Mrs. Leith's Third Grade

Week of September 26, 2011

 

This week we will:

• Learn about the rock cycle and begin learning about soil
• Visit the Science Lab on Friday for hands-on learning
• Go to the Media Center for a lesson and check-out on Thursday- Bring your books!
• Read about rocks and minerals in our reading groups
• Write a descriptive paragraph

Thank you to all who have returned your Tellus Museum permission forms and donations. Please remember that we'd like to have forms and donations by this Friday to make sure we have enough to cover the cost of the trip.

Week of September 19, 2011

We have a very busy week in store for us!  We'll be continuing our focus on rocks and minerals and will be headed to our Science Lab on Friday for some hands-on learning. We'll be working in our garden on Wednesday, focusing on planting fall crops and building a habitat for the animals around Addison.

In math, we'll be practicing those 2nd grade math skills of adding 2-digit numbers with and without regrouping, and will be extending those skills with 3- and 4-digit numbers. If your child does not have basic addition facts memorized, please practice them at home nightly to increase math fluency.

In language arts, we've been working on writing using descriptive language and will continue that, focusing on single descriptive paragraphs. From there, we'll move into personal narratives, applying the skill of writing descriptive paragraphs and adding it to stories.

If you have not yet returned your child's field trip permission form to the Tellus Museum, please try to do so as soon as possible, and by September 30th at the latest. Let me know if you misplaced the form and need an additional one. Thank you!

Orientation Night!

Thank you so much, everyone, for attending Orientation last night! I was thrilled to see such a great turn out, but not surprised since you have been so fantastic at returning forms, checking homework, etc. Below is the link for the PowerPoint presentation.  Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Download LeithOpen House Orientation 2011

Summing up a few points from last night:

• Students are earning money similar to what they did in 2nd grade for Goods and Services day. Students earn and lose money for behavior choices in the classroom, the hallways, and at lunch. If behavior issues cannot be resolved with the classroom economy, then your student may need an individual contract to help them, through which they can earn additional money.
• Please remember to have your child record his/her nightly reading in the GATOR book/agenda. This is what I use for a reading log; book title and length of time reading must be recorded.
• Conferences are at the end of October.

• We'll be taking one out of school field trip to the Tellus Museum in May. We are having Wellstar come in and provide free in-house field trips; the lessons focus on dental health, physical health, and  dealing with anger/frustration.

 

September 4, 2011

Last week flew by! I am so fortunate to have such a great group of children to teach. Thank you, parents, for being so supportive and following up with homework and any other paperwork that comes home!

Although the upcoming week is one day short, we'll be as busy as usual. We're continuing with map skills, learning about the hemispheres and longitude and latitude. We'll be comparing and ordering large numbers in math, and focusing on strategies to monitor our own reading skills. We have guidance with Ms. Weston on Thursday afternoon, and also will be visiting the Science Lab that morning for our orientation. If you haven't joined the Addison foundation yet, you can do so here AESF .   Our Science Lab is funded by the Foundation; we are so lucky to have this incredible teaching tool at Addison!

Remember that this Thursday evening, Sept. 8, is Orientation following a 6pm PTA meeting. I'll be sharing important information about the upcoming school year. You'll also be able to check out the class' Addison Atlas, which we made last week.  See you all Thursday!