1.31.11

Short and sweet today (I coach our Governor's Cup Academic Team and we had a scrimmage after school today and I just got all the kids sent home....LOOOOONG day, BUT...GSE won!!!  woooo hooo!!!)

Reading
I passed out our spelling packet for this week.  We are now working out of Book 4 from 'Wordly Wise'.  We originally said we would not be switching classes on Fridays, but now we are.  With that, I also said spelling packets are due to be turned in by Thursday...so now, you have an additional day and they are due on Friday when we take our spelling test!  Please work on this packet all week (prioritze your time so you're not stuck doing it all on Thursday night as I do not accept late packets!). 
ALSO, please read chapters 3 & 4 from Sarah Noble tonight.  We discussed chapters 1-2 today in class and began relearning the literature circle roles and process. 

WOW! words this week are:

fascinated

chemical

definitely

scholastic

ventriloquist

MATH:

We continued working on multiplication and took our timed test per usual.  We also began working on multiplication WITH regrouping.  
Homework tonight is completing a 90 second timed multiplication quiz.  I expect every person to be on level 2 of these BY FRIDAY.

PM activities:
completed January's on-demand, worked on spelling packets, and completed morning work.

Have a happy (and dry!) Monday evening!
xoxo,
Mrs. Thomas



What's up at GSE this week:

This Week at Garden Springs

Groundhog Day is THIS Wednesday, February 2nd!  Will he see his shadow??

**Because of the snow day last week Fitness Week PE schedule Monday the 31^th, is Day 5. Come join your student in PE class!!!**

Monday, Jan. 31 - (Day 5):
2nd MAP Testing Window Continues (12/6/10-2/18/11)

2:45-3:45p: Performing Arts Club Rehearsal

Governor’s Cup Academic Team —Scrimmage vs. Clays Mill @ GSE 3:00-4:30pm

Family Fitness Week
(1/24-2/1)

Tuesday, Feb. 1 - (Day 6):
7:50-8:10a: Beta Club

Orchestra — Winter Concert

Wednesday, Feb. 2 - (Day 1):
Groundhog Day

Spirit Day (wear your GSE t-shirt or sweat-shirt)

7:30-8:00a: K-Kids 

2:45-4:00p: Governor’s Cup Academic Team Practice 

Thursday, Feb. 3 - (Day 2): 
2:35-3:45p: 2nd & 3rd Grade Spanish Club

2:45-4:00p: STLP

Friday, Feb. 4 - (Day 3):
2:45-3:45p: Chess Club

Saturday, Feb. 5:
Academic Challenge Principal’s Cup Competition @ Bryan Station High School

1.27.11 - the day of Ms. Betty

Ms. Betty on her throne with her special guests



Ms. Betty's square-dancing group



Sadly, today marked the end of our adventure here with Mrs. Betty Sutton as our library clerk as she is retiring.  Happily though, we were able to have an assembly as a celebration of her and boy, was it great!  It is obvious what a truly beautiful person she is and how much to means to everyone.  Ms. Betty's squaredancing group was even able to come and dance for us...they were really neat! 



this is Ms. Betty's daughter!!



twirl the girl!





it looks so neat when the womens' skirts twirl :)


Reading
We FINALLY switched to our new reading groups today and I am so excited about all the new faces!  We really have a fantastic reading group and I cannot wait to experience all of the wonderful things we will do together. 
My OLD reading class, we will still switch with Mrs. Ingold for tomorrow ONLY to take our final spelling test together and turn in our packets.  Please be ready for the test and have the packet complete BY TOMORROW. 

Math
we were unable to have math today due to the assembly for Ms. Betty.

PM activities:
We worked on our January On-Demands due to Ms. Sharp and oh my, do we ever have some wonderful writers!!

Have a thrilling Thursday evening!
xoxo,
Mrs. Thomas

P.S. DON'T FORGET, TOMORROW IS CLASS PICTURE DAY!!!

Ms. Betty's daughter :)

1.26.11

Happy "wintry" Wednesday, folks!  We're here...some may not be the happiest about it, but we're here nonetheless and we all made it safe (Thank goodness!).  I'm happy to have gotten to spend the day with my favorite 8 and 9 year olds and get caught up on our learning!

