Mrs. Goedecke's Third Grade Class

Ben Franklin Project

2008-12-26T15:19:00.000-08:00

It needs to be about his childhood, life, and impact on the world. Please have the research paper typed, 2-3 pages, 12 point, double spaced, times new roman font. Extra credit artistic cover. Students must use one encyclopedia resource (online or print), two or three library books, and a website. Please include the research notes, notecards, or drafts for us to view and talk about the writing process in class. Also, be sure to list books, encyclopedia, and website. Due January 9th (Friday). Any questions, please email me.

The Five Essential Components of Reading

2008-10-16T08:38:00.000-07:00

The Five Essential Components of Reading from the Department of Education

Reading with children and helping them practice specific reading components can dramatically improve their ability to read. Scientific research shows that there are five essential components of reading that children must be taught in order to learn to read. Adults can help children learn to be good readers by systematically practicing these five components:

1. Recognizing and using individual sounds to create words, or phonemic awareness. Children need to be taught to hear sounds in words and that words are made up of the smallest parts of sound, or phonemes.

2. Understanding the relationships between written letters and spoken sounds, or phonics. Children need to be taught the sounds individual printed letters and groups of letters make. Knowing the relationships between letters and sounds helps children to recognize familiar words accurately and automatically, and "decode" new words.

3. Developing the ability to read a text accurately and quickly, or reading fluency. Children must learn to read words rapidly and accurately in order to understand what is read. When fluent readers read silently, they recognize words automatically. When fluent readers read aloud, they read effortlessly and with expression. Readers who are weak in fluency read slowly, word by word, focusing on decoding words instead of comprehending meaning.

4. Learning the meaning and pronunciation of words, or vocabulary development. Children need to actively build and expand their knowledge of written and spoken words, what they mean and how they are used.

5. Acquiring strategies to understand, remember and communicate what is read, or reading comprehension strategies. Children need to be taught comprehension strategies, or the steps good readers use to make sure they understand text. Students who are in control of their own reading comprehension become purposeful, active readers.

2008-09-24T10:38:00.000-07:00

Dear Parents,
Please fill out this survey and return it to me as soon as you can. Thank you!

Open House Parent Survey
Mrs. Goedecke’s Third Grade Class

Parents name ________________________
Student name ________________________
Use the back of the paper if necessary.

1. List any fond memories of your family that you would like me to know about so I can learn more about your child.

2. Name any of your child’s special accomplishments that you are most proud of.

3. What are your hopes for your child in third grade?

4. Tell me about your child’s strengths:

5. What are some challenges your child encounters academically or socially that you would like me to know about?

6. Any ways I can improve communication with you? For example, any ways to improve my newsletters, website, memos?

7. Any other questions, comments, concerns? Go to the back if you need more room please.

8. If you would like to meet before the conference time, please list your phone number or email that I can reach you at and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

Thank you!

Tests coming up...

2008-09-23T11:28:00.000-07:00

Thurs: Spelling Test, 16 words, weekly
Friday: Bible Test
next Tuesday, Sept 30th: Science Test (we started the study guide today)

Reading tests are weekly. Children read the stories and take comprehension tests. Sometimes it is an open book test, sometimes not an open book test.

Math assessment is ongoing. However, there will be a test soon at the end of the unit.

Any question, I'm happy to talk and/or meet up together.

Newsletter September 19th, 2008

2008-09-18T13:07:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Goedecke’s Third Grade Class
September 19th, 2008

v I’m looking for a parent to volunteer to send in 8 flowers (large ones) and a bag of lima beans for science experiments. If you are willing, please send a note in with your child. Thanks!
v I’ve attached the spelling words and bible memory verse. Since I heard that parents liked to have it on Friday, I will attach it to the newsletters regularly.
v Children will have their first report due in October. See the attached forms for the details. I’ve also attached great sentence starters for the report. Please encourage your children to use as many of them as possible.
v I’m attaching the newsletters to our website at www.mrsgoedecke.blogspot.com
v School is going really well. I thoroughly enjoy each day with your children.
v God Bless!

