week of October 26th - 30th

This week is red ribbon week. To celebrate, Caryville Elementary is dressing up differently each day. Monday is flip flop day, Tuesday is hat day, Wednesday is red day, Thursday is crazy sock day, and Friday is fall/Halloween day - NO COSTUMES!

Our field trip is Wednesday. Money will need to be turned in no later than Tuesday. No checks will be accepted. Cash only. Sorry for any inconvenience.

{Welcome back}

I hope everyone had a great fall break and got plenty of rest and relaxation. It only made me realize that I needed at least another week to get everything I had to get done accomplished. But I was able to get down to the classroom and change things up a bit. I don't like leaving anything the same very long so things will never be the same for more than a couple of weeks at school or at home.

Please look for new homework folders. You should see them and check them EVERY NIGHT! I only assign homework on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. However your child should be reading every night and you should be signing off on the reading log every night as well.

spelling words for the week of October 12th - 15th

1. coming

2. skating

3. taking

4. giving

5. choosing

6. smiling

7. baking

8. sliding

9. changing

10. waving

11. leaving

12. making

13. hoping

14. trading

15. having

Please put emphasis on dropping the -e and adding -ing. Study hard. The test is on Thursday instead of Friday due to no school Friday!

National book month

October is national book month. Please make it a point to read a book to your child daily. Third graders are not too old to feel the benefits from being read to. In fact, it will help in the reading process. Chapter books are a great place to start. You can read a chapter each night and discuss the characters, setting, main idea, genre, etc. If you need a chapter book, please contact me and I will make sure to get you one.

Big things this week

Please note the things coming up this week:

* Bench mark exams Tuesday. Please make sure your children get to bed early and have a good breakfast and get to school on time.

* Early out Thursday at 2:00.

* No school Friday.

* Fall break begins October 19th and runs through the 23rd.

* Keep a look out for fire truck pictures.

Please don't forget about after school readers/writers workshop on Mondays. It is every Monday after school from 3:00 - 3:45. You will have to be responsible in picking your child up at 3:45 but a snack will be provided. If you have any questions, please email or call at 423.494.9065 or bethanyandrob@comcast.net.

can I get a whooot whooot?

Carnival tomorrow! I'm so excited. I'm going to be taking pictures during the carnival so make sure you come outside by the hay bales and scare crow and come see me! There is just so many things to do tomorrow night. I'm just so excited. See you there!

things that are keeping us busy for the following week

Here are some things we are focusing on in class for the next week. Please reinforce these ideas at home and ask questions about what we done in class on the subject as well.

* Author's study on Patricia Polacco. Focusing on genre (realistic fiction), main idea, supporting detail, main character, and setting.

* Nouns - common and proper. Nouns in the subject, verbs in the predicate. Plurals -s or -es or dropping the y and adding ies.

* Rounding to the nearest 10's, 100's and 1000's.

* Finding the number that comes before, in between, and after. ( For some reason, my kids are having a rough time mastering this. They just can't get how to solve for the answer. Please especially work with your kids at home with this if you can)

* Ask about their bean projects and pen pal letters.

* We are focusing on writing in the fantasy genre (something that could never happen). Absolutely hilarious writings! Ask about them.

* Genre:

Fiction - Something that is not real.

Non Fiction - Something that is real and could absolutely happen.

spelling words for the week of Sept. 30 - Oct. 2

1. night
2. bright
3. find
4. light
5. wild
6. high
7. blind
8. fight
9. sight
10. kind
11. sign
12. knight
13. mild
14. right
15. sign

{exciting news}

I am starting the after school reading workshop Monday October 5th from 3:00 to 3:45 in my classroom. It will be every monday unless we do not have school. My intent for this program is to raise reading levels and increase fluency. I'd love to have extra time throughout the day but it just isn't possible so this is the next best thing! Transportation will have to be provided and your child will have to picked up promptly at 3:45. If you have any questions, please call or email me. My contact info is 423.494.9065 or bethanyandrob@comcast.net. I'm so excited! Let's get it going!

a few notes

*School coupon book sales started today. Money raised will go towards new playground equipment. Our goal is for everyone to sell at least two books. Good luck!

*School carnival is October 2nd. There is going to be a chili supper beginning at 5:00, bingo, photography, games, baked goods, auction and many more great things. Money made from the carnival helps the teachers purchase things for their classrooms.

