Dear Parents,
Last week in third grade we introduced division. The kids learned the "Octopus Method" in order to solve simple division problems. You should have seen your child use this strategy to solve their HW last week. These problems consist of a larger number to divide and the students are given the number of groups to divide by. They are looking for the number IN each group.
This week we are still focusing on division, but learning a new strategy called the "Cookies Method." These types of problems are worded differently. Instead of giving the number of groups to divide by, these types of word problems give the number IN each group. The students then have to figure out the number of groups.
Next week we will be headed towards fact families, and tying the relationship between multiplication and division together!
We are in our last three weeks of addition and subtraction facts! This week will be for a grade so STUDY, STUDY, STUDY!!!
In Science last week, we dug into dirt and learned about Weather, Erosion, Soil, and decomposing. We had a fun time on Friday playing "The Rotten Game," and trying to predict how long it takes certain materials to decompose. This week will start a weather/ natural disaster unit. We will learn about Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Earthquakes, Landslides, and Volcanoes. We will watch some really cool "storm chaser" footage that the kids are sure to enjoy. We will try to link this learning back to last weeks concepts over weathering and erosion, and make the connection that all these things change the surface of our earth.
I'm expecting it to be a great week! Thanks for all you do.
Love, Mrs. S
Friday, November 30, 2012
Friday, November 23, 2012
Math/Science Week of Nov 26-30
Dear Parents,
Welcome back! I hope you have a wonderful five day break with your families! We are going to hit the ground running until Winter break. Let the four week countdown begin!
On Monday, we will start out with a multiplication review of the meaning of multiplication, multiplication arrays, and paired tables with multiplication. The students will review all old concepts and have a quiz to test their mastery of multiplication on Monday.
On Tuesday, we will be introducing division in third grade. Our study of division will begin basic, as we plan to use cubes and pictures to represent the process of dividing a larger group of things into smaller equal groups. Students will practice “acting out” the process of division. Through a mathematical story, The Doorbell Rang, students will divide Grandma’s 12 cookies equally among 12, 6, 4, and 3 friends.
Fast Fact Friday will NOT be for a grade this week as it was recorded in the grade book for 11/16. This quiz will be a combination of 10 addition facts and 10 subtraction facts. Students should continue studying facts each night. The expectation is that all of these facts are memorized by December. Starting January, students will begin studying multiplication facts.
In Science this week, we will be learning about weathering (the breaking apart of rock into small pieces) and watching a video called “Weathering and Erosion.” The students will look at all different pictures and examples of weathering and erosion on a flip chart and discover some of the most amazing landscapes that erosion and weathering create. In their journal, students will define weathering and erosion (the carrying away of weathered rock) and list the many agents of weathering: wind, water, temperature, plants, animals, chemicals, man. The student bring in a rock no bigger than a quarter for Science HW this week.
A special thank you for all you parents reading this and keeping up with the daily happenings of the classroom. It takes a village!
Welcome back! I hope you have a wonderful five day break with your families! We are going to hit the ground running until Winter break. Let the four week countdown begin!
On Monday, we will start out with a multiplication review of the meaning of multiplication, multiplication arrays, and paired tables with multiplication. The students will review all old concepts and have a quiz to test their mastery of multiplication on Monday.
On Tuesday, we will be introducing division in third grade. Our study of division will begin basic, as we plan to use cubes and pictures to represent the process of dividing a larger group of things into smaller equal groups. Students will practice “acting out” the process of division. Through a mathematical story, The Doorbell Rang, students will divide Grandma’s 12 cookies equally among 12, 6, 4, and 3 friends.
In Science this week, we will be learning about weathering (the breaking apart of rock into small pieces) and watching a video called “Weathering and Erosion.” The students will look at all different pictures and examples of weathering and erosion on a flip chart and discover some of the most amazing landscapes that erosion and weathering create. In their journal, students will define weathering and erosion (the carrying away of weathered rock) and list the many agents of weathering: wind, water, temperature, plants, animals, chemicals, man. The student bring in a rock no bigger than a quarter for Science HW this week.
