December 14

Reading logs due tomorrow
Get spelling and reading tests signed.  Get conduct chart signed and bring back tomorrow.

Tomorrow the children will be allowed to come in pajamas (bring tennis shoes for recess and PE).
If your child asks you to send along your copy of Polar Express please do.  We were going to watch with 2nd grade but they decided it would be too crowded so we are going to watch in our rooms.  That means we need a couple of copies of the movie. 
After our pizza lunch, Ms. Ariss has organized several mothers to help the children make gingerbread houses.

On Friday, the children are allowed to bring board games.  If you let your child bring something electronic, you must send a note along with your child saying it is OK with you.  There is always a chance that it could get broken, stolen, or damaged in a classroom environment.  Your child must be responsible for taking care of whatever he/she brings.

December 9

We have a field trip on Jan. 3 -the day we come back from winter break.  Please sign and return the permission form that was sent home with your child today and return it on Monday.

Keep up your reading log.

December 6

Please be watching for an email or envelope for pizza money for the party on the 15th.  I will make sure those get to Ms. Ariss.  The party will be happening on the 15th - pajama day and the 16th will be a game/fun day.  She also put up a wonderful sign up website for bringing in items for the gingerbread houses.

December 6

spelling due Friday
Reading logs - look like calendars this month - just initial in the box
Personal Narrative - these were due last week - you can check online to make sure your child has a grade by this Wednesday night (this is the 1/2-1 page about a time spent with family)

December 5

Spelling due Friday
Bring library books for tomorrow

November 30

December 15 and 16 - Ms. Ariss will be sending an email or putting something on the blog soon about what each child needs to bring for the ginger bread houses on the 15th.  Every child will need to bring his/her own can of white icing and we will need lots of volunteers to send candy and other items for the houses and party.  I started to let students volunteer in the class but some were rather overzealous in what they wanted to donate!
Thanks!

November 30

November Reading logs due tomorrow
Spelling test Friday and homework due Friday

November 28

Bring library books tomorrow
Spelling due Friday
November Reading logs due Wednesday
Narrative (1/2-1 page about a time spent with loved ones or family) due Wednesday

Group Picture 8:25 this Wednesday AM - Be on time to School!

November 22 revised

So much for big plans....I did not get conduct charts passed out to either group.  Graded papers were only given to my homeroom.  Ms. Wallace's homeroom did not receive graded papers to get signed from me.  All students who are failing either reading, language arts or social studies for Mrs. Crawford received a progress report to get signed.  Please ask your child.  There were only 5 or 6 children who received them.
Have a great holiday!

November 22

Today is science day.  Ms. Haikenwaelder, Abigail's mother, did a wonderful experiment with both classes teaching them about volume, mass, density, and carbon dioxide.
I am sending home graded papers to be signed, conduct charts, and progress reports with anyone failing reading or language arts.  Please ask your child for all papers today so that you won't have to worry about it the rest of the holiday. 
Have a safe and restful Thanksgiving!

November 18

No spelling Nov. 21-22
Tuesday is Science day - students will be involved in science experiments and learning all day

Homework:  Brainstorm ideas for a writing assignment - "A Special Time with Family or Someone I Love"
We will begin writing a narrative about this topic when we come back to school on Monday.  The writing will be due by November 29.  Students may type on the computer and get help from parents if they want to write a rough draft ahead of time.  The writing will be posted in the hallway by December 1st. (At least 5 complete sentences and no more than one page).   Please encourage your child to do his/her best!  This is a school-wide project.  You will see writing about this topic throughout Briargrove.

Also, many students wanted to copy over or rewrite their "Mask" poems.  If students put forth this extra effort to present their poems beautifully, they can earn extra credit in language arts.  If your student already made their poem presentable the first time, they will already have earned the extra credit.

I want to give a special thank you to Avery's mother, Ms. Thurman, for bringing lots of celery, peanut butter, raisins and other ingredients and staying for two classes to help students make "Ants on a Log" and "Super Balls" to go with our story, "How to Raise a Raisin".  We have such wonderful, supportive, parents.  Thank you to all of you who have helped this year by sending in cleansing wipes, markers, stationery, stickers, and all sorts of other needed contributions! 

