January 29th

Thursday, January 29^th

Dear Parents,

This has been a fast and very busy week. Here is a recap of our classroom activities and some important reminders.

Field trip tomorrow: Please remember to send a sack lunch and drink to school with your child tomorrow for the trip. Students should be sure to wear shoes that are comfortable to walk in all day. We will be in the museum and walking a lot! 

Chaperones, please be here by 8:45 with your lunch, drink, and $5 for IMAX.

Math:

It looks like we will be ready for our Unit 4 test at the end of next week. The test will cover addition and subtraction of multi-digit numbers and a little bit of rounding. 

Literacy:

We have been working on writing opinion and persuasive pieces for the past couple of weeks. This will continue with the addition of students reading to find more information to support their opinions and learning to cite their support. This is a big concept for kids to learn with the Common Core Standards. 

We have also been working on reading complex text closely. You will start seeing articles coming home that have been "marked up". Your child is learning to find important concepts in print, recognize when words or phrases might not make sense right away and how to use context clues to make meaning. In doing this, they are also rereading pieces several times, which is supporting building fluency in reading. 

Science:

Our current science unit is on Measuring with Metric System and Matter. This week we had a lot of fun discovering standard metric measurements for length, volume and mass. Next week we will start learning about Matter and its forms. 

Thank you for your support!!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Aisha Galt

January 23rd

Friday, January 23^rd

Dear Parents,

Another week has flown by!

Thank you for returning the field trip permission slips and money.  We will be going to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science on Friday, January 30^th. Thank you to all of the parents who volunteered to chaperone. There are nine of you, and you are all welcome to join us! Delois Meyer, Emily Unkefer, Carrie Pepperdine, Evelyn Plata, Kristin Angelopulos, William Percy, Roger Sealy, Sarah Osborne, and Siva Spitler please plan to meet us in our classroom on the morning of the field trip at 8:45.  We will leave at 9:00 and will return to Kohl by 2:00.  You will need to bring $5 for the IMAX movie and a sack lunch.  Thank you!

Your child is coming home with their Life Cycles and Wetlands book from our classes with the Thorne Nature and Science program.  Please look over it with your child.  I would like to thank our generous PTA and Student Council for supporting this program at Kohl.  It is a great experience for all of our students.

Our Valentine’s Day party is right around the corner. Our class party will be on Thursday, February 12^th from 1:30-2:30. As always, parents are invited to attend the party.

If your child chooses to bring Valentine cards to school, they need to have one for each child in our class.  Valentines should be brought to school on February 12^th.  Students should also bring a container to hold their Valentines.  Handmade cards are encouraged.  Here is a list of student names to help with this task.  Thank you for your continued support.

Hannah, Sebastian, Kai, Tanith, Jake, Destiny, Kenna, Thomas, Julia H., Megan, Ben, Riannon, Connor, Julia M., Eric, Olivia, Leah, Justin, Samantha, Amrita, Brooke, Deegan, Gwen, Noah, Jacob, and Daelan

I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Aisha Galt

January 10th, 2015

Saturday, January 10^th

Dear Parents,

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend.  Our first week back in the classroom together went well. We spent time reviewing classroom expectations and procedures and getting to know each other again.  I hope your children are feeling good about the transition.  They are amazing, and I am looking forward to the coming months together. 

I wanted to inform you of some important upcoming dates.

Third graders will be taking the PARCC tests this year.  This is the state standardized test that is replacing the CSAP/TCAP from years past. The tests have been scheduled for the last week of March, right before Spring Break. If you are planning a trip, please plan the trip after the PARCC  testing dates. It would be so helpful to have all the students complete the tests during our scheduled testing week. Thank you!  If you have any questions or concerns about PARCC, please let me know. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have.

We have scheduled our second field trip for January 30^th.  I will definitely need parent volunteers, so please check your calendar and let me know if you can help out. You must have the background check clearance through the district for this school year to attend the trip. We will be going to the Museum of Nature and Science to see the IMAX movie "Tiny Giants" and the special exhibit "Whales, Giants of the Deep". The kids will be comparing and contrasting these creatures and I will need parent volunteers to help out with small group work while we are there. This trip will be $9 ($5 for the IMAX and $4 for the bus). If you have any concerns about the cost, please contact me immediately. Thank you.

