Class News
Mrs. Irick
April 29, 2008
Dear Families,
This Friday we are going to participate in Kansas Kids Fitness Day at Northwest High School. We plan to load onto the bus at 9:00 sharp. Students need to wear appropriate clothing for the weather. They’ll need to wear tennis shoes and comfortable clothing. It would be great if they could wear our school t-shirt or school colors, red or blue! If your child needs to bring a lunch that day, see the attached note. We’ll eat when we arrive back at school, about 1:00.
This week third graders have the Writing DCA. Ask your child to tell you about "an animal they’ve discovered". Next Monday morning students will take their last MAP Math test.
In Math, we are identifying and writing decimals. Centers include review activities about fractions and facts review.
In Science, we began a unit about organisms. We discussed how organisms have different jobs for different body parts. Then they identified the four main body parts organisms need to survive.
Have a great week!
Class News
April 22, 2008
Mrs. Irick
Dear Families,
I told you last week that we would begin taking the Reading MAP Test. Well, actually we’ll begin next Monday and the following Monday mornings. Next week students will also begin the District Writing Assessment.
Students are presenting their timelines and reading their autobiographies this week. The projects are hanging in the hall for everyone to enjoy!
In honor of Earth Day, we’ve read articles about how to reduce and prevent pollution. Then students illustrated a poster showing ways we can take care of our Earth.
In Reading, we are reading about characters that made judgments about someone before getting to know them. We’re reviewing prefixes, suffixes, and words with long/short a patterns.
In Math, students will identify equivalent fractions, compare fractions, and write fractions in sets. Students are building their ice cream sundaes with every multiplication facts test they pass with 100%!
Have a super week!
Mrs. Irick
Celebration Time
April 16, 2008
Mrs. Irick
Dear Families,
Our "Marble Jar" is full so we’re planning a Pizza Party during lunch next Wednesday. Students need to bring $2.00 to school by next Tuesday. Thank you!
Students received directions to make a Timeline of the important events in their life last Friday. The projects are due Monday, April 21. The class will present these with their autobiography next week.
In addition, on Monday we take out MAP Math on the computer. We are scheduled to begin at 9:05. The last MAP Reading Test is the following Monday at the same time.
Kansas Kids Fitness Day is Friday May 2. All third graders will leave school at 9:05 and spend the morning doing field day activities at Northwest High School. Some students will need to bring a lunch if they told me they plan to do that. I’ll let you know that week if your child said they’d bring their own lunch. We’ll eat when we return to school at 1:00.
Ask your child about how they plan to build an ice cream sundae during math for the next several weeks.
Have a super week!
Mrs. Irick
Class News
Mrs. Irick
April 8, 2008
Dear Families,
We are working very hard on the State Math Assessment this week. Our testing window is from 9:45-11:00. Ask your child how they felt about the part one of the test today.
During Writing, students continue to write their autobiography. Later, the class with complete a timeline project at home to put with their writing. I’ll send directions home by the end of the week.
In Social Studies, we are reading about ecosystems and how when one part of the ecosystem disappears, all the other parts are affected. Students are also reading about physical process change the Earth. Ask your child to give you some examples of slow and sudden processes that change the Earth.
Have a great week!
Mrs. Irick
Class News
Mrs. Irick
April 1, 2008
Dear Families,
Here we go…the Math State Tests are next week! We’ve spent a lot of class time within the last 2 weeks reviewing for the test next week. I’m confident that everyone is thoroughly ready! Just have your child well rested, nourished, and at school on time everyday next week. Students may bring a nutritious snack to eat prior to the test. We plan to begin testing by 9:25 a.m.
In Reading, we continue to read about animals and how they make their homes. Students are reading two-part plays together to practice fluency, identifying syllables with long and short vowels, and using spelling strategies to spell sight words from the word wall.
Students began writing their autobiographies this week. They may need to ask you a few details about their birthplace. Go ahead and ask your child about their prewriting ideas and give them a few fun facts that they may not already know to add to their writing. For example, what were their favorite foods, stories, or songs when they were toddlers?
In Social Studies, we are reading about how people adapt to their environment to survive. We read today about how natural resources in a community can determine a way of life for the people who live there.
Have a super week!
Mrs. Irick
Class News
Mrs. Irick
October 9, 2007
Dear Families,
Thank you for providing birthday treats for our "October Birthday Kids!" Everything was just great!
In Reading this week, we are reading a play called, "The Strongest One". Ask your child what part they read. We’ll use a graphic organizer to summarize important parts of the story. Students will decode long e word patterns; ee and ea. They will also identify antonyms.
In Writing, students are finishing their animal projects. Then revise and edit their personal narrative.
