I will be sending Trimester 1 report cards home with your child this week. Please remember to sign the envelope and return it to school after break. We use the same envelope all year to send report cards home. Thank you!
Please pay special attention to the "Announcements" at the bottom of this blog post.
Reading
This week, we read an exciting story from our anthologies called The Mysterious Giant of Barletta by Tomie dePaola. Students were able to make a social studies connection and learn a little bit about Italy by reading the story.
We have been reading from the "Incredible Stories" theme in our story which features fantasy stories. Students should be able to define the fantasy genre and explain what kinds of story elements characterize fantasy.
Our focus in reading this week was on practicing accuracy in reading. We have been practicing using the beginning and ending sounds of a word to help us figure out words we do not know.
We have been using this strategy every day to help us decode our Word of the Day. For most of the year, students saw a new Quote of the Day (QOTD) on the whiteboard every morning. Since we have been studying parts of speech, QOTD has turned into WOTD. Our third graders enjoy learning and using new words.
Writing
We continued learning about the first steps of the writing process this week. Students completed a prewrite on Monday and Tuesday, worked on a 3-paragraph rough draft on Wednesday and Thursday, and began editing their stories for spelling and punctuation errors on Friday. Students are developing a beginning, middle, and end to their stories and are focused on defining characters, setting, and the problem. We will continue editing these stories next week.
Please continue to work with your child at home on spelling and punctuation. It is extremely important for our students to be studying their weekly spelling list every night.
Math
We have been working in Unit 2 of our math books this week. Students have learned all about lines, line segments, parallel and perpendicular lines, and a variety of geometric shapes. Students had the most difficulty defining perpendicular lines. Our third graders should now be able to say, "Perpendicular lines make square corners or 90 degree angles."
Students should also be able to define quadrilateral, parallelogram, rectangle, triangle, square, and rhombus. Students have been practicing drawing these shapes in class.
Additionally, students should be able to find the perimeter of any given shape. The perimeter of a shape is the distance around the shape. We have been practicing finding the perimeter of shapes in centimeters. We will take the Unit 2 test next week before winter vacation.
Students also cut out their own math fact flash cards this week. Students will be instructed to use these to practice their math facts over the next week and over vacation.
Nutrition
Our students have been thoroughly enjoying our weekly nutrition lessons. Leslie, our nutrition teacher, has been teaching us all about plants. Students are learning about what plants need to survive and what plants provide for humans. Leslie has provided our students with many yummy samples of fruits and vegetables. Student favorites have been jicama and kiwi.
Below is a picture of a plant that we conducted an experiment on. Leslie covered the yellow, unhealthy leaf with a bag. The leaf began dying. This showed us that plants need air to survive.
VIP of the Week: Juliet
Juliet was our VIP of the Week! Juliet's favorite place is Disneyland. When she grows up, she would like to be a teacher. Thank you so much for sharing with us, Juliet!
Announcements
Important Dates
- Thank you to those of you who have helped your child donate toys for the Portable 31 Toy Drive! As a result of the Great Money Challenge, our class decided to collect toys and money to donate to Children's Hospital in time for Christmas. A letter came home with your child this week explaining our Toy Drive. Several students have come in with money and new or gently used toys. Donations are not mandatory. I will be keeping a jar for money donations and a box for toy donations until Friday, December 16.
- Thank you to parents who have generously donated more snack to class! We were running low on extra snacks, so I am very thankful to those of you who took the time to purchase more for our students.
- Many students are still struggling to turn in their homework on a consistent basis. Remember, students earn a star on the star chart by turning in all homework and by obtaining a parent signature on their Homework Sheet every night. Students are allowed to miss one parent signature each week, but that's it! At the end of every day, we write our homework on our Homework Sheet. Please remind your child check his or her homework sheet every night.
- On Friday, December 16, we will be having a Christmas Read-In and a Christmas party. We will also be having our Christmas sing-along assembly. It is not a day that your child will want to miss!
Important Dates
December 19-January 2: Winter Vacation
December 21: First Day of Winter
December 25: Christmas!
December 31: New Years Eve
Sincerely,
