Success in the Savanna, 3/22

 Dear Parents/Students:

         There has been so much energy and spirit in the classroom this week that it can only mean one thing:  spring break is here!   We have ended the week on a good note with the completion of a couple of units in science and social studies.  We also took a quarterly assessment in math and (mostly) finished a writing piece tied to our study of the Mali civilization.  Overall, it was a busy and productive week.  We have all earned some time off to rest and relax.

        

         In regards to pending work, please remind your child that his or her draft cards for the Wax Museum project are due in the classroom on Tuesday, April 2.  I’m hoping that they have already completed at least a portion of these.   Although these are only the first/rough draft, cards that are well done (neat, detailed, organized) may be accepted as final cards.  This determination will be made during conferences with the students when they return on Tuesday.

         Look for two field trip permission forms coming home just after break.  Third grade classes will be visiting Arcadia Farm in Alexandria on April 11 and 12.  We will also be attending a show at the Imagination Stage in Bethesda on April 25.  Chaperones will be needed for both trips although there is a limit to the number of adults that can accompany us to the farm.  Further details about this and the upcoming trips will be sent just after our return. 

         Thank you to the many parents who volunteered at this week’s Book Fair, Young Author’s Night, and more.  Tuckahoe is really blessed to have a devoted community of parents.  We are never short handed for helpers and your efforts are greatly appreciated.

         I am sending home optional work packs with all students and encouraging at least partial completion of these.  Additionally, all students should be reading daily and practicing math facts:  multiplication and division.    If possible, have your child do an extra journal letter to get ahead in the process!

It’s hard to believe that we are nearing the end of the third quarter.  We’ve come so far since September.  I applaud all my students and families for their hard work this year.  Have a great break and I look forward to seeing you all in April.

                                                               Sincerely,

                                                               Ms. Coffman

Ancient Mali Link

http://africa.mrdonn.org/mali.html

Success in Savanna, 3/15

Dear Parents:

          WOW!!!! What changeable weather we have had this past week.  The kids enjoyed seeing the results of the downpour on Tuesday by watching the water flow down our streambed.  We were able to see the wonder of the water cycle and the power of running water.  Erosion of the playground and field was happening before our very eyes.  We all welcomed blue skies on Wednesday and Thursday but agreed we are not ready for a lot more cold weather.  Hopefully warmer days are ahead of us.

          There is lots going on in the classroom and I’m sure that the students are staying busy at home too.  With our biography project underway, my readers should be busy reading their selections and taking notes.  We have practiced this process with a short biography of Jacques Cousteau and the children all have sample note cards that can be used as a model for the cards they will be preparing at home.  Although the number of note cards is truly contingent upon the book selection and the child, I would expect each child to have somewhere between 6 – 10 cards plus at least one bibliography card.  We will be making the bibliography cards in class next week so please have your child hold onto their reading material for this purpose. 

          In other content areas, we are wrapping up a short unit on linear measurement and have created both yardsticks and metersticks for a variety of measuring activities.  We will begin our unit on fractions next week.  In social studies, we continue to learn about the ancient civilization of Mali and have recently studied about the lives and contributions of Sundiata and Mansa Musa.  In science, we are “knee deep” in the water cycle – my hope is to conclude this short unit with a small, class project next week.  If possible, we will also conclude our social studies unit before we get away for spring break.  As writers and readers, we are practicing as small reading groups for our first literature circle assignments coming just after our return from spring break. 

On Tuesday we began our AFAC garden.  We began our lettuces for this project and have them under grow lights.  We will be monitoring the plant’s progress and hopefully will be able to get them into the ground outside just after spring break.  If the weather is favorable next Tuesday we will go outside and plant chard in our beds.  Let’s keep our fingers crossed!

As you know next week is our annual Book Fair and Young Author’s Night.  The class will be visiting the Book Fair on Monday to browse the selections.  Please review the flyer that was sent home on Wednesday for Book Fair hours as well as the “Donuts with Dad” information. Young Author’s Night will be on Wednesday evening from 6:30-9:00.  Please encourage your child to consider reading – I have several products that I have returned that are most suitable for this event.  Please contact Maggie Debelius at madebelius@yahoo.com with any questions you might have.  You can sign your child up directly at: www.SignUpGenius.com/go/9040F4EABA92D6-tuckahoe/916222.  This sign up is protected by an access code.  When prompted, enter the code "Tuckahoe" for access.  If you and your child decide to participate in this activity, please let me know as well.

With the spring sports starting up, I would like to ask for soccer, baseball, lacrosse, and softball schedules.  I know games are a couple of weeks away, but I would appreciate schedules when you get them.  Lastly, please be sure to look over the upcoming activities and mark your calendars accordingly.

I hope everyone enjoys the weekend.

                                                                             Sincerely

                                                                             Ms. Coffman

Upcoming Events

Friday March 15- Disco Dance- 6:30-9:00pm

Monday March 18-22- Book Fair- See flyer sent home on Wednesday

Monday March 25-Friday March 29- Spring Break

Monday April 1- Teacher Work Day- No School for Students

Tuesday April 2- School Re-opens for Students

Wednesday April 10- Full Day of School

  -Wax Museum Presentation 2-3 pm

Thursday April 11- Field Trip to Acadia Farm- Information to follow

Wednesday April 24- Full Day of School

Thursday April 25- Imagination Stage Field Trip- Information to follow.

Food Web Project In Class 2/28

Food Web Project/Assessment

Assigned:  February 22, 2013

Project/In Class:  February 28, 2013

Recently, in class, we created food chains that show the path of food/energy through the environment.  As example, our chain started with the sun and the energy passed from the grass to the cricket, the frog, the snake, and the hawk.  However, most animals eat more than one kind of food.  For this reason, an animal is a part of more than one food chain.  In fact, these chains overlap to form a food web.  In class, on Thursday, you will make a model of a food web. 

