May 22 - May 26

Field Day was a huge success! The students really enjoyed being outside with all of the fun stations. Thanks to the parents who were able to volunteer, it was great to see you!

We are getting busier as we move towards the end of the school year! This week, we will be focusing on our final preparations and reviews before the EOGs in both Math and Reading. We will take a small break from Social Studies to make sure the students feel as comfortable as possible as we prepare for these assessments. We are also continuing with our end of year reading assessments, everyone has shown wonderful improvement and growth from the beginning of the year! Keep using what you have learned this year to show what you know!

In Social Studies last week, we discussed, looked at some examples, and worked with the DRAFT of the business plan for the Market Day Project. This was to help them start to organize their thoughts before starting the final copy. Your student already knows that they may not turn in the draft (which is pink) as their business plan. This project is due on MONDAY, JUNE 5. Students who do not complete a project and submit it WILL NOT PARTICIPATE in Market Day. 

Another reminder: 
 The Reading EOG is on TUESDAY, MAY 30 and the Math EOG is on WEDNESDAY, MAY 31. Please make sure your student is PRESENT and ON TIME for BOTH DAYS! We begin testing at 8:45 am. If they are late or absent those days, they have to make the tests up. This can cause them to may miss the fun activities planned for the last week of school. Also, there is no parent visiting during EOG days. 

Also, help your student understand that while EOGs are important, they do not need to stress too much about them. They are just tests, and we have been preparing for them all year. Now is just the time to show what they know. Their job is to take their time and do their best! 

On the first day of testing (Tuesday, May 30) Wake County will be providing a light breakfast to all testing students, but we as a third grade team would also like to make sure the children have breakfast on the second day of testing (Wednesday, May 31).  Below is our link to sign-up to donate items for that morning.  It will make the morning fun and help take the stress away that some children may feel.  We appreciate your help! 

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090d4eaeaf238-3rdgrade 

Be on the lookout for last week of school information in Tuesday Folders! 

May 15 - May 19

We are almost to the end of third grade! We are also very, very busy. 

Last week, your student was assigned the Market Day Project. We went over the directions as a grade level and looked at examples of projects and posters. You also signed the directions to inform me that you have gone over them with your student. This is an at home project and your student should START NOW! This week, we will look at examples of the business plans. This project is due on MONDAY, JUNE 5. Students who do not complete a project and submit it WILL NOT PARTICIPATE in Market Day. 

We will be starting our end of year reading assessments on Monday. Please remind your student to do their best. 

As for end of grade (EOG) testing, the Reading EOG is on TUESDAY, MAY 30 and the Math EOG is on WEDNESDAY, MAY 31. Please make sure your student is PRESENT and ON TIME for BOTH DAYS! We begin testing at 8:45 am. If they are late or absent those day, they have to make the tests up. This can cause them to may miss the fun activities planned for the last week of school. Also, there is no parent visiting during EOG days. 

Also, help your student understand that while EOGs are important, they do not need to stress too much about them. They are just tests, and we have been preparing for them all year. Now is just the time to show what they know. Their job is to take their time and do their best! 

On the first day of testing (Tuesday, May 30) Wake County will be providing a light breakfast to all testing students, but we as a third grade team would also like to make sure the children have breakfast on the second day of testing (Wednesday, May 31).  Below is our link to sign-up to donate items for that morning.  It will make the morning fun and help take the stress away that some children may feel.  We appreciate your help! 

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090d4eaeaf238-3rdgrade

Field Day is on Friday, May 19! For Field Day, your student MUST WEAR SNEAKERS!!! They will also need to bring a complete change of clothes, towel, and a water bottle. 

As you can see, we are working full speed ahead until the end of the year. Please check the school website for important dates and contact me via email if you have any questions. 

April 24 - April 28

We had a wonderful time on our field trip to the NC Life & Science Museum in Durham! There was so much to see, that we didn't see everything the museum has to offer. This is definitely a place to take your student back to if you get the chance. THANK YOU to all of the chaperones who were able to join us, we all appreciate you being with our class. 

We also had the opportunity to watch Ballethnic for Cultural Arts after our field trip. Through that experience, we saw animals from the rain forest come to life! 

This week in Reading, we will continue learning more about social issues. The students have enjoyed the stories we have read and making connections to the world around them. In writing, we will continue to respond to social issue images and write our final piece (which will be the shortest this year!). In Math, we will finish with fractions and then move on to time and measurement. 

Important Information

- First in Fitness is on Wednesday, April 26 (select students)

- Student Council will meet on Wednesday, April 26 (select students)

- SPRING FLING is on Friday, April 28! 

April 17 - April 21

Hope everyone had a wonderful Spring Break! 

We will continue with the units we began before the break. In Reading, we will continue to learn about social issues and will read a short novel in reading groups. In Writing, we will write briefly about our spring breaks and start our final piece, which is also very short! In Math, we are making connections with fractions and 2-D shapes. In Science, we will continue our unit about plants and soils. We will set up the plants we will study when we return to school.

