posted Feb 16, 2012 10:36 AM by K Thompson
Dear Parents,
Monday, February 20, is President's Day and school is closed for academic students. Teachers will have an inservice training day to make projects and workjobs for the classroom. We are striving to provide additional "hands on" materials for students.
Tomorrow is a Math test on Chapter 9 (pp. 232-257) and a Science quiz on lesson 3 (pp. C78-C81). I try to avoid a day where the testing requires study from two heavy textbooks, but it cannot be avoided this week. The final day for grades for the third-quarter progress report is Wednesday, and we have a Science chapter test that day. So, please study all multiplication tables with your child and take a good look at pp. 256-257 for study time. For the Science quiz tomorrow, make sure to read the captions of the pictures on pp. C80-81. Thanks for giving your child so much encouragement to study. It really shows!
Thursday, February 23, is our trip to the Planetarium. Have your child wear a red school shirt and bring a regular lunch to school, or order Chick-Fil-A. We have enough drivers for us all. Thanks for volunteering your help.
Have a great three day weekend!
Kim Thompson |
posted Feb 9, 2012 10:38 AM by K Thompson
Hi Parents,
We had a wonderful time with the concept of 100 yesterday for the 100th day of school! We laced 100 Fruit Loops on a string for an all day snack. We made "3D" glasses to wear with 100 items on them. We wrote a story using 100 words about the magical powers of our glasses. We used toothpicks and marshmallows to form the digits 0-9 to make numbers to equal 100. Today is was back to third grade business!
Tuesday is our Valentine's Party! Please send in enough Valentines so that each friend receives one from your child. You may also send in candy or goodie bags, as long as there is enough for each child to receive the same thing. We have made "mailboxes" to receive our "love notes" and goodies! We'll have a snack during the party provided by the parents.
Our GEC Social Studies Fair is Thursday, March 8. The theme this year is "Hooray for the USA!" As a class, we're doing a project on Immigration to America 1820-1950 and also 1951 to present day. This is an in-class project, so little to no work will be needed from home. Please take time to attend this event. Fourth and fifth graders must each submit an individual project for judging. Next year, this will be your child's responsibility, so seeing what is done this year is very helpful.
Monday, February 20, is President's Day and we have no academic school.
Thursday, February 23, is our trip to the Planetarium. Thank you to those who offered to drive, we have a seat for everyone now! Have your child wear a red field trip shirt that day!
Please send a jacket to school on these changing weather days. We never know the temperature, but we try to go outside everyday, if possible. Thanks!
Have a wonderful weekend and Valentine's Day!
Kim Thompson
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posted Feb 2, 2012 10:27 AM by K Thompson
Dear Parents,
Tonight is Open House at GEC! Please take the opportunity to come and meet your child's fourth and fifth grade teachers, Amy Boudreaux and Joanna Rinehart. Open House begins at 7:00 p.m. in the classrooms.
Wednesday, February 8, is the 100th day of school! We'll have an activity for each subject of the day to explore the number 100.
Tuesday, February 14, is our Valentine's Day party! We'll have a time for Valentine exchange, a craft, a snack, and a game. Below is a list of classmates:
Joey Brown Christina Bui Pierson Caldwell Gracie Commander
Connor Eldredge Nina Fisher Micah Harrison Mattison Porter
Brooke Pynn Drew Scheerer Andrew Smith Mason Thurman
Kyleigh Weatherspoon
Field trip money is due tomorrow, February 3, for our trip to the Chesapeake Planetarium. The cost is $2.00 per person. The trip is on Thursday, February 23. We'll be gone from about 10:00 to around 12:30. We could use another driver if you are available. Send a regular lunch to school that day, or order Chick-Fil-A. Have students wear red field trip shirts.
Thanks for your prompt return of signed report cards. Please have them back to me by tomorrow, if we have not discussed otherwise.
Hope to see you tonight at Open House!
