Morgan & Neely 3rd Grade - neely3rdgrade

Thank you for joining us today for our poetry celebration.  Our students enjoyed learning all about poetry in Mrs. Morgan’s class.  They have worked extremely hard writing their own poetry and creating illustrations in their books.  We were all excited to share this work with you today!

 

The last few weeks of school are always busy ones.   Here are a few key dates:

• Friday, May 11 – Today!  Yearbooks will be sent home.

• Tuesday, May 15:  Third grade Spring Party 12:45-1:45.  Today will also be yearbook signing day.  If your child would like to have his/her yearbook signed, please send in the yearbook today.  This will be the only opportunity for signing.  Please also have your child bring a pen.  We’ll also wear our field day shirts for party day.

• May 1 – May 18:  Gwinnett County posttest window – Students will take a posttest for reading, language arts, math, science, and social studies.

• Wednesday, May 23:  Last day of school!  Progress reports come home!

Reading

News continued from last week…….as the year draws to a close, we will be reading in the content areas for fourth grade social studies curriculum to preview important topics so students will be familiar with key ideas.  While individual assessments are taking place, students will continue to apply skills learned throughout the year through independent, partner, and small group reading of fiction and nonfiction text. 

 

Writing

Poetry celebration was amazingly fun!  The students and parents enjoyed student author and the poems they share.  Next week, students will be working to create a persuasive pamphlet entitled “Vacation Destination!”  I know you will enjoy their persuasive techniques!

 

Math

For the remainder of the year, we will preview some skills for next year.  We will also continue to work on problem solving. 

 

Please continue to work on basic fact practice at home, especially multiplication.  Continue practicing all summer!

 

Social Studies

As in reading, students will be previewing fourth grade curriculum.  We will touch on some key ideas that will introduce students to next year’s curriculum.   

The last few weeks of school are always busy ones.   Here are a few key dates:

• Wednesday, May 9:  Third Grade Economics Day.  Your child should bring his/her products/service in on Wednesday.

• Friday, May 11:  Poetry Celebration – Parents invited!  Please join us at 1:00 P.M. in your child’s homeroom for poetry and refreshments.  The students are diligently writing and creating their own poetry book keepsakes!  (See the Friday Folder for your invitation.)

• Tuesday, May 15:  Third grade Spring Party 12:45-1:45

• May 1 – May 18:  Gwinnett County posttest window – Students will take a posttest for reading, language arts, math, science, and social studies.

• Wednesday, May 23:  Last day of school!  Progress reports come home!

Reading

End of year assessments are almost complete!  We’ll be wrapping up assessments by Tuesday.  Then, we will continue our reading application skills; adhering to our mini-lesson format, students will continue to apply lessons in relation to summarizing, inferring, and connecting to text.  As the year draws to a close, we will also be reading in the content areas for fourth grade social studies curriculum to preview important curriculum so students will be familiar with key ideas.  While individual assessments are taking place, students will continue to apply skills learned throughout the year through independent, partner, and small group reading of fiction and nonfiction text. 

Writing

This week, our focus will be completing and publishing our Poetry Books.  The students have worked very hard on their creations, diligently incorporating the pillar of poetry of imagery, music, and emotion.  Please feel free to join us on Friday at 1:00 for our poetry celebration.

 

Math

We are wrapping up our long division unit.  Our test will be on Tuesday, May 8.  Here are the AKS for long division:

 

·   Explain the different meanings of the remainder in division problems

·   Divide two- and three- digit numbers by a one-digit divisor

 

After the long division unit, we will preview some 4^th grade skills.  Please continue to review multiplication and division with your child at home.

 

Science

We will finish our magnetism unit next week (in-between testing and Economics Day).  I have tentatively scheduled our unit test for Friday, May 11.  Here’s the AKS for this unit:

 

AKS

·   investigate to find common objects that are attracted to magnets

·   investigate how magnets attract and repel each other

·   demonstrate that size and shape of a magnet do not determine strength

·   distinguish between magnetic and nonmagnetic metals

·   construct a temporary magnet and describe the process

 

Social Studies

After finishing magnets unit, we will preview some of the 4^th grade curriculum.

We’re back to our regular schedule next week now that the CRCT is finished. Your children worked very hard this week!

The last few weeks of school are always busy ones. Here are a few key dates:

Wednesday, May 9: Third Grade Economics Day (Check the Friday Folder for more information. Student product or service ideas are due on Monday.)

Friday, May 11: Poetry Celebration – Parents invited! Please join us at 1:00 P.M. in your child’s homeroom for poetry and refreshments. The students are diligently writing and creating their own poetry book keepsakes!

Tuesday, May 15: Third grade Spring Party 12:45-1:45

May 1 – May 18: Gwinnett County posttest window – Students will take a posttest for reading, language arts, math, science, and social studies.

Wednesday, May 23: Last day of school! Progress reports come home!

Reading

End of year assessments are here! Over the next two weeks, students will be individually assessed to determine progress this year. Students will be assessed for fluency and comprehension, retelling, making inferences and determining connections concerning grade level texts. Due to the comprehensive nature of these assessments, it may take a minimum of two weeks to complete these assessments for all students. While individual assessments are taking place, students will continue to apply skills learned throughout the year through independent, partner, and small group reading of fiction and nonfiction text.

Writing

In preparation for our poetry celebration on Friday, May 11, students will begin publishing poetry selections. The final poetry book will include a minimum of seven pieces with illustrations that accompany each poem. Students will work to perfect their selections to include in their final copy.

Word Study

This week, students will identify the word unit "tri" meaning three. Children will identify common words with the root "tri", define those words, and complete word study activities that introduce this word part.

Science

We will continue with our magnet unit. I have tentatively scheduled our unit test for Friday, May 11. Here’s the AKS for this unit:

AKS

investigate to find common objects that are attracted to magnets

investigate how magnets attract and repel each other

demonstrate that size and shape of a magnet do not determine strength

distinguish between magnetic and nonmagnetic metals

construct a temporary magnet and describe the process

Math

We will also continue to work on long division. I have tentatively scheduled our long division unit test for Tuesday, May 8. Here are the AKS for long division:

Explain the different meanings of the remainder in division problems

Divide two- and three- digit numbers by a one-digit divisor

Students will learn the basic steps of long division with a remainder. We will also learn how to interpret the remainder in long division word problems

School Events

-Relay for Life “Cupcake Wars”

Our Relay for Life team will be selling paper cupcakes for $1.00.  (These are in place of the feet they’ve sold in the past.)  Students can purchase the cupcakes in the front lobby each morning before school.  The decorated cupcakes will be displayed outside the gym.  The class that donates the most will win a cupcake party courtesy of our own Mr. Pezoldt!  Thank you for supporting Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society!

CRCT TIME!

CRCT Testing Dates:

Monday, April 23:  Reading

Tuesday, April 24:  Language Arts

Wednesday, April 25:  Math

Thursday, April 26:  Science

Friday, April 27:  Social Studies

 

Please make sure that your child arrives on time for school each day during testing.  Thank you!

 

Our schedule changes next week due to testing:

·  Lunch 11:26-11:56

·  Specials 12:05-12:50

·  Recess 1:45-2:30

We will either be eating in the classroom or outside depending on the weather.  It would be best if you plan on joining your child for lunch the week after testing.  Thank you!

School Events

– Food Drive

Next week is the PMES Canned Food Drive.  Please help us support those in need in our community.  Our classroom goal is 1 canned food item per student.  Thanks for your support!

-Relay for Life “Cupcake Wars”

Our Relay for Life team will be selling paper cupcakes for $1.00.  (These are in place of the feet they’ve sold in the past.)  Students can purchase the cupcakes in the front lobby each morning before school.  The decorated cupcakes will be displayed outside the gym.  The class that donates the most will win a cupcake party courtesy of our own Mr. Pezoldt!  Thank you for supporting Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society!

CRCT TIME!

Next week our focus will be CRCT review in all subject areas.  We’ve also planned a fun theme for each day next week to “pep up” the students for the CRCT testing week.  Please see the information in your child’s Friday Folder for complete information.

Monday:  Running Towards Success

Tuesday:  Crazy about the CRCT

Wednesday:  Brain Berets

Thursday:  Dress for Success

Friday:  CRCT Class Spirit

 

Looking ahead…

CRCT Testing Dates:

Monday, April 23:  Reading

Tuesday, April 24:  Language Arts

Wednesday, April 25:  Math

Thursday, April 26:  Science

Friday, April 27:  Social Studies

 

Please make sure that your child arrives on time for school each day during testing.  Thank you!

 

Science

Our next unit will be on magnets.  Here’s the AKS for this unit:

AKS

·   investigate to find common objects that are attracted to magnets

·   investigate how magnets attract and repel each other

·   demonstrate that size and shape of a magnet do not determine strength

·   distinguish between magnetic and nonmagnetic metals

·   construct a temporary magnet and describe the process

 

We started today by exploring objects in the room to determine what was magnetic. 

 

We will also be taking a cumulative science test next Friday.  This will be a review test that covers all of the material we’ve learned about this year!  Students will be bringing home their science notebooks each night to review.  We will also be reviewing in class.

 

Math

Please see the note in your child’s Friday Folder regarding long division.  We will continue to practice long division in class, as well as reviewing for the CRCT.

 

Reading

In reading, we will continue to support review of nonfiction text using our Science textbooks.  This week, we will identify context clues, glossary skills, and content vocabulary for heat, habitats, and adaptations.

·   Increase vocabulary to reflect a growing range of interests and knowledge (C2009-35)

·   Idenify multiple meaning of words in text (C2009-36)

·   Use phonics and identification to identify content area words (C2009-43)

·   Apply letter sound knowledge to decode accurately (C2009-43)

·   Use dictionary and thesaurus (C2009-43)

 

 

Writing

We are beginning to edit our poetry for punctuation, spelling, and arrangement of words to prepare for a special poetry celebration and final poetry book, authored by our own wonderful students!  Mark your calendar for May 11 for a special poetry reading.

