Hi Families!
Quick notes to know:
- 3/11/20 Farm to Table
- 3/12 and 3/13 E.R.- Student Led Conferences
- 3/18 E.R.
- 3/20 Student Play Assembly
- 3/23-3/27 Spring Break
- 3/30 School Resumes
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- Our movie, PJ, popcorn day was a huge success! Thank you SO much to the many families who sent in popcorn to share, it was such a wonderful treat!
- Student led conferences are coming this week! Your child has been working hard to present to you their learning over trimester 2. This is truly their time to shine! If you haven’t signed up, there are still time slots available: sign up link. Each family may select 1 time slot (time slots can host 3 families at once). A teacher conference can be arranged for Friday 3/13 by request only. Thank you!
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NEXT WEEK:
Reading and Writing,
We will follow our normal spelling schedule this week and next week.
In writing, we are going to be writing a short essay on “How to Catch a Leprechaun.” We will focus on sequence words and procedures as we describe this imagined process. Next week, we will have a story about a tricky leprechaun in our listening center.
We have started our portfolios but will be continuing the portfolios this week. Students will evaluate their work samples and organize them into their portfolio. This week, each student will complete a conference script and practice aloud their conference with a partner.
We will also continue an essay from last week comparing and contrasting “The Cat in the Hat” movie version to the story book. Students will analyze and communicate what was different and similar in the two versions of the same story. Students will also be working in groups to read informational articles and write a group informational essay.
This week, students will listen to a read aloud story about the Midwestern states and interesting facts about each state.
We have started a whole class chapter book called “Love that Dog.” This chapter book is made of poems put together to tell the story of Jack. We will use a lot of inferring to discover more about Jack and his life through the poems.
Students will also practice writing their spelling words in cursive writing.
3rd grade Math,
We are starting unit 6, module 1 on Monday and it will span this week into part of next week. Unit 6 module 1 focuses on Investigating Polygons. Students explore polygons while using a variety of tools and activities. The module begins with a pre-assessment. In Sessions 2 and 3, students use examples and nonexamples to explore the attributes of quadrilaterals. In Session 4, the class makes their own sets of tangram pieces. Since 5 of the 7 pieces (tans) are right triangles, a discussion of congruence and similarity naturally arises. In Work Place 6A Tangram Polygons, students use their tangram pieces to begin solving a series of geometric puzzles.
Next week, we will begin module 2 which focuses on quadrilaterals. Students continue to strengthen their understanding of polygons. In Session 1, they build a variety of polygons out of toothpicks. After building squares, rectangles, and a variety
of rhombuses, students work up to multi-sided polygons having as many as 12 sides (dodecagons).
In Number Corner, we are continuing our March calendar which focuses on reading time and elapsed time. In our March collection, students have just decorated a 12 x 12 inch square. We will slowly collect these squares over March to create shapes. Then, we will determine the shape’s perimeter and area each time it changes.
4th grade math,
Please see Mrs. Ottaviani’s website for 4th grade math information and updates.
Science/Social Studies,
We are continuing our long term unit on geography. We are finishing up the Midwest region. Students have learned about different habitats native to the Midwest. Then, we took a nature walk to identify and sketch the woodland, prairie and wetland habitats. We have just finished labeling a map of the Midwest region with each state, major cities, each state’s capitals and major bodies of water. We have also listened to songs about the states and the state’s capitals to aid in our learning. This week we will have a Midwest region test on Thursday. 3rd graders will need to know the states and the major bodies of water from their Midwest region map, while 4th grade will be tested also on each state’s capital.
This week, we will learn about Midwest plants and animals. We will also have a lesson on invasive species of the Midwest. We have a special learning kit on loan from a library that has examples of the invasive species for a hands-on lesson. This week, we will also have a special green team lesson about light pollution.
Next week, we will start the NorthEast region. We will work on maps that identify the states, capitals, major cities and major bodies of water. We will also read about this region and its agriculture and native plants and animals.
We are continuing phenology and solo spots, alternating each week. Please make sure your student is prepared to be outside on a regular basis.
I hope you have a wonderful week!
