December 19 January Lunch Orders Due
December 21 Waste-Free Holiday Party
December 24 - January 4 Winter Break
January 7 School Resumes
Homework - More details posted on the Homework Page
1. Read for at least 20 minutes per day and fill out your reading log each night. Your parents must sign your reading log.
2. Complete your math homework.
Upcoming Out and Abouts
We will have a waste-free party on Friday to celebrate our study of consumerism. We have learned a lot about reducing trash and making choices that conserve energy and natural resources, and now students will put their new knowledge to the test! We will try to create zero waste the entire day. Students are asked to bring a snack/lunch with no packaging or wrappers that need to be thrown away. Recyclable and reusable containers only please! They should also bring a reusable mug or cup for hot chocolate (I will provide the drinks). We will build forts in the classroom and play games. Students may bring a sheet or blanket for fort building, a flashlight and a stuffed toy. Please, no pajamas, slippers or sleeping bags - we will have P.E at our regular time.
Weekly Review
Students are hard at work finishing up their All About Books. The Plovers have chosen a wide range of topics, from penguins to poetry, dance to drawing, and school to seals! We will focus on writing final drafts this week, adding informational text features, peer-editing and publication. There will be extra writing time in class this week, but some students may also need to work on their writing at home. There is no additional writing or spelling homework this week. Published books will be on display after Winter Break.
In addition to our informational writing, students are enjoying a new feature of writing workshop called "Story Workshop." This is a collaborative approach to writing that encourages students to use art materials, natural materials and building materials to create characters, scenes and stories. The kids really enjoyed playing with the materials last week, including gem stones, fabric, wire, figurines and fancy paper. Everybody was engaged in creating characters and scenes. Our next step is to turn our creations and ideas into written stories! If you have any neglected animal figurines or art supplies at home (like fabric scraps, ribbon, pipe cleaners, cotton balls, beads, or other beautiful materials), we would love to add them to our story workshop collection. We could also use donations of interesting natural materials - stones, pine cones, shells, seeds, and glass marbles or beads (like what would be used to fill vases). Please email me with any questions.
Math Notes
In Third Grade Math, we will wrap up our geometry unit this week with a focus on triangles and circles. Last week, students studied quadrilaterals, which are 4-sided polygons. They also learned about types of angles, parallel and perpendicular lines, and perimeter. Their math vocabularies are expanding with lots of new, interesting words, but it can be hard to keep track of all the geometry terms. The Math Learning Center has created a 3rd Grade Math Vocabulary packet with key words, definitions and examples to help you and your student remember and understand the language we use in class and in homework assignments. To download the free packet, go to the Support for Grade 3 Families website: http://bridges1.mathlearningcenter.org/resources/materials/parents/parents3
For Homework, Third Graders should complete Independent Worksheet 2: Classifying Quadrilaterals. We have only been working with these terms and skills for a week, so your student my need support reading the directions and remembering the vocabulary. You can also support their learning by noticing and discussing shapes, angles and lines in every day objects. The more students hear this language used at home and at school, the easier it will be for them to recall and use appropriate vocabulary words in their own speaking and writing.
This week the Fourth Grade Math students will continue to solidify their understanding of double-digit by double-digit multiplication (example: 25 x 16). Students should have at least two strategies in their math “tool belts." This week we will continue our practice with the array model, partial products, algorithm, and lattice strategies. Students will also have the opportunity to demonstrate their proficiency by completing a post assessment.
For homework students are required to complete the Double-Digit Multiplication practice assignment. Students should practice whichever strategy works best for them – but, are encouraged to practice array, partial products, and/or lattice strategies. For detailed information on these strategies, please visit:
Array Model: http://www.eduplace.com/math/mw/models/overview/3_8_1.html
Partial Products: http://www.multiplicationtool.org/help_partial.php
Lattice: http://www.mathatube.com/e-lattice-mothed.html
Questions/Comments/Concerns, please contact Becky at [email protected]
Communication
Please contact me with any questions or concerns. Parents and students can e-mail me at [email protected]. You can also leave a voice message on the class phone, come into the classroom before or after school, or call me before 8PM at home.