October 2, 2014

3rd Grade News

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

10-2-14

MATH

Students have been reviewing addition and subtraction strategies.  A chapter 1 review has been sent home in each child's take home folder.  This is for extra practice.  It is NOT due back to school.  There will be a test on Monday, October 6th.

SCIENCE

Third grade is learning about animals.  Students have learned about traits of mammals and birds.

READING/LANGUAGE ARTS

Students are reading a narrative nonfiction selection called "Bats Love the Night" in which readers learn about the night activity of bats.  The comprehension skill covered sequence of events.  The vocabulary skill focused on the suffixes of -able and -ible.  The phonics skill went over words with VCV pattern (camel, president, shiver). The grammar skill focused on verbs.

This past week students have been taking the Unit 1 Benchmark test.  Please look for the results in next week's take home folder.  This test covers comprehension skills learned in the previous lessons taught.

BOOK ORDER

A book order has been included in the take home folder. Orders may be returned to school with cash or check (payable to Mrs. Burg) or submitted online at www.scholastic.com with a credit card.

IMPORTANT DATES

Friday, October 3rd-2 Hour Early Dismissal for Homecoming

Wednesday, October 8th-1 Hour Early Dismissal

Friday, October 10th-NO SCHOOL (Teacher Professional Development)

Tuesday, October 14th-Picture Retakes

Wednesday, October 15th-3rd Grade Mass @ 9:15 AM

Wednesday, October 15th-1 Hour Early Dismissal

September 25, 2014

3rd Grade News

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

9-25-14

Reading/Language Arts

Third grade read a biography this week about Roberto Clemente, a baseball player from the Pittsburgh Pirates from the late 1950s through the early 1970s.  The comprehension skill covered cause and effect.  The vocabulary strategy focused on the prefix mis-. The phonics skill covered long o.  In grammar students worked on singular and plural nouns. The class also reviewed common and proper nouns. This was an area of difficulty on last week's assessment.  Students seem to have a better understanding of this topic now.

Next week third grade will be taking the Unit 1 Benchmark test. This will cover skills learned throughout the first five lessons. Testing will take place during the scheduled center time.  During the scheduled reading/language arts time, third grade will be moving ahead in the series.

Math

Third grade continues to work on subtraction.  We have used a variety of strategies, such as a number line, friendly numbers, and place value, to solve problems.  There will be a test over addition and subtraction hopefully by the end of next week.

Science

Third grade is now learning about animals. Students have identified the needs of animals such as oxygen, water, food, and shelter.  We also discussed the differences between plant and animal cells.

STEM Training

Last spring I was awarded a STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) grant.  I will be away from school next Tuesday, September 30th to attend the training.  Mrs. Weihs will be the substitute teacher.

Important Dates
Tuesday, September 30th-Mrs. Burg gone all day at STEM training
Wednesday, October 1st-1 hour Early Dismissal
Friday, October 3rd-2 Hour Early Dismissal (Homecoming)
Wednesday, October 8th-1 Hour Early Dismissal
Friday, October 10th-NO SCHOOL (Teacher Professional Development)

September 18, 2014

3rd Grade News

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

9-18-14

Reading/Language Arts

The story read this week was called "Pop's Bridge."  In this historical fiction story a young boy thinks his father's job is is the most important part of the process of building the Golden Gate Bridge.  After an accident occurs, the boy realizes that each of the jobs that the crew has is equally important to the completion of the project.  The comprehension skill focused on was compare and contrast. The vocabulary strategy was word families.  In grammar students learned about common and proper nouns.  The phonics skill focused on long o words, specifically words with oa and ow.

The weekly test results from lesson 3 have been included in the take home folder.  The results are yours to keep.  The tests measure the understanding of each concept covered during the week.  I am reminding the students that these tests are important.  They need to take their time and do their best each week.

Math

Third grade took a mid chapter quiz assessing the students on addition.  Students will now work on subtraction.  Please review the basic facts at home.

