3rd Grade ISSUE 1 2013 · SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

Days

K

Issue 1 2013 · September Editor

Laura Ferguson

Contributors Amanda Johnson

Amy Stamper Sally Baker Jessie Barry Allison Davis Kelly Mitchell

Blog:

http://kidblog.org/MissFergusonsClass2013-201

4/ Class Website:

http://www.mtnbrook.k12.al.us/cms/

Miss+Laura+Ferguson/15697.html

Electronic Mail: fergusonl@mtnbrook.k12.al.u

s

Picasa Class Album: https://plus.google.com/

photos/104872095580105708174/

albums/5644158172785016433?

banner=pwa&authkey=CNWsrL-tiMmrMQ

All artwork is used under the Fair Use Act and is given

credit when due

3rd Grade  Days 2

3rd G

rade

 Day

s

Featured : 3 Ways to Stay Connected............5 Learning in Library...........6 Back to School......8 New Look at Math…..10 Favorites A Note From Our Reading Coach………12 App-tastic....... 15 Calendars September............16 October..............17

3rd Grade  Days 3

8

10

5

Teac

her’s  L

ette

r Issue 1 2013 · September

Editor Welcome to the first ever issue of 3rd Grade Days. I am delighted to be sharing this little digital magazine with you. It has been a labor of love to get it all together, so I hope you will be pleased with it too. When I first decided to put 3rd Grade Days together, I wanted to share my passion for 3rd Grade and had a vision to create a place where teachers can share their philosophy and 3rd grade parents can gain a be t t e r unde rs tand ing o f t he adventures and challenges to be experienced as the year progresses. In this first issue, we are introducing our 3rd Grade team, talking about some background regarding the fundamentals, and sharing some of our 3rd grade favorites. I hope you enjoy this first issue and find inspiration and helpful information within the pages.

Love

TH

IS

3rd Grade  Days 4

Each year, parents want to know how they can get involved with the class. Nothing says “I care about you” more than showing your child that you are interested in their work and impressed by their skills. Not everyone has the time to volunteer in the classroom, so it’s no wonder that parents, and grandparents, too, want to find innovative ways to participate, stay connected and communicate that school is important to the entire family! There are many ways to discover and participate in what’s happening now in 3rd Grade, whether it’s visiting for lunch, helping your child with study ladder, or adding a comment to our blog. We want you to feel connected and be a part of our classroom. Here are five fast and easy ways to get involved in your child’s learning.

Ways to Stay

Connected in 3rd Grade

Check Out Our Blog Throughout the year, we will create movies, artwork, Voice Threads, and many more original works. We post all of our finished projects to our blog as our final publishing tool. Our goal is to get our work outside the classroom walls and share it with people who care. To catch up with our latest projects, visit our c l a s s b l o g a t h t t p : / / k i d b l o g . o r g /MissFergusonsClass2013-2014/. We try to add something a few times each month. Please leave comments on our blog so we know our work is important and that others can see it. Send the link to grandparents, aunts, and uncles to show everyone what’s going on in our classroom. We can’t wait to share all we are learning with you!

3rd Grade  Days 5

Add to Our Web Album We have a class photo album that is housed o n l i n e . P a r e n t s c a n download the images, order prints, and share pictures with grandparents and others. Each family will be invited to view and contribute to the album and upload pictures from the first day of school, field trips, or other school events. We love seeing action shots from our fun days at school! The web album can be found at https://plus.google.com/p h o t o s /104872095580105708174/ a l b u m s /5644158172785016433?banner=pwa&authkey=CNWsrL-tiMmrMQ. If you need an original file for better print quality, just ask! Only those with the link can access the album.  

Study Ladder Practice Studyladder is a K-6 web based educational program designed by teachers. The program is curriculum based and covers Mathematics, Literacy and 8 other subjects. Your child has been given a username and password which can be used to access Studyladder. It is not compulsory for your child to use Studyladder at home; however, regular access will help your child to reinforce what they have learned in school. It will also help to build their confidence through practice. Studyladder is designed to prevent bullying and does not allow student access to social networking. Your child will NOT be able to chat with anyone via Studyladder. Go to www.studyladder.com and login using your child's school username and password. Parents have the option to sign up for a free home account which can be linked to their child's school account. Those who register will have access to their child's certificates and results. Studyladder does not charge for this service and it is optional to upgrade to premium access.

