Thursday, November 29, 2012

In Christian Studies, we talked about Advent.  Advent celebrates the coming of Jesus.  We learned about the advent wreath and what the first candle symbolizes.  Ask your child if they remember! 

Homework for today is...
Vocabulary p. 55
Abbreviations p. 59
Read The Talent Show during 20 minutes of reading

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Since we have completed first trimester, we gave out SOAR Awards to some of the students after chapel!  Every student will get a SOAR Award at some point in the year.  The students got started with writing their outlines and how-to paragraphs.  They also worked on acting out parts of our story of the week.  In Science, the students harvested and threshed their seeds.

Students will be quizzed on the West and Southwest states and capitals tomorrow! 

A note is coming home today about our field trip to Chenoweth House.  Fill out and return the bottom portion if you are interested in driving!

Homework for today is...
Spelling p. 47-48

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

This morning, we worked on subtracting money and reviewed the states and capitals of the West and Southwest regions.  This afternoon, we discussed what it means to draw conclusions when we read.  The students read the story The Talent Show.  In Science, we measure our plants and discussed how we will be harvesting and threshing the seed pods.  We read about some plants that produce new plants from seeds and some plants that have spores (mosses and ferns).  In Music, some of the students performed solos for the class that they want to perform for our visit to the Chenoweth House next week.  I will be sending home a note about that trip with a sign-up for driving.  It will be Wednesday, December 5, and we will leave about 12:45 that afternoon. 

Homework for today is...
Math worksheet (3-3)

Monday, November 26, 2012

In Math, we worked on estimating differences.  On the homework, students need to be careful to follow the directions to make sure they are rounding when they are asked to and finding exact answers on other parts that just say "Subtract." 

In Social Studies, we reviewed the capitals of the West and Southwest states.  Students will be quizzed on those on Thursday.  It will be a matching quiz.  We also looked at a product map of Michigan, and the students created their own product maps. 

This week, we are working on abbreviations of months, days, titles of people, and addresses.  We will also be getting a start on a new writing assignment.  Each student will write directions for how to do something they are good at or enjoy doing that someone else may not know how to do.  Students just need to be prepared to tell me what their topic will be for that writing assignment.  Here are some examples:  proper posture and form when playing piano, directions for hunting safety, how to shoot a layup. 

Book projects are due in a couple weeks, so students should start working to finish their books and start their projects if they haven't yet.  Students are bringing home today their rubric with their score for how they did on the first book project.  Directions for each project is in their homework folder. 

I would love to have some parent helpers on Wednesday and Thursday for Literacy time (12:30-1:30).  We'll be working on writing directions, reading the story of the week, and doing Reader's Theater.  Let me know if you are interested in helping and if there is a certain activity you would be most interested in helping with. 

Homework for today is...
Math worksheet (3-2)
Choose writing topic

Monday, November 19, 2012

This morning, we practiced with the fourth and fifth graders a few of our Christmas program songs.  In Math, the students looked through Walmart Thanksgiving grocery ads and had to come up with a shopping list of items they would need for a Thanksgiving meal for their family.  I had them make sure to pay attention to how they lined up the costs of the items so it would be easy to find the total cost of their meal.  We also went on Scholastic's website to take a virtual field trip of the Mayflower.  Ask your child what they learned about the trip on the Mayflower! 

This afternoon, we did some creative and persuasive writing!  The students were given the following topic:  Pretend you're a turkey.  Write a letter to Americans asking not to be eaten on Thanksgiving.  Be sure to state your reasons why and also offer a suggestion of what animal they should eat instead.  The class had a lot of fun writing these letters and sharing them! 

There's no memory verse this week, but I did share a verse with the class that has to do with Thanksgiving and that my family prays after dinner together:  "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his love endures forever."  Psalm 107:1

There is no homework or reading for 20 minutes this week! 

Conferences are tomorrow and Wednesday.  Your child took a schedule home on Friday.  I look forward to visiting with all of you! 

We have chapel tomorrow as well as our Thanksgiving feast with the fourth and fifth graders.  Your child took a note home on Friday about what to bring. 

Thursday, November 15, 2012

This morning, we practiced a couple of our Christmas program songs with the fourth and fifth graders.  In Math, we practiced subtracting two-digit numbers with regrouping.  In Social Studies, we reviewed the West and Southwest capitals.  In addition, we practiced reading a product map. 

This afternoon, we went over possessive nouns more and did the spelling homework together so I could help students understand how they're used a little better before the test tomorrow.  The students wrote a short biography to include with their personal narrative. 

Tomorrow is a free dress day.  Book orders are due tomorrow. 

Homework for today is...
Math worksheet (Lesson 3-1) evens only
Plural Possessive Nouns p. 53
Read The Stories Julian Tells during 20 minutes of reading

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

The class did a very nice job with their chapel!  I was very proud of them.  I might have a parent who will give me a copy of it, so let me know if you are interested in watching it.  In Math, the students used base-ten blocks to subtract two-digit numbers with regrouping.  Tomorrow, the students will get a homework assignment to practice after we go over it a little more.  In Reading, we went over what sequence is and how time-order words are helpful with determining sequence.  Then, the students read the story of the week with a partner.  In Science, we went over the job of stems and discussed the two different kinds.  Ask your child if they remember what the two kinds are! 