Science

Today third grade took their first test over plants.  Next week tests will be sent home for parents to review and sign. Tests need returned the next day.  The next unit that third grade will cover is animals.

Important Dates

Wednesday, September 24th-1 Hour Early Dismissal
Tuesday, September 30th-Mrs. Burg Absent for STEM training
Wednesday, October 1st-1 Hour Early Dismissal
Friday, October 3rd-2 Hour Early Dismissal for Homecoming

September 11, 2014

3rd Grade News

9-11-14

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

Reading/Language Arts

Third grade read "Destiny's Gift" in which a young girl and a bookstore owner share a special friendship. Destiny sense that something is wrong with Mrs. Wade and learns that the store may have to close. Determined to save the store, Destiny rallies the community to help save the store.  The comprension skill focused on analyzing the characters.  The vocabulary strategy covered antoymns. The phonics skill covered the long vowel pairs of ay, ai, ea, and ee.  In grammar students learned about compound sentences.

The weekly assessment results from Lesson 2 have been included in the take home folder.  These are yours to keep.  These tests show the students' understanding of the concepts learned during the week.

Just a reminder to parents and students, please remember to return the spelling pretest along with the missed words that have been written for homework. Both papers need turned in together.

Math

Third grade continues to work on using addition properities to do mental math. This week students learned about the Associative Property (group addends in different ways and still the the same sum).  An example of this is (16+7)+23=16+(7+23). Another strategy learned was breaking the numbers apart using place value.  Next week third grade will work on differences.

Science

The class continues to learn about plants.  This week students learned about the process of photosynthesis.  Four components are needed for this process to take place.  Water and carbon dioxide combine with the chlorophyl in the plant using the sun's energy to make sugars the plants need.  The by product of this process is oxygen.  

Next week third grade will be preparing for a test.  A chapter review will be completed and checked in class.  Students will also complete a study guide to help prepare themselves.  When the completed study guide comes home, please help your child study for the upcoming test.  The test is tentatively scheduled for next Friday.

Important Dates

Sunday, September 14th-Holy Spirit International Food Fair 4-7 PM

Wednesday, September 17th-1 hour early dismissal

Wednesday, September 24th-1 hour early dismissal

Tuesday, September 30th-Mrs. Burg Absent from school for STEM training

September 4, 2014

3rd Grade News

9-4-14

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

Math

This week students worked on estimating sums by using compatible number and rounding.  Students had a "snowball fight" in September to help work on rounding to the nearest ten and hundred.  Ask your child about the fun activity that we did in class.  Students were also taught mental math strategies for addition.

Reading/Language Arts

This week third grade read a fantasy selection entitled "The Trial of Cardigan Jones" in which a moose is put on trial and falsely acused of taking an apple pie.  Students worked on conclusions and infering for the comprehension strategy. The vocabulary strategy focused on using a dictionary.  Students worked with long vowel words with the VCe pattern. The grammar skill identifed the four types of sentences (declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory).

In the take home folder this week are the Lesson 1 weekly assessment results.  These are yours to keep.  Please look over the results and let me know if you have any questions.

Science

Third grade continues to study about plants.  The class has learned about simple plants.  We have also learned about seeds.

Book Orders

A book order was sent home in last week's take home folder. If you are ordering by cash or check (made payable to Mrs. Burg), please return the order to school by Monday, September 8th.  Directions for ordering online with a credit card were also sent home with the students.  The website is www.scholastic.com.  

Student of Service

Seniors at Creston High School are required to take the Student of Service (S.O.S) class.  This semester third grade has Brant Hudson on A days and Alex Nielsen on B days visiting the classroom. Their responsibilities might include checking papers, filing papers, getting art projects ready,and some work with students.

Important Dates

Monday, September 8th-Book Order Due

Wednesday, September 10th-1 hour early dismissal

Sunday, September 14th-Holy Spirit International Food Fair

Wednesday, September 17th-1 hour early dismissal