MRS. STOKES' THIRD GRADE NEWSLETTER
January 5, 2009
UNITS OF STUDY
MATH
In January we will be learning more about how to solve multi-step problems
using division, multiplication, addition, and subtraction. The Chapter 13
test will be Tues., Jan. 12.
We MUST continue to increase speed and accuracy with multiplication as we
work on problem-solving. Timed multiplication tests will continue throughout
January.
SCIENCE
We will continue our unit on Rocks and Minerals. The test on this unit will
be Wed., Jan. 13.
READING
We will be working on our fourth unit of study in our reading series
entitled "Earth, Moon, and Sun." This week we will read about the sun and
Galileo's journal.
Genre: The genre of the story is expository text. The students identify it as
informational reading. Our book describes it as nonfiction that is written to
inform, explain, or to persuade. This is typically harder reading and the
students will have to work a little harder this semester as we are working
mostly in this genre in all content areas.
Comprehension strategy: Drawing Conclusions. As the students read, they
should be looking for small pieces of information that allow them to draw
conclusions about a character or event in the selection. A conclusion must be
supported by the text.
Vocabulary Strategy: Context clues. This follows along with our comprehension
strategy. Context clues are hints in the text. They help you find the
meanings of words. I often advise the students to use these when writing
sentences and paragraphs. We will use context clues to find the meaning
of "orbit" in the story.
Overall Vocabulary Concept:The concept this week is concerning the
word "astronomy", the study of objects in space.
Concept Board: Students are encouraged to bring articles and pictures to add
to our concept bulletin board.
Vocabulary Words:
1. devices: machines
2. bursts: explosions
3. oval: egg-shaped
4. orbit: the path in space that an object follows as it moves around a planet
5. slightly: just a little
6. tilted:on a slant
7. solar system: the sun and all the panets, satellites, asteroids, and
comets that revolve around it.
8. horizon: the line where the sky and the land or sea seem to meet.
SPELLING
Spelling Words: "Sun"
Concentration: Suffixes: -ly, -y, -ment, -tion
Spelling words for this week are:
1. slightly
2. kindly
3. partly
4. daily
5. scary
6. chewy
7. rusty
8. bony
9. shipment
10. payment
11. treatment
12. statement
13. selection
14. invention
15. action
Challenge words:
16. apartment
17. easily
Test Friday
ENGLISH
We will be studying simple and compound sentences. There will be a quiz on
Thurs., Jan. 14.
WRITING
We will be learning about informational writing this month. Students will
learn how to do research and write an informational paper.
Online Books - Parents, I have taped the passwords
for the students' math, social studies and reading books
in the front of each student's assignment book. Now
if your child forgets a textbook at school, you can
access it at home online at any time. There are also
games and activities that go with some of the chapters
and stories. Go to my links page to get to the websites
for these textbooks.
* Parents, you can check your child's AR progress online
at home. Just go to the school website, then click on
media center, then Renaissance, then Home Connection,
then put in your child's username and password, and you
will see their AR information. You can also check their
progress on Accelerated Math.
ACCELERATED READER
If you would like to look up an Accelerated Reader Book on the computer,
here are the directions:
After you logon to the RES website, click under Media Center, then on the
left of this page, click on "AR Book Finder." On Advance Search, you can
sort by author, book title, or book level.
http://teacherweb.com/GA/RiversideElementary/LenoirStokes
You can also access my website from the county website. Click on "Our
Schools", then "Riverside", then "link to the school website",
then "classes", then "third grade", and then the star by my name
