Time flies...

Wow...it's amazing how fast time flies! I apologize for my absence in posting to our classroom blog! Although, in my absence, I have enjoyed meeting all of you at parent conferences. As we discussed at conferences, if you have questions or concerns at any time, please just give me a call.

This week we are recognizing Red Ribbon week. Today was wacky sock day and tomorrow is mismatched clothing day. It will be interesting to see what the kids pick out of their closets to wear! And, Thursday is wear your favorite sports team shirt or jersey. It'll be a hard decision between the Rangers and the Red Raiders.....

We are also selling boo-grams as a third grade fundraiser. Boo-grams are 25cents each or 5 for $1.00.  The kids really enjoy delivering the candy and boo-grams to other classrooms.  I just try to stay out of the candy!

You might have noticed that your homework sheet looked a little different this week.  We made a decision on Monday to send home Reading and Spelling words, and not assign any Social Studies, Math, or Science homework.  Please have your child continue reading and practice their Spelling words. There will be a weekly test!

Math:  We continue to focus on multiplication and arrays in the classroom. Ask your child what an array is and see if they can draw and describe what they are doing in the classroom.

Science:  We continue with our focus on Force:  Push and Pull, and next week will add Simple Machines.  As with Math, ask your child questions about their activity in the classroom. They should be able to describe to you what a push and a pull means, and what impact gravity and friction have in everyday activities.

Thanks again for having your child at school on time everyday. It does make a difference! Have a wonderful week!!

Rounding Rap....

The kids learned a new rap today during Math! You should ask them to perform for you!!

Underline your number,
Look next door,
5 or greater, add one more.

Numbers to your left,
Stay the same.
Numbers to your right,
Zero's your name.

I have some really cute video that I'll be uploading, along with some pictures from our "Do you sink it will float" lab experiment.  They absolutely love Science lab and ask to go everyday!!

Have a wonderful week!!

I remember....

Yesterday, Ms. Grant and Ms. Draughn focused their lessons on the tragic events that occurred on September 11, 2001.  It's hard to believe it happened 10 years ago. Our third graders weren't even born! I remember exactly where I was standing when I received an urgent phone call from a friend to "turn on the tv". I'm sure you have vivid memories as well.  I am so incredibly thankful to live in this wonderful country, the United States of America!


Classroom news......
We have moved our recess time, and the kids are thrilled!! Our original recess time was at 2:30, and by that time of day, it is HOT! We have now changed our time to 12:35, right after lunch. It is working out beautifully, and the kids are loving the time outside!

In Math, we will be concentrating on rounding and estimation.  On my website, I have lots of links to interactive games and websites that your child can play at home and practice.  Also, we took an assessment on Friday, and students will be bringing that home in their Thursday folder.

In Science, we are continuing with our study on Matter. We will be measuring mass, determining what will sink or float, and sorting matter objects. There are also Science games on the website as well.

Parent Portal:  I am inputting grades often, but we are still having issues with Parent Portal. Hopefully, it will be up and running on Monday.


CALENDAR:
Tuesday, 9/13:  Curriculum Night - 6:30-7:30


Have a wonderful weekend!

Enjoy the long weekend!

I am so ready to relax and enjoy a beautiful three day weekend! And, I am sure your family is as well! It looks like our weather may actually be taking a break too. What a nice treat :)

I feel so blessed to be a teacher, and spend my day with your kids! Their little personalities are really starting to shine, and it's awesome to see the potential in each and every one of them.  Future doctors, lawyers, artists and talk show hosts!

Next week, we will continue with place value, writing numbers in words, and greater than/less than. We will have an assessment over these skills on Friday. In Science, we will be discussing the Scientific Method, and conducting some experiments with solids/liquids/gas and magnets.   Homework will reinforce the concepts that are taught in class. (And, it's a little longer than last weeks!!)  As they work on homework, encourage your child to teach and share with you what they are doing in class!

As always, if you have any questions, please either call or email me! Have an awesome weekend!!!

Homework begins this week!

We made it through the first week! The kids worked really hard, as we reviewed place value in Math, and discussed putting together our Science journals. Thank you so much for helping your child decorate their journal. I love their creativity, and made sure to show them off to our class!

