Math Pack/Invite Coming Home Today

I'm sending home Friday Folders today with valuable information.  Please look for the summer math pack, with cover letter, and my invite to Friday's Coffman Cafe Lunch.   Folders do  not need to be returned.  Recycle as you see fit.

If you lose the pack before summer's end, you may find it on line.  Visit the APS Home Page and select "Instruction" and then "Curriculum".  Then, select "Mathematics" and select "Summer Reviews".  Click on third grade (or the level just completed) and print the pack.  If you finish the pack for your grade, trying looking at the one for the next grade.  You may be surprised to find that you are well prepared for next year!

Coffman Cafe Farewell Lunch

Dear Students and Parents:

Please join me for a final farewell luncheon in our classroom this Friday.  I will provide pasta options (at least one egg, nut, and dairy free), green salad, fresh fruit, and cold water.  This is my way of saying thank you for the fabulous year and making so many precious memories.  Students are welcome to bring their own lunches on Friday OR there will be plenty of pasta and salad for all to enjoy. 

Please join us after 11:45 for this event.  Bring nothing other than you and simply enjoy this final 2012 Coffman Café!

Fondly,

Ms. Coffman

Success in the Savanna 6/15/12

            Thank you to all the shoppers who came and supported the businesses of Tuckahoe Town today.  It is always fun to see our hallway transformed into a shopping mall with all the shoppers and this year was no exception.  The children all worked so hard leading up to this big event and did a wonderful job creating all their products and working with their partners.   From what I saw, I think we have several future entrepreneurs in our midst.

            This week has also been spent learning about gravity and magnetism and looking back over our year. On Wednesday, Dr. Gary White, a physicist and former Tuckahoe parent, brought his physics interns in to present a physics lesson about invisible fields of gravity and magnetism to the children.  The interns created some wonderful experiments for the kids that all related to gravity using spandex and marbles.  The interns were amazed at how our children were able to describe what they were seeing and doing and the science vocabulary they already have.  One of the interns suggested we might have several physics students in our midst.  Hmmm……All in all it was a great morning for everyone involved.

            Next week we will be taking time to look back on our year as well as to look forward towards the year to come.  A portion of the week will be spent cleaning up our room, and sending things home for the year (please send in a grocery bag) and bringing closure to our time spent together this year. Tuesday we will have our class picnic.  Please take a look at the flyer that came home with your child on Wed. about this and how you might be able to lend a hand.  Friday morning the children will have an opportunity to visit the forth grade and hear about some of the activities they will be participating in next year.  In addition, I am planning a special luncheon for the children and parents on Friday, so no lunch will be needed.  Further information about the lunch will be coming next week.

            As we turn our attention to summer and all the fun and relaxing activities in front of us, I hope everyone will find a bit of time to read, write and practice math skills.  There will be information coming home about summer reading challenges, and math packets. A few minutes spent each day on these activities will help keep these skills fresh for the fall.

            It has truly been a pleasure being your child’s teacher this year.  They are each very special in their own way and as a class a very caring group.  As I have said before, thank you for sharing them with me each day.  I also want to thank you all for your support and thoughtfulness throughout the year.

 I hope everyone has a great summer.

Tuckahoe Town is Tomorrow!

From 10:30 - 11:30, the third grade classrooms will be presenting their economics projects:  Tuckahoe Town.  Parents and family members are welcome to join us.  Please contact me if you have any questions.

Third Grade Picnic

Special thanks to Jenny Roellke for taking the lead with our third grade parents to help organize the third grade community picnic next Tuesday from 11 - 1 pm.   The location for the picnic is Tuckahoe Park grass area (not Stewart Park).  Please look for details about what to bring on flyer sent home today.

And, heads up regarding our third grade classroom lunch.  This event will be held on the last day of school, Friday, from 11:45 - 1 pm in our classroom.  I, Ms. Coffman, will be providing pasta and salad lunch for all my students and parents.  Please plan to join us on that date.  Further information will be posted on site this Friday or early next week.

Thank you!
Theresa Coffman

Success in the Savanna 6/8/12

There is not much new to report this week.  The children have been working hard in their Tuckahoe Town groups creating their product.  It has been fun to watch their conceptual ideas come to life and watch as the kids make adjustments to their original thoughts.  Budgets have been set and the reality of how much things cost is beginning to settle into everyone’s thinking.  I hope you will be able to join us for some great shopping at Tuckahoe Town next Friday, June 15^th from 10:30-11:30.

