Snapshot for September 3

Snapshot for September 3

 

Click here to download this week's Snapshot! 

I can’t believe that the first 3 weeks of school have already flown by!  I am so excited to be your student’s Reading and Writing teacher.  Every week I will be sending out a “snapshot” to let you know what we have covered and what we are about to cover in class.

Next week, we will continue reading our first novel study over Back to School, Mallory by Laurie Friedman.  Last week we focused on chapters 1-6.  Next week we will cover chapters 7-9.  Next week, we will focus on character traits and will focus on the changes we see the characters in our book undergo.  We have limited copies of this text so if students have their own copies of this book at home, they are welcome to bring them to school.  We will also continue our study of dictionary skills and alphabetizing words to the 3^rd letter.  Many of us are struggling with this skill so I have attached optional practice links to the bottom of this email. The “Dictionary Task Cards” practice assignment will be sent home on Friday for you to see if the extra practice would benefit your student. There will be a graded assignment over this skill on Wednesday, September 4.

In writing, we will continue our personal narrative unit.  We are writing short stories about one moment from our lives.  We wrap up our study of the four types of sentences next week and will start our study of conjunctions and compound sentences.  There will be a graded assignment of the four types of questions on Tuesday, September 3.     

For homework, we will have spelling homework and a quiz over the “Long a and Long e” list on Friday, September 6.

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

+ Rachel Fendley

3rd Grade ELAR Teacher

Kimberlin Academy

RFendley@garlandisd.net  

Reminders:

September 2- No School

September 5- Meet the Teacher 6:00-8:00 pm in the Library

September 6 – Summer Slide Ice Cream Celebration: Get your yellow “Happy Camper” reading log turned into your 3rd grade homeroom teacher to participate!

Helpful Links:

Spelling City: https://www.spellingcity.com/RMLittre/ 

Mrs. Fendley’s Blog: https://mrsfendleysowls.blogspot.com/

Online Resources for Skills Practice: Optional practice games and resources for current skills are linked our class padlet and BoomCards account.  Each site has different optional practice opportunities.

·        Our class padlet account can be found on the classroom blog or by using the link below.

https://padlet.com/rfendley/owls 

·        BoomLearning: https://wow.boomlearning.com/student-login

§  Students have their BoomCard username stapled to their agendas

§  Password: 1234 or students may have changed it

Snapshot for April 29

Snapshot for April 29 

Click {here} to download this week's snapshot! 

Thank you to everyone who joined us Thursday nigh for Open House Night!  We enjoyed seeing you and getting to showcase our latest projects! J

Next week, we will start our “iWrite International Fiction Project”.  Students will select a country to research.  They will be given time in class and during Power Hour.  Students may also bring their research flip book home for extra time.  Research flip books will be due for a grade on Monday, May 6.  We will also start our novel study over “Because of Winn-Dixie” by Kate DiCamillo. We will focus on reviewing our informational text skills within our STAAR prep unit. 

For homework, we will have our Abstract Vowel (ou) List, which will be due on May 3.   

I will be out on Monday and Tuesday as I will be in Kentucky with one of our 5^th Grade Robotics teams while they compete at Worlds!  Congratulations to all of our STEAMposium robotics and rubber band car teams!

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Rachel Fendley

3rd Grade ELAR Teacher

Kimberlin Academy

RFendley@garlandisd.net  

Reminders:

May 2- After School Reading Tutoring until 4:30

May 9 – Last After School Reading Tutoring Day - until 4:30

May 10 – Muffin with Moms 7:30-8:00

May 13-14 – STAAR Math and STAAR Reading

May 13-15- No Lunch Visitors due to STAAR testing

May 24- Field Day!  Bring water, sunblock, a hat, a towel, and change of clothes

May 29- Awards at 8:30

May 30 – Last Day of School L

Helpful Links:

Spelling City: https://www.spellingcity.com/RMLittre/ 

Mrs. Fendley’s Blog: https://mrsfendleysowls.blogspot.com/

Online Resources for Skills Practice: All of our links can be found at our new padlet account and on the classroom blog. 

https://padlet.com/rfendley/owls

·         Imagine Literacy It is recommended that students complete at least 1, 20-minute lesson a week.

·         Study Island Reading: Click on “Texas Programs” and select “Reading”.  Then you may select any skill that you would like to work on.  Start with the mini-lesson and then work through the activities! Student login information is in their blue folders.

·         Education Galaxy

·         BoomLearning: https://wow.boomlearning.com/student-login

§  The username will be your student’s first names & last name initial followed by an underscore (_) and the word “fendley”.