Homework for today is....
Vocabulary p. 49

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

The third graders are ready for their chapel!  You are invited to join us tomorrow at 8:40.  If you are willing to record it, please come see me in the morning and I will have a camera that you can use to do that for parents that are unable to be there. 

There will be picture retakes tomorrow.  Students should bring their picture packets in if they are going to get retakes. 

Friday is a free dress day, and book orders are due that day.  You could order books for Christmas presents! 

This week, we are starting Chapter 3 (subtraction) in Math.  We are going over how to regroup when we subtract two-digit numbers.  This week's spelling words are challenging since they are plural nouns, singular possessive nouns, and plural possessive nouns.  I will be sending home a copy of the sentences I will read for the spelling test on Friday, so students can use those as they study the words.  Students have to listen carefully to how the word is used in the sentence! 

We went over the capitals for the West and Southwest states.  The quiz for that will be a matching quiz.  The students have a study sheet to use at home.  Students can also use this website to study as well:

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/web_games.htm

Homework for today is...
Study the capitals of the West and Southwest states

Thursday, November 8, 2012

The third graders took their math test today.  In Social Studies, we looked at different American symbols:  flag, seal, eagle, Liberty Bell, and Uncle Sam.  We looked a little at the history of the American flag and the Star Spangled Banner.  The students made thank you cards for veterans they know or for any veteran and included some of those American symbols in their cards. 

The Veterans Assembly is tomorrow at 2:00.

This afternoon, we got to pack shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child!  In partners, the students picked whether they wanted to pack a girl box or boy box.  Then they went down the tables, filling their boxes with a variety of items.  At the end, they prayed for the children that their shoeboxes would go to.  That was incredible to watch how sincerely the students prayed for those children! 

A couple students from our class got to go to Yoplicity in a limo today as a reward for being top earners for Fall Fest! 

Tomorrow, students can retake the 50 states quiz. 

Homework for today is...
Vocabulary p. 45
Singular possessive nouns p. 47
Spelling p. 39-40

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

In Chapel, Pastor gave a message on our theme for the month:  Breastplate of Righteousness.  He explained that righteousness is being right with God because of what Jesus did for us.  In Math, we reviewed for the test.  The test is tomorrow!  This afternoon, we listened to the rest of the Christmas program music and sang along a little bit.  The students finished reading our story of the week.  We also got started on painting different values of a color on our drawings we did on Monday.

On Friday, students can retake the 50 states quiz, so students should keep working on those at home if they want to retake it!

Homework for today is...
Math practice test
Read Rosie, a Visiting Dog's Story during 20 minutes of reading

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Today, the school had a mock election.  Those who registered got to vote.  Ask your child if they remember the results!  This morning, we practiced our chapel skit in the sanctuary.  I am so proud of how they are doing with that!  It's going to be great!  In Math, we worked on additing numbers in the thousands with regrouping. 

This afternoon, I had the students stop every couple of pages when they read the story of the week.  They had to turn to their partner and tell in just a couple sentences what that section was about.  I told the students it is good to stop and check your understanding when you are reading.  In Science, the students measured and drew what their plants look like now.  They have the seed pods now!  We started listening to the Christmas program music during music time. 

Homework for today is...
Math worksheet (Lesson 2-8) - Those students who have the Enrich page have an option of not doing that side.  It is pretty tough, so it will be extra credit. 

Monday, November 5, 2012

In Math, we worked on adding three-digit numbers with regrouping.  In Social Studies, we discussed elections and some of the jobs of the President.  The students also shared their state books with one another.  This week, we are working with singular possessive nouns.  In Art, we added another element of art.  We've worked on line and shape.  Today, we started focusing on value.  We looked at two paintings called Whistler's Mother by James Whistler and Woman with Crossed Arms from Picasso's blue period.  The students identified dark values and light values in the paintings.  They learned that adding white to a color makes a tint and adding black to a color makes a shade.  They will be creating different values with a color of paint later on.  Today they drew the pictures they'll paint.

Students can retake the 50 states quiz on Friday.  Check your students' graded work coming home today to see how they scored.  They can study more this week and retake the quiz on Friday to get a better score. 

The Chapter 2 Math test is this Thursday.  Tomorrow, the students will get to vote in our school's mock election!  We will not be doing literacy centers this week, so parent volunteers don't have to come in for that time!  We'll be packing Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes during part of that time.  The Veteran's Day assembly is this Friday at 2:00. 

Homework for today is...
Math worksheet (Lesson 2-7)

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Wow!  November already?!?!  Pretty soon third grade will be leading chapel!  Our chapel is November 14th at 8:40.  The class has been doing a great job preparing.  In Math, we worked on problem-solving, and deciding whether an exact answer or estimate is needed.  We've been working on irregular nouns, which don't follow the rules for becoming plural.  We've also worked on synonyms. 

Tomorrow afternoon, we will have our Fall Party.  It will be at 2:00, and students can bring a costume to put on at that time, as long as it's not anything scary.  We will be having our ice cream that was earned for Fall Fest at our party along with some fun activities! 

Homework for today is...
Irregular nouns p. 43
Spelling p. 37-38
Vocabulary p. 41
Some students have finished these assignments in class.