Class+News+3

This week is our field Trip to Cathedral Caverns. We will be taking our field trip to the Nutcracter soon as well. If your child will not be attending this trip, I will need a note stating why they will not be attending.

We are going to Cathedral Caverns next week on Thursday. Please be weather aware and dress for the weather forecast. The cave will be cool and we will be doing a lot of walking so please have your child wear tennis shoes! Do not forget to bring your lunch if you signed up to being your lunch. Thank you!

Week of SEPT 7, 2015 I AM SOOOOOOOO sorry for not getting to this online page! We teachers say that if we would ever remember the beginning and ending of school, we would never come back to teaching. Start and finish for us is always hectic and we go on a lack of sleep, stress, and being overworked to get all the things done that need to be done to get the ball rolling with your kiddos!

SCIENCE
 * We are working on our science plant module in class called Plant Growth and Development. The kids are learning a lot. These science grades will show up under the subject of reading on INOW this year.
 * So much of the ACT aspire test that they will take at the end of the year is based upon scientific passages and reading and applying what they read to answer questions. We feel that this is the most effective way to assess their science. Students are completing a scientific notebook in class.
 * We do most of these activities together in class and they are given step by step instructions as to what to include and how to write it down and glue it in their notebooks, ie WE DO IT TOGETHER!- IF they do not have it it is because they are absent or they do not complete it with us which they have been told there will be a notebook grade.
 * These notebooks will eventually be used to assist them with assessments that we will be giving for a grade in science which will fall under the reading grade in INOW.
 * We are scaffolding the first assessment and will not be giving it for a grade so they understand the importance of completing the classwork in their notebooks. This will happen in the next week or so.
 * They will be allowed to use their notebooks to help them on the assessments as well as a reading passage that includes information they can read it and be able to answer the questions correctly by looking back in the passage.
 * Students who successfully complete their notebooks will receive an s in science and if the notebooks are not completed to satisfaction, an NI or U will be received for a grade.
 * THESE KIDDOS LOVE SCIENCE!

READING
 * We are well into unit 1 and will finish unit 1 next week. WOW! it's flying by.
 * TO help you understand greater what we are doing in class in reading, whatever the strategy is in reading, we are practicing that with the fluency, the actual reading story and other reading passages in class.
 * The test story is a fresh read and one that they have to apply the skill we have covered all week in order to take what they have read, apply the skill and GO BACK INTO THE STORY to find the answers!
 * Reading is no longer reading a story 4-5 times and memorizing it to recall basic events from that same story on a test. Reading is applying skills learned through the week, practicing those skills in various passages, and then on Friday, using that new story and skills to help them answer questions.
 * This is different and more difficult than the reading you and I did as kids in grade school. This rigor is helping your child and our school to become the best in the state. I know that it may be frustrating to you now who only wants your child to make A's but these skills go much deeper than a simple grade. These tougher skills will help them to be better Intermediate, Jr. High, and High School readers as well as better readers in college.
 * If you ever have any questions about the skills and exactly how this works, please feel free to visit me after school and I can guide you through the process of one of our previously covered topics and explain how this all works. I'd be happy to help you understand better why we do what we do.

SPELLING
 * Many students are passing the Pretest given on Monday. If your child is not making good grades on spelling, they should be practicing more at home.
 * While we only require students to write words a certain number of times, we are trying to reduce the load of HW that they must complete. This means that if this is not enough practice, you must insist that they write the words more in order to practice.
 * I have told them this and you have my permission to say I told you to tell them to write them more if it is needed.

MY DOOR IS ALWAYS OPEN TO YOU IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR CONCERN ABOU TYOUR CHILD'S PERFORMANCE! PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO ASK!

Mrs. Bragwell

WELCOME TO THIRD GRADE!!!!!

I am so excited to have my wonderful class again. Research studies have been proven to show that students who look have the possibility to go farther than if they have a new teacher each year. while I know that there may be some personality clashes between students, I know that we can work through those and establish a classroom of caring, helpful, concerned students who seek the best for one another in our room and outside of our room.

I am seeking to further create a community of "family" here in our class. We will respect one another, help one another, and encourage one another to make smart choices! We will push one another to greater academic heights. If there are any problems, please do not hesitate to let me know about them. I will not tolerate disrespect from one student to another. I will also demand that students set their goals high and work as hard as they can to achieve them!

This is an exciting year because your child will be exchanging classes right after lunch. They will have Math and Language with Mrs. Wiggs! They will have Spelling, Science and Social Studies, and Reading with me in the mornings! They will have to be organized and pay attention to be successful! We have high expectations here in third grade! I know that your child will try their best to reach those expectations.

If there is a need to conference, Mrs. Wiggs and I both will be available to conference if not during planning, after school. We are not available on Wed. afternoons and I am not available on Monday afternoons.

I am looking forward to a great year! I hope you are too!

Working together! Sarah Bragwell