Math and Science Week of Dec 12-16th

Parents,

Well here we are, down to the last 4 1/2 days!  I know it is going to just fly by, but before we leave for Winter Break we must get a few more things in.

In Math this week, we will be studying measuring again.  Instead of using the United States Customary System with inches, feet, yards, and miles, we will now be measuring in The Metric System.  The students will become familiarized with words like millimeter, centimeter, meter, and kilometer.  We will be measuring things all around the room using The Metric System and trying to apply it to our real world.  It is rather confusing for a third grader to switch back and forth between The Customary System and The Metric System.  Any real world applications that you can use from home would be awesome!  I remember being in Canada this past summer thinking, "I know it says 30 more Kilometers until Banff, but what does that mean?"  "How far is 30 Kilometers, and how fast are we really going?!!!"
We will complete our Metric Unit study on Thursday with a Metric Quiz.

In Science this week, we will continue our study of Fast changes on the earth's surface.  With last week being so incredibly busy, we only studied Hurricanes and Tornadoes in great depth.  This week I hope to get into Landslides, Volcanoes, and Earthquakes.  We will close our study of fast land changes and forces that shape the land on Thursday.

On Friday will be the Sing-a-Long in the morning and our Holiday Party at 11:15.  Friday will be an early dismissal at noon as well.  I hope every single one of you have a wonderful break and holiday with your beautiful children.  It has been an easier transition to 3rd grade this year than I originally anticipated and I have you to thank for that.  Thank you for all your help and support.  :-)

Love,
Mrs. S

I must add that after studying multiplication and division for the last month or so, I am really proud of the effort and the understanding that these kids put forth into learning it.

Holiday Reports and Shoe In Economics

Language Arts and Social Studies Updates!

LANGUAGE ARTS
Thank you for helping your child brainstorm a winter family tradition this last week.  


On Monday, students will take their prewrite and turn it into a paragraph or two to inform and entertain classmates about their holiday tradition.  I will send the paragraph home on Monday.  Students will NOT have spelling homework next week.  Instead, they should spend Monday and Tuesday nights preparing their oral presentations.  I have attached the rubric I will use to assess their presentation for your reference at home. 


Due to the number of students presenting, and limited class time, students have signed up to either present on Wednesday, December 14 or Thursday, December 15.
Ford's Class Holiday Report Sign Up 2011
Skrivanek's Class Holiday Report Sign Up 2011


Reports are a fun time for us to learn more about one another and give kids a chance to shine and be the "expert" in our class.  I will record the presentations on the FLIP video camera.  If you would like a copy of your child's presentation, please send a labeled memory stick with your child on the day of his or her presentation.  I will do my best to get you the memory stick and presentation by Friday, December 16. 


SOCIAL STUDIES
We enjoyed ECON and ME videos learn more about economic concepts and vocabulary.  See if you third grader and do part of the GONNA TELL YOU ABOUT ECON rap.  This week, students will be put into teams and will create a SHOE business.  They will design a shoe and then produce the shoe in an assembly line.  Teams will then create an advertisement in hopes to get consumers interested in their product.  This hands-on activity will be our culminating project for economics!  

Week of December 5th-December 9th

Parents,

The time is just flying by, and we are down to the last two weeks of the first half of the year!  Can you believe it?  This week coming up we will have a visit in the classroom from our counselor, Mrs. Luberger.   The kids will also be taking a Science Benchmark test on Wacky Wednesday.

Last week we introduced division to the kids and I thought it went really well.  The kids are super excited to be learning division and are motivated to understand it.  I think it makes them feels like big kids :)  This week we will tackle Multiplication and Division Fact Families to see the relationship between the two.  For instance,               if 4 X 6 = 24, then 6 x 4 = 24, then 24 / 4 = 6, and 24 / 6 = 4.  The key to writing these correctly is to remind the kids that when they are writing the multiplication equations, the smaller numbers go first.  When they are writing the division equation, the larger number is always written first.  Fact families is usually a concept that students catch on to rather quickly.

