12-22-16

3rd Grade News
12-22-16
nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

Reading Calendars

Please continue to be adding minutes to the December calendars while on break. The December calendar is due back to school by Friday, January 6th to receive the pizza incentive. January calendars will come home with your child after Christmas break. The goal for January, February, and March will increase to 500 minutes.

St. Malachy Foundation Auction

The St. Malachy Foundation annual gala is scheduled for Saturday, March 4th. Each grade is responsible for donating a themed basket for the live auction and a personalized item from the class for the silent auction. I am in need of volunteers to help organize this for the third grade. Please let me know if this is something you would like to help out with.

School Supplies

Please check with your child about his/her school supplies. There are students without scissors, missing red checking pens, and broken crayons. Please replenish supplies over break that your child might need.

FBLA Presentation

This past week Creston High School FBLA members (and former St. Malachy students) came to talk to the third graders about dental health. A book was read about having a loose tooth and going to the dentist. The high school students also discussed healthy and unhealthy foods for the teeth. Third graders cut out food pictures to put on a good tooth and a bad tooth.

Merry Christmas

I would just like to personally wish all third grade families at St. Malachy a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Thank you for all of the gifts. I greatly appreciate you thinking of me. I would everyone has a safe and happy break. I look forward to school resuming on January 3rd.

Everyone sing Christmas carols in the gym after lunch.

Important Dates

Tuesday, January 3rd-Classes resume

Wednesday, January 4th-All School Mass at 9:15 AM

Wednesday, January 11th-8th Grade Mass at 9:15 AM

Friday, January 13th-Spirit Day

Monday, January 16th-NO SCHOOL (Teacher Professional Development)

12-15-16

3rd Grade News

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

12-15-16

Math

Chapters 4 will focus on the multiplication factors.  Students will learn the twos, threes, fours, fives, sixes, sevens, eights, nines, and tens in the next chapter. Any extra practice at home will be helpful for the students.

Chapter 3 math tests were sent home earlier in the week to be signed by parents. Overall the students did a good job on the test.

Reading/Language Arts

This week third grade read "Yonder Mountain-A Cherokee Legend." In this legend, students learn about three young Native Americans are given a command by the chief to see who possess the skills to be the next leader of the tribe.  The comprehension skill focused on compare and contrast.  The vocabulary strategy worked on homographs (words that are spelled alike and have different meanings, and some may also be pronounced differently for example tie a bow and take a bow) and homophones (words that sound the same but are spelled differently and have different meanings for example bare feet and bear cub).  The phonics skill covered contractions.  The students worked on subject verb agreement in grammar.

The results of the lesson 12 weekly assessment has been included in the take home folder.

Due to the shortened week of school next week, third grade will NOT be moving ahead in the reading series. Students will be working on writing their own version of "The Twelve Days of Christmas."

Science

Third grade will have a test over ecosystems on Monday, December 19th. A study guide will go home with the students on Friday.

Advent Angels

During the past month students have gotten together with their Advent Angel to celebrate the coming of our Savior. During the first week, students wrote postcards to St. Malachy alumni. Our alumni comment that enjoy hearing from the students during the holiday season. The next week students created a stocking for Jesus. Students wrote what they could do to serve others during Advent on the stocking. This past week, angels listened to the Christmas story and played bingo.

On Friday, December 19th, third grade will be delivering the personal care items donated to the Creston Area Food Pantry. St. Malachy will also be donating over $600 that was donated at the music program to the Creston Area Food Pantry. Thank you to all families who made contributions to this cause.

Students need to bring a sack lunch (milk provided) to school on Wednesday, December 21st. Students will be eating lunch with their Advent Angels. Afterwards there will be all school Christmas caroling in the gym.

Important Dates
Friday, December 16th-Spirit Day $1
Friday, December 16th-Optional Sack Lunch
Wednesday, December 21st-Mass at 9:15 AM
Wednesday, December 21st-Sack Lunch (Milk Provided)
Thursday, December 22nd-NO SCHOOL (Teacher Professional Development)

Christmas vacation runs from Friday, December 23, 2016, through Monday, January 2, 2017. Classes resume on Tuesday, January 3, 2017. I hope everyone is able to enjoy their family and friends during this holiday season.

Christmas Concert

St. Malachy Christmas Concert

A few pictures of the students at the Christmas concert. 

Mrs. Stoner and the students put on a great show!

 Third grade playing the recorders at the concert.

2nd and 3rd grade singing together at the concert

12-8-16

3rd Grade News

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

12-8-16

Science

Third grade continues to learn about ecosystems in science. In addition to learning about forests and deserts, the class has learned about grasslands and fresh and salt water ecosystems.

Math

Students are continuing to learn about the process of multiplication. Students are making arrays to match multiplication sentences. Students have learned the Commutative Property of Multiplication

(4x3=12 and 3x4=12). Students have also learned about the Identity Property of Multiplication and Zero Property of Multiplication. Thursday and Friday will be spent working on the chapter review. There will be a test either Monday or Tuesday of next week. A review sheet has been included in today's take home folder for extra practice.