Friday, November 16, 2012
Math and Science Week of Nov 19-20
November is just flying right on by and here we are already leaving for Thanksgiving! The two days we will be attending school is always hard to plan for a teacher. A LOT of students are always out and you don't want to introduce a new concept, or take any grades, because you will have a lot of holes in your grade book! So the Math/Science team has thought up some fun activities/projects for those two days.
In Math, we will be going back and reviewing reading a thermometer. Thermometers typically have a scale of 1,2,5, or 10. The kids will practice first identifying the scale that the thermometer is using. Then they will practice reading temperatures in Celsius and Fahrenheit. Then, they will take what they know about reading a thermometer and start a small project. Each student will be assigned four major cities in the USA and will have to research the temperature there on TheWeatherChannel.com on that particular day. They will then have to graph the temp on one of four thermometers, each with a varying scale of 1,2,5, or 10. Third graders really love this project because it incorporates using the IPads and the Mini Dells to do their research! So much fun!
In Science we will dive deeper into the concept of Gravity. We have a Brainpop Video planned on Monday and an experiment planned for Tuesday!!! The kids will use a ramp and gravity to push a car through the different types of surfaces to establish a deeper meaning of friction. The toy car will roll off the ramp and on to the tile, the carpet, and the grass! The kids will then use a measuring tape to measure the distance of the car and make conclusions based on their data about friction and gravity.
I hope everyone has a safe and beautiful Thanksgiving with their family. I am thankful for this HCE family and my 43 students that keep me on my toes everyday ;-)
Love,
Mrs. S
Friday, November 9, 2012
Math/Science Week of Nov 12-16th
Dear Parents,
In Math last week, we started Multiplication! The kids are so motivated by this because they finally feel like "big kids." Last week in Math students practiced representing multiplication using pictures and the traditional multiplication sentence. We learned that the answer to a multiplication problem is called a “product” and the two numbers we multiply together are called “factors”. We started applying what we learned about multiplication to problems in the real world. Example: If there are 5 students in a group and each student holds 3 pencils, how many pencils in all? Students will have to practice choosing the correct operation to solve a problem now. Now we will have to choose if it is appropriate to add, subtract, and/or multiply when problem solving.
In Science this Week the students will take the Energy, Force, and Motion test on Thursday the 15th. Students took home a study guide AND flashcards on Friday the 9th to help prepare for the assessment. Please try and make it a priority that you go over the study guide and flashcards nightly for a couple minutes until the test. We also will spend the week in class preparing for the test with different activities such as creating a flow chart as well as a fun game of Jeopardy is planned!
It should be an awesome week of learning!
Love,
Mrs. S
In Math last week, we started Multiplication! The kids are so motivated by this because they finally feel like "big kids." Last week in Math students practiced representing multiplication using pictures and the traditional multiplication sentence. We learned that the answer to a multiplication problem is called a “product” and the two numbers we multiply together are called “factors”. We started applying what we learned about multiplication to problems in the real world. Example: If there are 5 students in a group and each student holds 3 pencils, how many pencils in all? Students will have to practice choosing the correct operation to solve a problem now. Now we will have to choose if it is appropriate to add, subtract, and/or multiply when problem solving.
I will be introducing multiplication arrays and Paired Tables. We will learn equal rows of things such as 4 rows with 3 cookies in EACH row ( 4 x 3 = 12). Please look out for any opportunities at home to point out “arrays” or “groups of” things. Example: If your family is making cookies, use multiplication to find out how many cookies are on the pan. If the football team scored 3 touchdowns, use multiplication to find out how many points in all. Using paired tables is a strategy (making a T-Chart)students can use to figure out problem solving problems that contain patterns. For example, Confetti eggs come in cartons of 8, How many eggs will there be in 3, 6, and 8 cartons. The students would create a T chart. On one side would be the # of cartons, and on the other would be the # of eggs. This is a simple strategy to figure out larger patterns in numbers.
In Science this Week the students will take the Energy, Force, and Motion test on Thursday the 15th. Students took home a study guide AND flashcards on Friday the 9th to help prepare for the assessment. Please try and make it a priority that you go over the study guide and flashcards nightly for a couple minutes until the test. We also will spend the week in class preparing for the test with different activities such as creating a flow chart as well as a fun game of Jeopardy is planned!
It should be an awesome week of learning!
