December 18, 2014

Dear Parents,

     It has been my privilege to work with your wonderful children this semester!  We have learned a lot and worked and grown, both individually and as a class.  I love seeing the progress our students are making!  I encourage you to encourage your great kid to get on i-Ready for Reading and Math over the break if he/she can.  Most of the students love it since it meets them at their level and slowly stretches them while rewarding their hard work with fun games after they finish their lessons.  (Remember that your student can login with his/her lunch number and abc123.) Teachers love it because it targets the exact skills your child needs to work on and allows us to monitor their progress and growth.  Thanks for all your support and I hope everyone has a fabulous break!!! 

     Jenny M-G

December 8, 2014

     Dear Parents,

      This Friday we will have our Economics test. Your student will be bringing home his/her textbook and journal on Wednesday to study the vocabulary and t-charts with examples of our terms (good, service, entrepreneur, income, budget, consumers, producers, interdependence, capital resources, human resources, natural resources, scarcity, supply, demand, interdependence, opportunity cost, and trade off). Your student can also review on Pebble Go (Spalding Drive webpage, Students, Media Center, Resources, Pebble Go Social Studies) under "All About Money". There are also movies on Brainpop for natural resources and trade. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. Thanks for your support!!

Jenny M-G

December 5, 2014

 Dear Parents,

This morning we were exploring how our money is made and how different countries have different currencies. The students wanted me to let you know the website so they could continue exploring the videos and games at home so here it is:
http://www.usmint.gov/kids/ I hope you both enjoy it!

Jenny M-G

December 2, 2014

Dear Parents,

     In Social Studies, we have finished up our Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony unit with our choice board activities and are into our Economics unit.  We have read the story of Kojo, a young Ghanian boy who starts his own business.  Students should be reviewing their vocabulary (currency, goods, services, income, savings, budget, entrpreneur) on Pebble Go this week.  Your student can access Pebble Go on the Spalding webpage under Media Center Resources, Pebble Go, Social Studies, All About Money.  Students should read all the books and watch all the videos - Supply and Demand and Scarcity will need to be reviewed at least twice.  In Science, we have finished our Minerals, Rocks, and Soils unit and will be studying Fossils for the next few weeks. 

     In Reading, we are continuing to examine our texts closely and analyzing and dissecting them in small groups.  These skills will help our students prepare for the Milestone in the spring.  Students are working on their word sorts with Words Our Way.  We also are exploring literature circles and are reading about related Science and Social Studies concepts in our small group rotations.  The students are making great connections!  Please encourage your student to read nightly and take AR tests regularly.

     In Writing, the students have finished their Informational essays on their chosen animal and we are currently working on writing a Persuasive letter.  In Math, we have finished up our unit on Multiplication and Division.   Your student can continue to review on Study Jams and iReady which is the new resource the school has purchased. Your student can login at login.i-ready.com  (lunch # is username and abc123 is password).  We are now into Unit 3 covering Area and Perimeter and will be spiraling graphing and line plots, 2-step word problems, and measurement to the nearest 1/4 inch and 1/2 inch.

Thank you for all your support!

Jenny Magis-Graves

magisgraves@fultonschools.org

STEM lab fun designing and improving towers

November 4, 2014

    Dear Parents,

    In Math we are studying our multiplication strategies and facts and will be moving into division this week.  It would be a great help to your student if you were able to go by the Dollar Store and pick up some multiplication and division flashcards so your student can practice his/her facts for 10 MINUTES each night.  We are reviewing in class and on IXL, but reinforcement is needed for most of our students.  Thanks in advance for your support!!

     In Reading/ELA we are working on analyzing text closely and synthesizing the information into short essays.  We have already done this in our Adaptations unit with the students' gathering notes in their animal research and we are in the process of finishing our informational paper final drafts.  Their posters were wonderful and we all learned a lot about each animals' habitat, adaptations, and threats!  This week we will be working with information the state sent out as an example of what to expect on the Milestone this spring and will be analyzing and synthesizing information from fables.

     In Science, we have moved into studying Minerals, Rocks, and Soils. Today I introduced the students to a cool game on Brainpop called The Ruby Realm as well as other Science and Social Studies games related to our units: Food Chain, Tree Frog Treasure, Construct-a-saurus, Food Fight, Law Craft, and Executive Command.  Brain Pop is a wonderful resource for reviewing Science and Social Studies standards!  In STEM lab, we finished our experiment on how huddling closely on cave walls is a behavioral adaptation that helps bat pups survive.

    Please remember that next Wednesday, 11/12 is an Early Release Day.  Thank you for all of your support!


     Jenny M-G

October 1, 2014 - Gardening Day!

                                                Our first class gardening day!!

