Month: October 2026

Happy Friday! We had a wonderful week in third grade and the students worked so hard, which meant extra math game time this afternoon. They completed the writing process for TWO pieces of writing, and ended the week with two tests. Halloween is coming and I know the excitement is building! We are lucky to have a team of AMAZING room moms who are planning a half All Saints Day, half Halloween party this Friday. I can’t wait! Next Wednesday is Orange and Black Day, along with the pumpkin carving contest.

Book Reports – All pumpkins and written summaries are due on Monday, October 26th. Please let me know if you need extra time, that is completely fine as we will be sharing these throughout the week. I can’t wait!

Field Trips -We have two upcoming field trips, that the students are really excited for! Next Thursday we are heading to WWU to get a tour by a grad student of the amazing science building and all the fossils. The following Tuesday is our yearly Farm Circle up in Lynden that is just for third graders, which is really informative. PLEASE DOUBLE CHECK YOUR CALENDARS AND SEE IF YOU CAN DRIVE. Let me know asap, as we want to make these happen!

November Extension Camp -Third graders are invited to participate in November’s Line Dancing after school camp. Dates are November 9, 10, 12, 13th. Should be an incredibly fun time! Sign up here: Extension Camp 2 -Line Dancing November 9, 10, 12, 13 – Fill out form

Academics

Literacy -This week students completed a longer Benchmark assessment on compare and contrast, vocabulary, and main idea. We did reading groups and the students (and teachers) are getting into a good routine. For writing students published their paragraph on their favorite fall activity and wrote a Halloween Story working with the math concept of symmetry, and even started a fun piece on what Mrs. Williams should dress up like on Halloween! These crack me up!

Math -We completed our very first Bridges unit and took the test. I’m quite pleased with the students and love where they are going here. It’s great to see them showing their thinking, talking about, and exploring math in a new way. They did well on the test! We are starting multiplication now, my favorite!

Social Studies -Geographers put their map skills into action creating a balloon globe. They had to correctly label the continents and oceans, while incorporating the equator, compass rose, and norther and southern hemisphere. We also learned the terms longitude and latitude this week.

Science -Paleontologists played a fun game after a short video on fossils. They were able to identify each of the fossils, and write an entry into a journal about finding real fossils, using their imaginations.

Art – Students continued working on their Catrina cats by finishing their designs and decorating the backgrounds with Mexican marigolds. We explored how these flowers are connected to Día de los Muertos and how colors, patterns, and details can make our artwork more meaningful.

PE –This week we practiced our underhand and overhand throws at the Fair Games! Students earned tickets by exercising, then spent them to play at the different stations. Some of the favorites were Pin Knockdown, Cornhole, Bowling, Bucket Bounce, Football Throw, and Angry Frogs. 

Library -This week we read Old Clothes for Dinner.  We talked about different foods we like and idioms as well .  To look at the story or other library activities, check out library page.

So cool! Thank you, Mr. Kizinkewich!

Happy Friday! It was a fun week in third grade, and also with Holy Hoops. It’s one of those weeks where we truly look around and are grateful for our community and all the blessings we have here at Assumption.

We wrapped up the week today by hosting Mass and making flowers for a large rosary for the month of October. I’m so proud of all our readers today and the time and effort they put into learning their passages and bravely reading on the microphone in the gym. They did a beautiful job!

Book Reports -Please look through your child’s Friday Folder tonight. You will find information on their fun October book report. Pumpkins can be real or from foam from the dollar store or craft store. Please reach out to me if you would like me to provide your child with a pumpkin, as I’m happy to do that. Pictures of samples and ideas can be found on Seesaw, but the main thing here is to have FUN! Students will complete a short written paper to accompany their character pumpkin to share about the book he/she read. Book reports are due on October 26th and students will present them throughout that week.

Saint Reports -Next week we will start selecting saints, beginning safe research, and organizing information. If you have an Saint Books at home that your children enjoy, and you are willing to share, please send them in. We will take good care of them. I’d like the students to select a saint that they do not already know a lot about.

Field Trips -We have now TWO upcoming field trips. I’m excited to add a new field trip this year up to WWU science building to tour the fossil exhibit and have found a grad student to share his knowledge with us. We will head up to WWU, have lunch on campus, play a game together (pray we have good weather), and then head into our tour from 1-2 on Thursday, October 29th. We also have our field trip to the fairgrounds on November 3rd at noon. We will need drivers for both of these field trips, so please check your busy calendars. Permission slips will be coming home on Wednesday.

Academics

Literacy -Mrs. Clark and I explored mixing students in reading groups this week and overall it went well. We are working hard to meet the needs of all of our students and it’s so nice to have a partner teacher. Students read a story about animal coverings, explored the concepts of main idea and supporting details, inferences, and the skill of asking questions. Good readers ask questions while they read! Our writing is following the writing process with their favorite fall activity. Our grammar is past, present, and future tense verbs.

