LA and SS 9/24-9/28

Reading
In Reading this week we will be diving into the word of character traits and character development.  Good readers notice how a character may change throughout a story.  We will begin the week by brainstorming a list of character traits.  What words can we use to describe how the character is acting and feeling?  Then, we will review some books we have read to see if we can find text evidence to support a character's personality trait.  As the week progresses, students will look for this text support in their DEAR time (independent reading) book. 

Writing

Nouns ate our lunch last week!  We spent some time backtracking and thinking about what makes a noun a common or proper noun.  Therefore, this week we will introduce our first writing genre study, personal narrative.  We will spend the next few weeks sharing examples of personal narratives and noticing and naming the parts of a narrative.  This week we will focus on learning the vocabulary for those parts (setting the stage, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution).

Spelling

Please remember that they are responsible for completing 8 points and turning in their homework on Thursday mornings.  Students may complete any assignment on the menu they wish.  If they choose to write their words 3 times this week, they may only use that assignments once this week to get 2 of the 8 points.  

Social Studies

We will focus this week on identifying specific people who have demonstrated qualities of a good citizen.  We will focus on the lives and work of Helen Keller, Ruby Bridges, Jane Addams, and Clara Barton.  After we learn about the lives and work of these four women, students will create a billboard to display their understanding of how these women have changed our society.  

This week we will also work on electing our LEADERSHIP COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE.  We will discuss qualities needed in a leadership council representative and the duties and responsibilities that go along with this leadership position.  Students will create a jot down list and nominate classmates.  By the end of the week, we will narrow our list down to three candidates   Those candidates will have the weekend to complete an application form and write a speech.  We will listen to their speeches next week and vote using a secret ballot!

Language Arts
Reading
In Reading this week we will be working on making connections to our reading.  Good readers make connections to a text as they read.  These connections in the brain help us take ownership of the reading.  The story becomes part of who we are because of how we connect to the text.  The three kinds of connections we will focus on are text-to-self, text-to-text and text-to world.  We were able to start this discussion last week.  We related to Stagestruck as a young boy participated in a school play.  Thanks to our music program at HCE, many kids were able to make great text-to-self connections about playing different parts in a play and the feelings they had on stage in front of an audience.  We also read The Man Who Walked Between the Towers.  Our classes were able to relate the towers in NYC and we discussed how they were a great moment of celebration when they were built and how last week we honored the 11th anniversary of the falling of those great towers. I was impressed with their empathy and sharing. 

Writing
This week we will finish up some discussion on types of nouns (common, proper, singular and plural).  Students will also be introduced to our first writing genre study, personal narrative.  We will spend the next few weeks sharing examples of personal narratives and noticing and naming the parts of a narrative.  This week we will focus on learning the vocabulary for those parts (setting the stage, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution).

Spelling
Students made it through their first week of spelling!  Most kids did a GREAT job.  Please remember that they are responsible for completing 8 points and turning in their homework on Thursday mornings.  Students may complete any assignment on the menu they wish.  If they choose to write their words 3 times this week, they may only use that assignments once this week to get 2 of the 8 points.  You will find their tests and test grades in their spelling spiral.  Those grades will not be recorded in the grade book.  I want students and parents to see how the test is set up and graded before entering it in the grade book   Students receive one point for spelling the word correctly and one point for sorting it correctly.  The test we will take on 9/21/12 will be counted for a grade.

Social Studies
We will focus this week on identifying qualities that make someone a good citizen.  We will then brainstorm together to nominate friends, family and community citizens for a good citizen award.  The nomination and reasoning behind it is the most important part of this assignment!  Students will then create a good citizen poem to describe the person they have chosen to honor.  Check out our hallway in a few weeks to see who our third graders believe to demonstrate good citizen traits!  

Math/Science Week of September 17th

Dear Parents,

Next week is going to be fast and furious!  We have so much going on between a counselor lesson, a field trip, Open House, AND Progress Reports going home!

In Math this coming week we will still be working on Place Value.  Early in the week, we will be reviewing four digit numbers.  We will practice again comparing them (using the < and > signs) and ordering them from Least to Greatest and Greatest to Least.  We will have a short quiz on place value Tuesday before we move on to five and six digit numbers.  We will focus on five and six digit numbers the rest of the week.  I will teach the students several Math Station games to reinforce learning in the classroom on Place Value.  Ask your child to teach you Skeleton or Tri-Digit Roll at home.  If you attend Open House this Thursday, one of their jobs is to teach you one of our Math Station Games!

In Science this week, we will be diving deeper into Matter and focusing on the Three States of Matter.  Our main objective for the week is for each student to observe and evaluate a substance/object, and then determine if it is a solid, liquid, or gas based on the properties/characteristics that it contains.  They will discover that the particles in each state of matter are different and how that affects the properties of that object.  Does it change it shape?  Does it pour?  Etc....

Above are the particles first a solid, then a liquid, and last a gas for visual reference.  

Thank you to all parents who emailed interest in chaperoning this upcoming field trip on Wednesday to the Wortham Center.  Unfortunately we are not allotted any monies to take chaperones along on this field trip, so it will be teachers and students only.  If you are interested in chaperoning the next one though, please email myself or Mrs. Ford so we can get in touch with you for the next one.