In Math, we are writing "Spooky Riddles" to hang in the hallway. Students are using early multiplication/division strategies to solve their problems. Then we’ll discuss patterns for 2’s-12’s on a hundreds chart. For homework, everyone will bring home their skip counting charts. Students will complete a portion of the charts over two days. These charts must be returned to school the each day. Thanks.
In Science, we plan to complete our District Third Grade Science Investigation. Students will work in cooperative groups to explore and compare drops of water on coins.
.Money for the fundraiser is due Wednesday
Thursday is Picture Day!
No School Friday and Monday
Have a great week!
Mrs. Irick
Class News
Mrs. Irick
October 2, 2007
Dear Families,
The Fall Festival is this Saturday. All third graders need to bring a two litter of soda. Thank you!
During Language Arts, students are researching information about a chosen animal. They’ll create a poster about the animal’s physical appearance, habitat, diet, and interesting facts. Thursday and Friday we plan to take our District Reading and Math Tests. These tests cover skills taught during the last 9 weeks. I’ll share these with you during conferences.
In Math, students will illustrate a multiplication situation in words and numbers. We are looking at the list from last week’s homework to illustrate and write riddles. Everyone needs to practice math facts at home this week.
In Science, we’re comparing forms of matter; solids, liquids, and gases. Then students will classify various forms of matter. Ask you child to describe what happens when you eat an ice cream cone too slowly on a hot day.
Conference confirmation letters are coming home today.
We’re still collecting your yummy family recipes.
October Reading Logs are coming home today.
Ask your child if they met their reading goals for Sept.
Return picture money by next Thursday. We get our pictures taken Oct. 11.
Have a great week!
Mrs. Irick
Class News
Mrs. Irick
September 25, 2007
Dear Families,
Please remind your child to bring their Reading Record to school by next Monday. Students will combine books on their home and school Reading Records to seek if they met their September Reading Goals.
In Reading, students will read a humorous fiction called, The Perfect Pet.Then they’ll identify the problem and solution, decode words with long I, using I, ie, igh, and y, and use a dictionary to find the correct meaning of a word. We’ll discuss how a diagram helps us understand information in the text.
In Writing, students will begin writing a personal narrative about an experience with a pet or someone else’s pet.
In Math, we are using place value blocks to build numbers, and write the standard and expanded forms of a number. Please see the attached letter about our next unit. Students continue to practice addition strategies. They should keep practicing their doubles, doubles +1, doubles+2, and facts to 10 at home as well, until they know them automatically.
In Science, we’ll begin a unit about Matter; solids, liquids, and gases. Students will identify properties of matter and make comparisons
Library is Wednesday.
No School Friday.
Have a great week!
Mrs. Irick
Class News
Mrs. Irick
September 18, 2007
Dear Families,
We’re still collecting "Box Tops". Put your child on a hunt for them when you finish with any household items. Thanks!
In Reading, students will read a narrative nonfiction story called, Penguin Chick. They’ll summarize the main ideas details, identify homographs, and decode words with long o. During one of our Extension Centers, students will use the internet to learn more about the geography and climate of Antarctica.
In Writing, I’m conferencing with students about their stories. Then they continue to work on their final copy. There is list of words in your child’s planner that they can work on at home. These are "most frequently" misspelled words.
In Math, students will identify characteristics about odd and even numbers. Today they used a calculator to solve problems, recognize the decimal point, and understand the meaning of 0.5. We continue to practice addition facts using doubles, doubles +1, and doubles +2 strategies. Ask your child to explain these strategies to you.
In Social Studies, we read about the U.S. Constitution and discussed the three branches of our government.
In Science, students will read about how scientists identify problems to study and discuss how they use tools, like the computer to do their job. Finally, we’ll conclude our investigation about craters.
Keep submitting your family recipes.
Have a great week!
Mrs. Irick
Class News
Mrs. Irick
September 11, 2007
Dear Families,
Thank you for helping your child to stay organized with the Student Planners, Homework, Friday Folders, and Tuesday Packets. Everyone is doing a great job!
In Reading, we are discussing how different people make up a community and how we share things in a community. Students are reading two stories, Home Sweet Harlem and Whose Habitat Is It? We’ll summarize important parts of these nonfiction texts. Then identify main ideas and details about each passage. During Word Building, we are decoding long a words spelled with ai and ay.
In Writing, students are self-editing and peer-editing their stories. Next, I’ll demonstrate how to use their "Power Strips" to write the introduction, main ideas, and details. I’ll emphasize paragraphing and proper writing format as well.
In Math, we are collecting data about our class using a game called, Guess My Rule. Students will sort, classify, and compare information using pictures, tallies, and graphs to organize and display data. We practiced "Two Powerful Addition Strategies" called, Left to Right Addition: Biggest Quantities First and Rounding to Nearby Landmarks. Ask your child to show you 2 ways to solve, 15+30.