 

Word Work

This week, our focus is capitalization and punctuation.  Remember to review basic parts of speech as well as possessive nouns and pronouns.

 

Happy Spring Break!

Enjoy your extra family time.

 

Calling All Writers!  Calling All Readers!

Mill Creek Student Literacy Institute

July 23-26 8:30- 11:30 AM

Tuition:  $100.00

 

The Annual Mill Creek Student Writing Institute is looking for readers and writers! Do you love to write?  Do you love to read? Do something different this summer!  Publish a book!  You can find program information and registration form on the school website.  You don’t want to miss this opportunity to become a published author!  Space is limited! 

 

Looking ahead…

CRCT Testing Dates:

Monday, April 23 – Friday, April 27

 

Reading

For the next two weeks, we will be reviewing reading skills through science content.  Our topics will be rocks and minerals, changes to the earth’s land, and magnets.  As we review these topics, students will assess vocabulary, context clues, facts, main ideas and supporting details, and test taking strategies.   In addition to these skills, students will also complete graphic organizers to help remember key details in text. 

Writing

We will be working on poetry for the next few weeks.  Our focus this week is writing patterned poems, such as haikus, cinquains, and rhyming poems.    

Word Study

Review, review, review!  Students will continue our review of ALL grammar skills students have learned this year!

 

Math

Our primary focus for the two weeks following Spring Break will be reviewing for the CRCT.  We will also work on our next unit, long division.  Here are the AKS for long division:

·   Explain the different meanings of the remainder in division problems

·   Divide two- and three- digit numbers by a one-digit divisor

 

Students will learn the basic steps of long division with a remainder.  We will also learn how to interpret the remainder in a long division word problem.

 

Social Studies

Following Spring Break, we will continue with our important Americans and their character traits.  This unit covers Thurgood Marshall, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Cesar Chavez.  I’ve tentatively scheduled this unit test for Thursday, April 12^th. 

 

Time to review!   We will also spend time after Spring Break reviewing our science and social studies units prior to taking the CRCT. 

 

Science

After we finish up on our final three Americans, we will complete our last science unit of the year - magnets.

 

Here are the AKS for our unit on magnets:

 

1.  Investigate to find common objects that are attracted to magnets

2.   Investigate how magnets attract and repel each other

3.   Demonstrate that size and shape of a magnet do not determine strength

4.   Distinguish between magnetic and nonmagnetic metals

5.   Construct a temporary magnet and describe the process

March Madness CRCT Review

Don’t forget about our March challenge.  Thirty review tests in thirty days.  Please help your child to better prepare for the CRCT by completing these tests at home.  Thank you for your support!  Test checklist is due on Thursday!

 

Looking towards next week…

Reading

Focal reading:  Nonfiction Text.  In reading this week, we will review context clues, fact and opinion, true/false statements, and rereading text for important information.  Students will also continue reading just right text for fluency and comprehension.

Writing

We will be working on poetry for the next few weeks.  Our focus this week is writing poems from a story and working on line breaks.  Writing poetry is a fun and exciting genre.  As writers, students will explore how authors use imagery, music, and senses to write exquisite poems. 

Word Study

Review, review, review!  This week begins our review of ALL grammar skills students have learned this year.  Types of sentences, compound subjects/predicates/sentences, review of prepositions and objects of prepositions, nouns, and pronouns will be a key focus this week.

Math

Next week we will finish our unit on multiplying larger problems.  We will continue multiplying with the “traditional” method and concentrating on problem solving. Our unit test will be on Wednesday.

 

On Thursday, I will preview long division, and we will continue working with money.  Long division will continue after Spring Break.

 

CRCT time is right around the corner.  We will also spend time reviewing math concepts in class.  Please continue to have your child take practice CRCT tests at home and complete the March Madness form!  This is due Thursday, March 29.

 

Social Studies

We finished our economics unit on Friday with our unit test.  We will come back to economics after CRCT when we get ready for our third grade economics day.  More details to follow!

 

Next week we will continue with our important Americans and their character traits.  We will learn about Thurgood Marshall, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Cesar Chavez.  The test on our last three people will not be until after Spring Break.

 

We had a great time celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with a fun coordinate grid activity, fictional writing about a special leprechaun, and a poetry activity!  The children had a wonderful time!

March Madness CRCT Review

Don’t forget about our March challenge.  Thirty review tests in thirty days.  Please help your child to better prepare for the CRCT by completing these tests at home.  Thank you for your support!

 

Looking towards next week…….

Reading

Focal reading:  Tsunamis.  In reading this week, we will visit nonfiction text as we review main idea and supporting details.  We will also determine facts and use context clues to identify vocabulary. 

Writing

Writing poetry is a fun and exciting genre.  As writers, students will explore how authors use imagery, music, and senses to write exquisite poetry.  Children will explore multiple topics, such as determining what things they love, what things they see, what memories capture their attention, and what events happen in the news that could be potential topics for this four week unit. 

Word Study

Commas in a series and review of adverbs is this week’s focus in Grammar.

Math

On Thursday, we began our unit on multiplying two and three digits by one digit.  We began by working with multiples of 10 and 100 and noticing the patterns.  Then, we learned how to estimate products.  Estimating products helps us to quickly check to make sure our answers make sense. 

 

Next week, we will learn several ways to multiply larger problems.  We’ll start with the distributive property, work with partial products, and then learn the traditional method with which parents may be most familiar.

 

AKS for our current unit:

·   model and use multiplication facts (to 10 x 10) with understanding and fluency

·   model and explain the effect on the product when multiplying by multiples of 10

·   use arrays and area models to develop understanding of the distributive property and determine partial products for multiplication of two- and three-digit numbers by a one-digit number

 

We’ll wrap this multiplication unit up prior to Spring Break.  I’ve tentatively scheduled this test for Wednesday, March 28.

 

CRCT time is right around the corner.  We will also spend time reviewing math concepts in class.  Please continue to have your child take practice CRCT tests at home and complete the March Madness form!

 

Social Studies

Our economics unit continues next week.  I’m planning on testing students Friday, March 23.  Please continue to review vocabulary cards, notes, and the text with your child.  (Remember, the textbook is also available online!)  Discussing these topics at home is a great way to further build understanding.  Thank you for your support!

 

After we finish economics, we will continue with our important Americans and their character traits.  We will learn about Thurgood Marsh, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Cesar Chavez.

 

End of the Third Nine Weeks!

Yes, it’s hard to believe.  Tuesday marks the beginning of the 4^th and final marking period of the school year.  Progress reports will come home on Friday, March 16. 

 

We  celebrated the end of our Read Across America week with a reading of Bartholomew and the Oobleck, and then we made oobleck!  What a fun mess!  Thank you to Mrs. Sarazen, Mrs. Suiter, and Mrs. Terry, for helping and cleaning up!

 

Enjoy your family on March 12! No school on Monday!

March Madness CRCT Review

Don’t forget about our March challenge.  Thirty review tests in thirty days.  Please help your child to better prepare for the CRCT by completing these tests at home.  Thank you for your support!

 

Reading

In reading this week, we will wrap up our unit of figurative language.  Students will continue to work on fluency and improving comprehension.  I will assess individual students and their fluency and comprehension on an appropriate leveled book.

Writing

This week, students will complete a Quick Write activity as we review the components of Responding to Literature. 

Word Study

Grammar returns!  The next several weeks, we will be working on reviewing parts of speech (nouns, verbs, pronouns, adjectives, and adverbs) and sentences, specifically, compound subjects, compound predicates, and compound sentences.  Students will also be exposed to common abbreviations and capitalization rules.

This week’s focus:  ADVERBS

Math

We will finish up our elapsed time unit and take our test on Wednesday, March 14. 

Our next focus will be on multiplying two digits by one digit.  We will also learn the steps to basic long division problems.  Please continue to practice multiplication at home.

CRCT time is right around the corner.  We will also spend time reviewing math concepts in class.

 

Upcoming AKS:

·   divide two- and three-digit numbers by a one-digit divisor

·  use arrays and area models to develop understanding of the distributive property and determine partial products for multiplication of two- and three-digit numbers by a one-digit number

 

Social Studies

Our economics unit continues.  Students enjoyed their bartering experience this week.  We discovered that bartering isn’t always as easy as getting something with money!

 

We will continue with economics next week.  Please have your child review and discuss the notes nightly.  Our unit test will be the week of March 19.

 

I’m also sending home another Pebble Go research page.  This research will help students learn more about Thurgood Marshall.  This assignment is due by Wednesday, March 14.

 

February 29, 2012

PMES Carnival!

Sparky’s Spectacular Spring Carnival and Silent Auction is Friday, March 2^nd from 4:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M.  Come and enjoy the fun!

 

Reading/Writing

In reading class, we will work on Test Taking Strategies, as well as continue our work with figurative language.  As writers, we are wrapping up our Response to Literature writing pieces.  Review of editing skills (punctuation, capitalization, and spelling) will be an important focus.  Towards the end of the week, students will celebrate their writing and share with a friend their writing piece.

 

Word Study

We will conclude our word study of “graph” and “gram.”  Then, we will begin reviewing parts of speech, as well as revisit dictionary skills and ABC order.

 

Math

Up next is our unit on measuring time (elapsed time).  Here is the AKS for elapsed time:

• determine elapsed time to the nearest hour, half-hour and quarter-hour (GPS) (3MA_D2007-45)

 

As you can see, the primary focus is calculating elapsed time.  This AKS assumes that children have a working knowledge of telling time, including using quarter after, half past, quarter ‘til, midnight, and noon.  We’ve been working hard in class to review telling time to prepare for our elapsed time unit.  Students will take a test on this unit around March 9.

