekpta.my-pta.org, or in person at one of our after school pre-sale dates remaining: (cash/check/credit accepted)

Fri, April 1st
Tue, April 5th
Fri, April 8th
Mon, April 11th
Tues, April 12th
Wed, April 13th

 

Calling all volunteers!  We need over 200 volunteer hours to pull this event off!  There are 3 ways that our extended 

FCE community can help:

 

Adult Volunteers - sign up here

There are several options for helping either inside or outside during shifts ranging from 45 minutes to 3 hours between 12:30pm and 10:00pm.  There's something for everyone - even you Nurses & Watch DOGS out there!

 

Student Volunteers - sign up here

Students from Ridgeview Middle School and Cedar Ridge High School have a choice of helping with games, activities, or serving food/drinks during two 2-hour shifts between 4:50pm and 9:00pm.  Student volunteers will receive credit for their help and free snacks and bottled water during the event.

 

Bakers - sign up here

We are having a Bake Sale during the Carnival - treats should be individually wrapped and dropped off in the music room near the front office anytime between 7:15 a.m. and 4 pm on April 15th.

 

This is our biggest event of the year - your continued commitment and time to Forest Creek is VERY much appreciated!!  If you have any questions, please contact Betsey Snopel, PTA Volunteer Coordinator, at fcepta.volunteer@gmail.com or 512.663.9381 - thanks!

Please see documents linked in the handouts page

 

Save the date for Forest Creek's first Health Fair on April 5th from 5:00-7:00pm. We will have health services vendors from our community with lots of information, giveaways and games! Come out for a night of family fun!!  If you or your business would like to come have a booth at the Health Fair, please contact Purvi at purvipf@yahoo.com . Click Link to view Health Fair Flyer.

Crazy for Minecraft!

We scored one of the most popular theme's for our class basket -- sure to create a lot of interest and revenue for our wonderful PTA.  Please consider donating an item, or even a $1 to our basket.

Go to this link:
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b054ea4a922aa8-class
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b054ea4a922aa8-class

Lady Bug Love

The best days of teaching are often the craziest.  Having our own ladybugs to observe applies.  The kids are over the top about having ladybugs which is awesome.  They are genuinely interested and engaged.  They also will make ladybug pronouncements through the day in the middle of math, reading and writing.

This lead their teacher to say crazy things like "Don't talk to me unless all of your Ladybugs are dead" and "If you pick up your ladybugs one more time one of the two of your are going to bet set free".

The ladybugs themselves are fairly cooperative.  Despite living in what must feel like a constant earthquake environment, they get "friendly" really fast.   The extent of my instruction relating to the mating habits of this beetle is as follows:  If a small ladybug (male) is piggy-backing on a larger ladybug (female) for a while (minutes to hours) they are probably mating.  When the mommy and daddy mate, they produce offspring.  The offspring will be teeny tiny rows of bright yellow eggs.  That is the extent of the reproduction talk.  Turns out you need a high-powered microscope to figure out whether it is a boy or a girl, so there's nothing graphic here.

Some interesting things to note:
Ladybugs flap their wings 85 times a second!
When threatened they "bleed" a foul smelling fluid from their knees
They'll eat about 5,000 aphids in their lifetimes
And if pushed, the'll become cannabalistic.

I can't make this stuff up.  I do hope that you are hearing about it at home.  

What a Week!

We have had a wackadoodle schedule every day this week to allow the Kindergardners time to practice their hoe down moves in the cafeteria.  That means we have had specials in the morning and recess in the afternoon.  The kids did pretty well with all the changes.

NEXT week on Tuesday will be the STAAR ready test in Math.  So on Monday I'll be reminding you parents to plant your kids in bed early so they get a good nights' rest and throw some protein into them in the morning so they'll be ready to do their best.

The biggest event of the week is our LIVING MUSEUM!  All parents are invited to meet our 21 inventors/entrepreneurs/innovators.  Students can create a poster, dress up, make a powerpoint, do a demonstration, give samples, build a model.  Whatever time, money and effort you want to invest in home.  We have written our speech paragraphs in class and the students have done a practice presentation.  I strongly suggest that students read their speeches many, many time over the weekend so that they will know it well enough that they can glance up when speaking, but it does not have to be memorized.  This is a wonderful event and you are invited to attend!!!

