Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!

I hope your day is filled with family, hope, peace, and joy, not just on Christmas, but the other 364 days as well.

Click here to watch a Christmas Carol with your child.

Rotary Club Dictionaries

Thank you to Mrs. Riley and the Phenix City Rotary Club for the dictionaries you donated to our class! They are very much appreciated and will be very useful.

Ho Ho Ho

Today was our Christmas party, and we had a great time. We opened gifts, ate sweets, and watched the movie The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (we recently read the book).

We even had a special guest to drop by!

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!

Classroom Spelling Bee Winner

Congratulations to our 2012-2013 classroom Spelling bee winner, Jacob, and our alternate/runner-up, Javious!

These are two deserving students. They went round after round on the words before we could finally find a winner! Great job!

Corn Roasting

Class Spelling Bee

It's that time of year again - Spelling Bee time!

Our class spelling bee will be this Wednesday, December 12, in the classroom.

Students will have the opportunity to spell words (see the study words for third graders that was sent home).  If/when a student misses a word, they are out.  The last student standing will be our classroom representative for the PCES 2013 spelling bee to be held in January.

Good luck to all!

November Owl Star Student of the Month

Another month has come and gone, and our students have voted on another Owl-Star student of the month.  This is someone they felt deserved recognition for being kind, considerate, responsible, respectful, patient, and was over-all a good friend to everyone! 

November Owl-Star Student....

Jacob Jones

Favorite food – pizza

Favorite color – light blue

Favorite artists – Wiz Khalifa

Favorite T.V. show – BET

Favorite book – any sports book

Favorite thing to do – Play DS

Favorite subject – Math

What he wants to be when he grows up – a rapper

Favorite 3rd grade memory so far –

Doing Math Meeting for the first time

New Updates

It is good to have everyone back after Thanksgiving.  We are in full swing to make the most of the three weeks left in the year of 2012!

Here are a few calendar updates for you.  These are also listed on the students' newsletters.

*Reading - Lesson 12, A Pen Pal for Max - test will be on Monday, December 3.

*Spelling - Lesson 12 tic tac toe and test - Monday, December 3.

*Math/Multiplication - 10s/11s combined this Friday, and 12s next Friday.

*Social Studies - Beginning Chapter 4, explorers/early settlements, tomorrow.  Our Chapter 4 test will be next week, and from there we will go in to Christmas Around the World.

*Science - Chapter 6 test tomorrow.  Beginning Chapter 7 on Thursday.

Happy Thanksgiving

I am so thankful for each and every one of you!

I hope you have a day filled with family, friends, and thanks for each blessing in this life.

Reading

With the upcoming Thanksgiving holidays and days off from school, don't forget to take a few minutes each day to listen to your child read.

This is why we do Reading Log.  Something so simple makes a big impact.

Take a look at these great sentence starters to get your child talking about what they read.

Visit From an Author

  

PCES third, fourth, and fifth grade students were fortunate enough to meet a real author yesterday.  Mr. Robert Little is an author, as well as an inspirational and motivational speaker.  Students sat capitvated as they listened to Mr. Little encourage them, share about his dreams, and even share a story or two of his own.

The three main messages of his story were:

1) obey your parents

2) be a true friend

3) don't let anyone tell you that you can't

Mr. Little also encouraged students with the motto, If you can believe it, you can achieve it!

Scholastic Book Order

I sent Scholastic Book Club order forms home last week..  If you would like to purchase a book (or two) for your student, you may send a check back to school (payable to Scholastic ... please no cash!), or you may order online!  Please don't feel pressured to purchase, but there are books in all price ranges available.  No tax or shipping costs need to be added.

Click here - our classroom code is HKCZW.

I will close out our classroom order on the afternoon of Friday, November 16, 2012.  The books should be delivered to the classroom after Thanksgiving.

Happy shopping!

Happy Veterans Day

We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.

by Cynthia Ozick

Happy Veterans Day!

Thank you seems so inadequate, but we are so grateful for all of those who have served and sacrificed for our country.

(Remember, no school tomorrow.)

America's White Table

Today in Social Studies we studied Veterans Day.  We talked about the history behind it, why it is celebrated, and what a veteran is.  Then, we read the book, America's White Table.

If you are unfamiliar with the white table, it is a small table set up at military functions and events in order to honor and remember our veterans, specifically those who are MIA and POW.  It is sometimes even set up by civilians as a way to honor those who have served our country. 

