5/2/24

 3rd Grade Buzz
nburg@crestonstmalachy.org
5/2/24

Countdown

The countdown is on for the end of the year. There are 16 school days left. There still lots of learning and fun to be had in the remaining days until summer break. The last day of school is Friday, May 24th. There is a 3 hour early dismissal.

Reading/Language Arts

The third grade class has started Module 9. The theme of this module is Farm to Table. This week the class read How Did that Get in My Lunchbox? by Chris Butterworh. The informational text explains how foods such as bread, cheese, tomatoes, apples, carrots, and clementines arrive on our plates. The comprehension skill covered synthesizing information, text structure, and text and graphic features. The vocabulary skill focused on the prefix of in- and the suffix of -ful. Students worked on the suffixes of -ful, -y, -ly, -er, and -or as the decoding skill. The grammar skill covered abbreviations.

Included in the take home folder are the results of the assessments of Module 8.

Next week students will take an end of the year test. The list will be one word from each lesson that was completed. Next week will be the last spelling test of the year. 

The plan is also to start a novel unit. Reading/Languarge skills will focus on the story. We may get back into the reading textbook. There will be no more weekly assessments or module assessments after this week.

Science

Students studied where wind comes from and how birds fly.

Math

The class continued to review fractions by working on measurement. Students measured lengths to the nearest inch, 1/2 inch, and 1/4 inch. Another skill the students practiced was understanding a line plot. Students plotted different lengths on line plots.

Trail of Iowa Corn Field Trip

The "Trail of Iowa Corn" field trip is scheduled for Thursday, May 9th. Students need to dress according to the weather that is forcasted. Closed toed shoes are a must since students will be walking in tall grass.  Bringing a lunch is not required for this trip, as lunch is provided. Students can bring water bottles, but each student will be responsible for taking care of it. No electronics are needed for the field trip since it is a short drive.

Biography Bash

Family and friends are invited to the 3rd Grade Biography Bash that will be held in the gymnasium from 2-3 PM on Friday, May 10th. Projects will be set out around the gym for visitors to look at and ask questions.

Important Dates

Thursday, May 2nd-Glow-A-Thon 

Friday, May 3rd-Spirit Day $1

Thursday, May 9th-Trail of Iowa Corn Field Trip

Friday, May 10th-Biography Bash 2-3 PM

Tuesday, May 14th-Science Center Field Trip

Friday, May 17th-Spirit Day $1

Wednesday, May 22nd-3rd/4th Grade Mass 9:15 AM

Wednesday, May 22nd-Spring Music Concert 6 PM

Friday, May 24th-Field Day

Friday, May 24th-Last Day of School (3 Hour Early Dismissal)

4/25/24

 Burg's Buzz
nburg@crestonstmalachy.org
4/25/24

Math

Skills that the students have worked on this week included place value and fractions. Students reviewed equal and unequal parts. The class also identified unit fractions, multiple copies of a unit fraction, and worked with fractions on a number line.

Reading/Language Arts

This week the third grade class is reading the opinion essay Edision's Best Invention. The author made the claim that the lightbulb was Edison's best invention, then provided evidence by listing two other inventions and comparing how each benefited the world to the light bulb. In addition to identifying a claim, students also worked on summarizing, ideas/support, and text/graphic features.    as the comprehension skill. The vocabulary skill covered the Latin roots of vis, mem, and cent. The decoding skill focused on plurals when a word ends with a consonant and a y to change the y to i and add -es. Students worked with complex sentences as the grammar skill. The class learned about independent and dependent clauses as well as subordinating conjunctions.

Science

The third grade students have learned about why a cactus has needles and how something becomes a fossil.

Biography Book Report Projects

The due date for the biography projects is quickly approaching. Projects are due back to school on Wednesday, May 1st. Students should return the book they borrowed, the report form, and the project was completed. Please have students practice their presentation at home several times, so they are prepared to present to the class. Several students will share their projects over the dates of May 1st, 2nd, and 3rd.