In Science last week, we dug into dirt and learned about Weather, Erosion, Soil, and decomposing.  We had a fun time on Friday playing "The Rotten Game," and trying to predict how long it takes certain materials to decompose.  This week will start a weather/ natural disaster unit.  We will learn about Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Earthquakes, Landslides, and Volcanoes.  We will watch some really cool "storm chaser" footage that the kids are sure to enjoy.  We will try to link this learning back to last weeks concepts over weathering and erosion, and make the connection that all these things change the surface of our earth.

I'm expecting it to be a great week!  Thanks for all you do.

Love, Mrs. S

Week of November 28th - December 2nd

Parents,


I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving break and are well rested for the next three crazy weeks!  They will be fast and furious.  


This week we will be introducing division in third grade.  Our study of division will begin basic, as we plan to use cubes and pictures to represent the process of dividing a larger group of things into smaller equal groups.   Students will practice “acting out” the process of division.  Through a mathematical story, The Doorbell Rang, students will divide Grandma’s 12 cookies equally among 12, 6, 4, and 3 friends.   


Fast Fact Friday will be a grade this week.  This quiz will be a combination of 10 addition facts and 10 subtraction facts.  Students should continue studying facts each night.  The expectation is that all of these facts are memorized by December.   Starting January, students will begin studying multiplication facts.




In Science this week, we will be learning about  weathering (the breaking apart of rock into small pieces) and watching a video called “Weathering and Erosion.”  The students will look at all different pictures and examples of weathering and erosion on a flipchart and discover some of the most amazing landscapes that erosion and weathering create.  In their journal, students will define weathering and erosion (the carrying away of weathered rock)  and list the many agents of weathering: wind, water, temperature, plants, animals, chemicals, man. The student bring in a rock no bigger than a quarter for Science HW this week.

A special thank you for all you parents reading this and keeping up with the daily happenings of the classroom.  It takes a village!

Week of November 21st

Well Parents it's going to be a short week.  Thanksgiving break is already here!  We will have many out of towners and many already on their travels this Monday and Tuesday.  These two days we will not be covering any new material in Math/Science.

In Math, we will continue working on Paired Tables and really dig deep into the relation that they have with multiplication.

In Science we will study friction and have a fun lab on Tuesday that involves ramps and cars (and of course a little bit of friction)

If you survived the stomach bug last week, consider yourself SUPER LUCKY!!  We had a LOT of kids out sick.  Have your kids wash their hands like maniacs this week so you can have a sick-free holiday!

Inference Practice

We've been learning how to make an inference in class.  Please allow your reader to reference the HELPFUL WEBSITES link on this site for practice with inferring.  THANKS!


Inferring
To make an inference we say that the reader uses his or her background knowledge + text clues to infer.  Use the following websites to practice inferring.
Inference Riddle Game
Inference Battleship

LA and SS for the week of 11/14

Reading: In third grade, we use a helpful equation to infer.  BK+TC=I.  This means that our background knowledge, plus text clues help us make an inference about characters, settings and events in the stories we read.  This week we will focus on making an inference with photographs and non-fiction elements.  

Writing: Students will begin writing personal narratives this week.

Spelling: Please continue to work with your student on sorting and spelling their weekly words.

Social Studies:  Students will finish up their project and budget for an imaginary puppy.  We will also review concepts associated with personal economics.  Students will have a quiz on Friday, November 18.  Please look for a review sheet to come home Monday, November 14.  The quiz will consist of multiple choice, short answer, word bank and a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting consumers and producers. 

Week of November 14-18th

Parents,

Well there is never a dull moment in 3rd grade!  This week we will be having a Math Benchmark on Tuesday.  It will consist of 26 multiple choice questions, 1 problem solving problem, and 1 timed Math Facts Test.  The good news is that it will never go in my grade book.  It's only used for data purposes. :)

Last week in Math students practiced representing multiplication using pictures, arrays, and the traditional multiplication sentence.  We learned that the answer to a multiplication problem is called a “product” and the two numbers we multiply together are called “factors”.  We  started  applying what we learned about multiplication to problems in the real world.  Example:  If there are 5 students in a group and each student holds 3 pencils, how many pencils in all?  Students will have to practice choosing the correct operation to solve a problem now.  Now we will have to choose if it is appropriate to add, subtract, and/or multiply when problem solving. 

