2/26/26

 Burg's Buzz

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

2/26/26

Science

There will be a test on Friday, February 27th, that covers living things and their environment.

Math

The next concept the 3rd grade class will be working on is addition and subtraction.  This will include using math properties, mental math strategies, and estimation.

Reading/Language Arts

This week, the third grade is reading the narrative nonfiction selection Octopus Escapes Again by Laurie Ellen Angus. The reader follows Octopus spending her day trying to find something to eat. Meanwhile, she also has to escape predators trying to eat her. The comprehension skills reviewed the central idea, text/graphic features, and figurative language. The grammar skill continued to focus on adjectives. Students worked on adding -er and    -est as well as more and most to adjectives when comparing. The class covered the prefix of un- as the vocabulary skill. The decoding skill focused on words with -er, -or, -ir, and -ur.

Reading Incentive Program Calendars

February calendars are due back to school on Monday, March 2nd. Please make sure a parent totals the amount of minutes read and signs the calendar. A calendar for March has been included in the take home folder. March is the last month for tracking minutes at home.

National Reading Month

March is National Reading Month. Last week a calendar went home with the dress up days planned for the month. This week, a Bingo card is being sent home. If your child completes a square on the sheet, have your child X it out, and an adult should sign the square. When your child has a BINGO (up and down, across, or diagonal), he/she can return the sheet and get a prize. The Bingo sheet will then be sent back home. Each time your child gets another BINGO, he/she can return to get a prize. The goal is to complete all of the reading tasks by the end of March.

Late Slips

As a reminder, with the start of the 3rd trimester on Monday, March 2nd, the third grade students start late slips.

Parent/Teacher Conferences

Parent/Teacher Conferences are scheduled for Monday, March 9th, through Thursday, March 12th. Please sign up for a time on JMC if you have not already done so.

Important Dates

Saturday, February 28th-STM Foundation Gala

Monday, March 6-3rd Trimester Begins

Wednesday, March 4th-1 Hour Dismissal

Friday, March 6th-Spirit Day $1

Monday, March 9th-Thursday, March 12th-Conferences

Friday, March 13th-NO SCHOOL

Monday, March 16th-Friday, March 20th-Spring Break

2/19/26

 Burg's Buzz

2/19/26

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

Reading/Language Arts

Module 6 focuses on animal behaviors. This week, the students are reading This is Your Life Cycle by Heather Lynn Miller. In this multi-genre text (narrative nonfiction and fantasy), the students learn about the life cycle of a dragonfly through a talking insect who hosts a game show. The comprehension skills covered text and graphic features, the author's purpose, and the author's craft. Students worked on identifying adjectives as the grammar skill. The vocabulary skill focused on the prefixes of uni-, bi-, and tri-. The decoding skill worked on vowels + r words.

Science

The class has been learning about how an environment can affect the living things living in it. Some changes to the environment include wildfires, mudslides, hurricanes, drought, significant changes in temperature, and humans cutting down trees for building homes, highways, and businesses.

Math

The third graders continue to work on measurement. Students have been measuring length to the nearest 1/4. The class also continues to work on fractions.

Reading FAST Testing

Results for reading of the winter screening of FAST testing have been included in the take-home folder. The results are yours to keep.

Late Slips

Late slips will start in third grade, starting with the third trimester on Monday, March 2nd. A late slip is what a student receives when he/she does not complete his/her homework on time. This is what is followed in fourth through eighth grades at STM. This is started at this point in 3rd grade, so students understand the expectations. A note has been included in the take-home folder outlining how the late slip policy works. Please reach out if you have any questions.

National Reading Month

In March, the third-grade classroom will be celebrating National Reading Month. Included in the take-home folder is a list of dress-up days planned throughout the month. At the end of March, there is also a trip planned to The Latest Edition Bookstore. More information will be sent home about that at a later date.

Important Dates

Friday, February 20th-Spirit Day $1

Tuesday, February 24th-Mrs. Burg Absent From School

Tuesday, February 25th-1 Hour Early Dismissal

Friday, February 27th-End of the 2nd Trimester

Saturday, February 28th-STM Foundation Gala 5 PM

Monday, March 2nd-Late Slips Start

2/12/2626

 Burg's Buzz

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

2/12/26

Math

Students worked with fractions that were greater than 1 on a number line. The class has also been covering measurement. Students have measured to the nearest 1/4, 1/2, and 1 inch.

Science

The students are learning about traits that help living things survive. The class has also learned about the advantages of animals living in groups. These advantages include obtaining food, defending themselves, and coping with changes.