Social Studies

We began our unit on economics this week.  Here are the AKS that we will follow as we learn about economics:

• describe the four types of productive resources

• 26a - describe natural/land productive resources

• 26b - describe human/labor productive resources

• 26c - describe capital/capital goods productive resources

• 26d - describe characteristics of entrepreneurship

• explain that government provides certain types of goods and services in a market economy and pays for these through taxes

• 27a - describe government services such as schools, libraries, road, police/fire protection and military

• give examples of interdependence and trade and explain how voluntary exchange benefits both parties

• 28a - describe the interdependence of consumers and producers of goods and services

• 28b - describe how goods and services are allocated by price in the marketplace

• 28c - explain that some things are made locally, some elsewhere in the country, and some in other countries

• 28d - explain that most countries create their own currency for use as money

• describe the costs and benefits of personal spending and saving choices

This unit contains a lot of vocabulary.  Fortunately, we have a great video series that accompanies the unit and our text book is also a strong resource. I’ve also begun to add a few BrainPops to the website that cover some of these topics.

Please check your child’s Friday Folder for a note about our bartering experience next week!

 

February 24, 2012

Early Release Days!

We’re looking forward to meeting with parents next week during our conference time.  Monday and Tuesday are both early release days.  Bus Call will begin at 12:15.

PMES Carnival!

Sparky’s Spectacular Spring Carnival and Silent Auction is next Friday, March 2^nd from 4:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M.  Mark your calendars!

 

Six Flags Reading Program

Your child received a Six Flags Read to Succeed Reading Log this week for Reading Club.  This is a reading incentive program offered by Six Flags Parks.  Students who read 360 minutes are eligible for a one time use park pass during the 2012 Season.  Please refer to your child’s agenda for the months of January and February to complete the appropriate number of reading minutes and to earn a Six Flags pass for your child.  READING LOG MUST BE RECEIVED BY FEBRUARY 27 for your student to receive an admission pass.

Reading

Inquiry Based Reading Project is due Wednesday, February 30.  All five cards will be turned in for Wednesday.  This will be a part of your child’s reading grade.  Research may be completed at home, but trading cards will be completed at school.  To access the research pages, go to Mrs. Clinkscales’ website, click on MORE LINKS, and go to the BIOGRAPHY TRADING CARD WEB QUEST. 

Please note:  This is an at school project.  Only research may be completed at home.

In reading class, we will continue working with figurative language (similes, metaphors, homophones/homographs.)

Writing

This week, we will be adding to our Response to Literature Writing Piece.  Summarizing the book with character details, plot, and setting will be a focus for this week’s instruction.

Word Study

Last week, we worked with the word part “graph”. This week, we will examine the word part “-gram”.  Together, we will search and chart words that contain this word component and use the words in a sentence, as well as in word games and puzzles.

Math

Next week we will finish our unit on area and perimeter.  Our unit test will be Thursday, March 1. 

Up next is our unit on measuring time (elapsed time).  Here is the AKS for elapsed time:

• determine elapsed time to the nearest hour, half-hour and quarter-hour (GPS) (3MA_D2007-45)

 

As you can see, the primary focus is calculating elapsed time.  This AKS assumes that children have a working knowledge of telling time, including using quarter after, half past, quarter ‘til, midnight, and noon.  We’ve been working hard in class to review telling time to prepare for our elapsed time unit.  Students will take a test on this unit around March 9.

Social Studies

We continued our important people unit this week talking about Franklin D. Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt.  There are many BrainPops that your child can review about all of our “important people”.  Check our website!

We also read a story called Leah’s Pony that was set during the depression and dust bowl.  This helped us better understand the time period.

Students need to review notes nightly and use the links on the website to review.  We will take our test on Tuesday, 2/28 covering Bethune, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Franklin Roosevelt.  This next test will also contain review questions on Revere, Douglass, and Anthony. 

Following this unit, we will begin a unit on economics.  Here are the AKS that we will follow as we learn about economics:

• describe the four types of productive resources

• 26a - describe natural/land productive resources

• 26b - describe human/labor productive resources

• 26c - describe capital/capital goods productive resources

• 26d - describe characteristics of entrepreneurship

• explain that government provides certain types of goods and services in a market economy and pays for these through taxes

• 27a - describe government services such as schools, libraries, road, police/fire protection and military

• give examples of interdependence and trade and explain how voluntary exchange benefits both parties

• 28a - describe the interdependence of consumers and producers of goods and services

• 28b - describe how goods and services are allocated by price in the marketplace

• 28c - explain that some things are made locally, some elsewhere in the country, and some in other countries

• 28d - explain that most countries create their own currency for use as money

• describe the costs and benefits of personal spending and saving choices

This unit contains a lot of vocabulary.  Fortunately, we have a great video series that accompanies the unit and our text book is also a strong resource.

A big thank you from both Mrs. Neely and Mrs. Morgan for all the wonderful Valentine’s Surprises!  We were both overwhelmed by your generous and kind gifts!  The students had a fun day and enjoyed showing off their Valentine’s boxes during our Valentine exchange. J

Reading

Looking forward to a wonderful week in Reading! We will be working with homographs and using context clues to decipher word meanings.  Please remember to continue recording your reading minutes.  We are approaching the end of the quarter; many students have already read the required 1,200 minutes to participate in the reading celebration.  We will also continue our work on our Inquiry Based Reading Project (The Bibliography Trading Card project.)  Due to my absence last week, I will be extending the due date to February 30.  This will allow us another opportunity to go to the computer lab.  It will also give your child a chance at home to research and finish up their work.

Writing

This week, we will be adding to our Response to Literature Writing Piece.  Incorporating opinions about the book will be a focus for this week’s instruction.

Word Study

Last week, we worked with the word part “mil-“.  This week, we will examine the word part “-graph”.  Together, we will search and chart words that contain this word component and use the words in a sentence, as well as in word games and puzzles.

Math

Next week we will continue with another unit in measurement.  This time our focus will be area and perimeter.  Below are the AKS for this unit:

·   use words, pictures and/or numbers to show the meaning of a linear unit in measuring perimeter (GPS) (3MA_D2007-50)

·   use words, pictures and/or numbers to show that perimeter is the boundary of a geometric figure and requires summing the linear measures of all sides (GPS) (3MA_D2007-51)

·   determine the perimeter of simple geometric figures to include squares and rectangles (GPS) (3MA_D2007-52)

·   use words, pictures and/or numbers to show the meaning of a square unit in measuring area (GPS) (3MA_D2007-53)

·   model, by tiling, the area of simple geometric figures in square units (GPS) (3MA_D2007-54)

·   determine area of squares and rectangles by counting, adding, tiling, and multiplying with models (GPS) (3MA_D2007-55)

 

We will continue with this unit until the end of the month.  (Expect a unit test around the 28^th.)  Following area and perimeter, we will begin our unit on measuring time (elapsed time).

Social Studies

We began our unit learning about Mary McLeod Bethune’s contributions.  The students enjoyed reading and discussing the story More than Anything Else which is about a young Booker T. Washington’s desire to learn how to read.  In this unit, we will also learn about Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt.  Don’t forget about the links on our website for each of these people.  It’s a great opportunity for your child to extend the learning that is taking place in our classroom.

We will continue with this unit next week and plan on testing these three people around 2/29.  This next unit test will also contain review questions on Revere, Douglass, and Anthony.  Following this unit, we will begin a unit on economics.

Weekly Update from Mrs. Morgan and Mrs. Neely

Don’t forget to bring in your Valentine Boxes on Tuesday!

Language Arts

We are looking forward to the week of February 13!  In reading, we will be working on identifying multiple meanings of words in text.  Our AKS focus will be:

·  What are homophones?  How do we use visual cues and context clues to help us determine the meaning of homophones?

·  What are homographs?  How do we use context clues to determine the meaning of homographs?

·  What are some common homophones/homographs that we encounter in our reading?

Inquiry Based Research

In an effort to support our third grade Social Studies curriculum, students will be completing Biographical Trading Cards.  Students have already begun their research and are collecting notes and data on individual historical figures.  Most of the research and work will be done at school, but all websites and activities, as well as directions are available online through Mrs. Clinkscales’ websites.  If you go to the PMES website and click on Mrs. Clinkscales’ website, you may go to Links and Biography Trading Cards.  There is a WEALTH of information regarding project expectations and resources available.  I encourage you to look at the project with your child to see what valuable information they are learning!

Writing

Responding to Literature in Writing is one of our favorite writing genres.  In this unit, we will explore various reading texts and choose ways to respond to the books that we read.  This week, we will begin brainstorming topics and ideas for responding to books that we love. 

Word Study

This week, we will continue our unit of study for vocabulary.  We will work with words that contain “mil-“ as part of the word.  For example:

Military, millipede, millennium, militia, millimeter, and millionaire.  We will work on these words in context.

Other words that are important for students to know are: 

No Excuse Words:  These are words that students should be familiar with and know how to spell in everyday writing:  early, living, shown, really, learned.

Math

We worked this week on converting/comparing customary units.  We compared inches, feet, and yards.  Next, we moved into metric with a focus on millimeters, centimeters, meters, and kilometers.  We will continue with metric into next week with comparing the different units. 

We will finish our measurement unit next week and take our test on Wednesday, February 15. 

When we return from the long weekend, we will continue with measurement, but this time working with area and perimeter of plane figures.

 Science

We finished our heat unit this week.  Students even got to test out “blubber” as an insulator!  The remainder of the marking period will be social studies units.

Social Studies

After our heat unit, we’ll be back to social studies and three more of our important Americans.  This unit will focus on Mary McLeod Bethune, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Franklin D. Roosevelt. 

We will then move on to economics! 

 

Here are the AKS for our economics unit.  Take a look at some of the vocabulary used in the AKS.  You can use this AKS to guide some conversations at home.  We have a great video series that accompanies this unit that talks about economics on a third grade level!