Math -We used our geometric shapes on our calendar collector to explore different types of angles. In addition, we are collecting water in milliliters each day, tracking data with liters, and even looking at fractions (250 ml is 1/4 of a liter). We continue to look at addition and subtraction strategies in adding greater numbers.

Social Studies -Geographers worked their way through five stations and are becoming experts! We have two fun projects coming up putting everything together. The first will be a balloon globe! It’s fun to see them work with the challenge of looking at a three dimensional shape and how to space out continents, while labeling hemispheres, equators, continents, oceans, and a compass rose.

Science -This week we made cast fossils!

Religion -This week we completed our chapter on God’s Creation and learned about angles and things that are visible and invisible. Students also spent time preparing for mass. Next week we will dive into our saint research and the process of completing their first powerpoint presentation based on their research.

PE –This week in PE students continued to practice their over hand throw through games called Mat Ball and King Pin.  Both games involved teamwork, strategy and throwing accuracy.  

Music -Continuing Secret Chicken by remembering and notating rhythmic patterns to decode the secret word of the day, Performing our 16-beat rhythm compositions in rondo form, working in small groups and collaborating to create movements for the A section and incorporating individual compositions into the B, C, and D sections.

Art -Students continued working on their Catrina cats by painting bones inside their silhouettes. We learned why bones and joints are important in our bodies and explored how colors and patterns can transform our artwork.

I know it was a short week for the students, but it truly flew by! I don’t know where the time went! I hope you enjoy the extra day with your lovely children tomorrow and I’m grateful for the retreat day the staff will be blessed with at Saint Joseph’s Parish in Ferndale.

Lot’s to celebrate with these students who together unlocked our Super Improver Game this week. Odin was the first to level up and unlock the second level, with more improvements happening with all!

Book Reports -Students should be diving into their October Books. If your child finished his/her book already it is a sign it was too easy. Next month I will be guiding them to challenge themselves more. This month the students will be creating a main character pumpkin and doing a short written summary. Pumpkins can be real or fake, however I would advise not carving them to do the character. Directions will be coming home next week but you may want to start looking for a smallish pumpkin. Each year the students come up with very creative ideas and this class is incredibly artistic, so it should be fun. Examples will be put on Seesaw.

Mass -We will be leading Mass on Friday, October 16th. The tricky part of this is that we are not allowed into the church to practice on the microphone. I usually take the students at least twice, so it’s very important that if your child has a reading part that you are practicing at home. I appreciate your collaborating in helping the students be successful.

100 Book Reading Challenge -We are working together as a class to read one hundred books. Students are asked to post their books on Seesaw and will share them at our morning meeting. Once we get one hundred we will have a read-in, or a fun reading party.

Circle of Grace – Next week we will complete our Circle of Grace lessons, which are Archdiocese Safe Environment safe environment classes. In third grade it focuses on themselves being the ultimate gift from God, the actual Circle of Grace (their circle of safe people), and then follows up with knowing important contact information and safe adults.

Academics

Literacy -We wrapped up the first unit on our reading, with the essential question; “How do living things survive in their environment?” We read stories on various animals, camouflage, and overall animal adaptations. Students worked with the skill of comparing and contrasting, concrete and abstract verbs, and the ability to ask questions based on their reading. In reading groups students explored various animal books. In writing the students published another paragraph and they are working through the writing process with the four square. They are getting more confident with this!

Math -This week students worked with various strategies on adding and subtracting two digit numbers. We looked at friendly numbers, measurement, and various early concepts of multiplication. They played a fun frog hop game and explored repeated addition.

Social Studies -Geographers have learned the compass rose, five oceans and their locations, and are now working on the seven continents and their locations.

Science – Paleontologists are continuing with their fun unit on fossils. We were fossil hunters with an exploration on Mystery Science, and looked at animal traits and made claims on mystery fossils.

Religion -We wrapped up our chapter on the three theological virtues, faith, hope, and charity. It’s hard to tell those three apart. We also looked at self-giving love, along with the feast of Saint Francis. We read a book to learn more about this great saint.

Art -Students will create colorful cat paintings inspired by La Catrina and Día de los Muertos, using patterns, flowers, and decorative details. They will also practice Spanish vocabulary such as gato, flor, cabeza, color, huesos, and pintar.

PE -This week we practiced our overhand throw and catch with a partner, then showed off our skills in two exciting games: Boom City and Hula Hut Knockdown. 

Music -This week in music, we are Reviewing quarter, eighth, and half-note notation by playing Four Corners, Creating 16-beat rhythm compositions to perform on percussion instruments as part of the rondo Shake the Papaya, Developing aural skills through Secret Chicken, listening to and remembering rhythm patterns to decode the secret word of the day