Reminders:
Do not forget to sign up for Parent / Teacher Conferences scheduled for October 18-20. Use the links below to secure your spot. We can't wait to celebrate the successes of your child and discuss their goals moving forward.
Due to growing bodies and changing hormones, please encourage your child to develop the daily habit of applying deodorant.
We have students with allergies so please pack nut-free snacks. Snacks should be dry and healthy to promote student learning and not create a mess.
Examples:
- Fresh or dried fruit/vegetable sticks or slices
- Cheese cubed or sliced·
- Applesauce (in the squeezable containers)
- Goldfish/Cheeze-its or Cheese Nips
- Saltines/Graham crackers/Pretzels
Reading: Our focus this week is on connecting prior knowledge to what we read to enhance comprehension. Your child will be observing his/her teacher model this skill and will practice it with intention as well. There are three main types of connections that facilitate comprehension: text to self, text to text, and text to world. In addition, connections can be instrumental in higher level thinking if used correctly. We will be discussing the difference between a strong and weak connection.
Writing: As teacher models we must show that we ourselves sometimes struggle with the writing process and it is part of the process. We ask our third graders, “What is the easiest thing about writing? The answer is nothing!”
We continue to “play with words”
using a variety of strategies to collect ideas through the use of lists,
prompts, and storytelling. Our objective is to build confident writers by
showcasing “magical work” by peers that is successful yet attainable.
Talk to your child at home about the
conversation of a successful writer. It is often about attitude. Instead of “I
have nothing to write about,” encourage your student to say, “I am struggling
with ideas,” or “I have writer’s block and need a strategy.”
Spelling: Teaching spelling that is applied to writing is truly a science. Third grade is a place where we are working tirelessly to find ways to carrying spelling instruction to application. This week we are talking about the role syllabication has as a spelling strategy. Every word in our language has syllables and each syllable contains a vowel and pattern in some form. We will be using various strategies on how to identify syllables in more complex words using puppets and chin movement. Your child will begin an in depth study on the six syllable types based on the studies of Orton-Gillingham. We will begin individualized spelling lists which tailor each syllable type to the needs of your child.
Social Studies: We are continuing our study of citizenship by adding the finishing touches to our cards of encouragement to our fellow third graders at Meadow Wood Elementary, a campus especially affected by Hurricane Harvey. It is a wonderful way of showing empathy to our neighbors. Also, we will be studying historical figures who exemplified good citizenship including: Helen Keller, Clara Barton, and Ruby Bridges.
Math: During math this week, we will continue showing our number sense by locating numbers on a number line with beginning and end points that are multiples of 100. Students will eyeball the midpoint and locate their number from there. We will begin a study of addition, focusing on different strategies students can use to solve that operation. Those strategies include decomposing, bar models, number lines, and the usual algorithm. For example 241 + 638:
Science: Science this week has us focusing on Properties of Matter. We will experiment with objects that sink or float and mid week will rotate through a six station Matter lab to observe the properties of mass, texture, temperature and magnetism. Students will use a variety of science tools throughout the week.
