Teacher Turtle

Monday, August 29, 2016

Homework:

Reading-
We will have Reading homework every night.  This is reading to self or being read to or even reading together. Starting Sept.1st, please have your child write down how many minutes of reading they did that evening.  The calendar is due at the end of the month and students need to have read 500 minutes or more for the month to receive the full 200 points in the grade book.  A September calendar will be sent home on Tuesday, August, 30th. 

Math- 
There will be math homework most nights except for weekends.  It is due back each day and we go over it in class. It is really important that students have a chance to work on it the night before so it is familiar to them when we go over it in class.  They will receive 5 points for each homework completed the night before.  If they come to school without their homework completed I will have them do it in the morning but without credit for completing homework.  Each week I will put on the blog what homework students will have so families can expect to see it.  

Spelling-
Our spelling lists run for 2 weeks.  I will be sending home a list today and the test for list #1 will be on Friday, September 9th.  Please have them practice spelling and writing their words during the week before the test.  

Here are list #1 words:  (Focusing on long and short a)

mask     track     stamp     stage     grade     they     batch     chance     graph     trade     raise     
eight     safety     wrapped     laugh     ramp     crane     flame                                 

Challenge words:  magical     station

IXL-
I am sending home the student's log in for their IXL accounts.  This is a great online math tool for students to practice all of their third grade skills!  You can have your child do a little whenever they can and I would like them to do IXL on nights we don't have math homework.  The program is designed to help students grow from where they are individually so it is very useful practice.  I suggested to the students that they log on to my blog page martinezsmarvels3rd@blogspot.com and use the link picture for IXL to make it easier to log on.  

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Sunday, August 28, 2016

The week of August 29th through Sept. 1st, 2016

Assessments:  We are finishing up with our MAP assessments that will set our learning goals for the year.  We have completed the Math test and will take the Reading and Language tests this week.  The kids were amazing at signing on easily and quickly!  Great job listening!

Math:  Starting Multiplication this week!  CCSS: Students will learn how to use multiplication to understand "groups of" and number of groups.  Students will have homework on the days we have a math lesson.  Please see the homework section below.
     Math4Today:  working on rounding numbers to nearest 10 & nearest 100, addition and subtraction problems, gathering information from graph, story problems.  

Reading:  Starting our first class chapter book:  Charlotte's Web!  We will work on vocabulary and comprehension questions as we enjoy our way through our first book!  

Language:  Grammar lesson #1:  A sentence expresses a complete thought and every sentence has two parts- a subject and a predicate.
Word of the Day vocabulary:  impatient, appliance, appropriate, mumble.
DOL:  Daily Oral Language-fixing grammar, spelling and punctuation errors in sentences.

ART:  Piet Mondrian- Composition of red, blue, yellow and black:  Students created their own interpretation of Mondrian's art form. They look awesome!!

Date to Remember:

Tuesday:  Pizza orders due for Wednesday lunch. (The senior class sells pizza every week to raise money for their class trip at the end of the year.  Students can purchase a slice of cheese or pepperoni for $1 each.  We collect the orders and money on Tuesdays and the students receive their pizza at their lunch time on Wednesday.  Students cannot purchase pizza on Wednesday.

NO SCHOOL on Friday, September 2nd and Monday 5th for the Labor Day weekend.  Enjoy four days off together!!

Friday, September 9th:  First swimming lesson at the YMCA!  

Reminder:  Please remind your child to bring a snack each day, especially those eating hot lunch as we eat very late in our day at 12:40 pm.  We stop each day at 10:20 am for a snack to keep ourselves fueled up for learning!  

Share days and taking Shelby home will start on Tuesday, September 6th.

Sunday, August 21, 2016

Week of August 22nd through 26th, 2016

This week in 3rd grade:

Getting to know each other activities and games: We will work in teams and in pairs to solve problems and create things using our imagination and teamwork!

Assessments:  I have been doing some math and reading assessments with the kids to determine their starting point and reading levels.  

Math:  Refreshing our skills in addition and subtraction as well as number sense. Homework will start soon.  I will let you know when you should expect to see nightly homework.

Science:  We are working on writing the procedures partners used to save Fred.  Have your child tell you all about Fred the gummy worm and his life preserver!  It was fun to watch them solve the problem and work together.

Art:  This month's artist focus is on Piet Mondrian.  We will work on creating a block pattern piece that resembles his attention to line and color.

Date to Remember:
Tuesday:  Pizza orders due for Wednesday lunch. (The senior class sells pizza every week to raise money for their class trip at the end of the year.  Students can purchase a slice of cheese or pepperoni for $1 each.  We collect the orders and money on Tuesdays and the students receive their pizza at their lunch time on Wednesday.  Students cannot purchase pizza on Wednesday.

Friday, August 26th:  YMCA swim forms due back to school.  This is an exciting opportunity and it's all FREE!!  Students can use their own suit or one at the Y and they can even leave them there between lessons and the Y will launder them and have them ready for the next lesson!  There are also clean towels available at each lesson and they are laundered after each lesson as well!  Lessons are for 30 minutes and will vary depending on the students experience and ability.  Students who are already great swimmers will be challenged to strengthen their swimming and taught other skills that will keep them improving in their swimming skills. 

NO SCHOOL on Friday, September 2nd and Monday 5th for the Labor Day weekend.  Enjoy four days off together!!

Monday, August 15, 2016

First Day of School!! August 16, 2016

I am really excited to get started in school tomorrow!  We will have a lot of fun getting to know each other!

Tomorrow:  Snack is at 10:10 am
                    Lunch is at 12:40 pm

Tomorrow's Special is Music!

If you have any forms to turn in please send them to school with your child.

I will be sending more information home tomorrow with your child.

Happy sleeping tonight!! See you tomorrow!