  

In Math this week after we review and have the Math Benchmark on Monday and Tuesday, I will be introducing  Paired Tables.  Using paired tables is a strategy (making a T-Chart)students can use to figure out problem solving problems that contain patterns.  For example, Confetti eggs come in cartons of 8, How many eggs will there be in 3, 6, and 8 cartons.  The students would create a T chart.  On one side would be the # of cartons, and on the other would be the # of eggs.  This is a simple strategy to figure out larger patterns in numbers.

In Science last week we finished up our study of Energy and had our major exam this past Friday.  This week and in the two school days next week, we will have a total of 3 labs.  One on Magnetism this Monday, another on systems and how things work together, and lastly a lab on Friction!  It should be a fun week of Science Labs :)

Love,

Mrs. S

Author's Purpose

I have added some Author's Purpose practice links to the helpful websites tab on our site.
If time permits, please have your student explore these link for reading practice.  They may use this practice as their 20 minutes of reading homework one night. 

Math and Science for the Week of November 7th-11th

Dear Parents,  
It was great seeing all of you at field day last week!  We hope to see you again this Friday for the Veterans concert that your child will be singing in.  
On Friday we took a pop quiz over Math concepts we have been working on over the last two weeks.  The quiz consisted of Measurement in customary units, Perimeter, Time, and Temperature.  I was very pleased with the mastery that was evident of these concepts!  The students are really improving with time to the minute.
In Math this week we will be moving on to a new concept.......Multiplication!!!  Students will brainstorm things that come in groups: 2 eyes, 3 wheels on a tricycle, 8 sides on an octagon, etc.  We will discuss that multiplication is actually just equal “groups of” things.  Through a game called “Circles and Stars”, students will represent 5 “groups of” 3 with 5 circles and 3 stars in each circle.  Students will use repeated addition ( 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 15) to discover the total amount of stars.  We will then connect this to the multiplication sentence of 5 x 3 = 15.  Students will also be introduced to the concept of “arrays”.  We will learn equal rows of things such as 4 rows with 3 cookies in EACH row ( 4 x 3 = 12).   Please look out for any opportunities at home to point out “arrays” or “groups of” things.  Example:  If your family is making cookies, use multiplication to find out how many cookies are on the pan.  If the football team scored 3 touchdowns, use multiplication to find out how many points in all.
Our Fast Fact Friday Quiz will consist of addition/subtraction facts combined and will be recorded in the gradebook.  Students should be studying facts every night for at least 5 – 8 minutes. 

In Science this Week the students will take the Energy, Force, and Motion test.   Students have a study guide AND flashcards to help prepare for the assessment.  It was given to them on Friday to take home and begin preparing with you!  We also will spend the week preparing for the test with different activities as well as a fun game of Jeopardy is planned.
 

Update for 11/7-11/11

Language Arts
In reading this week we will learn about the author's purpose for writing.  We like to say that figuring out the author's purpose is as easy as PIE (persuade, inform or entertain).  This is a fun and easy topic to discuss while you are watching tv, listening to the radio, reading or even shopping!  Help students stop and think about what message the author is sending and how you know the purpose of his or her message.
We have finished up our reading of mysteries in guided reading.  We will form new book groups and begin reading biographies together.  This will be a great platform to try out all our new non-fiction reading strategies!!
In writing, students have now learned about personal narratives and parts of speech.  We hope this work will pay off as they soon begin to write their own personal narratives.

Social Studies

Our unit on economics continues as we dig deeper into the concept of budgeting.  It is important to hit home with students that when developing a budget we should not budget to spend more than we receive from our income and gifts.  The more opportunity you can provide for your student to budget the family dinner, their allowance, or create a budget for a family pet, the more this concept will hit home.  I have noticed from our class work, that those struggling with addition and subtraction facts are having a hard time creating budgets.  This could be the real-life connection to inspire memorizing those facts!  

Math and Science for the Week of October 31st-November 4th

Dear Parents,


This week the kids will look forward to field day on Friday at 8:10 to 9:00!!!  