Education Go Get It Events. Let's get EGGI!

Education Go Get It Week
March 7^th – 11^th ** Let’s get excited about going to College!!! **

MONDAY- March 7^th
“Hats Off to College” – wear your favorite College hat
Broadcast Interview: Marika Flatt, Owner, PR By the Book

TUESDAY – March 8^th
“College Spirit” – Wear your favorite College tshirt/jersey
Broadcast Interview: Jennifer Stoner, Speech Therapist

WEDNESDAY – March 9^th
“Slip into College” - Wear slippers ** Bring tennis shoes for P.E.
Broadcast Interview: Gari-Shae Perry, Dell Account Manager

THURSDAY – March 10^th
“Be All You Can Be – Say COLLEGE IS FOR ME!” – wear camouflage
Broadcast Interview: Amie Schultze, FCE Assistant Principal

FRIDAY – March 11^th
“Dress for Success” – dress-up in Profession of your choice
Broadcast Interview: Lauren Stafford, VP of Research & Instructional Design

Third Grade Rite of Passage ... the STAAR Ready tests

On Tuesday, Third graders had their first "official" STAAR like testing.  The results were a really good baseline.  We have 9 more weeks to develop our reading comprehension skills and to practice using them!

Stamina is the biggest concern.  Students have to be able to sit and focus for a minimum of 3 hours (it is a four-hour timed test).  For our class, on the five passages 16 kids passed the first passage (with many students getting 100% on that particular passage.)  On the last passage, only 10 kids passed and there were no 100%.  In class we are going to be practicing "mental breaks" to refresh between passages.  On actual testing days, Reading will be the 2nd of two arduous days!

The kids will take a math STAAR ready week after next.  Math is a little easier for kids to double-check and we will be continuing to visualize in problem solving so they can determine what operation to use and whether it is a two part problem.  Review their homework with them!  Kids that can correctly get the answer without relying on multiple choice always are more successful.

LIVING MUSEUM
We've completed our research and written the speeches that visitors to our museum will here.  We are currently work in on brochures.  At home you and your child should decide what you will be creating to supplement the presentation.  Some students in the past have done posters, poster costumes, powerpoints, brief videos, brought props, brought samples or dressed up as the inventor.  The extent to which your child does this is up to you; however having a "display" like a poster is a minimum requirement.

IN SCIENCE
We are currently looking at weather and the water cycle.  Upcoming units are the characteristics and life cycles of plants and animals which is always engaging for the kids.  Inherited traits are part of this unit, so you may be asked if you can roll your tongue or have a "hitchhiker's thumb"

MATH
Finishing up interpreting data and graphing and moving on to more problem solving.  I encourage kids to work on their fluency at home as it gives them more confidence and allows them to focus on the intent of the problem rather than computation.

Wasn't it just Halloween?

The year continues to speed by!  Next week we will be finalizing grades for interim report cards for the 3rd nine weeks.

It's hard to believe that 3rd graders have already completed two Project Based Learning units and are started on their 3rd.

Let's touch base on how things are going in the classroom ...
1.  The kids are talking ... a lot and they are missing important information.  There seems to be a large number of assignments that have to be redone for 70%.  I think your kids can do better - please address this at home.

2.  In reading we are starting our research project on an important inventor, innovator or entrepreneur.  The kids have chosen their subject and will get books a the library on Friday.  Some subjects are more difficult than others, so if they want to change, I will suggest an individual that I know has several resources.

They may do research at home, but all writing is done at school for their speech and brochure.

The costume, props or powerpoints that can be used during our "Living Museum" must be done at home.  Please read the parent letter going home tomorrow for more details.

3.  In math, problem solving is our focus and applying all of the strategies we have learned so far.  Students must be able to visualize a real world math problem to determine whether it is a multistep problem.  They must also be able to understand what computation should be used and if there is "garbage information" within the problem.

4.  During Science we are discussing the characteristics of Environments emphasizing how living and nonliving things interact.