August 28, 2014

Third Grade News

8-28-14

nburg@crestonstmalchy.org

Reading/Language Arts

The lesson 1 story this week is a humorous fiction story entitled "A Fine, Fine School." In this story the principal, Mr. Keene is very proud of his school.  He decides to have school on weekends, holidays, and during the summer so the students can learn more. The once happy teachers and students become sad.  Tillie decides to talk to the principal about what learning is not taking place since they are always at school.  The principal finally sees how this change has effected the students and teachers.  He decides to only have school during the week.  The comprehension skill focused on story structure. Students completed a story map that included setting, characters, and plot. The students learned about using context clues to discover the meaning of words for the vocabulary strategy.  The phonics skill covered short vowels.  Complete subjects and predicates was learned about in grammar.

Math

Students have been learning about number patterns in math.  Students have been introduced to addition properties.  The Identity Property of Addition (the sum of any number and zero is that number 7+0=7) and the Commutative Property of Addition (add two or more numbers in any order and get the same sum 3+4=7, 4+3=7).  The class also worked on rounding to the nearest ten or hundred.

Science

Third grade is learning about plants.  Students have learned about the parts and the needs of plants. Students have also learned about simple plants.

Take Home Folders

In this week's take home folders are a Scholastic book orders and a Highlights order form.  Please look over both to see if you would like to order.  The book order may be returned to school with cash or check (made payable to Nicole Burg) or orders can be submitted online following the directions attached to the order forms.  Book orders are due by Monday, September 8th.  Please complete the Highlights form by indicating yes or no.  Please return the form even if you are not ordering.  Free classroom supplies are received for returned forms.

Class Meetings

With the Olweus bully program and Capturing Kids Hearts training that is being implemented at St. Malachy, weekly class meeting are incorporated into each week.  During a class meeting the third grade developed and wrote a social contract, an agreement of behavior, for the class to follow this year.  All of the students and myself signed the social contract.  The students know if they do not follow the social contract there are consequences.  You can find a copy of the third grade social contract in  my blog pages. Please discuss the social contract at home with your child as you see necessary.

Important Dates

Monday, September 1-NO SCHOOL 

Wednesday, September 3rd-3 Hour Early Dismissal
Wednesday, September 10th-1 Hour Early Dismissal
Thursday, September 11th-PTO Meeting

August 21, 2014

Third Grade News

8-21-14

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org


First Day of 3rd Grade
August 20, 2014

Beginning of the Year Reminders

• Check with your child to see if he/she missing any supplies on the list.
• Please bring the $3.00 to cover the cost of the assignment book if you have not done so yet.
• Third graders should bring home the assignment book everyday to be reviewed and signed by a parent.
• Families who pick up their children after school and have students in third grade or above, may pick their children up in the alley in the back of the school.
• Lunch for third through fifth grade is from 11:55 AM-12:15 PM. This is later in the day for the third graders than last year.  Please make sure your child eats a good breakfast in the morning.
• Take home folders will go home with the students on Thursdays.  Please return the folder emptied out on Fridays.
• Students need tennis shoes for PE on Mondays and Thursdays.
• Be sure to check out the school's website www.crestonstmalachy.org for important information.

MATH

The first few days in math will be spent testing.  These assessments allow me to evaluate what skills the students need to review and what concepts need to be focused on.  St. Malachy will be using a new math series this year called GO Math!  These skills in this series cover what students need to know from Iowa Core.

READING/LANGUAGE ARTS

These beginning days are being spent assessing wha the students know.  St. Malachy will be in its second year of using the Journeys reading series.  On Monday the class will begin Lesson 1 in Unit 1.  Spelling will begin on Monday as well.  There will be a pretest on Mondays and a post test on Fridays.  Throughout the week the class will be reading a story, working on vocabulary and comprehension skills, learning grammar rules, and develop writing skills.

IMPORTANT DATES

Thursday, August 28th-Picture Day

Monday, September 1-NO SCHOOL

Wednesday, Septemeber 3-3 Hour Early Dismissal