4-4-19

3rd Grade News

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

4-4-19

Math

Third grade students will be taking the chapter 7 division test on Friday, April 4th. The next concept third grade will cover will be fractions. Students will identify, read, and write fractions.

Reading/Language Arts

Students are reading the realistic fiction story called "Dog of the Sea Waves." Brothers discover the Hawaiian Islands. While they are there, one of the brothers rescues a seal. The brothers have to leave and head home. During their journey they encounter heavy waves of water and one of the brothers is pulled under. The seal rescues the brother. The comprehension skill focused on author's purpose. Students identified and used prefixes in phonics. The grammar skill focused on complex sentences. The vocabulary strategy covered shades of meaning in words.

The lesson 23 weekly assessment results have been included in the take home folder.

Science

Third grade is preparing for the Unit 5 test covering organisms and their environment. Students will complete a study guide on Friday. The test will be on Tuesday, April 9th since I will be away from school on Monday.

Reading Incentive Program

Congratulations to Zoey, Claire, Halle, Mark, Charlie, and Logan for meeting the reading goal in March. Claire read the most minutes with 1,260 total. The class read 4,434 minutes for the month of March.

                              

Congratulations to Halle, Charlie, Mark, Claire, and Zoey for meeting the goal in all six months of the reading incentive program that went from October through March. Claire read the most minutes, and Zoey was the runner up.

                                               

Iowa Assessments

St. Malachy students will be taking Iowa Assessments next week. Iowa Assessments measure student achievement and growth. Third grade will taking the tests Tuesday through Friday (April 9th-12th) during the morning. I will be away from school on Monday. Students needs to get a good night's sleep. Also, students should eat a good breakfast each morning. A light snack will also be given to the students during the testing time. Students need to use #2 pencils. Mechanical pencils may not be used.

Book Order

A book order has been included in the take home folder. All orders are due by Friday, April 12th. Orders may be submitted online by using a credit card. Orders may also be returned to school by cash or check (payable to Scholastic Book Clubs).

Food Pantry Donations

St. Malachy School is seeking donations for the Creston Food Pantry during this Lenten season. Items in need include things for babies such as diapers, wipes, and bath wash. Also need are personal items for adults such as toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, bath wash, and soap. All items need brought to school by Friday, April 12th.

Important Dates
Tuesday, April 9th-Friday, April 12th-Iowa Assessments
Friday, April 12th-Spirit Day ($1)
Friday, April 12th-Ties and Tutus Dance
Thursday, May 18th-Sedar Meal and Crosswalk
Friday, March 19th-NO SCHOOL (Good Friday)
Monday, March 22nd-Wednesday, March 24th-No School (Professional Development)
Thursday, March 25th-PTO Meeting 
Friday, March 26th-Spirit Day ($1)
Friday, March 26th-Earth Day Clean Up

3-28-19

3rd Grade News

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

3-28-19

Science

Students are learning how organisms succeed in their environment. The class has discussed characteristics that help plants and animals survive. Students have also learned about animals living in groups help them to survive.

Reading/Language Arts

This week the students are reading the fantasy story "The Journey of Oliver K. Woodman." In this story, students read letters written between a niece, her uncle, and those who take Oliver on his journey from South Carolina to California. The comprehension skill focused on sequence. Students learned to look for clues such as first, next, then, and last. The vocabulary strategy covered suffixes of -er and -est. In grammar the class worked on possessive nouns and pronouns. The phonics skill focused on the suffixes of -ful, -y, -ous, -er, and -ly.

The results of the weekly assessments for lesson 21 and 22 have been included in the take home folder.

Math

Students continue to on meeting the standard of solving division problems. The class has worked on dividing by zero through ten. Please practice basic facts at home. Students will have a test over division problems next week.

Handwriting

The third grade class has learned all of the lowercase and uppercase cursive letters. Please practice writing cursive at home for extra practice. In this week's take home folder is a chart to shows how each letter should look.