§  Example: Lily Moldenhauer  = lilym_fendley

§  Password: 1234 or students may have changed it

§  If your student goes by a shortened version of their given name, the username will reflect that. Rebecca White = beccaw_fendley

Snapshot for March 25

Snapshot for March 25 

Click {here} to download this week's snapshot! 

This week, we will complete our study of persuasive text and will begin our review informational text skills.  This week, students will complete the MOCK STAAR Math and Reading Assessments.  On Monday, students reviewed good test-taking tips and strategies in both content areas.  Students completed an “I am in control!” activity to remind them of these good test taking and reading strategies.  They were told to take them home to look over them for our Wednesday MOCK test.  A picture of the one I created is linked in case any did not make it home.  J

Students are allowed to bring snacks on Tuesday and Wednesday to enjoy during testing.  Please do not send anything that is loud to eat, has a strong smell, sticky, or juicy.  Great snack ideas include but are not limited to trail mix, Cheerios, fruit snacks, granola bars, goldfish, or crackers.  Students may also bring a water bottle.

Students finished “Book the Fourth” last week!  Students and were given a study guide for their “Book the Fourth” quiz, which is on Friday, March 29.

In Writing, we will continue our Fractured Fairy Tale projects.  Due to MOCK STAAR and other projects, we have not spent as much time on these, so the due date has been extended. Final copies will be due on April 9^th.

We do not have a spelling list this week.  There are great lessons, reviews, and activities on both Education Galaxy and on Study Island Reading if students have any extra time this week. 

Thank you to everyone who participated in “Donut Let You Skills Slide” technology incentive program!  Keep up the hard work!

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Rachel Fendley

3rd Grade ELAR Teacher

Kimberlin Academy

RFendley@garlandisd.net  

Reminders:

March 26- MOCK STAAR Math  ** Spring Creek BBQ PTA Night! Mrs. Fendley will be there from 5:30-6! 

March 27- MOCK STAAR Reading

May 13- STAAR MATH

May 14- STAAR Reading

Helpful Links:

Spelling City: https://www.spellingcity.com/RMLittre/ 

Online Resources for Skills Practice:

·         Imagine Literacy It is recommended that students complete at least 1, 20-minute lesson a week.

·         Study Island Reading: Click on “Texas Programs” and select “Reading”.  Then you may select any skill that you would like to work on.  Start with the mini-lesson and then work through the activities! Student login information is in their blue folders.

·         Education Galaxy

·         BoomLearning: https://wow.boomlearning.com/student-login

§  The username will be your student’s first names & last name initial followed by an underscore (_) and the word “fendley”.

§  Example: Lily Moldenhauer  = lilym_fendley

§  Password: 1234 or students may have changed it

§  If your student goes by a shortened version of their given name, the username will reflect that. Rebecca White = beccaw_fendley

Snapshot for March 18

Snapshot for March 18

Click {here} to download a copy of this week's snapshot!

This week, we will focus on the persuasive text.  Students will work with different types of persuasive text in stations, by creating visual representations of different types of visual texts, participating in cooperative skill games, and by applying them to a persuasive passage.  There are also great lessons, reviews, and activities that focus on these skills on both Education Galaxy and on Study Island Reading.

Students will continue to review skills such as identifying plot structure, character traits, and other fiction skills as we complete our novel study on Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo.  We will finish “Book the Fourth” this week!  Students will be given a study guide for their “Book the Fourth” quiz, which is on Friday, March 29.

In Writing, we will continue our Fractured Fairy Tale projects.  This week students will start their final copies. Final copies will be due on April 5^th

We do have a spelling list this week.  A hard copy of the list was sent home on Monday.  The “Changing y to i When Adding an Ending List” will be due on Monday, March 25.

Students have the opportunity to participate in “Donut Let You Skills Slide” technology incentive program.  Students who keep their skills fresh and ready for MOCK STAAR, will have the opportunity to earn prizes and donuts! “Donut Let your Skills Slide” optional practice is due March 22 in order to earn the prizes and donut treat.  J

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Rachel Fendley

3rd Grade ELAR Teacher

Kimberlin Academy

RFendley@garlandisd.net  

Reminders:

March 26- MOCK STAAR Math

March 27- MOCK STAAR Reading

May 13- STAAR MATH

May 14- STAAR Reading

Helpful Links:

Spelling City: https://www.spellingcity.com/RMLittre/ 

Mrs. Fendley’s Blog: https://mrsfendleysowls.blogspot.com/

Online Resources for Skills Practice:

·         Imagine Literacy It is recommended that students complete at least 1, 20-minute lesson a week.

·         Study Island Reading: Click on “Texas Programs” and select “Reading”.  Then you may select any skill that you would like to work on.  Start with the mini-lesson and then work through the activities! Student login information is in their blue folders.