Reading/Language Arts

Students read the narrative nonfiction selection Brothers at Bat by Audrey Vernick. This story focuses on a family of sixteen, with twelve of those being boys who all play baseball. The boys formed a semi-pro baseball team that was coached by their father. Due to World War II, the team disbanded because six of the brothers went off to war. Eventually, all the brothers return home and continue playing baseball. In 1997, the family was honored by the Baseball Hall of Fame. The comprehension skills focused on text structure, figurative language, and point of view. Students worked on using the suffix -ment as the vocabulary skill. The decoding skill covered contractions. Students also worked on verb tense as the grammar skill.

The results of Module 5 testing have been included in the take home folder. These are yours to keep.

Valentine's Day Party

There will be a Valentine's Day party in the afternoon on Friday, February 13th, at school. Students can bring valentines for their classmates.

K-3rd Grade Mass

Kindergarten through third grade will lead the Mass on Wednesday, February 18th. This is Ash Wednesday. If your child has a part, it has been included in their take home folder.

St. Malachy Foundation Gala

The St. Malachy Foundation Gala is scheduled for Saturday, February 28th. Here is the finished product for the silent auction item.

Important Dates

Wednesday, February 18th-Kindergarten-3rd Grade Lead Mass

Wednesday, February 18th-1 Hour Early Dismissal

Friday, February 20th-Spirit Day $1

 

2/5/26

 Burg's Buzz
nburg@crestonstmalachy.org
2/5/26

Science

Research on plant and animal adaptations has been completed. Now each student is busy writing their informational essay. These will be available for parents to view at conferences.

Math

The class continues to work with fractions. Students have identified the number of parts in the whole. The class is also working on putting fractions on a number line.

Math FAST Testing

The results of the math winter screening have been included in the take home folder.

February Book Order

A February Scholastic book order has been included in the take home folder. Please take a few minutes to review the flyer. All orders are placed online at Scholastic Book Clubs.

Dictionary

Each 3rd grade student received a dictionary as a gift from the Creston Elk's Lodge. Also, included in the take home folder is a drug awareness coloring book from the Elk's.

Valentine's Day Party

Valentine's Day will be celebrated at St. Malachy School on Friday, February 13th. Students may bring valentines for their classmates to the party. If bringing valentines, please have your child bring one for each student in the class. A class list was sent home last week. The students will be decorating bags next week.

Important Dates

Friday, February 6th-Spirit Day $1

Wednesday, February 11th-1 Hour Early Dismissal

Friday, February 13th-Class Valentine's Day Party

Wednesday, February 18th-Ash Wednesday Mass (K-3 Leads)

Wednesday, February 18th-1 Hour Early Dismissal

Friday, February 20th-Spirit Day $1

1/29/26

Burg's Buzz

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

1/29/26

Math

The next topic the third-grade class will cover is fractions. Students will learn how to read and write fractions.

 

Reading/Language Arts

This week's story, Running Rivals by Jake Maddox, is a realistic fiction story about a girl returning to the track after an injury. As she struggles with her racing times, she gets help from her biggest rival. The students will be working on these comprehension skills, monitoring and clarifying what was read, literary elements, and the author's purpose. The decoding skill is working with homophones. Students will also work on the Greek root "bio" and the Latin root "vid" as the vocabulary skill. The grammar skilled focused on subject/pronoun verb agreement.

Science

Students continue to research plant and animal adaptations.

Fill Me With Love Activity

A heart was sent home last week to be filled with things that your child loves. Please return the completed heart to school by Monday, February 2nd.

Reading Incentive Program

A February reading calendar has been included in the take home folder. Please calculate January minutes and return to school on Monday, February 2nd.

Book Order

The preorder deadline for purchasing Bella Bean on Blueberry Lane by Terri Stephens-Higgins is quickly approaching. The deadline is Friday, February 6th. Terri will be the guest author when the class visits the bookstore at the end of March.

Valentine's Day Party

The class Valentine's Day party will be held on Friday, February 13th. A container for holding the valentines will be made at school during art class. If bringing valentines, please bring one for each student in the class. A class list has been included in the take home folder. Valentines do not be brought to school early. Please have your child bring his/hers to school on the 13th.

Important Dates

Friday, January 29th-Dress to Impress Day

Friday, January 29th-Mass at 1:30 PM at Holy Spirit Church

Wednesday, February 4th-1 Hour Early Dismissal

Friday, February 6th-Spirit Day $1

Wednesday, February 11th-1 Hour Early Dismissal

Friday, February 13th-Class Valentine's Day Party 

1/22/26

 Burg's Buzz

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

1/22/26

Catholic Schools Week

St. Malachy School will be celebrating Catholic Schools Week from Sunday, January 26th-Friday, January 31st. Each day, there will be a dress up day and a fun activity taking place. I also need students to return the note about who will be their special guest at the Mass at Holy Spirit Church on Friday, January 30th.