You may review the project description on pages B60 and B61 of your book.  You may also use the information that you collected in class about your research animal or any other information that you have learned about during this unit.  Finally, you may use the internet to research information about food webs and find many examples.   You are not allowed to bring in a pre-printed model of your web.  All ideas and information must be kept in your head or drafted, in your own penmanship, on a piece of draft paper. 

Your project may be a 2D or 3D model and you may create it using any materials that you feel are appropriate.  As always, I suggest that you use recycled materials or materials that are available in class.  I discourage you from buying special or costly materials to create your project.  I will provide the materials described on page B60 (paper, index cards, glue, and crayons). As always, you are welcome to use other craft materials available in the classroom. 

In addition to the web, you will be asked to write a one-page paper that describes the flow of energy throughout your web.   Your paper should include important vocabulary words such as energy, predator, prey, producer, consumer, herbivore, carnivore, omnivore, and interact.  Your paper should describe clearly how the energy is passed from the sun through each part of the chains and web. 

You will have approx. 75 minutes to complete this project so it would be wise to plan out your work schedule in your head or on your draft paper.  I have no doubt that you will do fine on this project if you are well-prepared and work hard during the time provided.  A rubric for the expected project is included on the back of this sheet.  This should help you to prepare for and create your project.   I can’t wait to see our finished projects on Thursday!

Ms. Coffman

Succes in the Savanna, 2/22

Dear Parents:

            I want to thank all my parents who joined us last Friday for our trip to the Outdoor Lab.  The weather was perfect and the hike, machine centers, cabin lunch, and nature center were all outstanding.  It was honestly one of the best trips that I’ve had to the facility in the last nine years.   I appreciate all the extra hands that assisted with this effort. 

Can you believe we have already been in school for over 100 days!  Wednesday was the 100^th day of school, which means we are more that half way through this year.  We have recently finished units in social studies and math and will be concluding a short unit in science next week.  We will take a break from multiplication and division and devote time next week to measurement.  Despite this break, please do not let your child ease up on the fact practice taking place at home.  We will continue to take weekly practice drills and will return to higher order multiplication and division (fractions!) in the near future. 

On Wednesday, February 27th we will be having our annual Curriculum Day.  This will be an opportunity for you to come join your child as we rotate through various curricular activities.  This is a fun way for you to get a taste of some of the different Math, Science, Social Studies and Language Arts activities your child is engaged in throughout the year.  This school-wide event will be from 9:30-11:30.  There is a separate flyer in your child’s Friday Folder with additional details. 

            As you know Parent Teacher Conferences are on Thursday and Friday March 7-8. I sent home an “early bird” sign up sheet last week and am sending an updated sheet this week to those who have not scheduled a meeting.  You may also feel free to email me with a suggested date and time.  I look forward to meeting with you all soon to review your child’s success and goals for the remainder of the year.    

            Three years ago, the Third Grade began a garden for the “Plot for Hunger” project.  This community service project helps to grow fruits and vegetable for the AFAC food bank.  As a grade level we will be planting our garden again this year.  We will be planting seeds for some of our vegetables on March 6th.  These seeds will be germinated inside, under the grow lights in the hallway near our room.  Once it is warm enough, we will move them to the greenhouse and then transplant them in the beds outside.  We will need extra hands in the coming months to help make this service project a success.  If you are interested in helping please let me know.  (There is no need for any garden experience to help!)

            Enjoy the weekend!

                                                                                                Sincerely,

Ms. Coffman

See back for list of upcoming events! à

Upcoming Events

Wednesday, February 27th- Curriculum Day

Thursday-Friday March 7-8- Parent Teacher Conferences

Friday March 15- Disco Dance

Monday March 18-22- Book Fair

Monday March 25-Friday March 29- Spring Break

Monday April 1- Teacher Work Day- No School for Students

           

                                                           

Math Test Tips/Review Sheet

Dear Students/Parents:

Tomorrow, you will have your second and final test on multiplication and division facts.  For this test, you will need to know:

1.    The multiplication and division facts through the 12 times table.  For example:  “9 x 3”, “12 x 4”, “8 ÷ 8”, and “36 ÷ 6”.

2.    How to solve multiplication problems using (1) two or three digit factor and (1) one digit factor.  For example:  “46 x 4” or “246 x 4”.

3.    How to solve word problems using multiplication and division.  For example, “Ms. Coffman’s class went on a field trip.  There were a total of twenty students and four chaperones.  How many students were in each chaperone’s group?”

4.    The correct definition for each of these words:  “factor”, “product”, multiple, “dividend”, “divisor”, and “quotient”. 

5.    What happens when you multiply or divide any number by “1” or “0”.

6.    The Identity Property of multiplication that states that any number multiplied by “1” is always equal to the same number.

7.    The Commutative Property of multiplication that states that rearranging the order of the factors in a multiplication sentence will not change the product.

The best source for information includes:

·      returned homework

·      class assignments including level challenges

·      returned quizzes and tests

·      multiplication practice links available on the “Tuckahoe” links page

·      internet websites – my favorite sites are included below!

http://www.aaamath.com/

http://www.gamequarium.org/dir/Gamequarium/Math/

http://www.kidnumbers.com/

http://www.visualmathlearning.com/Exercises/practice_exercises.html

http://www.aplusmath.com/Flashcards/index.html

http://math.rice.edu/%7Elanius/Lessons/

http://illuminations.nctm.org/Activities.aspx?grade=1&grade=2

Food Chain Website

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/foodchain/foodchain.htm