The Biography Bash is scheduled for Friday, May 10th. Projects will be set up in the gym from 2-3 PM. Parents, grandparents, and special guests may come and view all of the students projects. 

FAST Testing

Fast testing begins at the end of the week. This upcoming Thursday afternoon, I will be testing fluency on half of the class. The rest of the students will be assessed during the afternoon of Monday, April 29th. The other tests will be given over the two next weeks.

Field Trips

There are two field trips planned for the third grade class in the month May. The first field trip is on Thursday, May 9th. The class will be going to Greenfield for "On the Trail of Iowa Corn." For the this field trip, parent volunteers will be transporting students to and from the destination. Lunch is provided. Students are encouraged to wear their STM gear and wear tennis shoes. A note and permission slip has been included in the take home folder.

The second field trip will take place on Tuesday, May 14th with the second and third grade classes going to the Science Center of Iowa. Students will need to pack a lunch for this field trip. Also wearing STM gear is also recommended.  Parents may attend, but will need to drive themselves to the destination. The cost of admission for parents is $7.00, which will be paid upon arriving at the SCI. There is a note and permission slip enclosed in the take home folder.

Social Contract

The social contract in third grade will continue to be enforced until the end of the school year. Students will be expected to be respectful, kind, honest, helpful, and a good listener. This includes in the classroom. at recess, or in specials. 

Important Dates

Thursday, April 25th-FAST Testing in the Afternoon

Friday, April 26th-Spirit Day ($1)/Clean Up Day

Monday, April 29th-FAST Testing in the Afternoon

Wednesday, May 1st-Biography Book Report Projects Due

Thursday, May 2nd-Glow-A-Thon

Friday, May 3rd-Spirit Day $1

Thursdsay, May 9th-"On The Trail of Iowa Corn" Field Trip

Friday, May 10th-Biography Bash 2-3 PM in the Gym

Tuesday, May 14th-2nd/3rd Grade Sciene Center Field Trip

Friday, May 17th-Spirit Day $1

Wednesday, May 22nd-3rd/4th Grade Mass

Wednesday, May 22nd-Spring Music Concert

Friday, May 24th-Field Day

Friday, May 24th-3 Hour Early Dismissal

4/18/24

 Burg's Buzz

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

4/18/24

Math

The students worked on addition and subtraction with regrouping this past week. We also reviewed estimation.

Science

Over the next couple of weeks the third grade class will be studying a variety of science related topics.

Reading/Language Arts

The class read  A Bumpy Ride by Sharon Katz and Rachel Young. In this informational text, the students follow a timeline of the invention of the bicycle and how its features changed over time.

The comprehension skills covered author's purpose, making predictions, and figurative language. The vocabulary skill was using the prefix ex-. Students worked with the prefixes of re- and un- and the suffixes of -less and -ness.

FAST Testing

The FAST Testing screenings will begin at the end of next week and continue into the first week of May.

Dress Code

As a reminder when wearing shorts, the bottom of the short must extend at least to the mid-thigh. 

Important Dates

Friday, April 19th-No School (Teacher Professional Development)

Friday, April 26th-Spirit Day $1/Spring Clean Up Day

Wednesday, May 1st-Biography Book Report Projects Due

Thursday, May 2nd-Glow-A-Thon

Friday, May 3rd-Spirit Day $1

Thursday, May 9th-Trail of Corn Agricultural Field Trip

Friday, May 10th-Biography Bash 2:00-3:00 PM

4/11/24

 Burg's Buzz
4/11/24
nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

ISASP Testing

The 3rd grade students have survived the week of  testing. Parents will be notified when the results are in.

Reading/Language Arts

The class will be back in their reading textbooks starting on Thursday, April 11th. A spelling pretest will be given on this day. The post test and weekly assessments will be taken on Thursday, April 18th. There is no school on Friday, April 19th due to teacher professional development.