Other important dates and reminders:

Thursday, January 15-Spelling Bee. Noah and Megan will be representing our class at 8:30 in the gym. Please wish them luck when you see them.

Monday, January 19- No School MLK Jr. Day

Friday, January 30- Field Trip to the Museum of Nature and Science. Please return permission slips and money as soon as possible.

Saturday, January 31- PTA Trivia Night. Please mark your calendars and plan to attend this fun fundraiser. Adults only please. Check the PTA Facebook page or the school website for more information.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Aisha Galt

Weekly Update 11/7/2014

Dear Parents,

As we come to the close of our first trimester of third grade, we can look back at how much we have learned in such a short time. Your kids have been working very hard and I am very proud of their efforts and growth so far this year. 

Literacy:

We have jumped in to our writing unit about adapting fairy tales. The kids and I have been reading many, many classic and adapted fairy tales to get familiar with their style. This week we looked at how and why writers of adapted fairy tales might have decided to make the changes they did. We have also put ourselves in the author's seat by choosing a fairy tale to adapt. The class has started making a plan and we will begin writing our first draft next week. It's very exciting. 

In spelling we are continuing our work on spelling patterns and our spelling lists.  We will have a new list next week.  Last week I sent home the last spelling test.  You can use that with the list I gave you at conferences to create your child's next list at home.

Math:

Unit 2 has been a lot of practice with all of the multiplication facts and how to use them in one and now two step word problems. The class is doing a great job using a step by step method to find the important information, think about what the problem is asking them to do and then writing and solving the equation. We even started using order of operations (ask your child about PEMDAS). I have been very impressed with their hard work.

Social Studies:

Last week we finished up our Life Cycles unit in Science and now we are moving on to the second unit of Social Studies- Regions of the United States. Your child will be studying 5 different regions in the United States, the states that make up each region, and the history, people and cultures of those regions. 

Important Dates:

Tuesday, November 11- NO SCHOOL VETERANS DAY

Friday, November 14- Trimester 1 report cards go home

Tuesday, November 18- Unit 2 Math Test

week of November 24-28- NO SCHOOL THANKSGIVING BREAK

Have a wonderful weekend with your families. See you next week.

September 19, 2014

Dear Parents,

Another busy week has passed and your kids worked very hard this week. I think we are all ready for a nice weekend.

Reminders:

No School on Monday, September 22. Elementary Professional Development Day/Assessment Day

Field Trip- Tuesday, September 30- Please be sure to return the permission slip and $5 fee if you haven’t already done so.

Literacy:

We continue to work on Personal Narratives. This week we finished our first draft and next week we will continue to revise, edit and publish our first narrative.

Spelling- We have reviewed short and long vowel rules and this week we learned the spelling patterns for long i. They are igh, i-e, ind, y, and i at the end of a syllable. We will also continue to work on the Must Write words for 3rd graders. Students are responsible for spelling these words correctly in their everyday writing.

Reading- All students have taken the Diagnostic test on the computer. I have also had a chance to read with several students for some additional information for me as I put students into reading groups. Next week, students will begin working with me in their reading groups as well as working independently in the classroom to complete lessons. This is a big jump for third graders as they learn to budget their time and meet deadlines- a skill they will need for the rest of their lives. So far, they are working very hard and diligently to learn this new skill.

Math:

We continue to learn our multiplication and division facts in math. We have now completed 2s, 5s, 9s, and 10s. You can help your child by quizzing them daily on those facts. We will also be doing weekly math dashes to help them check their own progress towards learning their facts. All third graders are expected to know all multiplications and divisions through 10s by the end of third grade in order to be prepared for 4th grade. Next week we will introduce 3s and 4s if you want to start practicing those to get ahead.

Social Studies:

In our unit on communities, this week we learned about public and private services and how taxes help to pay for public services in our communities. Next week, we will talk about local government and the different roles people play in that area of the community. This unit will be completed the following week.

Don't forget that tomorrow is Broomfield Days and the parade. The class with the highest attendance wins a prize. I hope that you all have fun. I will not be a the parade but I am hoping to make it later in the day so maybe I will see some of you there.

Have a wonderful 3 day weekend with your family. See you all on Tuesday.

Toni Gaddis

Third Grade News 9-12-14

Dear Parents,

We had a very productive week in class. The kids worked hard writing personal narratives, working on multiplication and division facts for 5s and 2s, and reading a lot.

