9/26/24

 Burg's Buzz
9/26/24
nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

Reading/Language Arts

This week the class is starting Module 2. In this module, students will listen, read, and view a variety of texts and media that present them with information about the importance of words and how they are used to express ideas and feelings.

This week's story was called Dear Primo-A Letter to My Cousin by Duncan Tonatiuh. In this story, two cousins write back and forth to each other discussing their lives as one lives on a farm in Mexico and the other lives in the city in America.  Students worked on compare and contrast, point of view, text and graphic features, and understanding characters as the comprehension skills. The grammar skills covered common and proper nouns. Students worked on the sound of long o as the decoding skill. The vocabulary skill focused on the prefixes of re- and pre-.

The results of the Module 1 assessments have been included in the take home folder For each lesson, students take a five point multiple choice selection test over the story covered. The students also have a reading passage and questions to answer that cover the comprehension, vocabulary, and grammar skills previously learned. This is also multiple choice with one short answer question that the students have to type an answer for. The reading passage and questions and answers are read aloud to the student on the computer. I also discuss the short answer question with the students beforehand. I will be making adjustments to how some of the students are grouped while taking the test. Please let me know if you have any questions after reviewing the results.

Math

Students continued to work on multiplication facts in class. The class has covered the factors of 0, 1, 2, 5, 9, and 10. Please spend five to ten minutes a day reviewing these multiplication facts. The factor of 9 is what needs the most practice.

Each day, I try and incorporate a review of the factors by playing games. Some of the games are team games and others are individual games. I try to use technology at times as well. Like I have stressed to the students, you don't get better at something new unless you put in the time and practice. All it takes its five to ten minutes a day to improve.

The topic 2 math assessment will be taken next week.

Science

Third graders continued to learn about magnetism. Students learned that like poles repel and unlike poles attract. The class also learned about electricity.

Important Dates

Tuesday, October 1st-Homecoming Pep Rally

Friday, October 4th-Spirit Day $1 (Wear Panther Gear)

Friday, October 4th-3 Hour Early Out

Monday, October 14th-No School (Professional Development)

Wednesday, October 16th-3rd Grade Leads the Mass

Friday, October 18th-Spirit Day $1

9/19/24

 Burg's Buzz
9/19/24
nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

Science

The class reviewed understanding friction and gravity. Students also experimented and learned about magnetism.

Reading/Language Arts

This week the class read the fantasy story Scary Squirrel by Melanie Watt. In this story, Squirrel is afraid to leave the tree she lives in due to being afraid of the unknown. The reader finds out what happens when Squirrel decides to leave her home and venture out.  The comprehension skills covered making inferences, point of view, text and graphic features, and theme. Students worked on identifying and writing compound sentences. The decoding skill focused on the long a and long e sounds. The vocabulary skill included using the suffixes of -ful and -ness.

I have talked with the students about their writing of their missed words on the pretest. Students should be using a pencil, writing on the lines, and using their best handwriting. Some of the work that has been turned in has been done in pen, not using the lines of the paper, and illegible handwriting. Also, I have talked with the students about studying the words for the post test. I understand missing a word or two, but missing as many as one did on the pretest shouldn't be happening on the post test.

Math

The class worked on learning the factors of 2, 5, and 9  this week. Please work with your child on these at home. Skip counting, repeated addition,  making arrays, and using flashcards can help. In your child's take home folder is a packet that shows the multiples of each number for practicing at home. There are many online resources such as games and songs that can be utilized as well. Spending five minutes on the drive to school or before bed can be really beneficial for the students.

There is a special trick for the nines. The sum of the digits adds up to nine. In a problem like 4 X 9 =?, the tens digit of the answer is one less than the factor other than 9. So, one less than 4 is 3. For the ones digit, add 3 + ____=9, so it would be 6. The answer to 4 X 9=36. There is also the finger method. I am attaching a video that demonstrates this strategy. 

Fingers Trick for the factor of 9  

                                 Important Dates

Friday, September 20th-Spirit Day $1

Friday, October 4th-Spirit Day $1 (Wear Panther Gear)

Friday, October 4th-3 Hour Early Dismissal (Homecoming)

Green Valley Park Field Trip

 A fun day organized by Mr. McCabe at
Green Valley State Park

9/12/24

 Burg's Buzz

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

9/12/24

Math

This past week third grade students took the topic 1 assessment that covers the process of multiplication (joining together of equal groups) and division (separating of equal groups).  

Topic 2 will cover the factors of 0, 1, 2, 5, 9, and 10.

Reading/Language Arts

This week was spent on finishing the week 2 lessons. Students will be tested on Thursday, September 12th. Friday, September 12th will be spent working on the students' personal narrative stories. The class will start week 3 on Monday, September 16th.

Science

The 3rd grade class has learned about balanced and unbalanced forces. Students also learned about friction by experimenting with sliding with their socks on the classroom floor vs. the hallway floor. The students have also learned about gravity.

Green Valley Field Trip

Students in grades kindergarten through fourth grade will be going to Green Valley State Park on Monday, September 16th. Please have students wear tennis shoes and clothes that can get dirty. We will be going on a nature hike, playing on the new playground equipment, using sidewalk chalk, and play games at the beach area. Students will also need to bring a sack lunch with a drink. We will leave STM around 9:30 AM and return back to school around 2 PM.

Important Dates

Thursday, September 12th-Mrs. Burg Absent in PM

Monday, September 16th-Green Valley Field Trip

Wednesday, September 18th-PTO Meeting at 6 PM

Friday, September 19th-Spirit Day $1

Iowa/Iowa State Spirit Day

 Iowa/Iowa State Spirit Day

9/5/24

 Burg's Buzz

9/5/24

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

Science

The class learned about different types of forces.

Math

Students continued to work on understanding the process of multiplication. The class worked on making arrays to represent multiplication problems. Also,  the class discussed the process of division. Students worked on sharing equal groups to see how many were in each group and how many equal groups.

Reading/Language Arts

The class started lesson 2 this week continuing to read about interesting characters. Students will read Judy Moody-Mood Martian and Stink and the Freaky Frog Freakout both by Megan McDonald.  The comprehension skills will cover monitor and clarify, figurative language, and literary elements. The decoding skill is long vowel words with VCe spellings. Students will work on the prefix of non- as the vocabulary skill. The grammar skill focuses on different types of sentences such as statements, questions, exclamatory, and commands.

Students also continue to work on their personal narratives.

Name Interview

Next Wednesday, September 11th, the third graders will be discussing the importance of a name. In the take home folder, students are bringing home an interview form. Please have your child interview a parent asking the questions and writing down the answers. Students will be sharing the information they get from the interview with their classmates. The interview form should be completed and returned back to school by Tuesday, September 10th.

FAST Testing

FAST Testing will start next week. Students will take two reading assessments and two math assessments.

Green Valley Field Trip

On Monday, September 18th, the kindergarten through fourth grade students will be going to Green Valley State Park. Parents are welcome to attend, but there are a few requirements that have to be completed.  A parent must fill out the same white DNR volunteer form for themselves that was sent home last week for each child.  Parent volunteers must also complete the Virtus training and have a background check. Please call the school office if you have any questions.

Important Dates

Friday, September 6th-Iowa Hawkeyes/Iowa State Spirit Day $1

Monday, September 16th-Green Valley State Park Field Trip

Wednesday, September 18th-PTO Meeting 6 PM

Friday, September 20th-Spirit Day $1