March 28th-April 1st

Upcoming Dates

March 28th - Parent Engagement Night - 6:30-7:30 PM

Located at: Austin Elementary - 161 S. Moore Road, Coppell

This is a multi-campus event with Austin, Wilson, and Denton Creek.

March 29th - PTO Meeting @ 5:00 PM

*See Principal Newsletter for more information*

April 15th - Regular School Day 

*Make-up from Ice Day on 2/24*

April 18th - NO SCHOOL - District Holiday

May 10th - Math STAAR

May 11th - Reading STAAR

*iPads - Please remember to send your child's iPad each day to school fully charged. 

*Headphones - Please check with your child that they have working headphones/earbuds at school. Learners have many times where they are watching a video or can listen to directions and/or books and apps that need audio. Thank you so much for your help with this!

*Snack - We have a short snack time each day. It is important that they have a healthy and nutritious snack each day to fuel their bodies. We also ask that the snack you send be completely free of peanuts/tree nuts. This will help provide a safe environment for all learners.

March Lunch Menu

April Lunch Menu

 

Math

Fractions continue! We will compare fractions with like denominators (¼ < ¾ )and like numerators (⅓>⅙), and we will also talk about equivalent fractions. When comparing fractions with like numerators, we focus on the size of the piece (the denominator). The bigger the denominator, the smaller the piece! 

To help us compare fractions, we will use the Butterfly Method (ask your child to explain next week). We will also learn some tips and tricks about fractions to help us find equivalent fractions. Fractions equivalent to ½ (2/4, 3/6, 4/8, 5/10, 6/12) are important fractions for your kiddo to learn.

Science 

Next week, we will begin our new unit on Environment and Organisms.  We will start with discussing the physical characteristics of environments.  The kids will learn what an ecosystem is and how organisms interact with the living and nonliving features of their environment to obtain matter and energy needed for survival

Reading/Writing 

In reading, we will dive into poems a little bit deeper and learn about mood, voice, and tone. We will break apart the poems into pieces to better understand their meaning. In writing, we will learn how to break our own poems into lines and stanzas, and add rhyme schemes and imagery to bring them to life!

Social Studies 

In social studies, we will finish wrapping up our economics unit by overviewing all the major concepts we have learned, especially budgeting, saving, and entrepreneurship.

Ms. Martin's Newsletter

**Will update soon**

March 21st-25th

Upcoming Dates

March 14th-18th - Spring Break - No School

March 25th - Report Cards Emailed Home

April 15th - Regular School Day 

*Make-up from Ice Day on 2/24*

April 18th - NO SCHOOL - District Holiday

TCE Yearbook

Mrs. Fairchild will not have any extras to purchase in the office this year, so if you want a TCE 2021-2022 yearbook, they must be ordered through the website by March 25.

Link here

*iPads - Please remember to send your child's iPad each day to school fully charged. 

*Headphones - Please check with your child that they have working headphones/earbuds at school. Learners have many times where they are watching a video or can listen to directions and/or books and apps that need audio. Thank you so much for your help with this!

*Snack - We have a short snack time each day. It is important that they have a healthy and nutritious snack each day to fuel their bodies. We also ask that the snack you send be completely free of peanuts/tree nuts. This will help provide a safe environment for all learners.

March Lunch Menu

 

Math

For the week after spring break, we will work on decomposing and composing fractions. For instance, they’ll be given ¾ and then they’ll have to decompose that fraction into unit fractions:  ¼ + ¼ + ¼. Unit fractions always have 1 as the numerator. We will also compose fractions by finding the sum of the unit fractions. For this example, they’ll be given ¼ + ¼ + ¼ , and then they’ll determine the sum, which is ¾. We will practice this all week!

Science 

In Science, we will be wrapping up our Patterns in the Sky unit.  We will take a look at what a Rogue Planet is by exploring Wonderopolis.  We will also research a scientist found in this field, Astronomers.

Reading/Writing 

When we return from spring break, we will continue poetry in reading and writing. We will explore how authors use word choice and figurative language to enhance their poems. We will learn how to add sensory details to our own poems in order to bring them to life!

Social Studies 

In social studies, we will wrap up our economics unit by continuing to explore entrepreneurs and how they market products.