• describe the four types of productive resources (GPS) (3SS_D2008-26)

• 26a - describe natural/land productive resources

• 26b - describe human/labor productive resources

• 26c - describe capital/capital goods productive resources

• 26d - describe characteristics of entrepreneurship

• explain that government provides certain types of goods and services in a market economy and pays for these through taxes (GPS) (3SS_D2008-27)

• 27a - describe government services such as schools, libraries, road, police/fire protection and military

• give examples of interdependence and trade and explain how voluntary exchange benefits both parties (GPS) (3SS_D2008-28)

• 28a - describe the interdependence of consumers and producers of goods and services

• 28b - describe how goods and services are allocated by price in the marketplace

• 28c - explain that some things are made locally, some elsewhere in the country, and some in other countries

• 28d - explain that most countries create their own currency for use as money

• describe the costs and benefits of personal spending and saving choices (GPS) (3SS_D2008-29)

From our counselors:

 

Skate Night - Tuesday, February 7th - 6:30 - 8:30

Where: Skate Country in Buford.  Price: $4.00 (includes skate rental)

All money raised will be given to our PMES Care Team.

 

PMES Parent Workshop

Our school counselors will be sharing information about 1-2-3 Magic, an easy-to-use technique for managing difficult behavior in children. Parents will have an opportunity to view Dr. Thomas W. Phelan’s video and learn effective strategies for providing consistent discipline at home.

Date:  Wednesday, February 8 Time:  10:00 – 11:00

 

Weekly Update from Mrs. Morgan and Mrs. Neely

Language Arts

This week, we will complete our unit of study on fact and opinion.  We will also use some biographical books from our social studies curriculum to determine facts and opinions based on the people we read.  Later in the week, students will read more poetry and see how poets use figurative language in their writing.

Writing

We have completed our first Persuasive Writing piece!  Students did a good job developing arguments and reasoning for their ideas and opinions.  Students will work this week on a persuasive “quick write,” then begin our Response to Literature Unit.

 

Word Study

This week, we will finish up working with possessive nouns and begin a unit of study for vocabulary.  We will work with words that contain “mil-“ as part of the word.  For example:

Math

We continued to review telling time this week.  Please continue to review this with your child at home, especially, noon (12:00 P.M.), midnight (12:00 A.M.), quarter after, half-past, and quarter ‘til.

Our unit of focus this week was measurement.  Students worked hard measuring inches, half-inches, and quarter inches.  Next week we will focus on our customary units (inch, foot, yard, and mile), when to use each unit, and converting between units. 

We’ll also work with the metric measurement system next week:  kilometers, meters, centimeters, and millimeter.  We will measure using meters, centimeters, and millimeters.  Just as with our customary units, we will determine when it is most appropriate to use each metric unit.  Students will also learn to convert between the units. 

I’m planning on continuing with our measurement unit for the next two weeks.  We’ll wrap up and test this unit tentatively on Thursday, February 16.

Science

We continued our heat unit this week discussing ways that heat travels.  One focus was on conduction.  Our science lab this week had students discovering how heat moved through a metal spoon, plastic spoon, and wooden stick when placed in warm water. 

We’ll continue with our heat unit next week.  We’ll finish up with how heat travels, and then discuss insulators and conductors.  I’m tentatively planning our heat test on Friday, February 9. 

Students will bring home their science notebooks each night next week to review their notes. 

Social Studies

After our heat unit, we’ll be back to social studies and three more of our important Americans.  This unit will focus on Mary McLeod Bethune, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Franklin D. Roosevelt.  Students will also take part in a short internet research project where they learn about the character traits of other important Americans that have made an impact on our history.

From our counselors:

 

Skate Night - Tuesday, February 7th - 6:30 - 8:30

Where: Skate Country in Buford.  Price: $4.00 (includes skate rental)

All money raised will be given to our PMES Care Team.

 

PMES Parent Workshop

Our school counselors will be sharing information about 1-2-3 Magic, an easy-to-use technique for managing difficult behavior in children. Parents will have an opportunity to view Dr. Thomas W. Phelan’s video and learn effective strategies for providing consistent discipline at home.

Date:  Wednesday, February 8   Time:  10:00 – 11:00

 

Weekly Update from Mrs. Morgan and Mrs. Neely

Sci/Tech Night is next Thursday!

Please see the attached brochure for more information about the different sessions you and your child can attend.  It’s one of our most popular events of the year at PMES, so mark your calendar to attend Thursday, February 2^nd from 6:00-8:00. 

Language Arts News

This week in reading we will begin to discover the difference between fact and opinion.  We will utilize some social studies nonfiction books to incorporate the ideas of facts vs. opinions.  We will also create charts to articulate our thinking in our reader’s notebooks.

On Friday, we will continue our poetry exploration and try to write a few poems on our own!

As always, an integral part of our Reading Workshop is for children will continue to read JUST RIGHT books and practice fluency and comprehension skills.  Each day, continue to read and record reading minutes in the agenda.  Your help is truly appreciated!

Writing Workshop

This week, we will begin to wrap up our persuasive unit.  Monday and Tuesday, we will work towards revising our paragraphs and editing.  Using a thesaurus and dictionary, we will edit our writing pieces and begin publishing.  Adding details to our ideas and revising is an important skill.  Look for information towards the end of the week in regards to a Writing Celebration. 

Grammar and Mentor Sentences

This week, our work with Mentor Sentences will include a continuation of compound sentences.  We will also review possessive nouns.  For example:

The students’ desks passed inspection!

The women’s meeting lasted two hours.

The man’s briefcase weighed 12 pounds.

 

Math

We just finished up a week of decimals and problem solving.  We have also continued to review telling time from second grade.  This week we focused on telling time to the minute and practiced using the terms quarter after, half-past, and quarter ‘til.

Next week we will begin our measurement unit.  We’ll begin with a review of customary units (inch, foot, yard, and mile) and when to use each unit.  Students will also measure to the nearest ¼”, ½”, and whole inch.  During the unit, we’ll also learn about metric units:  kilometers, meters, centimeters, and millimeter.  Then, we’ll measure using metric units!  Finally, we’ll also compare units.  For example, 3 feet is the same as 1 yard, and 10 millimeters is the same as 1 centimeter.

Here’s our AKS for this unit:

·  use appropriate metric and customary units of length to include kilometer and mile (GPS) (3MA_D2007-46)

·  measure length to the nearest quarter-inch, half-inch, and millimeter (GPS) (3MA_D2007-47)

·  estimate length and represent it using appropriate units (GPS) (3MA_D2007-48)

·  compare one unit to another within a single system of linear measurement (GPS) (3MA_D2007-49)

 

Science

We’ve had a fun week beginning our heat unit.  Students did an experiment with an ice cube to demonstrate that heat moves from warmer objects to cooler objects.  We also added and removed heat from the air in a soda bottle to demonstrate expanding and contracting.

We’ll continue with our heat unit next week.  I’m sending home today (see attached) a parent help sheet on conduction, convection, and radiation.  These concepts can be difficult for students, and I thought it might be helpful to give you some additional information on this topic.

I’m estimating that this unit will continue until the week of February 6.  We’ll plan on taking our unit test sometime that week.  Students will bring home their science notebooks each night next week to review their notes. 

Here’s our AKS for the heat unit:

·  Explain how heat is produced and the effects of heating and cooling 

·  Understand that a change in temperature indicates a change in heat

·  Categorize ways to produce heat energy such as burning, rubbing (friction), and mixing one thing with another

·  Investigate how insulation affects heating and cooling

·  Investigate the transfer of heat energy from the sun to various materials

·  Use thermometers to measure the changes in temperature (hot, warm, cold) of water samples over time

What a fun time we had during our visit with Carmen Deedy, the children’s author.  She shared some wonderful narrative stories, and certainly motivated our young authors to use their personal experience to tell stories.  She also encouraged the students to listen to the stories of our families and of generations past.  If you have a story to tell from your childhood, share that family tale with your child!  It can make quite an impression!

Language Arts News

This week in reading we will turn our attention to learning about point of view.  All stories are written from a specific perspective.  We will look to see how authors choose their point of view and determine which point of view the story is written.   (First person or third person.)

These lessons will certainly benefit our poetry unit, as students continue to read poetry and begin attempting some poems of their own.  Students will sample some children’s poetry and begin writing some poetry, using stanzas, rhyming, and patterns.

Also, children will continue to read JUST RIGHT books and practice fluency and comprehension skills. 

Important News Regarding Reading Grades

You may have noticed your child’s reading level in the Parent Portal.  This grade reflects your child’s current reading level as assessed in December.  As students progress through the third grade, the increased expectations are reflected in the reading grade.  Towards the last few weeks of third quarter, I will reassess student progress.  As students improve their reading level, the grade will reflect student achievement. 

Writing Workshop

We will continue to explore the genre of persuasive writing.  Specifically, we are working towards developing facts to support our ideas. 

 

Grammar and Mentor Sentences

We will also continue our work with Mentor Sentences.  The next two weeks, our focus will be compound subjects and predicates.  Students will keep notes in their Word Study folders to refer to for CRCT practice later.

Math

This week we answered several Essential Questions.  (Each class period begins with our goal, the “EQ”.) What is a fraction?  How do fractions show parts of a whole?  How do fractions show part of a group?  What strategies can you use when adding fractions (with like denominators)?  We used fraction bars (real and virtual) to model adding fractions today.  We will begin next week with subtracting fractions.  Students will also take a fractions quiz early next week.

We also spent time problem solving.  Our goal at PMES is to solve word problems using pictures, numbers, and words.  Students worked this week to organize their work to make it easy for anyone to understand.  After showing their thinking and labeling their work, students wrote a paragraph explaining how they solved the problem.  Next week, students will complete a mid-year Exemplar (word problem) to mark their progress.

We are continuing with our multiplication timed testing.  Please have your child continue to practice at home several times per week.  In March, we will learn about multiplying with 2 and 3 digit numbers times 1 digit.  Memorization of basic facts is important to your child’s success with this!  We will also be working on long division (2 and 3 digits divided by 1 digit) problems before CRCT.

Science

Rocks & Minerals unit tests are coming home today in the Friday Folder.  Please take time to review the test with your child.  You will notice that there are many diagrams on the test.  We reviewed reading diagrams and test-taking skills prior to taking this test.  Our test-taking strategies focused on reading and re-reading, underlining key information in the question, and using process of elimination to find the correct answer.