In Math LAST week, we studied time to the minute and learning how to read a scale on a thermometer in Celsius and Fahrenheit.  I found that our kids had a tough time with time (pun intended!).  When the clock got into what we called "the danger zone," the majority of students would actually misread the hour of the clock.  So instead of writing 1:55, they would write 2:55, because the hour hand appeared as though it was on the 2.  Please work with our kids anytime you can and make them read an analogue clock for practice.


In Math THIS week, we will begin working in measurement as we use rulers to find the length of objects using the customary measurement system.  We will focus on inches, feet, yards, and miles.  Students will practice predicting the length of objects around the room, measuring with rulers, and then calculate the difference between the predicted and the actual length.   We will also work on the concept of Perimeter.  We will talk about the border around our bulletin boards or the fence around the school to introduce the concept of a perimeter.  To find the perimeter, students will measure all sides of an object or shape and then find the sum of these sides.  To challenge your child on perimeter,  give them the total perimeter of an object or shape and encourage them to find all the possible lengths that could equal the given perimeter.  
Our Fast Fact Friday Quiz will be practice.  Students should be studying facts every night for at least 5 – 8 minutes.   


In Science this week, We will continue our study of Energy, Force, and Motion.  Students have been working hard to gain an understanding of potential and kinetic energy.  We have discussed mechanical energy, gravity, and the concept of push/pull.  Now we will explore light energy, sound energy, and heat energy all this week.  Ask your child to use their own words to teach you about all these different kinds of energy around us.
 

Update for 10/31-11/4 LA and SS

Language Arts:  - We are still reading non-fiction.  This week we will focus on the facts located in non-fiction texts.  Students will learn to distinguish fact from opinion.  They will also work this week to determine if facts read are important or interesting.  This is a hard concept for third graders.  When most third graders read a fact, if they are interested in the topic, they judge the fact to be important.

We have started talking about features that make personal narratives interesting.  Ask your student to tell you the backstory of a character in their book or in their lives.  We discussed this idea and read examples from great writers.  In the week to come, we will focus on the craft of inner monologue and how this adds to the richness of a personal narrative.

 Social Studies: Our unit on economics continues.  This week we are leaning about the vocabulary bank, deposit, savings, interest, investment and budget.  Some kids do not realize you can make a deposit into a checking or savings account at a bank.  Many think you can only do this through an ATM.  If you happen to have the time to take your children inside a bank, I think this would be a great connection to our learning in economics.  Also,  talk to you student about reasons your families saves or budgets.  This will help make learning practical and useful.

In Math and Science Week of October 24th-28th

Dear Parents,


What a fun week this will be with Red Ribbon Week here!  We also have a Clutch program scheduled on Thursday and a dictionary give away in the library on Friday. :)  


In Math this week, we will be approaching some new subject matter.  In 1st grade, your student was required to master time to the hour and half hour, in 2nd grade it was time to the quarter and five minute increments, in 3rd grade it's the whole shebang!  They will be mastering telling time on an analog clock to the minute in 3rd grade.  Then we will shift over to reading thermometers in the Fahrenheit and Celsius scale.  The most important thing we try to focus on when reading a thermometer is what kind of scale the thermometer has.  Does it count by 2's, 5's, 10's, etc..???  We will continue to review 3 digit subtraction over medial and two zeros. 
The fast facts this week will be BOTH addition and subtraction in 1 minute.  This week's test will be inputted into the grade book so STUDY, STUDY, STUDY!!!


In Science this week, we will begin our new unit of study.  Students will begin studying the concept of Energy.  We will review four forms of energy: sound, light, heat, and mechanical.  


I will be out traveling on Monday. I hope the kids enjoy Mrs. Carrie Allen, a former HCE retired teacher as their substitute. :)


Love,
Mrs. S
 

LA and SS for the week of 10/24

Parents and Friends,

Below you will find a brief summary of what's to come in LA and SS during the week of 10/24-10/28.  I have also included some activities that would support our learning in SS this 9 weeks.  Thank you for supporting learning at home!

Omi Ford 

Reading

We will continue working with non-fiction features.  Students will learn how to use a FQR (Facts, Questions and Responses) chart this week as a note taking tool and helpful tool to solidify comprehension.

