We completed our first week in third grade and I would say it was a success!  We learned lots of new routines, expectations and started working on building our little community within our classroom!!!  

Coming Up!!!! 
Open House is this Tuesday, August 8th from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.  Please be sure to come to learn important information about the upcoming school year! 

8/11: Bingo Night, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

8/16: Fall Picture Day

8/21: School-Day Extended 45 Minutes on August 21 due to Solar Eclipse
Due to the solar eclipse on August 21, 2017,  the Cobb County School District will delay dismissal of elementary, middle and high school students by 45 minutes.  

The peak time to experience the solar eclipse falls during our regularly scheduled elementary school dismissal time.  Since student safety is always our first priority so we will delay dismissal to ensure that neither students nor employees are on the roadways during the time of the eclipse.   Subsequently, high schools and middle schools will delay dismissal as well.

Schools will be provided with further guidance and instructional resources as appropriate.  Parents are welcome to pick-up their child at the typical dismissal time if needed. 

For more information regarding the solar eclipse visit the National Weather Service at http://www.weather.gov/sgf/SolarEclipse.

Please visit the Cobb County School District Website: www.cobbk12.orgfor further information and helpful links. 

8/30: Early Release Day, Dismissal 12:30 pm 

8/31: Cub Scout Sign-up Night, 6:30 pm -7:30 pm, Cafeteria 

Curriculum:
Reading/Language Arts:
We use the Daily 5 format during our reading block.  Many of the students used this in first and second grade and they are very comfortable with this format.  We started a small part of this last week and hope to be in full operation within the next couple of weeks.  
Math:
We are working on place value and rounding this week.  We will then review all of the addition and subtraction strategies, but they love when we show them the algorithm for these types of problems! 
Science: 
For the first couple of weeks will jump right into Rocks and Minerals.  We have lots of great hands on activities that will build the foundation for their earth science studies. 
Social Studies:
We are so excited about the new social studies curriculum.  We will begin with Native Americans and how they adapted throughout the regions in our country.  This unit will be full of great connections, literature and activities. 

Please make sure you signed up with the Remind app.  This is a great way for to remind you of quick things like field trips, picture day and other school activities.
Text: 810-10
message: @vancekalra

We also use Class Dojo for our behavior management system as well as keeping you informed about what is going on in our classroom with photos and videos.  

I will be updating the blog every couple of weeks.  I will email this out as well as keep it on the blog for future reference. 

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us!  We are part of the puzzle that helps these kiddos be successful! 

See you Tuesday! 
Michelle and Kara

Welcome to a new year at Ford Elementary! 

Today was a great first day to begin our journey through 3rd grade together.  Please make sure you accept the invitation to Class Dojo.  If you have not registered for Remind, please do so!  Text @vancekalra to 810-10. 

Your child came home with their brand new agenda today.  Please make sure to sign it every evening.  We did tell them that it is their responsibility to give you the agenda and a pen for you to use to sign it.  

Their first homework assignment is the "All About Me" bag.  The instructions are attached  to the bag they took home today.  Please wait until Friday to send it in as we don't have the storage to keep 23 bags!  

Also, if you could please sign the "Receipt of Cobb Folder" inside of the Cobb Folder.  We highlighted the parts that need to be signed.  

We will be sharing more information in the very near future on how our classroom works and runs, but we didn't want to overload you on the first day!!! 

They all did great!  We know it is going to be a great year!  Make sure they get plenty of rest and drink water!!!  

See you tomorrow!
Michelle and Kara

I can't believe I just typed that.  I just can't. 

We have been working hard on our autobiographies this week!  We will be sending a "formal" invitation to our Book Reveal, but here is the info for your calendar: 

When: Friday, May 19th
Where: Room 208 (our classroom)
When: 12:45

Immediately following we will have a celebratory ice cream party.  Look for an email with a Sign Up from Patty Payton for needed supplies.  

FIELD DAY: 
Field Day is Wednesday, May 10th.  We would normally wear our class t-shirt, but since we are going on a field trip the next day, please just have them wear a Ford t-shirt.  Please send a complete change of clothes (underwear, socks, etc) for them to change into after we are done.  They will get wet and then they get cold and uncomfortable.  

They are still looking for volunteers, so if you would like to volunteer here is the link for sign up:
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/805044aadaa23a13-second
(I just looked and our class has a lot of parents coming! Wow!)


FIELD TRIP:
We are going to the Tellus Museum on Thursday, May 11th.  I have three parents signed up to go with us.  If you would like to go please let me know.  Parents are required to provide their own transportation and museum entrance fee. 

All lunches should be sent in completely disposable containers.  One of our rotations will be the gift shop, so if you would like to send them with money to purchase something you may, but it is not required. 

Dates: 
Field Day: 5/10
Field Trip: 5/11
Book Reveal: 5/19
Half Days: 5/23 & 5/24
Last Day: 5/24

I know it's a busy time of year so if you need anything let me know!!