 

 

Social Studies

We began this unit with the Essential Question, “What are character traits?”  After discussing a wide range of character traits, of real people and book characters, we narrowed the list down to our 3^rd grade AKS character traits.  Students worked in small groups to come up with examples of how these traits apply to 3^rd graders.  Groups then made a chart telling about their trait and presented their information to the class.   Many of the groups performed skits to demonstrate their traits.  We even had a few rap songs! 

All of this leads up to our study of nine Americans and how their character traits helped them achieve goals that impacted American history.  We will study three of the Americans during this unit:  Paul Revere, Frederick Douglass, and Susan B. Anthony. 

I’m planning on a test next Friday that covers these three people.

 

Have a great weekend!

 

January 6, 2012

Happy New Year!  We are certainly glad to have your children back and ready for learning.  Don’t forget that your child’s progress report will be sent home on Friday, January 6.  Please sign, and return the envelope on Monday.

Remember, on January 10, PMES will welcome Carmen Deedy to our school!  As a children’s author, she has much to share with our students.  We look forward to hearing her speak next week – a very special treat for PMES students.

Language Arts News

Don’t forget that our Reading Program continues this semester.  We will be working towards a new goal of 1,200 minutes.  Read and record your minutes to participate in the Reading Celebration at the end of the marking period.  Our focus will be on reading and recording the minutes read.  Students are expected to record the book title and number of minutes read in their agenda in order to participate in the Reading Celebration.

Our reading focus for the next couple of weeks will be poetry – we will explore rhyme, rhythm, stanzas, and different facets of poems that are common to all poetry readings.  We will also compare the genre of poetry to fiction and non-fiction genres.

Writing Workshop, we will explore the genre of persuasive writing.  We will also continue our work with Mentor Sentences.  If you do not have a pronged notebook for Word Study, it will be difficult to review for the CRCT.  Please make sure your child has a pronged folder for keeping Grammar and Word Study materials – some students do not have the right notebook; the pronged notebook is an important tool so students may include important Grammar Notes and practice pages.  These are helpful for review and will be a great help for CRCT practice!

Math

Moving on to fractions and decimals!  We will begin this unit hands-on with the use of fraction bars and fraction circles.  We will talk about parts of a whole and parts of a group.  In third grade, our focus is on understanding fractions with like denominators.  Computation will include adding and subtracting fractions.  Of course, we will be engaged in lots of problem solving!  PMES students are encouraged to “show their thinking” using pictures, numbers, and words.  We want students to not only be able to complete a problem, but to also communicate their thinking verbally and in writing.

Science

We’ll wrap up one of the students’ favorite units of the year next week – rocks and minerals!  The big hit of the week was making our own mold and cast fossils!  After a short unit in social studies, we’ll be back to science and learning about heat:  conduction, convection, and radiation.

Social Studies

We’ve researched Paul Revere, Frederick Douglass, and Susan B. Anthony on the internet and talked about them in reading workshop, now we’re ready for some more in-depth learning.  We’ll start off by talking about character traits in general, and then learn how these character traits apply to our featured Americans.

A huge thank you from Mrs. Morgan and Mrs. Neely for your thoughtful holiday wishes and gifts!  We certainly feel appreciated!  Enjoy your holiday season and time with family and friends.

Do you ever hear, “I’m bored” during winter break?  There are plenty of activities on our classroom website for our students:  Raz-Kids, geometry, multiplication, and other math games, links to BrainPop and Pebble-Go, and more!

We’ll see students back at Puckett’s Mill on Tuesday, January 3 to begin the third marking period.  Progress reports will be sent home on Friday, January 6.

Mid-year supply update:  Please check with your child regarding his/her supplies.  Each child should have a pencil pouch with a few glue sticks, scissors, pen, highlighter, colored pencils, and an Expo marker (thin is fine).  This pouch will travel with your child to both classes.  We are working on personal responsibility and organization.  By the way, glue sticks make great stocking stuffers!  J  Thanks!

Language Arts News

Congratulations to all of the students that read their way into the 1,000+ minute club for the second marking period.  Please see the home page of our website for a list of those students.  While we hope that students enjoy some reading time over the break, students do not need to record their minutes.   We will resume recording minutes in January.  Thank you for supporting your child as a reader!

We will also begin our NEW CHALLENGE of reading 1,200 minutes.  So many students are doing such a wonderful job of reading!  Our focus will be on reading and recording the minutes read.  Beginning January, students will be expected to record the book title and number of minutes read in their agenda in order to participate in the Reading Celebration.

For Writing Workshop, we will explore the genre of persuasive writing.  We will also continue our work with Mentor Sentences.  Please make sure your child has a pronged folder for keeping Grammar and Word Study materials – some students do not have the right notebook; the pronged notebook is an important tool so students may include important Grammar Notes and practice pages.  These are helpful for review and will be a great help for CRCT practice!

Math

Congratulations to all of our multiplication masters!  Please see the math page for a list of all students that have fluently mastered their multiplication tables 0-12.  These students will also be recognized at our upcoming academic assembly the end of January.  Keep practicing those facts, later in the spring we come back to multiplication again with larger problems and long division!

During the month of January, we will finish up with our geometry unit.  We completed our vocabulary packet and will continue with hands-on geometry practice.  There are some great geometry games on our website!

We will also pretest telling time in preparation for our March unit on elapsed time.  In third grade, the AKS focuses on finding elapsed time, but we find that many students struggle with the basics of telling time.  Please work with your child on telling time to the minute, five minutes, quarter hour, half hour, and hour.  Students will also be responsible for knowing the vocabulary:  noon, midnight, quarter after, quarter of/till, and half-past.

During January, our big focus will be on fractions.  We will learn about the meaning of fractions and how to add and subtract fractions with like denominators.  After fractions, our next unit will be decimals (to the hundredths place).

Science and Social Studies

Our rocks and minerals unit will wrap up in early January.  When we return from our break, our area of study will move into fossils.  Then, we will focus on social studies for a few weeks.  We will have a unit on three of our famous Americans, Paul Revere, Susan B. Anthony, and Frederick Douglass, where we focus on their contributions and character traits.

Towards the end of January, we will tackle economics!  Students will learn about the basics of wants and needs, supply and demand, and scarcity.  These are great topics to discuss during the holiday season!

Thanks, as always, for your support!

 

Language Arts News

Important News for Reading Club......If your child is participating in the 1,000 minute reading club, they must have ALL recorded minutes in this week’s agenda and on the choice card.  Our celebration will be Friday afternoon for those children who have successfully read and recorded 1,000 minutes!

As the semester draws to a close, I am working to assess your child's most current reading level.  Your child's reading level determines a large portion of the reading grade.  You may check the parent portal for information for up to date information on reading grades.

For the week of December 12, we have lots of learning planned!  We will continue to work on our nonfiction writing.  I look forward to seeing how your young authors are progressing as we revise, edit, and publish.

For Word Study, we will look at possessive nouns and the word part “sub”.

Math

We’re wrapping up our unit on division.  We will take a test on Tuesday.  Our study of geometry continues.  Students have been completing a packet of notes.  Our nightly homework has been reviewing these vocabulary terms.  (Hopefully you’ve been seeing this happen at home!)  Next week, we will get hands-on with geo boards.  Next week is also the last week to pass all of the times tables to earn the multiplication mastery award!  Keep practicing those facts!

Science

We’ve been busy learning about rocks and minerals in science.  Today we had fun creating sedimentary rocks from Starburst candy.  We then applied heat and pressure to change them into metamorphic rocks.  Of course we enjoyed eating our “rocks” after our experiment! 

Don't forget!  The Holiday Party is scheduled for 10:50 – 11:50 on Wednesday.  It promises to be lots of fun!

A Few Notes from Mrs. Morgan and Mrs. Neely

Language Arts

It’s hard to believe that Christmas is almost here!  We are working hard in both Reading and Writing.  In Reading, we are continuing our work with nonfiction text.  We will be making mini-book reports to show our learning with main idea, summarizing, connecting to text, graphs and charts, and vocabulary.  We will also continue to work with Social Studies and Science curriculum to learn these skills and apply them to all types on nonfiction text.  I know the students will do a fantastic job with ALL of these skills!

In Writing, we have the wonderful privilege of hosting Carl Anderson, an educational leader in the realm of Writing Workshop.  He will be coming on Tuesday to confer with students on their narrative nonfiction work.  As the week progresses, we will work on writing a strong lead and adding a conclusion to our writing.

In Grammar, we will continue our work with adjectives, especially with comparative and superlative adjectives.  We will also look at special cases of adjectives (those that use more and most.)

Interim testing is also next week.  This is a chance for students to demonstrate how much they have learned so far this year.  I encourage students to be here on time and to be here at school if at all possible.  (This prevents your child from making up the test at a different time from their class and missing valuable instructional time.)

Math

Ten more school days to earn the multiplication award!  Keep practicing those facts at home.  We’ve tested all the tables through 11.  Next week we will take the 12s and students will have the opportunity to retake tests that they have not yet passed.

We will continue with division and move towards the meaning of remainders.  We have also started geometry.  Next week the students will be making a book of the geometry vocabulary.

Science

This week the students learned about the properties of minerals in two labs.  They loved digging into the rock boxes!  We will continue next week talking about the three types of rocks and how they are formed.  Check out the science page for more information.

PTA Reindeer Lane Shopping

And….for the most exciting news:  Reindeer Lane Shopping!  Mrs. Morgan’s class will shop in Reindeer Lane on Tuesday at 11:30, and Mrs. Neely’s class will shop on Thursday at 12:30.  Students may bring in money for purchases to buy gifts for family and friends.

A Few Notes from Mrs. Morgan and Mrs. Neely…

 

Enjoy your Thanksgiving Break!  Many blessings!

