NEWS from D-17!
The Really Important Stuff!
I apologize for the line spacing in this newsletter. I have a new technology problem to try to figure out before next time!
We took our first states and capitals test for the nine states of the Northeast region. These tests are never finals unless the students score 100%. Any students who did not get them all correct can retake the test once a day as many times as they want to in order to improve their scores. I keep their highest score. Students need to ask me for another copy of the test when they are ready to try it again. The goal is to learn the states and capitals. Our next states and capitals test is December 17th. It is on the South Central states of Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. Only 4 states this time!
Students brought home the Night Sky letter and observation form on Monday. Since Monday night was clear, most students made their first observation of the night sky. The goal, as mentioned in the letter, is to have at least 4 completed observations before the form is due back on December 11th – more than 4 if the clouds go away.
Thank you to all the parents who chaperoned our trip to the science museum. We all had a fantastic time!
December Birthdays: Charlie, 4th; Connor, 5th; Alaina, 12th; Ethan, 19th; Nick, 19th; Julia, 21st; Natalie, 27th
Thank you to all who contribute so that students who forget theirs can have a snack. We are almost out of sharable snacks.
The weather has turned cold so students need to have the appropriate attire to be outside for 20+ minutes at recess.
There are still some mittens available on the Adopt-a-Family bulletin board. The deadline isn't until December 8th.
We are hard at work! Please check out each subject area for more information. Thanks. Laura
MATH
We are taking the Unit 4 assessment today.
The Unit 5 letter is coming home today. In Unit 5 we will:
- Reviewed place value to the millions.
- Compared and ordered numbers less than 100,000.
- Extend place value to the millions.
- Compared very large numbers using the U.S. census data.
- Learn about decimal place value to the thousandths.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Unit 5 can be challenging as we explore decimals using money and base-10 blocks and write the equivalent fraction model for decimals through the hundredths and thousandths. We will also review centimeters and millimeters and practice writing the decimal notations for metric measures.
Home Connection!!
Students should be frequently practicing the basic multiplication facts for 2, 3, 4, 5, and 10 unless they are fluent at them.
Practice time skills, including finding elapsed time.
Play games using math.
Measure objects to the nearest ¼ inch and ½ centimeter.
Keep up the good work on Home Links!
LANGUAGE ARTS
NEW!! The 2-page Family Times letters for all of the new reading stories in Unit 1 and 2 are posted online at the Kimberly Lane website under Parents – Classrooms – Third Grade – Family Times. The Family Times explain an overview of the story, an optional family activity, the comprehension and grammar skills, and the story vocabulary. They are very informational. This week, we read a really fun story called Tops and Bottoms. Next week we will read William’s House. It is the last story in Unit 2. Students will take their second Benchmark test following the completion of Unit 2.
GRAMMAR
We are learning about singular and plural possessive nouns.
WRITING
Our writing project for this week is to write a feature story about something interesting that happened to real people.
SOCIAL STUDIES AND GEOGRAPHY
We have learned about the Northeast region. We are working on maps of these states. Next week we will start to learn about the South Central region.
Home Connection!!
Practice learning the names and locations of the states of the South Central region.
HEALTH
Today we started a health unit called “Community Health.”
SCIENCE
We have been working hard on the Sun, Moon, and Stars unit. We observed changes in the position of the Sun over a day. We traced our shadows three different times in a day and examined the changes. We have read about the Sun and shadows. Students are encouraged to look for and carefully observe the Moon and winter constellations any chance they get. We have studied the phases of the Moon and will start to learn about the stars and constellations tomorrow. I encourage you to go through the science notebook with your child when it comes home as it is packed full of great information!
SCHEDULE for the next two weeks
Monday: (Day 3) 2:20-3:20, Music/PE
Tuesday: (Day 4) 10:50-11:50, Music/PE
Wednesday: (Day 5) 2:50-3:50, Art
Thursday: (Day 1) 2:50-3:50, PE/Media
Friday: (Day 2) 11:20-12:20, Computers
Monday: (Day 3) 2:20-3:20, Music/PE
Tuesday: (Day 4) 10:50-11:50, Music/PE
Wednesday: (Day 5) 2:50-3:50, Art
Thursday: (Day 1) 2:50-3:50, PE/Media
Friday: (Day 2) 11:20-12:20, Computers