November 23, 2009
We are ending the month of November going on a “Turkey Trot” with Mrs.
Mihm’s and Mrs. Visser’s class. It was exciting going to different third grade
classrooms for some great fall activities being presented by other third grade
teachers! The Playmaker’s Tour from Florida Studio Theater will visit Ashton
Elementary tomorrow to perform a play for us and then visit our classroom to
encourage and guide us on how to write plays. This is the second part of the
three part FST series you paid for at the beginning of the year:).
We continue to work hard on multiplication strategies and problem solving
in Math and soon will be starting a unit in geometry; although our work in the
challenging DynaMath magazines and in the Success Maker Lab has already given
us a great introduction to some of the geometric ideas!
Flemming’s GEMS are continuing to learn about plants, animals, and their
dependence on each other and contributions to our ecosystem in Science.
We are thankful for the process of photosynthesis each time we breathe in and
out! Check out the colorful 4 layers of the rain forest that your students
madeand will be bringing home this week!
When we return from the Thanksgiving holiday break, we will be finishing
our Trumpet of the Swan novel by E.B.White. After “traveling around the world”
(in the REACH classrooms…)to learn about 5 different countries and their
cultures at our International Celebration of Diversity Day on December 3; we
will next be “going back in time” to visit a part of our Florida history
with a third grade field trip to Spanish Point on Wednesday, December 9th. We
will prepare for the trip by studying about the ancient Indians and settlers
that developed Spanish Point into their home so many years ago. What a
beautiful place to learn more about our Florida heritage!
Our December book report and projects will be on a self selected
biography or nonfiction book; and the students will choose the presentation
project from a long list that they want to make to present their book to their
classmates on Dec. 8th. We are looking forward to getting some more
recommendations from our classmates’ reports for books to read over the end of
the year winter holiday break.
We have been very good about using hand sanitizer,soap and water quite
frequently; but now we are running out of sanitizer! If you happen to see a
good buy on some, we would be happy to have more to use to help keep the flu
and sickness away from our classroom!
Be safe and keep healthy over the upcoming time with your families and
friends...Happy Thanksgiving!!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Hope Flemming
November 18,2009
Dear Families,
Congratulations to ALL of the Flemming's GEMS and their families for
working through the scientific method to enter a project in the Ashton
Elementary Science Fair. It involved a LOT of time and hard work; be proud of
"Reaching For The Stars" in Science! In Science class we are now into our
study of plants, then we will study animals, and tie it all up with
connecting the two group's dependence on each other.
Mrs. Mary Egan has delightfully offered to chair the "Norway" project
for our upcoming International Day of Diversity on December 3. She and the
rest of the parent committee are planning many wonderful activities to help
teach the REACH classes more about the culture of Norway. There is a very
limited budget available to them, so donations are being graciously accepted
for the needed expenses and suppplies.
Next week on Tuesday,November 24; Florida Studio Theatre comes to Ashton
Elementary for a presentation as part of our Playmakers three part series.
Students will be encouraged to consider writing a short play to send and then
be considered for our spring presentation at FST.
I am sorry that there needed to be a couple of changes in the scheduling
of the December book reports. First, we needed to change when the master
schedule for Successmaker Lab was redone; then we needed to change so that
we could schedule the completed book reports before Hanukkah and other family
celebrations.
Wishing all of our Flemming's GEMS families safe travels and memorable
times with those that are "near and dear" to you over the Thanksgiving break.
I am thankful for the opportunity to work with your smart and energetic
children and very thankful for your support as we all work together to
encourage them to achieve their highest potential and be the best that they
can possibly be!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Hope Flemming
November 3, 2009
Dear Families,
The International Celebration of Diversity Day is only four weeks
away, so now is the time for us to start getting together our ideas about the
country of Norway! We will need mini lessons to be presented, crafts for the
students to make, decorations for the classroom, and a Norwegian food sampling
to share with the students as they rotate through the classes/countries. Is
there a volunteer or volunteers to chair this event to start pulling it
together, and make organizational phone calls or emails to the committee and
meet with them as needed? We are supposed to begin a list of "what we are
doing" to report by the end of this week, so now that the school Carnival is
completed AND our November bulletin board is finished and on display in the
front hallway, this is our next main focus item :) Keep those Norwegian ideas
flowing.....
Sincerely,
Mrs. Hope Flemming
______Yes, I am willing to chair or co-chair /lead this event and get the ball
rolling...
______I have the following ideas for the class presentation for Norway:
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________.
Name:_______________________________________
October 26, 2009
Third grade REACH is finishing October with a flurry of activities!!
Each student presented a book report and project on a self selected
mystery or science fiction book last week. They did a fantastic job with this
first of four book reports! Every third grade REACH student is now busily
making a practice Science Fair project in their Science specials class to
prepare for their entry in the Ashton Science Fair. Ask them about "Honey,
I shrunk the Science Fair Project!"
