Newsletters

This week was Vocation Awareness Week and we had several guest speakers. We are so incredibly lucky to have a variety of men and women who came and shared their faith journeys and answered so many amazing questions. We also had a wonderful field trip and I’m so grateful for all the parents who were able to make this possible for us. Thank you for driving and chaperoning!

Book Reports – Students have selected and approved their November book with me. They should be reading this at home every night. Their report this month is a friendly letter and directions will come home on Friday, November 15th.

Immigration Day -It’s coming! The big day is Friday, November 15th. You may want to start looking for clothing items your child can wear and a suitcase and/or bag they can carry their items.

Grandparents Day -Please invite all your grandparents and grandfriends to our special day on Friday, November 22nd. Our class is lucky to prepare this Mass and all classes this year will be performing that morning. Coffee and light breakfast items are available at 8:15 and the presentation begins at 8:30.

Conferences -You should have received the sign up for parent teacher conferences this week. I opened days prior to the week in hopes to accommodate families that might be traveling and give a larger variety. ALL families should schedule a conference.

Academics

Literacy – This week we read a story about King Midas, focusing on the plot, moral, motivation, and character traits. In grammar the students learned about adverbs and were able to identify them in the story. For writing we read a beautiful compilation of poems written by kids about their “Best Part.” Third graders identified their best part and then wrote a poem. They are turning out just beautiful!

Math– We are heavy into memorizing facts and I can’t stress enough the importance of practicing every single night. This only takes two minutes, yet it helps incredibly! Mrs. Young taught them 3’s, 6’s, and 7’s this week. Next week will look into the distributive property, which can be challenging.

Social Studies– The students are meeting in their groups now, establishing their realistic stories, and learning how to work collaboratively as they prepare for the big day. Please set aside time to look for clothes and the suitcase, as mentioned above. I do have extra items if needed.

Music -This week in music class we are performing our composed rhythms on chosen instruments, and learning a partner circle dance song called Old Brass Wagon

Spanish -We wrote sentences about describing the color and number of classroom materials in the Spanish room.

What a week! I don’t know if we could have packed in any more events. We had ‘Dino Day’, Halloween and All Saints Day back to back. The kids also created monsters for a persuasive writing essay. The week was definitely packed with fun and learning!

Here is a break down of the different subjects:

Spelling: Students are getting used to the new way of doing spelling tests. The process of logging onto the computer and taking the pretest/test is becoming more streamlined and easier. The computer gives us great feedback as to where the students may be struggling. It has been a great way to differentiate the word lists and tailor to each student’s specific need. Please continue to support them at home with spelling sentences, a spelling work sheet and ABC order.

Math: We continue to work on our multiplication facts. The students have an opportunity most days to further their growth in understanding and memorizing these facts, by doing a timed quiz. This week we have been learning our X5 and X10 multiplication facts. We discuss the different ways in finding the answer, such as skip counting, a number line and equal groups.

Literacy: We have begun our new benchmark reading with two of Aesop’s Fables. We have discussed inferences, rising action, climax and resolution of stories. We have also discussed, ‘The Moral of a Story’, and how that applies to human behavior. For literacy the students have also been sharing their October book reports during lunch. The pumpkins they have created have been amazing. I have loved seeing their creativity!

Writing: The students worked on a persuasive writing essay after reading the cute book, ‘How I Met my Monster’. Each student needed to persuade the character Ethan, how their specific monster was the best and scariest monster. The kids loved making a representation of their monster with play-dough, pipe cleaners, googly eyes, pom poms and toothpicks.

Social Studies: Immigration families were formed and handed out this week. The kids had a blast with this. My watch went off warning me the environment was too loud, when I was reading off the names of the created families. So many laughs and screams! The students are writing a narrative of what brought them to America, what they will do for work, how much money they have and other questions. The families have to all have the same story, cooperating and writing the narrative together. We’ve also had several of the students share about their ancestors who have immigrated to the United States. Thank you for all of those that have participated. This has been a highlight and the kids love sharing about their ancestors. Students are still welcome to share with pictures and stories.

