Our class worked very hard last week! Monday your child will bring home his/her first math test. Overall the scores were excellent. Please look over the test with your son/daughter and make corrections together. I am asking that the test is signed, corrected and returned by Friday, October 4th.
Math
We have begun working on our next chapter in math. We will be rounding, estimating sums and estimating differences. Please continue to practice addition and subtraction facts at home as often as possible. We will have our third timed test on 14, 15 facts this Friday.
Reading
This week we will focus our work on becoming more fluent readers. We will also work on noticing when meaning breaks down in our reading and strategies that will help us recover. We will specifically be talking about using context clues and rereading this week. We will also lengthen our writing in response to our independent reading time.
Writing
Last week we began our personal narrative unit. The students and I explored ways we as writers can generate ideas. This week we will continue to add to our list of small moments and we will work on developing our ideas into stories. Our focus will be on creating a beginning, middle and end to our stories. You can help at home by having conversations with your child about moments in their lives that are special or memorable enough to make into an interesting narrative.
Science
We have planted our Wisconsin Fast Plants! I was at school this afternoon and they have already sprouted. This week we will discuss how to make a scientific observation. We will be graphing the growth of our plants, and thinning and transplanting our plants.
Word Work
We will introduce the first of many rules to change singular nouns to plural nouns. You can help at home by pointing our when/where you see this rule in real life. We will begin with changing a "y" at the end of a word to and "i" and adding "es".
We will also begin to learn how to use the dictionary. This is an essential skill for third graders. Once we have mastered the dictionary the students will define their spelling words each week. In the meantime I am asking you to help explain the meaning of unfamiliar words to your son/daughter. They will be required to use their word in a sentence and spell the word correctly on their quiz this Thursday.
Our seed sheet, reading calendar and Friday Letter should all be in school tomorrow. Our book order is due by Friday, October 4th. Please make all payments online using our classroom code. For every order you make online our classroom receives a free book. Thank you!
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Week of September 23, 2013
Thank you very much for coming to Open House last week! It was wonderful to see so many parents in attendance. You will receive a reminder for your conference date at the beginning of October. If you signed up for Mystery Reader, you will receive that reminder a week before you are scheduled to come in to read.
Reading
We will be working on comprehension strategies this week. The students will be reading and using post-it notes to notice their thinking while reading. The students will also work on increasing their stamina.
Writing
We will begin our personal narrative unit this week. The students will brainstorm "small moments" from their lives that could make interesting narratives. We will be writing about important people in our lives and important places.
Math
We will begin our week looking at some word problems that can be solved using an organized list. By Wednesday we will be ready to take a chapter test on place value. Then, we will move on to rounding to the tens and hundreds place. Reminder: This Friday the students will take the 12 and 13 timed fact quiz.
Science
As we begin our Plant Growth unit we will be looking at a lima bean seeds. We will discuss how scientists make observations. On Monday you will see a short science homework assignment come home.
Social Studies
Our map study unit continues this week. We will explore the equator, prime meridian and hemispheres.
Students should have their completed reading calendar and the Friday Letter notebook with them in school tomorrow. Finally, our Current Event schedule for October will come home on Tuesday.
Reading
We will be working on comprehension strategies this week. The students will be reading and using post-it notes to notice their thinking while reading. The students will also work on increasing their stamina.
Writing
We will begin our personal narrative unit this week. The students will brainstorm "small moments" from their lives that could make interesting narratives. We will be writing about important people in our lives and important places.
Math
We will begin our week looking at some word problems that can be solved using an organized list. By Wednesday we will be ready to take a chapter test on place value. Then, we will move on to rounding to the tens and hundreds place. Reminder: This Friday the students will take the 12 and 13 timed fact quiz.
Science
As we begin our Plant Growth unit we will be looking at a lima bean seeds. We will discuss how scientists make observations. On Monday you will see a short science homework assignment come home.
Social Studies
Our map study unit continues this week. We will explore the equator, prime meridian and hemispheres.
Students should have their completed reading calendar and the Friday Letter notebook with them in school tomorrow. Finally, our Current Event schedule for October will come home on Tuesday.
Sunday, September 15, 2013
A Successful First Week of School
Hopefully your child has come home this week excited about life in third grade. We have an absolutely wonderful class of hardworking, respectful, lovable students. It has been a pleasure getting to know each and every student this first full week of school. We have already begun diving into our third grade learning.
Reading
In reading we have discussed how to choose a just-right book and what a reader looks like in the classroom. This week we will work on noticing our thinking while reading and writing about parts in our books that stand out as important to us. The students will also begin to track their reading skills using a self-assessment. With this, the students will begin to set goals for themselves in reading.
Math
Math is in full swing! We have learned three different ways to write numbers. This week we will explore numbers into the thousands, use number lines, order numbers and compare numbers. You will also see math homework begin this week and a letter regarding timed fact quizzes.
Writing
In writing we will finish our work on our summer memory and continue to set-up our writer's notebook. **The notebook cover that came home last week is due tomorrow.**
Social Studies
Our first social studies unit is a world geography unit. We will begin looking at various types of maps and use them to learn how to read a map using a grid. We will also explore intermediate directions and map keys.
Word Work/Vocabulary
We will begin our word work study this year with nouns. Our focus will be on identifying proper and common nouns.
Our vocabulary word study will also begin this week. Each day (Mon.-Thur.) the students will learn a new vocabulary word. We will define the word together, identify synonyms and antonyms, put the word into a sentence and illustrate the word. By the end of the week the students will use these words in a letter that will come home for you to read...more details about this at Open House!
Thank you all for your support these first few days of school. As always don't hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns. My contact information can be found on the sidebar of this page. I hope that you are able to attend Open House on this Thursday from 7-8pm.
Reading
In reading we have discussed how to choose a just-right book and what a reader looks like in the classroom. This week we will work on noticing our thinking while reading and writing about parts in our books that stand out as important to us. The students will also begin to track their reading skills using a self-assessment. With this, the students will begin to set goals for themselves in reading.
Math
Math is in full swing! We have learned three different ways to write numbers. This week we will explore numbers into the thousands, use number lines, order numbers and compare numbers. You will also see math homework begin this week and a letter regarding timed fact quizzes.
Writing
In writing we will finish our work on our summer memory and continue to set-up our writer's notebook. **The notebook cover that came home last week is due tomorrow.**
Social Studies
Our first social studies unit is a world geography unit. We will begin looking at various types of maps and use them to learn how to read a map using a grid. We will also explore intermediate directions and map keys.
Word Work/Vocabulary
We will begin our word work study this year with nouns. Our focus will be on identifying proper and common nouns.
Our vocabulary word study will also begin this week. Each day (Mon.-Thur.) the students will learn a new vocabulary word. We will define the word together, identify synonyms and antonyms, put the word into a sentence and illustrate the word. By the end of the week the students will use these words in a letter that will come home for you to read...more details about this at Open House!
Thank you all for your support these first few days of school. As always don't hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns. My contact information can be found on the sidebar of this page. I hope that you are able to attend Open House on this Thursday from 7-8pm.
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