Ms. Martin's Newsletter

March 7th-11th

Upcoming Dates

March 7th-11th - Book Fair Week

March 10th - Open House @ 5:30 pm

March 11th - Early Release @ 12:30 pm

March 14th-18th - Spring Break - No School

March 25th - Report Cards Emailed Home

April 15th - Regular School Day 

*Make-up from Ice Day on 2/24*

April 18th - NO SCHOOL - District Holiday

*iPads - Please remember to send your child's iPad each day to school fully charged. 

*Headphones - Please check with your child that they have working headphones/earbuds at school. Learners have many times where they are watching a video or can listen to directions and/or books and apps that need audio. Thank you so much for your help with this!

*Snack - We have a short snack time each day. It is important that they have a healthy and nutritious snack each day to fuel their bodies. We also ask that the snack you send be completely free of peanuts/tree nuts. This will help provide a safe environment for all learners.

March Lunch Menu

 

Math

Okey dokey, fractions are still rollin’ on! For March 7-11, we will work with fractions on a number line, fractions in word problems, partitioning, and knowing that as the denominator increases in value, the size of the piece becomes less (“the bigger the denominator, the smaller the piece”). This is definitely a huge part of understanding fractions but can be hard to wrap your mind around as an 8/9 year old. The partitioning skill can be challenging for them because it involves a) more people than the food that is being split up, for instance: There are 4 friends and 2 cookies. How should we partition the cookies and what is the fraction of cookies each friend will get? (½ a cookie) OR b) less people than the food that is being split up, for instance: There are 2 friends and 5 cookies. How should we partition the cookies so that each friend gets the same amount? This example involves fractions greater than one, but 3rd graders only represent those kinds of fractions with words vs. numbers: two cookies and a half of another one, not 2 ½ . The kiddos have been doing great during their time in Crazy Bizarro Fraction World!

Science 

In Science we will finish up our planet research.  The kids will then be creating “a newly discovered” planet.  They will have to give information about their planet that fits into what we have been discussing: time of rotation and revolution, inner vs. outer, atmosphere

Reading/Writing 

In reading we will kick off our new poetry unit! We will begin by exploring different parts as poems, such as lines, stanzas, and rhyme schemes. In writing, we will practice brainstorming ideas for poems. We will explore how to use our five senses to bring our poems to life!

Social Studies 

In social studies, we will continue learning about entrepreneurship. We will learn about how entrepreneurs market their products.

Ms. Martin's Newsletter

February 28th-March 4th

Upcoming Dates

March 3rd - Class Pictures

March 7th-11th - Book Fair Week

March 10th - Open House @ 5:30 pm

March 11th - Early Release @ 12:30 pm

March 14th-18th - Spring Break - No School

March 25th - Report Cards Emailed Home

April 15th - Regular School Day 

*Make-up from Ice Day on 2/24*

April 18th - NO SCHOOL - District Holiday

*iPads - Please remember to send your child's iPad each day to school fully charged. 

*Headphones - Please check with your child that they have working headphones/earbuds at school. Learners have many times where they are watching a video or can listen to directions and/or books and apps that need audio. Thank you so much for your help with this!

*Snack - We have a short snack time each day. It is important that they have a healthy and nutritious snack each day to fuel their bodies. We also ask that the snack you send be completely free of peanuts/tree nuts. This will help provide a safe environment for all learners.

**In-Line Skating 101**

IMPORTANT!! PLEASE READ!  If your child has not returned the yellow permission slip and is wanting to participate in the In-Line Skating, the form needs to be signed and returned by MONDAY February 28th.  

Scientist of the Week Schedule

Please make sure to check here to see when your child's assigned week is.  If they haven't signed up and would like to, just send Mrs. Shelby or Mrs. Naughton an email and we will get them added.

March Lunch Menu

 

Math

FRACTIONS ARE HERE! This is our favorite thing to teach! We are so excited to introduce everyone to Crazy Bizarro Fraction World: where numbers are smaller than 1! Where the bigger the number (denominator), the smaller the piece! It’s a bizarre, mixed up world full of interesting numbers, and we’re so here for it. #mathteacher

Next week we will learn all about what fractions represent (equal pieces/parts), the numerator (top number), and the denominator (bottom number). We will also learn how to recognize and represent fractions. The 2nd grade skill stopped at representing fractions with words (one fourth vs. ¼), and this year, your 3rd grade mathematicians will stop at  equivalent fractions! Can you even? They’re so smart! So buckle up, buttercup, because it’s a wild ride through Crazy Bizarro Fraction World!

Science 

In Science we will begin our planet research.  The learners will be digging in and learning a little more about each individual planet.  We will discuss the similarities and differences of each planet and what separates the inner from the outer planets.