November 17

Spelling Test tomorrow
Reading logs due tomorrow
If your child brings cash, he/she will be allowed to go down to the book fair to purchase during enrichment

Ms. Wallace's homeroom received their conduct charts today - I forgot to give them out yesterday

Also, the conduct charts for my homeroom had the wrong dates on them.  Forgive me, I handed out the wrong week last week - only one child told me his parents noticed. 

November 16

Mask Poem due tomorrow - I gave them an extra day because I gave out the rubric today and on the website yesterday
Reading logs and spelling due Friday

As long as your child has cash to buy books, we will allow them to go down to the book fair.  Our times got confused due to circumstances not in our control! 

Get graded papers signed tonight

November 15, 2:50 PM

Added:
Mask poem due tomorrow - rubric will be put up on blog - I haven't figured out how to add an attachment yet!  Ms. Ariss is working on this.

Crawford homeroom - Lesson 7 Social Studies worksheet - Illinois map key due tomorrow

November 15

Ink cartridge donations:  Please donate your empty ink cartridges to our class!  Ms. Ariss found that I can turn them in to Office Depot and get $ off on new ink cartridges for our class printer.  Thanks so much!

November 15

CORRECTION:  Wallace's homeroom will purchase books at the book fair on Thursday at 10:30.  I had them scheduled during enrichment!

November 15

spelling due Friday
reading logs due Friday
book fair purchase for Crawford's homeroom is Wednesday at 1:30 PM
book fair purchase for Wallace's homeroom is Friday at 9:30 AM

November 11

Spelling bee test on Monday - for those interested in participating in the school spelling bee - words were handed out last Tuesday -Nov. 8 - no, I didn't put them up on spellingcity for fear of confusing parents -

Keep up the reading logs

My town projects were awesome! 

Book Fair preview next Tuesday and purchasing next Thursday (the 16th)

November 9

Field Trip tomorrow - Your child may wear jeans and a regular shirt for school.  I will pass out their Field trip T shirt in class in the morning for them to change into.  After the trip they will change back out of the Field trip shirt and Ms. Ariss has volunteered for the "dirty" job of washing shirts for both classes!
Bring a disposable bag lunch  - if your child gets free or reduced lunch from the cafeteria, the cafeteria will provide a sack lunch and milk or juice - I think if your child brings a re-usable lunch bag or box that is fine too.

Spelling homework due Friday
Be sure to fill out your reading logs.  Every child is required to check out at least one "chapter" book from the library each week so he/she should be completing their chapter books for homework.
Bring dollars for books to donate if you can
Bring usable coats if possible to donate

November 7

Sorry - with Journalism Club today I forgot to put assignments on the blog!
Spelling due Friday
Reading logs due Friday
Path of the Salmon reading passage due Wednesday
Coat drive for needy children starts tomorrow
Bring Library Books

November 4

My Town Project assigned  - due November 11 regular class does not have to do GT project but may if they wish

Keep up your Reading log!

November 2

Get conduct chart and graded papers signed - be sure to correct any grades lower than 70 and show corrections to me so that I can raise your grade.  Be sure to correct on another sheet of paper or out to the side - never erase

Read for reading log
Spelling

November 1

Reading Logs passed out today - be sure to read every night and get your log signed on Thursday night.
Spelling due on Friday

Dollars for books - If you want to make a donation to your class for the book fair - winning class gets $25 to spend on class books - donations are sent to 3 different organizations

October 28

On Tuesday, I will give stickers to students who bring two pencils sharpened and ready for school and a personal pencil sharpener.
Also, please remember to send in the $6.00 for the field trip and the permission form.  Thank you to those that have already done so!

Enjoy the nice weather this weekend!

I have to go to another session of the district reading training on Monday.  Ms. Lee will be the substitute again.  The children like her and she does a good job.  Happy Halloween.

October 27

Spelling Test tomorrow
Reading Quiz tomorrow
Spelling homework due tomorrow

Thank you Ms. Fady for reading to the morning class this morning.  The children enjoyed listening to Ms. Fady read as one of their group rotations during reading class.  She stayed from 10:00 - 11:00 and read to three groups.  If any parent would like to come and read to students, the times are 10-11 for Crawford homeroom and 1:30-2:30 PM for Wallace homeroom.  The days are Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.  You do have to get a background check through the front office before you can sign up.  Please let Ms. Ariss know if you can help as she is coordinating this effort.

