Week of October 31 - November 4

CALENDAR DATES

October 31 - Crazy Hats/Headbands for Halloween!

November 1 - Practice STAAR test
November 2 - Practice STAAR test

A PEEK AT OUR WEEK

In reading, learners will learn about making thinking tracks while we are reading. We use these text codes to help our comprehension. We have text code symbols for making a connection, surprising event, confusing part, funny part, important part, and favorite part.

In writing, we will finish our narratives about a time when we got hurt. We will also have a new mentor sentence from The Name Jar. We will focus on adding commas in a series. We will have a new spelling unit that will be due Thursday, November 10th. 

In social studies, we will present our landform research project. Then, we will start talking about government. We will review essential vocabulary and then learn about departments of local and state government. 

In math this week we will be introducing multiplication! We will begin the week by showing our learners various ways to represent multiplication. The second half of the week will be spent practicing each representation of multiplication in a number of stations. 

In science this week we will be starting our simple machines engineering unit. We will be investigating the jobs of engineers and the engineering process. The learners are so excited about the opportunity to build and test various simple machines with the help of some lovely parent volunteers! At the end of the week our learners will be putting the engineering process into action with a hands on project.  

IMPORTANT REMINDERS

Practice STAAR Test:

Our learners will be taking the practice STAAR test this week. With that being said, we want to reiterate that we are not testing for accuracy. The purpose of the practice STAAR is not to assess what our learners know, but to practice and prepare for what the test will look like. We want the practice test to be a low stress experience for our learners! 

Homework: 

• In lieu of weekly math homework that is assigned on Mondays and returned on Fridays we are sending home your child’s math workbooks for Third Grade. Each week we will update the Third grade blog with optional workbook pages that align with our weekly skill to serve as practice for your child. They may bring these pages back each week, and can receive a small incentive (a sticker, warm fuzzy, etc.), but it is not a requirement. There will still be many unused pages so you are free to work through your child’s workbook as you see fit. Your child is still expected as a Town Center Texan to do Reflex Math three times a week for fifteen minutes. We hope that this will allow for freedom for your child to spend their evenings creating, spending time outside, eating dinner as a family, and reading together while also allowing a resource for math support at home as you feel best fit for your child. Workbook pages for this week are pages 173-184 and 191-196. 
• Reflex Math: Students have a week (Friday-Friday) to work through their Reflex Math three times a week, for 15 minutes at a time. 

Cafeteria expectations: 

It is a school-wide expectation that when the lights are off, our voices are off. Please help us with following these when you are eating with your child in the cafeteria.

Background Check:

Please take a minute to fill out a background check. It only takes a few minutes and the link is below. You will need to have completed a background check to volunteer at school and attend special events and field trips. You must complete a new background check each school year. http://www.coppellisd.com/Page/22

CHARACTER AT TCE

Citizenship Quality: Cooperation

Life Principal: Cooperation
Town Center Common Courtesy: Keep bathrooms clean and germ free. 

Week of October 24-28

CALENDAR DATES

Red Ribbon Week -

October 24 - Hat Day
October 25- Crazy Hair Day
October 26 - Wacky Sock Wednesday

October 27 - Backwards Day

October 28 - Team Spirit Day

A PEEK AT OUR WEEK

In reading, learners will continue to learn and reinforce foundation skills essential to reading comprehension. This week, we will focus on cause and effect and main idea.

In writing, we will continue our narrative writing unit. We will also being a new way of teaching and reinforcing grammar skills using mentor sentences to model correct grammar. They can also me great models of how to write different types of sentences.

In social studies, we will begin group research projects over different landforms. Groups will research glaciers, canyons, rivers, mountains, and volcanoes. Learners will answer research questions and then create a presentation to share their findings with the class.

In math this week, we will continue to review and practice our word problem solving strategies. We will also be introducing elapsed time.

In science this week we will be concluding our research on the various forms of energy. Our learners have been assigned a different form of energy, and will be presenting their research to teach the class what they have learned. Towards the end of the week we hope to introduce our simple machines unit.  

IMPORTANT REMINDERS

Homework: 

• In lieu of weekly math homework that is assigned on Mondays and returned on Fridays we are sending home your child’s math workbooks for Third Grade. Each week we will update the Third grade blog with optional workbook pages that align with our weekly skill to serve as practice for your child. They may bring these pages back each week, and can receive a small incentive (a sticker, warm fuzzy, etc.), but it is not a requirement. There will still be many unused pages so you are free to work through your child’s workbook as you see fit. Your child is still expected as a Town Center Texan to do Reflex Math three times a week for fifteen minutes. We hope that this will allow for freedom for your child to spend their evenings creating, spending time outside, eating dinner as a family, and reading together while also allowing a resource for math support at home as you feel best fit for your child. Workbook pages for this week are pages 565-570. We will be sending Volume 2 Workbook home on Monday.
• Reflex Math: Reflex Math accounts are back up and running. Students have a week (Friday-Friday) to work through their Reflex Math three times a week, for 15 minutes at a time. 
•  Spelling Choice Board: The spelling choice board will now be due on the Thursday before the spelling test. The next choice board is due Thursday, 10/27 and our spelling test will be Friday, 10/28. We want learners to use the night before the test to study, rather than finish the choice board and possibly cramming the night before the test. 

Cafeteria expectations: 

It is a school-wide expectation that when the lights are off, our voices are off. Please help us with following these when you are eating with your child in the cafeteria.

Background Check:

Please take a minute to fill out a background check. It only takes a few minutes and the link is below. You will need to have completed a background check to volunteer at school and attend special events and field trips. You must complete a new background check each school year. http://www.coppellisd.com/Page/22

CHARACTER AT TCE

Citizenship Quality: Responsibility

Life Principal: Flexibility
Town Center Common Courtesy: All trash needs to make it into the trash can.