Reading Incentive Calendars

March will be the last month for the reading incentive program. Calendars are due back to school by Wednesday, April 3rd. Pizza certificates will be sent home then. End of the program rewards will also be given on this day.

Food Pantry Donations

St. Malachy School is seeking donations for the Creston Food Pantry during this Lenten season. Items in need include things for babies such as diapers, wipes, and bath wash. Also need are personal items for adults such as toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, bath wash, and soap. All items need brought to school by Friday, April 12th.

Important Dates

Thursday, March 28th-PTO Meeting at 6 PM

Friday, March 29th-Spirit Day $1

Monday, May 8th-Friday, April 12th-Iowa Assessments

Friday, April 12th-Spirit Day $1

Thursday, April 18th-Sedar Meal and Crosswalk

Friday, April 19th-NO SCHOOL (Good Friday)

3-7-19

3rd Grade News

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

3-7-19

Reading/Language Arts

This week's story is a fiction selection entitled "Sarah, Plain, and Tall."  In this story from long ago, a family has lost their mother. Papa takes out an advertisement in the newspaper in search of a wife. Sarah responds to the ad and comes to visit the family. The comprehension skill focused on the story structure of setting, characters, and plot. The vocabulary strategy covered the prefix of non-. Students continued to work on adverbs as the grammar skill. The phonics skills covered words ending in -ed and -ing.

The results of the Unit 4 Benchmark testing have been included in the take home folder.

Math

Students are continuing to work on the skill of division. The class has worked on dividing by two, ten, and five. Please continue to work on division facts at home to improve fact fluency.

Science

Third grade students are studying about plant and animal adaptations.

St. Malachy Foundation Auction

The annual St. Malachy Gala was a success. A record was set in the total raising over $60,000 for the foundation. Thank you to all parents who attended. A big thank you to Kathy Ralston for helping to organize the basket for the live auction and the pottery for the silent auction. Also, thank you to all parents who helped Kathy and to all parents who made donations. The "Car Care" basket was purchased for $500 by Mark O'Riley. The potter was purchased by JP Pokorny for $150.

Parent/Teacher Conferences

Conferences are scheduled for Tuesday, March 12th from 3:20-5:00 PM and Thursday, March 14th from 1:00-5:00 and 6:00-9:20 PM. There is a 3 hour early dismissal on Thursday, March 14th. There is no school on Friday, March 15th. I look forward to talking you about your child's progress.

Spring Break

Spring break is scheduled for Monday, March 18th through Friday, March 22nd. School resumes on Monday, March 25th. I hope everyone has a wonderful spring break. My husband, son, and I will be going to Tempe, Arizona. I am looking forward to warmer weather, sight seeing, golfing, and relaxing. My daughter is going to Washington DC and New York with other junior and seniors from Creston High School.

Important Dates
Friday, March 8th-Spirit Day ($1)
Tuesday, March 12th-Conferences (3:20-5:00 PM)
Thursday, March 14th-3 Hour Early Dismissal
Tuesday, March 14-Conferences (1:00-9:20 PM)
Friday, March 15th-NO SCHOOL
Monday, March 18th-Friday, March 22nd-Spring Break
Thursday, March 28th-PTO Meeting
Friday, March 29th-Spirit Day ($1)

   

2-28-19

3rd Grade News

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

2-28-19

Science

The class has been studying about how the environment effects plant and animals. Students are also learning about plant and animal adaptations.

Math

Students have been learning different strategies for solving division problems. The class will have the chapter 6 math test on Friday, March 1st. A practice page was sent home with the students this past Wednesday.

Reading/Language Arts

Third grade students took the Unit 4 Benchmark test. Please look for the results in next week's take home folder.

We will be back on a normal schedule next week with lesson 21 in the reading series. Students will have spelling pre/post tests, a packet, and an assessment at the end of the week.

Parent/Teacher Conferences

Conferences are scheduled for Tuesday, March 12th from 3:20-5:00 PM and on Thursday, March 14th from 1:00-9:20 PM. School will dismiss 3 hours early on Thursday, March 14th. There is no school on Friday, March 15th.