Love,
Mrs. S
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Language Arts and Social Studies this week and next!
Thank you for all of your support and encouragement of the students during the Veteran's Day Program this morning! They worked so hard and put on an incredible show!
READING. In reading this week we have been continuing to use fix-up strategies to help up overcome challenges in the books we are reading. In particular, students have been encouraged to use context clues to find the meaning of unknown words. Next week we will be diving into the elements of a drama, such as the characters, plot, dialogue, script, actors, setting and stage directions. Students will learn to read a script, practice individual lines, and then perform a drama in class.
WRITING. In writing, we are beginning to learn about the processes involved in writing a personal narrative. We have written a shared personal narrative together, and talked about pre-writing strategies, as well as creating a rough draft using the pre-write. Next week, students will begin to write their own personal narrative, based on a true event that has happened in their lives.
SPELLING. Please remember that students are responsible for completing 8 points and turning in their homework on Thursday mornings.
SOCIAL STUDIES. We are studying economics this nine weeks, and have been learning about the basic vocabulary involved in economics over the past two weeks. The students have read and watched short clips about economics, needs, wants, producers, consumers, income, and savings. Next week, we will begin a project that challenges students to create a budget for a new puppy! They will gain experience researching the cost of needs, or necessary items, as well as wants for their puppy.
I have so enjoyed my first two weeks teaching your wonderful children!
-Mrs. Williams
Thank you for all of your support and encouragement of the students during the Veteran's Day Program this morning! They worked so hard and put on an incredible show!
READING. In reading this week we have been continuing to use fix-up strategies to help up overcome challenges in the books we are reading. In particular, students have been encouraged to use context clues to find the meaning of unknown words. Next week we will be diving into the elements of a drama, such as the characters, plot, dialogue, script, actors, setting and stage directions. Students will learn to read a script, practice individual lines, and then perform a drama in class.
WRITING. In writing, we are beginning to learn about the processes involved in writing a personal narrative. We have written a shared personal narrative together, and talked about pre-writing strategies, as well as creating a rough draft using the pre-write. Next week, students will begin to write their own personal narrative, based on a true event that has happened in their lives.
SPELLING. Please remember that students are responsible for completing 8 points and turning in their homework on Thursday mornings.
SOCIAL STUDIES. We are studying economics this nine weeks, and have been learning about the basic vocabulary involved in economics over the past two weeks. The students have read and watched short clips about economics, needs, wants, producers, consumers, income, and savings. Next week, we will begin a project that challenges students to create a budget for a new puppy! They will gain experience researching the cost of needs, or necessary items, as well as wants for their puppy.
I have so enjoyed my first two weeks teaching your wonderful children!
-Mrs. Williams
Friday, November 2, 2012
Math and Science Week of Nov 5th-9th
Dear Parents,
It was great seeing all of you at field day last week! We hope to see you again this Thursday at 8:30 in the cafeteria for the Veterans concert that your child will be singing in.
On Monday last week we took a pop quiz over Math concepts we have been working on over the last two weeks. The quiz consisted of Measurement in customary units, Perimeter, and Temperature. I was very pleased with the mastery that was evident of these concepts! The students are really improving with time to the minute.
In Math this week we will be moving on to a new concept.......Multiplication!!! Students will brainstorm things that come in groups: 2 eyes, 3 wheels on a tricycle, 8 sides on an octagon, etc. We will discuss that multiplication is actually just equal “groups of” things. Through a game called “Circles and Stars”, students will represent 5 “groups of” 3 with 5 circles and 3 stars in each circle. Students will use repeated addition ( 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 15) to discover the total amount of stars. Then will then connect this to the multiplication sentence of 5 x 3 = 15.
Our Fast Fact Friday Quiz will consist of addition/subtraction facts combined and will NOT be recorded in the grade book. Students should be studying facts every night for at least 5 – 8 minutes.
In Science this week, We will continue our study of Energy, Force, and Motion. Students have been working hard to gain an understanding of potential and kinetic energy. We have discussed mechanical energy, gravity, and the concept of push/pull. Now we will explore light energy, sound energy, and heat energy all this week. Ask your child to use their own words to teach you about all these different kinds of energy around us.
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