Third grade spelling: The Olympic Games

1.  least
2.  fast
3.  just
4.  burst
5.  strip
6.  stick
7.  strike
8.  artist
9.  almost
10.  student
11.  strong
12.  start
13.  blast
14.  step
15.  street

Bonus words
news story
article
newsletter
biography
magazine
informational

Fourth grade spelling: The Golden Touch

1.  Midas
2.  powerful
3.  granting
4.  wealth
5.  reconsider
6.  statue
7.  golden
8.  foolish
9.  punished
10.  curse
11.  realized
12.  sobbing
13.  sprouted
14.  request
15.  assistance
16.  fulfill
17.  treasure
18.  demanded
19.  important
20.  reminder 

Bonus words
satyr
console
sprung
sentiment
disbelief
goblet
starve
pitied 

Teacher's note August 25, 2014

Mrs. Saavedra has been a wonderful addition to our All Star team!  She just completed her first week of helping individual students, working with small groups, and preparing materials for future lessons.  She will be in our class from 8:30 until 10:30 each school day and is an outstanding teacher's assistant. 

The fourth grade unit 1 math assessment will be in the Dragon Folder for you to see how your son or daughter understood the concepts.  Please review the test with your child.  I will review the concepts with the students who need a little more practice and then they have another chance to show mastery. 
Fourth grade will begin to study the base ten system to the 1,000s, addition and subtraction strategies.  Monday they will make a 1,000 book! 

The third graders will be taking their unit 1 assessment on Tuesday.  I hope they have a solid understanding of how to make a 100, counting change, writing equations and using a  number line to
add.  I would appreciate your help reviewing these topics with your son or daughter.  Next the third graders will start a multiplication unit and understanding equal groups. 

I now have a variety of reading data such as class assessments and Dibels testing to inform me of each student's strengths and areas for improvement.  We will address the areas that need improvement.  The kids are doing a fabulous job on their reading logs!  If they continue reading far more than required, we can only imagine the growth!

School pictures are coming up the first week in September. Picture information will be in Monday's Dragon Folder. Everyone will have their picture taken for the yearbook and lunch cards.  If you wish to purchase pictures, please return the order and check on or before picture day.  I'm sure the kids will look terrific!

You probably already have exciting plans for Labor Day weekend.  We will not have school on Monday, September 1 due to the holiday.  Enjoy your three day weekend!

Take care,
Mrs. Figueroa

Homework week of August 25, 2014

Third grade homework
Monday - vocabulary 16, math 39 and reading log
Tuesday - spelling 19 & 21, math page 14 and reading log
Wednesday - language 18, math 26, and reading log
Thursday - study spelling, edit paragraph, math page 2 and reading log

Fourth grade homework
Monday - vocabulary 15 & 16, math 1 & 2 and reading log
Tuesday - spelling 19 & 21, math 3 & 4, and reading log
Wednesday - prefixes, math 6 & 7, reading log
Thursday - study spelling, edit paragraph, math 11 & 12 and reading log




  

Third Grade Spelling: Allie's Basketball Dream

1.  tight
2.  while
3.  show
4.  stone
5.  bright
6.  whole
7.  window
8.  time
9.  follow
10.  close
11.  flight
12.  tide
13.  grow
14.  broke
15.  below

Bonus words
aimed
captain
monitor
pretended
professional
familiar

Fourth Grade Spelling: Lou Gehrig: The Luckiest Man

1.  those
2.  coach
2.  solid
4.  include
5.  crew
6.  plus
7.  operate
8.  broke
9.  upset
10.  tune
11.  June
12.  floating
13.  plume
14.  renew
15.  husband
16.  honor
17.  smoke
18.  conflict
19.  stew
20.  thunder

Bonus words
immigrants
salary
modest
valuable
appreciation
courageous
tremendous
sportsmanship

Teacher's note August 18, 2014

Thank you to all of you that were able to attend Curriculum Night last Tuesday - I appreciate your time.  For those who weren't able to attend, the Curriculum Night hand outs will be placed in the Dragon Folder for you to see.  I am pleased to let you know the All Stars now have two Classroom Event Organizers, CEOs.  Mrs. Mourreale and Mrs. Olson have agreed to be co-CEOs.  Mrs. Christiansen has been kind enough to volunteer to  stuff the Dragon Folders for us on Mondays. Thank you ladies!