Our field trip to the NC Life & Science Museum in Durham is on Friday, April 21. Please be sure that your child dresses comfortably and has their lunch (if they signed up to bring it). We will have lunch at the museum. Also, all students need to wear sneakers for this field trip (it is A LOT of walking!). Chaperones will receive a confirmation email at the beginning of the week.

EOGs will be coming up in a little over a month (they will be at the end of May). Exact dates will be sent home soon. Please help your student understand that this is just a test and that we will work together to be prepared.

Have a great rest of the weekend and see you on Monday! 

March 27 - March 31

We are quickly approaching the end of third quarter! As we begin the fourth quarter, we will be moving full speed ahead until the end of the school year, so get ready! 

This week in Reading and Writing, we will continue to work with text structures and wrap up our biographies unit. We will also complete our biography projects by putting the flapbooks together! In Math, we will be working with equivalent fractions and moving into comparing fractions. In Science, we will continue to learn about changes and will work with gases and chemical reactions. 


Next units to begin 4th quarter: 
Reading and Writing: Social Issues and Revising/Revisiting the Genres
Math: Comparing Fractions and Partitioning Shapes 
Science: Plants and Soils (first half of quarter)
Social Studies (will start midway in the quarter): Economics & Financial Literacy

Also during 4th quarter, we will be reviewing for the end of grade tests that will take place at the END OF MAY.  Information about exact testing dates will be sent home around spring break. While these tests are important, my approach with them as a teacher is that we are training to be prepared and not to be scared! 

Final Field Trip: 
Our field trip to the Life & Science Museum in Durham is on Friday, April 21. If you would like to join us as a chaperone, please let me know. You have to be a REGISTERED VOLUNTEER with Wake County Public Schools. For this trip, your student needs to dress comfortably and MUST WEAR SNEAKERS! This field trip requires a LOT of walking and I want us all to be comfortable! 


Important Information

- Homework Club is on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the Media Center.

- International Night is on Thursday, March 30 from 5:30 - 7:30 pm

- PURPLE DAY is on Friday, March 31 Students need to wear or bring sneakers

- Briarcliff's Running Club starts on Thursday, April 6

- Spring Break is April 10 - April 14

- Field Trip to the Life & Science Museum in Durham is on Friday, April 21

- SPRING FLING is on April 28! 

March 20 - March 24

I hope everyone had a great Saint Patrick's Day! Also, congratulations to the students for earning the Golden Spatula in the cafeteria for the month of February. Let's earn it again for the month of March!

This week in Reading, we will continue our work with biographies and start looking closely at text structures. In Writing, we will be finishing the drafts of the biographies we are writing. Then we will start the revising and editing phase. We will also start working on the project in class to display our work. In Math, we will continue to look at whole number fractions and start working more with equivalent fractions. In Science, we are still working with the different phases of matter and the changes they can undergo. We will also look at different things we can control in experiments (temperature, rate of stirring). 

Important Information:

- Teacher Appreciation Week is March 20 - 24

- Homework Club meets every Tuesday and Thursday from 7:15 - 8:00 in the media center

- Spirit Night at Chick-Fil-A is on Thursday, March 23 from 5:00 - 8:00 (Waverly Place)

- Thursday, March 30 is PURPLE DAY - please be sure to wear sneakers

- International Night is on Thursday, March 30 from 5:30 - 7:30 

- Picnic on the Playground is Tuesday, April 4

- SPRING BREAK is April 10 - April 14

- Our field trip to the Life & Science Museum in Durham is Friday, April 21

March 13 - March 17

What a busy week! Be ready to spring forward and finish out the last few weeks of third quarter strongly.

In Reading and Writing, we will be learning more about point of view and text structures. We will also start our research for our biographies! The students learned who they will be studying in class today and they are excited to learn about some amazing people and their contributions to our world. In Math, we are continuing to learn about fractions. We will work with fractions on the number line, whole number fractions, and start working more with equivalent fractions. In Science, we will be learning more about the phases of matter and the changes they undergo. There are several lab experiments we will be conducting with a focus on mixtures and solutions. 

If you have signed up for a conference with me, they will begin next Tuesday. Please arrive on time as there are people before and after you, and I want to respect everyone's time. Also, your student is invited to the conference too! They should come and hear about how they are doing. 

I know this is early, but our final field trip of the year (I can't believe it either) will be on Friday, April 21 to the Life and Science Museum in Durham. If you would like to chaperone, please let me know. Balance information will be going home in the next few weeks.

Important Information

- First in Fitness is on Thursday, March 16 (select students)

- Teacher Appreciation Week is March 20 - 24

- Spirit Night at Chick-Fil-A is on Thursday, March 23 (Waverly Place)

- 3rd Quarter Ends on March 29

- International Night is on Thursday, March 30

- Friday, March 31 is a FULL SCHOOL DAY

- PURPLE DAY is on Friday, March 31 (wear or bring sneakers)