2008-09-16T12:22:00.000-07:00

IMPORTANT MEMO:
September 17, 2008

To help any confusion with this week’s schedule, I’ve written this memo for parents and students. Thank you for your patience with the new policies and my first year teaching the curriculum at NCA.

Thursday: Spelling Test (words given out last Friday)
Friday: Memory Verse (given out last Friday) and Bible Quiz on God’s Promises to Abram. Children must name five of the promises. (Children learned about them on Monday.) See the attached sheet. That is all that is on the quiz this week.

Friday: Social Studies Test (study guide completed and given to children to take home on Tuesday)

The study guide serves as a review for students. It is not the first time that the students have experienced the information.
We learn about the topics all week.

à I’ve given the children until Thursday to do their homework. There will not be homework Thursday except for studying.
à I do not like to give homework on the weekends, but it may be necessary on occasion.
à If a child cannot read on a weeknight, they are allowed to make it up on a weekend day (parents just need to write me a note in the homework agenda notebook.)

Thank you,
Mrs. Goedecke

God’s Promises to Abram

I will make you a great nation
I will bless you
I will make your name great
You will be a blessing
I will bless those who bless you
I will curse those who curse you
All people on the earth will be blessed through you

The child needs to know and understand any five promises.

Newsletter September 12th

2008-09-12T05:53:00.001-07:00

Mrs. Goedecke’s Third Grade Class
September 12th, 2008

Ø Early Release Day at 12:15 Wednesday, September 17th
Ø Picture Day is Tuesday, September 23rd
Ø Open House Thursday, September 25th
v Excellent Spelling Tests! Keep up the good work
v Highlights of the week:
§ Bible: Genesis-Adam and Eve, the fall, Noah, Tower of Babel.
§ Next week: Abram and Issac
§ Math: Patterns, Different ways to write numbers, data collection, bar graphs, review
§ Read Aloud: Jake Drake by Andrew Clements
§ Language Arts: Short vowel sounds, writer’s craft, Officer Buckle & Gloria
§ Science: Classification, 5 Kingdoms, Living and Nonliving, Mold, cell division
§ Journal Writing: Thinking of topics and ideas, writing words we misspelled five times each for practice

v I will have one week of science then one week of social studies
v Math homework will begin next week
v If you have not brought in their two, black, expo markers, please bring them in because we will need them
v If you like for your child to Purell their hands before lunch, please bring in a bottle to share. The three bottles I brought in are being used up.
v See attached Math Letter for some helpful information about Every Day Math.
v I can be reached at viktoriagrace@gmail.com to set up meetings at any time. I love to communicate with you!
v Our website is www.mrsgoedecke.blogspot.com I will post the newsletter there for your convenience. Feel free to comment on the blog, too
v Book Order due back September 19th. Some books are better than others, please don’t feel pressure to buy anything. I just like to offer it to you because sometimes there are some good deals.
§ Some books to consider buying:
§ Did Columbus Really Discover America?
§ Henry’s Freedom Box
§ Jake Drake (we just finished the first in the series) by Andrew Clements
§ Nancy Drew
§ Parts of Speech
§ Dear Deer
§ Cam Jansen

Newsletter Sept 5th

2008-09-11T04:22:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Goedecke’s Third Grade Class
Newsletter
September 5th, 2008

Ø We are off to a wonderful start. The children are eager to learn all that third grade has to offer. I am blessed with such beautiful, smart, and respectful children.
Ø Our specials schedule:
o Monday, Chapel
o Tuesday, Music
o Wednesday, PE, Choir
o Thursday, Art
o Friday, PE

Ø The new lunch program is very exciting! I will collect the money for lunch on Thursday mornings only. Thank you for your participation. I will give the children their lunch forms on Wednesday.

