Week of November 26th

I hope you enjoyed your extra days at home.   It is hard to believe we are almost half way through the second semester.  Look for progress reports to come home on Friday.

Base

1. crown

2. proud

3. however

4. count

5. crowded

6. around

7. south

8. loud

9. house

10.shouted

11.howl

12.growl

13.bounce

14.fountain

15.sound

Alternate

1. crouch

2. sour

3. pounded

4. found

5. around

6. plow

7. frown

8. growled

9. houses

10. allowance

11. meow

12. chow

13. brownish

14. bouncing

15.  towel

We have started to read The Tale of Despereaux for our class shared read out loud.  It is a Newberry Award winner that tells the tale of the lovable  Despereaux Tilling, a mouse, who loves music, stories and a Princess named Pea.   With this novel, I am modeling for the students how read a novel and dive into the characters traits.   In addition,  we have started to use our open ended reading response journals.  After listening to a chapter, the children are asked to stop and reflect on the characters and events.   Our focus is on making sure to use specific evidence from the text.

In writing, we will be reading and studying examples of personal narrative writing samples.   Our job is to figure out the qualities of a  personal narrative.  By reading the samples, we will be able to generate a list of what a writer needs to do in order to write a strong narrative.  Over the next few weeks, we will be writing our own personal narratives.   We will be also reading the story Winfred Gordon McDonald Partridge to explore the concept of what makes a good memory.   Your child will be bringing home a memory envelope on Wednesday to collect memories to help your child be ready to write a strong narrative.   The envelopes will be due back to school by December 4th.

In science, we will be exploring the world of matter.  This week we will be working on building our background about matter in our everyday world.   By end of this unit,  your child needs to know the three states of matter and the accompanying properties of each.   Under the science section, you will find many interesting resources.

The Week of November 12th

There is a formalized spelling list this week.   I am sure you have noticed that the spelling lists have become more challenging.   It is really important that your child recognize the pattern and study a little each night.

Base 

1. space

2. stage

3. huge

4. fence

5. price

6. police

7. office

8. engine

9. badge

10.pencil

11.excite

12.force

13.range

14.ginger

15.giraffe

Alternate

1.	strange
2.	gigantic
3.	gentle
4.	village
5.	ginger
6.	edge
7.	digit
8.	vegetable
9.	circus
10.	twice
11.	except
12.	citizen
13.	trace
14.	decimal
15.	ounce

We will be exploring the everyday life of the Pilgrims and Wampanoag Tribe.   Your child will be comparing and contrasting these two past communities.   During computer lab time, we will be learning facts and completing a Venn Diagram.    Ask your child which community he/she finds more interesting.  Can he/she tell you some facts to support his/her opinion?

In writing, we will be using web organizers and quick sketches to help us develop and organize our writing ideas.   In honor of the upcoming holiday, we will be writing a Thanksgiving poem about the small and big things we are grateful for in our lives.   Good writers make sure to include specific details to  paint a picture of their message.   Look for the finished poems coming home next week to share with the family.   

In 3A math, we will be doing a measurement investigation.  Your child will be estimating and measuring objects to the nearest quarter of an inch.    Below is a website for you child to practice this major skill for third graders:

http://www.funbrain.com/measure/

Our new learning will focus on area and perimeter using square units.  We will investigate how area is related to multiplication.    Area is the size of the surface and perimeter is the distance around a two dimensional shape.    Below are videos for reteaching area and  a website for extra reinforcement:

Area videos

http://learnzillion.com/lessons/1156-use-equal-square-units-to-find-the-area

http://learnzillion.com/lessons/1155-find-the-area-of-a-shape-using-square-units

Interactive Websites

http://www.mathplayground.com/area_perimeter.html

Fraction And Number Lines

This week in 3A math, we will be working understanding that fractions are less than one but more than zero.   In class, we watched a short video clip that clearly shows the connection between fractions on a number line and  parts of a shape.  Below you will find resources for your child to use to review the concepts taught in class:

Video done in class:

http://learnzillion.com/lessons?utf8=%E2%9C%93&filters[subject]=math&query=&filters[grade][]=3&filters[domain]=&filters[standard]=3.NF.2a%3A+Represent+a+fraction+1%2Fb+on+a+number+...

