Third Grade News

Dear Third Grade Families,

Third graders are having a great February so far with Crazy Hair Day and Popcorn Friday both in the first week of the month.  Fun!

This week we have been busy revising, editing, and typing our nonfiction books. We are excited to share our writing with you soon!

Third grade readers are reading nonfiction books in their book groups.  We are reading about whales, sharks, and frogs. Students are learning to ask and answer questions to demonstrate their understanding of a text.  They are able to find information in the text to support their answers.  Also, readers are working on determining the main idea of a passage and finding details within the passage that support the main idea.

Room 15 is full of hard working mathematicians! We have been working towards memorizing the multiplication facts, and students are making terrific progress!  So far, students have been assigned to memorize the x 0, x 1, x 2, x 3, x 4, x 5, and x 10 facts.  We took a look at all of our hard work on the multiplication table below, and we cheered about what the chart reveals!

The facts we have learned are colored in.  The facts that we have left to learn are white.  There are only 16 facts left to be memorized!!!

This week our goal is to learn the x 6 facts. We call the x 6 facts "Half Tens Plus One Set Facts."  The x 6 facts are named that way because of a strategy that can be used to solve them.  This strategy involves using a known fact, a x 5 fact, to solve a x 6 fact.  Here's how it works: 

What is the product of 6 x 8?

Step 1  -  I'll start with a fact I know.   10 groups of 8  = 80.                  10 x 8 = 80.

Step 2 -   From there, I can figure out that 5 x 8 is half of 80.                  5 x 8 = 40

Step 3 -   6 groups of 8 is just one more set of 8 than 5 x 8.                      6 x 8 = 40 + 8 = 48

(If you know your x 5 facts, then you can start on the second step.  5 x 8 = 40, so 6 x 8 = 40 + 8).

Help your child to practice at home. Make a set of flashcards or buy a box at the grocery store.  Play the multiplication games that were sent home or remind your child to log in  at www.ixl.com and practice the multiplication facts.  Write the most challenging facts on Post-it notes and stick them on the fridge, the bathroom mirror, or a living room end table where they'll be seen more frequently. Practicing for 5 to ten minutes each night will make a big difference.  Keep up the great work, third graders!!!

Our class is having a card exchange on Friday, February 12, in celebration of Valentine's Day. If your child would like to participate in the exchange, he/she is asked to make a card for each person in our class.  A class list of names was sent home in your child's Friday folder today.  

February book orders are due on Monday, February 15.  You may order online or send your order with a check (made payable to Scholastic Book Club) to me at school.  There is a coupon attached to the book order.  Spend $10 and get a $5 book for free.  

Thanks to families for sending in soft tissues and cleaning wipes!  Have a great weekend!

Sincerely,

Keelin M. Simpson