Play "Beat the Clock" Game!

http://www.time-for-time.com/game1.htm#

Pizza Lunch Today for all Students!

Sorry for the delayed note!  Students are celebrating a great start to the school year with a special pizza lunch in our classroom today.  Please send a drink or water will be available.  Looking forward to this shared and special time with my whole third grade community!

Success in Savanna, 10/25

Dear Parents,

            We have covered a good amount of ground this week.  The children learned a bit about the homeless population here in Arlington and participated in the annual Mini-Walk for the Homeless on Tuesday. The children were able to walk several laps of the sidewalk adjacent to the school to show their support of this worthy cause.  In addition to helping those here in Arlington, the children are also being given the opportunity to help children throughout the world through “Trick or Treat for Unicef” this Halloween.  The children are bringing home a letter from Mrs. Brown today, outlining the program.  They will bring home their collection box next week.  I would like to encourage all the children to bring their boxes with them as they go trick or treating and collect for children around the world.  In the past Tuckahoe students have collected more than $7,500 in pennies, nickels and dimes. 

 Back in the classroom, we are about to complete our first unit in Science, the Scientific Method, and start our second unit in Social Studies, Ancient Greece.  In Math, we are reviewing telling time and will lightly touch upon elapsed time.  We will return to this concept later in the year.  We continue to free write about topics of great interest and are discussing how asking valuable questions can enrich our comprehension of written text.  As you read aloud with your children at home, please pause occasionally and have discussion about your visualizations, questions, connections and more.  It will certain enhance your shared reading experience.

On Monday, the students will be introduced to our new on typing program.  There is a letter in this week’s folder about the “do at home” practice. We are asking that the children spend 10 minutes per night (5x per week) on this program.  Our goal is to have the children become proficient at two-handed typing by the end of the year.  In addition to the work at home we will be typing in class as well. 

Our Outdoor Lab field trip is coming up quickly and there is a note for all parents in this week’s folder.  PLEASE remember to dress your child warmly on that day – layers are recommended – and to send your child to school with a bagged lunch and drink.  Further information about chaperones will be sent to those parents who have volunteered to join us.  Once again, I am overwhelmed by the offers to help and, sadly, have to ask that a couple of parents withdraw such offers.  Believe me when I say that I am a fortunate teacher to have such “problems”!

Below are some important October/November dates to place on your calendars.

Fri. 10/25- Harvest Fest- 7:00pm

                  Thurs. 10/31- Halloween Parade/Party- 2:00pm (info coming)

                  Sat. Nov. 2- Tuckahoe/H-B 5K and Fun Run

                  Mon. 11/4- Outdoor Lab Field Trip/End of 1^st Quarter

                  Tues. 11/5- Election Day- No School for Students

                  Wed. 11/6- Full Day of School- NO EARLY RELEASE

                  Mon. 11/11- Veterans Day Observation- No School

                  Fri. 11/22- Report Cards Issues

                  Wed 11/27-Fri 11/29 Thanksgiving Break

            As always, I want to thank you for all you do at home to ensure that your child comes to school each day ready to learn.  I hope everyone stays warm.  Good luck to anyone running in the Marine Corps Marathon!

           

                                                                                    Sincerely,

Ms. Coffman

Typing Club (for HOME practice)

Typing Club News!

October 23, 2013

Dear Parents, 

Learning how to type is a skill that is introduced in 3rd grade and reviewed in 4th grade.  This year staff has decided to try a new program called Typing Club to improve student typing fluency.  The link can be located on the Tuckahoe Home Page for easy access. Your child's login is their student ID and password (birthdate: 2 digits for the month 2 digits for the day and the last 2 digits for the year they were born). 

The program works best if done 5 days a week (weekends are ok) for 10 minutes.  Staff is asking that this be done at home as a nightly assignment.  If your child is in Extended Day, they have access to computers that can be used for typing practice.  If home internet access is an issue, please contact me so we can design a plan to meet your students needs. 

I look forward to seeing your child's progress over the school year. 

Theresa Coffman

Tuckahoe ES

Outdoor Lab News!

Dear Parents:

The Outdoor Lab trip is quickly approaching and we are eager to take this adventure again with our third grade students.  Ms. Coffman and Mrs. DiNardo will be visiting the lab on Monday, November 4.  Mr. Grasso, Mrs. Strickland, and Ms. Weaver will be visiting on Wednesday, November 6.  Please read the attached information and complete/return the permission slip if you have not already done so. As noted, appropriate attire is required:  long pants, comfortable walking or hiking shoes (no open toes), socks, jackets, gloves, hats, etc.  The temperatures are often several degrees lower at the lab so please dress in layers!

Please note that the facility has requested a maximum chaperone count of 10 adults.  For this reason, your teacher may need to limit the number of parents who can join us on this trip.  Furthermore, on Wednesday, November 6 there is no available bus space for parents so we must ask that our chaperones carpool and meet us at the lab.  On Monday, November 4, there is a bit more space but chaperones are still welcome to avoid the long bus ride and to meet our group at the lab.  Your teacher will provide directions to the lab if you are able to join us.  We prefer that all students ride on the bus to the lab.  Please contact your teacher if you desire to drive your child in your personal vehicle as a special form must be completed for this purpose.

Finally, please note too that we all will be eating lunch at the lab.  All students and chaperones should bring a packed lunch and water bottle.  Snacks will be provided at the facility soon after our arrival.  There is no other food available for purchase at the lab.