L e a r n i n g i n L i b r a r y  

Common  Sense  Mission  Statement:  “Common  Sense  Media  is  dedicated  to  improving  the  lives  of  kids  and  families  by  providing  the  trustworthy  informa<on,  educa<on,  and  independent  voice  they  need  to  thrive  in  a  world  of  media  and  technology.  We  exist  because  our  na<on's  children  spend  more  <me  with  media  and  digital  ac<vi<es  than  they  do  with  their  families  or  in  school,  which  profoundly  impacts  their  social,  emo<onal,  and  physical  development  .  As  a  non-­‐par<san,  not-­‐for-­‐profit  organiza<on,  we  provide  trustworthy  informa<on  and  tools,  as  well  as  an  independent  forum,  so  that  families  can  have  a  choice  and  a  voice  about  the  media  they  consume.”  

During  our  Media  special  in  library,  3rd  graders  will  be  learning    tech  savvy  9ps  to  assist  them  in  our  growing  digital  world.  Over  the  next  few  months,  your  child  will  be  learning  about  how  to  be  a  digital  ci9zen,  the  responsibili9es  that  come  with  the  internet,  and  safe  research  9ps  that  will  be  applied  in  future  projects  in  the  3rd  grade.    

3rd Grade  Days 6  

Rings  of  Responsibility  Students  explore  what  it  means  to  take  on  responsibili9es  in  both  their  offline  and  online  communi9es  as  a  way  to  learn  how  to  be  good  digital  ci9zens.  

The  Key  to  Keywords  Students  learn  strategies  to  increase  the  accuracy  of  their  keyword  searches.  They  compare  the  number  and  kinds  of  sites  obtained  and  make  inferences  about  the  effec9veness  of  the  strategies.  

Digital  Ci<zenship  Pledge  Students  will  establish  group  norms  to  create  a  posi9ve  online  community  that  promotes  responsible  and  respecGul  digital  behavior  within  their  classroom.  

Whose  Is  It,  Anyway?  Students  learn  that  although  the  Internet  makes  it  very  easy,  copying  the  work  of  others  and  presen9ng  it  as  one’s  own  is  called  plagiarism.  They  also  learn  about  circumstances  in  which  it  is  permissible  to  use  the  work  of  others.  

Rings  of  Responsibility  Students  explore  what  it  means  to  take  on  responsibili9es  in  both  their  offline  and  online  communi9es  as  a  way  to  learn  how  to  be  good  digital  ci9zens.  

 

The  Key  to  Keywords  Students  learn  strategies  to  increase  the  accuracy  of  their  

keyword  searches.  They  compare  the  number  and  kinds  of  sites  obtained  and  make  

inferences  about  the  effec9veness  of  the  strategies.  

 

Digital  Ci<zenship  Pledge  Students  will  establish  group  norms  to  create  a  posi9ve  online  community  that  

promotes  responsible  and  respecGul  digital  behavior  within  their  classroom.  

 

Whose  Is  It,  Anyway?  Students  learn  that  although  

the  Internet  makes  it  very  easy,  copying  the  work  of  others  and  presen9ng  it  as  one’s  own  is  called  plagiarism.  They  also  learn  about  circumstances  in  which  it  is  permissible  to  use  

the  work  of  others.    

7  3rd Grade  Days

Back to School Beth Mooney

Back to school is a busy time of year. H e r e a r e s o m e qu ick reminders from the 3rd Grade Bulletin that was send home on Meet the Teacher Day. Daily Schedule: A r r i v i n g K - 3 students wi l l be supervised in the aud i to r ium f rom 7:20-7:40 a.m. Any student who arrives after the 7:50 bell is

considered tardy and must stop by the office to check in before going to his/her classroom. Absences: Please c a l l t h e s c h o o l between 7:20 – 7:50 a.m. if your child will be absent that day. I f your ch i ld i s absent for several days, i t is on ly necessary that you call the first day of t h e a b s e n c e . A l w a y s s e n d a signed and dated note of explanation for the absence on the day that your ch i ld re turns to

schoo l ; ema i l absences@mtnbrook.k12.al.us   or the classroom teacher. Failure to do so will r e s u l t i n a n u n e x c u s e d absence. Early Check Out: If your child must leave school early f o r w h a t e v e r reason, he/she must be checked out in writing in the school office by a parent. Please send the