 

Language Arts

 

We had a wonderful week in Reading and Writing!  Our writers finished their first informational piece of the year and published this week.  There were lots of wonderful stories about baking, sports, baby-sitting, shopping, hunting, and being a good big brother/sister.  To celebrate our first informational writing, we read about making pumpkin pie (it takes a cooperative class, a lot of supplies, and a great recipe!).  We followed directions well and enjoyed our special treat.  Thanks to everyone who sent in supplies.  I look forward to reading the stories over the next few days.   Look for your child's grade to be updated in the Parent Portal over the weekend.  We also worked on linking verbs - your child should be able to sing a song about linking, action, and helping verbs to remember them all!

 

In reading, we are beginning our nonfiction unit.  Learning to read for information, take notes, use context clues, and write summaries are all an important part of nonfiction.  We will continue after the break to enjoy nonfiction books, and even use biographies from social studies and rocks and minerals to help support our science and social studies curriculum. 

 

Just a quick update on the 1,000 Minute Reading Club.  It is important that students record their reading in their agenda each day, as well as on the choice card at the end of the week.  There will be more accountability the remainder of the nine weeks.  Students that do not write down their reading in their agenda will not receive credit for the week.  This ensures that students are actually reading for the correct amount of time each week.  Thank you for your understanding.

 

Math, Social Studies, and Science

 

We are continuing with our division unit.  We have learned that multiplication and division are inverse operations.  The students have also practiced drawing equal groups and using repeated subtraction to solve division problems.  We’ve begun to preview geometry vocabulary.  This is our next unit, and it can be challenging because of the volume of new vocabulary.  Please continue to have your child practice multiplication at home.  All students that have mastered their facts through the twelves by winter break will be recognized at the second marking period academic awards assembly.

 

After a few schedule interruptions, the democracy unit test was pushed back.  We will take this test on Wednesday, November 30.  If possible, please have your child spend a little time over the break reviewing this material.  Here are some suggestions: 

 

Textbook References: 

Georgia Democracies (Chapter 1, Lesson 2, pages 14-17)

Where Did Democracy Start? (Chapter 1, Extend Lesson 2, pages 18-19)

Becoming a Democracy (Chapter 4, Lesson 2, pages 100-103)

Local Government (Chapter 8, Lesson 1, pages 198-203)

State Government (Chapter 8, Lesson 2, pages 208-211)

National Government (Chapter 8, Lesson 3, pages 218-223)

Two Kinds of Democracy (Chapter 8, Lesson 4, pages 226-229)

BrainPop:  Democracy, Athens, Olympics

Internet:  Ben’s Guide to Democracy – Our Government – K-2

Government Flipbook (Names of people do NOT need to be memorized for testing.)

Social Studies notebook

 

Up next in science we will study rocks and minerals.  Get ready for your child to go crazy collecting rocks!

 

Other PMES News…

 

Book and a Bear Charitable Project

In lieu of the Angel Tree, we have decided this year to do a Books and a Bear Project.  The books and stuffed animals that we collect from Monday, November 28^th, 2011 to Friday, December 9^th, 2011 will go to children in need from Corley Elementary School and to children in Gwinnett County shelters. We are asking that each child bring in a new book appropriate for their grade level and a stuffed animal that still has the tags on them.  We will have bins marked by grade out in the lobby for the children to drop off their book and stuffed animal. 

A Few Notes from Mrs. Morgan and Mrs. Neely…

 

This week in social studies we began working on our democracy unit.  There are some great BrainPop videos to support this unit.  Your child can access these at home for extra review.  We also role-played direct democracy versus representative democracy.

 

We will also begin our study of nine Americans that have been influential in our history.  This marking period we will preview Paul Revere, Frederick Douglass, Susan B. Anthony, and Mary McLeod Bethune.  We’ll get started on Monday with an at-home internet research project that will help students learn more about Paul Revere and Frederick Douglass.  Students will also be reading about our “famous Americans” in guided reading groups.

 

Our students have done a wonderful job applying different multiplication properties and strategies during our unit.  Next week we move into division.  Please continue to work with your child on memorizing the basic multiplication facts.  We are learning many strategies in class, but the bottom line is that each child needs to memorize these facts. 

 

In Language Arts, students have become experts at fictional reading!  Now, we will shift our attention to nonfiction text.  This week, we will be introduced to a variety of nonfiction articles, with a general theme on Thanksgiving.  Students will apply strategies to their individual nonfiction reading.  Our skills will involve taking notes, searching for key ideas in text, looking for vocabulary and textual clues.  We will also focus attention on decoding difficult words.

 

Writing skills will also center on nonfiction writing.  Students will finish drafting their first writing piece on a topic of their choice, using something they are an “expert” in.  Looking at the main idea and supporting details is a key component of writing a nonfiction piece – our attention will also be on drafting a lead and conclusion.

 

Our grammar study will include a review of linking verbs and all previous skills.

 

Remember to have your child record their reading (what and how long) in the agenda.  Then, on the weekend, total these minutes and add them to the choice card.  We’re sending out this reminder, because there are students that are not completing this.  We need your support parents!  We’d love for students to be accountable and responsible with reporting their actual reading minutes.  Remember, Raz Kids counts toward reading minutes!  The plans are already in the works for our next reading celebration.  Our goal is 1,000 minutes of reading or more for the second marking period.  Thank you for your support!

 

As the weather gets cooler, please make sure that your child comes to school with a jacket or sweatshirt.  Thanks!

 

A Few Notes from Mrs. Morgan and Mrs. Neely…

 

It’s hard to believe that it is November, and there are only two more weeks of school until our Thanksgiving Break!

 

We’re wrapping up our pollution unit in science.  Thank you for all of your support at home.  The students are excited to share changes they are making personally and at home to be more earth friendly.  We’ll wrap up this unit by creating posters to encourage students at PMES to also be more earth friendly.

 

Please continue to work with your child on memorizing the basic multiplication facts.  We are learning many strategies in class, but the bottom line is that each child needs to memorize these facts.  This is our last week on the multiplication unit, and then we’re into division.

 

The students are enjoying a unit in reading on mysteries.  It’s great to try different genres!  Please encourage your child to read at home and to try different genres. 

 

Remember to have your child record their reading (what and how long) in the agenda.  Then, on the weekend, total these minutes and add them to the choice card.  We’re sending out this reminder, because there are students that are not completing this.  We need your support parents!  Some students are coming in on Monday morning and just writing in a reading number.  We’d love for students to be accountable and responsible with reporting their actual reading minutes.  Remember, Raz Kids counts toward reading minutes!  The plans are already in the works for our next reading celebration.  Our goal is 1,000 minutes of reading or more for the second marking period.  Thank you for your support!

 

As the weather gets cooler, please make sure that your child comes to school with a jacket or sweatshirt.  Thanks!

 

New Online Program Provided by Puckett’s Mill

 

Check out the BrainPops about pollution!

 

The students know all about BrainPop and Brain Pop, Jr. (There is also a BrainPOP Español.)   Now, your child can access these at school and at home, 24-hours a day!  These websites are loaded with fun, educational, animated video segments on a wide variety of topics.  They are great for previewing and reviewing. 

 

Login:  pucketts

Password:  mill

 

Enjoy!

 

Raz-Kids

Students may count their Raz-Kids time towards their weekly reading goal.  Our goal is for students to use Raz-Kids at least two times per week.  We encourage students to listen to the story, read the story, and then take the quiz.  It is often necessary to reread the story before taking the quiz.  The goal is to be successful the first time the quiz is taken.  We will be monitoring student progress here at school.  All reading is done at the student’s level and is a great comprehension building tool. 

A Few Notes from Mrs. Morgan and Mrs. Neely…

 

Happy Birthday to Mrs. Morgan!

 

The students are very excited about Dress-Up Day on Monday!  We talked today about the guidelines for costumes, so students are aware of the do’s and don’ts.  It will be a fun day filled with learning opportunities, so students should come dressed comfortably.  Can’t wait to see all of the costumes!

 

As the weather gets cooler, please make sure that your child comes to school with a jacket or sweatshirt.  Thanks!

 

Please continue to work with your child on memorizing the basic multiplication facts.  We are learning many strategies in class, but the bottom line is that each child needs to memorize these facts.

 

New Online Program Provided by Puckett’s Mill

 

Check out the BrainPops about pollution!

 

The students know all about BrainPop and Brain Pop, Jr. (There is also a BrainPOP Español.)   Now, your child can access these at school and at home, 24-hours a day!  These websites are loaded with fun, educational, animated video segments on a wide variety of topics.  They are great for previewing and reviewing. 

 

Login:  pucketts

Password:  mill

 

Enjoy!

 

Raz-Kids

Students may count their Raz-Kids time towards their weekly reading goal.  Our goal is for students to use Raz-Kids at least two times per week.  We encourage students to listen to the story, read the story, and then take the quiz.  It is often necessary to reread the story before taking the quiz.  The goal is to be successful the first time the quiz is taken.  We will be monitoring student progress here at school.  All reading is done at the student’s level and is a great comprehension building tool. 

A Few Notes from Mrs. Morgan and Mrs. Neely…

 

Your children worked very hard this week during ITBS testing.  Thank you to our room moms for supplying an end-of-testing special snack!  We’re looking forward to resuming our regular schedule next week. J

 

 

October Candy Grams for sale next week!  They are 2 for $1.  Candy Grams will be sold Monday, October 24^th through Thursday, October 27^th.  Students can send a candy corn treat to a friend in their classroom or another class.  Proceeds benefit our PMES student council and the school store.

 

As the weather gets cooler, please make sure that your child comes to school with a jacket or sweatshirt.  Thanks!

 

Please continue to work with your child on memorizing the basic multiplication facts.  We will test 4s and 6s next week.  If your child did not pass any of the previous tests, they will retake the test next week. 

 

New Online Program Provided by Puckett’s Mill

The students know all about BrainPop and Brain Pop, Jr. (There is also a BrainPOP Español.)   Now, your child can access these at school and at home, 24-hours a day!  These websites are loaded with fun, educational, animated video segments on a wide variety of topics.  They are great for previewing and reviewing. 