If you have any further questions, you may contact your homeroom teacher.  As always, thank you for your cooperation and assistance in helping to make this another wonderful learning experience for our third grade community.

The Third Grade Teachers

Success in Savanna, 10/18/13

Dear Parents,

           

            Despite the shortened week, we accomplished many things in the classroom this week.  In content areas, we closed two early-year units in math and social studies.  We are also nearing the close on our first science unit.  We have moved onto a new reading strategy – asking questions – and also finished our first grammar pack and review of mechanical components.  In writing, we have used poetry (including the works of Langston Hughes) to guide our own pieces.  Finally, we concluded the week with our first meeting with our Reading Buddies from Ms. Morgan’s room.  In brief, what a busy and successful week!

           

            If the weather permits, I hope to be seeing some of my students on the field this weekend.  For those that have not yet submitted schedules, please do so soon.  I also will be visiting events in the winter or next spring.  Again, if your child is participating in any sort of event that permits spectators, please let me know.  This is truly something that I enjoy doing provided that I’m in town to do so.

           

            A calendar of upcoming events follows below.  Please note that our Outdoor Lab field trip is set for Monday, November 4^th.  Furthermore, Wednesday, November 6^th is a FULL DAY of learning and not an early release day. 

           

            Enjoy the weekend!

                                                                                    Sincerely,

                                                                                    Ms. Coffman

                                                                                    Theresa.coffman@apsva.us

Upcoming Events

                                Tues. 10/22- Mini-Walk for the Homeless

                        Tues. 10/22- Hearing and Vision Screening

                        Fri. 10/25- Harvest Fest- 7:00pm

                        Thurs. 10/31- Halloween Parade- 2:00pm

                        Sat. Nov. 2- Tuckahoe/H-B 5K and Fun Run

                        Mon. 11/4- Outdoor Lab Field Trip

                        Tues. 11/5- Election Day- No School for Students

                        Wed. 11/6- Full Day of School- NO EARLY RELEASE

                        Mon. 11/11- Veterans Day Observation- No School

Test Reminders for this week of 10/14

My third grade students will have two tests this week in Social Studies and Math.

Their Social Studies test will be Wednesday.  Portfolios and study guides were sent home on Wednesday, Oct. 9.  This material along with the first chapter of the text book is all that is needed to prepare for the test.  I will be sure that all students take home SS texts tomorrow in case further review is needed.

Their Math test will be Friday, Oct. 18.  They will receive a study guide tomorrow (Tuesday) for homework this week.  Furthermore, they may use all returned homework as well as their text or workbook for extra practice.  I will request that students bring these texts home on Thursday night.

Completion of study guides along with limited review of returned materials is recommended two to three nights before the test.  Please pay particular attention to homework or other work that has been returned with notations to correct or redo work.  These items should be reviewed and reworked before the test dates.

Thank you and please let me know if you have any questions.

Ms. Coffman

Success in the Savanna, 10/4/13

October 4, 2013

Dear Parents,

            Welcome to the end of another week.  We have had a solid week of learning in all areas.  In Math we continue to work on place and number value, identifying addition strategies, using mental math, and working with larger sums and differences, including money.  In Social Studies we are just about finished with our first unit on Communities/ Maps & Globes.  Students should expect their first test on either Wednesday (10/9) or early the following week.  Such decision will be based on our review this Monday.   We also began our first unit in Science and met for the first time in our early year Word Study groups.  All in all, it has been a good week. 

            As you know our first field trip of the year is scheduled for Tuesday, October 8th.  We are fortunate that the National Building Museum is privately funded and the government shutdown will not effect our day of building.  I appreciate everyone who volunteered to help out with chaperoning as well as those who offered to drop out of the same.  Please know that you’ll get first offer to join us at the Outdoor Lab on either November 4^th or 6^th .   We will also be visiting Bethesda’s Imagination Stage in the spring. 

            Enrichment classes are slated to being next week.  In order to help me get your child to the right location, I will need a note each day of the enrichment class.  For those children who attend Extended Day, they will go there first, and then will be escorted to their class.  Please let Dana Weber, Extended Day Supervisor, know if your child will be attending any classes.  On a related note, should your child have a change in dismissal and will not be attending Extended Day, please let both Dana and me know of these changes.  These notes help us to ensure your child’s safety at the end of the day.

            Conferences are underway and I’ve enjoyed the chance to meet with many of you already and look forward to meeting with others next week.  I also appreciate the many schedules of sporting events that have been submitted to me.  It is my plan to get out soon to see at least some of folks playing on teams this season.  Those that are missed will hopefully be visited in the spring.  If you haven’t submitted your child’s schedule, please get it to me.  Again, it is my hope to see everyone outside the classroom at least once in the coming year. 

           

It looks like the warm weather has returned so stay cool and have an unexpected summer-like weekend. 

                                                                                    Sincerely,

                                                                                    Theresa Coffman

                                                                                    Tuckahoe ES  

Upcoming Events

Tues. 10/8- Building Museum Field Trip- 9:00am-12:30pm

       Thur.-Fri. 10/10-11- Parent Teacher Conferences

       Mon. 10/14- Columbus Day- No School for students

       Tues. 10/22- Mini-Walk for the Homeless

       Fri. 10/25- Harvest Fest- 7:00pm

       Thurs. 10/31- Halloween Parade- 2:00pm