Reading:
I was very excited for all the students that brought in an advertisements per our assignment!  I was a bit disappointed that we had over 5 students who did not, but those who did were able to participate in our activity and are doing a TREMENDOUS job!  Students were put into groups and each group was to create an informational 'ad' of their own, educating their readers about the different types of persuasion and clue words used to persuade readers.  One group used the theme of "schooling" their readers and centered everything around a "school" of fish...SOOOOO creative and very, very cool!  
Homework is working on your spelling packet and studying your words for your Lesson 11 test.

**ALSO, Fluency folders will be coming home.  Please reread the passage with an adult and send back by Friday.  There is a letter in the front cover that explains this concept.** 



this is the "school" of persuasion group...SO clever!!!
See the 'advertisement crab'?!?
**They used an advertisment they found and made it into a crab!**



Math:

Per usual, we took our 90-second timed multiplication test and we now have 6 people moving on to level 2!  Waaaa hoooooo!!!  We reviewed our homework from the workbook and skills for multi-digit multiplication.
Homework is taking a 90-second timed multiplication quiz with an adult.

PM activities:
We had guidance and worked on January's on-demand prompt.  Remember, tomorrow is Mrs. Betty Sutton's last day  :o(




Have a SAFE and happy night!
xoxo,
Mrs. Thomas

1.25.11

Welcome BAAAACK!!

...FINALLY!!!

Today, we finally got to be back and get into our routines (well, for the most part...), BUT.... Mrs. Hawthorne is very ill so we did not switch to our new reading classes and most likely will not until Monday.

Reading
We took our Lesson 10 Spelling test and our scores were exponentially better than last week's!  Way to go, friends!  I passed out Lesson 11 packets.  Those are due by Friday when we take our test.  Today, we learned about the persuasive form of informational texts and the different persuasive techinques.  We looked at presidential advertisements and campaign buttons as examples to determine if they were" Bandwagon, Flattery, Promising, or Exaggeration forms of persuasion. 
HOMEWORK is working on Lesson 11 spelling packets AND bringing in an example advertisement from the newspaper, a magazine, printed from online, or another form of printed ads.

Math
We took our multiplication quiz.  SEVERAL people did not have theirs from last week.  Regardless of a snow day or not, ALL homework is to be completed and returned upon the next school day.  Additional time WILL NOT be given to any homework assignments or other tasks assigned to be completed at home.  The only assignments that will postponed or extended are projects we work on in class.  NO EXCEPTIONS.
HOMEWORK is WORKBOOK pages 121 through 124.  ALSO, take your timed multiplication quiz with an adult at home (90 seconds).  Circle all incomplete or missed problems, write the total number correct and completed at the top, and have that adult sign the completed quiz for full credit.

This afternoon, we worked on cards in honor of Mrs. Betty Sutton who is retiring this month from her services in the Library with Ms. Castle.  We will miss her so much and are incredibly appreciative of her gracious, generous, selfless, encouraging, and diligent service to us here at GSE.  She is so charming, charismatic, and gracious, and GSE is a better place because of her!

Let's PLEASE hope that the "talking bugs" come and nibble away our excessive talking urges tonight in our sleep and we come back tomorrow ready to work without the extra noise!
xoxo,
Mrs. Thomas

PS, DO NOT forget to watch the news about weather and school closings and delays updates.

This Week at Garden Springs:

**Fitness Week PE schedule Monday the 24^th, is Day 1. Come join your child in PE class!!!**

Jan. 24 - Day 1
2nd MAP Testing Window Continues (12/6/10-2/18/11)

2:45-3:30p: 3rd Grade Lego Club

2:45-3:45p: Performing Arts Club Rehearsal

Governor’s Cup Academic Team Scrimmage vs.Maxwell @ Maxwell 3:30-5:00pm

Family Fitness Week (1/24-1/31)

Jan. 25 - Day 2

Jan. 26 - Day 3
7:30-8:00a: K-Kids

2:45-4:00p: Comic Creators

2:45-4:00p: Governor’s Cup Academic Team Practice

Principal’s Newsletter Distribution

Jan. 27 - Day 4

2:45-3:45p: Ecology Club

Chow Night at Chick fil A Turfland Mall

Jan. 28 - Day 5
Class Picture Day 

2:35-3:45p: 4th & 5th Grade Spanish Club

NO school - Friday (January 21st, 2011)

NO school TOMORROW (Friday, January 21)!  Enjoy another long weekend!  Do me a favor, though?!?  Please, please, PLEASE practice your multiplication facts!

