4/3/25

 Burg's Buzz
4/3/25
nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

Math

The third grade students have been learning about perimeter and area.

Science

The class continues to research weather and climate topics. The students are using an AI website called MagicStudent to generate questions. Students were then given information about the question asked. It also links student friendly websites for students to do additional searching for information.

Reading/Language Arts

This week, we have discussed test-taking strategies and practice assessments to prepare for the Reading, Language Arts, and Writing ISASP tests.

Reading Incentive Program

The results for March have been calculated. The total minutes read were 7,181. The goal was met by Natalie, Ellee, Hallea, Grayson, Maddox, Asher, Locklyn, Addy, Mosley, and Claire. Natalie read the most minutes for March.

ISASP Testing

ISASP testing will take place next week. Tbe 3rd grade students will take tests on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Here are a couple of things to remember for next week. Students should get a good night's sleep, eat a fulfilling breakfast, and come to school with a good attitude and ready to take a test. Testing will start around 9:00 AM each day.

There is a note in your child's take home folder from me. Please give it to your child over the weekend.

Book Order

In this week's take home folder is a book order. Scholastic offers wonderful books at affordable prices. Now is a great time to stock up for your child's summer reading. All orders are completed online. The due date is Friday, April 18th.

Important Dates

Thursday, April 3rd-Art Museum Field Trip

Friday, April 4th-Spirit Day $1

Monday, April 7th-ISASP Testing

Tuesday, April 8th-ISASP Testing

Thursday, April 10th-ISASP Testing

Thursday, April 17th-Seder Meal/Crosswalk

Friday, April 18th-Spirit Day $1

3/27/25

 Burg's Buzz

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

2/27/25

Reading/Language Arts

This week in third grade, the class is reading One Plastic Bag by Miranda Paul. In this biography, students learn about Isatou Ceesay from Gambia, Africa. As a child, she begins to see all of the plastic that is creating piles of trash in her village. It's not until Isatou is an adult that she comes up with a plan to reuse the plastic bags to make purses to sell in the city. This also helps clean up the village she has lived in. The comprehension skills include making inferences and understanding the text structure. Students are working on irregular plurals as the decoding skill. The grammar skill introduces students to adverbs. The vocabulary strategy will cover the suffixes of -ness and -able.

Due to Reconciliation and the field trip to the public library earlier this week, the class has not covered all of the work that needs to be done. The spelling post-test and weekly reading assessments will not occur until Monday, March 31st. The rest of next week will be spent completing the ISASP practice tests.

Science

Each student has started researching their topic for their research paper.

Math

The next topic in math will cover two-dimensional shapes. Students will learn about the different types of quadrilaterals. The vocabulary that will be introduced includes polygon, vertex, concave, convex, angles, parallel, perpendicular, trapezoid, parallelogram, rectangle, rhombus, and square.

Reading Calendars

March calendars are due back to school on Tuesday, April 1st. No more calendars will come home with the students, but still continue to have your child reading at home

ISASP Testing

The Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress are assessments aligned with the Iowa Core standards that provide a clear picture of student learning outcomes. Students in grades third through eighth will be taking these assessments during the week of April 7th. Next week the students in third grade will be taking practice tests to prepare for these assessments.

Students need to be encouraged to put forth their best effort when completing these tests. Included in the take home folder is a note card and an envelope. Please write an encouraging and motivational note to your child on the note card. The note card should then be sealed in the envelope. Please write your child's name on the front and decorate it. Send the sealed envelope back to school with your child. I will give the students their note prior to beginning the testing. Please have them returned back to school by Friday, April 4th.

 

Biography Project/Presentation

The biography book report information is coming home with your child today. All of the information has been explained to your child. The entire project is due back to school on Friday, May 2nd. The Biography Bash is scheduled for Tuesday, May 6th, at 2:00 PM.  Please let me know if you have any questions.

