Week of September 17th

In reading, we will be focusing learning how to fill out our daily reading log.  Our reading log requires the children to select one book that they read that day and write a quick response that shows their reading thinking.  I will be modeling this with our read outlouds everyday this week.   At the end of the week, your child will be responsible for handing in the log so I can assess their learning for the week.

We will also be combining reading and science in our habitat study.  We will be using text sets ( several books about one topic)  to do a quick inquiry into the the various habitats found in our world.  All the children will be studying the photos/illustrations  and scanning the text for information about the habitat.  All children will be taking quick notes about each habitat studied just like a researcher would.
Can your child name some of the habitats in our world?

All third graders are expected to be able to tell time to the nearest minute and be able to solve story problems involving time by the end of year.   In 3A math this week,  we will be working on telling time with an analog and digital clock.  We will also be using a number line to help us solve elapsed time story problems.   In class,  we will be watching a video that demonstrates how two students effectively used a number line to solve an elapsed time story problem.    Below you will find the link to that video and various interactive games to reinforce the concept of time:

Student demonstration video
http://mravery.edublogs.org/2011/01/07/elapsedtime/

Various games/interactive resources
http://classroom.jc-schools.net/basic/math-time.html

Elapsed Time Game 
http://www.mathsframe.co.uk/resources/Timetable.aspx

Week of September 10th

In writing, we have been working on taking a seed idea from our writing lists ( loves, dislikes, wonderings, memories) and developing it with details, thoughts and feelings.  I have modeled  how to take idea that you are curious about and breathe life into it by writing about it.  All week your child will be taking seed ideas he/she cares about and develop them into long jots ( longer writing entries)  Below you will find a great website to explore about writing possibilities:

http://www.ralphfletcher.com/tips.html

In reading, we continue to work on doing real reading ( thinking+text = real reading) and building our  stamina.  The children will learn this week to use the I PICK acronym for selecting and finding just right books for reading workshop. You can review this at home with your child to make sure he/she picking books that are a good fit.

II PICK

1.I pick a book

2.P urpose (What's my purpose for choosing this book? )

3.I nterest (Does this book interest me?)

4.C omprehend (Can I comprehend what I'm reading?)

5.K now (Do I know most of the words?) 

Today in class, we continued our study of the rain forest.  Ask your child what was the author's message in the book called Rain Forest. Over the next few weeks, we will be combining reading, writing and science with our study of habitats.  We will be reading and studying texts about the rain forest.  Using these texts, we will explore different  genres, author's point of view and our own thinking.   The children enjoyed the following website that includes virtual books for your child to read at home:

http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/kids/stories

Week of September 3rd

I hope you enjoyed your Labor's Day weekend!  I look forward to a week full of learning.


We will be working on reinforcing our third grade rules and expectations.  Hopefully, you received the note regarding the third grade behavior expectations.  Please make sure to return the note sign so I will know that you are aware of the pledge your child made to our classroom.  

Real Reading Salad

Last week, our class created a "real reading" salad!  As I read a story to the class, we put in a "text" card every time I read the text and a "thinking" card every time we had a thought, question or wondered something about the story.  When we were finished reading, we realized our salad had much more thinking than text, which is what real reading is all about. We have been learning about how to think about our thinking when we read.  That's called Metacogntion!   We will continue to work on what real reading means in our Reading Workshop Time.  

                                            Writer's Notebook

This week in writing we continue to generate ideas for our Writer's Notebook.  One of the things we will be doing as writer's is making a heart map.  A heart map is a visual organizer where your child will be asked to write ideas and draw pictures of people, memories, events, and objects that they love.   Here are some questions that will asked to help generate unique heart maps:

• What has really affected your heart?
• What people have been important to you?
• What are some experiences or central events you'll never forget?
• What happy or sad memories do you have?
• What secrets have you kept in your heart? (Don’t share the secret, but find a metaphor for it.)
• What small things or objects are important to you? A tree in the backyard, a stuffed animal, etc. 

                                                  3A Math

For homework this week, your child will be doing an Everyday Array poster.  Your child will be bringing home a note today that will give detailed directions to complete this assignment.