We will finish our guided reading groups and discover "who-dun-it" in the mysteries we've been reading the last month.  

Students will be bringing home a BAT poem later in the week.  We introduced the poem on 10/19.  We have used the poem to practice reading with expression, think about context clues and learn all about alliteration.

Writing

Students have been learning about the structure of a narrative.  They have learned about the parts of a narrative arc and even reconstructed a narrative noticing and discussing narrative arc features.  We will spend the next week looking at different ways authors start their stories (we call these leads).

We've discussed verbs and will learn about nouns and adjectives in the weeks to follow.

Spelling

Students will have spelling words this week.  Please make sure that they bring home their spelling spirals and complete 10 points of spelling homework by Thursday.  Tests will be given on 10/28.

Social Studies

We are starting a new unit of study, economics.  For the first half of the 9 weeks we will learn about personal economics.  Students will learn to differentiate between wants and needs.  We will also learn to use the vocabulary words producers and consumers to talk about people who contribute to our economic system.  

Over the last few years, I've noticed that some third graders are lacking in background knowledge when it comes to economics.  It would benefit our classroom discussions and learning if you could talk to your child about how your family chooses to spend money.  Talk to them about the NEEDS that you pay for (shelter, clothing, utilities, food, ect.) and then talk about how you decide when to spend money on WANTS (toys, trips, electronics, candy, etc).  

In November we will start talking about how to create a budget.  If you can allow your child an opportunity to create a budget or spending plan, this real world application will benefit them greatly.  Maybe the next time you go out to dinner you can tell your student how much you would like to spend for dinner and have him or her help you make menu selections that fit within this budget? Maybe give your student a proposed amount of money to spend on a birthday gift for a friend?  Have him or her think about choices needed to either choose a more expensive gift and less expensive gift wrap or maybe a less expensive gift and more expensive card.    Anytime you can talk to your child about how you are choosing to spend your money and how you cam to that decision the more CONCRETE this very abstract concept will become.

Math and Science for the Week of October 17th

Parents,


This week will be fast and furious with our two half days on Thursday and Friday.   In Math this week, students will continue working on addition and subtraction word problems.  We have been working hard on 3-digit subtraction with a medial zero.  Here are two different scenarios with medial zero:
                           705                                           705
                        - 422                                          -426
                     ---------                                   ---------
In the first problem, the ones place does not need to be regrouped, therefore the zero in the middle of the problem will be a 10 and the 7 will be reduced to a 6.  In the second problem, the ones place does have to be regrouped. Therefore, the zero in the middle will be reduced to a 9 and the 7 will be reduced to a 6.  This is all very confusing to nine-year-olds!!!   This is a really hard concept for 3rd graders and they are having a tough time with it and need LOTS of practice.  Please work with them if you can at home.  It's always good to hear someone else's voice teaching a hard concept. :)
This week we will be working on subtracting across three zeros such as this:
                                   800                                                   500
                                 -555                                                  -224
                            -----------                                         -----------  
Our Fast Fact Friday Quiz will consist of subtraction AND addition problems this week and will be a practice only !!  This is our first week to mix addition and subtraction.  Please study both this week.  Students should be studying facts every night for at least 5 – 8 minutes.  


In Science, we just concluded our study on Matter and had our first big Science Test last week.  We had fun studying for the test playing Matter Jeopardy and Matter Game-board Bonanza!  We are moving on to reading thermometers in Celsius and Fahrenheit, as well as making mixtures and figuring out the best tools to separate them again.  


I look forward to conferencing with all of you at the end of this week and discussing your child's progress in 3rd grade.


Love, 
Mrs. S   

Language Arts and Social Studies Update for the Week of 10/17-10/21

Reading:
We will start working with non-fiction texts.  There are many features associated with non-fiction texts.  Students will learn about a table of contents, glossary, index, fonts, cut-aways, photographs, and illustrations.  We will learn how these features help us read and know more about a topic.  We will use non-fiction selections focused on BATS for the next few weeks.  