Important Dates

Monday, March 31st-"Donut" Stop Reading Party-2 PM

Thursday, April 3rd-2nd, 3rd, 4th Grade Field Trip

Friday, April 4th-Spirit Day $1

Week of Monday, April 7th-ISASP Testing

3/20/25

 Burg's Buzz

3/20/25

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

Science

The class has been learning the difference between weather and climate.

Next week, the class will begin their research on a weather topic.

Reading/Language Arts

The 3rd grade class has started Module 7. The next three stories will focus on how individuals are making a difference in the world. This week's story was called Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table by Jacqueline Briggs Martin. In this biography, students learn about how Will Allen grew up, went on to play basketball in college, and moved to Belgium to play professionally.  Upon returning back to the United States, Will worked in a white collared job but realized he enjoyed being in the dirt and wanted to provide fruits and vegetables to people in the city. He bought six abandoned greenhouses, figured out how to use waste to make compost to turn into good soil, hung baskets from the ceiling, grew plants in buckets and on crowded shelves, then began adding goats, chickens, and bees. His farm in the inner city became known as "Growing Power." The comprehension skills covered include making and confirming predictions, the author's purpose, text structure, and point of view. The decoding skill focused on compound words and abbreviations. Students also worked on the suffix on -ion. The grammar skill covered irregular verbs.

The results of the Module 6 assessments have been included in the take home folder.

Math

The class has worked on different types of measurement. Students worked with gallons, quarts, pints, and cups. The class also worked on finding the mass of an object using grams and kilograms. The class has begun reviewing skills for the topic 14 assessment.

Field Trips

There are two upcoming field trips planned for the third grade students. First, on Wednesday, March 26th, the class will visit Gibson Memorial Public Library. The plan is to take the trolley arriving at the library around 1 PM and returning around 2:30 PM. 

The second field trip is scheduled for Thursday, April 3rd. The students in second, third, and fourth grade will be going to the Des Moines Art Center and JJ Gaffers for an art exploration experience. The bus will leave STM at 8:30 AM and return back by 3:00 PM. Students will need to bring a sack lunch. There is no cost for this. Expenses are being paid for by the Conover Grant.

Please return both permission slips back to school.

Donut Stop Reading Party

To end National Reading Month, there will be a party on Monday, March 31st at 2:00 PM in the third grade classroom. Each student is allowed to invite one adult guest to the party. The students will perform several reader's theater scripts, then enjoy a donut and share reading together with their guest. A note has been included in the take home folder about who will be attending the party with your child.

Important Dates

Friday, March 21st-Spirit Day $1

Monday, March 24th-Reconciliation

Wednesday, March 26th-Noisy Change Collection

Wednesday, March 26th-Public Library Field Trip

Monday, March 31st-Donut Stop Reading 2 PM

Thursday, April 3rd-Des Moines Art Center Field Trip

Friday, April 4th-Spirit Day $1

2/27/25

 3rd Grade Buzz

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

2/27/25

Science

Channel 5 Meteorologist Chris Kuball visited the 3rd grade classroom on Monday, February 24th. He discussed thunderstorms with the students. That included learning about wind, hail, lightning, flooding, and tornadoes.

Math

The next topic that the third grade students are learning about is time. Students have told time to the nearest minute and calculated elapsed time.

Reading/Language Arts

The class finished Octopus Escapes Again! The comprehension skills covered figurative language and text and graphic features. Students also worked on using comparing adjectives as the grammar skill. The vocabulary skill focused on the prefix of un-. The decoding skill covered words with -er, -ir, -or, and -ur.

The class has started reading the informational text TJ-The Siberian Tiger by Ann Whitehead Nagda and Cindy Bickel. Students follow the journey of a baby tiger at the Denver Zoo. TJ's mother, Buhkra, suddenly dies of cancer, and zoo staff has to figure out a way to feed and care for TJ. Students will be working on text structure, text and graphic features, learn about the verb "be", and decode words with -ar and -ir. 

The goal for the spring FAST screening is 125 WPM. Any student who is lower than that will be bringing home a weekly fluency passage in the take home folder each week. Please have your child do repeated 1 minute readings of the passage.This is something that I am doing at school as well to help improve fluency. There is a note in the take home folder explaining all of this for parents.