Spring Break

There is no school at St. Malachy School from Monday, March 4th through Friday March 22nd due to spring break. School resumes on Monday, March 25th.

Important Dates

Friday, March 8th-Spirit Day ($1)

Friday, March 8th-3rd Grade to Food Pantry

Tuesday, March 12th-Conferences from 3:20-5:00 PM

Thursday, March 14th-3rd Hour Early Dismissal

Thursday, March 14th-Conferences from 1:00-9:20 PM

Friday, March 15th-No School

Monday, March 18th-Friday, March 22nd-Spring Break (No School)

2-21-19

3rd Grade News

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

2-21-19

Science

Third grade is learning about how living thins interact with their environment. 

Reading/Language Arts

This week the class is reading the nonfiction text "Life on the Ice." In this selection, students learn about the North and South Pole. The comprehension skill this week focused on main idea and supporting details. Students also worked on dictionary skills as the vocabulary still. The phonics skill covered compound words. The class also worked on identifying adverbs.

The lesson 19 weekly assessment results have been included in the take home folder.

Students will be taking the Unit 4 Benchmark next week.

Math

Students continue to learn division strategies. Students are relating multiplication and division using fact families.

Conference Sign Up

Third grade conferences are scheduled for Tuesday, March 12th from 3:20-5:00 PM and Thursday, March 14th from 1:00-5:00 and 6:00-9:20 PM. Please use the following link to sign up for a conference time Conference Sign Up.

Mass

Third grade will be in charge of the mass on Wednesday, February 27th. Mass parts have been included in the take home folder. Please practice speaking parts at home.

Foundation Dinner and Auction

The annual St. Malachy Foundation Dinner and Auction is scheduled for Saturday, March 2nd at the Supertel Inn. Tickets for the event are $35. This includes a prime rib and chicken dinner. Cocktail hour begins at 5:00 PM and dinner will be served at 6:00 PM. The auction begins at 7:00 PM. This is a fundraiser for the St. Malachy Foundation, which in turn benefits St. Malachy School. Tickets are available for purchase at the St. Malachy School office.

Upcoming Dates

Friday, February 22nd-Spirit Day ($1)

Wednesday, February 27th-3rd Grade Mass

Saturday, March 2nd-Dinner and Auction

Friday, March 8th-Spirit Day ($1)

Friday, March 8th-Volunteer at Food Pantry

Tuesday, March 12th-Parent/Teacher Conferences (3:20-5:00 PM)

Thursday, March 14th-Parent/Teacher Conferences (1-5 and 6-9:20 PM)

Friday, March 15th-NO SCHOOL

2-14-19

3rd Grade News
nburg@crestonstmalachy.org
2-14-19

Reading/Language Arts

This week students are reading the play "Two Bear Cubs" in class. The comprehension skill focused on story structure. Students analyzed the setting, characters, and plot. The vocabulary strategy focused on the prefixes of pre-, re-, and bi-. Students worked on "oo" vowel sounds in spoon and wood. The grammar skill focused on irregular verbs.

Results of the lesson 18 weekly assessment have been included in the take home folder.

Science

Third grade finally completed the Unit 4 test over life cycles and inherited traits.

The next unit third grade will be covering organisms and their environment.

Math

Students are continuing to work on division. Students have worked on using repeated subtraction as a strategy for solving division problems.

Monday, February 18th

Faculty and staff will be eating lunch out on Monday, February 18th. This is the rescheduled date from Catholic Schools Week due to the snow day. Students will need to bring a sack lunch (milk provided). Students will be eating lunch with their Advent Angel.

