Week of March 28 - April 01

FYI:  1.  Please check your child's agenda each day to see if a note has been
written in the agenda.  Each time your child receives a "1" for classwork,
 a note will be written in the agenda.  Students will be given an opportunity
to redo the assignment and turn it in the next day.  Your signature is
required in the agenda in order for them to replace the "1" with a better
grade.
2. Homework folders are due each Friday.
3.  Graded Work folders are also due each Friday; however, if a student has
work to redo, then the folder is due the following Monday.  Corrected work should be placed in the front pocket of the folder and parents should
initial the Graded Work folders each week.

*************************************
CLASSWORK:
Math:  This week we will finish up our introduction to multiplication.
We have solved multiplication with repeated addition, an array, and
skip counting.  Students should now practice using their multiplication
cards at home.  Their 3rd grade math will be easier for them if they
know their multiplication table by the time they enter 3rd grade.

Reading:  Students should be reading 20 minutes at home.  Their Reading calendar is due this Friday, April 01.  Although we will continue working on reading fluency in class, our focus this week is reading comprehension.  A big part of the DRA (reading level test) deals with comprehesion and the child's ability to express what happened in the story.  Before the end of this school year, I will give your child another DRA test sowe can see how much they've  improved. 

Writing:  We will work on a persuasive letter this quarter...
step-by-step... right now your child has chosen a topic and we're
discuss ing how to support their topic with facts and opinions.

Social Studies:  We are still discussing economics this week.

Science:  We will begin discussing Life Cycles this week.

Health:  Our last unit for Health is personal safety.  This week we
will work on safety in our community.

****************************     
HOMEWORK:
Math:  Two math worksheets have been placed in
the homework folder.  They should help your
child review what we've been learning in class.

Reading and Writing:  Read 20 minutes each day if possible. A reading comprehension worksheet is
also in the homework folder.  The worksheet
also has a section for written expression.  This
section should be answered in complete sentences.
The March Reading Calendar is due this Friday.

Words Their Way:  This week we will work on
Unit 24.  Students are taking their WTW book home
every Friday so they can start studying the words
in the next unit.  Our test will be the following
Friday and they will bring their WTW book to class
with them so I can grade their word sort for that
unit.  Then, once again, they'll bring their book
home on Friday to start studying the next unit and return it the following Friday. We are writing sentences in class and defining most of the words.  Students should write each word 5 times and review their words 5-10 minutes per day if possible. Flash cards are a great way to study
their words, but are not required for this unit.

Book Report:  Some students have brought home a
box to use for their next book report.  All
boxes and directions will be handed out by Friday
as soon as the first book report is turned in...
if your child does not bring home a box, they
can use any box at home:  cereal, kleenex, hot
chocolate, etc.I will provide the paper they need
to cover the box and place it in the front pocket of their agenda.  Directions and the rubric can
be downloaded on the blog under Pages.  This
assignment is due the week they return from
Spring Break.

Week of March 21- 25, 2011

* Students should be working on their "box" book report.  They have a rubric to follow... under PAGES you can click on "box book report" and look at their requirements.  If they don't bring a box home from school, they can use any box and any paper from home that they can write on.  This assignment should be completed at home and brought to school Monday - Thursday during the first week we return from spring break.  Students will present their book report to the class.  They have had an example at school to look at since the end of February, so they all know what is expected, but read the rubric if you have any questions.

CLASSWORK:
Math:  This week we will introduce multiplication by using an array and repeated addition.
Words Their Way:  We are on word sort #23.  Our test is every Friday.  We have a review quiz on Thursday so the students know what words they need to study.  Their Words Their Way book p. 93 should be completed on Thursday and brought to class on Friday for a grade.  They can bring it home Friday so they can start on #24 for the following week.
Reading:  It is very important that the students try to read 20 minutes each night.  Their March calendar will be collected April 01, which is a Friday.
Writing:  We will begin writing a persuasive letter this week.
Social Studies, Science, Health:  we will discuss what needs to be covered this quarter and decide which subject the students would like to complete 1st, 2nd, 3rd.  All of our assignments for these subjects this week will be completed in class.

HOMEWORK:
Math:  No math homework on Monday... I need to show them how to do an array and repeated addition.  They will have two worksheets on Tuesday and they'll be due on Friday.
Reading and Writing:  Students will have a reading and writing worksheet to complete.  All answers should be written in complete sentences.  The writing worksheet will be practice for the grammar we are working on this week.  These worksheets need to be turned in on Friday so we can check our answers in class.
Spelling:  Words Their Way #23.  Students will write a poem using six of their spelling words.  Each spelling word needs to be underlined.  Turn in on Friday.  Our spelling test is every Friday.  WTW book #23 (cut and paste) is also due every Friday and will be checked in class on Friday for a grade.

WTW 23:
clerk, fern, germ, herd, perch
dear, ear, fear, rear, spear
deer, jeer, peer, steer
earth, heard, learn
WANT A CHALLENGE?:  herb, perk, stern, sear, hear, shear,
sneer, leer, here, yearn (these are extra credit words only)

WEEK OF MARCH 14 - 18

CLASSWORK:
Math:    We will take our post- test for Q3 the end of this week.
ELA:    We will take our post-test for Q3 by the end of this week.
Reading and Writing:  We are working on informational reading
writing.
Science:  We will draw our shadows outside in the morning,
noon, and afternoon... continue discussion on earth, moon, stars.
Social Studies:  We will check our packets in class on Tuesday.
Health:  We will check our packets in class on Tuesday and discuss
how to take care of our teeth.

HOMEWORK:
Math:  two worksheets (due Friday)
ELA:  two worksheets (due Friday)
Reading:  read 20 minutes each night
Writing - our writing assignments will be completed in class
Social Studies - packet from last week is due Tuesday
Health - packet from last week is due Tuesday
WTW (spelling) - no new spelling words this week
Science - no new science assignments this week

Week of March 07 - 11

* Field trip on Tuesday... wear pants and tennis shoes...
lunches should be brought in disposable bags... no
lunch boxes, please.

HOMEWORK:

MATH:  Students have two worksheets to complete.  They will use the charts they completed in class to help them finish their math worksheets.

READING:  Students should be reading 20 minutes each night and completing their March calendar with the number of minutes they have read each night.  Only a few students turned in their February Reading Calendar… please help your child fill out their March calendar.

HEALTH:  Students have a packet to complete.  It can be downloaded from the  blog (Taking Care of Your Teeth – look under PAGES).  This is due next  Tuesday (3/15). 

SOCIAL STUDIES:  Students have a packet to complete.  It can be downloaded from the blog (Unit 3 – Georgia at Work – look under PAGES).  This is due next Tuesday.

SPELLING:  Download Words Their Way 22 (under PAGES)… students need to make flashcards for their spelling words and bring them to class on  Tuesday, tomorrow (3/08).  Flashcards can be made using paper, index cards, or  construction paper.

CLASSWORK:

This week in Math we will continue studying inches, feet, and yards.  We will also introduce centimeters and discuss the metric system.  Our center work will include measurement, the thermometer,  and 3-D shapes.

Science and Social Studies topics will be discussed in class to reinforce independent work (packets) that students are working on at home.

Writing topics we’re covering in class include writing compound sentences,  fact and opinion, compare/contrast.

We are Reading in class every day.  Students will continue to work on their book reports.  Students went to the library last week and will have an opportunity to check out books this Wednesday.