Ø We are looking for guest readers for the children. Guest readers bring in one age-appropriate picture book to share from well known authors such as Patricia Polacco. I’m looking for one parent per month. If you are able and interested, please send a note in with your child, with a few days and times that work for you. Thanks!

Ø My email address is viktoriagoedecke@gmail.com I will check it every other day, so feel free to drop me a note. I believe that communication with the parents is very important.

Week of Sept 8th Tests and Quizzes

2008-09-09T04:53:00.000-07:00

Thursday: Spelling Quiz (I added the word because to their spelling list because I noticed many of them needed help with this word.)
Friday: Science Test, Bible Test & 2 Memory Verses (some weeks there will only be one memory verse)

D.E.A.R.

2008-09-04T08:35:00.001-07:00

D.E.A.R. stands for Drop Everything and Read! It's an opportunity for students to read chapter books that are "just right" for them. How can you tell if a book is too difficult for your child? Turn to the middle of the book and start reading a page. If the child stumbles (or doesn't understand) over three words, then the vocabulary is too challenging for them at this time. I'm teaching them to choose books from our class library (over 200 books) that are "just right" for them, not too easy and not too difficult. Ask you child about one of their favorite times of the day!

Six things to do with your third grader

2008-09-01T14:44:00.000-07:00

Third Grade
1. Create a special workspace and schedule daily quiet time for your child to do his/her homework from school. Be sure this is a time you are available to help if needed.
2. Schedule 15 minutes of special time everyday to listen to your child read.
3. Go to the school library, public library, or to the local bookstore once each week and read a new book together. After you read each book, ask your child what the main character did or felt like at the end of the story. Ask if he/she has ever felt like the main character in the book. Why or why not?
4. Encourage reading fluency by having your child read and reread familiar books. It can also be helpful to have your child read a short passage over several times while you record the time it takes. Children often enjoy seeing if they can improve their time from one reading to the next, and the repeated reading helps to establish a habit of fluent reading.
5. Highlight or underline words that you can sound out from the day's "junk mail." Ask your child to read these words.
6. Make a simple recipe with him, allowing him to read each direction to you step by step so you'll "know what to do."

From the Florida Center for Reading Research

Important Language Arts Terms

2008-08-30T12:45:00.001-07:00

Since reading is my specialty, I chose these important terms for you to review. The children will be learning about these ideas throughout the year. Thank you for participating enthusiastically with your child! I'm happy to answer any questions.

Accuracy (part of fluency): Reading words with no errors.

Academically Engaged: Students are academically engaged when they are participating in activities/instruction in a meaningful way and understand the tasks in which they are involved.

After Reading Comprehension Strategies: Strategies that require the reader to actively transform key information in text that has been read (e.g., summarizing, retelling.)

Automaticity: Reading without conscious effort or attention to decoding.

Background knowledge: Forming connections between text and the information and experiences of the reader.

Comprehension Questions: Questions that address the meaning of text, ranging from literal to inferential to analytical.

Context Clue: Using words or sentences around an unfamiliar word to help clarify its meaning.

Explicitly:
1. Teacher models and explains
2. Teacher provides guided practice
a. Students practice what the teacher modeled and the teacher provides prompts and feedback
3. Teacher provides Supported Application
a. Students apply the skill as the teacher scaffolds instruction
4. Independent Practice

Five Components of Reading: Phonemic Awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

Fluency: Ability to read text quickly, accurately, and with proper expression. Fluency provides a bridge between word recognition and comprehension.

Prosody: Reading with expression, proper intonation, and phrasing. This helps readers to sound as if they are speaking the part they are reading.

Rate: The speed at which a person reads.

from www.fccr.org

Welcome!

2008-08-30T12:22:00.000-07:00

Hello Moms, Dads, Boys, and Girls,
This is Mrs. Goedecke's blog for our new class. We will have exciting things to share this year on this website. Thank you for the honor of teaching your children. I look forward to experiencing God's amazing love together.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Goedecke