9/28/23

 Burg's Buzz

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

9/28/23

Math

Students are learning the basic multiplication facts. The class has been taught the factors of 0, 1, 2, 5, 9, and 10. We have discussed the rules and tricks for each factor covered. Any extra practice at home will be very beneficial to the students.

Science

The next unit the third grade is covering is force. Students have identified a force as a push or a pull. The class has talked about strong and weak forces.

Reading/Language Arts

This week's focus story was The Upside Down Boy by Juan Felipe Herrera. The comprehension skills focused on analyzing text and graphic features, reading for understanding, and figurative language. The vocabulary strategy covered synonyms/antonyms and the prefix of dis-. Students worked on long i words as the decoding skill. The grammar skill covered singular and plural nouns.

Throughout module 2, students have been listening to, reading, and viewing a variety of texts that present them with information about the importance of words and how they are used to express ideas and feelings.

Included in the take home folder is a stamped envelope addressed to your child at school. If you could please write a friendly letter on the form included to your child, and then put it in the mail. I know each of the students will be so happy to be receiving their letter at school. This is a surprise to the students.

Reading Incentive Program

Students in third grade at St. Malachy School are going to be participating in a reading incentive program for the months of October through March.  The goal of the program is to get students reading at home and develop lifelong readers. Each month a calendar will be sent home with the students.  Please keep track of the number of minutes read each day.  This can include what the child reads individually, and the reading parents and students do together. At the end of the month, please calculate the number of minutes read, sign, and return the calendar to school.  The goal in third grade for the months of October, November, and December is 400 total minutes for the month.  The goal will increase in January, February, and March to 500 minutes.  If your child meets the goal he or she will get a gift certificate from Pizza Ranch. Please return the calendar each month even if your child does not meet the goal. I track students’ minutes each month. I will let the students know the total minutes read in third grade for each month. There will be an award for the student that reads the most minutes each month. At the end of the program, I will also award the top two students who read the most minutes throughout the entire six months, and any student who reaches the goal in all six months.

An October calendar has been included in the take home folder.

Important Dates

Friday, October 6th-Spirit Day $1

Wednesday, October 11th-3rd Grade Leads Mass

Friday, October 13th-NO SCHOOL (Teacher PD)

9/21/23

 Burg's Buzz

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

9/21/23

Reading/Language Arts

Module 2  will focus on how people use words to express themselves. The class will read texts in which people share their thoughts, ideas, and feelings.

The focus story this week was Dear Primo-A Letter to My Cousin by Duncan Tonatiuh. The comprehension skills covered point of view, text/graphic features, and understanding characters. Students also worked on the prefixes of re- and pre- and synonyms and antonyms as the vocabulary strategies. Decoding and spelling focused on more long o spellings.

The results from all of the Module 1 testing have been included in the take home folder. The selection tests cover the focus story of the week. The other assessment has the students reading a new passage and answering questions pertaining to the skills covered during the week. These are tests that are taken on the computer. These tests are different from the previous weekly assessments that have been taken. There are multiple choice questions as well as short answer questions. I have had many conversations and given examples about how these types of questions need answered with complete sentences and using evidence from what was read to respond to the question.

Science

This week the third grade students were given an engineering challenge to build a structure for the Three Little Pigs that would withstand the Big Bad Wolf trying to blow it down. All students were given the same materials to use which included Dots candy and toothpicks.  In pairs, students identified the criteria and constraints. They also discussed and drew their design. Students were then given twenty minutes to make their design.

Math

This week students took the Topic 1 assessment and made corrections. We also completed the math tests for FAST testing.

Homecoming

Friday, September 22nd, Creston Community High School is celebrating Homecoming. Students are asked to wear their Creston gear. It is a Spirit Day at St. Malachy School. Students can wear sweats, hat, and/or sunglasses. There will be a pep rally at the high school. School dismisses at 12:10 PM with no lunch. If your child wants to ride the STM float, they need to be at Holy Spirit Church by 1 PM.

Important Dates

Thursday, September 21st-PTO Meeting

Friday, September 22nd-Spirit Day $1 (Panther Gear)

Friday, September 22nd-Pep Rally at Creston High School

Friday, September 22nd-3 Hour Early Dismissal (Homecoming)

Friday, October 6th-Spirit Day $1

Wednesday, October 11th (3rd Grade Leads Mass) 

9/14/23

 Burg's Buzz

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

9/14/23

Math

The class has been working on division strategies. Students have been separating objects into equal groups. Another strategy students have used is repeated subtraction. The class will have their first math test early next week.

Science

As the class continues to learn about the engineering process, students have learned about testing and improving solutions.

Reading/Language Arts

The class is reading Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt. Comprehension strategies included making inferences, point of view, text and graphic features, and theme. Spelling and decoding were long a and e using vowel teams (ai, ay, ea, ee, ie, and e). The vocabulary skill covered the suffixes of -ful and -less. The class has also been working on writing a personal narrative about a summer experience.

Next week a report form will come home with each student on how they performed on the Module 1 assessments.

"The History of My Name" Interview

Next week in our class meeting, we will be discussing the importance of our names. Each student is asked to interview a parent about how they got their name. Parents may read the questions, please have your child write the answers on the form. Interview forms have been included in the take home folder, and they are due back to school by Tuesday, September 19th for our class meeting the next day.

