Hi Families!
Quick notes to know:
- 3/10 Early Release Student Led Conferences (will be held virtually)
- 3/11 Early Release Parent-Teacher Conferences by request only
- 3/14 Empty eggs due for Spanish class
- 3/17/22 (optional) bring completed Leprechaun trap to school
- IAR testing 3/15, 3/16, 3/17 ELA
- IAR testing 3/21, 3/22, 3/23 MATH
- 3/26-4/3 Spring Break
- 4/4/22 School resumes
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- This information was sent on 3/4/22: Student led conferences will be held on Thursday, 3/10/22 from 2:00 p.m. until 6:40 p.m. Conferences are being held virtually on zoom. Your child will bring home a portfolio of work samples to discuss and show to you during the conference. These conferences are student led, and allow your child ownership of their accomplishments, as well as, areas for growth. Students have put hard work into preparing their portfolio and practicing their speaking part. This is a time for your child to shine! We look forward to seeing you! *A teacher conference can be arranged on Friday 3/10 by request only.
Please use the below link to sign up for student led conferences on Thursday, March 10th. Please sign up for one time slot. Each time frame can host up to 4 families. SIGN UP GENIUS CONFERENCE LINK
Here is my zoom classroom meeting link. Please bookmark this information for your future reference: Meeting ID: 884 6818 0641 Passcode: Larson18
- A message from Spanish class: We are learning about the Mexican tradition of making cascarones for celebrations. We will be decorating and filling cascarones in Spanish class on March 14th. In preparation, please send in with your child 3 -5 clean large or jumbo chicken eggshells. Please send them in a shatterproof container labeled with your child’s name. Below are simple instructions and a video tutorial. explaining how to prepare the eggshells. If you have any further questions please let us know.
Instructions
- Make about a half-inch hole–or the size of a dime– in the bottom or top of an egg.
- Remove the egg contents. Either prop over a bowl and let the eggs drain—or blow out eggs.
- Rinse out the inside of the egg. When it is completely dry– decorate it using your favorite method (we will decorate them in class together.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJfK2BjhWCI
- This week I sent home a letter regarding our Leprechaun trap. This is an optional project that can be done at home. I am asking students who participate to bring the Leprechaun trap to school on 3/17/22 to share out with our class.
- IAR testing will be coming up before spring break. ELA testing will be held on 3/15, 3/16, 3/17 ELA and Math testing will be held on 3/21, 3/22, 3/23. Please make sure your child is well rested and comes to school on a full stomach as our normal snack schedule may be impacted. Thank you for your support!
NEXT WEEK:
Reading and Writing,
Spelling schedules may be disrupted with the upcoming Portfolio work, Early Release days and IAR testing schedules. Your student will notate in their daily agenda if there is spelling homework.
In writing,
We are starting a new informational unit. This unit is a how to essay. Students have learned about Leprechauns and made observations about what would be enticing to a Leprechaun. Students are now coming up with a Leprechaun trap design. They have sketched their design onto paper and labeled the elements of their trap. They have also created a list of materials.
Next, students will be writing a paper about how to catch a Leprechaun. They will explain why they wish to catch the Leprechaun, the steps needed to build the trap they designed and how it will work. Students who wish to do so can build the trap at home using materials you have on hand (raid the recycling bin :). They can then show off their trap to the class on 3/17/22. We will be writing the rough draft of our papers in class this week and next. My hope is the final draft can be completed by 3/18, but we may need to extend this date to the week after depending on the students’ progression and needs.
In reading,
We have started our next novel, “Sled Dog School” by Terry Lynn Johnson. Students are working on comprehension questions and activities throughout the story. Chapters and assignments will alternate from being read aloud and completed together to reading and completing assignments independently. This chapter book will span several weeks to complete.
Students are also learning about the Iditarod race. They have learned the basic concepts of sled dog training and the heavy preparation that takes place to be ready for a sled dog race. They learned about the history of the race and how it honors the sled dog racers (Togo) who brought medicine to desperate remote people. I plan to watch the animated movie “Balto” during our Sled Dog School unit. The movie is based on this historical event. The movie will most likely take place just before spring break though I am still in the scheduling process at this time.
Due to preparing of portfolios this week, the early releases and the IAR testing taking place starting March 15th, much of our reading time will be utilized. This week, our main focus will be creating our portfolios, and sorting our work samples. Students will also use readers time to write their conference script and practice with at least one other student. This preparation is essential for a smooth conference experience.
If students finish these responsibilities early this week, they will complete enrichment activities featuring the concepts we are working on such as sled dogs, the Iditarod, and electricity. Depending on the completion of the portfolios, we will move forward in our chapter book, Sled Dog School, together either this week or next. We will be reading chapters 5 and 6 as a class, then we will complete the comprehension questions for chapters 5 and 6 together as a class as well.
3rd grade Math,
We are now in Unit 5 which focuses on reviewing multiplication, and division. Unit 5 will also introduce the concept of area. Unit 5 returns to the study of multiplication, especially as it relates to division. Students again build arrays, but use them to model and solve division as well as multiplication problems. Story problems play a major role in the first two modules, helping
students to connect their everyday experiences with division to more formal mathematical concepts. As they solve and pose story problems, students encounter two different interpretations of division—sharing and grouping—and have numerous
opportunities to build understandings of both. Much of the work in Modules 2 and 3 revolves around fact families. In the next two weeks we will be working on module 2 and 3.
Module 2 Multiplication & Division Families: Students continue to explore two different interpretations of division—sharing and grouping—by solving story problems that elicit one interpretation or the other, and then sharing and discussing their work as a class. The teacher also introduces fact families—sets of related facts that further help students understand the connection between multiplication and division.
Module 3 Division Practice: Students again investigate two different interpretations of division—sharing and grouping—by solving story problems that elicit one interpretation or the other, and then sharing and discussing their work as a class. The teacher also introduces two new division Work Places, Line ‘Em Up and Division Capture. The first of these is designed to deepen students’ understanding of the operation, while the second provides practice with basic division facts.
4th Grade Math
Hello 4th Grade!
This week in math, we are going to be continuing to learn about angles, circles, and symmetry! So far, we have learned about acute, obtuse, straight, right, and zero angles. We will continue to expand our knowledge as well as learn to use a protractor to measure and create angles. We will be learning a few games to play with classmates this week to help enforce the concepts we have been learning. It’s “shaping” up to be a really fun unit!
Science/Social Studies
Students are continuing our unit on electricity. We have had fun learning about series circuits and parallel circuits. We also created a working light switch to make an open and closed circuit. Students have a few more electricity experiments. After this, there will be an electricity test. A study guide will be provided. Following this, we will start a short unit on motion and matter.
We are continuing phenology and solo spots, alternating each week. Please make sure your student is prepared to be outside on a regular basis with warm outdoor clothing.
I hope you have a wonderful week!
