Hello Families,
The second quarter is up and running as we embrace what lies ahead. The children are excited about the Boosterthon Fun Run on Friday, Oct. 15th rain or shine. We hope our parents will be able to join in the fun as we celebrate good health and good friends. Please make sure to check the schedule on our blog as well as Murdock’s school website as well as those of the PTA and MESF.
The next 9 weeks promise to be just as exciting as the last. In reading, we will be looking at how we use what we know to understand what we are reading. The children have begun reading informational text seeking facts rather than opinions at this time. This skill is difficult for third graders, but I am confident the children will find success as they begin trusting their reading skills. We will continue to work on fluency, develop our vocabulary and increase our comprehension skills. We will be exploring fiction as a genre and comparing realistic fiction vs. historical fiction. We will use new words in speaking and writing and increase our abilities to summarize. Writing will provide us opportunities to write chronological narratives and responses to literature.
This quarter, the Bulldogs will learn about multiplication, division, money, geometric figures, data analysis, and time. This is the time for your children to apply their knowledge of number relationships and learn their basic multiplication facts. The children will be using partitioning, fair shares, and repeated subtraction to represent division.
The study of emotional health will support the children’s abilities to make positive choices and set healthy goals to keep their mind healthy. They will develop a healthy self concept by accepting responsibility for their own actions. The children will learn about the causes of stress and problem solves ways to reduce the anxiety. The children will explore nonverbal communication and practice ways to build and maintain healthy relationships. The Bulldogs will also discuss how to say no to drugs, strangers, and other harmful situations. Finally, health will stress ways family members can work together, resolve conflict, and the importance of discussing health issues with safe people in the family.
The Bulldogs will spend this quarter playing in the dirt. We will classify and compare the components of various soils including clay, loam, sand, humus, and topsoil. The children will use soil to work and maintain Murdock’s edible garden, and research the effects of weathering and erosion on rocks and soil over time. We will look at the habitats of Georgia identifying the different organisms living in the mountains, marsh, coast, piedmont, and Atlantic Ocean. We will study the features of Georgia plans and animals including adaptations for survival and causes of extinction.
The children will continue their map skills study and move into the study of historical figures including Paul Revere, Frederick Douglass, and Susan B. Anthony. The children will learn about the duties and challenges of the 1700’s Paul Revere faced, The famous ride of Paul Revere, What was his role for independence and Massachusetts. The study of Frederick Douglass will focus on the expansion of freedom in our country using positive character traits and serving others. Finally, the bulldogs will be introduced to Susan B. Anthony. They will learn about activism, suffrage in the US, and the impact of character traits such as diligence, and tolerance.
This quarter, the children will develop strategies and skills to locate information online to increase their knowledge and apply what they have learned. Using laptops, the computer lab, the smart board, and Cobb Virtual library resources such as Destiny, World Book Online and others will support their growth to conduct research.
Thank you to all of our parent volunteers. Please let our room parent know if you would like to get involved and let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
Ms. Bold
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Friday, September 25, 2009
Hello Bulldog Families,
This week was incredible for many reasons. We are all counting our blessings as Murdock held strong during the storm. I am thrilled that our families were spared a great deal of loss during the week and I hope you continue to stay dry and well this weekend. Our hearts and thoughts go out to the many families affected by the weather this week and will certainly look for ways to support others in the weeks to come. Please let me know if there is anything we can do to help you recover in the near future.
Families should check the following sites carefully for changes due to recent events:
Our blog calendar
The Murdock School website including: PTA and MESF
Cobb County School District
You are encouraged to email me with any questions you might have.
Thank you to Gaye Cross and Cindy Krakowski for their hard work on the class shirts. The children are thrilled and we received many compliments as we modeled our shirts around the school.
I do apologize for my mistake in scheduling the Wright Center Visit on Yom Kippur. There are many schedules, calendars, and time frames to consider when scheduling learning events and my wires got crossed. Fortunately, the Wright Center was able to work with me in making the change from Monday’s visit to this Wednesday. The children are encouraged to wear their “Bulldog” T-shirts that day as we study all that is “Under Our Feet”.
We will need 1 parent to join us on our fieldtrips to the Wright Center so let Gaye Cross know if you would like to join us. Also, we have several parents who graciously sent in their donations, but forgot to sign the back of the permission slip. Please check with your child to see if they returned your form to you.
Be happy and stay well.
Ms. Bold
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Boosterthon is coming! Next week marks the kick off for the MESF Boosterthon Fun Run. Be on the look out for your child's Top Secret spy kit to come home after the Pep Rally on Wed. 10/7.
Mark your calendar to join your child on Thu. 10/16 for the Fun Run event. For more information & specific class times for the run see the back of the Murdock Weekly or visit the Boosterthon Website.
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Friday, September 11, 2009
Happy Friday
The children did an excellent job taking the CogAT this week and are ready for the ITBS. We had several doctor appointments, vacations, and illnesses affecting attendance and participation in the tests. Illnesses certainly cannot be helped; however we are asking that vacations and doctor appointments be scheduled during the school breaks. These testing dates have been scheduled by the county for quite some time and we appreciate your cooperation.
Thank you to all the families who sent in snacks, water, peppermints, and healthy rested children this week. We look forward to bringing our assessments to a close on Friday, Sept. 18th.
