Spelling - Students will be working on Sort 10 this week and learning how to spell words that end with -ce, -se, and -ve.  Check out www.spellingcity.com for some practice on learning how to spell these words along with some content and high frequency words as well.  Please make sure your child is reviewing these words.  The words will continue to get more difficult as the year progresses.

Book Report - Your child's cereal box book report is due next Friday, on Feb. 24th.  Please do not allow your child to leave this project until the last minute.  To do it correctly, much time will be required.  This cannot be completed in one evening.

Math - We are learning about linear measurement in Math class.  If your child is having difficulty measuring to the nearest 1/2 and 1/4 inch, please help them by measuring things around your home.  If your child does not have a ruler with customary measurement (inches) and metric measurement (centimeters) on the sides, please try to get them one soon.  Just like multiplication facts, they more they practice.... the quicker their skill will improve. 

Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  - For those parents that gave to the Foundation on my behalf this winter, thank you!  I purchased a Kindle Fire to be used in the classroom.  As soon as I finish selecting some exciting apps for it, I will be bringing it into the classroom daily.

Partners for Performance - This Thursday evening from 5 - 6 p.m.!  Join Mrs. Jinks and I for an informative evening to get some ideas about how to help your children at home with Math concepts and the benefits of the online Math textbook.  After joining us - stay for the PTA meeting and enjoy a performance by the Eastvalley Chorus.  They will be showcasing the songs that they will sing at their upcoming festival competition. 

Spelling - The words for the week are available on the following document.  Please help your child study these words this week.  I am changing our weekly homework and leaving the responsibility up to the students to study their words each week.  I highly encourage that your child access spellingcity.com to review their words each week.  Download Spelling words for Week of Jan 30

New Reading Award - With the help of Hunny Hundreds, Eastvalley's Media Center staff is starting a new reading program called - The Stinger Award.  This program will be for 1st through 3rd graders.  Since Hunny loves Math - the books related to this award will be on Math topics.  Only one Stinger Math book can be checked out at a time.  In order to earn the award, 3rd grade students will need to read 15 books and earn 80% or higher on their EVRC tests on those books.  Students must tell Mrs. Moran or Mrs. Ritt when they've passed a Stinger Test.  The winnders will be on WEV-TV, receive an autographed picture with Hunny Hundreds and receive a certificate at Books for Breakfast.  I hope some of my students take advantage of this award. 

Thank You! Thank You! - Again, let me thank everyone for their generosity toward the Foundation Parent Challenge.  I have requested my gift card for Office Depot and will be using the funds that you gave me to purchase a Kindle Fire for our classroom.  I have purchased an assortment of items with the Boosterthon Funds, e.g. Tag Reading System, tangram center materials, and geometry games.  Thank you so much for donating to both of these efforts and supporting your child's classroom. 

CRCT Preparation -  Here are a few ideas to help your child prepare for the CRCT in April:

1. Go to the OAS website and help your child take the practice tests. Review answers together. An information sheet, regarding this site, will come home on Tuesday.  A letter about how to access the OAS website was sent home last week.  An additional username/password label was placed in your child's green folder, just in case you've misplaced the letter.

2. Review all homework together. Discuss any difficulties.  Access online textbooks to review concepts.  Please let me know if you need another copy of how to access our textbooks online.

3. Review all classwork (sent home in the Tuesday tracker) together Discuss any difficulties.

4. Allow your child time with on-line academic games. However, be sure they are thoroughly monitored. All of the links that are on my blog are for  academic practice and review.  If you review my previous posting, you will see many links that I've posted throughout this school year and last year as well.  I highly encourage that you limit the amount of time that you allow your child to watch t.v. and play non-academic video games.

Spelling - Our spelling words this week are for words ending with the long e  and long i sound using the spelling patterns of -e, -ie, and -ey (long e) and -y (long i).  Download Jan 10 - Sort 22 - word list

Homework - I will be revising the daily homework assignments next week.  Some of the assignments will be a little different this week -

Tuesday - Put your Spelling words in ABC order

Wednesday - WTW - glue down word sort and finish back side

Thursday - Dictionary work

Holiday Greeting - I just wanted to thank you for all of the support our class had in making our Winter Celebration a wonderful hit!  I could not have done it without your help and donations.  Thank you so much for the many gifts, goodies, and donations on my behalf to the Foundation!  I can't wait to go get some more great teaching tools to use with your children.  Your children have worked extremely hard these two quarters.  Please let them have some down time and I hope you will be able to have some "family time" during the break.  Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Donor's Choose - My two TAG Reading Systems and the small group table are on the way!  Thank you to those families that donated to these projects on www.donorschoose.org.  Just wanted you to know that I've just posted another project.  I am now requesting from TAG readers to go with the TAG reading systems.  There are still several 100% match codes that are currently active.  Some of them are:  realsimple, youtube, or holiday.  Remember.... the "Optional Donation" is truly that.  You can click on it and opt out of the donation if you prefer.  I appreciate any and all donations that come through this website.  Thank you so much!!!!