Math

Students have worked on identifying the fraction of an object that has been divided into equal parts. Another skill the students worked was addition and subtraction with regrouping. The class also worked on geometry terms such as perpendicular and parallel. 

Science

Students will be having a test over weather on Monday, April 15th.

Biography Book Report Projects

I hope that each of the students are enjoying the biography that he/she picked out. Just a reminder that projects are due back to school on Wednesday, May 1st. That is in 20 days. As I have told the students, this is not a project that should be completed the night before it is due. Please plan time for the student to write down the facts, create their project, and practice their presentation.

GLOW DAY

Friday, April 12th, the third grade class will have a GLOW day to celebrate the end of ISASP testing. The fun will begin after music class until it is time to switch classes at 11:00 AM for social studies. It will resume after the last recess at 2:20 PM. White or neon is the best to get the best glow in the dark effect.

Important Dates

Friday, April 12th-GLOW Day-Wear white/neon shirts

Friday, April 19th-NO SCHOOL  (Teacher PD)

Thursday, April 25th-FAST Testing During PM

Friday, April 26th-Spirit Day/Earth Day Clean Up

Monday, April 29th-FAST Testing During PM

             

4/4/24

 Burg's Buzz
nburg@crestonstmalachy.org
4/4/24

Reading/Language Arts

Time was spent this past week doing the practice tests for the reading, math, and language arts sections of the ISASP testing. Students were able to see how to navigate through the test and how to answer questions.

Students also worked on poetry. Several examples were read aloud and examined. Students learned about forms, elements, and types of poetry. The first poem that each third grade wrote was an Autobiography Poem. This is a poem about oneself.

Following testing on Thursday, April 11th, the students will take a spelling pretest and start back in the reading series. The post test will be on Thursday, April 18th. There is no school on Friday, April 19th.

Math

Skills covered this week have included time to the hour and understanding fractions.

Science

The students continue to learn about the differences between weather and climate.

Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress Testing

Students in grades third through eighth grades will be taking the ISASP tests beginning of Monday, April 8th. The third grade students will complete a reading test, a writing/language arts test, and a math test.

In the take home folder last week, a note card and an index card were sent home. The index card is to write an encouraging note to your child about ISASP testing. Please put the index card into the envelope and return it back to school. If you have not yet returned it back to school, please return by Friday, April 5th. 

Reading Incentive Program

Through the months of October through March, students were in charge of tracking the number of minutes read each day. The total minutes turned in on the calendars throughout the entire six months totaled 64,017 minutes. Clinton read the most minutes in the third grade class totaling 19,935 . The second most minutes 6,915 was read by Ryder.  The following students completed and met the goal in all six months; Hadley, Clinton, Zayn,  Ali, Ryder, and Hattie.

Solar Eclipse Watch Party

On Monday, April 8th, students at STM will be viewing the solar eclipse. The PTO has purchased glasses for each student.

Important Dates

Friday, April 5th-Spirit Day $1 (Wear Your Iowa Gear)

Monday, April 8th-Friday, April 12th-ISASP Testing

Friday, April 12th-Glow Day in 3rd Grade 

Friday, April 19th-NO SCHOOL (Teacher PD)

Wednesday, May 1st-Biography Book Report Projects Due

3/28/24

 Burg's Buzz

nburg@crestontstmalachy.org

3/28/24

Math

The students will be taking the Topic 8 assessment covering mental math, rounding, and estimation on Friday, March 28th.

Reading/Language Arts

Module 8 will focus on inventors and inventions.  This week the third grade class is reading a biography called Timeless Thomas: How Thomas Edison Changed our Lives by  Gene Barretta.  The author shows the "now and then" of specific inventions by Thomas Edison.  Comprehension skills covered include identifying text and graphic features, making inferences, text structure, and central idea. Students also reviewed adjectives and adverbs as the grammar skill. The decoding skill focused on prefixes and suffixes. Reference sources such as dictionary/glossary and the Greek word root graph and the suffix  -logy were  the skills covered as the vocabulary strategy.