So here we are staring down the barrel at the end of the school year and we have a lot to cover.  So get some popcorn and settle in:
Milestone:
Milestone testing begins this coming Wednesday.  Here is the schedule for the week:
Wednesday: ELA part 1
Thursday: ELA part 2
Friday: ELA part 3
Monday: Math part 1
Tuesday: Math part 2

What you need to know:
We have told the kids that they are ready for this test.  They have worked all year long and this is their time to show you and us how much they have learned.  We did talk extensively about being careful and taking their time, reading the whole question and making sure they use their strategies.  If you could reiterate all of those things to them I think it would really help.  They will do great!!!

Also, if you have not sent in your super, secret envelope, please do as soon as possible!  We think the kids we really love to have the daily encouragement! 

Please remember what you have been assigned for snacks and treats.  If you can’t remember let us know and we can tell you. 

We told them to make sure they get a good night’s rest, a good breakfast every night and play outside as much as possible during testing.  This will make their brain work best.
That’s enough of that…

Autobiography:
Thank you for those that turned in the Bare Books and the extra!  Please remember that we are beginning our work on those next week.  Your child brought home the “home” portion of this assignment and it is due MONDAY. This is the central part of the project, so we need those turned in! 

We will also be doing a BOOK REVEAL party on Friday, May 19th at 12:45 in the classroom and you will be invited!  We will send more details out as it gets closer, but you will not want to miss this! 

Dates to know:
Milestone Testing:  4/19-4/25
Evening in the Garden: 5/3
Field Day: 5/10
Book Reveal: 5/19 12:45
5/23: Early Release
5/24: Early Release/Last Day of School

I know there is a lot going on and we will be doing our best to keep your informed, but if you need anything or have any questions, please let us know! 

Milestone: 
Today we are sending home important information about Milestone testing. 
Dates:
Wednesday, April 19: ELA, Part 1
Thursday, April 20: ELA, Part 2
Friday, April 21: ELA, Part 3
Monday, April 24, Math, Part 1
Tuesday, April 25, Math, Part 2

Please remember that we will be testing in the morning.  We will send out more reminders as we get closer.  

We are also asking for snacks like we did during IOWA/CoGAT.  It is going home today and I will email it out as well.  

Autobiography: 
Thank you to those of you that have ordered and sent in the Bare Books.  We are starting our autobiographies next week.  Look for something to come home for their "at home" portion of the assignments.   Each student will need four pictures throughout their life.  Please make sure these are not originals unless they can go in the Bare Book.  

Ms. Quandt: 
Our student teacher's last day is Friday, April 14th.  We would love to put something together for her. If you could send in some teacher supplies for us to put together that would be great.  Things like pencils, pens, pads of papers, etc.  We will send a reminder when we get back. 

Remind your kiddo to work on those math facts over the break!  Thanks for all that you do! 

​                                

I am so sorry that it has been almost a month since I updated the blog.  Please forgive me! 
Upcoming:
We have a field trip coming up Tuesday, March 14th to the CATO preserve.  Please have your child wear their class t-shirt.  If you are packing a lunch, please make sure all items are disposable.
Bingo night is this Friday night from 6:30-8:00.  Come out and support the PTA and Relay for Life!
 
ELA
The kids did an amazing job on their biographies.  We thoroughly enjoyed their presentations!  Thank you for working hard with them at home!
We have been working on figurative language the past couple of weeks and we will begin using it in our writing. 
Math
We introduced fractions and basic fraction equivalents.  A great real world connection you can make is to find fractions in their world.  Anywhere from brownies, pizza, floors in a building…ask them questions like “If there were 12 brownies in the pan and your dad ate three of them what fraction of the brownies would be left?”
We saw great improvement in our fact fluency this month. Thank you for continuing to work with them on this vital 3rd grade skill!  When we asked the kids that showed a huge growth and are almost at 100% fluency in both what they did, the answer was always the same… FLASHCARDS!!!!! Sometimes the things that worked when we were kids, work for our own.  You can either make some with index cards or here is a link from Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Greenbrier-1112-Math-Flash-Cards/dp/B007QND52O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1488980614&sr=8-1&keywords=flashcards+math
 
End of the 9 weeks:
As we gear down this 9 weeks and prepare for the last 9 weeks of the school year (I can’t even.), we are spending time fine tuning the skills we have learned this school year to best prepare them for 4th grade. As we get closer to Milestones we will do some test taking strategies to prepare them for what they will see, but they will be ready.  We will talk about testing as it gets closer, but just keep reading and working on those math facts!
 
As always, Kara and I are so appreciative of your support of our classroom.  If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us!!!  

