Tiger Squad

Wiggins' Words

Parents,

I love teaching your kids social studies. They are so interested in learning about the past.  Our class discussions are very thoughtful and sometimes provoking as they consider what life was like long ago.  Our first third grade addition to the American Heroes Journal we started last year was Paul Revere.  We read the account of his ride as retold by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in his famous poem.  It was inspiring to realize that the poem was written almost 90 years later out of Longfellow's concern that Revolutionary history was already being forgotten.  Your children won't forget!  They thought the story was riveting!  We have now moved to Frederick Douglass, who they noticed, was born the year Paul Revere died. 

There are so many wonderful resources for enhancing these history lessons available on our Activboard.  As you know, we now share one with the other family teachers. Soon we may have our own in our classroom!  I am very excited about the possibility since the more I use it the more daily applications I see possible.  I took a training class this summer and I'm excited to be able to put to use what I learned.

Our reading lessons are focusing on comprehension, accuracy, fluency, and vocabulary fluency. While reading with your child tonight ask them to demonstrate the cross checking strategy we have been practicing to help with accuracy.  The target for fluency this quarter is 100 words per minute with 95% accuracy.

Summary, connection, opinion.  These are three elements of a response to literature.  Add to those a compelling lead and conclusion and you have a pretty complex piece of writing.  To address the genre we have analyzed lots of responses to literature so the students will recognize a good one and have worked step by step to plan.  The students will draft tomorrow.

We had a fabulous AR party the day before Halloween, thanks to Mrs. Hajra and Mrs. Walton.  Our next party is next Friday, before we leave for Thanksgiving break.  The students need 4 points to attend.  They all took their current reading record home today.

Up until now, our spelling words have  been fairly simple and the students have been able to master them with our classroom activities.  But, the challenge is on.  The words are getting more difficult.  I have sent the words and a game home that you can use to practice. Our test over these words will be next Friday.

Tomorrow we take our division test.  The standard for division is that the students understand the relationship between division and multiplication and between division and subtraction and are able to solve problems using simple division. They have a review page to do in their math book that should have them more than reading for tomorrow's assessment.  Please check over and help them correct anything missed.

Thank you so much for the response to the Thanksgiving food basket.  Thanks also to Mrs. Surasky for organizing that effort.  There are so many things that couldn't happen at school without the wonderful parent support that we have at Tritt. 

I am assuming that everyone has had a chance to digest ITBS scores.  Here is a link that offers some information on interpreting the scores. http://www.cobbk12.org/centraloffice/accountability/testing_info.aspx  Of course, I am available to answer any questions.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving.  We all have so much to be thankfull for.  When I count my blessings, I'll be counting each of your kids twice!

Mrs Wiggins

Wiggins' Words

Parents,

Multiplication facts!  They are the main course of the beginning of second quarter menu!  The Georgia Standard states the students will "know multiplication facts with understanding and fluency to 10x10".  We started our study of facts with the 6's, building on the progress made in second grade.  We will soon begin Rocket Math, which is a method of drill utilizing quick one minute timed tests.  The students take a test at school and take one home to study.  As they master each level the "rocket" to the next. 

In language arts, we are reviewing how to make connections when reading.  These connections help the student better understand the elements of the story.  We will be incorporating these connections into writing literary responses.

Declarative, interrogative, imperative, exclamatory...sound familiar?  These are the four types of sentences we are studying in grammar lessons.  The goal is for students to  recognize them, punctuate them, and most importantly, utilize them effectively in writing.

Our science lab lessons are helping the students investigate the types of soils in Georgia.  They are observing sand, loam, and clay, while recording and interpreting their findings.

The British are coming!  The British are coming!  Or so says Paul Revere.  He will  be the next entry in our American Heroes journal.  We have studied him through books and the Cobb Virtual Library.  Via email I will send you the passwords necessary for this wonderful resource available to you children through the Tritt web site.  We also have some great Active Board resourses for studying Paul.  The students seem to love learning about history.

I am also sending through email a copy of the report card rubric for second quarter.  It has been decided to communicate this information to you in this format rather than attached to idividual assessments.  This way you will be privy to the expectations when going over daily work and homework, as well as at the end of the instructional period.  Neither of the two pieces I am emailing are to be posted here because of security concerns.  They are for Cobb County School District us only.

In TigerSquad the Quad Squad's spent today brainstorming a product they can produce and market in Familiopolis.  This Wednesday, we will have a guest speaker, Mr. Limerick, who will share with the students his experience in developing and moving new products to the market.  On Friday, they will make a prototype and them begin a marketing strategy.

As you know, this Friday is Assistant Principal Hilarie Straka's last day. Since she does not want a party, we’re going to surprise her with something a little different.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30TH:

8:00-9:00 a.m. - Informal Reception in the Media Center for parents to say goodbye

If students or parents would like to make a card for Hilarie, please encourage them to do so. We will need all notes and cards by noon this Thursday.

Thanks for all you do to make Tritt such an exciting place to teach and learn!