Winter Break - URGENT - Winter holidays begin at 2:30 Thursday, December 22 and end when the students return Tuesday, January 10, 2012. 

Winter Celebration - Remember, that our celebration is this Wednesday from 12 - 1 p.m.  Due to limited space, only volunteers running one of the centers or serving snacks are invited.  All volunteers should park at Eastside Baptist Church since so many classes are having their celebrations that day.  Thank you so much for helping with or donating items for our special celebration.  All of your support is greatly appreciated.

Geometry City Project - It is due on Tuesday, Dec. 20th.  The grading rubric with parent signature must be turned in with the poster.

Homework - I realize that this week is a very hectic time for most families.  Your child will not have Spelling or Math homework this week.  They did bring home a U.S. map today that they need to review in order to be able to identify five major rivers.  They should continue reading and studying for their last fact test of this grading period. 

Reading Level Assessments - I will be starting individual reading assessments (DRA"s) to assertain your child's reading level improvement.  Due to schedule constraints, I might not get to all students prior to the 2nd quarter report card.  If your child has not had their winter assessment performed by the report card deadline, I will send you a note about that assessment as soon as it has been performed. 

State Capitol Field Trip - What an amazing field trip!  The Capitol was decorated for the holiday season and was overflowing with poinsettias.  The entire third grade had several photography sessions - one with Brain Kemp, Secretary of State and the other with Lt. Governor Casey Cagle.  We did see Gov. Nathan Deal hard at work on his way to and from several meetings.  Our guided tour took us through the first and fourth floors of the Capitol and included a tutorial in the House of Representatives chamber on the topic of how a bill becomes a law within the Georgia legislative system.  Our tour concluded with a quick look (and picture) in the Governor's Office!  Ella came along for the trip and we all had a fantastic time.  Chick-fil-a donated chicken nuggets for the trip and my husband helped provide chips and bottled water as well.  Ask your child to tell you an interesting fact they heard or something interesting that they saw on our trip.  I will post some pictures of our trip as soon as I get the disc developed.  The staff photographer was not available, so please feel free to print the photos you like directly from this blog.

Homework -  If your family is anything like mine this week, you have more events to go to than you have time.  That being said - your child does not have Spelling homework this week... just nightly reading, reviewing multiplication facts, and completing the Geometry City project.  The details for the Math project were sent home yesterday.  Students may get more dot paper if they need more for their picture.  Remember.... this is your child's homework.... not yours.  This will be a great review of geometric shapes.... so let them do it on their own please. 

Book Exchange & Winter Celebration - A note was sent home today with your child to let them know that we will be exchanging a new book with our classmates at the Winter Celebration next Wednesday.  Please help your child wrap the book and put a tag on the package - To: ?  and From: Your child's name.  We will be playing a fun game to pass out the books at our class party.  If you have not already gone to the link to help donate items or volunteer your time for our class party, please do so asap.  Our party is planned to be held from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.  Parking will be a premium - so if you are helping with set up - plan to park at Eastside.  Our class has lunch from 11:27 to 11:57 for those of you that are helping set up the stations.  The link is below:

 http://amonholidayparty.pleasebringit.com/public/M8ZMl2pnQgo

Boosterthon Money Update - I wanted to thank all of you again for your support of the Boosterthon.  I was notified by the Foundation that I have around $250 to spend towards our classroom.  With Donor's Choose having some matching grants available recently, I made this money stretch as far as it could.  With your support I have purchased a Tag Reading System with an assortment of books, a Guided Reading table, and various  Math center games, i.e. Geometry sort and tangram boards.  Thank you so much!  I would have never been able to afford such purchases on my own!

Foundation Matching and Donor's Choose Matching - At this time the Eastvalley Foundation will match any donation that you make to our classroom!  That means if you donate $20 - our classroom will receive $40!!!  With the Boosterthon money that I received before, I was able to do a matching program through Donor's Choose using the coupon code - realsimple.  The matching program turned my $93 of Boosterthon money into $186!!!  That allowed me to totally fund the interactive Tag reading system for my classroom.

 Another 100% matching code is "Spark".  As you check out of Donor's Choose after making a donation - just enter one of these codes on the final check out screen. The "Spark" code will be active only until next Monday, Dec 12.  I am not sure when the "realsimple" code expires. 

  I am going to put a project out there today for an iPad 2 so that students can use it for fact review or other interactive learning opportunities in our Math or Guided Reading groups.  Thank you so much for your support in the past.

