Read to Achieve Information

The following information has changed as of 2/13/14 so please see the link given on 2/19/14 for undated information!!!!!!!!

Some of you were unable to attend last week's Read to Achieve meeting to obtain information about how this legislation affects your third grader.  Here is a very brief run down:

Starting next week (1/27), every third grader will complete 3 reading passages on the same standard.  The following week, they will take 3 on a different standard, and so on.  These passages are about a page and a half long and have 5 questions on each.  They will be graded and kept in a portfolio for your child.  If they do  not pass all 3 passages for a certain standard, they will have a chance to take another passage.  This will go on throughout the school year.  By the end, we hope to have built a portfolio that shows your child has mastered each of the 12 standards. For a total of 36 reading passages or more (if they have to take another test on a certain standard that they did not pass all 3 of) by May 16th.  This will be very important, because if they do not pass the English-Language Arts EOG test at the end of the year, the portfolio will provide the necessary information to show that they are proficient, what they call a "good cause exemption."  ALL third graders will have a portfolio, regardless of their level of proficiency in the classroom.

If they do not have a proficient portfolio and they do not pass the EOG, they will have to go to a summer Reading program and will then move on to 4th grade as a "transitional 4th grader" and will receive interventions next year to support them in literacy.  However, if they do not attend the Reading program, they will be retained in third grade.  

For more detailed information about this legislation, please read the following document:  https://eboard.eboardsolutions.com/Meetings/Attachment.aspx?S=10399&AID=12267&MID=804  

Area

 

Notes from 1/22/14

1/23/14 Drew yesterday's example in a grid. Doesn't matter which way the rectangle is turned. 

1/23/14 hard to see but we compared the 3 rectangles on this worksheet and answered the questions above with our partners. 

The Morehead Planetarium Field Trip Information

The third grade team is excited to tell you about our upcoming field trip on February 20^th to The Morehead Planetarium and Science Center at Chapel Hill.  At the field trip the children will be seeing a show in The Planetarium and also participating in a fun and engaging workshop class.  This experience supports our third quarter science unit “Objects in the Sky”.  The cost of the trip to cover the show, class and also to pay for our busses is $13 per student.  Donations to help the students who financially cannot pay for the trip are greatly appreciated.  Please fill out both sides of the attached permission slip and send in your payment to your homeroom teacher by Thursday, February 13^th.  Please make out all checks to “Douglas Elementary School”.  You may also pay online through OSP (Online School Payment).  You can access OSP directly online at the Douglas Elementary School website.

If you are interested in chaperoning, we would love to have you!  We are allowed to have two chaperones per class.  Please submit your name to your homeroom teacher by Friday, February 7^th and your classroom teacher will do a drawing on this date to announce the chaperones.   To be a chaperone you must have a background clearance.  The discounted cost for chaperones is $6.00.  Due to parents not being allowed to ride Wake County busses, chaperones are required to drive separately and meet us at the Planetarium.  This is a wonderful volunteer experience! 

Thank you for your support!

The Third Grade Team

How Long is Your Shoe? Graphing

Bar graph- how far can you jump?

On 1/8/14 I picked 10 students by random (drew numbers) and let each jump. We measured and recorded our data and ranked them from shortest to longest jump. 

Also on 1/8/14 I helped start everyone on making a bar graph from the data. they finished it independently or with help from their math partners. 

Read to Achieve

Parents and Families,
Many of you are aware that the third grade school year is a critical year because of the state's Read to Achieve legislation.  We will have an information session for parents of third graders on Thursday, January 16 at 5:30 in the Media Center.  If your child has received 2s or wavers between a 2 and a 3 in Reading (tests and/or report card grades), it is important that you attend.  The meeting is for ALL parents of third graders, but especially those whose children are at risk and are not demonstrating proficiency in literacy skills.  Again, all are invited because Read to Achieve affects everyone.

Let me know if you have questions about the information session!
Thank you,
Carol Ann

http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/12/19/3473307/nc-schools-bracing-for-impact.html

Donations

The school is having a "winter wear" drive for the next 2 weeks.  We're collecting NEW hats, scarves, mittens and gloves to give to Douglas students in need. 