Second Video
http://learnzillion.com/lessons?utf8=%E2%9C%93&filters[subject]=math&query=&filters[grade][]=3&filters[domain]=&filters[standard]=3.NF.2b%3A+Represent+a+fraction+a%2Fb+on+a+number+...

Interactive Fraction Number Line

http://www.dreambox.com/teachertools

The Week of October 29th

Base

1. known

2. written

3. laugh

4. sphere

5. wreck

6. writer

7. wrong

8. wrap

9. wrench

10.knocked

11.knot

12.wring

13.enough

14.rough

15.wrinkle

Alternate

1. knowledge   

2. dolphin

3. ghost

4. wrongful

5. knit

6. phonics

7. wrist

8. cough

9. telephone

10. knowing

11. laughter

12. knock

13. knight

14. pharmacy

15. physical

Thank you for returning your conference sheets.  If you need to still schedule a conference, please contact me by October 31st.   Report cards will coming home on Friday.   I look forward to discussing your child's progress and setting learning goals for the next quarter.

In social studies, we will be finishing up our community brochures.  Each child is to complete a brochure that includes illustrations and text to show what he/she has learned about the three major types of communities.  The three major communities are urban, rural, and suburban.   Later, in the week we will explore the world of government and the upcoming elections.   Our goal will be to see how government plays a role in serving the needs of the voters in a community.      See the social studies sidebar for additional resources on the upcoming election.  

                                                          Open Inquiry Photos

In reading,  some of the students have started independent inquiry during reading workshop time.  The students have the opportunity to go deeper into a subject of interest to them.   The students can work independently or in small groups to complete an inquiry.   I assist them in collecting a text set of various books about the subject.   Right now, we have various small groups learning about the following:  

The Titanic
Whales
Prehistoric Times
Various Artists
Wolves

Here are some benefits to using text sets in the classroom:

•  provide multiple perspectives on a topic.
•  allow students to find questions about a larger topic.
•  develop students' ability to "read" multiple forms of texts and images. 
•  support synthesis, application, and critical evaluation.
•  provide an opportunity for intertextual reading; students make connections       between     
• texts, reflect on texts they've previously encountered and construct new knowledge

Please continue to make sure your child is reading outside of school.   Reading builds stronger readers.  I appreciate your help in supporting your child's literacy.

In 3A math, we continue to build strategic thinking for solving problems involving the operations of addition and subtraction.   It is important that your child develop an complete understanding of the operations and knowing that different strategies build number sense and problem solving skills.    Mathematicians have a variety of methods for solving problems and checking for precision.  

Here is  an example open number line strategies:

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:1VP-YVNyvH4J:investigations.terc.edu/library/curric-gl/sample_g3_smh_p32-35.pdf+subtraction+strategies&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESihZRGeutFpi5U-h_wJlI2uxgWaMREayEi3Hs7HcokfYd4GrWDJgxehNKzWKuW1TXYsTXaY3L9MZCo3xrPjt0aEGmASsW6vjnED3CXmCjldt7FUpmMWXoTi03z1WAUg7dDy76cF&sig=AHIEtbSMfo54mVY6VKHsLd_7mta4WzoR9g

Lesson Videos

http://learnzillion.com/lessonsets/77

Week of 22nd

Base

1. least

2. fast

3. just

4. burst

5. strip

6. stick

7. strike

8. artist

9. almost

10.student

11.strong

12.start

13.blast

14.step

15.street

 

Alternate

1. stroke

2. distance

3. steal

4. steel

5. sticky

6. stripe

7. stronger

8. strongest

9. faster

10. fastest

11. startled 

12. strapped

13. stepped

14. stolen

15. stranger