I had a couple of great questions that we did not discuss Tuesday evening.  Should the parents sign the planners each evening?  Yes, I would like to ask a parent to sign your child's planner each night Monday through Thursday.  I want us all to work as a team and keep informed as to what is happening in the class and with your child.  The second question was when is homework turned in?  I needed to adjust the routine.  Homework will be collected first thing in the morning.  I will decide if each assignment should be graded in class, I grade it, or it receives a check meaning I checked to see if the assignment was completed. 

Congratulations to Cailyn and Danitza for being selected as third grade student council representatives and Audrey and Caitlin for winning the fourth grade election.  I am sure all four students will use their leadership skills in student council.

The third grade will be working on counting and adding coins this week.  Perhaps you have coins in a piggy bank or pocket that they can practice counting and adding.  Maybe you can even let them handle the money at a place of business.  Nothing like real experiences to teach a lesson.  :)

The fourth grade will be completing their first multiplication unit and taking a test on Thursday. Wednesday night's study guide is a great review for the test.  Parents may want to check over the study guide to see if your son or daughter seems confident with the concepts. 

I am excited to have Mrs. Saavedra join our All Star team this week! 

Thank you for taking the time to read this communication and supporting your child's education.

Warmly,
Mrs. Figueroa    

Third grade spelling: Nate the Great, San Francisco Detective

1.  easy
2.  grade
3.  meet
4.  late
5.  seat
6.  saved
7.  pail
8.  these
9.  reach
10.  name
11.  raise
12.  leave
13.  gain
14.  theme
15.  scream

Bonus words
case
detective
specific
returned
assistant
positive
definitely

Fourth grade spelling: My Name is Maria Isabel

1.  mine
2.  tie
3.  wild
4.  type
5.  smile
6.  drive
7.  size
8.  blind
9.  visit
10.  thick
11.  die
12.  prize
13.  fifty
14.  picnic
15.  arrived
16.  decide
17.  child
18.  civil
19.  divide
20.  library

Bonus words
pageant
rehearsals
restless
troublesome
tropical
attentively

Teacher's Note August 11, 2014

I would like to invite you to Curriculum Night this Tuesday.  We will meet in our classroom from 6:50 until 7:30.  The conversation will be directed towards the adults, but the students are welcome if they want to hear the information too.  I do plan on sharing a vast amount of information and hope to use your time wisely.  I have even offered the students a homework freebie if they can convince an adult to attend.  I honestly feel Curriculum Night is a terrific investment  for a successful school year. 

We started our language arts, math, science and social studies curriculum last week.  Also, our resource and speech teachers set their schedule and began working with students.  This week we add music, Mrs. Damek, computer lab, library, orchestra and GATE into the schedule.  We continue to adjust the schedule to meet the needs of our students.  School is far more exciting once our special activities are included. 

We have excellent news!  Mrs. Saavedra has been hired as a teacher's aide to work with the students in my combination class two hours per day.  She is an experienced teacher's aide and a very kind person.  I am tickled pink to  have her in the classroom with my All Stars.  Mrs. Saavedra will start on August 18.

Tuesday night we will discuss curriculum in detail.  Let me just write a brief note about what will be taught this week.  Third graders will continue to work on addition strategies, move into the hundreds and addition fluency.  Fourth graders will work on understanding factors, multiples and multiplication facts.  All of my All Stars will study narrative elements, root words, prefixes and suffixes this week. 

I have been impressed with your children and hope to see you at Curriculum Night.  