Week of October 17-21

CALENDAR DATES

October 17- CoGat Testing
October 18- CoGat Testing
October 20 - TCE Auction Party 3:30-5:30

October 21 - Report Cards Go Home

A PEEK AT OUR WEEK

In reading we will be working on reading skills of context clues, cause effect, and main idea. We will be using mentor texts to support the skills and incorporating writing about our reading with these skills. We will continue to do reading stations which include iStation, independent reading, and conferencing.

In writing, learners will begin their narrative writing unit. We will go through the writing process of brainstorming, drafting, editing, revising, and publishing. We will also be learning about the difference in editing and revising.

In math this week, our learners will be digging deeper into word-problem solving. They will be mastering the steps to solve complex word problems and will be applying their knowledge in a variety of ways.

In science this week we will be wrapping up force and motion. This week will be focused on investigating the various types of energy. The students will complete stations to help practice and review the information.

In social studies, learners will begin learning about landforms. Learners will be in groups to complete a choice board that includes research, technology, and presentations.

IMPORTANT REMINDERS

Homework: 

• In lieu of weekly math homework that is assigned on Mondays and returned on Fridays we are sending home your child’s math workbooks for Third Grade. Each week we will update the Third grade blog with optional workbook pages that align with our weekly skill to serve as practice for your child. They may bring these pages back each week, and can receive a small incentive (a sticker, warm fuzzy, etc.), but it is not a requirement. There will still be many unused pages so you are free to work through your child’s workbook as you see fit. Your child is still expected as a Town Center Texan to do Reflex Math three times a week for fifteen minutes. We hope that this will allow for freedom for your child to spend their evenings creating, spending time outside, eating dinner as a family, and reading together while also allowing a resource for math support at home as you feel best fit for your child. Workbook pages for this week are pages 157-161 or Unit 5.4.
• Reflex Math: Reflex Math accounts are back up and running. Students have a week (Friday-Friday) to work through their Reflex Math three times a week, for 15 minutes at a time. 
•  Spelling Choice Board: The spelling choice board will now be due on the Thursday before the spelling test. The next choice board is due Thursday, 10/27 and our spelling test will be Friday, 10/28. We want learners to use the night before the test to study, rather than finish the choice board and possibly cramming the night before the test. 

Cafeteria expectations: 

It is a school-wide expectation that when the lights are off, our voices are off. Please help us with following these when you are eating with your child in the cafeteria.

Background Check:

Please take a minute to fill out a background check. It only takes a few minutes and the link is below. You will need to have completed a background check to volunteer at school and attend special events and field trips. You must complete a new background check each school year. http://www.coppellisd.com/Page/22

CHARACTER AT TCE

Citizenship Quality: Responsibility

Life Principal: Humility
Town Center Common Courtesy: Always look people in the eye when you are ordering, asking a question, or saying, "Thank you."

Week of October 10-14

Thank you to all of our volunteers who made Special Friend's Day even more special! We truly appreciate you! We are so glad so many special friends were able to come.

Calendar Dates

October 14- Spirit Rally 8:15 (No Texan Town)

A Peek at Our Week

In reading we will be working on reading skills of context clues, cause effect, and main idea. We will be using mentor texts to support the skills and incorporating writing about our reading with these skills. We will continue to do reading stations which include iStation, independent reading, and conferencing.

In writing, learners will begin their narrative writing unit. We will go through the writing process of brainstorming, drafting, editing, revising, and publishing. We will also be learning about the difference in editing and revising.

In math this week, we will be reviewing our strategies for multi-digit addition and subtraction. Our learners will be completing several different stations to help practice and review these skills and strategies.

In science this week we will be completing our force and motion demonstrations. The students will be completing their forces lab, testing friction! We will also continue our learning about the various types of energy.

In social studies, learners will begin learning about landforms. Learners will be in groups to complete a choice board that includes research, technology, and presentations.

Important Reminders

Homework: 

• In lieu of weekly math homework that is assigned on Mondays and returned on Fridays we are sending home your child’s math workbooks for Third Grade. Each week we will update the Third grade blog with optional workbook pages that align with our weekly skill to serve as practice for your child. They may bring these pages back each week, and can receive a small incentive (a sticker, warm fuzzy, etc.), but it is not a requirement. There will still be many unused pages so you are free to work through your child’s workbook as you see fit. Your child is still expected as a Town Center Texan to do Reflex Math three times a week for fifteen minutes. We hope that this will allow for freedom for your child to spend their evenings creating, spending time outside, eating dinner as a family, and reading together while also allowing a resource for math support at home as you feel best fit for your child.
• Reflex Math: Currently our Reflex Math accounts are not working. This is a problem across the district, and they are working quickly to get it resolved. We apologize for any confusion this has caused. We will send out an email as soon as it is resolved. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
• Spelling Choice Board: The spelling choice board will now be due on the Thursday before the spelling test. The next choice board is due Thursday, 10/13 and our spelling test will be Friday, 10/14. We want learners to use the night before the test to study, rather than finish the choice board and possibly cramming the night before the test. 

Cafeteria expectations: 

It is a school-wide expectation that when the lights are off, our voices are off. Please help us with following these when you are eating with your child in the cafeteria.

Background Check

Please take a minute to fill out a background check. It only takes a few minutes and the link is below. You will need to have completed a background check to volunteer at school and attend special events and field trips. You must complete a new background check each school year. http://www.coppellisd.com/Page/22

Character at TCE

Citizenship Quality: Responsibility

Life Principal: Optimism
Town Center Common Courtesy: When work is assigned, do not moan or complain.