End of Module Celebration
Parents, don't forget to come out to our classroom this Thursday, September 27 @10:00 for our End of Module Celebration.  You will get to read and sign your child's reading challenges contract, see their reading challenges bookmark, and listen to our audiobook recordings! 

Can't make it?  Your child's audiobook recording is already on Google Classroom.  Ask your child to log in so you can listen.  A graded copy of your child's reading contract will come home after track out for you to see as well. 

Our first track out is here!
Due to having two Third Grade Track 4 class this year, track out will look a little different.  Your child will NOT have to bring home their school supplies.  We will store them in Mrs. Perrott's classroom.  Please send in a reusable shopping bag that can be left at school for the entire track out by Thursday.  On Thursday afternoon, we will pack up our supplies.  We are moving out of our classroom this quarter, but the good news is that over the next track out in December/January we will not be changing classrooms!

I do not send home track out homework.  I strongly believe in allowing the children to play, relax and have fun over track out.  I work them hard when they are in session.  If you do want your child to continue working then please feel free to use the websites I sent home last week, practice math facts (addition, subtraction, multiplication), read and even write about their experiences over track out.  I will also be sending home all the math practice pages from the quarter that we did not use in class.  Feel free to use these as extra practice or recycle them!

Field Trip Money
If you have not already done so, please send in $35 check or cash (exact change only) before track out.  The $35 covers the cost of all trips for the entire school year.

Mordecai Field Trip
Our first field trip is to the Mordecai House on October 30.  We will leave school at 9:30 and return around 12:30.  We will eat lunch when we return to school.  While chaperones are not needed, parents are welcome to attend.  Just note due to limited space on the trolley ride, parents may not be able to ride.

Curious about what we do during EL?
Throughout this quarter the only reading and writing papers that have been sent home are graded assignments.  This is because all practice work is completed in our workbooks.  Your child's EL workbooks will be sent home in Wednesday folders this week.  Take a peek in them and see what we have been up to.  They get new ones each quarter.

Dates to Remember
9/27  Track Out Day
9/30-10/21  Track Out for Track 4
10/22  Track 4 Classes Resume
10/23-10/25 CogAT Testing 9:30-10:15
10/23  Report Cards Go Home
10/30  Mordecai Field Trip
11/5  NC Check Ins (Math Assessment)
11/11  Veteran's Day, No School

Save the Date!  Parents, you are invited to attend our Performance Task Presentations on Thursday, September 26 at 10:00 in our classroom (room 300).  At this presentation, your child will be presenting their reading contract, reading strategies bookmark, and audiobook recording from our first EL Module: Learning Challenges!  We look forward to seeing you all there!

Encrypted Emails
Due to a recent change in privacy rules with Wake County, I am required to label all emails containing information about your child as confidential.  Here at school, that makes my emails appear as encrypted.  It takes a couple more steps to open them.  I have noticed that I have not received many replies to my encrypted emails.  These are not spam!!!!  Please open them as they have important communication about your child. 

What are we learning?

ELA:  We are currently in Unit 3 of our Learning Challenges Module.  Your child is analyzing the structure of a reading contract and will begin writing their own contract about their reading challenges on Friday.  We are also practicing fluent reading with an excerpt of text that will be used to create an audiobook recording!

Math:  We have begun a lengthy unit on addition and subtraction with 2 and 3-digit numbers.  This unit will continue after track out, but your child will have their first assessment on it next Friday.

Social Studies:  We have finished our human body science unit and are now working on a three week social studies unit about history.  We are focusing on the history of Raleigh.  We began over 500 years ago by discussing Sir Walter Raleigh, and will now move through time covering the founders of Raleigh, slavery, Women's Suffrage Movement, and Civil Rights Movement.

CogAT Practice

Your child may be telling you that they are doing CogAT Practice.  We will take the CogAT test the week we return from track out.  Ms. Kessler, our AIG teacher, has been in our classroom this week going over sample questions to ensure your child receives the best possible score!

What is CogAT?

The CogAT testing is the preliminary testing for AIG.  Students who make a high score on these tests will take the IOWA test in December.  The CogAT tests consist of three 10 minute tests per day.  They are number puzzles, word puzzles and visualization.  The kids enjoy them and the whole process takes about 45 minutes out of our day.  

Dates to Remember:

9/19  Picture Day @11:10

9/26  End of Module Performance Task Performance @10:00

9/30-10/21  Track Out

10/22  Quarter 2 Begins for Track 4

10/23-10/25  CogAT Testing

1023  Report Cards Go Home

10/30  Mordechi Field Trip