IF and WHEN you get out and play in the snow, PLEASE (pretty please with sugar on top?!?) snap some pics and send them to me so I can put them here on our blog!

Your friends and I want to see pics of you, if you do this!

P.S., there are THREE new posts below...please be sure to check them all out as they contain important information (especially the last post about NEW reading classes!).  
NEW SURVEY!!!  See it below and VOTE!  I am anxious to see the results!  Also, I added a new element, entitled, "Popular Posts" so you can check out which posts of ours have generated the most attention and interest.


Have a happy, safe, and warm weekend!  Are you getting 'cabin fever' yet?!?  While I love a good snow day, I love summer more!  Plus, I am getting kind of 'antsy' at home...how about YOU?!?
xoxo,
Mrs. Thomas

3RD GRADE READING CLASSES ANNOUNCEMENT FOR ALL PARENTS AND STUDENTS

STARTING ON TUESDAY - JANUARY 25, 2011, YOUR CHILD MAY NOT HAVE THE SAME READING TEACHER.  

Since the completion of MAP testing, we 3rd grade teachers (5 of us total...3 in A-complex and 2 in G) have been working around the clock, analyzing your student's successes and progress with his/her content knowledge in reading.  To ensure your child gets the most specific and focused instruction catered to his/her individual learning style and reading level, we are grouping ALL students by similarities found in their results from these tests and progress in this subject up to this point in the school year.  Your child's success is our ultimate concern.  Many students in my reading class will stay right where they are with me, OR simply go next door to Mrs. Ingold.  The exciting part, is that the students will get to interact with all students in 3rd grade!  In our reading class, we are getting about 10-14 students from A-complex and the same (if not more) can be said for Mrs. Ingold...so it is really a great thing to see that everyone will get to experience time with friends from the other side of the building.  If your child is switching teachers, you will receive a note from that teacher as he/she begins with her.  I will also be sending home information to parents about my reading class so those that are not knowledgeable about our procedures and schedule can become acquainted with how our day goes.  Our reading class really is a fun time and students have grown and progressed so well!

At the start of our 'new' class on Tuesday, I will be having our entire group reading the same chapter book, The Courage of Sarah Noble, to get students introduced and/or re-familiarized with my expectations and the process of our reading groups.  This book is merely a kind of 'starter' book, meant for us to practice and get adjusted to the expectations and roles of a Literature Circle group (very similar to a Book Club that you may be part of as an adult).  Learning is very much a social 'game' (especially at this age) and is enhanced through discovery based experiences.  I love seeing the students being personally accountable for their roles in the group and discussing topics from the books that speak to them as they are reading; it's amazing the connections they make and what each student can take from the book!
After the first week of practice with our 'starter' book, each group (of 5-6 students) will have their own chapter book that is aligned with their reading Lexile levels that they will use for their Literature Circles.  Typically, they are to read at least a chapter a night.  


As always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please do not hesitate to email (abby.thomas@fayette.kyschools.us) or call me (GSE: 859.381.3388).  I will be happy to speak with you or schedule a conference.  I am so excited about what's to come for the remainder of this semester and I cannot wait to challenge and (hopefully!) enrich your student!  Making reading fun, enriching your student, and seeing that each student continues to progress and see success with the content are my goals.  Continue to check our blog daily as I love to post about class happenings so you can feel as if you are a part of our day, answer any questions that arise, and be alert to assignments and the content at hand.

1.20.11 - an Early Dismissal Day!

Bob needed a snack :)

Winter Weather blasts us AGAIN!!!  Thank you EVERYONE for making a day that typically would be stressful, hectic, chaotic, a circus (yadi, yadi yada), etc... into a day that went smoothly and perfectly!  I know that it is far from convenient to experience a change in schedule, but I am grateful to everyone for making today go off without a hitch!  You are all so fantastic and I am the luckiest teacher in the world!