 

Login:  pucketts

Password:  mill

 

Enjoy!

 

Raz-Kids

Students may count their Raz-Kids time towards their weekly reading goal.  Our goal is for students to use Raz-Kids at least two times per week.  We encourage students to listen to the story, read the story, and then take the quiz.  It is often necessary to reread the story before taking the quiz.  The goal is to be successful the first time the quiz is taken.  We will be monitoring student progress here at school.  All reading is done at the student’s level and is a great comprehension building tool. 

Congratulations to our 1000 Minute Reading Club Participants.  Check your Friday folder for your Award Certificate!  Keep up the good work and remember to record those minutes each week.  Also, RAZ-KIDZ is up and running - using this program can count towards your reading minutes.

 

Check out the Language Arts website for a sampling of student Habitat Power Point projects.  Some files were too large to load, due to animation and sound, but we are working towards making those available to you after next week.

A Few Notes from Mrs. Morgan and Mrs. Neely…

 

 

We wished Parker farewell today.  Parker and his family are moving to Florida.    Thank you to Mrs. Harrison for bringing in cupcakes and ice cream to help us celebrate our friend Parker! Good luck Parker at your new school!

 

We just finished up the first week of the 2^nd marking period!  First marking period progress reports are coming home today with your child.  The progress reports are yours to keep.  Please sign and return the envelope on Monday.

 

Students celebrated their reading today.  All third graders that read 1,000 minutes or more enjoyed a special celebration today.  Please continue to help your child record his or her reading AND write it on the choice card each week.  Thank you for your support!

 

Mrs. Neely’s math class was hard at work this week on multiplication.  Please continue to work with your child on memorizing the basic facts.  We will test 0, 1, and 3 next week.  If your child did not pass 2 or 5 this week, they will retake the test next week.  (I will announce on Monday who passed 2 and 5).  We will have an introductory multiplication test next week that covers repeated addition, equal grouping, and arrays. 

 

We are almost finished with our habitat unit.  Students have been bringing home their notebooks to learn the habitat of reviewing their notes.  We will test on this next Wednesday or Thursday.  Next up is pollution!

 

New Online Program Provided by Puckett’s Mill

The students know all about BrainPop and Brain Pop, Jr. (There is also a BrainPOP Español.)   Now, your child can access these at school and at home, 24-hours a day!  These websites are loaded with fun, educational, animated video segments on a wide variety of topics.  They are great for previewing and reviewing. 

 

Login:  pucketts

Password:  mill

 

Enjoy!

 

Raz-Kids

The students have been introduced to Raz-Kids, and Thursday’s homework was to try it out.  We received some positive feedback Friday morning! 

 

Students may count their Raz-Kids time towards their weekly reading goal.  Our goal is for students to use Raz-Kids at least two times per week.  We encourage students to listen to the story, read the story, and then take the quiz.  It is often necessary to reread the story before taking the quiz.  The goal is to be successful the first time the quiz is taken.  We will be monitoring student progress here at school.  All reading is done at the student’s level and is a great comprehension building tool. 

 

ITBS Testing – Next Week!

Third and fifth grade students will be participating in the fall administration of the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS). The Iowa Test of Basic Skills is a norm-referenced test that measures student achievement in reading, language, mathematics, science, and social studies. The results of these tests will help us assess how well your child is performing and assist us in planning to meet your child’s academic needs.

 

ITBS administration is scheduled for October 17th through October 21st. Testing will begin at 8:30 a.m. each morning. Thank you for making sure your child is present and on time each of these days.

 

In order to prepare your child for the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, the following testing tips are provided to help your child do his/her best on these important assessments:

 

Eat a good breakfast.

Get plenty of rest.

Be on time.

Be at school.

Be prepared.

Wear your eyeglasses if needed.

Do your BEST!! J

 

Thank you for your continued support. Your cooperation during this important assessment period is greatly appreciated.

A Few Notes from Mrs. Morgan and Mrs. Neely…

 

Thanks to everyone for coming out to support us at field day and for Sparky’s Trot!  What a great way to end the week.  Mrs. Morgan’s class won 2^nd place in tug-of-war and Mrs. Neely’s class won 3^rd place.  Way to go teams!

 

Sparky’s Trot Update

Thanks for supporting our PMES fundraiser.  The students enjoyed their fun run this morning.  Third grade raised more money than any other grade level!

 

Progress Reports

It’s the end of the marking period today.  Progress reports will come home next Friday, 10/14.  We’re also ready to celebrate with our first 1,000+ Minutes Reading Club.  On the choice card, please total up your child’s reading minutes from the first marking period.  In the week nine box, please write your child’s cumulative total for the marking period.

 

New Online Program Provided by Puckett’s Mill

The students know all about BrainPop and Brain Pop, Jr. (There is also a BrainPOP Español.)   Now, your child can access these at school and at home, 24-hours a day!  These websites are loaded with fun, educational animated video segments on a wide variety of topics.  They are great for previewing and reviewing. 

 

Login:  pucketts

Password:  mill

 

Enjoy!

 

Raz-Kids

Mrs. Morgan will be taking our students to the computer lab next week to introduce them to our online reading program:  Raz-Kids.  Students may count their Raz-Kids time towards their weekly reading goal.  Our goal is for students to use Raz-Kids at least two times per week.  We encourage students to listen to the story, read the story, and then take the quiz.  It is often necessary to reread the story before taking the quiz.  The goal is to be successful the first time the quiz is taken.  We will be monitoring student progress here at school.  All reading is done at the student’s level and is a great comprehension building tool.  Thank you for supporting this at home.

 

ITBS Testing

Third and fifth grade students will be participating in the fall administration of the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS). The Iowa Test of Basic Skills is a norm-referenced test that measures student achievement in reading, language, mathematics, science, and social studies. The results of these tests will help us assess how well your child is performing and assist us in planning to meet your child’s academic needs.

 

ITBS administration is scheduled for October 17th through October 21st. Testing will begin at 8:30 a.m. each morning. Thank you for making sure your child is present and on time each of these days.

 

In order to prepare your child for the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, the following testing tips are provided to help your child do his/her best on these important assessments:

 

Eat a good breakfast.

Get plenty of rest.

Be on time.

Be at school.

Be prepared.

Wear your eyeglasses if needed.

Do your BEST!! J

 

Thank you for your continued support. Your cooperation during this important assessment period is greatly appreciated.

A Few Notes from Mrs. Morgan and Mrs. Neely…

 

Another busy week!  Next week will also be busy here at Puckett’s Mill.  We have early dismissal and conferences Monday and Tuesday. We look forward to with meeting with each of you to discuss your child’s progress. 

 

Also, students will take interim (end of the marking period) tests Monday through Thursday.  To end the week we have Field Day and Sparky’s Trot! 

 

Friday also marks the end of the first marking period.  Progress reports will come home on October 14.

 

Sparky’s Trot Update

Here’s our Friday update.  Mrs. Morgan’s room has a total of $530 and Mrs. Neely’s room has $156.  Thank you again to all of those families that have already supported Puckett’s Mill through this fund raiser. 

 

The final turn in date is Wednesday.  Awards will be handed out on Field Day following Sparky’s Trot.

 

In Other News…

 

EARLY RELEASE MENUS:

Monday, October 3, 2011:

·   Mini corn dogs

·   Veggie chicken sandwich

·   PBJ

·   Fresh fruit

·   Pretzels

·   Carrots and Ranch dressing

·   Milk

·   Water as an extra item

 

Tuesday, October 4, 2011:

• Turkey or ham subs

• Hummus with pretzels

• PBJ

• Fresh fruit

• Baked chips

• Fruit strips, apple or grape

• Milk

A Note from our Counselors

Another Red Cross Blood Drive is coming to Puckett’s Mill.  Appointments are available on Tuesday, October 4th from 1:00-5:45.  Please see your child’s Friday Folder for more information.

 

If your family needs assistance during the holidays, please call one of our counselors, Heather Heigl (1st, 3rd, 5th) or Ginna Smith (K, 2nd, 4th) at 678-765-5110.

 

 

Box Tops

Please send in any boxtops that you have may have in your pantry.  Each Boxtop coupon is worth 10 cents and will be used to purchase PE equipment for our school.  Our class is competing with all of the other classes on our grade level to win an ice cream party at the end of the nine weeks.  The class with the most boxtops turned in each nine weeks wins!

 

Just place the boxtops in a ziplock bag and write the teacher name on the outside.  Thanks to Mrs. Jackam for making a special donation box for our classroom!

A Few Notes from Mrs. Morgan and Mrs. Neely…

 

We finished up our first round of fall testing this week with CogAT (cognitive abilities test).  Both classes did a great job staying focused, working hard during the tests, and adjusting to our testing schedule.

 

Thanks to all of the students that supported our Sparky’s Trot fundraiser by bringing in money for our first turn-in day.  Mrs. Morgan’s room had $312 and Mrs. Neely’s room had $87.50.  Two more weeks to go!  The students brainstormed on Friday different ways to raise money.  Here’s what they came up with:  garage sale, bake sale, lemonade stand, call out-of-town relatives, do chores around the house to earn money, talk with neighbors that don’t have Puckett’s Mill students and ask for their support.  Thank you parents for support our fundraiser and for helping your child to participate.  Remember, Sparky’s Trot will be part of field day this year.  It’s Friday, October 7.  We’ll keep you posted!

 

 

In Other News…

 

Gwinnett Gladiators – Hat Trick for Reading

It’s that time of year again!  Your child can earn a FREE ticket to see the Gladiators and you can purchase discounted family tickets also.  Book marks are due no later than Friday, September 30.  Happy reading!

 

A Note from our Counselors

Our school will be collecting toothbrushes and toothpaste, for the Great Days of Service.  We will be collecting these items from September 26th - 29th.  Donations will benefit Gwinnett shelters, group homes, and food pantries.

Another Red Cross Blood Drive is coming to Puckett’s Mill.  Appointments are available on Tuesday, October 4th from 1:00-5:45.  Please see your child’s Friday Folder for more information.

