Mrs Pickens' Third Grade Class

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Wednesday, December 29th Christmas Break

**********Reminder**********

Because we made our second 9 weeks class AR goal (300 pts!), we have decided to have a pajama day on our day back!  We will follow our regular schedule in the morning, but we will chill out, lay back, get comfortable and READ!  Your child may bring pillows or blankets to lay on, if they want.   I will also have some snacks to munch on while we read, take AR tests, and make new goals!

See you Tuesday, January 4th!

P.S. Please let me know if you are reading this daily blog by writing so in your child's agenda!  Happy New Year!

Monday, December 20, 2010

Last Day before the Christmas Holidays!

     Don't forget we go to the movie "Narnia" in Mayfield for our Christmas gift to you.  We will leave the school around 9:30 am and head to Mayfield.  We should be returning around 11:30 and will eat  lunch in our room.  Our Christmas parties should start at 2:00.  We will be finishing our Christmas ornaments and also enjoy some holiday treats!  See you then!

Friday, December 17, 2010

AR News!!!

I'm sorry to be out today, but I finally have surrendered to what's going around at school.  With plenty of antibiotics and sinus medicine, I will be back on Monday!  I do want to take some time to brag on our Accelerated Reader Goal winners this 9 weeks.  The cutoff for making your goal is this afternoon at 3:30 and Ms. Murphy will give some time for reading and test taking up till the end of the day.  Next Monday, we are planning a "Craft and Pizza" reward for our third grade winners in the afternoon.  Remind your child that in order to make his/her AR goal, two things need to happen:  1) reach their point goal at 100%, and 2) score an average of 85% in comprehension scores.  I am also SO PROUD of our class as a whole!  We made a class goal of 300 pts. for our entire class for the 9 weeks.  I didn't think we could really make it, but they surprised me by scoring 310 points!!!  This meant that many who made their own personal goal early continued to read and take tests to contribute.  We will be voting on our reward for after Christmas.  Again, congratulations to our SUPER READERS!!!
                 Chaney      James    Allison     Travis      Darrin      Ryan     Erin
                           Alyssa       Karlie


We will be taking the STAR reading test again after Christmas.  This will determine your child's new (maybe improved) ZPD level.  I will then meet with each child to set their third 9 week AR goal.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Homework Happenings for Thursday, December 16

     Math:  Practice for you 6 test tomorrow!

    Science:  Study for the Chapter 4 test.

    Spelling:  Don't forget to study for spelling if you didn't make 100% today in the computer lab

*******Our Christmas PTO program is tonight at 6:00.  Please be in my room at 5:45 to get lined up.  They did a GREAT job today for our school audience!

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Homework Happenings for Wednesday, December 15

        There is  NO homework tonight.  However, we do have some important things coming up that you may want to be prepared for.

  • Math:  We have begun to work in our textbook, beginning with the lesson on "Multiplying by 6".  We will review the 6 facts tomorrow and be ready for the test on Friday.  If your child wants to go on and take the test in the lab tomorrow, they may take it online on the computer game "Math Magician".
  • Science:  Be ready for our test over Chapter 4 on Friday or Monday.  I will be handing out the study guide today for students to begin looking over.  
  • PTO program is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 16th @ 6:00 pm.  We will be sharing the evening with our Flashtastics choir.  Our program will be first, then the choir.  You are welcomed to stay for both!
  • Tomorrow is our trip to Morningside.  Remember to have your child bring a Santa or Elf hat if they have one.  We will wear them over there while we sing Christmas Carols!  We will also be making cards for them.   Please don't send gifts.  Many have food restrictions, and some of our students will not have gifts.  If you want to get something for your child's friend, you can always take it over yourself!
  • Our Third grade trip to see the movie "Narnia" is next Tuesday, Dec. 21.  We will leave here at around 9:30 and return by 1:00.  We will have sack lunches here in the classroom when we return.  Parties are scheduled that afternoon at 2:00.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Homework Happenings for Tuesday, Dec. 14th

Spelling:  /ou/ words; write on paper 3 times each
Math:  Retook the 4 facts; cut out the five fact cards; study these for test tomorrow and complete the WS on the five facts
Science:  Chapter 4, Lesson 3  "Living Things in the Past"  Complete the vocabulary sheet, WB pg. 75/76

*****Test over  Chapter 4 in Science either Friday or next Monday (inclement weather)*******
The following is the study guide:
                                                           SCIENCE STUDY GUIDE- CHAPTER 4- CHANGES IN ECOSYSTEMS


1. One way to help the environment is to reduce our use of certain products.
2. An example of competition is two animals fighting for the same food source.
3. The St. Helen Olive tree became extinct because of disease and dry weather.
4. Pollution happens when harmful materials damage the air, water, or land.
5. Sunlight and air are resources that help an organism survive.
6.  Fossils are the remains of organisms that lived long ago.
7. When only a few organisms are left, that organism is endangered.
8.  All the eagles in an ecosystem make up a population.
9. A person can recycle an old tire by turning it into a swing.
10.  Heavy rain and other storms can cause flooding.
11.  If a new animal is put into an environment, the animal may use up all of the resources in that environment.
12.  An oil spill is harmful to the environment.
13.  Coal cannot be recycled.
14.  Pandas are endangered because people have destroyed their habitat.
15.  Fossils found on land tell us that the land was once covered with water.
16.  Ways people change their environment: pollution, clearing land, bringing a new organism into the environment. Describe and explain one of these changes.
17.  Some nonliving changes to the environment are: floods, droughts, fires. 

Monday, December 13, 2010

No school today!