In our class we are in need of new 1 inch binders. Several student's binders are falling apart!!! Today is day 83 of 180 days so we are about 1/2 way through the year so hopefully replacement binders will last the rest of this year :) We are also in need of babywies. 

January share schedule

Bargraphs

We used the data below to create this chart as a class 1/3/14

Pyburn News 12-2-14 Welcome Back!!!

I hope everyone had a great break!! It was too funny how quiet our class was this morning... I think they were all a little tired. They were also so cute and thrilled for me and the exciting news of my engagement :)

This week in reading we are going to continue to work on non-fiction text features and questioning. Next week we will be looking at the main idea and supporting details in nonfiction texts. This is  BIG unit and very important. 

In math, we are continuing to work on multi-step multiplication and division problems. Homework tonight is correcting an assessment that they took before break. This is a great practice to get our students in the habit of doing. Next week we will be working with pictographs and bar graphs so be looking for a little (much needed) change from multiplication and division word problems. Students are going to be staying in homeroom for math until further notice... it is just a change that we are trying. 

Thank you so much for all my sweet gifts and cards, it meant so much to me. Here we go 2014!!!

Dates reminders:
Parent Power Night will be Thursday, January 16th 6:00- 7:30pm
Children will be entertained in the gym with a movie and popcorn during the workshop.  Thanks, PTA Volunteers!
January 17th is Early release
Jan 20 Holiday and the 21st is a teacher workday

Winter celebration and crafts 12-20-13

Striking a pose while making a craft, drinking hot chocolate, eating cookies, AND watching the Polar Express... Too much fun 

Sweetest groups of students EVER. They are about to open their gift from me :)

Unwrapping

Yay a book, bookmark, candy and, pencil, homework pass and a goodie bag from Andres.

Cute snowmen made with our amazing parent volunteers today. 

The reindeer they made too. 

Thank you to all the parents

that helped and donated items for today. I feel truly blessed to be your student's teacher!! Thank you for all my goodies and support. I hope y'all have a very safe and fun break!!!!

Nonfiction questioning

Before reading this article we were able to come up with all the questions below 12-17-13

Students worked with partners to develop their own questions on 12-19-13

Equations, Estimations, and Solutions 12/16 & 12/17

Notes from class on 12-16-13

Notes from 12/18/13

Pyburn News 12/16/13

Interims are in your student weekly work habits/conduct folder. These interims are based on the assessments given in class so far this quarter. All students have time to improve these grades over the next few weeks :) Please look over the tests in your student’s folder. If you need more time to go over these assessments please send a quick note and be sure to return them by the end of the week. 

We do not have written response to reading HW this week but please continue to read with your student every night. I know several students need new reading logs and I have those for them tomorrow. Check your student’s agenda for their weekly words (I also post them on the blog) and weekly word homework that is only a few nights a week.

Friday the 20^th (the last day before break) we will be having a celebration in the morning and parents coming in, in the afternoon for an activity.  I hope everyone has a safe and happy break. 

Carol Ann aka Ms. Pyburn

Equality

12/11/13

12/12/13

12/12/13

Multiplication with groups of 10

These were the notes from my math class 12/9/13. The focus was on multiplying with groups of tens. As you can see there are lots of strategies to solve each problem. Challenge your students to try multiple ways for each problem!!!

12/10/13 notes

Weekly worlds (contain ough) and HW agenda

All the words contain ough but #9. That was the commonly misspelled word from last week. Remember these are just for practice and this does not go in my grade book :)

Notice reading HW starts tomorrow not tonight. Tonight's HW contains writing weekly words 3 times each 

Pyburn News 12-9-13

Parents,

I cannot believe we only have 2 weeks before break. We have lots of work to get done between now and then so I have been reminding students to be sure to stay well. We have lots of "bugs" going around, so I've been asking them to wash their hands often and get lots of rest to be sure they do not get sick. I have a few reminders below:

12/10 (tomorrow) scholastic book orders are due for this month. Do not forget your coupon that was sent home Friday. 