Every item on the table, as well as the table and chair, are symbolic.

a small table - to show one soldier's lonely battle against many

white table cloth - to honor a soldier's pure heart when he answers his country's call to duty

lemon slice and grain of salt on plate - to show a captive soldier's bitter fate and the tears of families waiting for loved ones to return

an empty chair - for the missing soldiers who are not here

black napkin - for the sorrow of captivity

glass turned over - for the meal that won't be eaten

white candle - for peace

red rose in a vase tied with a red ribbon - for the hope that all our missing will return someday

Happy Election Day!

Happy Election Day!

Our future voters celebrated today with star shaped cookies, American flags, and read alouds of the books Duck for President and Arthur Meets the President.  We also watched a short video titled, "So You Want to be President".  Students then took A.R. tests and cast their ballot for their favorite presidential book that we read today.

Please stop by sometime and read the students' writings on "If I Were President".  They did an outstanding job.

Today's election celebration came at the perfect time.  We have just finished our study of voting, citizenship, and government.  The students have had a fantastic time, and learned a lot about our country and democracy.

Don't forget to exercise your right to vote today!  : )

Another Owl Star

Another month has come and gone, and our students have voted on another Owl-Star student of the month.  This is someone they felt deserved recognition for being kind, considerate, responsible, respectful, patient, and was over-all a good friend to everyone!  The competition was stiff, but this month’s star student is … Azariah!  Here’s a few fun facts about Azariah.

 

 

Favorite food –pizza

Favorite color – blue

Favorite song/artists – Nicki Minaj

Favorite TV show – Sponge Bob

Favorite book – Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Favorite thing to do –play with friends

Favorite subject – Reading

When she grows up – Become a police officer

Favorite 3^rd grade memory – Making new friends

Look What's Growing!

Look at what we found in our garden this week!

Reminder

The PCES Fall Festival is tomorrow!

$7 for an armband and tickets (for food/games) are 2/$1.

It’s going to be a blast!

First Nine Weeks Recap

Can you believe the first nine weeks is already over?  Report cards will be going home today.

Congratulations to our A/B Honor Roll students!

Gabriel, Andrew, Bradley, La Taja
Tamor, Makhi, Jacob

Congratulations to the students who met their A.R. goals for the first nine weeks.  As a class, we earned a total of 400.9 points-outstanding!  New AR goals for the second nine weeks have already been set.

Tykel, Kennedy, Tatyana, La Taja, Elijah, Jkorius
Javious, Samara, Kamirria, Makhi, Jacob, Tamor, Bradley

 

 

 

Parenting Day

Thank you to all of those parents who came to Parenting Day last Friday.  We made Scarecrow Crunch and really enjoyed sharing part of our day with you.  Below are pictures from the day, as well as the recipe we used!

Scarecrow Crunch:

1 c. Wheat chex cereal

¾ c. chocolate teddy grahams

¼ c. raisins

2/3 c. caramel popcorn

1 ½ c. twisted pretzels

½ c. Autumn candy mix

1/3 c. M&Ms

Also, don’t forget that this Friday, November 2, is the PCES Fall Festival.  It’s going to be a great time.  This is another opportunity for you to be involved and spend some quality time at school with your child!  Wristbands are $7.  Let me know if you have any questions!

No Bones About It...

We will be drug free!

Red Ribbon Week

This week is Drug Free Week at school.  In addition to creating slogans and making pledges to remain drug free, students will be participating in dress up days this week!

Monday, October 22 - I'm a "jeanious".  I'm drug free.  (WEAR JEANS)

Tuesday, October 23 - "Sock it to drugs." (WEAR SILLY SOCKS)

Wednesday, October 24 - "Get t'd off about drugs". (WEAR YOUR FAVORITE T-SHIRT)

*Please bring in one canned food item to be donated to the Valley Rescue Mission.  "I can, you can, we can be drug-free!"

Thursday, October 25 - "Put a cap on drugs." (WEAR YOUR FAVORITE HAT/CAP)

Friday, October 26 - "Lei off drugs" (BUY A LEI AT SCHOOL TO WEAR)

Talk to your child about drugs and how they will say no if they're ever asked.

Animal Videos

We've been talking a lot about animals lately.

Chapter 4 in Science deals with how living things survive.  Check our this video we've watched in class about animal adaptations.

Teacher Work Day

Just a reminder that tomorrow is a day off for the students.  The teachers will be involved in professional development all day.

On Friday I stapled notes in some of the students' planners concerning multiplication.  Our goal is to have 0s-5s mastered by this Friday.  *Mastered means 80% or above on classroom drill tests, as well as passing off the facts on Math Facts in a Flash (a computer program in our classroom).  Students who have not mastered will be retesting on those specific facts this week.

There will be a special prize for students who have mastered 0-5s facts by this Friday, October 19.