*Starting monday, I will post spelling words on the blog for each week. There will be a test each Friday. Please make sure your child studies nightly.

*Also, I am trying to wing the students off of me writing the assignments down for them into being responsible for themselves and writing down their own assignments. Please be patient while during this transition. I do not give homework on Wednesday night and Friday night.

As always, you can find homework posted on here if there is any questions. During this time, I am being very lenient and offering remakes for the next night. This is only for a few weeks until they get in sync and organized.

* Please return all mid term reports back to me. I have to have them back signed. If I requested a meeting, please know that I am currently scheduling appointments so please be patient. If I did not request a meeting and you would like one, please let me know.

*If your child is sick, please don't let them return to school until they are completely better. We have flu, stomach virus, strep, not to mention a host of other things floating around. If your child is running a temperature, please keep them home as well. I will be more than glad to collect homework and work missed and leave it in the office. However, make up work can only be collected in the afternoon due to such a high volume of people coming in to collect it. You can also find your child's work listed on class www.classnotes.com.

It's been a great three weeks. I'm so excited to be teaching your children. Thank you for trusting me with them.

Mrs. Fritts

quick side note

*Guided Reading will start Monday. High absentees made it really difficult to start today. Just continue to read in the blue book until next week. Please don't forget to sign off on the reading logs.

*Spelling test and morning work test friday. Please study. It's been a short week so I have shortened it but they really need to make up for lost nights and study, study, study!

*Please don't forget to sign the permission forms for pen pals.

* Progress reports will be sent home friday.

{the first week}

So, after week one I still am so excited and my motivation is growing. We are still settling down into a schedule but we are finding our way there rather quickly. Here are a few things to keep your eyes open for:

* Guided reading starts Wednesday. Please make it a point to read with your child nightly. Every ounce of reading counts. Our kids have to be literate and comfortable reading and writing.

* Scholastic book orders were sent out this past Friday. They are due September 18th.

* I am currently working on a monthly calendar to help parents stay on track with what we're going in the classroom. That way parents can help reinforce what's being learned at school.

* I am throwing around the idea of after school reading. I see a huge need and I want my kids to be successful students so if you think your child would benefit, please let me know. I am waiting to see if there is any interested before I begin.

* I'd like to make you aware of what wonderful help me and my student's have gotten from Bearen High School and their staff. They donated many boxes of supplies which will be used for writer's workshop, math, and every other subject I can think of! Thank you so much Bearen for your kindness and generosity.

* Please make sure that you check your child's homework folder nightly. There will be announcements, homework, notes to sign and many more important things that you will need to see and sign.

* It's about time for school coupon books. Please try to help out our schools by selling as many as you can.

*We have pen pals! Please look for a permission slip coming home this week. It is a first name basis and the pen pals are students who are considering education as a profession. Please sign the permission slip and have your child turn it back in to me as soon as possible. This is not a grade and not mandatory, but I am using this as a teaching tool which reinforces state standards and writing confidence. Your child will benefit greatly by this writing project. If you have any questions about it, please feel free to contact me.

Again, it was a great first week and I look forward to many more. If anyone needs to contact me, please contact the school, my number - 423.494.9065 or email me at bethanyandrob@comcast.net.

Mrs. Fritts

A little about me...

I'm Bethany Fritts, the new 3rd Grade teacher at Caryville Elementary. I formerly taught First Grade at Briceville Elementary until I had my baby girl Sophia, who is 4, and decided to stay at home. I now have a boy as well. His name is Mac and he will be 2 years old in November. I am married to the most wonderful man in the world, Robert.

I was trained by a literacy coach while in Anderson County and Balanced Literacy is the biggest motivation behind my teaching. I take a very hands on approach to teaching. I do believe in homework but I also think that kids need down time as well so I will have designated homework nights to help you and the students plan and not get overloaded. More on this to follow later.

I will be using this blog as a primary source of announcements and communication. I am also sending home a letter which you should get monday that has my contact information and classroom information. I would love parent volunteers to help out in the class. If you are interested, please let me know so I can schedule you and best utilize your time.

I'm just so excited about this year and being at Caryville. Thanks for trusting me with your children and I look forward to meeting all of you.

Mrs. Fritts