Recently, an item went missing in our classroom and I mention it to all of you so that you may be watchful.  A toy – known as a Beyblade – was lost last week either in the hallway or within our classroom.  This is the second such item to go missing and it has elevated my concern to a higher level.  I am not accusing anyone of taking the item but do ask that you question your child to see if they have any knowledge that they have not shared with me.  I have been unsuccessful in solving this mystery and remain hopeful that it will be solved before year’s end.  Thank you for your attention to this matter.  

Below are important dates for the remainder of the year. 

June 15- Tuckahoe Town- 10:30-11:30 am

June 19- 3^rd Grade End of Year Picnic- 11 am-1 pm

June 20- Early Release

June 22- Last Day of School- Early Release/Report Cards Issued

If you have any questions, please let me know.  Have a nice weekend.

Theresa Coffman

Tuckahoe ES 

Instrumental Forms

Dear Parents:  Students met with Mr. Bowman this past Monday to explore a variety of musical instruments for possible instruction next year.  They have received an instrumental music notice that should be completed by you and your child.  This should be returned to me by Thur. June 21st.  Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Ms. Coffman

Geometry Vocabulary List: Test 6/6

Geometry Vocabulary

Please review the spelling and meaning of all of these words.  They will be included in the geometry unit test, on June 6, 2012.

Plane figure:  A figure that exists in one plane or is two-dimensional or flat.  A triangle and square are examples.

Quadrilateral:  A figure with four sides and four corners.

Line:  A collection of points along a straight path that goes on and on in opposite directions.  A line has NO endpoints.

Line segment:  A part of a line between two endpoints.

Ray:  A part of a line that has one endpoint and goes on and on in one direction.

Angle:  The intersection of two rays.

Right Angle:  The intersection of two rays, or angle, which forms a square corner or 90 degrees.

Congruent:  Figures that have the same shape and size.

Similar: Figures that have the same shape but differ in size.

Line of symmetry:  A line that divides any figure into matching parts.

Perimeter:  The distance around a figure.

Area:  The number of square units needed to cover a figure.

Volume:  The number of cubic units needed to fill a space figure.

Space figure:  A figure that exists in more than one plane or is three-dimensional.  A cube and sphere are examples.

Face:  The flat surfaces of shape figures.

Edge:  Line segments where 2 faces meet.

Corner:  The intersection of two line segments (for plane figures) or the intersection of three or more edges (for shape figures).

Success in the Savanna 6/1/12

Dear Parents: 

 

            The class has officially been turned into Tuckahoe Town.  This week was the kick off to this culminating economics activity. The children have been quite excited to figure out what good or service they will provide, and whom they will work with.  Next week, a portion of our day will be dedicated to production of goods, creating advertising, setting prices and getting ready for the big sale day on June 15^th. 

            The rest of this week has been busy with the wrap-up of various units including geometry and government.  We will be having a geometry test next Tuesday or Wednesday. There will not be test for our government issue but students will likely have some sort of written assessment on Economics following our Tuckahoe Town presentations.  In our literature circles, we are working on plays that will be performed in the classroom next week.  We are just starting chapter 8 in our Health book and will be doing a project on safety in the coming weeks.  Finally, we have further harvested crops from our AFAC Plot for Hunger.  Our donations now amount to approx. 50 lbs.  Wow; what an accomplishment!

            Next week, we will be visiting Mr. Bowman to learn about the instrumental music program for next year.  Family life is also scheduled to begin and we will be visited by a member of the Arlington County Library to talk about summer reading programs.  Finally, we are already starting to look forward to Colonial Day which will provide a glimpse into the future for all our third graders.  Colonial Day is scheduled for Friday, June 8.  Tuckahoe Town is one week later on Friday, June 15^th.  Look in the Friday Folder for more information about the Tuckahoe Town event. 

            As we come to the last three weeks of school, I would like to once again ask for your additional help in making sure your child comes to school ready to learn.  There is a perception that once the SOL testing is over, and the pools open, that school is over.  We have three weeks remaining in our school calendar.  During this time we do have the opportunity to do a few fun special projects along with concluding our regular curriculum. The children and I have been talking about “finishing the year strong” and your help at home reinforcing this is most appreciated.

            I hope everyone has a nice weekend.

                                                            Sincerely,

                                                                        Ms. Coffman