Late Slips

Beginning with the 3rd trimester on Monday, February 18th, late slips will start in third grade. Every time a student does not have an assignment (spelling words, getting a test signed, spelling packet, math worksheet, etc) completed, he or she receives a late slip. The student must get the late slip signed by a parent and turn in the work completed by the next day. If the late slip is signed and the work is done, there is no other consequence. If the late slip is NOT signed or the work is NOT completed, the student will have to serve a detention. On the sixth late slip received, the student receives an automatic detention. Anymore late slips after the sixth one, also result in detentions to be served. Parents will be notified when their child has a detention to serve. Students receive late slips from Mrs. Sickels, Miss Surma, and myself. Students are allowed six late slips per teacher. I have talked with the students about the late slip policy. The best way to avoid late slips is to just get work done on time! Please continue to check the assignment book on a daily basis to see what work needs completed.

There is a note pertaining to late slips in the take home folder.

FAST Test Results

Included in this week's take home folder are the results of the winter screening for the FAST testing. Please look over the results and let me know if you have any questions.

Auction Donations

All auction donations are due by Friday, February 15th. Kathy Ralston plans on coming in the next two Wednesdays during art to get the silent auction item completed with the class. Thank you to everyone that has donated. The St. Malachy Foundation Dinner and Auction is scheduled for Saturday, March 2nd.

Book Order

A book order was included in last week's take home folder. All orders need submitted by Friday, February 15th.

Mass

Third grade will now be in charge of the mass on Wednesday, February 27th. Third and fourth grade switched weeks due to fourth grade being on a field trip on the day in which they were scheduled to have mass. Parts will be sent home in next week's take home folder.

Important Dates

Monday, February 18th-3rd Trimester/Late Slips

Thursday, February 21st- PTO Meeting

Friday, February 22nd-Spirit Day ($1)

Wednesday, February 27th-3rd Grade Mass

Saturday, March 2nd-Foundation Dinner and Auction

Friday, March 8th-Spirit Day ($1)

Friday, March 8th-Volunteer at Food Pantry

2-8-19

3rd Grade News

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

2-8-19

Math

Third grade is now working on the skill of division. Students are working of finding the number of equal groups and the number in each group. Students should be practicing basic multiplication and division facts at home as well. 

Reading/Language Arts

This week the class read an informational text called "A Tree is Growing." The comprehension skill covered graphic features such as captions, diagrams, photographs, labels, and timelines to help enhance and better understand the text. The vocabulary strategy focused on word roots, the base, or building block, of a word. Students worked on /k/ such as check, shark, and coldest and /kw/ such as question and equal.  The grammar skill covered using the verb be and helping verbs.

The lesson 17 weekly assessment results have been included in the take home folder.

Science

Third grade students will have a test over animal and plant life cycles next week.

Reading Incentive Program

Ten students met the reading goal in January. Congratulations to Zoey, Merrick, Halle, Jenna, Mark, Savannah, Anthony, Claire, Rohwyn, and Charlie for reaching the goal. Third grade read a total of 6,840 minutes total. This is our highest month yet. Zoey read the most minutes in the class.

Wednesday, February 13th

St. Malachy School will be in session on Wednesday, February 13th. The public school is not in session on this day, so there will be no bus transportation.

Valentine's Day Party

The Valentine's Day party will take place during the afternoon of Thursday, February 14th. Valentine cards with a small piece of candy may be brought to school next week. A class list was sent home in last week's take home folder.

Book Order

A book order has been included in the take home folder. Orders can be submitted online using a credit card or returned to school with cash or check (payable to Scholastic Book Clubs). All orders are due by Friday, February 15th.

Auction Donations

Donations are still be sought for the third, fourth, and fifth grade "Car Care" basket for the live auction and the pottery for the silent auction item. Please contact Kathy Ralston with any questions. Donations are due by Friday, February 15th.

Important Dates

Friday, February 8th-Volunteer at Food Pantry

Friday, February 8th-Spirit Day ($1)

Thursday, February 14th-Donuts with Dad (7:30-8:00 AM)

Thursday, February 14th-Valentine's Day Party

Monday, February 18th-3rd Trimester Begins (Late Slips)

Monday, February 18th-Faculty/Staff Appreciation Lunch (Sack Lunch Needed)

Thursday, February 21st-PTO Meeting

Friday, February 22nd-Spirit Day ($1)