Weekly Update

August 29th- September 2nd

Hello Families!

Listed below are the important reminders and objectives for our week.  Please let me know if you have any questions.  Thanks!

Important Reminders:

• Curriculum Night Power Point and "Handbook" were emailed home last week.  Please be sure to read over this information and let me know if you have any questions!
• Make sure you sign up for a conference time on the Google Doc that was sent home today!
• Don't forget your child may bring in a snack and water bottle!
• Book Orders were sent home yesterday, and are due by Sept. 9th.  
• Highlights orders are coming home today.  PLEASE return the slip signed even if you check "no".  Thanks!
• The Sky Zone bookmarks need to be returned to school once your kiddo has read their 5 books and I will sign it for them.  Sorry for any confusion with this!

Weekly Objectives:

Writing:  This week we will begin our narrative writing unit!  We will begin generating small moment stories by thinking of people and places that are important to us.  We will also practice storytelling our narrative pieces in order to bring out more scenes and details to make our work more powerful!

Reading: During reader's workshop we will continue building our reading lives by helping students find ways to share books and interests through supportive partnerships.

Science:  We are going to continue our first science chapter (Chapter 3) and we will focus on classifying plants into groups based on physical characteristics.

Math:  This week we will begin Chapter 1: Place Value.  We will work on place value through the thousands as well as ordering and comparing numbers.

***This week we will begin talking about the difference between a fixed and growth mindset.  (Some pics were posted to the BLOG yesterday!) A fixed mindset is a belief system in which one believes that intelligence is something you are born with.  A growth mindset is belief that you can grow your intelligence with hard work.  For example, rather than saying "I can't do this", we will focus on saying "I can't do this, yet!"  I am very excited to introduce this with our class!  Make sure to talk about this with your child at home! 

Weekly Update

August 29th- September 2nd

Hello Families!
Listed below are the important reminders and objectives for our week.  Please let me know if you have any questions.  Thanks!

Important Reminders:

• Curriculum Night Power Point and "Handbook" were emailed home last week.  Please be sure to read over this information and let me know if you have any questions!
• Make sure you sign up for a conference time on the Google Doc that was sent home today!
• Don't forget your child may bring in a snack and water bottle!

Weekly Objectives:

Writing:  This week we will begin our narrative writing unit!  We will begin generating small moment stories by thinking of people and places that are important to us.  We will also practice storytelling our narrative pieces in order to bring out more scenes and details to make our work more powerful!

Reading: During reader's workshop we will continue building our reading lives by helping students find ways to share books and interests through supportive partnerships.

Science:  We are going to continue our first science chapter (Chapter 3) and we will focus on classifying plants into groups based on physical characteristics.

Math:  This week we will begin Chapter 1: Place Value.  We will work on place value through the thousands as well as ordering and comparing numbers.

***This week we will begin talking about the difference between a fixed and growth mindset.  (Some pics were posted to the BLOG yesterday!) A fixed mindset is a belief system in which one believes that intelligence is something you are born with.  A growth mindset is belief that you can grow your intelligence with hard work.  For example, rather than saying "I can't do this", we will focus on saying "I can't do this, yet!"  I am very excited to introduce this with our class!  Make sure to talk about this with your child at home! 

We Have a Growth Mindset - Our Brains

Addition Memory

Writing

We are reading from "Amelia's Notebook" and then spending done time writing like her!

Happy Birthday Ramil!!!

First Class Pic

We Are...

Making Friends with Smarties

Weekly Update: Aug. 22 - 26

A Week in Review:

We spent the first two days of school getting to know one another, learning the routine and schedule, unpacking our belongings, and doing some cooperative group/STEM activities.  We also read a story called The Kingdom with No Laws, No Rules, and No King.  We discussed the importance of having rules and laws, and then we created the Leader Laws for our classroom.  We then each decorated a hand that we will hang next to the Leader Laws because we each have a "hand" in creating and following the laws.  

A Glance Ahead:

Writing:  We will be reading a book called Amelia's Notebook, and gathering ideas to help build our Writer's Notebooks.  We will also be building our writing stamina.

Reading:  We will begin building our reading stamina, as well as building our reading community.  For our first read aloud, I will be reading the book Mr. Popper's Penguins.  

Math:  We will discuss what our math stations should look like, sound like, feel like, and what to do if you have questions during stations.  We will practice rotating between stations.  During this week, we will also be taking the ALEKS pre-assessment so that students can begin using ALEKS during stations and at home.  After the initial assessment, a letter explaining ALEKS and your child's login, will come home.

Words Their Way (aka Spelling):  The students will take the spelling inventory this week.  Based on the inventory, I will put the students into spelling groups.  We will also practice the different activities that we utilize during Words Their Way time.

Science:  Ch. 1 and Ch. 3 will be taught together, and tested together.  Ch. 1 is about what a scientist is, the scientific method, and tools that scientists use.  Ch. 3 is about Living Things.  A study guide will come home at least 3 days before the test so that you can study at home.

A Few Notes:

• Reading Logs will be sent home on Monday.  A letter explaining reading logs was sent home in the "Welcome Folder" that you all received at Meet the Teacher.  Just to recap - students need to read and record at least 5 nights a week for 20 minutes.  The logs are due the following Monday.
• Behavior Charts start Monday as well.  They will come home on Friday.  They need to be signed and returned Monday.
• Planners will be filled out daily.  They will come home every day.  PLEASE check the planner and initial at the bottom.  Planners are new to third graders, so they will need help remembering to share them with you.  The planners will contain homework, test dates, and any other important notes.
• Take Home Folders - these will come home daily, and need to be returned every day.  Please look through and empty the "Please Remove" side.  The "Please Return" side needs to be checked and returned.

Thanks for you help!  Here's to a GREAT Week!

STEM Project - Straw Towers

The kiddos worked in groups to build the tallest tower that can stand on its own for 10 seconds.  They love this project!!!

Happy Birthday Owen!!!

First Day of Third Grade

Welcome third graders of 2016-2017!!!!