Week in Review October 29, 2017

Hello Families,

I hope this update finds you doing well and with clean, running water!!!  I know the kids and I enjoyed our "snowless snowday" in October! :-)  

Tuesday is a half day, and it also Halloween.  Ms. Carlin sent an email with details about the day's events.  Your child should bring their costume to school to change into.  I will help the kids as much as I can, but with 27 of them, it would be helpful if they were able to get ready on their own.  :-)  Please see Ms. Carlin's email for more answers to common questions about the day. 

Curriculum Update:

Science:  We are finishing up our Life Structures Unit.  The BA will be on Wednesday November 8.  We will review in class this week and I will send home a review on Friday for you and your child to go over to prepare for the test.  
Math: Multi-step story problems were our focus last week, in addition to continuing to master the 2's, 5's, and 10's multiplication facts.  
Reading: We are analyzing characters in the books we are reading.  Small reading groups were started, and your child was placed in a group where he/she is learning specific skills and strategies at his/her reading level.
Writing:  The kids elaborated on their personal narrative stories, wrote engaging leads, and are adding language such as similes and transition words to make their writing as strong as possible.  
  

The end of Life Structures means a new home for our crayfish.  :-)  If you would like an addition to your family with one of our lovely crustaceans, please email me and let me know.  They are easy to care for, requiring water, and small tank, shelter, and fish food.

Have a wonderful week!  

Week in Review October 16, 2017

Hello Room 18 Families,

I hope you all had a great weekend, despite the crummy weather!  During our class meeting on Monday mornings, students share their most memorable event from the weekend.  It sounds like many of you had lots of fun! 

Curriculum Update
Readers' Workshop: We finished up what makes strong readers in third grade and are ready to begin a unit focusing on analyzing characters.  We also did some partner reading while looking for the theme of the story. 
Writers' Workshop: We continue to work on drafting our personal narratives by learning how to "show, not tell" about feelings in a story and to write as if there is a movie happening on the paper.
Math Workshop: We completed Unit 1 and took the first BA.  Unit 2 began covering number stories and the importance of analyzing a problem before attempting to solve it.  We have been learning and practicing strategies for multiplying by 2's, 5's, and 10's. 
Science:  We read about our amazing little crayfish and observed the closely to see body structures. We learned about the functions of the structures and how they help the animal survive in it's environment.

A Note about Math:  Last week, I sent home a family letter and homelinks for Unit 2.  This is for your information only.  It is a window for you to look ahead and see what we are covering in class.  If your child needs or would like extra practice, the homelinks are there for you.  ConnedEd is another resource to use if your child would like extra math practice. 

Pink Out!! This Thursday is Commerce Pink Out day!  Everyone is encouraged to wear pink on this day to show support for breast cancer research.  Every student that brings in $1.00 on Thursday will be given a special pink ribbon sticker.  

Have a wonderful week!

Week In Review October 8, 2017

Hello Families,
Wow!  What an AMAZING time we had at the Color Run on Friday!  It was so much fun seeing so many family members who were able to join us!  The kids had a blast!  Thank you to all who contributed to making the day such a tremendous success!

Reminder:  If you are ordering any books from Scholastic this month, your orders are due  by Friday, October 13.

Scholastic Book Club


Curriculum Update:

Reading: We continued to practice strong reading habits and began reading partnerships for talking about books and learning together.
Writing: We complete Iready testing.  This week we will get back to our personal narrative writing.
Math: We learned strategies for the basic multiplication facts for 2's, 5's, and 10's, how to make equal mass on a balance, and division as equal shares of a group.
Science: Observed and read about the germination process of the bean plant.  Crayfish observations! We also joined our garden club moms in the Commerce garden to save seeds and try fresh kale! 

Have a wonderful week!!!

Week in Review October 2, 2017

Hello Families,

Thank you to the families who have already turned in Color Run money!  PTA is asking that your donations are returned by this Wednesday, October 4.  On Friday, our class is scheduled for pictures at 1:55 with a warm up and run immediately following.  We will be done with our run at 2:35. Parent are welcome to meet us outside and join in the fun!  


Curriculum Update:
Reading:Strategies for solving unknown words and creating movies in our minds to improve comprehension
Writing: Our writer's workshop time was spent completing the Iready assessment for Reading.  We will do Math Iready this week.
Math: Bar graphs, multiplication strategies, new games to practice math skills
Science: Analyzed our bean seedlings, learned about germination, and the different structures of the seed and their functions.  Groups modified seeds found in our playground in order to disperse them in various ways.  Also, our crayfish were delivered!  Very exciting days in science this week!



BOOKS!! You can easily place Scholastic Book orders online using the link below.  Your child will bring home flyer today if you prefer to look at the flyer over the computer.  Orders will be delivered to our school and sent home with your child.  Orders are due October 13. 

                               Scholastic Book Club


                              

Have a wonderful week!