 

 

Box Tops

Please send in any boxtops that you have may have in your pantry.  Each Boxtop coupon is worth 10 cents and will be used to purchase PE equipment for our school.  Our class is competing with all of the other classes on our grade level to win an ice cream party at the end of the nine weeks.  The class with the most boxtops turned in each nine weeks wins!

 

Just place the boxtops in a ziplock bag and write the teacher name on the outside.  Thanks to Mrs. Jackam for making a special donation box for our classroom!

A Few Notes from Mrs. Morgan and Mrs. Neely…

 

We were able to get outside for some learning this week.  Mrs. Morgan and students enjoyed an outdoor writing celebration with time to share their stories and enjoy a special snack.  Mrs. Neely and students went on a Puckett’s Mill habitat hunt to introduce our new science unit.  We also created an ecosystem pyramid.  Each student played a role in the ecosystem.  Fun, learning, and fresh air all at the same time!

 

We have reached the midpoint of the first marking period.  If you have not reviewed the portal lately, please take some time to review your child’s average this weekend.  There are always fewer grades taken at this point in the year due to beginning of the year testing and establishing routines.  First marking period progress reports are schedule to come home on Friday, October 14.

 

Thank you for continuing to review your child’s agenda nightly.  It’s still early in the year and some students have not yet mastered writing in their agenda and reviewing their agendas at home.  Please help your child by establishing homework and reading routines at home.  Your child should be recording what he/she reads and minutes read in the agenda.  Please sign your child’s agenda nightly.  Thank you for your support!

 

Next week we begin our fall testing with CogAT (cognitive abilities test).  The students will take these tests on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.  Please make sure that your child arrives on time these days.  It’s also especially important on these days to start off with a nutritious breakfast. 

 

In Other News…

 

Gwinnett Gladiators – Hat Trick for Reading

It’s that time of year again!  Your child can earn a FREE ticket to see the Gladiators and you can purchase discounted family tickets also.  Book marks are due no later than Friday, September 30.  Happy reading!

 

A Note from our Counselors

Our school will be collecting toothbrushes and toothpaste, for the Great Days of Service.  We will be collecting these items from September 26th - 29th.  Donations will benefit Gwinnett shelters, group homes, and food pantries.

Another Red Cross Blood Drive is coming to Puckett’s Mill.  Appointments are available on Tuesday, October 4th from 1:00-5:45.  Please see your child’s Friday Folder for more information.

 

 

Box Tops

Please send in any boxtops that you have may have in your pantry.  Each Boxtop coupon is worth 10 cents and will be used to purchase PE equipment for our school.  Our class is competing with all of the other classes on our grade level to win an ice cream party at the end of the nine weeks.  The class with the most boxtops turned in each nine weeks wins!

 

Just place the boxtops in a ziplock bag and write the teacher name on the outside.  Thanks to Mrs. Jackam for making a special donation box for our classroom!

Field Day T-Shirts - Please read!

Please order your field day t-shirt for grades Kindergarten through 4th no later than September 16th!  Here are the directions:

 

·   Go to the school website, www.puckettsmill.org 

·   Click on "Order Your Field Day Shirt"

·   Complete the order form

·   After completing the order form, you will be directed to MealpayPlus to pay for your shirt

·   Click on the School Events box

·   Please order and pay separately if you have multiple children

·   Please do not go directly to MealpayPlus first - We must have the order form completed to order your shirt!

 

 

Gwinnett Gladiators – Hat Trick for Reading

It’s that time of year again!  Your child can earn a FREE ticket to see the Gladiators and you can purchase discounted family tickets also.  Check out the Friday Folder for more information.   Book marks are due no later than Friday, September 30.  Happy reading!

 

 

A Note from our Counselors

Our school will be collecting toothbrushes and toothpaste, for the Great Days of Service.  We will be collecting these items from September 26th - 29th.  Donations will benefit Gwinnett shelters, group homes, and food pantries.

 

BOXTOPS

 

Parents,

 

Please send in any boxtops that you have may have in your pantries!  Each Boxtop coupon is worth .10 cents and will be used to purchase PE equipment for our school.  Our class is competing with all of the other classes on our grade level to win an ice cream party at the end of the nine weeks.  The class with the most boxtops turned in each nine weeks wins!

 

Just place the boxtops in a ziplock bag and write the teacher name on the outside!

 

Thanks!!

 

It’s Friday again!

Thanks to Mrs. Jackam and Mrs. Terry for sending in "tea cakes". The students enjoyed these while hearing Lester Laminack’s Saturday and Tea Cakes.

Thanks to everyone who was able to come out last night and support Literacy Night. Mr. Laminack was a wonderful speaker!

Class Directories

Please check the Friday Folder for your homeroom class directory. Thank you to our room moms for taking the photos and getting this organized!

Gwinnett Gladiators – Hat Trick for Reading

It’s that time of year again! Your child can earn a FREE ticket to see the Gladiators and you can purchase discounted family tickets also. Check out the Friday Folder for more information. Book marks are due no later than Friday, September 30. Happy reading!

Field Day T-Shirts – Please read!

Please order your field day t-shirt for grades Kindergarten through 4th no later than September 16th! Here are the directions:

Go to the school website, www.puckettsmill.org

Click on "Order Your Field Day Shirt"

Complete the order form

After completing the order form, you will be directed to MealpayPlus to pay for your shirt

Click on the School Events box

Please order and pay separately if you have multiple children

Please do not go directly to MealpayPlus first - We must have the order form completed to order your shirt!

A Note from our Counselors

Our school will be collecting toothbrushes and toothpaste, for the Great Days of Service. We will be collecting these items from September 26th - 29th. Donations will benefit Gwinnett shelters, group homes, and food pantries.

Enjoy the long weekend!

Students – thanks for another great week! 

Parents – Please help your child total up their reading minutes this weekend.  The minutes need to be recorded in the box on the back of the Choice Card.  Please sign this as well.  Happy Reading!

Star Student – Mrs. Neely’s Class

Up next week… Katie J  We look forward to learning more about our friend Katie next week!

Literacy Night is Thursday, September 1

We hope you can join all of us at PMES for Literacy Night featuring Lester Laminack.  The times are K-2^nd grade from 6:00-7:00 P.M. and 3^rd-5^th grade from 7:00-8:00 P.M.  If you have children in both time slots, choose whichever time is better for you.  Enjoy!

Deadline extended to Monday for ordering books.  Please see separate email.

Grandparents Luncheon!

Invitations for our annual Grandparents Luncheon are coming home today.  Our Grandparents Luncheon is schedule for Friday, September 16 during our regular lunch time:  11:57-12:27. The cafeteria asks that you pay cash ($3.00) on the day of the luncheon.  Guests are asked to use the side parking lot and enter through the café doors.  Please return the invitation to RSVP. 

Art Department

Our art department is in need of clean, used t-shirts to be used as art smocks.  If you have any

We are well on our way to establishing rules and routines for third grade.  Just as a reminder, please be sure and check your child's agenda each night to be sure your student has completed their homework each day.  Also, our art teachers have asked for donations for Art T-shirts.  If you have an extra shirt available to donate so your child's clothes stay clean, please send it in as soon as possible!
And, just as a special treat, in recognition of Lester Laminack's visit on Thursday night, we will be tasting special "teacakes" during Reading Workshop.  Students may bring in a special small reading pillow as we celebrate Snuggling Up with a good book.  I hope to see you all at Literacy Night on September 1st!

It was great to see all of you at Curriculum Night.  Thank you for taking time out from your busy schedules to come hear more about third grade! We enjoyed having more time to tell you about our curriculum and expectations. 

Also, we will have the conference schedules finalized by the week of September 5.  After we have coordinated sibling conferences, your time will be sent home.  We look forward to talking with you one-on-one in October!

Please take time this weekend to review your child’s Friday Folder with your child.  Now that we’ve settled into our routine, you will begin to see more work coming home. 

To help us accurately record your child’s reading minutes, please total the minutes and write them on the back of the choice card in the weekly box.  Please also sign the choice card.

Enjoy your weekend!

 

A Note from our Counselors…

Our Sparrow Hawks Service Club will be collecting toothbrushes and toothpaste, for the Great Days of Service.  We will be collecting these items from September 26th - 29th.  Donations will benefit Gwinnett shelters, group homes, and food pantries.

Wow! What a wonderful first week of school. We enjoyed getting to know each other and working together as a team.  We were also busy taking county pretests this week.  This assessment information will help guide our instruction as we begin the year.  It will also help us to track student progress.  Next week we will begin our regular schedule.

Please review the agenda each night.  This is one of the most important communication tools between school and home.  Your child’s agenda is also used to record his or her daily reading.  The minimum requirement for the week is 90 minutes.  We will check your child’s total each Monday.  Please help your child total up the minutes at the end of each week.  We also ask that you sign off nightly on your child’s reading.  We will talk more in depth about our Third Grade 1,000+ Minute Club at Curriculum Night. 

Speaking of Curriculum Night, it’s next Thursday!  Please join us on August 18 from 6:30-8:00 P.M.  The evening begins in the cafeteria for a PTA meeting and then continues in your child’s homeroom.  We will then switch classes so that each parent has the opportunity to meet Mrs. Morgan and Mrs. Neely.

Next week the Book Fair continues.  Third grade’s shopping day is on Monday.  Mrs. Morgan’s class will shop at 2:00 and Mrs. Neely’s class will shop at 10:45.

Reflections:  Please check the PMES website for more information about this wonderful PTA program.  It’s a great opportunity for our students to really let their creativity shine!  The deadline is September 30.

Hope to see you this evening at the Welcome Back Picnic.  It’s a great opportunity to celebrate the beginning of another school year at Puckett’s Mill.  The picnic is from 5:00-8:00 P.M.  We hope to see you there!

Welcome to third grade!  Please watch your mailbox for a letter from your teachers.  Also, if you are looking for our classroom supply list, please check below.  Thanks!

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DSCF0431.JPG 2012-05-09