Reading/Writing 

In reading we will wrap up our character traits unit by overviewing theme and comparing themes across stories. We will take our character traits post assessment. In writing, we will wrap up our persuasive writing unit by publishing our essays and sharing them with the class.

Social Studies 

In social studies, we will move into learning about different entrepreneurs and how businesses and the free-enterprise system work.

Ms. Martin's Newsletter

February 21st-25th

Upcoming Dates

February 18th - No School - District Holiday

February 21st - No School - Weather Day

March 3rd - Class Pictures

March 10th - Open House @ 5:30 pm

March 11th - Early Release @ 12:30 pm

March 14th-18th - Spring Break - No School

*iPads - Please remember to send your child's iPad each day to school fully charged. 

*Headphones - Please check with your child that they have working headphones/earbuds at school. Learners have many times where they are watching a video or can listen to directions and/or books and apps that need audio. Thank you so much for your help with this!

*Snack - We have a short snack time each day. It is important that they have a healthy and nutritious snack each day to fuel their bodies. We also ask that the snack you send be completely free of peanuts/tree nuts. This will help provide a safe environment for all learners.

**In-Line Skating 101**

In-line Skating is coming to our school on March 11th-31st! Our FABULOUS TCE PTO is bringing this opportunity to our PE class through our PTO grants. In-line Skating company will teach our kindergarten-2nd graders about in-line skate safety. 

On February 18th your child brought home a green permission form in their red take-home folder. This needs to be signed and returned no later than February 28th for your child to participate in this program.  

Scientist of the Week Schedule

Please make sure to check here to see when your child's assigned week is.  If they haven't signed up and would like to, just send Mrs. Shelby or Mrs. Naughton an email and we will get them added.

February Lunch Menu

 

Math

We are wrapping up our geometry unit into a nice, neat rectangular prism finished off with a bow! (See what I did there?) We will talk about geometry word problems and end the week with a review about  telling time on an analog clock, which is a 2nd grade skill. Because learners constantly use digital clocks to tell time, most of them do not practice the skill of telling time on an analog clock. They need to master this skill before we move on to the 3rd grade skill of elapsed time; some multistep elapsed time word problems will first have them tell time on an analog clock and then find the elapsed time. (Plus, it’s an important life skill to be able to tell time!) This review will include the difference between AM and PM, when they switch from one to the other, and how to tell time to the minute.

Science 

In Science we will finish up our exploration of the relationship between the Earth, Moon and Sun.  We will then begin to explore the Solar System, starting with the order of the planets.  The learners will use My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nachos to help with the order (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mar, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune)

Reading/Writing 

In reading we will focus on checking our comprehension through comparing and contrasting stories. We will analyze how different stories have similar story elements and how studying them can increase our comprehension. In writing we will continue our persuasive essays by drafting and revising/editing.

Social Studies 

In social studies we will start practicing what we have learned about economics and applying our knowledge to more real-life situations through playing an adapted version of the game of life.

Ms. Martin's Newsletter

February 14th-18th

 

Upcoming Dates

February 14th - Valentines Day Party @ 2:00 pm

February 16th - Miss McFarling's Birthday

February 18th - No School - District Holiday

February 21st - No School - Weather Day

March 3rd - Class Pictures

March 10th - Open House @ 5:30 pm

March 11th - Early Release @ 12:30 pm

March 14th-18th - Spring Break - No School

Valentine's Party

Our class Valentine's Day party will THIS coming Monday, February 14th @ 2:00 pm. Please have your child address a valentine's card to each child in their homeroom. The names have been emailed out, as well as a hard copy went home.  If you need a list, please reach out to your child's homeroom teacher. You may attach a small treat to the card (if you would like) but please make sure all treats are peanut/tree nut-free. 

All elementary campuses will be able to have the 1-2 assigned PTO room parents attend and run the parties on February 14th. No other parents or visitors will be able to join that day.

Headphones/Earbuds

Please ask your child if he or she has working headphones or earbuds for school. If not, please send some to school. We are out of earbuds from the school supply packs and have checked with Ms. Martin about buying class sets. Due to cost, it is not possible at this time. 

Yearbook photos

https://photos.app.goo.gl/uZRPJqc4FU5NvejT8

Scientist of the Week Schedule

Please make sure to check here to see when your child's assigned week is.  If they haven't signed up and would like to, just send Mrs. Shelby or Mrs. Naughton an email and we will get them added.