Warmly,
Mrs. Figueroa

Homework week of August 11, 2014

Third Grade
Monday - vocabulary 5, math 29 & 30 and reading log
Tuesday - spelling 13 & 15, math 33 & 34 and reading log
Wednesday - narrative elements 6 & 7, math 35 and reading log
Thursday - study spelling words, math 37 and reading log

Fourth Grade
Monday - vocabulary 6, math 16 - 18 and reading log
Tuesday - spelling 13 & 15, math page 20 & study multiplication facts, and reading log
Wednesday - language 7 & 8, math 23 & 24 and reading log
Thursday - study spelling words, math 25 & 26 and reading log

Third Grade Spelling: Pepita Talks Twice

1.  slip
2.  fish
3.  pick
4.  rocks
5.  lunch
6.  gift
7.  thing
8.  inch
9.  truck
10.  pond
11.  from
12.  jump
13.  socks
14.  dish
15.  thump

Bonus words
grumble
exploded
languages
mumbled
streak
stubborn
darted

Fourth Grade Spelling: Donavan's Word Jar

1.  asleep
2.  empty
3.  queen
4.  deal
5.  needed
6.  spelling
7.  east
8.  feelings
9.  tea
10.  keeping
11.  beneath
12.  agree
13.  elevator
14.  coffee
15.  suggested
16.  method
17.  feature
18.  metal
19.  disease
20.  television

Bonus words
uneasy
disappointment
compromise
perseverance
leisure
chortle

Teacher's Note August 4, 2014

I was extremely pleased with the beginning of the school year.  We had perfect attendance the first two days of school! Our cabinets are teeming with supplies for the school year and almost everyone has handed in the mountain of paperwork that was in the Dragon Folder.  My All Stars seem very kind and caring.  I had to smile when a fourth grade student was describing a third grader and said, "I really like _____.  We are friends and work well together."  During our Friday afternoon class meeting the majority of the kids stated the best part of the week was meeting so many new friends! Again, I had to smile. 

Please save next Tuesday, August 12 for Curriculum Night.  We will meet in our classroom from 6:50 until 7:30 and share as much information as possible in that short amount of time.  I believe it will be worth your time to attend.  Your son or daughter will receive a homework freebie coupon if you come. 

We have many learning opportunities planned for this week.  All of us will be working on vocabulary, complete sentences, narrative elements and writing a personal narrative during language arts.  The third graders will write about a time they could not stop laughing and the fourth grade prompt is to describe a challenge they faced.  The students may ask you to edit their personal narrative on Thursday evening. 

Third graders are studying place value and addition and subtraction strategies.  They will have an opportunity to use pictures, number lines, and the algorithm to solve math problems.  The kids already have modeled three or four different addition strategies that they can use. Third graders will be working on their fluency with addition and subtraction facts. 

The fourth graders will be building arrays to find the factors of a given number.  They should have a solid understanding of arrays, dimensions, prime, composite and square numbers by the end of the week.  They will be working on memorizing their multiplication facts through 12. 

That is probably enough information for now! Thank you for reading this blog entry and I look forward  to working with your child this school year. 

Warmly,
Mrs. Figueroa

Homework week of August 4, 2014

Third Grade

Monday - vocabulary, math pages 11 & 12 and reading log
Tuesday - spelling, math page 14 and reading log
Wednesday - language , math 17 & 18 and reading log
Thursday - study spelling, addition practice and reading log

Fourth Grade

Monday - vocabulary, math pages 4 & 5 and reading log
Tuesday - spelling, math pages 6 & 8 and reading log
Wednesday - language, math 13 & 14 and reading log
Thursday - study spelling words, math pages 13 & 14 and reading log

Third Grade Spelling: Officer Buckle and Gloria

1.  sat
2.  felt
3.  last
4.  send
5.  next
6.  best
7.  went
8.  hand
9.  stand
10.  past
11.  grand
12.  stamp
13.  belt
14.  lend
15.  checked

Bonus words
department
expression
obeys
accident
commands
noticed
audience

4th Grade Spelling: The Gardner

1.  played
2.  escape
3.  thank
4.  subway
5.  gray
6.  safely
7.  mistake
8.  greatest
9.  break
10.  after
11.  planting
12.  scratch
13.  address
14.  holiday
15.  natural
16.  paragraph
17.  blanket
18.  capital
19.  taken
20.  cabin

Bonus words
anxious
recognizing
adore
vacant
sprucing
retire