Next week will be spent reviewing and taking the ISASP practice tests. There will be no spelling. Students will also work on reading and writing poetry.

Science

Students  are learning about the differences between weather and climate.

Reading Incentive Program

Please return March reading calendars to school by Tuesday, April 2nd.

Biography Book Reports

Students are bringing home information about a biography book report. There are several steps involved in completion of this project. The first thing that needs to be done is your child reading the biography that he/she picked out.  The next step would be to have your child fill out the report form answering each of the questions. I have included two of the forms In case of mistakes. Only one needs to be turned in. Next, your child should pick one of the projects and create it. Finally, your child should practice his/her presentation at home so they are prepared to present to their classmates.  Everything is due back to school by Wednesday, May 1st. Presentations will take place on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd.

A "Biography Bash" will take place on Friday, May 10th from 2:00-3:00 PM in the school gymnasium. Parents, grandparents, and special guests will be able to view all of the students' projects.

Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP)

During the week of April 8th, students in grades third through eighth will be taking the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP) standardized tests. These tests are administered on student Chromebooks.  These tests are important in showing academic growth, but do not want students to be stressed about them.  I want your child's testing experience to be positive and successful. Students should get a good night's sleep, eat a healthy breakfast, arrive at school on time, and be encouraged to do their best. In your child's take home folder is a note card and an envelope.  Please write an encouraging note to your child on the note card. The note card should be returned in the envelope back to school by Friday, April 5th. I will distribute the note card to your child prior to testing.

Important Dates

Friday, March 29th-Read My Shirt Day

Friday, April 5th-Spirit Day $1

Monday, April 8th-Friday, April 12th-ISASP Testing 

Friday, April 12th-Glow Day

Friday, April 19th-NO SCHOOL (Teacher Professional Development)

3/21/24

 Burg's Buzz
nburg@crestonstmalachy.org
3/21/24

Science

The third grade class is learning about severe weather. Students have learned about thunderstorms, hurricanes, tornadoes, and blizzards.

The students continue to work on their weather research papers.

Reading/Language Arts

This week the third grade class is reading The Storyteller's Candle by Lucia Gonzalez. In this historical fiction selection, it is the winter of 1929, and cousins Hildamar and Santiago have just moved to enormous, chilly New York from their native Puerto Rico. As Three Kings' Day approaches, Hildamar and Santiago mourn the loss of their sunny home and wonder about their future in their adopted city. When a storyteller and librarian named Pura Belpré arrives in their classroom, the children begin to understand just what a library can mean to a community. The comprehension skill helped students recognize characteristics of historical fiction, synthesize information, and covered literary elements and figurative language. The grammar skill focused on comparing adjectives. Students also worked on compound words as the vocabulary strategy. The decoding skill focused on words with /oo/.

Math

Students have been rounding numbers to the nearest ten and hundred. The students have been estimating sums and differences.

Book and a Bagel

On Thursday, March 28th, each student plus one guest is invited to come to the classroom from 7:45 AM-8:30 AM to enjoy reading/listening to a book and have a bagel for breakfast.

There is note in the take home folder. Please fill it out with who will be your child's guest and return back to school.

Sedar Meal/Crosswalk

St. Malachy School will be participating in a sedar meal on Thursday, March 28th. Sack lunches are not allowed unless the student has a medical note. Following the meal, students and staff will participate in the Crosswalk starting at the school and walking to Holy Spirit Church.  Each student will need to wear a white shirt to school on this day. An all school picture will be taken at the church. A permission slip has been included in the take home folder. Please complete and return back to school.

Important Dates

Friday, March 22nd-Spirit Day $1

Monday, March 25th-Reading Gives You Superpowers Day

Tuesday, March 26th-Wild About Reading Day

Thursday, March 28th-Book and a Bagel Event (7:45-8:30 AM)

Thursday, March 28th-Sedar Meal/Crosswalk

Friday, March 29th-Reading Makes Me Glow Day