Reading/Language Arts

This week third grade is reading a trickster take called "Tops and Bottoms." In the story, a clever hare tricks a lazy bear. The hare plants crops and "share" with the bear. The hare always ends up with the good parts, and the bear the not so good parts. Bear learns a valuable lesson about working hard to reap the rewards you are looking for. The comprehension skill covered theme. The vocabulary strategy focused on idioms. The phonics skill covered homophones and words ending in -er and -le. Students used quotation marks in grammar.

In the take home folder are the results of the lesson 11 weekly assessment. This is your copy to keep.

Reading Incentive Program

The reading results are in for the month of November. Eight students turned in calendars with five of those meeting the goal of 400 minutes for the month. The total number of minutes read for November was 3,771 minutes. Caden Simmons read the most minutes in third grade with 738 total. Less students met the goal this month and less total minutes were read. This is a great program for students to get their reading in and earn an incentive in the process. Please help your child keep track of his/her minutes read and turn in the calendar at the end of the month.

Creston Area Food Pantry

Donations are still be accepted for the Creston Area Food Pantry. Third grade has been asked to bring deodorant  and bar soap. Donations can be brought to school through Friday, December 16th. Third grade will also be making the monthly trip to volunteer on the 16th at the food pantry.

Important Dates
Wednesday, December 14th-Mass at 9:15 AM
Friday, December 16th-Spirit Day ($1) and Optional Sack Lunch
Friday, December 16th-Walk to Creston Area Food Pantry to Volunteer
Wednesday, December 21st-Mass at 9:15 AM
Wednesday, December 21st-Advent Angel Lunch and Caroling
Thursday, December 22nd-NO SCHOOL (Teacher Professional Development)
Friday, December 23rd-Monday, January 2nd-NO SCHOOL (Christmas Break)
Tuesday, January 3rd-Classes Resume

12-1-16

3rd Grade  News

12-1-16

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

Math

Third grade has begun multiplication. Students are learning about the process of multiplication.  We have made equal groups, related addition sentences to multiplication sentences, and used a number line to solve problems.

Science

Third grade has been learning about ecosystems. Students have studied about four different types of forest. The class has studied about deciduous forests, tropical rain forests, coastal forests, and coniferous forests. In addition the class is learning about the desert.

Reading/Language Arts

This week's informational text "Technology Wins the Game" gave students facts about how sports have changed with technology.  The comprehension skill focused on sequencing.  The vocabulary strategy covered the suffixes such as -less, -ful, and -ous.  Students worked on -oy and -oi words for the phonics skill.  In grammar students learned about plural nouns.  Students previously added -s and -es to nouns to make them plural.  Now students learned for words that end in a consonant and a -y to change the -y to i and add -es (examples include city to cities and berry to berries).  Students also learned about irregular plural nouns such as child to children, leaf to leaves, and deer to deer.

Please check the take home folder for the results of the weekly assessment taken on November 18th. Also included are the results from the Unit 2 Benchmark test taken on November 21st and November 22nd.

Progress Reports

Student progress reports for the first trimester will be available for viewing after December 1st. Please check your child's out through the school's online grade book. Contact the office if you have any questions.

Reading Calendars

Please return November reading calendars by Tuesday, December 6th. Incentives will be sent home next week's take home folder. A December calendar has been included in this week's folder to track your child's minutes.

Book Order

A book order for December has been included in the take home folder. Books make great books at Christmas. If you would like to order as a gift, please let me know, and I can let you know when the books arrive at school. In order for books to be shipped before the holiday, please have this book order back to school or submitted online by Thursday, December 8th.

Christmas Program

The St. Malachy Christmas program is scheduled for Wednesday, December 7th at 6:30 PM. We will be going to the high school for practice during the afternoon of the 7th. Please sign and return the permission slip. A note from Mrs. Stoner has been included in the take home folder pertaining to the music concert.

Mass

Third grade is in charge of the mass on Thursday, December 8th. The mass is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of The Blessed Virgin Mary. Please note the change in day for next week. There is no mass on Wednesday, December 7th. Parts have been included in the take home folder. Please practice speaking parts at home to improve fluency.

Creston Area Food Pantry

St. Malachy School is collecting personal care item to donate to the Creston Area Food Pantry as a means of service to others. Collection run now until Friday, December 16th. Third grade is responsible for bringing deodorant and bar soap. There is a note in the take home folder with more information.

Important Dates
Friday, December 1st-Spirit Day ($1)
Wednesday, December 7th-Christmas Concert at 6:30 PM at Creston High School
Thursday, December 8th-3rd Grade Mass at 9:15 AM
Wednesday, December 14th-Mass at 9:15 AM
Thursday, December 15th-PTO Meeting
Friday, December 16th-Spirit Day ($1) and Optional Sack Lunch
Wednesday, December 21st-Mass at 9:15 AM
Thursday, December 22nd-NO SCHOOL