Kim Thompson |
posted Jan 26, 2012 10:33 AM by K Thompson
January 26, 2012
Dear Parents,
We had a delightful visit with Mayor Krasnoff of Chesapeake on Monday! He answered all of our questions about government and about his life as mayor. He had Chick-Fil-A deliver the coupons you received Monday. We have written thank you notes that will be mailed this week.
Report cards will go home on Monday, January 30. Please sign and return at your convenience or at least by Friday, February 3.
Open House will be held here at GEC on Thursday, February 2. Please attend and meet your child's fourth and fifth grade teachers. We have an Intermediate class that is team taught by Amy Boudreaux (Spelling, Bible, and Language Arts) and Joanna Rinehart (Science, Math, and Social Studies). This is a BIG step into fourth grade, so please come for this informative meeting!
We have a field trip to the Chesapeake Planetarium planned on Thursday, February 23. We're leaving school at 10:00 a.m. and will be returning around noon in time for our regular lunch. The cost is $2.00 per person, due on February 3. Please have students wear their red school T-shirts. We have a need for drivers for our 13 students, so please see me if you can help out.
We are multiplying like crazy in class! This week we have also been introduced to division, multiplication's opposite. As you study with your child, help them to see the patterning of putting groups together and taking groups apart. Please use flash cards with them at home. They may beat you at Multiplication Battle - let them show you how to play!
Thanks for all your help and encouragement!
Kim Thompson |
posted Jan 25, 2012 7:55 AM by K Thompson
January 23, 2012
Dear Parents,
Just a reminder that Wednesday, January 25, is a half-day of school. Dismissal is at 1:00 p.m. Students will have regular lunch at school or pizza will be available for those who order. It is also Read-In Day! Students have the opportunity to read from 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. Please allow your child to bring a pillow and blanket, or a bean bag chair. It’s a great time to catch up with AR points, or to read that chapter book that they haven’t had time to read at home!
Also, a note about the Home Reading Log: Starting today, students are required to read 75 minutes or more per week at a minimum or risk receiving a lower grade. Students should record the title of the book, pages read, and a small summary of what was read in their own words. We have had a semester to get used to the concept of reading and recording what was read. Now that we have fourth grade close in front of us, we have more strict requirements. Fourth graders at GEC must read a minimum of 120 minutes a week, so the challenge is greater. Thanks for your help by encouraging your child to read!
We will be cleaning our binders this week in class, as it is the end of the second nine weeks. Report cards will be distributed Monday, January 30.
We have a Social Studies quiz tomorrow over pp. 268-271, Holidays of other Cultures. Our chapter test is Thursday, January 26.
Have a great week!
Kim Thompson |
posted Jan 12, 2012 8:36 AM by K Thompson
Dear Parents,
Thank you again for all the lovely gifts for Christmas! It is a joy to teach your children and that was and added bonus! Thank you for thinking of me!
We are entering the season of the school year that I truly enjoy. Other than our day off for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, we have a long stretch of academia ahead of us. We have completed all reviews of second grade material and we're ready to forge ahead to greater challenges. This class is ready!
A new unit of Math begins tomorrow with multiplication and division! This is my favorite skill of all for third grade! We'll be practicing daily and adding new methods of memorization. But when it all comes down to it......rote memory is how we had to learn it, and students today are no different. Please practice with flash cards and memory games at home.
In Social Studies our unit of immigration will end around the progress report time. Our next unit of Science is Earth Science with a concentration on the sun, moon, stars, and planets. In Language, after a chapter of writing skills, our next unit is on pronouns.
Students are welcome to bring chapstick to school as long as it remains on my desk. It can be used whenever needed.
For student birthdays, you may bring a dessert for after lunch. Something already in individual servings is best, i.e. cupcakes, etc. If your child has a summer birthday, we'd love to celebrate it also. Just choose a day and let me know ahead of time! No one should miss the opportunity to have that special attention in class!
No school Monday, January 16, 2012.
Have a great weekend!
Kim Thompson
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