Reading Incentive Program

February calendars are due back to school on Monday, March 3rd. A March calendar has been included in the take home folder. The month of March is the last month for tracking reading minutes.

Mass

There is an all school mass on Wednesday, March 5th. This will be the start of Lent, as it is Ash Wednesday. If your child has a part, it has been included in the take home folder. 

Parent/Teacher Conferences

Parent/teacher conferences are scheduled for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of next week. As a reminder, there is no school on Thursday or Friday of next week. I look forward to discussing your child's progress with you.

National Reading Month

During the month of March, the third grade class will be celebrating National Reading Month. There will be fun activities planned as well as themed dress up days. A schedule has been included in the take home folder. Throughout the month, there will also be guest readers as well. Parents still have the opportunity to be a reader for the class. Feel free to reach out to me, so we can figure out a time that works for your schedule.

Important Dates

Friday, February 28th-Spirit Day $1

Saturday, March 1st-STM Gala and Auction

Monday, March 3rd-Third Grade Day (3/3)

Monday, March 3rd-Parent/Teacher Conferences

Tuesday, March 4th-Parent/Teacher Conferences

Wednesday, March 5th-Parent/Teacher Conferences

Thursday, March 6th-NO SCHOOL

Thursday, March 6th-Parent/Teacher Conferences

Friday, March 7th-NO SCHOOL

Monday, March 10th-Friday, March 14th-Spring Break (No School)

Wednesday, March 19th-PTO Meeting

Friday, March 21st-Spirit Day $1

2/20/25

 Burg's Buzz

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

2/20/25

Math

The class will have a test over fractions on Friday, February 21st.

Science

In our weather unit, the third grade class is learning about severe weather. A meteorologist from Channel 5 is coming to visit the third grade classroom on Monday to share his knowledge of weather with the students. Once we finish this lesson, students will be writing an informational piece on weather.

Reading/ Language Arts

On Wednesday, the class started the next lesson. We are reading the narrative nonfiction Octopus Escapes Again! This is a narrative nonfiction selection how the different adaptations that the octopus uses to avoid being eaten by predators.

Late Slips

With the start of the 3rd trimester on Monday, February 24th, the third grade students start late slips. Late slips are given when a student does not turn in a homework assignment. This is a policy that is followed in fourth-eighth grade at STM. We start in the third trimester of third grade to get the students ready for the responsibilities that come with these upper grades.

There is a note in the take home folder that gives all the details on how late slips work. I have talked about the policy with the class. It's inevitable that there will be late slips given out. 

St. Malachy Gala

The St. Malachy School Foundation Gala and Auction is scheduled for Saturday, March 1st. This event is a wonderful evening of food, friends, and fellowship. This fundraiser directly benefits St. Malachy School. You can use the following link to get your tickets.  Gala Tickets

Parent/Teacher Conferences

Parent/Teacher conferences are scheduled for the evenings of March 3rd, 4th, and 5th. Also there are times available during the morning of March 6th. There is no school on March 6th or 7th. Please sign up for a time on JMC.

Important Dates

Friday, February 21st-End of the 2nd Trimester

Monday, February 24th-Late Slips Begin in 3rd Grade

Friday, February 28th-Spirit Day $1

Saturday, March 1st-St. Malachy Foundation Gala and Auction

Monday, March 3rd-Parent/Teacher Conferences

Tuesday, March 4th-Parent/Teacher Conferences

Wednesday, March 5th-Ash Wednesday Mass (K-3rd Leads Mass)

Wednesday, March 5th-Parent/Teacher Conferences

Thursday, March 6th-NO SCHOOL

Thursday, March 6th-Parent/Teacher Conferences

Friday, March 7th-NO SCHOOL

There is no school from Monday, March 10th-Friday, March 14th, due to Spring Break.

2/13/25

Burg's Buzz

2/13/25

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

Science 

Students  continue to learn about weather. Students have learned about predicting weather based upon data from previous seasons.