Guess what I have today?!?  Pictures of Bob on his trip over winter break to Florida with Elise!  He is a well traveled guy and as you can see from the magnificent pictures, he absolutely had a BLAST!

Guess where Bob is?!?  

He LOVED the Gulf :)

surfin' U-S-A!

We were able to get in our core subjects this morning and right on time...which makes me feel better on us slowly getting caught up in our content areas.  


Reading:
As I mentioned in my post from Tuesday (1.18.11), we are studying the different structures of informational texts.  This week, we have been focusing on sequential structure and how these texts are laid out.  Identifying the signal words can clue us into the specific structure and enhance our understanding of the topic/ content at hand.  Students were able to get in their reading groups and work on completing their novel ties for their group's chapter book as well as read the story from our Treasures book that focuses on the sequential text structure.  
Homework is completing spelling packets and preparing for our test tomorrow.


Math:

Bob made some friends!

We continued working on the concepts we began at the beginning of this week (commutative property of multiplication, fact families, and multi-digit multiplication).  Quizzes will be coming home NIGHTLY.  Please take about 10 minutes a night to work on multiplication.  Each quiz has at least 45 problems.  Students have ONLY 90 seconds to complete the quiz.  Circle any problems incomplete or incorrect and review all.  Repetition promotes fluency.  Not knowing the basic multiplication facts IS DETRIMENTAL to future success and progression with the rest of our content from this point.  THEY MUST BE MASTERED.
Homework is the 90-second timed multiplication quiz.  We already have one student moving on from level 1, I cannot wait to have more and am confident many will by tomorrow if not the start of next week!


During recess, we received word of early dismissal and things transitioned well from there.  Again, thank you for your cooperation, understanding, and flexibility!  

Bob is a beach lover!

I leave you with more pictures of Bob and Elise.  Please be sure to stay tuned to the latest weather updates and information as well as check in with the news, our blog, or Fayette County's website, Facebook page, or Twitter to monitor closings and/or delays.  If you have any questions, comments, or concerns...EMAIL ME (I also like emails over the weekends or breaks of you telling me what you're up to!).


Stay warm and if I don't see you tomorrow, get out and enjoy the snow!  If you do get to get outside and play in the snow, please take pictures and send them to me so I can put them on the blog...I L-O-V-E, LOVE, LOVE, LOOOOVE seeing your pictures and so do your peers!!!


xoxo,
Mrs. Thomas

en route and on a mission!

  

ta-da!!!!

Elise and her look-alike on her Birthday!!
(1.14.11)

1.19.11

I am so sorry to not have posted yesterday!  I really want to make sure there is a blog post for EVERY day we are in school, but I got sidetracked working on other projects yesterday after school!


Yesterday, we had some very special guests from the Lexington Children's Theater come and present a play about recycling and preserving our environment to the best we can.  The play was entitled, "Heap it on" and it was so fantastic!  We are each responsible for the preservation of our planet and must do our own part.  It really was informational and very entertaining.  Therefore, because it was at 9:00 a.m., we did not have Reading class, but were able to transition to math afterwards.


Math:
We are working on using what we have learned about basic multiplication to move onto related and more advanced equations that elaborate on this concept.  The "commutative property of multiplication" is: it does not matter which number is first when you write the problem.  The answer is the same. 

• 3 x 5 = 5 x 3  (The numbers can be switched around and the answer is the same.)    
• 4 x 7 = 7 x 4  
• 1 x 9 = 9 x 1

We are also working on "fact families" to show how multiplication and division are related and we can use multiplication to help develop and enhance our understanding of division.  Generally, the word, "family" means: certain people are related. Likewise, "fact family" implies that certain numbers and facts are related. 

For starters, they are only (at most) three numbers in each fact family.  In my example fact family, the members (numbers) are 3, 8, and 24.  The product (multiplication answer) is 24 with the facts 8 x 3 = 24; and 3 x 8 = 24.  The quotients (division answers) are 3 or 8: 24/3 = 8; and 24/8 = 3.  As you should see, these facts are all connected and therefore, related.  From basically ONE multiplication fact that we started with, look how many additional facts we learned!  WOWee!!!