3rd Grade  Days 8

3rd Grade by the Numbers

1 hour: length of special subjects visited each day 3 0 m i n u t e s : d a i l y al lotment of recess outside of P.E. 3 hours, 40 minutes: amount of learning time before lunch 25 minutes: length of r e s t t i m e i n t h e afternoon 5: Number of class restroom breaks built into the day 15: number of students in the class 871-8126: CES front office phone number

teacher a note if you must check out your child early. Important Information: Your child needs to know his/her full name, address, telephone number, birthday, parents’ names, and how to tie shoes. Please reinforce these skills at home. I l lnesses and Injuries: When a student becomes ill or hurt during school hours, he/she will be taken to the Health Room and a parent will be notified of the illness by school personnel. Parents must come to the school office and check out the student before removing the student from school grounds. Lunches: This year, students are allowed to choose extras to buy for school lunch. We encourage the students to make healthy c h o i c e s , b u t p a r e n t re inforcement is a lways helpful. Please, if you plan to let your child buy lunch, discuss the choices with him/her so that the decision can readily be made at school. The menu you receive will indicate the selections for each day. Pa ren t s a re welcome to each lunch with their children. Medicine: Only prescription m e d i c a t i o n s u c h a s medication prescribed for ADHD, or medicine requiring more than 3 doses in a 24 h o u r p e r i o d w i l l b e administered at school. Then, only one dose will be given d u r i n g s c h o o l h o u r s .

Prescription medicine should be brought to the school office by the parent. Children with a history of severe allergies or a n a p h y l a x i s m a y h a v e medication kept at school for emergencies upon written r e q u e s t o f t h e c h i l d ’ s physician. Inhalers for children who suffer from asthma or related problems may be kept in the office for use by the student. Clear written instruction about the frequency of use and the “usual” usage if the student is wheezing are required. Be sure to personally notify the teacher ASAP if your child has a health problem that requires extra care. Physical Education: Each child will attend a daily 30 minute P.E. class with his/her class. Please send your child to school with rubber-soled shoes, no clogs or sandals please. Girls should wear shorts under dresses. 3rd Grade students also have superv ised p lay on the playground with their classes daily. Please be sure to dress your child for the weather. Reading Log Folders: Each student is asked to bring the red take-home folder to school daily. This is a plastic folder that you purchased with your child’s supplies. The teachers will label the folders and send them home with your child each day. Please be sure to check your child’s folder daily for paper from the teacher. You are asked to sign your

child’s reading log that says your child has read for 20 minutes each night. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask your child’s teacher. We are all here to help make this transition to Big School as seamless as possible.

3rd Grade  Days 9

This  unit  is  the  first  of  three  units  in  Grade  3  that  focus  on  addi9on,  subtrac9on,  and  the  number  system.  Later  this  year,  students  will  solve  addi9on  and  subtrac9on  problems  with  larger  numbers  and  will  work  on  developing  accurate  and  efficient  strategies  for  both  addi9on  and  subtrac9on.  In  our  math  class,  students  spend  9me  discussing  problems  in  depth  and  share  their  reasoning  and  solu9ons.  It  is  important  that  students  accurately  and  efficiently  solve  math  problems  in  ways  that  make  sense  to  them.  At  home,  encourage  your  child  to  explain  his/her  math  thinking  to  you.  

Our  class  is  star9ng  a  new  mathema9cs  unit  about  addi9on  and  subtrac9on  called  Trading  S9ckers,  Combining  Coins.  During  this  unit,  students  solve  addi9on  problems  with  2-­‐digit  and  small  3-­‐digit  numbers,  solve  subtrac9on  problems  involving  2-­‐digit  numbers,  and  find  combina9ons  of  numbers  that  add  up  to  100.  They  work  on  understanding  the  place  value  structure  of  3-­‐digit  numbers  as  they  solve  problems.     Throughout  this  unit,  students  will  

work  toward  these  goals:  

3rd Grade  Days 10  

Math Investigations ���Unit 1

A N

ew W

ay to

Loo

k at M

ath

Most  parents  I  talk  to  tell  me  that  when  it  comes  to  this  new  way  of  looking  at  math  they  are  totally  lost.  This  can  make  understanding  and  assis9ng  your  child  with  what  we  are  learning  somewhat  challenging.  Here  is  a  quick  look  at  some  strategies  we  are  using  in  the  class  now  broken  down  step  by  step.  

How  do  I  prac<ce  with  my  child  at  home?  Try  doing  a  Number  Talk  at  home  with  your  child!  

 •  Write  an  addi9on  problem  down  for  your  child  to  solve.  