We are also ending this first marking period with our first field trip
visit to Florida Studio Theatre, and this morning each student was generously
given a dictionary to use at home from our Sarasota Rotary Club! Last week the
students excitedly received their recorders in music class and should be
practicing them each day. Firefighter Jeff will be coming to visit on November
10 to remind us about the importance of Fire Safety.
I hope you get the chance to check out the forthcoming November REACH
front hallway bulletin board! Flemming’s GEMS are writing about which ancient
civilization he or she would have liked to live in if given the choice.
Students are supporting their writing with facts from our recently completed
Social Studies unit of study and have sprinkled in some interesting personal
opinions. We are thankful to these ancient civilizations for the many
accomplishments and advancements they discovered and provided for us.
Flemming’s GEMS are continuing to practice and enrich our expository
writing with main ideas, details and anecdotes. We are continuing our novel
study on The Trumpet of the Swan in reading; along with our Story Town text
story units and individual novels and response journals.
We are immersing ourselves in many varied strategies to help us learn and
apply multiplication and division skills in math. With a new mid term period
beginning, we now switch from Social Studies to Science. After reviewing the
steps in the Scientific Method, we will begin units of study about plants and
animals.
Thank you so much to all of the families that helped us to enjoy the
Ashton Fall Carnival, and for generously contributing to the canned food, pet
supplies,and United Way change donations. I also thank you for supporting the
"Reach for the Stars" third grade REACH expectations that your students are
working so very hard towards and will then be more able to achieve :).
Sincerely,
Mrs. Hope Flemming
October 14, 2009
Dear REACH families,
Our Ashton Carnival is only 1 and 1/2 weeks away, and the PTO has asked
each class to "fill the worker slots"! Our class is scheduled to work with the
"Take A Chance"activity. We have openings for volunteers in the following time
slots between 5:30-8:30. Please send back the form below this week even if you
are unable to help, so that I know you are aware of this PTO volunteer
request.If the returned sign-up papers duplicate time slots, I may need to
contact you about a second time choice...Thank You!! Mrs. Hope Flemming
October 23, 2009
4:45-5:30 1) Michelle West and 2) Hope Flemming
5:30-6:00 1)___________________________Name and _______________phone number
2)___________________________Name and _______________phone number
6:00-6:30 1)Gery Nikolov
2)___________________________Name and _______________phone number
6:30-7:00 1) Sue Viera
2)___________________________Name and _______________phone number
7:00-7:30 1)Elsa Estrada and Laura Studebaker
7:30-8:00 1)___________________________Name and _______________phone number
2)___________________________Name and _______________phone number
8:00-8:45 1)___________________________Name and _______________phone number
2)___________________________Name and _______________phone number
If the time slot I have reqested is full, a second choice time slot could be:
____________________________
Unable to help on this day..._______________________________________Name
September 28, 2009
Dear REACH families,
On Thursday, December 3, 2009 all grade levels of the REACH classes will
be actively involved in their annual "International Celebration of Diversity"
(ICOD) day. Each classroom chooses a country to learn more about, and then
provides information through culture, crafts and foods to all of the other
classes to rotate through on that day.
I am asking you for suggestions of a country that you may be able to
provide information about, have a connection to, or would be willing to chair
an information search about. This is one of the most involved opportunities
for our third grade REACH parents that have expressed an interest in "helping
at school" to SHINE!! Please return the bottom of this information letter to
school ASAP this week and thank you in advance for helping to make this a
wonderful day of learning for all involved:)!
Your Name:_______________________________________
Student Name:____________________________________
Please CHECK ANY or ALL that apply below:
1. ____ I would like to suggest that Third Grade REACH sponsors a study on
the country of _______________________________.
2. ____ I would like to chair or co-chair the search for information on a
country for ICOD day.
3. ____ I would like to assist and be a member of the esteemed Third Grade
REACH ICOD Committee!
4. ____ I will be able to be at school on Thursday, December 3 to assist in
the presentation of culture, crafts and foods for part or all of the day.
Thank You!
Mrs. Hope Flemming
September 23, 2009
Agenda/Notes from Parent Information Night...
Our day begins.....
*Students enter room, unpack and read the board for reminders on what to
have out on desk to be checked by row leader (R.Log and agenda signatures)and
what morning work to do. Subjects, pages, suggestions all written on board.
Much can be accomplished if followed:) Copy information on assignment board
into student agenda.
*Self control to get settled in rather than roam and chat.
*Students have assigned jobs to do (hopefully without being reminded.
*Use "Luck of the Draw" sticks to call on students, assign groups.
Main focus so far has been on:
Following directions and writing in complete "restate the question" sentences!
*Read all directions at least twice.
*Number directions that are in more than one step.
*Follow directions; do what is asked.
*Will get papers back to do correctly if directions are not followed.
Goal: To have all students know the strategies to be successful and self
assured in following directions without teacher assistance....Especially
useful for FCAT when teacher is not allowed to assist.
*Go over spelling and vocabulary; then it is put into take home folder
for the following night's homework along with reading log.
*Will be adding analogies.
*Reading: Text, Novel, Individual, Pairs, Trios, Small Groups.