Finally, we have also started working on multi-digit multiplication.  For now, we are computing these equations without regrouping: 123 x 2; or 444 x 2; or 202 x 4, etc.  

**Homework was completing a multiplication quiz at home with an adult.  There are 49 problems and only 90 seconds to be given for the quiz. Please circle ALL problems not completed or incorrect and REVIEW ALL as well.  Repetition promotes fluency and these facts MUST be learned. Adults, you MUST sign the quiz to verify that this was practiced at home and so your student can get full credit for completing this very important task at home.

Finally, we finished all of our Brazilian animal project presentations.  I have NEVER (and I mean, absolutely NEVER) been more impressed with my students in any previous year of my teaching.  :)

xoxo,

Mrs. Thomas 

1.18.11

Welcome back after an extended weekend, my friends!  I hope you were able to spend some extra quality time with your loved ones :)
Today was fantastic because we were FINALLY able to get back to some "normal" routines and follow our "normal" schedule...whewwww!! 

Reading
We began studying informational text structures.  We already know that informational texts are texts in which we obtain facts and learn from, but we did not know that this genre of texts has specific ways in which it may be laid out: Descriptive, Cause & Effect, Compare & Contrast, or Chronologial Sequence.  Recognizing the characteristics of each structure can enhance our comprehension of the text and further our understanding of the topic at hand.  Our structure we are focusing upon this week is chronological sequence.  This happens to be one of the easiest structures to point out because it is one in which we recognize most often through high frequency signal words that 'clue us in'.  Words such as: first, next, last, finally, furthermore, after, to begin, third, additionally, meanwhile, etc...can signal to us that a text is laid out in the order in which events should or could happen.  Most Social Studies books are laid out in this way.  We made a timeline to recognize that our lives happen in chronological sequence.  We were even able to get in our groups and switch to our different stations.  
Homework is working on your SPELLING PACKETS which are due by Friday.  STUDY, STUDY, STUDY your words...I want waaaay more 100%s this week than we had last week!

Math
We began using our basic multiplication facts to look at fact families and patterns in multiplying.  If you know your basic facts, moving on through fact families and two-digit multiplication is a breeze!  Upon watching the students today, it became obvious that most do not know their facts.  Therefore, we will be having a daily timed test.  Today, we began our timed test (40 problems and 90 seconds to complete them) and all but one or two students got at least 20 completed.  Students will only be allowed to drop their two lowest quiz grades so we mean business about studying those facts as much as possible!
Homework: study multiplication quiz from today with an adult at home.  Then, have someone at home time you for 90 seconds as you take a new quiz.  Pratice missed and incomplete problems again.  We will be taking this quiz again tomorrow. **ALSO, you MUST complete pages 119 and 120 in your WORKBOOKS.

We were only able to see two more projects so Elise and Cayden will round up our presentations at the start of the day tomorrow. 

Have a terrific Tuesday evening
xoxo,
Mrs. Thomas

More PROJECT Videos...

Look where I went today...

Kenneth and me after his GREAT game against Griffen's team

Yesterday, Kenneth and Griffen asked me to attend their basketball game because their teams would be facing off against each other.  When I arrived, I saw that Daniel and another cutie from our class's (anonymous student) team was also playing on the other end of the court...so it was a 4 for 1 experience and I had a GREAT time!!!  All boys were FANTASTIC and I was super impressed!  Kenneth's team won and it was in large part because of him; he had at least 10-12 points and 4 rebounds alone...GO KENNETH!!!  I'm so proud of all my boys and I can't wait to go again! I also got videos...will post them soon!
Note: These may not the best quality, but I accidentally broke my camera (of course I would...I'm a klutz) so my iPhone is all I have for snappin' pics right now. 

Daniel and our anonymous student 

looks like somebody needed a little rest :)

Griffen (#23) and Kenneth (#12) facing off

Griffen on the offense

the boys facing off again

Kenneth getting the ball in :)

Griffen getting the ball in :)

 AND...here are the rest of the Winter party pics that I have!  Like I mentioned before, these may not the best quality, but they are still precious photos of our fantastic, photogenic friends.  I mean, with our kiddos, how could they possibly be anything less than wonderful?!?  :)

Caroline and I are SASSY in our owl jammies!!