In Science, students are using the Scientific Method to investigate how craters are formed on the Moon or other planets. Ask you child to explain to how they are using a "model of the Moon" to test their hypothesis.
Help you child to remember to read at least 15 minutes at home and use their Reading Record.
Students need to practice their facts to 10 and doubles everyday.
Have a Super Week!
Mrs. Irick
Just a Note
Mrs. Irick
September 5, 2007
Dear Families,
Today students took a Reading Test called, Measures of Academic Progress; MAP. Everyone did a fabulous job staying focused and respectful of others when they finished. Next Monday, we plan to take the Math MAP Test. I’ll share the results with you during conferences in October.
Students are bringing home their Home Reading Record today. Our goal is to read 2 books each week or 8 books each month. Everyone will have 15 minutes to read at school and I want your child to read 15 minutes at home everyday. Students will have a Reading Record at home and at school so they can keep track of how many minutes and pages they are reading. Parents, please initial your child’s record everyday after they’ve read. If your child wants to read longer than 15 minutes, that’s grrrrreat!!! The Reading Records are due the first school day of each month. I’ll send a reminder at the end of the month. Help your child to find a place and time to read regularly each day. It is fine if you read together or take turns!
Please return YPC money this week. Remember some scholarships are available. So, just sign and return your child’s envelope if money is an issue.
Fundraiser money and/or Entertainment Books are due now.
Have a super week!
Mrs. Irick
Class News
Mrs. Irick
August 28, 2007
Dear Families,
Thank you for signing your child’s Planner! Everyone is doing a great job getting them back every morning.
In Reading, students will read a realistic fictional text called, Dear Juno. We’ll identify special qualities of the character’s personality. Then, discuss how those traits help the reader to draw conclusions about the character. In addition, students will decode words with CVCe; long vowel pattern, and use context clues to identify words in text.
In Writing, we are using the Power Writing Strategy to write details about why we would not want Miss Viola Swamp as our teacher. Students are still in the "Drafting" process. Ask your child to tell you their "Power 1" (main idea about the story) and their three "Power 2’s", (tells more about the Power 1 and supports the main idea In the Power 1).
Today, the class sequenced the order of inventions from looking at their time line. Later, students will read about the early ways people communicated and chart them on a time line.
In Math, we will develop strategies for addition, explore which numbers can be divided in half evenly, and review values of coins. When your child brings home their combination cards, ask them to explain how they can solve the problem in different ways. Look for the clues they’ve written on their cards to help them.
Young People’s Concert tickets are on sale, $8.00. This includes two concerts this school year. Teachers will chaperone students on the bus and at the concert. We want every child to attend, so please sign and return the envelope...*scholarships are available*…sign and return the envelope by September 11.
Reading Goals begin in September.
Spelling lists in Planners will be used as I conference with students during Writing. Students will generate a list of words throughout the week that they frequently misspell in their writing. I’ll conference with students just before their "Final Copy". So, it will be about a week before you see what words your child will begin working on.
No School next Monday and Tuesday.
Have a Super Week!
Mrs. Irick
Class News
Mrs. Irick
August 21, 2007
Dear Families,
Thank you for coming to Open House last week. It was great to meet you. I want to invite anyone who was unable to come to call or stop by the room anytime if you have any questions.
In Reading this week, students are practicing "Self-Selection". Students select a book of their choice to read for about 25 minutes. I conference with them to make sure they’re selecting reading material on their level. As well as, listen for difficulties with decoding, fluency, and comprehension.
Students have Self-Selection at the beginning of school. Next, we have mini-lessons called, "Word Study." Students will practice decoding skills, vocabulary, and fluency. This week they will identify Short vowel patterns, compound words, and reread a passage with a partner to improve fluency.
Then, we move into our main reading selection to analyze story structure, set a purpose for reading, make predictions, identify characteristics of text, and summarize. We will read a story called, First Day Jitters, and analyze story structure, character, setting, and plot. Students will also identify words in context.
Ask your child to explain the "Writing Process". We are learning a strategy called, Power Writing to help students write a story about, "Three reasons why they would not want Miss Viola Swamp to be their teacher". The Power Writing strategy provides a concrete method to teach students how to use appropriate topic, details, and voice.
In Math, a letter came home Monday explaining our unit called, Mathematical Thinking. Students will explore counting and grouping items to 100 and look for patterns on a 100 chart. Then, we’ll explore pattern block designs using mirror symmetry and develop numerical patterns. Ask your child to explain how we write a paragraph in our Math Log about the number of days we’re in school, during calendar.
In Social Studies, we are identifying decades, centuries, and millenniums on different time lines. Later, the class will research and create a time line that shows the progression of technology and communication.
Return Discipline/Homework Contract
Have a super week,
Mrs. Irick