Mrs. Garee and Mrs. Butcher's Cougar News from Room 204

Welcome to our blog! We are excited to share all the exciting things happening in Room 204. Check back often for updates.

Monday, October 31, 2011

Wild Shots They're My Life Spelling & Vocabulary

Focus Skill- Author's Purpose
Focus Strategy- Text Structure and Format


Spelling-finger, pencil, huge, stage, police, giraffe, peculiar, scaly, force, creature, excite, space, unusual, range, strange, office, fence, price, badge, engine
Vocabulary- delicate, marine, creature, collapsed, curious, survived

You can practice these words and skills at http://www.harcourtschool.com/menus/trophies/grade_3.html
Just click on the skill to practice and choose this week's story. Have fun!

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Fluency Passage

Please watch for a fluency passage coming home in your child's Star Binder.

The students are to practice this passage nightly. We are tracking the number of words they can read per minute. Our goals is to get each child to significantly increase the number of WPM. Practicing this passage will not only increase WPM but improve your child's fluency and comprehension.

When practicing the passage, please remind your child to not read as fast as they can, but to read smoothly, with expression.

Not every child has received one yet. They are receiving them during their 100 Book Challenge conferencing time. Several different passages will be sent home throughout the year.

100 Book Challenge Update

This week's goal for 100 Book Challenge lines read is 136. I check goals on Monday mornings. The students have all week and all weekend to reach this goal. You will be receiving information in your child's agenda if they are behing goal.

The students have built enough stamina in class to read 30 minutes a night. This is equivalent to two lines. Please do not sign more than two lines per night. If your child has/her nose stuck in a book they love and don't want to put the book down-that's GREAT!! Just write a small note why they earned the extra lines. We would love to make an exception for students who want to read more! Just please let us know.

Just signing as a "requirement" will become evident when students aren't improving comprehension, fluency and moving up color levels in 100 Book Challenge. We monitor closely the number of lines truly spent reading. The more time they spend authentically reading  a just right level book; the better read they will become!

Most importantly we want to foster a life long love of reading! Thanks!

Turtle Bay~ Spelling and Vocabulary Words


Focus Skill- Reread to Clarify
Focus Strategy- Author's Purpose


Spelling-laugh, enough, rough, knocked, dolphin, coral, wrench, whale, wring, wreck, wrinkle, tortoise, written, sea horse, wrap, writer, known, wrong, knot, sphere
Vocabulary- eager, litter, patiently, trained, wise, message

You can practice these words and skills at http://www.harcourtschool.com/menus/trophies/grade_3.html
Just click on the skill to practice and choose this week's story. Have fun!

Monday, October 17, 2011

Issue 14~ Please Vote YES!!!

Please Vote Yes on Election Day for the Akron Public Schools operating levy!!

This operating levy is a responsible request by the Akron Public Schools asking the community to support our children's education. Even with the passage of this levy the district will need to make an additional 9.2 million additional cuts for each of the next 3 years.

The passage of this levy will cost approximately $7 per month for the average home and will be used only to pay for necessities that will keep the district getting good results.


Election Day is Tuesday, November 8, 2011. You can pick up voter registration and absentee ballot information in the school office. Absentee ballot is an easy way for busy families to find time to vote.

The non passage of this levy, will directly affect your child's education, teacher and community. Please support Issue 14!

For more information please visit http://www.forakronschools.com/