We will continue on with 6s beginning the week of October 22.

Keep up the great work, and enjoy the Monday off!

Helpful Hawks

PCES has set out on an endeavour to help the homeless in our area.  This is a great way to be involved and teach your child about giving back.  Grades K-5 are even competing to see which grade level can bring in the most donations.  3rd grade has a great shot at winning, and while it would be great to win, let's be honest, the cause itself is worthy without competition at all!

Here is a list of items that can be donated:

 

antiperspirant/deodordant

brushes

combs

lotion

pens

shampoo

soap

toothbrushes

toothpaste

Kleenex

Chapstick or Blistex

hand sanitizer

toilet paper

 

Thanks for your help!

Book Fair

The PCES Book Fair begins today, October 11 and will run through October 22.  We will be attending during our regularly scheduled library time-on October 19.  Students may also attend with parents, or during an 'open' library time (when Mrs. Johnson has no students).

Please take note that there is no book check-out during library.  However, I have checked out several things for the classroom, in addition to books we already have!  Students are still expected to complete their Reading Logs-they may check out a classroom book from me, or may read something at home.

Support our school, and come shop the book fair!

Fall Break

I hope you are all having a terrific Fall Break!  I spent a few glorious days at the beach and am definitely feeling recharged.

Don't forget about keeping up with Reading Log (20 minutes per night) and the Timeline Project that is due on Thursday!

Personal Timeline Project

Students went home yesterday with a handout in their binder about the upcoming timeline project.

Personal time lines are due on Thursday, October 11, 2012.

Please see the handout for specifics (you may also consult the Reading book, pages 186-187), but I do want to point out a few things:

*Timelines should begin with the student's birth.

*There should be one event for every year of the student's life (if they are 8 they will have 8 events).

*Timelines should be presented in chronological order.

*Make sure that there is an actual line drawn (you'd be surprised things that people forget!).

*Make sure all handwriting is neat, sentences complete, and mechanics followed.

*Be sure to include a photograph or illustration for each event.

*Remember, this is a STUDENT project.  As parents, sometimes we get a little antsy in our desires to help.  Helping is great and encouraged, but please make sure the students put in the work.  : )

Be sure that you don't forget about this project with the Fall Break that is ahead!  : )

(Science, chapter 3 tests will be on Thursday, 10/11/12.)

Let me know if you have ANY questions.  Thanks!

September Owl-Star Student of the Month

September has come and gone, and our students have voted on another Owl-Star student of the month.  This is someone they felt deserved recognition for being kind, considerate, responsible, respectful, patient, and was over-all a good friend to everyone!  The competition was stiff, but this month’s star student is … Makhi!  Here’s a few fun facts about Makhi.

Favorite food – tacos

Favorite color – blue

Favorite song/artists – All kinds of music

Favorite TV show – Bey Wheels or Bey Blade

Favorite book – Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Favorite thing to do – Read

Favorite subject – Reading

When he grows up – Become a magician

Favorite 3^rd grade memory – Getting wet after working in the garden

October

I don’t know about you, but I’m having a hard time believing it is already October!  Weren’t we just having our first days of school last week?  Fall is such an exciting of the year.  We have several things coming up this month at PCES.

-Oct. 8th & 9th Fall Break ((NO SCHOOL))

-Oct. 15th Student Holiday ((NO SCHOOL))

-Oct. 23 End of 1^st grading period

-Oct. 23rd-31st Red Ribbon Week (more info to come)

-Oct. 27th Family Fun Fitness Festival

-Oct. 30 Report Cards issued

-Oct. 31st Halloween (no costumes)

Box Tops for Education

  Don't forget PCES collects Box Tops for Education.  It's a great way to help support our school.  All you need to do is cut out the box top from your groceries and send the box tops to school.  We'll take care of the rest!

Visit the Box Tops for Education Website to learn more and see what products support Box Tops for Education.

Parent Conferences

Today was third grade's day for parent conferences to discuss progress reports and the current classroom performance of your student.  Thanks to all of you who were able to come and meet.  The partnership between school and home plays an  important part n the success of your child!

If you weren't able to meet, or need to reschedule, please contact me ASAP about a time that is convenient for us both.

Thanks again!

Just a Few Reminders

Just a few reminders

*Map labeling test (continents and oceans) test is tomorrow.

*Lesson 4 (Ellen Ochoa) tests are on Friday.

*3s multiplication test is on Friday!

Keep up the great work, and remember, a little bit of studying every night will do wonders as compared to a long marathon session!  :)

Parent Conferences are coming up next week.  Be on the look-out for your appointment.

Also, picture day is tomorrow.  Dress your best and don't forget that smile!