September 28, 2014

 Dear Parents,

       Well, we planted in our garden plot on Friday and we will be growing carrots, kale, radishes, and lettuce!  We can't wait to be able to make our own school grown salads soon! (Pics to come soon...)

      Please remember that picture day is tomorrow, 9/29 so have your student looking his or her best.  If your student has to miss school, make ups will be scheduled for later in the year. 

      Our math homework this week will be on IXL.  Your student can logon at www.ixl.com/signin/spalding  with the username (first initial of first name then last name - for example, mine would be jmagisgraves) and password abc123.  This week we are going to focus on word problems, building up our strength in addition, and easing into multiplication.  Your student should work through the Addition problems in C.3, C.4, and C.5, the Logical Reasoning problems in M.1, and the Multiplication problems in F.1 and F.2.  

      Please remind your student that if they cannot work on IXL at home for any reason, they are always welcome to work on it in homeroom!  :)  Signed papers can be returned any day this week after you review them with your student and sign them.  Thanks so much for your support!

Jenny M-G

September 15, 2014

      Dear Parents,

      This week in math our homework will be on IXL.  Please have your student login and work on C.1 Add Numbers Up to 3 Digits, D.1 Subtract Numbers Up to 3 Digits, L.1 Rounding to the Nearest 10 and 100, and Q.3 Measuring Using an Inch Ruler.  We are reviewing all the standards in this unit to help prepare the students for our upcoming Unit 1 test.  The test is currently scheduled for next Tuesday, September 23rd.

      Please let me know if you have any questions about IXL.  Thanks for all your support!

                                                            Jenny M-G

     Estimados padres de familia,

     Esta semana en matemáticas nuestra tarea estará a IXL. Por favor tenga su inicio de sesión de los estudiantes y el trabajo en C.1 Agregar números de hasta 3 dígitos, D.1 restar números de hasta 3 dígitos, L.1 Redondeo a la medición más cercana 10 y 100, y P.3 El uso de un Gobernante pulgadas. Estamos revisando todas las normas en esta unidad para ayudar a preparar a los estudiantes para nuestra próxima prueba Unidad 1. La prueba está programada para el próximo martes, September23.

     Por favor, hágamelo saber si usted tiene alguna pregunta sobre IXL. Gracias por todo su apoyo!

Jenny M-G

September 10, 2014

Dear Parents,

We will be finishing up our Roots of Democracy posters tomorrow. The students have done a fantastic job! Please look for their posters on our hallway walls and in the Media Center. We are now working on our differentiated choice boards for Paul Revere. If your student would like to explore more about Paul Revere at home, he or she can explore these awesome online resources: Pebble Go Biographies on the Spalding Media Center webpage, Brainpop on the Spalding Media Center webpage (username: Spalding Password:Tigers), and www.bensguide.gpo.gov/ I hope the students have fun exploring!

Jenny M-G

Estimados padres de familia,

Estaremos terminando nuestras raíces de la democracia posters mañana. Los estudiantes han hecho un trabajo fantástico! Por favor, busque sus carteles en las paredes de los pasillos y en el Media Center. Ahora estamos trabajando en nuestras tablas de elección diferenciadas para Paul Revere. Si su hijo le gustaría explorar más sobre Paul Revere en casa, él o ella puede explorar estos recursos en línea impresionante: Pebble Go Biografías en la página web Spalding Media Center, Brainpop en la página web Spalding Media Center (nombre de usuario: Contraseña Spalding: Tigres), y www.bensguide.gpo.gov/ Espero que los estudiantes se diviertan explorando!

Jenny M-G

September 4, 2014

     Wow, it's hard to believe that our first month of school is coming to a close!  The students are hard at work on their Roots of Democracy posters and will present them in partners next week.  If you are able to send in a poster for child this Friday, that would be wonderful.  I will have back up posters on hand for any students who are not able to send them in.

     We are setting our AR goals and all of the students have taken their first AR tests and are on their way to meeting their goal!  It has been amazing to watch the students build their reading stamina in class the past couple of weeks.  We have been to the Media Center twice and the students are learning to find good fit books that they will successfully finish and enjoy.  Our current extended text is Because of Winn-Dixie which is another story that helps us explore and understand what being a good friend really means.

     In Math we are working on our multi-digit addition strategies.  Each student has a Strategy Box in his/her journal and we are writing the strategies we used for each problem we solve.  Yesterday we had fun rolling dice to come up with two multi-digit numbers to add in small groups.  It was terrific to hear the students talking about their different strategies!

      Please continue to sign your student's Reading Log nightly and Score Card weekly.  Thanks so much for your support!

                                                                                         Jenny M-G  

Wow, es difícil creer que nuestro primer mes de clases se acerca a su fin! Los estudiantes están trabajando duro en sus raíces de posters Democracia y los presentarán en socios de la próxima semana. Si usted es capaz de enviar en un cartel para que el niño este viernes, eso sería maravilloso. Voy a tener copia de seguridad de los carteles en la mano para cualquier estudiante que no son capaces de enviarlas.