Thank you and have a great week!

Parents of 4th graders...

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Mental Images, Connections, and Citizenship

Language Arts
Reading
In Reading this week we will be finishing our discussions on mental images, also called visualization.  Good readers create images in their minds as they read a text.  These images help us check for understanding of a text but also aide in our ability to remember what we have just read.  Look for some excellent mental images to come home in the Tuesday Newsday folder this week.

We will then be moving on to work on connections.  Connections fall into three categories:  text-to-self, text-to-text, and text-to world.  We will work this week to create text-to-self connections.  We will read and then work together to think...
What about this story reminds me of something I have done?
...something I have experienced?
...someone I know?
These connections draw us closer to the text while building comprehension   

Writing
We will be taking our work from Visualization and apply it to our writing.  We have been noticing in read the language that an author uses to create these beautiful images as we read.  Students will work this week to try their hand at the craft.  They will work on use sensory language and adjectives to help their readers create images as they read.  The pictures that you sent last week for homework will serve as our inspiration this week for writing.

Spelling
We did it!  We made it through our first Monday with new spelling words.  The groups did an excellent job of supporting one another and asking great questions.  The Spelling Homework Menu is due Thursday.  Students will need to complete 8pts. of spelling assignments.  We have only learned about 2pt. and 4pt. options on the menu, so bear with us this week.  The Spelling Menu is located in their green three ring notebook and should stay there all year long as a reference guide.

Social Studies
We have spent a good deal of time talking about how to make our classroom community successful.  We're now working on thinking about what makes someone a good citizen.  Our discussions will help students think about what others can do in our local and national communities to help make our world a better place.  We'll be talking specifically about volunteering this week.  If you or your child have volunteered for an organization, please use that experience as a springboard for discussion at the dinner or breakfast table.  

I am very thankful for your support at home!  I will begin testing each child's reading level soon using the DRA2.  I will be sending a sign-up genius sheet asking for some families to volunteer to bring their child before school, after school and on some Saturdays.  This extra time to tests kids helps me not take so much class and instruction time to administer 45+ reading assessments.  It takes a team, and I'm glad we are in this together! ~Omi Ford

Welcome to Third Grade at HCE!

Mrs. Skrivanek and Mrs. Ford are excited to see many of you

at Meet the Teacher on Friday, August 24 from 10:30 to 11:30a.m.

Mrs. Ford’s room is Rm 15 and Mrs. Skrivanek’s room is Rm 16. 

Check in with your homeroom teacher first. 

However, we want you to come into both rooms and meet us! 

No matter who your homeroom teacher will be for the year,

we will both spend lots of time with you this year

and look forward to getting to know each special person in our classes!

Dates and Information

May 16th Showcase Luncheon (formally known as Publisher's Picnic) 
You are welcome to join us from 12:00-12:30 in the third grade courtyard for Showcase Luncheon.  This will be a time for your child to share with you his or her work from this school year.  Work samples will SHOWCASE learning from all the content areas.  You may bring your child lunch, or purchase a hamburger lunch from the HCE cafeteria.

Winds of Time Continues (May 2-May 25)
We are learning more and more about ancient Rome.  This week we've made connections to the Romans form of government and ours.  We have also discussed famous Romans and compared our schools to that of the Romans.  Next week we will focus more on Roman fun!  We will start creating our chariots in preparation for race day.

May 24th @ 10am Chariot Races on the field
Each homeroom will have 8 teams of 3.  The race will have 8 heats featuring the color team from each class and then a winners heat.  Teams consist of a “puller”, “pusher” and “rider.”  It's an exciting day.  Please make time to come and join us at the races!

May 25th @ 9:30am Winds of Time Program and Parade

The culmination of our learning and fun is the Winds of Time parade held on Friday, May 25^th at 9:30a.m.  You will want to make sure you get here and get a good seat.  We will provide students with Roman garb.  They will either be dressed as a Roman Senator, Roman Soldier, or Roman Goddess.  Students process to the hard top for our school wide assembly.  Each grade level will present speakers.  The ceremony closes with a song sung by the entire school.  Then, we parade around the hallways of the school and back to our classroom.  It’s a great KODAK moment! 

May 28th- School Holiday- Memorial Day

May 29th- Camp Read-A-Lot

Students are invited to bring several chapter books or other favorite books from home that they would like to read or want to recommend to classmates.  Also, have them bring a pillow and a blanket to camp out in.  Dress in "camp style" clothes.  We will share a delicious trail mix for snack that day!

May 30th- Beach Day and Step-Up Day!

Bring a large beach towel, wear sunglasses and get ready to watch some beach and ocean movies.  Teachers will provide students with a "fishy" snack.  Third graders will also meet the 4th grade teachers and find out what exciting things they will be learning next year.

May 31st- LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!

The last day of school will be a short one!  We will do some end of the year wrap-up, have a pizza party and then dismiss at noon.  STUDENTS WILL NOT NEED TO BRING ANYTHING TO SCHOOL ON THE LAST DAY.