Mrs. Wiggins

Wiggins' Words

Parents,

We have a lot coming up this week.

Tomorrow afternoon is the AR party for those who have their 4 points for September.  We will be playing board games and enjoying a snack together.  There is still time to make the goal.  Any test taken before the party counts.  See your child's planner for their points.

Wednesday morning is our Boosterthon Fun Run.  Thank you so much for supporting this PTA fundraising effort.  There is still time to make a pledge!  Our scheduled run is 9:15 to 10:20.

By noon Wednesday we will be on the bus to Wahsega!  We are in need of donations of  6 six-pack packages of Heshey bars for our s'mores on our campfire night.  Please email if you can send some in.  We will have lunch before we leave.  Send all of the children's bags in with them Wed. morning.  We will keep them in the family room until departure time.  The children will not need their usual backpacks as they will not be allowed back in the building on Friday to pick them up.  Our arrival at Tritt will be at 3:00.  Please let me know if your child will require any kind of medication while we are on the trip.  I will send a bag home with and instruction sheet so I will know how to administer the medicine properly.

FYI  The Book Fair dates have changed to Oct. 6, 7, and 8.

We are working on subtraction in math and I have noticed that many are not a sharp on the basic facts as they should be.  The second and third grade web links have some good practice games and flashcards still work for some extra practice.  Five minutes a day will make a great impact on mastery!

Here's to good weather for Wahsega!

Mrs. Wiggins

Wiggins' Words

Parents,

We have almost made it through testing.   Only 3 days to go.  I have been very proud of the students and their testing stamina.  Thank you for continuing to send them in well fed and rested.  It really helps.

Though testing takes up a good bit of our morning, we are carrying on with our learning!

In writing we have written poems describing favorite colors and published them in the computer lab.  If you are in the building come and enjoy them.  They are hanging in the hall. We are currently finishing up descriptive paragraphs on a favorite place.  We have reviewed the good writing traits of ideas and organization and  the students have applied them to their pieces.  Did you know that the playground is an "extreme world of bouncing balls, screaming kids, and FREEDOM!"? That is but a taste of the descriptive language the students are using to help their readers visualize their favorite places.

Our reading lessons are exploring traits common to great readers.  We have discussed things like reading stamina, how to stick with a book that has a slow start, knowing what to do when a book is difficult.  They are committed to improving as readers.  It is delightful to sit and read with them one on one and hear their thought processes as they work through a book.  I get good tips on strategies and skill that I need to address in lessons and I confer with each one.

Our AR party is September 29.  Each student should have 4 AR points to participate in the party.  Many are right on track, but some need to be encouraged to stick with a chapter book and finish it in order the take the test.

Math is building as the students are required more and more to apply their skills to word prblems.  The challenge is to read and understand the problem.  When assisting with homework make sure your child reads the problem carefully before beginning to work.  I model for them that I read the whole problem, then reread just the question part to know what I am solving for, then go back to the detail sentences to find the information I need to answer the question. 

Social studies has been all about ancient Greece and its influence on our government.  We have even observed Greek Revival archetecture.  Ask your child about doric, ionic, and Corinthean columns.

Science has geared up with the study of rocks.  We used the ebook in the computer lab to complete a rock classification chart.  You can access the ebook from home through the Tritt web site.  The students learned where to find it while in the lab.  The user name is wiggins3 with a password of tritt.

Wahsega is around the corner and we have 4 chaperones going with us: Kent Ledgerwood, Aaron Surasky, Kihm Ledgerwood, and Bryna Freeman.  Thanks for being available!  ( Chaperone meeting September 22 @7:00 in the media center. ) If your child will be taking medication while we are on the trip, please let me know and I will send you a medication bag to pack it in.  The bag will have a form for instructions on administering the medicine. The medication will be kept by me or a chaperone that will administer it.  More details to come....

Mrs. Wiggins

Wiggins' Words

Parents,

It was great seeing everyone at Open House.  We have had such a good start as we have all come back together.  Sean Hajra has been a new addition  who fits like a glove!  We are so glad to have him.

We gave Sean's mom, Sue, no chance to ease into our family life.  She and Amy Surasky have volunteered to be our Room Parents.  You can expect to hear from them soon.

There are a two new things for third grade:

• Remember to sign the planner each evening and record the titles and numbers of minutes read.  As our mini-society, which the students have named Familiopolis, gets going the students will have pay days.  Having their planner signed and reading recorded will qualify them for some Squigglie Wigglies (Familiopolis currency!)
• Homework is due the day after the assignment is made if not otherwise noted on the planner.  Please make sure that your child has a time and place to complete these assignments in time to turn them in the following morning.

Below, you will find attached documents concerning an address President Obama is making to school children during school hours on Tuesday, Sept. 8. Our class will be viewing the address and participating in some follow-up activities.

Download Pres_address-suptltr

Download Obama

Thanks for all you have done to help us get off to such a marvelous start.

Mrs. Wiggins