October 21, 2016October 21, 2016
Dear 3rd grade parents,
It has been a busy and productive month of October! Students are feeling more comfortable with our classroom routines. They have had many opportunities to show responsibility during student choice time (math and afternoon literacy); working independently, with their peers, and with teacher-led small groups. It’s been a great start!
In the area of math, students are finishing up our unit on elapsed time. Students have had many opportunities to explore elapsed time in authentic situations. Students continue to work on solving elapsed time word problems using a number line, a t-chart, or a strategy of their own! 3rd graders also have analyzed schedules, and discovered elapsed time is found in class schedules, after school schedules, flights at the airport, train schedules, and more! Our next unit of study will be focusing on perimeter and area.
Example word problem:
Ms. Scott watched the Cubs game the other night. The game started at 7:00pm. The game was 4 hours and 30 minutes long! What time did the game end?
Students are in the revising stage of writing their personal narratives. They have been working diligently on adding dialogue, details, and “juicy” words to their beginning, middle, and ending of their stories. Our goal is to have our “Personal Narrative Publishing Party” at the end of next week. Students will be allowed to bring in a treat of their choice for snack on this day. I will keep you posted on the official date once we know!
Guided Readings groups are off to a great start! You will see some students coming home with books and novels they are reading with their leveled reading groups. Some students will have questions to answer along with their reading. If your child brings home a book, be sure to ask your child questions about their story. The questions I sent home during conferences could come in handy here! 🙂
Students have been loving our science units on the human body. Be sure to check out your child’ Joints Quiz in red folders this afternoon! Next week we begin studying our muscles!
Other updates:
**Student senate will be collecting NEW socks starting next week and donating them to a local homeless shelter or organization that supports the community for “Socktober”. Please visit this website to learn more about Socktober! http://www.happysocktober.com/index.html
**Please remind your 3rd grader to fill out their reading log EVERY NIGHT. Some students have been a little forgetful lately and might need a gentle reminder at home. Thank you so much!
**This week students have been discussing the word “Empathy”. It is a big word for students and even grown-ups to understand sometimes. Students watched a few videos about how to show empathy to others and have been practicing it in the classrooms. We created posters so we can teach others about caring about others’ feelings, too. We try to “put ourselves in other people’s shoes” to think about how they are feeling and always to choose kindness over negativity. Please continue this conversation at home as well! Thank you.
**Go Cubs go!
**Monday will be Day 1.
Have a fantastic weekend. Please do not hesitate to reach out if any questions arise!
Sincerely,
Ms. Scott
**A few student Empathy posters! Can’t wait to hang these!**
Dear 3rd grade parents,
It has been a busy and productive month of October! Students are feeling more comfortable with our classroom routines. They have had many opportunities to show responsibility during student choice time (math and afternoon literacy); working independently, with their peers, and with teacher-led small groups. It’s been a great start!
In the area of math, students are finishing up our unit on elapsed time. Students have had many opportunities to explore elapsed time in authentic situations. Students continue to work on solving elapsed time word problems using a number line, a t-chart, or a strategy of their own! 3rd graders also have analyzed schedules, and discovered elapsed time is found in class schedules, after school schedules, flights at the airport, train schedules, and more! Our next unit of study will be focusing on perimeter and area.
Example word problem:
Ms. Scott watched the Cubs game the other night. The game started at 7:00pm. The game was 4 hours and 30 minutes long! What time did the game end?
Students are in the revising stage of writing their personal narratives. They have been working diligently on adding dialogue, details, and “juicy” words to their beginning, middle, and ending of their stories. Our goal is to have our “Personal Narrative Publishing Party” at the end of next week. Students will be allowed to bring in a treat of their choice for snack on this day. I will keep you posted on the official date once we know!
Guided Readings groups are off to a great start! You will see some students coming home with books and novels they are reading with their leveled reading groups. Some students will have questions to answer along with their reading. If your child brings home a book, be sure to ask your child questions about their story. The questions I sent home during conferences could come in handy here! 🙂
Students have been loving our science units on the human body. Be sure to check out your child’ Joints Quiz in red folders this afternoon! Next week we begin studying our muscles!
Other updates:
**Student senate will be collecting NEW socks starting next week and donating them to a local homeless shelter or organization that supports the community for “Socktober”. Please visit this website to learn more about Socktober! http://www.happysocktober.com/index.html
**Please remind your 3rd grader to fill out their reading log EVERY NIGHT. Some students have been a little forgetful lately and might need a gentle reminder at home. Thank you so much!
**This week students have been discussing the word “Empathy”. It is a big word for students and even grown-ups to understand sometimes. Students watched a few videos about how to show empathy to others and have been practicing it in the classrooms. We created posters so we can teach others about caring about others’ feelings, too. We try to “put ourselves in other people’s shoes” to think about how they are feeling and always to choose kindness over negativity. Please continue this conversation at home as well! Thank you.
**Go Cubs go!
**Monday will be Day 1.
Have a fantastic weekend. Please do not hesitate to reach out if any questions arise!
Sincerely,
Ms. Scott
**A few student Empathy posters! Can’t wait to hang these!**