Homecoming 2023

Homecoming at Creston High School is on Friday, September 22nd. This is a Spirit Day. Students can pay $1 to wear sweats, hat, and/or sunglasses. Students are encouraged to wear their Creston Panther gear. This year the entire STM student body will be going to     for the pep rally. Two former St. Malachy students are nominated for Homecoming queen. There is a 3 hour early dismissal due to the parade.

Important Dates

Tuesday, September 19th-Name Interview Forms Due Back

Thursday, September 21st-PTO Meeting

Friday, September 22nd-Spirit Day $1 (Homecoming)

Friday, September 22nd-3 Hour Early Out

Friday, October 6th-Spirit Day $1

9/7/23

 Burg's Buzz

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

9/7/23

Science

The class continues to learn about the engineering process.

Math

3rd grade continues to learn strategies when multiplying. Students learned how to use arrays and properties to understand multiplication. Students made arrays using Skittles, then students wrote matching repeated addition problems and multiplication equations.

Reading/Language Arts

As the class continues in Module 1 learning about characters, this week students read Judy Moody, Mood Martian and Stink and the Freaky Frog Freakout both by Megan McDonald. Students used context clues to understand vocabulary words. Another vocabulary skill was using the prefix of un-. The reading skills covered monitoring and clarifying, figurative language, and a review of setting, characters, and plot. This week's spelling words were long vowel words that followed the VCe pattern.

We will not finish with week 2 of module 1 this week due to only a 4 day school week. We will finish next week. The spelling post test will still be on Friday.

     

Fast Testing

Students will be assessed during the week of September 11th.  The students will be tested in both reading and math. During the afternoons of the 12th and 14th, the third grade class will have a substitute teacher. I will be pulling students out to test students individually.

Upcoming Dates

Friday, September 7th-Spirit Day $1 (Cy/Hawk Gear)

Friday, September 22nd-Spirit Day $1 (Panther Gear)

Friday, September 22nd-3 Hour Early Dismissal (Homecoming)

I hope your family is able to watch the Iowa Hawkeyes vs Iowa State Cyclones football game this weekend! I will be cheering loud and proud for the Hawks!

8/31/23

 Burg's Buzz

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

8/31/23

I hope this finds your child adjusting to the 3rd grade school schedule, using the assignment book, and enjoying being back with their friends at school. Please let me know if you have any questions. I am here to help. I am enjoying getting to know each child in the class.

Social Contract

A social contract has been developed for the students and teachers in third, fourth, and fifth grade. These are the rules that everyone is expected to follow when in the classroom, at recess, in specials, and in the lunchroom. All of the students signed their names agreeing to follow this contract. A copy has been sent home, so that students can be reminded about the expectations.

Reading/Language Arts

This year STM is using a new reading series called Into Reading. We chose this series for a variety of reasons. It closely follows the LETRs training reading teachers have learned about in professional development. It encompasses essential skills needed to be a good reader such as vocabulary, comprehension, decoding, spelling, fluency, listening, speaking, grammar, and writing.

The first module will be focusing on understanding characters. The focus story this week was Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match by Monica Brown. Skills covered point of view, making and confirming predictions, and theme. Spelling and decoding focused on short vowels. Students also started the process of writing a personal narrative.

Math

The first topic the third grade students will be covering is multiplication. Students have related multiplication to repeated addition. Another strategy used was using a number line to skip count.  

Science

The third grade students are learning about the engineering process. Students have learned about criteria/constraints and defining a problem.

 Book Orders

Placing a Scholastic book order will be online this school year. This is a great way to purchase books for your child at reasonable prices. A note has been included in the take home with all of the information that is needed.

Spirit Days

On the Fridays of Spirit Days, students can wear sweats for $1. Since the weather is still warm, instead of wearing sweats students can wear a hat and/or sunglasses (these will only be worn outside).

Important Dates

Friday, September 1st-Spirit Day $1

Friday, September 1st-3 Hour Early Dismissal 

Monday, September 4th-NO SCHOOL (Labor Day)

Wednesday, September 6th-Welcome Back Picnic 5 PM

Friday, September 8th-Spirit Day $1 (Cy/Hawk Dress Up Day)

 First Day of School

5/25/23

Burg's Buzz

nburg@crestonstmalachy.org

5/25/23

Friday, May 26th Schedule

8:30-9:00-Silly String (Lap-A-Thon Reward)

9:00-? Field Day (Parents are welcome to attend)

12:00 8th Grade Clap Out

12:10-Dismissal

Publishing Party

Thank you to everyone who attended the publishing party for the class book "Third Grade is Terrific."

Spring Music Program

Wonderful School Year

Thank you for a great school year! I have truly enjoyed getting to know each of the students. I have watched each child make academic and behavioral improvements. I hope that all families have a wonderful summer break.  This will be my first summer without any children living at home. I will be working a few hours a week at The Learning Center, cleaning out closets, reading lots of books, and enjoying time outside playing golf. 

A few things students can do over summer break included reading, reading, reading.  Also, students can continue to practice the basic math facts. Lastly, have students practice their cursive handwriting. Students have learned all of the lowercase and uppercase letters. Most importantly, I hope everyone has fun!