(Start  off  with  a  2-­‐digit  number  plus  a  2-­‐digit  number)  •   Give  your  child  plenty  of  9me  to  solve  it  in  their  head.  •  Have  your  child  write  down  their  answer  only.  •  Have  your  child  explain  to  you  each  step  they  took  in  

their  head  to  get  to  their  answer.  (It  is  very  important  that  they  are  able  to  explain  each  step  and  not  just  jump  to  the  answer.  This  way  they  can  discover  any  mistakes  they  might  have  made.)  

•  Discuss  other  ways  they  could  have  solved  the  problem.     3rd Grade  Days 11  

Parents are truly

their children’s first and

most important teachers.

   

v  Reading  to  your  child  for  30  minutes  per  day  from  infancy  helps  prepare  a  child  to  learn.  A  five-­‐year  old  who  has  not  been  read  to  daily    will  enter  kindergarten  with  far  fewer  hours  of  “literacy  nutri9on”  than  a  child  who  has  been  read  to  daily  from  infancy.  No  teacher,  no  ma_er  how  talented,  can  make  up  for  those  lost  hours.  

v  Parents  who  value  reading  are  more  likely  to  visit  the  library  and  give  books  as  gias.  Access  to  quality  reading  material  should  con9nue  throughout  a  child’s  school  years.  Children  with  higher  reading  scores  are  more  likely  to  read  four  types  of  reading  material  in  their  homes–  encyclopedias,  magazines,  newspapers,  and  at  least  25  books.  

v  Parents  cannot  assume  that  schoolwork  makes  up  for  too  much  TV.  Children  of  all  ages  watch  as  much  TV  in  one  day  as  they  read  for  fun  in  an  en9re  week.  Overall,  children  under  age  13  spend  90  minutes  a  day  in  front  of  the  TV–  one  quarter  of  their  free  9me.  

v  Adults  pass  on  to  children  their  own  expecta9ons  about  educa9on  and  achievement,  both  posi9ve  and  nega9ve.  Shared  enthusiasm  about  books  and  reading  between  a  parent  and  child  can  deepen  the  child’s  interest  in  learning  to  read.  Children  who  learn  from  parents  that  reading  is  fun  may  be  more  likely  to  sustain  efforts  to  learn  to  read  when  the  going  gets  tough.  

12   3rd Grade  Days

3rd Grade  Days 13

Fun Moments From The First Weeks of 3rd Grade

Insight  Wanted  Want  to  share  your  opinion  or  ask  a  ques<on?  You  may  be  

featured  in  one  of  our  publica<ons!  

Contributors

Sally Baker 3rd Grade Teacher

Jessie Barry 3rd Grade Teacher

Allison Davis 3rd Grade Teacher

Laura Ferguson 3rd Grade Teacher

Kelly Mitchell 3rd Grade Teacher

Amanda Johnson 3rd Grade Teacher

Amy Stamper 3rd Grade Teacher

Sandy Ritchey Reading Coach

3rd Grade  Days 14

App-­‐tas9c  Our  Picks  

AppTA

STIC

MathBoard $4.99 MathBoard is a highly configurable math app appropriate for all school aged ch i l d ren . Beg inn ing i n kindergarten, with simple addition and subtraction problems, through elementary school where learning multiplication and division can be a real challenge. MathBoard will allow you to configure the app to best match the abilities of your child.

3rd Grade Reading Comprehension $1.99 100 Stories! Help children master reading comprehension skills while building confidence and inspiring achievement! This app presents short, concise stories in an engaging format that leads to success.

Splash Math $9.99 Splash Math is a fun and innovative way to practice math. With 16 chapters covering over 200 math skills and an endless supply of problems, it is by far the most comprehensive math workbook in the app store.

Math Fact Master $0.99 Covers addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division! Per fect for he lp ing to practice and learn specific facts!

3rd Grade  Days 15

S M T W TH F S

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

CES 101: Info for Parents

Chick-fil-A Spirit Day

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Boosterthon Pep Rally

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

Boosterthon Fun Run

22 23 24 25 26 27 28

29 30

September

3rd Grade  Days 16

S M T W TH F S

1 2 3 4 5

Eye Screening

Homecoming Dismiss at

2:00

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Field Trip- Moundville

-Fall Pictures Class

Scholastic Book Fair @8:30

13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Professional Learning Day for Teachers

E-Day for Students

End of First Nine Weeks

20 21 22 23 24 25 26 ← Pumpkin

Run

Report Cards Go Home

27 28 29 30 31 Fall Festival

2-4PM

October

································Scholastic Book Fair································

························Red Ribbon Week························

··············Conferences··········· Dismiss at 12PM

3rd Grade  Days 17