I just wanted to send a few reminders/updates as we head into the weekend:

​Valentine's Day:
​We will be celebrating Valentine's Day with the students on Tuesday. We sent home a class list so that they could address their Valentine's.  If you don't have it, no worries, we can send another one!  Please wait until Tuesday to send the box in as we don't really have the room to store them!

​Biography:
​The kids are working hard on their biographies in the classroom.  It is fun to watch them take a real interest in someone.  We are doing all of the writing of the biography in class.  The only thing you need to be working on at home is their desktop and costume.  Half of the class will present on Thursday and the other half on Friday.  I sent digital copies of the information for the desk top but if you need it again I can resend it!

Novel Study:
​We are almost done with Indian in the Cupboard.  We have all loved this book!  Throughout the book we have done a character study and how the characters and their personality affect the outcome of a situation.  Our plan is to watch the movie together the Friday before our Winter Break.  So we will be working super hard early next week so that we can enjoy our time on Friday!

Behavior:
​We sent an email out earlier this week about a behavior plan change.  We will continue with our positive reinforcement of Dojo points, but will include the "Three Strikes You're Out" rule.  If a student receives three "Xs" in their agenda over the course of the week they will go to the Reading Room during Fun Friday.  We appreciate your support at home as many students came to us the next day and said "An X at school, means an X at home".  Kids do so much better when they have that school/home connection...so thank you for that!

Math:
​I couldn't make a blog update without mentioning Fact Fluency! We would like the students on Conceptua Math Fact Fluency EVERY NIGHT.  I have a progress chart that keeps me updated on their attempts and mastery.  Please encourage them to do this at least 15 minutes every night.  There is an app for this website, so it is available for devices!

​As always, thank you for your continued support!  If you need anything, please don't hesitate to contact us!

We have kicked things into HIGH GEAR in Room 208 and your kiddos are rising to the challenge!  I have a few things to update you on so read until the end for a very important announcement!!!

Valentine’s Day:
The joy of elementary school is to be able to celebrate…and we love it! 
Valentine’s Day is Tuesday, February 14th.  Please allow your child to make a valentine box to receive Valentines from their friends.  They can bring it on that Tuesday, but please not before as we don’t really have the room to store them.   We will send a class list home so that your child can address their Valentines.   We will deliver them in class and look through them here at school.  Don’t worry about sending in any special treats…Mrs. Kalra and I want to show them how much we love them so we will be providing the treats.
 
Box Tops:
Box Top collection is here!!!  Please clip and send in your box tops!  The kids love to hear our name called out over the announcements for grade winner!!

Homework:
As you have noticed we have added a little bit of homework.  Please check their agenda daily to see if they have any assignments.  We have been introducing vocabulary.  They are vocabulary words from the novel study from Indian in the Cupboard.  We give them time to complete the definitions and sentences in class, but if they don’t finish, they need to complete them at home.  They get dojo points if they use their new vocab words in conversation.  Believe me, they had lots of reasons to use “dawdle” and many times it is about you all! HA!

Biography:
We are continuing to work on our narrative writing.  We will be introducing the writing project on Monday with a trip to the Learning Commons on Wednesday to select the biography of the person they will be writing about for their project.  This project has an at home part and an at school part.

At school they will be writing the report on the person they selected.  We will use class time to discuss timelines and how they are helpful when writing a report on a person.

The at home portion is making a “desk top” for the person they are writing a report about.  Information will be coming home on Monday but I will email it to you as well.  Please look over it and if you have any questions please contact me!  On the day of their assigned presentations they will need to dress up like their person.  Please don’t go out and spend money, use what you have and force your child to be creative! 

Again, thank you all for your continued to support of what we are doing in the classroom!  
 

​We have been introducing a couple of new resources that require internet access.  If you are comfortable you may begin to send in your child’s device to allow them to access these resources at the designated times.  We only have  4 iPads and 5 laptops so any added technology would allow us to be more flexible.  This is not a requirement, but if you are comfortable with your child bringing their device to school they may. 
 
We introduced a more “fun” resource today.  Most of their logins are in their agendas, but we will make sure they all have them tomorrow.  This one will not be a requirement like the assignments from Conceptua, but just a fun website that reinforces what we are doing in the classroom through games. 
 

I just wanted to give you all the heads up that there will be some homework given this week.  Their first Conceptua math assignment will be given and it is due Thursday.  We are introducing fractions and this is a great way to reinforce what we are doing in the classroom.  They also will need to do 15 minutes of fact fluency on Conceptua every night.  To go along with our novel study we are working on the vocabulary that goes along with the text.  They do have some time to work on this in class, but I am asking them to complete it at home if they do not finish it.  They need to write the definition of the word and then use it in a sentence.  www.dictionary.com is a great resource, but I would love for them to use an "old school" dictionary to become more comfortable with using one.  As always we appreciate your support as we work together for these awesome kiddos!!!

Conceptual login:
www.conceptuamath.org
company: CCSD
Sign-in: s and then student number
​password: mustangs