Week of April 8

Hello, families!  I hope this post finds you well!

Looking ahead:  Students will kick off a measurement unit in math, focusing on length, weight, mass, perimeter and area.  As readers, students will dive into The Drinking Gourd, a book about slaves escaping the south... which goes along well with their brand new social studies unit, the Civil War.  Students will learn all about the causes of the Civil War, the battle at Fort Sumter, life on the battlefield and at home.  As writers, students will learn how to read menus, recipes, maps, charts, tables and graphs.  Students will also visit with Ms. Sease to kick off a unit on print sources.

Heads up!  Please note that NO graded work will go home in this week's communication folders.  Since students were not tested or quizzed during the week of PASS, they will have no graded papers sent home.  On March 28, students will only receive any paper work that is sent home from the office.  Communication folders with graded work will go home, as normal, on Thursday, April 11 (after spring break).  Report cards will be issued that day, as well.

Field Day is Thursday, March 28!  Please make sure your child dresses in comfortable clothing and wears tennis shoes! Also, your child may bring a bottle of WATER from home, which will be carried around during our Field Day stations.  Also, our lunch time on Field Day is at 9:55.  Due to the fact that lunch is almost two hours before our normal time, your child may bring a healthy snack to enjoy before we go to our first station in the afternoon.

Students will have their PTO performance on April 22.  I hope your child can make it!  We will be performing for families at 7:00.  Students who attend will be asked to wear jeans and a blue OR green shirt.

Thank you again for all of your support!  Have a wonderful rest of the week and a great Spring Break!

Check out some of the snapshots of our Traveling Trunk Show, hosted by the Columbia Historic Society!  Students learned about Antebellum and Civil War games that children played.  They also learned how to write will quill pens!

Week of March 25

Hello, families!  We survived the first round of PASS testing!  I know the kids did their very personal best!  Thank you for supporting them from the homefront!

Please remind your children that no homework will be turned in this Friday, due to the PASS testing we've had this week.  A new homework and reading log will be sent home on Friday.  Students will turn this new packet and log in on Thursday, March 28, since there is no school on Friday, March 29.

Looking ahead:  Next week will fly by!  Students will wrap up their Antebellum unit in both Social Studies and Reading.  They will have an open-book test on Wednesday.  As mathematicians, the children will also finish up their multiplication unit.  They will be tested on Wednesday.  As writers, students will create spring shape poems.

Heads up!  Please note that NO graded work will go home in next week's communication folders.  Since students were not tested or quizzed during the week of PASS, they will have no graded papers sent home.  On March 28, students will only receive any paper work that is sent home from the office.  Communication folders with graded work will go home, as normal, on Thursday, April 11 (after spring break).  Report cards will be issued that day, as well.

Field Day is Thursday, March 28!  Please make sure your child dresses in comfortable clothing and wears tennis shoes!

Thank you again for all of your support!  Have a wonderful rest of the week and a great weekend!

Week of March 18

Hello, families!  I hope you are having a great week and enjoyed the beautiful weather we had this past weekend... looks like we have another one coming up!

The first round of PASS testing is next week!  PASS testing will begin Tuesday, March 19.  Please be sure your child gets plenty of rest and has a great morning each day of testing!  We will have a small breakfast item and snack each day of testing, but please make sure your child gets a nutritious breakfast before coming to class!  We will begin testing as close to 8:30 a.m. as possible, so please have your child here on time. Be sure not to schedule appointments on PASS testing dates.

The testing schedule is as follows:

March 19 - Writing portion

March 20 - Multiple choice writing portion

We have worked hard all year and are very prepared for testing.  It is a very important test so students will be encouraged to do their best by putting forth personal best effort.  It is their time to shine and show all they’ve learned!

THERE WILL BE NO HOMEWORK THE WEEK OF PASS, OTHER THAN TO READ EACH NIGHT (no reading log), GET A GOOD NIGHT’S REST AND TO COME IN ON TIME WITH A GOOD ATTITUDE AND THINKING CAPS ON!

Students will not have quizzes or tests the week of PASS testing, either.

Again if at all possible, please have your child here on the testing days so they do not have to be pulled out and given the test separately.

Students will also continue to work on our multiplication algorithms throughout the week.  As historians, they will be introduced to the Antebellum period through a "Being Here" experience with South Carolina's Traveling Trunk show.  

I hope you all have a wonderful rest of the week!  Thank you again for your support!

We enjoyed our trip to Cowpens last Thursday!  It was a huge success!  Students learned about the tactics and the importance of the terrain in this battle.  Thank you to Mr. DeLong, Mrs. Kivett, Mrs. Mack, Mrs. Moody and Mrs. Bibb for chaperoning.  Be sure to check out these snapshots, courtesy of Mrs. Mack!

Week of March 11

Hello, families!  I hope you are having a great week!  I know we are all looking forward to a weekend with the beautiful weather that is on its way!  

IMPORTANT:  Our class is going to Cowpens this Thursday - March 7!  Your child will need to bring a bagged lunch that day (in a plastic grocery bag or a gallon-sized Ziploc bag), labeled with his/her name.  Lunches must be completely disposable - no thermoses, silverware or water bottles.  Please also send a drink with your child (juice or water - no sodas).  Both your child's lunch and drink need to have his/her name written on them with a permanent marker. Also, be aware that you will need to provide transportation to have your child at the back bus loop between 6:30-6:45 on March 7.  We will be departing shortly after 6:45 and cannot wait for those who are late.  The third grade teachers will provide a snack and water bottle to a from Cowpens for each child.  You will be expected to pick your child up in the back bus loop at 3:30, unless your child is a friend who normally attends Breakers.  Mr. Guliano will send a ConnectEd message, if we are running late.  A "gold" sheet will be going home the day before the trip, as a reminder.  Please let me know if you have any questions, as soon as possible.  

Don't forget to spring forward this weekend when it comes to your clocks!

Looking ahead:  Students will jump back into multiplication!  They will begin multiplying large, multi-digit numbers.  It is VERY important that your child practice his/her math facts on a daily basis.  Students will wrap up their sound unit with a test next Friday.  A study guide will go home this Friday.  As writers, students will continue practicing their PASS strategies and responding to prompts.  In reading, students will finish their study of "weird" words, focusing on comparative/superlative adjectives and prepositions/prepositional phrases.  A study guide will go home this Friday and students will be tested next Wednesday.

Thank you for your endless support!  Have a wonderful rest of your week! 

We have been enjoying time with our USC intern, Miss Alexis.  She will be here until the end of April.