*Work is kept in green reading folder, write down when start and finish.
*Morning working healthy snack...suggestions.
*Response Journal and RRR bookmarks: Think about what is being
read aids in comprehension.
*Mini Book Reports, SRC tests, Book Bug Club, Stars on chart
and dogtags.
*4 different genre/project book reports.
*Successmaker Lab on T,Th,Friday...Library on Wednesday.
*Writing binder and contents. Differences between expository and
narrative writing.
*Quiet background music used to help students finish/concentrate.
*Lunch
*Recess
*Specials
*Drinks, bathroom break, afternoon snack to settle in.
*Math: DROPS, Sunshine Math, Successmaker may drive order of learning,
Dyna-Math, Math games, Mult. cards.
*Science or Soc. Studies units/themes.
*Science Fair Project
*Science Investigate Leaders/assigned experiment
*How papers are handed in and returned.
Then....we went through the packet "Flemming's GEMS" that I am sending home
if you missed the evening: and we finished with answering all parent
questions:) Mrs. Hope Flemming
September 17, 2009
Thank you so very much to...
1. The families of Hanna Studebaker, Andrew Curtis, and Parker Padgett
(former and current third grade REACH students) for the School Mall program
gift cards that have enabled our class this year to receive a subscription to
Kids Discover, National Geographic Kids, Ranger Rick and Zoobooks! The
students will enjoy learning even more while using these magazines.
THANK YOU:)!!
2. The Buggeln family for sponsoring our class in the Adopt-A-Class program!
I showed the students a wonderful Dyna-Math supplement that I have ordered to
help keep us challenged while having fun and learning even more in Math. The
third grade REACH students loved it last year; so thank you to Caitlin and her
family for helping to defray the cost of this monthly magazine.
Thank you from our class:)
Mrs. Hope Flemming
September 11, 2009
Dear Third Grade REACH families,
Whew!! We have been working very hard and adding subjects and activities
each week since school started. The students are now writing in their
response journals, studying units in their vocabulary books, and signing up
for science investigations. Next week we will add the analogies part/book of
our Language Arts program, and you will also see some writing assignments
coming home. I am enjoying working with this bright and energetic class :)!
Thank you for your understanding and support with the recent lunch and
specials schedule change; it has added a bit to the challenge of settling
into a routine, but now we are getting used to that as well.
If you are interested in being a class mom or dad to help coordinate a
few events that we do, please write a note and I will forward your name to
the PTO and be back in contact with you.
Thank you for helping to check and sign your child's agenda and reading
log nightly; it really does help their organization and understanding when
you discuss and check their assignments.
I am looking forward to going through your child's day at school with
you and discussing all that we possibly can fit in at Parents Night from
6:30-7:30 On September 22. If you have any questions before that, feel free
to check my website to see if there is clarification there; or e-mail me
through the school website and I will get back to you as quickly as possible.
Enjoy the weekend!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Hope Flemming
August 18, 2009
Dear very special Third Grade REACH students,
My name is Mrs. Hope Flemming and I am so excited to have you in my
class this year! I have been a Pennsylvania and Florida school teacher for 19
years and I have taught all grade levels; but my very favorite is third
grade. We will have a wonderful year together working hard and also having
fun! So far, we have 20 students in our class, and our classroom is in
portable 36. I am so glad to be in a classroom with large windows for
daylight and fresh air once again. Look for the welcome flag and the flowers
and trees I have placed around our portable when you come to school to see
me on Friday August 21 between 11:00 - 1:00; or when you arrive for the
first day of school at 7:50 on August 24!! Our school day this year runs from
8:00 - 2:45.
Let me tell you a little about your teacher... My husband Gary is the
southeast division manager for Graham Architectural Products. He travels quite
a bit and sometimes I am able to go along; I was thrilled to visit New Orleans
with him for my first time this summer. I have two wonderful and very special
children! Natalie had previously lived in New York City and worked as a senior
art buyer and produced the “Got Milk?” commercials. Last year she moved all
the way across the country to Portland, Oregon to produce the advertisements
for Nike, Levis, Target, and other companies. We visit her often and love the
beauty of her new area. Ryan lives in Washington D.C. and he is the treasurer
of a bank near the White House. He just purchased a home there and is moving
in this week. They both have happy and busy lives, and I miss them very much.
So now you will all be my special “classroom children” for the next ten months
:)I LOVE to read; as you will be able to tell from our classroom collection of
over 1,000 books! Our reading theme is “Books are the Real Treasure”! Your
first reading assignment will be to tell us about a book you read and enjoyed
over the summer. So start thinking what you would like to share with the class
about your book.
Now, please tell me all about yourself. What did you do over the
summer? Did you travel? What do you hope to do this year in third grade? Do
you have any questions you would like to ask me? Any concerns or special
happenings you want to tell me about? Your first writing assignment is for
you to write a letter to me all about you and I will also be giving your
parents a writing assignment to write a letter to tell me about you “through
their eyes” :)!
See you soon...
Mrs. Hope Flemming