October 26

Field trip permission form needs to be signed and brought back.  Please send exact change of $6.00. 
Get papers and conduct chart signed.
Spelling homework due Friday
Reading logs due Friday

Thanks to Ms. Ariss who has volunteered to wash the shirts for both classes on November 10!  Yeah Ms. Ariss!

October 26

Please help keep order in the classroom by sending your child to school with sharpened pencils or mechanical pencils and/or a personal pencil sharpener.  Thanks so much!  I have offered sticker to all children who have a personal sharpener by Tuesday Nov. 1.  So much time can be wasted standing in line for the pencil sharpener!

If you haven't sent back the signed report card please do so.
Reading logs are due on Fridays.

spelling packet due Friday

October 21-24

Get Report card signed
Bring a personal pencil sharpener to school if possible.  Bring pencils to school!
I will be at a district required training Monday.  Ms. Lee will be the substitute.  She is a regular substitute at Briargrove and she will take good care of the class.

Homework on Monday October 24 -
Get report card signed if you forgot
Spelling homework due Friday
Reading Logs due Friday

October 21

Thanks to the Malks for labeling our Field trip T shirts.  On the day of the field trip, November 10, your child will be allowed to change into their fielt trip T shirt at school.  At the end of the day, they will change back out of it and we will be asking a parent to volunteer to wash them all!  Any volunteers?

Also, the field trip permission slips should be printed by next Wednesday.  The cost will be $6.00 so whenever you want to send in the exact amount please, you may do so. 

October 20

Spelling Test and Reading test tomorrow
Homework due
Reading logs due


Ms. Melville is arranging the field trip and we have not received the permission slips yet so I was premature in asking for money.  I will record and keep the few that sent in money today.

October 19 addendum

Field trip permission slips will be given out soon for the Menil Museum Field trip on November the 10th.  We will go there in the morning for a writing workshop tour, eat lunch there and come back right after lunch.  The cost will be $6.00 per child.  If you want to go ahead and send in the $6.00 I will start collecting the money and check off your child.  I'm sure we will need a few parent volunteers to ride the bus and go with us so if you are interested please let Ms. Wallace or me know.

October 19

Get reading tests and spelling tests signed.  Get conduct chart signed.  Bring them to school tomorrow!
Be able to tell at least one emergency phone # by memory.
"Simon's Pets" - reading comprehension worksheet - due tomorrow

Reading logs and spelling homework due Friday

Upcoming - Book Fair - November 14
Essay contest - "How would my life be in outer space?"  entries due by November 2 (150 words maximum)

October 17

Spelling Homework due on Friday
Reading Logs - due Friday - please initial daily or once a week that your child is reading an appropriate amount each day.  Your child should read for at least 15 minutes and preferably 30 minutes for enjoyment - Remember you may read to or with your chid and the reading time will count.

Writers in the Schools - WITS starts tomorrow

October 14

Diamante Poem due by Monday - completed and illustrated - all but 3 GT students have grades
The morning group of students have been given back their corrected rough drafts and art paper and should finish by Monday.  Most had plenty of time in class today to finish.

Report cards will go out next week on Friday

Spelling List for Prudy's Problem (week of October 17) is on spellingcity website

October 13

Parent permission for WITS - please return!  (Thank you to the 12 who returned today!)
I just realized that the other form was to sign if you do NOT want your child's information released according to district guidelines.  You do not need to return it unless you do NOT want information released. 

Be sure to bring your reading logs, spelling homework and reading worksheet homework to school tomorrow.

Carnival Saturday!

October 12

Compare and Contrast worksheet
Reading Log due Friday
Spelling due Friday
Reading and Spelling Quizzes on Friday

!!!Two important Sign and Returns!!!!  Directory information permission and WITS permission papers - Pleae sign and return them with your signature tomorrow.  You can answer yes or no but you must return both forms.  WITS is a wonderful writing program here at Briargrove just for third graders.  A young professional writer will visit each class for an hour each week to teach our children to write and to love writing!


