Atkinson Gazette
Room 203's Weekly Newsletter
What's UP in Room 203?
I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful winter break! I can't wait to hear what everyone did on Monday morning. We've got quite a busy week ahead of us. If your child will be participating in the Spelling Bee, that will take place this Thursday from 8:30-11:30 a.m. I have not heard any details on that just yet, but I will pass it along when I do.
Here's to 2016!
Academic News for the Upcoming Week
Math
This week will be dedicated to learning division strategies. We will be making the anchor chart below on Monday and we will practice each strategy throughout the week. I find it valuable to teach the kids different ways since not every child learns the same. They know this! We will continue to have multiplication quizzes on Monday's and Thursday's. Our first one will be tomorrow.
Keep in mind, students will continue to have math homework to reinforce skills learned in class as well as Daily 6 Review on Thursday nights. Students will also be asked to study multiplication facts for at least 40 minutes every week.
Reading
Students should be reading 25 minutes per night and should be taking jots where applicable.
Science/Social Studies
Next week, students will be observing, measuring, recording, and comparing day-to-day weather changes in different locations at the same time each day. Students will be responsible for measuring temperature, wind direction, and precipitation in each area.
Writing
We have officially published our first personal narrative! Your children have grown so much as writers and I'm excited to lead them into the next phase of writing workshop: reflexive writing. We will spend the next month or so digging deep into what each of your kids are experts on - whether it's cockroaches or Lego's - they will get this time to write about their passion and inform others. I have a feeling they are going to love this. I will teach them how writers create chapters and how writers gather research to strengthen their pieces.
Spelling
I did not feel confident giving your students a test on this spelling pattern just yet, so we are going to spend some more time on it. Let's plan for a test Jan. 15th. Students can continue to practice words that follow this pattern on Spelling City.
Rule: Some words are spelled with initial three-letter clusters (spr-, thr-, spl-, scr-, shr-, str-)
Example: threw, scram, shrimp, sprinkle, strike
Non-negotiables: new, several, wouldn't, similar, number
Remember, the non-negoitables WILL be tested no matter what. On Spelling City, students can practice all of the 3rd Grade Non-Negotiable words.
Jobs
One change that I will explain with the kids in morning meeting is that instead of a monthly auction, students will have the opportunity to buy a reward whenever they want. This allows them to think about being money cautious and we will really see who has enough money to pay rent and bills on the first of the month!
Important Dates
3rd and 4th Grade Spelling Bee
Thursday, Jan 7, 2016, 08:30 AM
University Park Elementary School, Amherst Avenue, Dallas, TX, United States
About Miss Atkinson
Email: atkinse@hpisd.org
Website: http://up.hpisd.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=419982&type=u
Location: 3505 Amherst Avenue, Dallas, TX, United States
Phone: (214) 780-3400