One little hint - when you are making a donation on Donor's Choose - you can "opt out" of the optional Donor's Choose donation that adds I believe backs out 10 to 15% out of your donation and out of your child's classroom.  Just a hint!  :)

 Winter Celebration - Mark your calendars now for Dec. 21st from 12 - 1 p.m.the day of our class Winter Celebration. Due to the limited space in our "cottage" - only volunteers are allowed to attend.  Below is a link to a sign-up sheet. You'll see that we're asking for parents to sign up to bring or send crafts, games, or food, such as decorating cookies or decorating gingerbread (sugar cookie dough) men, or making reindeer out of cupcakes. We're also asking for volunteers, and we'll plan to have them at each station. 

Spelling - We are continuing to study the spelling patterns for plurals.  This week's pattern is for words that add "s" or words that end in "y" - and you drop the "y" and add "ies."  Download Dec. 5 - Sort 23 - word list

Field Trip to the Capitol - I excited to tell you that we are trying to arrange class pictures while we are on the Georgia State Capitol field trip.  At this point, we have confirmed Congressman John Lewis who represents the 5th District, however, is such a historical figure in the Civil Rights Movement that I felt this would be a chance of a lifetime for students to be pictured with him.  On our list of possible additional notables are U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, and State Senator Judson Hill.  I have not received confirmation as to whether or not Governor Nathan Deal would be available.  So... that being said.... students should dress up a little for this field trip.  They will be walking a lot and will need comfortable shoes on that day.  A lunch slip will be coming home on Thursday that needs to be returned on Friday to determine how many sack lunches the cafeteria needs to prepare.  We are really looking forward to this field trip.

Geometry - Some students are having difficulty mastering the vocabulary of our geometry unit.  I will be sending home some vocabulary sheets to those students that need some added support in learning these definitions and recognizing geometric shapes, lines, angles, and triangles.  Knowing these terms if the key to mastering these standards.

Math Facts - Many students have already mastered their multiplication facts!  Some students are very close to mastery.  Even though the speed in which students solve these facts is not our standard, I am sure you agree that your child should be able to recall the products to basic facts.  This is a very important life skill.  I've found a great website your child might enjoy to help them increase their fluency speed when testing on their facts.  There are many interactive ways to practice other Math skills as well, such as addition and subtracting with regrouping and division.

Enjoy! Click on this link -  Fun Math Games  The games I recommend are - Math-o, Multiplication Bridge, and Multiplication Challenge. 

Donor's Choose - Must be the holiday season - Donors Choose is matching your donation if you use the code "Spark" at check out. (Until next Monday, Dec 12).  In addition, the company Real Simple is also matching your donation, if you use their code "Real Simple".  (Not certain of their deadline, and thanks to KS for sharing!)   I have checked them out, and they both work!  I am hoping that you can forward to your classroom parents and friends this information, so that you can get your classroom projects funded.  I still have a Guided Reading table project posted.  I used the Real Simple code and completed the Tag Reading System project using Boosterthon money.  Thank you!!!

Checkpoint Testing - Your child will participate in  county required assessments, the week of Dec. 4th.  It is important that all students are here by 7:50 a.m. Each student will receive a little surprise for arriving on time each day.  These tests are not part of your child's grades.  They are used to assess the mastery of the standards that have been learned the first two quarters of the school year.  Pretests will be given to formulate instruction for the 3rd and 4th quarters. 

Elfis Show and Partnership for Performance - Join some of the third grade teachers on Thursday, Dec. 1 from 5 - 6 p.m. to learn about some fun ways to help your child with their Math skills.  Then, at 6:30 p.m. join us in the cafeteria for the latest and greatest adventure with Elfis! 

Spelling - Your student's list was sent home in their green folder today.  Students were instructed to circle the list that they were assigned:  A, B, or C.  Please make sure that your child is completing their Spelling homework.  Students only have Spelling homework on Mondays if they did not complete the sorting task during classtime.  Download Sort 20 - Week of Nov 27.  Remember - you can download the Word Shapes paper if your child left their's at school by going to my August 30th posting. 

Progress Reports - Progress updates will be sent home on Tuesday, Nov. 28th. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about your child's progress.

Math - We are starting a new unit on Geometry.  Many children need extra help at home reviewing the vocabulary.  We will be making vocabulary flipbooks that your child will be able to use as a study guide at home prior to the unit test.  Multiplication facts still need to be reviewed daily at home.  By the end of the nine weeks, your child is supposed to master all multiplication facts through 10 x 10. 

Science - Our newest unit will be on soil and the effects of weathering and erosion on soil and rocks.  If your child shows some interest in trying to grow something, you might find an amaryllis bulb something easy, fun, and festive to grow at this time of the year.