February Lunch Menu

 

Math

We will continue our geometry unit! The vocabulary for 2D shapes includes polygon, vertex (plural is vertices), side, and angle. For 3D shapes, a corner is still called a vertex, a “side” is called a face, and where 2 faces meet, it’s called an edge. The 2D shapes learners need to know start at triangles, our 3-sided shape, and go to dodecagons, our 12-sided shape. We are also learning about congruent shapes, which means shapes that are the same size AND the same shape. Words, words, words in the geometry unit! Lots of vocab learning, not a lot of numbers…geometry is an interesting math unit for this very reason! We will take a deep dive into quadrilaterals next week and learn everything you ever wanted to know (and everything you didn’t) about these 4 sided shapes!

Science 

In Science, we started discussing the relationship between the sun, Earth and moon. We looked at how the sun's gravity is what keeps us orbiting around the sun and how our orbit affects our Seasons, as well as how our rotation affects day and night. This week the kids will model and explain how this all works and fits together.

Reading/Writing 

Next week in reading we will continue to explore character traits and how characters react to problems in the story. We will discuss the climax of the story as well as introduce the topic of “author’s craft”. We will begin to explore why the author chose to include (or not include) events and details in our stories. We will continue with our persuasive unit in writing and learn how to write strong conclusions. We will begin using our pre-writing to draft our essays.

Social Studies 

In social studies, we will discuss cash versus credit, explore how credit cards work, and analyze the importance of creating a budget and saving money.

Ms. Martin's Newsletter

January 31st-February 4th

Upcoming Dates

January 30th - Mrs. Shelby's Birthday

February 14th - Valentines Day Party

February 16th - Miss McFarling's Birthday

February 18th - No School

February 21st - No School - Weather Day

March 3rd - Class Pictures

March 10th - Open House

March 11th - Early Release

March 14th-18th - Spring Break - No School

Valentine's Party

Our class Valentine's Day party will be on Monday, February 14th @ 2:00 pm. Please have your child address a valentine's card to each child in their homeroom. The names will be emailed out, as well as a hard copy will be coming home. You may attach a small treat to the card (if you would like) but please make sure all treats are peanut/tree nut-free. 

All elementary campuses will be able to have the 1-2 assigned PTO room parents attend and run the parties on February 14th. No other parents or visitors will be able to join that day.

Please see the following from Ms. Matlock...

All children will participate in the Play It Safe lessons in February, unless parents OPT OUT.

New Positive Covid-19 Case Reporting Procedure

A big thank you to our families for communicating positive student Covid cases to us. In order to help streamline the communication process for both families and our campus nurse, please fill out the following Google Form if your child receives a positive Covid-19 test. The form information goes directly to our campus nurse. https://forms.gle/VUex3RUqzgtsNa716

Once our nurse has received the form from a family, she will reach out to them during school hours to discuss a return date to school and any questions they may have.

Headphones/Earbuds

Please ask your child if he or she has working headphones or earbuds for school. If not, please send some to school. We are out of earbuds from the school supply packs and have checked with Ms. Martin about buying class sets. Due to cost, it is not possible at this time. 

Yearbook photos

https://photos.app.goo.gl/uZRPJqc4FU5NvejT8

Scientist of the Week Schedule

Please make sure to check here to see when your child's assigned week is.  If they haven't signed up and would like to, just send Mrs. Shelby or Mrs. Naughton an email and we will get them added.

February Lunch Menu

 

Math 

We are currently looking at Wednesday to be the big day for your kiddo to show what he or she knows about all things area and perimeter; the post test for area and perimeter is here! This includes how to find the area of a rectangle and/or square, how to find the perimeter of any shape, how to find the unknown side when given the perimeter, how to decide if a problem is looking for area or perimeter, and how to find the area of a composite shape. At the end of next week, we will begin our GEOMETRY unit! 2D shapes! Polygons! Lots of new vocab! Exciting, isn’t it? Stay tuned…

Science 

In Science we will begin our new Unit on Patterns in the Sky. We will start by learning about the Sun and how it effects the Earth and Moon.

Reading/Writing 

In reading we will continue our character traits unit by studying plot elements and how characters fit into the story. In writing we will learn how to gear our persuasive essays towards targeted audiences and develop strong reasons to support our opinions.

Social Studies 

In social studies we will explore spending vs. savings, unplanned spending, and how to use a budget to organize expenses.

Ms. Martin's Newsletter