THIRD
GRADE NEWS
Sheri Cundall Room 12
Friday,
December 18th, 2009
EARLY & LATE LITERACY
GROUP
We completed our work on Harry the Poisonous
Centipede this week. After our winter break, we
will start reading, Louis Braille: The Boy
Who Invented Books for the Blind, by Margaret Davidson.
This book is a departure from the
lighthearted selections we’ve read so far! In the meantime, we
have been focusing on word work, reading
comprehension skills, and reading leveled science
books.
MATH
We finished up Unit 4 this week with an
assessment on Tuesday. They did well! In your child’s
Friday Folder you will find the Family Letter
for Everyday Math Unit 5, which
we will begin in January. Unit 5 focuses on
place value in whole numbers and
decimals. Addition, subtraction, and
multiplication (!) timed benchmark tests will be given in
January, also. Review those facts with your
child over the break if you get a chance!
SCIENCE
After practicing measuring mass in grams and
volume in liters, learning about atoms in solids,
liquids, and gases, and discovering how
matter can change from one state to another, students
took the final iCheck quiz on Tuesday. When
we return in January, students will begin the first
science rotation with Mrs. Swagerty, who will
be teaching the Sun, Moon, and Stars unit.
Mrs. Swagerty will come to Rm. 12 on Tuesday
afternoons and Wednesday mornings for several
weeks. (I will be teaching the Matter and
Energy unit in Rm. 15.)
WRITING
Students completed persuasive pieces
answering the question, “Should children have a bedtime?”
Believe it or not, about half of the students
think a set bedtime is a good thing. Arguments for
and against bedtimes were varied and thoughtful.
Students also responded to journal prompts
and completed a couple of “quick writes” in
the past two weeks. Finally, on Thursday, students
did some “report of information” writing in
science. When we return in January, we will work
on strong story beginnings.
UPCOMING FIELD TRIP
In support of the Sun, Moon, and Stars
science unit, we will be visiting the planetarium at the
California Academy of Sciences in San
Francisco on Thursday, January 21st. We will need FIVE
adult driver/chaperones for this all-day
trip. I had to pre-pay the adult slots, so only five parents
will be able to help. Permission slips will
come home on Friday, Jan. 8th, but feel free to email me
before then if you check your calendar and
know you can drive/chaperone. Thank you!
WINTER PARTY THANK YOU’s
Thank you to the families who sent in goodies
and treats for our Winter Party on Thursday.
Thank you also to our room parents, April
McCandless and Rita Wiseman, for organizing,
serving, and cleaning up! Treats, gifts, and
a boisterous game of “Cundall Jeopardy” all added
up to a good time for all. We also gave Dean,
who is moving back to Australia, a
“Kickball Legend” jersey and a card signed by
all of us to let him know he will be missed!
WINTER BREAK
Winter Break is from December 19 – Jan. 3. We
will see students back at school on
Monday, January 4th, 2010! I hope
you all have a wonderful holiday season and make some
memories with your loved ones.