9-24-20

 Burg's Buzz

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

9/24/20

Math

Third graders continue to work on addition strategies. This week students used place value to add numbers. Students broke apart numbers in standard form and wrote in expanded form (349=300+40+9). 

Science

The class continues to learn about force. Students have been learning about simple machines.

Reading/Language Arts

This week third grade the historical fiction story "Pop's Bridge" written by Eve Bunting. In the story, two boys, Robert and Charlie, watch their work on the building of the Golden Gate Bridge. Robert is convinced his dad has the most important job on the crew until one day there is an accident. He then realizes all of the jobs are important to the completion of the bridge. The comprehension skill focused on comparing and contrasting characters. Students identified common and proper nouns as the grammar skill. The phonics skill covered words with the long o sound, and the vocabulary skill focused on word families. Students had to identify base words to help with the understanding of the word.

The results of the lesson 3 weekly assessment have been included in the take home folder.

Homecoming

Friday, October 2nd is Creston High School's Homecoming. This is a $1 Spirit Day at St. Malachy School. Students are encouraged to wear their Panther gear/red and black to school. School will be dismissed 3 hours early. There is no parade this year. Coronation and a pep rally will take place at 1:30 PM at the football field.  Masks are required.

Important Dates

Friday, September 25th-NO SCHOOL (Teacher Professional Development)

Friday, October 2nd-Homecoming Spirit Day ($1)

Friday, October 2nd-3 Hour Early Dismissal (Homecoming)

Wednesday, October 7th-3rd Grade Leads Mass

Friday, October 9th-Spirit Day ($1)

Thursday, October 16th-PTO Meeting

Friday, October 16th-Spirit Day ($1)

9-17-20

 Burg's Buzz

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

9-17-20

Reading/Language Arts

This week the third grade students are reading the realistic fiction story "Destiny's Gift" by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley. In this story, Mrs. Wade, a bookstore owner, has a special relationship with Destiny. When Destiny learns the bookstore may have to close because Mrs. Wade cannot pay the higher rent, she gets the community to help spread the word to let others know of the situation. Destiny also gives Mrs. Wade a special gift to show her appreciation of their friendship. The comprehension skill focused on understanding characters. Students also learned about simple and compound sentences as the grammar skill. The phonics skill covered the vowel pairs of -ay, ai, ea, and ee. Students also worked on antonyms as the vocabulary skill.

The lesson 2 weekly assessment scores have been included in the take home folder for parents to view. I have been discussing with the third grade students the importance of paying attention during the week because all of the skills we cover will be on the weekly assessment. We have also discussed taking our time on the assessments and reading each question carefully.

Science

The next topic the third grade is going to cover is force. Students will learn about balanced and unbalanced forces.

Math

Students have been practicing solving addition problems using multiple strategies such as using a number line, using compatible numbers, and using friendly numbers to add. Students have been introduced to the Commutative Property (4+3=7 and 3+4=7), the Identity Property (3+0=3), and the Associative Property (16 + 7) + 23= 16 + (7 +23).

Please continue to practice the basic facts (addition and subtraction) at home. Any additional practice would be beneficial.

Important Dates

Thursday, September 17th-PTO Meeting 6 PM (a link was sent out to join)

Friday, September 25th-NO SCHOOL (Teacher Professional Development)

Friday, October 2nd-Spirit Day (Homecoming $1)

Wednesday, October 7th-3rd Grade Leads the Mass

  

9-10-20

 Burg's Buzz

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

9-10-20

Science

Student continue to learn about engineers go about solving problems. We have learned about researching problems, testing solutions, and looking for how solutions might fail.

Math

Third grade students are working on estimating sums in math. Students continued to work on rounding to the nearest 10 and 100.

                                                                   Reading/Language Arts

This week students read the fantasy story "The Trial of Cardigan Jones" by Tim Egan. In this story, students read about a moose accused of stealing a pie from a pig.  The moose is put on trial to determine his guilt or innocence. The judge listens to all the facts before deciding the fate of the moose. The comprehension skill focused on this week was drawing conclusions. Students learned about using a dictionary as the vocabulary strategy. The phonics skill covered long vowel words that end in silent e (VCe pattern). Students learned about four types of sentences (declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory) as the grammar skill.

Included in this week's take home folder is the Lesson 1 weekly reading assessment results. Each week students will be assessed over the vocabulary, comprehension, phonics, and grammar skill covered throughout the week. This test is taken online.  Adjustments in testing will be made due to the students' scores.

Class Meeting

During the next third grade class meeting (9/18/20), students will be discussing the importance of names. In order for each student to participate, students will interview a parent/family member about how they got their name. Included in the take home folder this week is "The History of My Name" family interview research form. Third grade students ask the questions and write the answers down on the paper.

Important Dates

Friday, September 11th-Iowa/Iowa State Spirit Day ($1)

Thursday, September 17th-PTO Meeting 6 PM

Friday, September 25th-NO SCHOOL (Teacher Professional Development Day)

9-3-20

 Burg's Buzz

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

9-3-20

Math

This week third grade students are working on the skill of estimation. Students have been working on rounding to the nearest 10 and 100.

Reading/Language Arts

This week third grade read the story "A Fine, Fine School" by Sharon Creech. In this humorous story, the principal Mr. Keene thinks his school is so fine he makes them go to school on Saturdays, then Sundays, and then in the summer. No one wants to disappoint Mr. Keene so the students and teacher go along with his plan until Tillie tells the principal that the students are missing out on learning at home. Mr. Keene realizes that Tillie is correct, so school goes back to only during the week. The comprehension skill covered story structure (characters, setting, and plot). The phonics skill focused on short vowel works and separating words that follow the vowel, consonant, consonant, vowel pattern. Students worked on context clues as the vocabulary strategy. The grammar skill focused on locating complete subjects and predicates.

Science

Third grade students are learning about engineering in science. Students have learned how engineers define a problem. Third graders have also learned when engineers design a solution, there needs to be specific criteria that is met. Another part of the engineering process students learned about is identifying the constraints.

Mass

Third grade will attend mass in the gym next week. Here is a reminder about attire on mass days.

Mass Day/Holy Day - all day attire 

3A. Students are expected to dress up on Mass days. 

3B. Dress shirts, polo shirts, sweaters, turtlenecks, and dress slacks for boys. 

3C. Dresses, skirts, slacks, sweaters, turtlenecks, and blouses for girls. 

3D. Leggings may be worn as long as the bottom of the dress or skirt extends to at least mid-thigh

3E. No denim of any kind or color (includes skirts, shirts, pants, dresses, and jumpers) on Mass days. 

3F. No dress shorts, gauchos, Capri, crop pants, or split skirts on Mass days. 3G. No t-shirts, sweatshirts or athletic gear on Mass days.

Important Dates

Monday, September 7th-NO SCHOOL (Labor Day)

Wednesday, September 9th-Mass (3rd Grade Will Attend in Gym)