Please remember to visit our blog and calendar for the “Bulldog” class as well as Murdock’s sites often for school updates.
The children have enjoyed our parent readers and look forward to seeing their family members come read. Please contact Gaye Cross to schedule your visit.
The upcoming month will be exciting for the Bulldogs.
We have started working with Mr. Contat’s 5th grade class as book buddies as well as our partnership with the Murdock Pre-K program. These enrichment programs benefit everyone involved.
The Boosterthon is right around the corner so keep an eye out for more details.
The following skills will be our focus for the rest of this quarter:
Language Arts:
How to become a great reader?
How do I write to describe?
How do I write a personal narrative?
Math:
Numbers to Ten Thousand
Addition
Subtraction
Elapsed Time
Building Fluency with Multiplication
Data Analysis
Social Studies with Mr. Haon and Mrs. McConkey:
Our Economy
Economic Understandings
U.S. Topographical Features
Science with Ms. Bold:
Fossils
Fossil Formation
Fossils as Evidence
Technology:
Concept Mapping Applications to Organize Ideas
Wright Center: Sept. 28
In school Fieldtrip “Under Your Feet”
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September 8, 2009
Hello Parents,
The children are busy preparing for CogAT and ITBS. Please help your children follow their daily routine, make healthy food choices, and get to bed a little earlier for the next week and a half. We still need parent readers and helpers on Friday afternoons. You may contact Gaye Cross if you are available to help. There will also be some volunteer opportunities to come in and assist students during center work. Please let Gaye know your availability from 8:40-9:40 and 12:15-12:40.
A moment of thanks:
Thank you to the Krakowski family for donating a camera to the class. We look forward sharing many happy moments with you on our website in the near future.
Thank you to the Cross family for donating the “Bulldog” football. It will be used during “Bulldog Huddles”. Ask your children about this special time we spend in class.
Thank you for your donations. The class shirts will be ordered today and the children are looking forward to receiving them.
Unfortunately, we have had many friends ill during the last couple of weeks and we are trying to break the cycle. We love spending time with our bulldogs, but do need them to stay home when they are sick. Children should be fever free for a minimum of 24 hours before returning to school. We will be wiping the classroom down daily to cut down on germs and will include a refresher course on good hygiene. Any contributions of Clorox wipes and cans of Lysol will be appreciated.
Ms. Bold
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Hello Parents,
There are several parents who have not emailed me a letter about your child. You are welcome to still send the letter or just email me your email address. Your email will help the room parents and me develop our contact list for communications. Emails should be sent to jackie.bold@cobbk12.org
The children in our class have been busy making new friends and would like for you to meet them. Please join us for donuts and juice on Wednesday, September 2nd from 7:30-8:00. Please email me the number of people attending by Tuesday, Aug. 25th so we can plan our menu.
Thank you to Alyson Meigs for volunteering to stuff our Wednesday Folders and make class copies.
Thank you to Gaye Cross for all of her hard work to organize our classroom as our Room Parent.
Please contact Gaye if you would like to volunteer inside or outside the classroom.
We look forward to seeing you on Sept. 2.
Jackie
Bulldogs,
You are terrific! I love our time together and look forward to reading with each of you this next week. We do have some friends who are feeling a little sick to their stomach and have headaches. Often times, students begin feeling this way during the second week of school because they are tired. Try to get a little extra rest this weekend and enjoy some time with your family.
Next week, your goals will be:
Language Arts: Learning about you as a reader
Writing: Writing descriptive paragraphs
Writing Skills: Comparing different types of sentences
Map Skills and Health: working with Mrs. McConkey
Handwriting: Manuscript Vertical lines and Tall letters
Guided Reading: Reading with Ms. Bold
Math: Place Value, Problem Solving, and Number Relations
Have a wonderful weekend
Ms. Bold
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Hello Bulldogs,
We had a great start to our year together. Get ready for another busy week as we move into our learning programs and begin homework. Come Monday ready to share something special about your weekend and ready to start learning about rocks and minerals. Remember to check our blog often including the calendar section for upcoming dates.
Parents,
Please check this site often for updates regarding our class. The calendar is another important section to visit. The class is off and running and full speed ahead. Homework will begin this week as well as picking up the pace a little bit in class. It is often helpful to have the children go to bed a little earlier this week as they will be tired. Also, please remember to send in a daily snack which is substantial and healthy. All dismissal changes must be sent in the morning and written on a separate piece of paper for me to turn into the office. My recommendation is to tape it on the day in the agenda so I will be sure to see it in the morning. The change should also be written in the agenda as a reminder to me and your child. I can be reached by email and notes in the agenda, although emails tend to get checked later in the day. Thank you for all of your support thus far. Have a wonderful week and let me know if you have any questions.
Ms. Bold
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Attention ALL Murdock Parents,
We are inviting you to attend an information night on Thursday, August 27
from 7:00-8:00pm in the Media Center to learn about our new Olweus Bullying
Program. Dr. Patti Agatston, Prevention Intervention Specialist will lead
the program and discussion to raise parents awareness about this concern.
Please mark your calendars and plan to attend. If you have any questions,
you may contact either counselor, Cathy.Fogel@cobbk12.org or
Jessica.Struletz@cobbk12.org