·         Education Galaxy

·         BoomLearning: https://wow.boomlearning.com/student-login

§  The username will be your student’s first names & last name initial followed by an underscore (_) and the word “fendley”.

§  Example: Lily Moldenhauer  = lilym_fendley

§  Password: 1234 or students may have changed it

§  If your student goes by a shortened version of their given name, the username will reflect that. Rebecca White = beccaw_fendley

STAAR Education Galaxy Diagnostic Reports

Today, the results from the STAAR Education Galaxy Reading Diagnostic were stapled into agendas.  This report gives students an overall score and compares their score to all other 3^rd graders in the state, who have completed the assessment.  This report also highlights areas of strength and provides suggested areas of practice.  If you have any spare time over Spring Break, please have students practice these suggested areas on Education Galaxy or Study Island.  Right after Spring Break, students will have MOCK STAAR (March 26-27) and will have their End of Year MAP in April.  To help with this, “Donut Let Your Skills Slide” was sent home on Monday.

Click {here} to download "Donut Let Your Skills Slide"

Have a great and safe Spring Break! 

Young Poets Poetry Contest!

Young Poets Poetry Contest!

Dear Parents,

Over the next week, students will have the opportunity to take part in the Young Poets Poetry Contest!  If selected, your student’s poem will be published in the 2019 Young American Poetry Digest!  Although all poetry forms are encouraged, they are highlighting “haiku” poems. 

The judges will be looking for:

·         Creativity

·         Sensory/Figurative Language

·         Structure

·         Poetic techniques

We included optional educational resources below.  We will cover some of these in class but may not get to all of them due to time restrictions. You can support your student by talking to them about what they plan to write, helping them access the games below, or discussing some of the educational links.

Students will have time to write their poems in class over the week of March 4.  Student entries will be mailed over Spring Break.  Please return the attached permission slip.  Students can also bring in other poems that they wrote at home, however, the contest limits each student to 80 words.   

For extra resources to practice at home, please see the linked letter.  It was sent home on Monday.

For more information, please visit: www.youngpoets.org

Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.  J

Rachel Fendley        RFendley@garlandisd.net

Katie Langehennig             klangehennig@garlandisd.net

Snapshot for March 4

Snapshot for March 4 

Click {here} to upload this week's snapshot!

This week, we will focus on the skills context clues and cause and effect.  Students will review these skills in stations, by creating visual representations, participating in cooperative skill games, and by applying them to a passage.  There are also great lessons, reviews, and activities that focus on these skills on both Education Galaxy and on Study Island Reading.

Students will continue to review skills such as identifying plot structure, character traits, and other fiction skills as we continue our novel study on Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo.  We will start “Book the Fourth” this week!  Students were given a study guide for their “Book the Third” quiz, which is on Wednesday, March 6.

In Writing, we will continue our Fractured Fairy Tale projects.  Students will create and write their own fractured fairy tale.  This week students will plan their writing using an organizer and will start their rough drafts.  Rough drafts will be due on March 8^th for editing and will be returned after Spring Break for students to create final copies with.  Please see the linked rubric for our fractured fairy tale rough drafts.

We will not have homework this week.  We will take the next 2 weeks off from spelling.  Our next list will be after Spring Break. Students have the opportunity to participate in “Donut Let You Skills Slide” technology incentive program.  Students who keep their skills fresh and ready for MOCK STAAR, will have the opportunity to earn prizes and donuts!  J

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Rachel Fendley

3rd Grade ELAR Teacher

Kimberlin Academy

RFendley@garlandisd.net  

Reminders:

March 11-15 – Spring Break

March 19-  College Shirt Day!

March 26- MOCK STAAR Math

March 27- MOCK STAAR Reading

May 13- STAAR MATH

May 14- STAAR Reading

Helpful Links:

Spelling City: https://www.spellingcity.com/RMLittre/ 

Online Resources for Skills Practice:

·         Imagine Literacy It is recommended that students complete at least 1, 20-minute lesson a week.

·         Study Island Reading: Click on “Texas Programs” and select “Reading”.  Then you may select any skill that you would like to work on.  Start with the mini-lesson and then work through the activities! Student login information is in their blue folders.

·         Education Galaxy

·         BoomLearning: https://wow.boomlearning.com/student-login

§  The username will be your student’s first names & last name initial followed by an underscore (_) and the word “fendley”.

§  Example: Lily Moldenhauer  = lilym_fendley

§  Password: 1234 or students may have changed it

§  If your student goes by a shortened version of their given name, the username will reflect that. Rebecca White = beccaw_fendley