February 3, 2012
Dear Families,
This week the students took a Reading and a Math Practice OAA. I will score the packets and then return them to the students so they can see their strengths and challenges. I will review the test with them and send them home after conferences. As you know, Spaulding students took the Pro-Ohio Form B in January. We hope to have the results back in the next few days. Here’s a look at what we can expect next week in Room 306!
We will continue our novel, Thomas Alva Edison: The Wizard of Menlo Park. Students will continue to work on identifying character traits, sequencing and determining meaning through context clues. I will also continue modeling how to complete a summary of what they’ve read. This is a particularly difficult skill for 3rd graders and it takes a lot of teacher modeling until they are able to do it on their own. I have chosen not to assign the Reading Response Form next week because I would like for your child to focus on writing the Intent to Invent (Due Friday) for their Invention Convention. Even though a written form isn’t required next week, students should be in the habit of reading at least 15 minutes a day. Please encourage your child to do so. He/She may always borrow one of our classroom books to read throughout the week.
Mrs.Brandon will continue teaching Decimals and Place Value, as well as focusing on students to extend their thinking with 4 point questions. A Math Score Packet will go home today and will be due next Thursday. Your child is to also write his/her multiplication facts, 3 times each night.
This will be our last week of spelling until after the OAA. Next Friday, a list of OAA vocabulary words will come home. Typically, your child will get a list of words on Friday and the assessment will be the following Friday. However, for the first week of words, I am giving the students two weeks to work with the words, before I assess them. The words that your child brings home will not be new to them. They are words that are used in 3rd grade and we will have daily activities to help them understand the meaning.
We have hit the ground running with our study of Inventions and Inventors. We will continue learning as much as we can on the topic, for the next month. The Intent to Invent is Due on Friday and the actual Invention project will be due at school of Monday, March 5th. Much like the Goshen history project, it is highly recommended to start early and plan accordingly, so that the project doesn’t sneak up on your child right before it is due.
Today, your child is bringing home the Math Score Packet, a new spelling list, graded papers, a conference form, the Valentine’s treat letter, a class t-shirt form and other Spaulding Elementary news. Please look through your child’s folder, as there will be a lot of important information coming home today. As always, thank you for your continuous support.
Respectfully,
Mrs.T.
tunisonj@goshenlocalschools.org