9-26-19

3rd Grade News

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

9-26-19

Reading/Language Arts

This week third grade read Destiny's Gift. In this realistic fiction story, bookstore owner Mrs. Wade and a young girl named Destiny share a special bond over their love of words. When the landlord raises the rent, Mrs. Wade isn't sure she is going to be able to keep the bookstore open. The community rallies together to help Mrs. Wade save the bookstore. The comprehension skill covered analyzing characters' feelings, traits, and motivations. The vocabulary strategy focused on antonyms. Students covered long a (ay and ai) and long e (ee, ea) words. The grammar skill reviewed compound sentences.

In the folder are the results of the FAST testing. These results are yours to keep. This assessment will be given two more times throughout the year.

Order forms for the published book third graders are writing and illustrating went home last week. Please return the form to school by Wednesday, October 2nd. Even if not want to order, the form still needs returned back to school.

Science

The next unit in science focuses on force. Students learned about pushes and pulls. Students also studied about strong and weak forces.

Math

The class is now working on subtraction. Students are estimating differences, so they will continue to work on rounding. Students are also working on mental math strategies to use when subtracting. Please continue to work on addition and subtraction basic facts at home.

Reading Incentive Program

Students in grades kindergarten through fifth grade will be participating in a reading incentive program during the month of October through March. The goal for third grade is 400 minutes for October, November, and December. In January, February, and March, the goal goes up to 500 minutes. If your child meets the goal, he or she can choose a gift certificate for a personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut or $3 off a student buffet at Pizza Ranch. Please return the calendar each month. I keep track of the number of minutes read. There will be an award for the student that reads the most minutes during each month and for students that meet the goal in all six months. A note and calendar has been included in the take home folder.

Important Dates

Friday, September 27th-$1 Spirit Day

Sunday, September 29th-Creston Color Run (McKinley Park-2pm)

Thursday, October 3rd-Mrs Burg Absent from School

Wednesday, October 9th-Third Grade Mass at 9:15 AM

Friday, October 11th-Panther Pancakes (7:00-8:00 AM)

Friday, October 11th-12:10 Dismissal (Homecoming)

McKinley Park Field Trip

McKinley Park Field Trip

A fun day spent at McKinley Park. A tour of the Historical Village, followed by frisbee golf in the afternoon. In the morning, it was rainy and chilly. By the afternoon, it was sunny and hot. Thank you to Jan Lesan and all of the volunteers for a great day!

9-19-19

Third Grade News

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

9-19-19

Math

Students are adding using the regrouping. Students have used place value to add. Students have also been taught the algorithm for regrouping. Please continue to practice the basic math facts at home. Any extra help is greatly appreciated.

Science

The class has been studying about the engineering process. Students have learned about defining a problem, designing a solution, and testing and improving the solution.

The Unit 1 test over the engineering process will be Monday, September 23rd. This test will be taken together as a practice test.

Reading/Language Arts

This week third graders have been working on the writing process. Student revised and edited descriptive paragraphs. Students wrote their final copies and also typed their published copy.

Third grade students are also writing, illustrating, and publishing a book. The title of the book is called My Third Grade Me.  Students have worked through the process of prewriting, developing their rough draft, revising and editing, and making their final copy. Included in the take home folder is the order form and envelope for purchasing a copy of the book. Orders are due by Wednesday, October 2nd. I will ship the materials to the publishing company on Monday, October 7th with a publishing date of October 14th. I will receive the books back towards the end of October.

The lesson 2 weekly assessment results have been included in the take home folder.

Third grade will resume lesson 3 next week. There will be spelling and a weekly assessment.

Important Dates

Friday, September 20th-NO SCHOOL (Professional Development)
Friday, September 27th-Spirit Day ($1)
Sunday, September 29th-Creston Color Run-2 PM
Wednesday, October 2nd-Prayer Service
Wednesday, October 4th-3rd Grade to Food Pantry
Wednesday, October 9th-3rd Grade Mass
Friday, October 11th-Spirit Day ($1)
Friday, October 11th-12:10 Dismissal

Check Out St. Malachy School!

Check out St. Malachy School's new look! The doors look fabulous! Thank you to the PTO for the purchase of the wraps. They add curb appeal and extra security.

Spirit Day

Spirit Day

GO IOWA HAWKEYES!

Glad to see all the Hawkeye fans at school today!