 

Reading/Language Arts

The class started Module 6. This module will focus on animal behaviors. This week the class read This Is Your Life Cycle by Heather Lynn Miller.  In this multi-genre story, a dragonfly's life cycle is explored in a TV show with insects hosting and participating. The vocabulary skill covered the Latin prefixes of uni-, bi-, and tri-. The decoding skill focused on words with or and ar.  The students were introduced to identifying adjectives as the grammar skill. The comprehension skills focused on summarizing, author's purpose, text and graphic features, and author's craft. We will continue the first lesson in Module 6 next week due to the snow day, late start, and no school on Monday.

The results of Module 5 assessments have been included in the take home folder. As a reminder, the selection tests cover the story covered during the week. The module assessments involve students reading a new story and answering questions over skills previously learned.

Math

The third grade students continue to work with fractions. Students continue to compare fractions by using the benchmarks of less than or greater one half and using a number line. Another skill the students worked on was using fraction names to represent whole numbers.

FAST Testing

The results of the winter screening of FAST testing have been included in the take home folder.

Valentine's Day Party

The third grade class will celebrate Valentine's Day during the afternoon of Friday, February 14th.

Royal Readers

During the month of March, the third grade class will celebrate  National Reading month. I am looking for guest readers to come to our classroom to read aloud to the third grade students. A note was sent home in last week's take home folder. Guest readers can be moms, dads, grandparents, or another relative. Please fill out the form with days and times that will work best.

Important Dates

Friday, February 14th-Spirit Day $1

Friday, February 14th-Valentine's Day Party

Monday, February 17th-NO SCHOOL (Teacher PD)

Monday, February 24th-Late Slip Start in 3rd Grade

Friday, February 28th-Spirit Day $1

Saturday, March 1st-STM Foundation Gala at Legacy Venue

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2/6/25

 Burg's Buzz

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

2/6/25

Math

The third grade class has been comparing fractions. Students identified which fraction was greater between two fractions with like denominators. Using like numerators, students also identified which fraction was greater.

Reading/Language Arts

Brothers at Bat by Audrey Vernick. is this week's focal story. In this narrative nonfiction selection, students learn about a family with sixteen children, twelve of which are boys. Ranging in age from seven to thirty-two years, the oldest twelve form a semi-pro baseball team. Then during World War II, the team disbanded while six members of the family headed off to the war. Upon returning back to New Jersey when the war ended, the brothers returned to the baseball field. The comprehension skills focused on making and confirming predictions, sequencing, and figurative language.  Students also practiced using contractions at the decoding skill. The vocabulary skill covered the suffix of -ment. The grammar skill reviewed verb tense.

Science

The third grade class continues to learn about weather. 

Students have been learning about weather patterns and making predictions.

Super Bowl Party

There will be a Super Bowl party in the third grade classroom on Friday, February 7th. Come dressed to support the team you will be cheering during the Super Bowl on Sunday. Students can wear Kansas City Chiefs or Philadelphia Eagles gear. Students can also wear red or green as well. We will do a variety of fun football themed activities.

Valentine's Day Party

STM will celebrate Valentine's Day on Friday, February 14th. Students are welcome to bring valentines for their classmates. If you bring valentines, please bring one for each student. A class list was sent home in last week's take home folder. Please don't bring valentines to school until the 14th.

Fill Me With Love Activity

Last week, a heart activity was sent home for parents to complete with their child. If your child has not yet returned his or hers back to school, please return by this Friday.

Silent Auction Donations

Donations are still being accepted for the silent auction item that the third grade class will have at the STM Foundation Gala. Please send cash or check (payable to Lindsay Ide) to school with your child or Venmo your donation to Shelby Bishop or Lindsay Ide. All donations are greatly appreciated.

Important Dates

Friday, February 7th-Super Bowl Party

Wednesday, February 12th-Ben Tracy Presentation

Friday, February 14th-Spirit Day $1

Friday, February 14th-Valentine's Day Party

Monday, February 17th-NO SCHOOL (Teacher PD)

Friday, February 21st-End of 2nd Trimester

Monday, February 24th-Late Slips Start