Writing:
Students will read examples of third grade narratives.  They will notice the PARTS a writer must include to make a narrative make sense to the reader.  They will be labeling these parts on a narrative arc.


Spelling:  There will be no spelling words this week due to half day schedules on Thursday, October 20 and Friday, October 21.


Social Studies:
We sent home a review sheet to help your student prepare for his or her Citizenship and Government Test on Tuesday, October 18.  We have spent time reviewing in class and have been working on these concepts for the last 8 weeks. The test will consist of multiple choice, short answer, fin in the blank and matching questions.  Thank you for helping solidify our learning at home!

Language Arts and Social Studies for the week of October 11

Parents,
Below you will find a synopsis of what we will be learning in Mrs. Ford and Miss Wheeler's class in the week to come.
Language Arts
Students have started guided reading groups. We will spend the next few weeks working through mysteries. I have enjoyed reading, questioning and commenting with your child! As a class, we will read Stellaluna. We will use this piece of fiction to help us think about what things we can expect from pieces of fiction. We will also use it as a launching pad for a review on verbs and how this part of speech impacts our writing.
Social Studies
Last week your student learned about the three branches of government. I hope they will continue to explore this learning using the websites linked on our helpful websites tab. We will discuss how each citizen in the United States has rights and responsibilities. One of those rights, is the right to vote. We will explore this idea and talk about what an election might look like.
Thanks for supporting and extending learning at home!

Mrs. Ford and Miss Wheeler

In Math and Science Week of October 10-14...

Dear Parents,

If you want to stay up to date on your what your child will be doing next week in Math and Science, please read below:

In Math:
We will continue fine tuning our 3-digit addition and subtraction skills.  Students will be introduced to 3 digit subtraction with a medial zero, as well as 3 digit subtraction with two zeros.   Students will continue working on addition and subtraction word problems and trying to decipher if they are combining, take away subtraction, comparative subtraction, or missing part subtraction.  



Our Fast Fact Friday Quiz will consist of subtraction problems only and will be taken for a grade.  Students should be studying facts every night for at least 5 – 8 minutes.   Please see the blog page labeled Helpful Websites to find fun and interactive websites that help your children learn their Math Facts.


In Science:
What a busy week we will have in Science next week!  A study guide and study flashcards were sent home last Thursday to get your child prepared for the Matter Test coming up this Friday.  Please take a couple minutes to help your child review all concepts encompassing Matter.  The district has scheduled a Science Benchmark this week as well.  On Wednesday, your child will be taking a Science Benchmark.  It is not inputted into the grade book and is used for data purposes only.  No WORRIES!!!!


This should be a fun and short week!
Love, Mrs. S

In Math and Science This Week....

Dear Parents,
If you are interested in what your son/daughter will be learning this week, please take a few minutes to read this.


In Math: 
We will move in to our study of subtraction with re-grouping.  Students will subtract 2-digit and 3-digit numbers.  This is a challenging skill for third graders so any extra practice at home is wonderful.  We will practice the very important skill of recognizing when a problem solving situation requires addition or subtraction.  We will use the table below to help guide our mathematical decision to add or subtract in order to solve a problem successfully.  This week will will be really Focusing on Comparative Subtraction Word Problems and Missing Part Subtraction Word Problems.

Combine 2 or more groups of things	Addition
Compare 2 groups of things	Subtraction
Take some things away from a group	Subtraction
Find a missing part of a group	Subtraction

Our Fast Fact Friday Quiz will consist of subtraction problems only and will be a practice.  Please see your student’s Tuesday Newsday folder for the Fast Fact quiz from Friday.  This can help guide your studies at home each night.  As we begin working with addition and subtraction of large numbers, correct re-call of math facts will be incredibly important.  Students should be studying facts every night for at least 5 – 8 minutes. 


In Science:

This week we will continue investigating matter by experimenting with the changes of matter.  Students will learn about “physical changes” and “chemical changes”.  We will look closely into changing from a solid to a liquid and vice versa, and changing from a liquid into a gas and vice versa. We will conduct a fun experiment called The Great Ice Cube Race to observe one of these changes and discover what a physical change needs in order to happen.  We will assess the students knowledge of the states of matter through an end of unit exam next week.