9-12-19

3rd Grade News

9-12-19

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

Reading/Language Arts

This week third grade is read the fantasy story "The Trial of Cardigan Jones" in which a moose has to go to trial because the townspeople believe he took Mrs. Brown's apple pie. The comprehension skill focused on drawing conclusions. The vocabulary skill had students using a dictionary/glossary. Students studied four types of sentences (declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory) as the grammar skill. The phonics skill covered long vowels. The students continued to work on writing a descriptive paragraph. Students worked on a rough draft describing their favorite place.

The results of the lesson 1 weekly assessment have been included in the take home folder. These results are yours to keep. Students this year are taking the weekly assessments on the chromebooks.

Next week, third grade will NOT be in the reading series due to the shortened week of school. Most of the day on September 19th will be spent at McKinley Park and there is no school on September 20th due to teacher professional development. We will resume the week of September 23rd with lesson 3.

Math

Third grade have been using addition properties to solve problems. Students have been introduced to the Commutative Property that states you can add two or more numbers in any order and get the same sum (4+3=3+4), the Identity Property that states the sum of any number and zero is that number (7+0=7) and the Associative Property that states you can group addends in different ways and still get the same sum (16+7)+23=16+(7+23).

Please continue to work on the basic facts (addition and subtraction) at home.

Science

Students have been learning how to design solutions like engineers. Their job is to research and design possible solutions, communicate and compare those solutions with others, and develop testing criteria. 

Homeroom Parent

3rd grade is still in need of a homeroom parent. This parent would help in organizing class parties, in charge of getting the basket and silent auction items for the yearly foundation Gala, and other small things that may periodically arise. Mrs. Simmons sent an email with a sign up to parents last week.

McKinley Park Day

Ms. Lesan has planned two health, fitness, and wellness days. The first will take place next Thursday, September 19th. Please see the take home folder for more information. Students will tour the Historical Village and have a sack lunch. Others activities will include fishing, frisbee golf, soccer, and more.

Important Dates

Friday, September 13th-Spirit Day ($1)

Sunday, September 15th-Holy Spirit Food Fair

Wednesday, September 19th-Mass (9:30 AM)

Thursday, September 19th-McKinley Park Day

Thursday, September 19th-PTO Meeting (6:00 PM)

Friday, September 20th-NO SCHOOL (Teacher PD)

Friday, September 27th-Spirit Day ($1)

Sunday, September 29th-Creston Color Run

9-5-19

3rd Grade News

9-5-19

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

Science

Students worked on defining an engineering problem. Students have been integrating problem-solving using the concepts of criteria and constraints. Students also worked on designing a solution.

Reading/Language Arts

Students are finishing up lesson 1 this week. The class is reading "A Fine, Fine School" by Sharon Creech. The comprehension skill focused on story structure. Students identified the setting, characters, and plot. The vocabulary skill focused on students using context clues. Students worked on short vowels and dividing words into syllables following the VCCV pattern in phonics. Students also worked on subjects and predicates in grammar. Students also worked on descriptive writing. There will be a spelling post test and weekly assessment on Friday.

Next week I will be screening students using the FAST assessment. Please look for those results to come home at a later time.

Math

Students are reviewing rounding to the nearest ten and hundred. Using their rounding skills, students are estimating sums. Students are also using mental math to solve problems.

Math fact fluency is the ability to recall the answers to basic math facts automatically without hesitation. Fluency requires students to notice relationships and use strategies. Students should be practicing the basic facts (addition and subtraction) at home through a variety of ways. I am seeing most of the students still using their fingers to solve the basic facts. Directions were sent home last week about signing up for Xmath online. This is a great resource for extra practice. If you need the directions sent home again, please let me know. There are other sites for practicing basic facts as well. Flash Card Math is another site you can use. Games are also a fun way to practice the basic facts. I am sending an information sheet home that offers other ways to help your child improve his/her fact fluency.

Book Order

Scholastic Book Clubs are an affordable way to add to your child's personal collection. Included in this week's take home folder is an order. Orders can be place online at Scholastic Book Clubs using the code GRHFQ. Another option for ordering books is completing the form sent home and returning to school with a check made payable to Scholastic Book Clubs. Orders are due by Friday, September 13th.

Important Dates

Friday, September 13th-Spirit Day $1

Sunday, September 15th-Holy Spirit Food Fair

Thursday, September 19th-McKinley Park Day

Thursday, September 19th-PTO Meeting

Friday, September 20th-NO SCHOOL (Professional Development)