I Hope You Had an Enjoyable Three Day Weekend with Your Child. We Have Been Working Hard

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Dear Parents,

I hope you had an enjoyable three day weekend with your child. We have been working hard to get settled into a routine and to understand the expectations for the year. Last week was a practice week for turning dogs, weekly points and oops slips-- this week will be the real deal.

This week in 3rd Grade~

Reading-This week we will begin to add some of the C.A.F.É. strategies. (comprehension, accuracy, fluency and expand vocabulary) We will focus on “Check for Understanding”, “Cross Checking” and “Tune into Interesting Words”. We did not get to this last week. We may begin to explore READ to SOMEONE this week as well. Sitting EEKK (elbow to elbow, knee to knee) allows students to read with a partner so that only the partner can hear. It helps to keep our classroom quiet when many different choices of activities are given. Choosing partners, sharing a book, reading different books, coaching or time and check for understanding are all topics that will be covered. We will continue to build stamina, which simply means that we want to start reading for a period of time that everyone can handle, then slowly add on to that amount of time. This will aid in developing independence as a reader, as well as give the teachers the opportunity to work with students, either individually or in small groups. As a whole class, we reached 13 minutes last week, and are working to add a few minutes with every practice. Your child took the STAR Reading and Math tests this past week. Each child got his/her new ZPD range/level to help with choosing "just right" books. Please remember that your child must read at least 20 minutes every night (M-TH) and hopefullyone time over the weekend. This practice helps your child build skills, confidence and a love for reading. Books can be brought home from school and/or they can be books you have at home or be borrowed from the library. He/she can read to you or by him/herself.

Math-This week, we will still be working to understand place value and the vocabulary: digit, standard form, expanded form, place value and word form and we will begin to round to the nearest ten and hundred. Any help that you can give at home would be beneficial for your child. Many of the students still need to MEMORIZE the basic addition and subtraction facts, so flash cards, computer games and homemade speed tests are suggestions for great practice.

Spelling-Your child will be bringing home the Unit 1 list of words. (in the spelling section of his/her binder) Please review them a little each night, even if it is not written in the agenda. I will let you know when a test will be given. The regular words and challenge words are listed. If your child wants to do the basic test, he/she needs to study and practice the regular words. If he/she wants to stretch and do the challenge test, then ALL words must be studied and practiced. We will begin to review 150Priority Words. (the 150most frequently used words in the English language) The students need to review these words frequently (even if not written as an assignment in the agenda) and spell all given priority words correctly, in every aspect of their writing, in every subject area, as well as on the given tests. They will be allowed and expected to use their Priority Word List when writing so that they can be certain to spell the PWs correctly. A big part of being a good speller is knowing where to look and to copy correctly. If a word is in front of them, it should be spelled correctly. We will be practicing a “touch and point” method for checking spelling. This list is in the Spelling section of their binders.

Language-The students will be presenting their favorites flipbookfor the next couple of weeks. When your child does any writing at home, please guide him/her to always use correct capitalization, punctuation, spelling of Priority Words (list in binder) and write in complete sentences that make sense.

Writing-continues with Mrs. Prater.

>Please continue with the second page>

**REMINDERS**

*SNACK--please send a healthy snack with your child every day. We do not eat until 1:00 and they get very hungry in the morning.

*Book orders are due by Wednesday, September 3, if you want to order. Please send the order form and payment (a check made out to the book company). Please DO NOT send cash!! If you choose to order online the code is GZ4RL.

*Spirit Day is this Friday, Sept. 5—There will a pep rally at the high school stadium at 2:30.

*Pictures will be taken Thursday, Sept. 12. A flyer for ordering will be sent home soon. If you would like to order pictures, please send the order form and payment to school with your child. All students will have their picture taken for the yearbook.

*AR Read to Me Night for K-3 will be Monday, Sept. 17-unsure of the time but last year it was from 5:00-6:30PM in the school library. This is a great opportunity for students to READ and take AR quizzes.

*As you have noticed, your child will be bringing home his/her agenda every night except Friday. Also, the take-home folder is sent everyday and both must be returned, with your child, the following morning. I am asking that Thursday nights be “clean out the folder and bookbag” nights. Some students still have papers in their take home folder from the first week of school. With less clutter, they will stay more organized. Thank you so much for your cooperation in helping your child be organized and responsible.

*Any money that is sent in must be sent in an envelope or Ziplocbagmarkedwith your child’s name.

*Please remember that if your child is going home a different way than normal, (that is what you marked on the pupil information sheet) I must have a note. This is for your child’s safety. So far, everyone has done a wonderful job of this. Thank you so much!!

*If you receive text alerts/emails for district emergencies, you must re-sign up each year.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Mary Tyo

Give a child a fish, he eats for a day.

Teach a child to fish, he eats for a lifetime.

P.S. I am putting a label in your child's agenda and I ask that you respond regarding EMAIL.

My weekly newsletters, questions or messages from me and items from the office will be sent via email. My newsletters will be sent home on the first day of each week, so please watch for them. Office information will be sent on Tuesdays. If you do not have email, I will still send home a paper copy. I will post newsletters on my website also. (

This week: Tues.-Bus Safety Assembly Fri.-Spirit Day/Pep Rally

A LOOK AHEAD: Sept. 8-- 6:00 PTO mtg Sept. 9-- NED Show Assembly

Sept. 12--Picture Day Sept. 17-- AR Night

Sept. 26--Interim Reports Home

*If you would like to ORGANIZE our Harvest Party (Nov. 25 2:30-3:15), please let me know.