12/16 interim go home to all students

12/20 last day before break

1/2 back to school 

Thank you for ALL your support,

Carol Ann aka Ms. Pyburn

Scholastic Holiday Gift

Please look in your student’s book bag for the following information. The only thing I would like to add is that you use the coupon code on the bottom right to enter in when you are checking out online. This will make more sense when you see the coupon and read the note below J Remember books make GREAT gifts. Online you can find tons more books than at the book fair or in the catalogs.

A Special Holiday Gift!

Hello families!  Happy Holidays!  I just received free book coupons for the class today from Scholastic Book Club catalogs.  Your child can choose one free book worth up to $5 when you spend $10 or more.  I thought this was a super sweet deal, so I decided to send them home today with the children.  The coupon does not expire until February, so you can use it now or save it for a later time.  If you want to use the coupon now (books make great holiday gifts and stocking stuffers!!), to ensure holiday delivery—book orders must be in by this Tuesday, December 10^th (not Friday like I had originally said). 

                                J  Happy Reading!  J

                                   Carol Ann Pyburn

Directions for Ordering Books From Scholastic Book Clubs from Scholastic’s online Book Club website:

SIGN UP at www.scholastic.com/bookclubs. On the parent page, click the "Register" button in the "First Time Here?" section. Register for your own user name and password. When prompted, enter the one-time Class Activation Code LD7T9. This unique code ensures that your order is sent to me.

SELECT the books you'd like to order -- choose from thousands of titles -- many more than in our monthly flyers.  I also post catalogs for older and younger siblings, too.  J

SEND your order to me online by the due date and your child's books will be delivered directly to my classroom. Ordering online is fast, easy, and secure.

Have a wonderful weekend!  :-)

Carol Ann

Prefixes and suffixes

We are going to do prefixes and suffixes one at a time so please check back to see the ones your student should know. 

Fiction vs Nonfiction

12/6/13

12/10/13

Properties

Multiplication Flashcards

During morning work time I give the students time with flashcards to practice "memorizing" their facts. That is really all of the practice time that they get each day. Please use the links below or flashcards from the Dollar Tree to practice facts at home.... maybe keep a set in the car?!?!

They really need to have these facts memorized as soon as possible to help them in class. A good idea is to pick 2 or 3 pairs of factors to memorize each day rather than trying to do all at once. 

online flashcards:
http://www.multiplication.com/games/play/quick-flash-ii
http://www.mindpal.com/learn/flashcards/start_flashcards.php
http://www.mathsisfun.com/numbers/math-trainer-multiply.html

online flashcards and games:
http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/math_multiplication_games.html

printable multiplication flashcards:
http://www.coolmath4kids.com/times-tables/math-flash-cards-multiplication.html

How multiplication works:
http://www.coolmath4kids.com/times-tables/times-tables-lesson-multiplication-1.html
How division works:
http://www.coolmath4kids.com/times-tables/times-tables-lesson-division-1.html
How multiplication and division work together:
http://www.coolmath4kids.com/times-tables/times-tables-lesson-number-families-1.html

Reading HW 12/2-12/6

This week's reading homework is really focused in on writing. I know how hard it is to get your students to write at home but it isn't any easier in the classroom :) Please help them through the brainstorming, writing, editing, and final copy of this piece. I expect to see third-grade work turned in on Friday. 

Your student is able to take home a "take-home book" from our classroom library each day. So there's no reason why they should not have at least two short picture books to read this week. 

Weekly words 12/2-12/6

We are not doing spelling at school but rather I would like to focus on a word family each week. These words are to be practiced at home with the pronunciation and spelling. We are not allowed to spend too much time at school doing this but something has to be done about our students' spelling... Please practice these words a little bit each night. On Fridays we will have a spelling quiz where we will see which words we know. I will not grade the spelling quiz nor will it go in my gradebook but I will put it in the Monday folders for you to see. This week we are looking at the 'igh' word family. Each week your student will have a new list written in their agenda to study.