Science and Social Studies

Students compared and contrasted urban and rural communities and then wrote about them.

Can you believe we are almost a month into the school year?  Wow!

We've finished our first chapters in Science and Social Studies.  We've learned about communities in Social Studies and plants in Science.  Students did a great job on their tests, and they will be going home in graded papers this Tuesday.

We will be beginning a big unit on map skills and animals this week.  There is so much to learn and so many fun activities to go along with this.  These are both units that students typically enjoy and get a lot out of.

Keep an eye on the classroom newsletter for test dates!

Red Devil Pride

Happy Friday everyone,

enjoy your weekend!  If you are looking for a great family event tonight, head up to the stadium and watch Coach Nelson (one of our great PE coaches) and the Central High School Red Devils take on Carver of Montgomery at 8:00 p.m.

Study Island

One thing that we work on in class is Study Island.  Study Island is a fantastic learning tool that reinforces skills we are working on in class.  Students have assignments to complete (which are graded), but they can also go ahead and work on other skills.  When students master a skill, they are awarded a blue ribbon.  Not only does this help remediate skills that students maybe struggling with, but it also challenges those students who may be advanced on a topic.  Once students reach 75% mastery, the games that go along with that skill are unlocked - which the students love to play!

The great thing is, it can be accessed from anywhere with an Internet connection!

Visit - www.studyisland.com  your student should know their log in i.d. and password.  If not, please email me and I will get that information to you.

Star Student of the Month

Congratulations to the August Star Student of the Month,

Montein

This award was bestowed upon Montein by her classmates.  The students voted on who they felt exemplified star status.  They were told to vote for someone with great character, who is fair and loyal to their friends, and is kind to their classmates as well as the teacher.

Here's a few more things about our Star Student of the Month:
Favorite food - Cheese pizza
Favorite color - purple and sometimes pink
Favorite artists - Taylor Swift and Hannah Montana
 Favorite T.V. show - Hannah Montana and iCarley
Favorite book - any drawing book
Favorite thing to do - color and read
Favorite subject - Math
What she wants to be when she grows up - A veterinarian or a teacher
Favorite 3rd grade memory so far - Becoming Star Student

We are blessed with a classroom full of outstanding students.  This is just the first of many recognitions!

the Garden

I hope you are enjoying your weekend.  I can't believe we've already completed two weeks of school.  Before you know it, it will be Christmas!

But let's not get ahead of ourselves.  In conjunction with our Science unit on plants, we now have a plot in the PCES Garden!  We teamed up with Ms. Robinson's class, and decided to have a little friendly competition, boys vs. girls.  We are going to see who's garden produces the better crop.

On Friday afternoon we went out to the garden and pulled weeds.  They were out of control from not receiving any attention over the summer.  Although there were some weeds taller than some of our kids (yikes, I know!), our students took care of those in no time!

Afterwards, we watered and tilled the soil a bit, and then planted early Alaskan snow peas.

Hopefully before too long we will be enjoying the fruit (or vegetable) of our labor!

We'll be in the garden a few times a week, checking on our peas, and making sure that this heat doesn't damage the seeds.  Check back in the coming weeks for more progress!

Scholastic Book Club Order

I will be sending home Scholastic Book Club order forms tomorrow.  If you would like to purchase a book (or two) for your student, you may send a check back to school (payable to Scholastic ... please no cash!), or you may order online!  Please don't feel pressured to purchase, but there are books in all price ranges available.  No tax or shipping costs need to be added.

Click here - our classroom code is HKCZW.

I will close out our classroom order on the afternoon of Friday, September 7, 2012.  The books should be delivered to the classroom the next week.

Happy shopping!

One Week In

Our first week was a success!  As we head into the second week, homework and a more structured routine will begin.

Homework is fairly standard; no surprises (unless classwork fails to be completed).  Please consult your child's planner each night.  In addition, consult the newsletter that will be sent home about once a week.  This will keep you informed of what we're studying, as well as homework due dates and test dates.

Generally, homework will be:

Saxon Math - side B - nightly

Spelling Tic Tac Toe - due on test day (about every 6 school days)

Reading Log - 20 minutes each night (beginning after we go to library)

Thank you for your partnership!  Together we make a great team!

First Day Back

Wow, what a GREAT first day back!  I hope the students enjoyed themselves as much as I did.

Over the next week we'll be conducted various forms of benchmarking testing to assess the students and get a starting point for the year.  I know these tests can be tedious, but we'll get through them and really get started on our routine.

Thank you so much for all of the supplies and donations you have sent.  Please know that they are greatly appreciated.

Here's to a great school year!

Classroom Tour