Sign and return all graded papers - a spelling test and reading test, and your child's conduct chart

post it notes and vocabulary

If your student is reading for his/her reading log at home and comes across unfamiliar words, have them write the words on post it notes and stick them to a sheet of paper.  Then your student can bring the words to class for discussion and clarification.  (Post it notes are more fun than just writing them down) 

If anyone wants to donate small post it note packs to the class so that I can distribute to eager students who might not have them available at home, I would love it!

October 11

Spelling homework due Friday
Diamante poem due Friday (have not worked on in class yet)
Reading log due Friday

Early dismissal - 12:30 tomorrow

Carnival Saturday

October 10, 2011

Spelling Homework due this Friday
Diamante Poem due by Friday - We will work on this in class
NEW - Reading logs due on Fridays - Record the number of pages your child reads each night and initial each day to turn in on Friday.  Children should be reading according to their ability every day - approximately 15-30 minutes.  You may read to them, with them or ask them to read alone.

Bring library books tomorrow.

I am looking for a parent volunteer to take the class T-shirts home (in a bag) to label the names in Sharpie on each T-shirt.  These will be sent back to school for the children to wear on our field trips.  Any volunteers?

Thanks!

October 6

See the blog posting on Crawfordspellcity.blogspot.com

October 5

spelling packet due Friday
Speakers from Alabama Coushatta have been postponed due to an emergency on their part
Ms. Wallace went home sick today at 8:30 AM so students were dispersed among other 3rd grade classes. 
Students in Crawford's homeroom received papers to sign but no conduct charts were passed out to either class due to the confusion of the day.

October 4, 2011

New spelling packet handed out today - due Friday
Pictures tomorrow
Projects due tomorrow - optional for regular class

Mistake on spelling list - October 3

Well this is annoying!  I accidentally msspelled "finish" on the spellingcity website.  I cannot find anywhere on the site how to edit the list or even how to delete the list and start over!  I can't believe that on a spelling site there is not an "auto correct". 
Please correct the first word..."FINISH", not "FINSH"
I am so sorry for such a grievous mistake!

October 3

Spelling homework - One worksheet due tomorrow - Penguin Chick p 114
Bring library books tomorrow
Pictures will be taken on Wednesday.  I do not have extra forms.  If you have lost the one that was supposed to go home last Wednesday, you may obtain another from the front office.   This is a school uniform picture.

September 30

Thank you to the  9 children who brought back their progress reports signed from the morning class today!  The reports did not have a signature line, so just sign on the side of the report anywhere and return on Monday please!

Enjoy the nice weather!

September 28

Please check the crawfordspellcity.blogspot.com website always.

Sept. 26

Crawford homeroom - received spelling homework - one story for tonight

Wallace homeroom - did not get spelling homework today because there were not enough copies - I will send home tomorrow

Sept. 25

Dear Parents,
I am really hoping we can get our websites coordinated as soon as possible.  It is too bad that the faculty blogs were somehow removed from the bgroadrunners.org website.  At present Ms. Ariss has volunteered to keep up the website crawfordspellcity.blogspot.com.  This website theoretically will have all you need for both Ms. Wallace and me.  However, I will continue to post my assignments on this blog also. 

Thank you for your support and patience.  This next week will be a review week with a regular spelling test on Friday over review words.  I have posted the list on spellingcity.com.
Also on Friday the third grade will hold a reading "intervention" so that students will be grouped according to need among the 7 teachers plus Ms. Ogle, our teacher aide for one hour.  This should be fun and beneficial!

Parent Online Book orders

FDZDB is our code
Please order your child's books online as it saves so much time for me!  Plus, you can use your credit card!
Thanks,
Judy Crawford

Wish List

Dear Parents,
I will post this list and update it as we have needs in the classroom.  The children and I appreciate those of you who have already donated items to help make our classroom comfortable, safe, and fun.  We have enough disinfectant wipes and sanitizer right now - thanks to the El Fady's and Ariss's (did I miss someone else?)  Also, thanks to Ms. Tumey and Ms. Thurman for the treasure chest prizes - the children are motivated to earn stickers by being prepared and behaving!  I know we have had other donations of dry erase markers, plastic boxes and such - I want to thank you individually so if I missed you please let me know!  Also, if you would rather NOT be acknowledged publicly - let me know that too.