This week brings their first week of homework. We started off pretty simple and have given them the entire week to finish their assignments. Please make sure your child brings their homework back to school this Friday, September 2, 2011.  This pattern of homework will continue throughout the year....homework assigned on Monday and due back on Friday. There may occasionally be additional assignments, but we do our best to limit them. We will be having projects due throughout the year as well and will let you know more about them later.

This week in Math, we will continue with place value (through the thousands) and also be reviewing greater than and less than. In Science, we will be touring the Science lab and talking about laboratory safety and science tools.

As always, if you have questions or concerns, please let me know! Have an awesome week!!

Tired Tuesday...

Yesterday, the kids were sleepy and not very active. Today, they were tired and trying hard to stay awake! The transition from summer to school schedule is always rough.  I have to compliment every one of them though, they have hung in and done their very best! I'm proud of them!!

I've had several questions from my students, so thought I'd take a moment and answer them here.

1 - Do we have homework?  No. We typically do not give homework the first week of school.  

2 - Do I really need a red folder?  Yes, you do :)  Our red folder is our main communication source between student, parent and teacher. This folder always contains their homework and conduct card, and also any necessary notes, nurses notes, etc. It's important to check their folder every night.

3 - Should I be reading?  Absolutely! Reading is an essential component to any child's education. I encourage my students to be reading at least 20 minutes a night, even if we don't have homework.

4 - Why aren't we going outside for recess?  Our recess time is at 2:30. With the weather still scorching hot, we will be keeping the kids inside for recess.

5 - Will we have snack everyday? Yes. We will always try to have a break for snack around 9:30ish. We don't have lunch until 12:05, and I know they get hungry. I do!

And, just a few details about our schedule. It is a little different from last year, and we have a great reason for the change. We want to be able to concentrate on planning and teaching 1-2 subjects, instead of 5, so that we can be the absolute best teacher for your child! You should have a detailed schedule in your classroom letter, and I have one posted on the website. ( www.starnesm.weebly.com )  Basically, the kids will be rotating rooms one time a day.  I will concentrate on teaching Math/Science and Ms. Grant will concentrate on Reading/Language Arts/Social Studies.  Our schedule looks like this:

Ms. Starnes' Homeroom                                                                 
8-9 Small group/PE                                                                          
9-11  Starnes Class - Math/Successmaker/Science                          
11-12  Specials                                                                                
12-12:30 Lunch                                                                                
12:30-2:30 Grant's Class - Math/Successmaker/Science                  
2:30 Recess/Dismiss    

Ms. Grant's Homeroom                                                                    
8-9 Small group/PE
9-11 Grants Class - Reading/Language Arts/Social Studies
11-12 Specials
12-12:30 Lunch
12:30-2:30 Starnes' Class - Reading/Language Arts/Social Studies
2:30 Recess/Dismiss


Thank you so much for letting us teach your precious children! And, as always, if you have any questions, please ask!

Meet the Students...

On Thursday night, we held "Meet the Teacher" night. All of the students came in, so excited and eager to find out who their new teacher would be, and to see which friends would be in their classroom.  We were just as excited, and couldn't wait to see how much they had grown over the summer! I really enjoyed meeting everyone...parents and students!

Monday kicks off our brand new school year, and we're ready to take off and learn! Just a reminder, school starts at 7:45 am, so please make sure your child is on time and has eaten a healthy breakfast. Also, traffic next week (especially Monday) will be very heavy, so you might leave a little earlier than usual. And, we do have a snack time in the morning, so you're welcome to send a nutritious snack with your child. We have PE at 8am, so everyone will need to remember their tennis shoes!

As we get started with our year, I'll be using this blog to update you about events that have happened in the classroom, and to keep you informed about our studies and special projects. As always, if you have any questions, please let me know! Looking forward to an incredible year!!!

Shelves of School Supplies....

As much as I enjoy summer, I know that the beginning of school is almost here. Store shelves are full of scissors, paper, glue, crayons, markers, and notebooks. And, like a magnet, I head straight for the supplies aisle in every store I walk into!

I have to admit, I love to buy school supplies for my girls!  They aren't very excited yet, but they'll get there....  Oh, and I can still remember the excitement of brand new supplies and new clothes when I was a kid. I still miss the "tub o' glue" with that fun plastic stick!

Just a couple of weeks, summer will be over before we know it. I'm planning to enjoy every last minute!