Third Grade News

Dear Third Grade Families,

          February has been a busy month in third grade.  I am so proud of our class for all of the hard work and effort that they are putting into memorizing the multiplication facts. The students of Room 15 rock!  This morning, we updated the multiplication table below by shading in the Half Ten Plus One More Set Facts (x 6 facts).  When we looked at the updated multiplication table below, we could see that there are only nine facts left to learn!

          So what's our next step?  It's time to learn  the x 7 facts! It's interesting that the x 7 facts are the only set of facts that are not given a special name based on a certain strategy.   Perhaps this is because there are several ways to solve the different x 7 facts.  Here are two strategies that your child might use to solve the x 7 facts. Both strategies are based on using a known fact to solve an unknown fact.  

Strategy 1:  Use a x 5 fact and a x 2 fact.

What is the product of 7 groups of 8  or 7 x 8?

Step one - I know that 5 groups of 8 (5 x 8) equals 40.                            5 x 8 = 40

Step two - I know that 2 more groups of 8 (2 x 8) equals 16.                   2 x 8 = 16

Step three - Add the products to find the product of 7 groups of 8.         40 + 16 = 56

                                                                                                           So... 7 x 8 = 56

Strategy 2:  Start with a x 6 fact and add one more set.

What is the product of 7 groups of 8  or 7 x 8?

Step one - I know that 6 groups of 8 (6 x 8) equals 48.                                   6 x 8 = 48

Step two - I need one more group of 8 to have seven groups of 8.                 48 + 8 = 56 

                                                                                                                So...  7 x 8 = 56

         Keep up the great work of practicing the multiplication facts at home!  We are in the home stretch with only nine new facts to learn!  Way to go, third graders!  Thanks to all family members for helping your students to practice at home.  Please let me know if you need your child's username and password for www.IXL.com. It's a great site to go to for multiplication fact practice.  

          Third graders will be going to the Flynn Theater to see Frindle on March 3, 2016.  The play is based on the book Frindle, written by Andrew Clements.  It's a wonderful book about a clever boy who invents a new word.  The bus will leave at 8:45 AM, and we will return close to 11:00 AM. Unfortunately, extra tickets are not available for family members to attend this field trip. 

          This week, a representative from the Flynn came to our classroom to introduce students to the script for the play based on Frindle. We practiced using our bodies and facial expressions to convey emotions.  Students had fun reading parts from the official script for the play.

          We had a great time at our Farm to School lesson this month.  Miss Lizzie helped us to learn about the difference between natural sugar and added sugar.  We read nutrition labels and measured out the amounts of sugar added to popular junk foods. Students pedaled the blender bicycle to make fruit smoothies, too!

          We had a great time at our Valentine's Day party!  Thank you to our "Room Parents," Verity Lattrelle and Jennifer Roberts, for organizing the food and crafts!  A big thanks to all families who contributed items for the party, too!  

          Please encourage your child to read each day throughout the vacation.  When you reach for a book, magazine, or newspaper, encourage your child to take some time to read, too.  Ask your child to read to you while you're cooking dinner or before he/she has video game time.  Ask your child to tell you the "5 W's" when he/she finishes reading (Who? Did what? Where? When? Why?).

         I hope that you enjoy a fun and restful February break!  Thanks for all you do to prepare your child for school each day!

Sincerely,

Keelin M. Simpson