      Due to the freezing roadways and snow, there was no school today.  Our PTO Christmas program, therefore, has been cancelled tonight.  We will meet tomorrow with Mrs. Rubenacker to see about when we will reschedule the program.  Everything is still scheduled at the regular time this week!  Hope you all stayed warm!

Friday, December 10, 2010

Important Dates for Next Week (December 13-17)

Monday:  PTO 3rd grade program @2:30 for HLOE students/staff
                                                       @ 6:30 pm for parents/friends

Wednesday:  MVP students go to Ice Skating rink in downtown Paducah

Thursday:  Trip to Morningside @ 10:00 to sing Christmas carols/party*

Friday:  AR cutoff-Third grade reward next Monday

*We would like to wear "Santa" hats when we go to Morningside; you can find them at Dollar Tree if your child does not have one!

We skyped with my daughter's class in Lexington KY today.  If you would like to see what her students said about the visit, go to her blog at http://pickenspage.blogspot.com  

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Homework and Happenings for Thursday, December 9th

Spelling: Study for the weekly test, unless you passed in the computer lab today
Math:  workbook pg 94/95 and study for timed test over four facts*
Science:  Lesson 2: Factors that change our environment.  Complete the comprehension WS

Don't forget to help our Christmas family in need by contributing with money or gift/toys by this Friday. The third grade teachers will be purchasing the other items next week.

Reminder that the third grade PTO program is Monday, December 13 @ 6:30pm.  We will be presenting this special Christmas musical also at an assembly that same day @ 2:30 pm.  Your child may wear anything in Christmas colors for the program.




*Some of our students are taking their timed test in the computer lab under "Math Magician" in the multiplication.com website.  SUPER!!!!  You may also pracitce these at home!

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Glad to be back!!!!

        I am so glad to be back in the classroom today!  We got a great compliment from our guest teacher on how well we behaved.  Thanks for a wonderful job. We are continuing to work on our multiplication facts.  We took the three fact test today, and over half the class passed with 100%, but quite a few will have to restudy and take the test tomorrow.

     First grade Christmas Mall has been another hit.  Our friends have had a great time shopping for friends and family.  You may receive a beautiful present under the tree from our first grade shops.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Homework for Monday, Dec. 6th

Spelling:  /au/ words: Write spelling words three times each, once in cursive

Reading:  Vocabulary WB p. 112/113

Math:  Practice 3 facts; complete multiplication WS

Science:  Begin Chapter 4: "Living Things Interact in the Environment"  Read/discussed Lesson 1
NO homwork

Friday, December 3, 2010

Building a "Multiplication Split"!

We have officially begun our study of multiplication facts.  Your child will be studying and taking timed tests over each of the times facts, two through ten.  We have already taken the timed test over the twos. Each student will have 60 seconds to test over the facts with 100% accuracy.  If they miss a fact, they will then copy the missed fact ten times and then take the test over the next day.  They cannot proceed to the next set of facts until they pass those.  We will be "building" a banana split by adding ingredients for each set of facts passed.  When we finish the unit, we will all celebrate with a real banana split!  You can help by quizzing your child over the facts, working on speed and accuracy.  I plan on testing over an average of two set of facts each week.  This coming week, we will be studying the 3's and 4's.  Encourage your child by helping them with their flash cards (we are making them in class).

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Homework for Thursday, Dec 2





  • Daily Oral language #10 test tomorrow.
  • On Demand Letter:  We have written our introductory paragraph.  Your child will be bringing home the 5 pg. organizer for the rest of the letter.  They have written the topic sentence for each of the three supporting paragraphs.  Their job is to complete each of these three paragraphs.  We will then write the final 5th paragraph together on Friday.   Parents, please help by being "editors" for your child's paragraphs-check sentence structure, punctuation, and spelling.  We will celebrate the finished leters next week!
  • Math: Practice the 2 multiplication facts for a timed test tomorrow.  We will be practicing the 3's and 4's next week.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

More Native American Projects!

    We continued to bring in and present our Native American projects today.  Some of the shelters and artifacts are awesome!  Please remember to drop by and and eat lunch and see our displays!

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Pictures from our November visit to Morningside!










Reading:  Read "What Do Illustrators Do?"  at home.  Please sign your child's sheet!  Fill in Pg. nos. in
                the organizer (WB 105)

Math:   Multiplication WS on the 0's, 1's and 2's

Social Studies:   Begin presenting Native American projects.

Monday, November 29, 2010

Homework for Monday, Nov. 29

Math:  KCCT book:  ORQ on estimating sums (p. 57)
Reading: Practice O Workbook: pg. 103/104
Spelling:  Write words 3 times each on paper

I handed out the scoring guide for our Native American Projects to show the students how to model their project presentations.  They can bring in their projects early if they want.  They are due on Wednesday.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

On Demand Writing Week: Nov. 29-Dec.3

     We are gearing up for the Christmas season with The Longest Christmas List Ever, a book about the perfect Christmas gift!  We will then brainstorm what our favorite Christmas gift on our list is and write a persuasive letter about why we want this present!  This piece will be revised and be placed in our school writing portfolio that travels with us from Kindergarten up through fifth grade! "On Demand Man" promised to make another appearance this year to catch good writers. It promises to be a fun way to get us in the Christmas spirit!

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Upcoming Events Nov. 29-Dec. 3

December 1st   Math: Begin multiplication!  Review of 1-5 facts.
                            Native American Projects Due!  

Welcome!

Welcome to our classroom blog!  Please check my blog for important announcements, homework, and updates during our school day.  I will begin updating December 1.  Enjoy :)