February 9th Update...

Hi Parents,

I hope you enjoyed the spring-like weather this week! In addition to some extra recess time, we managed to get so much accomplished this week. Check it out here...

Grammar:  This week, we incorporated our grammar studies into our writing. We paid special attention to applying correct conventions to our sentences, writing grammatically correct sentences, and remembering how to indent when separating paragraphs.  We also edited several paragraphs, identifying capitalization, punctuation, and spelling  mistakes.

Reading:  We studied what role secondary characters play in novels and discussed three important types of characters; the sidekick, the advisor, and the challenger.  We completed our opinion pieces on who the most important secondary character is to Opal from Because of Winn-Dixie, making sure to include an introduction paragraph, a body paragraph with our supporting text evidence, and a closing paragraph. We also read a short passage called "Dog Business" in order to practice summary writing (Milestone Prep).  We learned the important components of a summary by looking at the Milestone scoring rubric and several student scored summaries, and then practiced writing our own.

Math:  We continued our challenging unit on Fractions.  We learned how to compare fractions to important benchmarks; 0, 1/2, and 1. We also learned what strategies we can use to compare fractions with unlike denominators (use a number line, use fraction models).  We took our final assessment on Friday after practicing the  skill all week. This is an important skill that should be practiced on IXL if your child is having difficulty in  this area. We will continue to work on this during our morning work review pages. Keep an eye on how your child is grasping this skill.  I gave the math facts quiz orally on Friday using flashcards, but with having super specials and market day, I only got through half of the students.  Most children who are on x10s will move on to x3s for next week.  PLEASE make sure your child is spending an adequate amount of time on memorizing these facts.  Some children are telling me they are not studying at all and they may need some support from mom and dad to learn these facts.

Social Studies:  We learned about two Spanish explorers; Balboa and de Soto. We learned their struggles encountered on their journeys to the New World and the reasons they set out on their expeditions.

We also discussed the concepts of "supply and demand" and how this affects the price of goods and services. I was amazed at the creativity of the market day displays. Way to go, kids!

Class News...

We will exchange Valentines next Thursday.  We will be creating fun holders for our goodies, so no need to send in a box this year.

I've been offering lots of "extra credit"homework opportunities in order to earn extra dojo points. I'm proud of the self-motivation that the students have shown by taking the initiative to do these activities without it being a requirement.  This effort will pay off in the future!

With the Milestone Assessment being only about 10 weeks away, please be vigilant about the required 30 minutes of reading every night.  It's also very important that the reading is on your child's  level.  Having daily discussions about what  your child is reading will indicate his/her level of comprehension.  Let me know if you need any suggestions. I can always send home good articles or passages for your child if you would like.

Winter Break is in one week!  We'll be off from school February 18-22.  Enjoy your time together.

Next week, academic alerts will be sent out through the "ParentVue" portal.  IF your child is progressing or meeting all of the third grade standards, there will NOT be a mid-quarter report sent. IF your child is in danger of receiving a "1" in any third quarter standard, there will be a mid-quarter report for you to view.  Look for any standard with a "1" in the grade box.  This is a way of communicating that we have an area that needs extra attention and we'll be focusing on this at school and need your support at home as well.