Ohhhhh My!!! Look at ALL the OWLS!!!
L-O-V-E my girls!!!  They light up my life :)

1, 2, 3, 4...we LOVE owls GALORE!

"Tabi-Cat" and "LoLo" looking so precious as they make their snowy globes!

Alyssa and Micah at the craft station
Such cutie-pies!

Maddy enjoying some treats!

apparently the cookies were super yummy in Eva's tummy!
...she makes my heart smile :)

FANTASTIC Miss Elise with our Bob at the Girls on the Run marathon!  We are SO proud of you, Elise, and Bob had a blast cheering on you, Caroline, Lauren, and Eva!

THIS WEEK AT GSE: 1.17.11 - 1.21.11

This Week at Garden Springs

Jan. 17
Martin Luther King Jr. Day NO SCHOOL

Jan. 18
2nd MAP Testing Window Continues (12/6/10-2/18/11)

Jan. 19
Spirit Day (wear your GSE t-shirt or sweatshirt)

7:30-8:00a: K-Kids

2:45-4:00p: Governor’s Cup Academic Team Practice

Jan. 20
1:30-2:15p: Intermediate Awards Program (Gym)

2:35-3:45p: 2nd & 3rd Grade Spanish Club

2:45-4:00p: STLP

5:00-8:00pm: Bulldog Chow Night @ Chick-Fil-A (Turfland Mall)

Jan. 21
1:15p: Earthquake Drill

2:45-3:45p: Chess Club

THE ANNOUNCEMENT BELOW IS FOR ALL PARENTS OF 2^ND -  5^TH GRADERS:

We are playing the piano weekly in music class. If your child takes private piano lessons, please have your child bring their piano music to music class.  Check your child's schedule to see when music class occurs for your child.  We are having a blast playing in the piano lab!!!!!!

New program from Campbell 's Labels for Education.  Garden Springs can earn potentially a TON of points if everyone would sign up. Read blog post  http://bulldogbargains.blogspot.com/ about the new program.  Please share it everyone because we earn points for just signing up.  No purchase and they don't even have to leave their house.  

You can view the Garden Spring Calendar anytime.

1.14.11 - a CcRrAaZzYy Day!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ELISE!!!  We love, love, LOOOOOOOOOVE you!!!

REPORT CARDS WERE SENT HOME TODAY!!!

Maybe it was just me, but this day seemed to be absolutely FILLED with things that needed to get done...WOWee!!!!  We started the day by brainstorming and writing 25 random facts about ourselves which I think is a fun and unique activity when you hear the unusual tidbits about others.  For instance, I think that microwave minutes seem longer than 'normal' minutes, or that life would be easier if you could just ride around in 'Cash Cab' all day, or I can curl my tongue into a weird squiggle, or the fact that I sleep with my blankie (yes...still!). 

Next, we had to take our Math "Halftime Reports" (Learning Checks from Fayette County), which took up most of the morning.  We did have time to switch to our Reading classes to take our spelling tests.  I haven't graded them yet, but I cannot wait to see how many people nailed our WOW words!!!

Most of us got to have Lunch Bunch today and Mrs. Weiler brought in her homemade yummy lemonade cupcakes for Elise's birthday...they were SOOOO good!!!  After lunch, we were even able to go for a walk outside and get some fresh, crisp, winter air.  Finally, we finished our day with more animal project presentations.  They were absolutely fantastic and I continue to be wowed by all!

REMEMBER: NO SCHOOL on Monday as we are off in observance of Martin Luther King Jr.

Have a GREAT three day weekend!
xoxo,
Mrs. Thomas

P.S. If you bring back your signed report card envelope on Tuesday, you get a treat!

Also, here are some pics from our winter party (just a few, I'll add more over the weekend, along with more of our animal project videos)...

Ahmad and his sister...so cute!!!

'AbbyLou' and her reindeer cookie

Cayden reeeaally enjoyed his cookie :)