Math and Science Week of Oct 29th-Nov 2nd

Dear Parents,

In Math this week, we will start the first two days off with the Math Benchmark.  Your students will be answering multiple choice questions over content from the first nine week, doing fast facts, and showing their knowledge on a Problem Solving Problem.  

Then, we will be approaching some new subject matter.  In 1st grade, your student was required to master time to the hour and half hour, in 2nd grade it was time to the quarter and five minute increments, in 3rd grade it's the whole shebang!  They will be mastering telling time on an analog clock to the minute in 3rd grade.  It has been my experience that that kids have a tough time with time (pun intended!).  When the clock gets into what we called "the danger zone," the majority of students will actually misread the hour of the clock.  So instead of writing 1:55, they would write 2:55, because the hour hand appeared as though it was on the 2.  Please work with our kids anytime you can and make them read an analogue clock for practice.

At the very end of the week (if we don't get behind!) will shift over to reading thermometers in the Fahrenheit and Celsius scale.  The most important thing we try to focus on when reading a thermometer is what kind of scale the thermometer has.  Does it count by 2's, 5's, 10's, etc..???  We will continue to review 3 digit subtraction over medial and two zeros simultaneously, so you will see that on the back of their time worksheets.

The fast facts this week will be BOTH addition and subtraction. This week's test will be inputted into the grade book so STUDY, STUDY, STUDY!!!

In Science this week, we will continue with our new unit of study.  We barely skimmed the surface of energy last week with all that went on with Red Ribbon Week and the two half days.  Students will begin studying the concept of Energy.  We will review four forms of energy: sound, light, heat, and mechanical.  We will start our flip book project in Science over the forms of energy.

Third grade is sending report cards home on Monday, so be looking for those in your child's HW folder!  Field day will be this coming Friday, November the 2nd.  Third grades time is from 10:00-11:30.  

Love, Mrs. S

Language Arts and Social Studies

Parents and Families, Here's what we will be working on for the next two weeks... READING In Reading this week 10/22-10/26, we will finish up our work with non-fiction. We have looked at text features that are specific to non-fiction sources. Students have learned some helpful note taking strategies to use with non-fiction sources. This week we will continue working on these ideas and strategies. Next week, 10/29-11/2, students will begin working on FIX-UP STRATEGIES. These are reading strategies that help us read and understand fiction and non-fiction resources. As the week continues, they will dive deep into the strategy of context clues, using information in the text to help us understand new vocabulary. Students will also take the reading district benchmark Wednesday, October 31. WRITING We are working on verbs this week. Students will use the information they have learned while reading non-fiction sources on bats and their new knowledge of verbs to create a bat diamante or cinquain poem. Next week we will take our memory of Clutch's visit and write a guided narrative. We will make sure to follow the narrative arc and include components that we think make for a strong narrative. SPELLING There is NO SPELLING HOMEWORK 10/22-10/26. Next week, 10/29-11/2: Please remember that they are responsible for completing 8 points and turning in their homework on Thursday mornings. SOCIAL STUDIES We are taking the Social Studies Benchmark Wednesday, October 24. This week we are celebrating our freedom and reviewing important documents to United States History. These include the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Emancipation Proclamation. We've all challenged ourselves to memorize part of the Declaration by Friday! Next week, students will start a new unit in Social Studies on Economics. Now is the time to start talking at home about vocabulary and trying to use it in your everyday language. Some words that students will first be introduced to are: income, savings, wants, needs, interest, investment, budget, consumer and producer.

Math/Science Week of October 22nd

Dear Parents,

In Math this week, we will begin working in measurement as we use rulers to find the length of objects using the customary measurement system.  We will focus on inches, feet, yards, and miles.  Students will practice predicting the length of objects around the room, measuring with rulers, and then calculate the difference between the predicted and the actual length.  

We will also work on the concept of Perimeter.  We will talk about the border around our bulletin boards or the fence around the school to introduce the concept of a perimeter.  To find the perimeter, students will measure all sides of an object or shape and then find the sum of these sides.  To challenge your child on perimeter,  give them the total perimeter of an object or shape and encourage them to find all the possible lengths that could equal the given perimeter.  

Our Fast Fact Friday Quiz will be for practice and will now include ADDITION AND SUBTRACTION.  Students should be studying facts every night for at least 5 – 8 minutes.  

In Science this week, we will begin our new unit of study.  Students will begin studying the concept of Energy.  We will review four forms of energy: sound, light, heat, and mechanical.
We will begin with Mechanical Energy and discover that there are two types of Mechanical Energy: Potential and Kinetic.

PLEASE REMEMBER THURSDAY AND FRIDAY WILL BE HALF DAYS AND THE STUDENTS WILL GET OUT AT NOON!!!!

Love,

Mrs. S

    

Math\Sci Week of Oct 15th

Parents,

Last week in Math, students continued working on addition and subtraction word problems.  We have been working hard on 3-digit subtraction with a medial zero.  Here are two different scenarios with medial zero:
                           705                                           705
                        - 422                                          -426
                     ---------                                   ---------
In the first problem, the ones place does not need to be regrouped, therefore the zero in the middle of the problem will be a 10 and the 7 will be reduced to a 6.  In the second problem, the ones place does have to be regrouped. Therefore, the zero in the middle will be reduced to a 9 and the 7 will be reduced to a 6.  This is all very confusing to eight and nine-year-olds!!!   This is a really hard concept for 3rd graders and they are having a tough time with it and need LOTS of practice.  Please work with them if you can at home.  It's always good to hear someone else's voice teaching a hard concept. :)

We also worked on subtracting across three zeros such like this:

                                   800                                                   500
                                 -555                                                  -224
                            -----------                                         -----------  

This week in Math we will take what we know about rounding to the nearest ten and hundred, addition, and subtraction and put it all together.  The kids will be required to look at a three digit Math problem, round the numbers, and then solve like this:

Our Fast Fact Friday Quiz will consist of subtraction ONLY and will not be recorded this week in the gradebook.  Get ready for a combo test soon with BOTH addition and subtraction!!!  

In Science, we just concluded our study on Matter and had our first big Science Test last week.  We had fun studying for the test playing Matter Jeopardy and Matter Game-board Bonanza!  We are moving on to reading thermometers in Celsius and Fahrenheit, as well as making mixtures and figuring out the best tools to separate them with.  

Love, 
Mrs. S   

Math/Science Week of October 8th

Parents,

In Math:
We will continue fine tuning our 3-digit addition and subtraction skills with regrouping.  Students will be introduced to 3 digit subtraction with a medial zero, as well as 3 digit subtraction with two zeros.   This is a hard skill to really master parents!  Our little 3rd graders want to regroup when they don't have to and not regroup when they are supposed to!  Any help on three digit subtraction or extra practice at home is always appreciated.  Students will continue working on addition and subtraction word problems and trying to decipher if they are combining, take away subtraction, comparative subtraction, or missing part subtraction.  

Our Fast Fact Friday Quiz will consist of subtraction problems only and will not be taken for a grade this week.  Students should be studying facts every night for at least 5 – 8 minutes.   Please see the blog page labeled Helpful Websites to find fun and interactive websites that help your children learn their Math Facts.


In Science:
What a busy week we will have in Science next week!  A study guide and study flashcards were sent home last Friday to get your child prepared for the Matter Test  . Their Matter test will be this coming Friday the 12th. Please take a couple minutes to help your child review all concepts encompassing Matter.  

Third grade teachers have a planning day this Thursday, October 11th, so there will be a substitute in every 3rd grade room.  

This should be a fun and short week!
Love, Mrs. S