  

Weekly Update for the Week of October 3

Language Arts: Students have been working with Miss Wheeler in reading on context clue strategies.  Context Clues are hints in a text that lead a reader to figure out the meanings of words he or she does not know.  The clues might be before, within, or after a sentence containing the new word.  Specific kinds of clues they have been working with include definitions, synonyms, antonyms or examples.
In writing, we have started talking about narratives.  Students learned about the narrative arc and how helps keep a narrative organized.  Ask your student if they can point out how an author might set the stage while he or she is reading for homework.
Spelling is new and different in third grade.  Your child will bring home new words each Monday that have been assigned to them based on his or her needs.  In class, on Mondays, your child will participate in a small group lesson where we talk about the things we notice (patterns) in our spelling words.  They will work with the teacher to create a MASTER SORT in their spelling spiral.  This sort is one that can be used as a reference during the week. It will show them and you how the words need to be spelled and sorted for the test on Friday.  Please remember that spelling homework is completed in the spelling spiral and is due on Thursday mornings.


Social Studies: We will learn about local, state and federal government systems.  Students will learn about the three branches of government (Legislative, Judicial and Executive).  Please reference some of the websites on our helpful links tab to help your student build their background knowledge in this content matter.

Tuesday Newsday

Parents,

There are some important items coming your way in the Tuesday Newsday folder this afternoon.

Pictures will be coming  home in the Tuesday Newsday folders today.  If you are unhappy with the pictures, re-takes will be October 19.

There is a consent form that the district has given to us to tell you more about blogging.  Please complete the form and have your child return it to his or her homeroom teacher.

The invitation to the HCE Auction is coming home with the youngest child today.  Please be sure to get those RSVPs back to the office. 

Thanks for your help.

OPEN HOUSE

Parents, Friends and Families,


     Tomorrow, Thursday 9/22 is Open House at 
Hunters Creek Elementary.  The classrooms will be open from 5:00-6:30p.m.  Your third grader will serve as your tour guide to show off all the AWESOME things he or she has been doing this year.  We hope that you will be able to come by and enjoy the great work completed by your favorite third graders!


Love, Mrs. Ford and Mrs. Skrivanek

Please remember to post READING HOMEWORK

Go to Mrs. Ford and Miss Wheeler's Reading Blog and...
after you read for at least 20 minutes, 
please leave the title and author of your book in the comment section. 
I would like you to also try to make a text to self connection. 
Please remember that you will need to tell us what happened in the text that reminded you of something you have experienced. 
Happy Reading, Mrs. Ford and Miss Wheeler

Spelling Homework

This week will be your child's first adventure in Spelling homework.
Each child received a list of spelling words today and a Spelling  Homework Menu.  They should practice spelling and sorting the words each night using the activities found in the menu.  We wrote the words in the correct sort inside their spelling spirals for them to have as a reference tool all week.
I will collect spelling homework on Thursday mornings.  Thursday night your child's only spelling homework is to prepare for the spelling test on Friday.
During the spelling test on Friday, students will be asked to spell and sort the words correctly.
This process will become routine and familiar with time.  Take deep breaths, and feel free to email me with any questions.  REMEMBER, this is our first week... so we will GO SLOW! :) ~Mrs. Ford

Reading Homework

Parents,
Your child should be reading for at least 20 minutes each night and posting their reading responses on my reading blog.  If your child does not have access to a computer nightly, they have two choices to help them complete their reading homework:
1.  They are invited to come to my classroom from 7:30-7:50am and post using a classroom computer.
2.  They may write their assignment in their planner or on a piece of notebook paper to turn into me the next day.
If you or your child is struggling with this, please feel free to e-mail me.
I am thankful for your support at home!
Omi Ford

Friday, 9/9 - Lunch With Heroes

Friday HCE will be celebrating our community heroes and commemorating the 10th anniversary of 9/11. To show our national pride, please encourage your child to wear red, white and blue. Thanks!
Mrs. Ford and Mrs. Skrivanek

First Week

We had a great time getting to know our new classes.  Thanks for being part of our classroom family.  We look forward to a great year in third grade.