Harvest Day on PhotoPeach

Red Ribbon Week Spirit Days on PhotoPeach

Fire Prevention Day on PhotoPeach

If you visit Brecknock in the next 2 weeks, be sure to pause a moment in the lobby and check out the showcase.  Students in each third grade language arts class created pumpkins to represent book characters. They read the book, wrote a character report, and then worked together to plan and create their pumpkin character. Thanks to all the parents who donated pumpkins for us!

Brecknock Elementary Red Ribbon Spirit Week

October 23-October 27, 2017

“Your Future is KEY, so stay drug FREE.”

Monday, 10/23- “Your future is KEY”, for you and me.

            Role Reversal– students dress like staff, and staff dress like students.

Tuesday, 10/24-“Your future is KEY”, so eat healthy.

Apple Crunch Day- wear red

Wednesday, 10/25- “Your future is KEY”, so dream what you could be.

            Dress like someone who you want to be in the future.

Thursday, 10/26- “Your future is KEY”, so be safe when feeling silly.

            Dress is something mis-matched.

Friday, 10/27- “Your future is KEY”, so fitness is priority.  Staff and students will walk around the Brecknock campus before the start of school.

            Wear your favorite sport team’s shirt.

For our first Module in Language Arts we have become Recycling Advocates.  After researching the benefits of reducing, reusing and recycling products, it was time to spread the word throughout Brecknock.  My students participated in two projects as part of our module.

Recycling Posters

Students worked with Mrs. Miller to research some existing advertisements that encourage the public to recycle.  Partners were inspired to work together to create their own posters which we are proudly displaying outside the bathrooms in our hallway so they get lots of views.

3R Mobiles

During Science, groups of students worked together to create mobiles that shared information about reduce, reuse and recycle.  Students had to include the definition and an example of how to put each R into action.  We hung these 6 mobiles around the school above recycling bins so that faculty and students will be reminded to do their part to care for the Earth.

This week my math class started working on Module 1: Multiplication and Division with Factors of 2, 3, 4, 5, 10  We will be working hard to memorize our multiplication facts this year. My students were excited to hear about an ice cream party incentive that the third grade teachers have planned for the end of the year.  Read about it here!

One of the goals in third grade is to use mental strategies to multiply fluently and efficiently. Math fact fluency is often defined as the ability to solve a fact problem in three seconds or less. Each day we will work on math fact fluency in math class. We will strive to learn our facts in groups (x2s, x3s, x4s, etc.). Each day students take a one minute math fact quiz on a fact group known as a “Math Racer.” The quiz has 25 problems and students need to complete 20 problems correctly in one minute to pass. Students who pass move on to the next fact group. We track our progress to math fluency on a bulletin board where each student has a car that drives along a road past signs for each fact group.

Each student in third grade brings home a flashcard envelope each night. This envelope should be kept in the back pocket of their red homework folder so it can be used at school and home each day. In the envelope you will find flashcards for the fact group your child is working on. Please practice this flashcard set each night…even on weekends. The best way to memorize math facts is to have frequent exposure to them. The flashcards from previous fact groups will also be kept in the envelope. It would be a good idea to periodically review these facts as well.

If a student is “stuck” on a math fact group for a week I will begin to send home a Homework Racer that can be used as additional practice. This homework should be completed and returned the next day. It might be best to warm up with flashcard practice first and then time your child for 1 minute using the Math Racer Homework Page. If you watch your child during the timing you may be able to see which facts he/she has to stop and really think about. Try pulling those flashcards out of the pile and work on memorizing those by repeating them a few times. Sometimes taping a fact to the bathroom mirror or front door to solve each time you pass it can be helpful.

Sometimes it takes a little while for students to learn a group of facts. Thank you in advance for doing your part in helping your third grader become fluent in multiplication. Please let me know if you have any questions. Check out our Math Racer bulletin board next time you visit our classroom!