      Estamos estableciendo nuestros objetivos AR y casi todos los estudiantes han tomado sus primeras pruebas de AR y están en camino de cumplir su meta! Ha sido increíble ver a los estudiantes a construir su resistencia de lectura en clase el último par de semanas. Hemos estado en la biblioteca dos veces y los estudiantes están aprendiendo a encontrar buenos libros aptos que van a terminar con éxito y disfrutar. Nuestro texto extendido actual es Because of Winn-Dixie, que es otra historia que nos ayuda a explorar y comprender lo que significa ser un buen amigo significa realmente.

      En matemáticas estamos trabajando en nuestras estrategias de suma de varios dígitos. Cada estudiante tiene una caja de Estrategia en su / su diario y estamos escribiendo las estrategias que utilizamos para cada problema que resolvemos. Ayer tuvimos tirar los dados diversión para llegar a dos números de varios dígitos para agregar en grupos pequeños. Fue fantástico escuchar a los estudiantes a hablar de sus diferentes estrategias!

       Por favor continúe a firmar de su estudiante Registro de Lectura nocturna y Score Card semanal. Muchas gracias por su apoyo!

                                                                                          Jenny M-G

August 14, 2014

Dear Parents,

     We have had a wonderful first week of school and I have enjoyed getting to know your children!  We are learning about Democracy and the Three Branches of Government in Social Studies.  In Reading, we have been practicing rotating through our centers and doing lots of "good fit" book reading as well as enjoying our extended text "Ralph S. Mouse".  Your students will be sharing their "What I did this summer" essays in Writing tomorrow.  In Math we have begun our exploration of Place Value and Patterns.

     Tomorrow your child will bring home a Score Card sheet which is part of our grade level management system.  Please ask your child for his/her Score Card nightly and remember to sign it on Thursday evening.  Next Monday your child will also be bringing home a Reading Log to record nightly reading.  Your child should be reading 20 minutes a night in order to grow as a reader so please encourage your child to meet this goal!

       If you ever have any questions for me,  please e-mail me at magisgraves@fultonschools.org

                                                  Thanks!  Jenny M-G

Estimados padres de familia,

Hemos tenido una maravillosa primera semana de clases y yo hemos disfrutado de conocer a sus hijos! Estamos aprendiendo sobre la Democracia y los tres poderes del Estado en Estudios Sociales. En la lectura, hemos estado practicando rotación a través de nuestros centros y haciendo un montón de "buen ajuste" la lectura de libros, así como disfrutar de nuestro texto extendido "Ralph S. Mouse". Sus estudiantes van a compartir su "Lo que hice este verano" ensayos por escrito mañana. En matemáticas hemos comenzado nuestra exploración de Valor posicional y patrones.

Mañana su hijo llevará a casa una hoja Score Card, que es parte de nuestro sistema de gestión de nivel de grado. Por favor, pregunte a su hijo por su / su Score Card noche y recordar a firmarlo en la noche del jueves. El próximo lunes su hijo también estará trayendo a casa un registro de lectura para registrar lecturas nocturnas. Su hijo debe estar leyendo 20 minutos cada noche para poder crecer como lector así que por favor anime a su hijo a cumplir con este objetivo!

Si alguna vez tiene alguna pregunta para mí, por favor envíeme un correo electrónico a magisgraves@fultonschools.org

Gracias! Jenny M-G

August 6, 2014

     It's hard to believe that another school year is here, but I am SO excited to get it started!!  Our 3rd grade Sneak Peek will be Thursday, 8/7 from 12:30 to 2;30. This will be your chance to meet Ms. Rowley and me and check out the classroom as well as drop off supplies.  I will have information sheets out where you can give us all your contact information, let us know a little bit about your child, and sign up for Friday snacks.   If you can't make it, no worries!  We will mostly be having "getting to know each other" activities on Monday and we will get your child settled comfortably and off to a great start!

Es difícil de creer que otro año escolar está aquí, pero estoy tan emocionada de ponerlo en marcha! Nuestro 3er grado Sneak Peek será Jueves, 07.08 de 12.30 a 2; 30. Esta será su oportunidad de conocer a la Sra. Rowley y yo y echa un vistazo a la sala de clases, así como dejar a los suministros. Voy a tener hojas de información fuera donde nos puede dar su información de contacto, vamos a conocer un poco acerca de su hijo, y registrarse para meriendas Viernes. Si no puede hacerlo, no se preocupe! Vamos a estar teniendo sobre todo "llegar a conocer unos a otros" actividades el lunes y vamos a hacer que su hijo se instaló cómodamente y fuera a un gran comienzo!