Hello, Third Grade Families!
It is finally beginning to feel like fall- just in time for Halloween! Third graders will be taking a bit of time out on Tuesday to celebrate and have some fun. We will have some activities and snacks that are being organized by our Room Parent, Heather Grimes.
November is family conference time- we are looking forward to meeting with you and sharing your child’s progress. It is also a great opportunity for us to hear from you any information that may impact on your child’s learning, or any school related concerns of which we may not be aware. Because we are working with all of the students this year, we are planning to schedule conferences so that both of us can meet with each family. Our half hour conference will be scheduled so that you have fifteen minutes with each teacher in order to cover both literacy and math. We will send instructions for signing up in the next few days, and if you have extenuating circumstances, please leave us an email or give a call and we will be happy to accommodate your needs.
Third grade mathematicians have been working to understand the concept of multiplication. They have learned to solve multiplication equations using repeated addition, skip counting, or finding easier facts within a more challenging fact. For example, 7 x 8 can be solved as (5 x 8) + (2 x 8). Students have been building arrays using egg cartons and pom poms. They have been playing games related to counting equal groups and skip counting called Loops and Groups and Jumping on the Number Line. You can help your child at home by practicing skip counting by numbers 2 - 9 through their multiple of 10. Count by 2’s until you reach 20, 3’s until 30, 4’s until 40, etc… One way that students practice skip counting at school is using the site Super Sequencer. Ask your child to show you the site. Take turns being the counter and listener. It’s helpful for your child to listen as you skip count fluently. Share your strategies. How did you think of the next number? The link to Super Sequencer is listed below.
In literacy, we have been focusing upon how readers climb the hurdle of complex text. Students have learned that when faced with new and longer words, we need to utilize both the structure of the word (syllables, sounds) and the context of the word (synonyms, antonyms, what is happening in the story, connections) in order to ensure that we continue to get meaning from the text. We have also been exploring figurative language, and how to utilize clues to decipher its meaning. In our reading of Stone Fox, we have also learned to think deeply about what an author teaches us about the character, both by their words and their actions. This has led us to some additional work around character traits. Additionally, we focused upon the importance of pronouns in our reading, and making sure that we check to make sure we know who she, he, they, we, etc. is referring to!
In writing, we are working to finish our personal narratives. This week we were also introduced to Typing Quest, the online keyboarding program that third graders will be utilizing this year. Our chromebooks are getting more and more use for a variety of purposes!
Third graders are expected to be reading for a minimum of 20-30 minutes at home daily. We will be adding the implementation of reading logs at home as well as at school next week. Students have been responsible for completing logs here at school and this is a task that should be familiar. Please also encourage your child to read aloud to you in order to increase both fluency and accuracy- and of course, enjoy and discuss your child’s reading with him/her!
Third grade scientists have been conducting science investigations as part of our unit about forces and motion. They have learned that magnetic interactions exert forces on one another without touching. Your child is bringing home a study guide about magnets today. Please help your child to review the information on the study guide for an assessment on November 3rd.
We are happy to announce that Ms. Sharon Robinson will be joining us on the third grade team through December. Sharon will be working with third graders in the afternoon, and will be leading the persuasive writing unit of the third grade curriculum. She will be covering for Ms. Buley, who will be on a .5 leave for the next two months. We welcome Ms. Robinson to our team!
We are in need of cleaning wipes for our desks. Please send in a package if you have one to spare. Thanks!
That’s it for this week! Have a wonderful weekend!
Sincerely,
Keelin and Kathy