Homework:

I was very impressed with how well the students did with remembering to do their homework and get it returned. For the few students who were unable to return homework for one reason or another, we discussed as a class how important it is to learn the responsibility of homework, both doing and returning it. We really talked a lot about how learning this now will help them in all their years to come in school- especially middle and high school.

Weather:

It is definitely fall in Colorado, and as they say, “If you don’t like the weather- wait a minute!” Please be sure to send your child to school with clothes appropriate for any weather. We will go out for recess as long as the temperature is above 20 degrees and it isn’t too wet or snowy. I have been encouraging the kids to watch the news in the morning before school for the weather report so they have an idea of how to dress as well. Layers are always best this time of year. Thanks for your help with this.

Snacks:

We have snack each day at 9:30. Please only send healthy snacks- no candy please. Also, another reminder that we cannot have nuts in the classroom. Thanks.

Broomfield Days Parade- Saturday, September 20 at 10 am. The class with the highest attendance marching in the parade will win a prize. Let me know if you have any questions.

Field Trip- Tuesday, September 30. If you haven’t sent in your permission slip and $5 fee, please do so as soon as you can. If you need assistance with the fee, please contact me.

Family Movie Night – Join the Kohl Student Council on Wednesday, September 17^th form 4:00- 6:00 p.m.  They will be watching The Muppets.  Snacks will be available to purchase.  Your child may bring pillows and blankets for sitting on the gym floor.  *All children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.  

Finally, please help your child study their 5s and 2s multiplication and division facts daily. Other classrooms have been using a tool in class called a Learning Wrap Up (http://learningwrapups.com/index.php/wrap-ups/math-wrap-ups/individual-sets.html) You can buy them for $8.99. It’s a fun way for kids to practice their facts by themselves and they are self checking!

Have a great weekend!   

Ms Toni Gaddis

September 5th, 2014

September 5, 2014  

Dear Parents,

Here are a few highlights of our week and reminders of things to come.

Reminders:

Reading Logs: Please be sure to sign your child’s reading log each week and read over it with your child, keeping the Writer’s Checklist at the top of the page in mind. Your child should be writing 2-3 well written sentences using correct capitalization, punctuation, and appropriate spelling on this assignment each night.  Remind them to circle words that they think are misspelled.  We will be adding a copy of the BVSD Third Grade Must Write Words to homework folders.  Students should do their best to spell these words correctly on their reading log.

Mrs. Gaddis’s email changed! Her address is toni.gaddis@bvsd.org

She will be spending the day with us on Wednesday, September 10^th to familiarize herself with our daily routines and expectations.

Website:  Please take some time to visit our classroom website.  There are updates about upcoming events and many helpful educational links. mrsgalt.blogspot.com

FIeld Trip:

Our first field trip will be at the end of this month. You will find a permission slip in the Friday folder. Please sign this and return it along with the $5 fee. If you have difficulty with the fee, please contact me as soon as possible. Thank you.

Classroom Highlights:

Literacy:

We are beginning our unit on personal narratives. For the next several weeks students will be writing personal narratives.  Students will write true stories about things, people, and important events in their lives. You can help your child by talking about what they might be interested in writing about and asking them to remember details of small moments from their lives so they can write powerful narratives in class. During this unit we will also be working on writing complete sentences and using correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling for the final published piece.

We completed our BVSD Must Write Word List assessment this week. Your child will be coming home with a word list in their Friday folder of spelling words to work on throughout the year at home. The checked words are the words they know at this time.  Students will study personal word lists each month in class to learn the words they have not mastered yet.  Our goals if for third graders to have learned to spell the words on this list by the end of the year.

Math:

This week we started our unit on Multiplication and Division. We are currently working on 5s and next week will study 2s. Some ideas to talk about regarding this unit- multiplication is equal groups and repeated addition. Math homework will begin coming home next week. There is a parent letter in the Friday folder from the math program with a brief explanation of the homework and ways you can help your child learn their multiplication tables.

Social Studies:

Our current unit in Social Studies is “What Makes Our Community Diverse?” We have been talking a lot about how we are the same and different in our classroom community, our community of Broomfield, and the world community. We will also continue to work on our RIDE values here at school and work on connecting those values to the way we act outside of school as well. 

Have a wonderful weekend. 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Aisha Galt