Currently we need:
Yellow highlighters - please only yellow as the children argue over the colors! (24)
24 glue sticks

We can always use:
small prizes for the treasure box - the little dinosaurs and soldiers are a huge hit! Also, they love the cake erasers.
printer ink (920XL)

Sept. 21

Get all graded papers signed.  If the grade is below 70, you may correct your mistakes on another sheet of paper and return for a grade of 70.
Get your conduct chart signed. 
Take out all book orders and school notices.  You can order books online or bring book money by Oct. 1.

Spelling packet is due by Friday.

Sept. 20

Spelling Packet due Friday.  GT students have a different packet from regular students.  If any parent of a regular student would like to challenge their regular student, let me know and I will let your child try the more challenging work.

Spelling

Spelling did not get printed in time today so there is no spelling homework tonight.

Monday 9-19

Spelling List published on SpellingCity.com  - You should be able to go to SpellingCity.com and find Briargrove and then Judy Crawford and then our list.
spelling packet due Friday

Bring Library books to school tomorrow for library day.

Hooray for Rain!

Class Notes

Congratualions Crawford's Homeroom!  We had 100% attendance this week!  We get to wear jeans and Briargrove or team tee shirts this coming Monday, Sept. 19.

Parents, it is so important for your child to come to school every day unless he/she is really sick with a fever or something contagious.  At the very least, make sure they come until 9:00 AM so they can be counted present. They can leave after that if necessary but they will miss instruction! Briargrove loses state funds when your child is absent.  If your child has a Dr. appointment, come to school afterward with a note from the doctor and your child will still be counted present (but they will still miss instruction!)

Homework and Notes

I sent home a user name and password with 27 children today. I do not know why many of the children are not listed in the computer data base for the teacher (me) to add to pearsonsuccessnet.com. I will add names as soon as I am able.

If you have not returned the enrollment card or media release, please do so ASAP. Thank you to all of you who are helping your children get things signed on Wednesdays!

Have a great weekend! Maybe we will get some rain!

Class homework and notes

http://www.mswallacethirdgradeclass.blogspot.com/

Ms. Wallace did not have a chance to proof-read the letter before I ran it off yesterday so I apologize for the (s) that should not be there between wallace and third! Please make the correction in your notes.

Spelling test tomorrow - regular class first 15 words, GT class all 20
Reading Quiz for tomorrow - will be postponed until Monday so that I can make sure the children understand the vocabulary words. I have been busy testing each child individually to get their reading levels this week.

Geography quiz tomorrow for Crawford homeroom - We did a practice quiz today and students took notes. Words to know: border, continent, legend, poles, hemisphere, axis, lake, cardinal directions, and equator. Be able to name the four oceans and seven continents (The big map will be visible for the children to see for hints!)

Homework

Open House tonight at 6:30 - PTO meeting cafeteria
7:00 come to Wallace and Crawford's rooms

Sign all graded papers, conduct chart, media release, and enrollment card. VERY IMPORTANT

Spelling due Friday

Homework

Spelling homework due Friday.
Open House tomorrow.

Homework

Bring Library book tomorrow!
Spelling Packet due by Friday

Open House for Wallace and Crawford this Wednesday instead of Thursday with other third grades.

Week of Sept 9-16

Open House on 9-14 Wednesday 6:30-8:00 PM Wallace and Crawford only - Ms. Wallace has a family emergency for which she must be out of town on the 15th.

If anyone has a 9x12 area rug -solid color preferable - we would sure like to have it for the classroom. The one we have is inherited from some math class; is very old, is too big, and if the children use colored pencils or colored manipulatives, they get lost.

I am switching to this format because the posts will stay up for you to see. That way if your child is absent, you can check what homework was given that day.

Notes

You can now check your child's grades:
houstonisd.org; then click the parent tab and the parent student connect page is there. You will need your student’s ID number and the last 5 numbers of the child’s social (if you registered with it) and if you didn’t, then the last five numbers of the student’s PEIMS number. The office can provide the PEIMS number and ID # if you call the office.