Silent Auction Item

Last week, a note went home about the third grade silent auction project. Each student will be creating a greeting card that contains a Bible verse. If your child has not returned their note to school, please help him/her pick out a Bible verse and get it turned in to me. Additionally, please submit donations for the project as well.

Music

Learning to play the recorder is a skill that third graders learn in music class. If you haven't paid the $5 to cover the cost, please submit it.  Mrs. Warner cannot start the children playing the recorders until all students have paid. If you have a recorder already at home, please feel free to have your child bring it to use.

Fill Me With Love Activity

February is quickly approaching, so included in your child's take home folder is a heart for your child to fill up with all their favorite things. Items can be drawn on the heart, stickers can be used, and photographs or pictures printed off the Internet can be glued to the heart. The heart should contain your child's name, and then cut out. Please return the hearts to school by February 2nd.

Reading/Language Arts

In addition to FAST testing, the students also worked on a research and writing project. Students were assigned a habitat, then they researched a plant and an animal that lived in that habitat. Students had to identify and explain two adaptations the living things had to help them survive in their environment. Students then organized the information into a paragraph with a topic sentence, supporting details, and a conclusion.

The results from testing in Module 4 have been included in today's folders. The results are yours to keep.

Math

The students will be assessed on the topic of finding area on Monday, January 26th.

Important Dates

Friday, January 23rd-Spirit Day $1

Sunday, January 26th-Catholic Schools Week Mass

Monday, January 27th-Out of this World 

Tuesday, January 28th-Winter Olympics

Wednesday, January 29th-Wild West

Thursday, January 30th-St. Malachy Day

Thursday, January 30th-Talent Show Begins at Noon

Friday, January 31st-Dress to Impress

Friday, January 31st-Special Guest Mass Begins at 1:30 PM

1/15/26

 Burg's Buzz

1/15/26

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

Math

The class continues to find the area of shapes. Students have found the area of regular and irregular shapes.

Reading/Language Arts

The class is now working on Module 5, which focuses on stories about teamwork. The story we are currently reading is Soccer Shootout by Jake Maddox. Berk was the goalie on last season's state championship game, but a new player is trying out for the team as the goalkeeper. When the coach gives Ryan the position at goalie, Berk is given the position of the sweeper. When it looks like the team might not win the championship, the coach suggests putting Berk back in at goalie. Berk comes up with a plan that brings Ryan and him together as teammates. The comprehension skills focused on the author's purpose, literary elements, theme, and author's craft. Students worked with the diphthongs of oi and oy and the decoding skill. The grammar skill covered subject/verb agreement. The students also covered the suffixes of -er and -est.

Science

Students are learning about animal adaptations.

Music Class

A note has been included in the take home folder pertaining to ordering a recorder for your child. If you already have a recorder from a previous child at St. Malachy, your current third grade student may use it. The cost of ordering a recorder through Mrs. Warner is $5. Please send the money to school with your child.

Mass

The 3rd grade class will lead the liturgy on Wednesday, January 21st. Parts have been included in the take home folder. Please practice speaking parts at home, especially since there is no school on Monday, January 19th.

FAST Testing

I will be testing each child's fluency on FAST on Tuesday, January 20th. There will be a substitute teacher in my room that day, so I can test each student individually. The remaining tests will be taken next week as well.

St. Malachy Foundation Gala

The annual gala is scheduled for Saturday, February 28th. Each classroom is responsible for a silent auction item. Homeroom parents Jordan Wardenburg and Kaitlin Dorsey have come up with the idea to make a wooden gift card holder. There is a note in the take home folder with more information about this project. Parent help is needed to complete the project. Each student will be creating their own greeting card to put on the holder. On the greeting card will be a Bible verse. Please complete the form coming home, and have your child return it back to school by Friday, February 6th.  Also, monetary donations are being accepted to help cover the costs.

Catholic School Week

Catholic Schools Week is quickly approaching. There are several notes in the folder pertaining to events happening during this week. There is a note about volunteering for the Mass at Holy Spirit Church on Sunday, January 25th. There is also a note about who will be your child's special guest at the mass on Friday, January 29th. The guest will need to pick your child up at St. Malachy School and bring them to Holy Spirit Church that afternoon.

Book Order Form

Last week, a book order form went home about purchasing the book Bella Bean on Blueberry Lane, written by Terri Higgins. She will be the featured author in March. Please get those orders in by February 7th.

Important Dates

Monday, January 19th-NO SCHOOL (Teacher Professional Development)

Tuesday, January 20th-Fluency FAST Testing (Substitute Teacher)

Wednesday, January 21st-3rd Grade Leads the Mass

Wednesday, January 21st-1 Hour Early Dismissal

Wednesday, January 21st-PTO Meeting

Friday, January 23rd-Spirit Day $1