Science: We took a fossil test this week. The scores were high! The students have loved this unit. ‘Dino Day’ was a wrap up of all that we have learned, being able to dig for fossils, measure fossils, write about facts they have read about fossils and being able to create their own dinosaur. We had two special dinosaur guests who came in dinosaur costumes, one of which is my own little kindergartner. Mrs. Sebens was the other dinosaur pictured. She read a dinosaur story to the kids.

Religion: The students have each chosen a saint to research and write about. They are learning to extract facts from a resource and write those facts down. 3rd graders are then taking those written facts and typing them into a slide presentation, learning how to create slides, add pictures and use other tools in making their slide.

Other:

Field Trip: Tuesday is our field trip up to Lynden. This will be a regular uniform day.

Book Reports: October book reports have been going really well. They are learning to present to an audience and how to be a respectful listener. The students are now looking for their November book to write about and present on.

Veteran’s Day Prayer Service: 8:15 am next Thursday. Please come to support and appreciate friends and family of veterans.

Our Halloween party was a great success, a big thank you to all of the parents who made that possible! 🙂

Have a wonderful weekend!

It was a great week packed with learning here in third grade! We wrapped up this week with two special guest speakers, guiding us into our service learning project. The students learned about the homeless, services provided in our city, and will be making sandwiches with the help of Mrs. C, Haldan’s grandma. The most important thing they learned today was to assume the best in everyone and how Jesus taught us to help others, feeding the hungry. They may have questions for you, but it was beautifully done at their level.

Spelling Tests – Your child’s spelling test results will come home every Friday in their Friday Folders and are small strips of paper. I wanted to let you know in case you don’t see a full sheet of paper or if they get tucked in with another paper. There are three different lists and we are adjusting to how to do this the best way. The class is practicing where to find the “quests” (assignments) and it should be easier next week to find their homework.

MULTIPLICATION – Each student is expected to be practicing their multiplication facts EVERY night. They will be using a laminated sheet and a special vis-a-vis marker. Please set a timer for them for 2 minutes and they will doing as many as they can in those 2 minutes. As always, the goal is for improvement. They are expected to wash these every evening and bring them clean and ready the next day. It is very important they come ready to go every morning with a clean sheet, showing they have practiced and ready for our class routine. This week we looked at 2’s and 4’s so please have them start there.

Book Reports -Character Pumpkins AND the written summary sheet are due on Monday and we will share them all week.

Halloween and All Saints Day -Halloween is orange and black free dress. On Friday the students are invited to dress as a saint and wear the costume all day. This is an option and not requirement, but it’s so great to see the Saints marching in! If they want to dress up it can be any saint, not only the saint they are researching. I have extra costumes at home as well if you would like.

Immigration Unit -We are well into our immigration studies in the classroom and we would love to invite any parents or family members who have immigration stories come and share with us. There is nothing like learning first hand! Please reach out to us so we can schedule a good time.

Academics

Literacy -This week we learned adjectives and the new skill of inferencing. Students read the nonfiction book, Ellis Island, looking at features of a nonfiction text and preparing for Immigration Day. In writing each student wrote a paragraph for the VFW essay contest, reflecting on the question, “How do you treat our veterans?”

Math -We are breaking out our multiplication facts, reviewing strategies, and starting the memorization. This week we learned 2’s and 4’s. Please practice at home now (see above).

Science -Paleontologists participated in a fun lesson through Generation Genius this week. We made cast fossils together with clay and plaster and then made observations and claims based on evidence from the fossil.

Social Studies -Historians dove deep into Ellis Island and Immigration this week. It was fun to hear personal stories from the students who wanted to share about their own family history. The invitation is still open for any parent/family member who might want to share as well!

Music -This week in music class we are composing a 16 beat rhythm and playing it in rondo form with the song Shake the Papaya. 

Library -We read The Runaway Pumpkin together in class.  We worked on our typing and talked about passwords.  In our discussion we talked about who you might share a password with and who you should not share this with. 

Another week has flown by! It was a big week with a super fun ‘Williams Bakery’ activity, the students finished their ‘Barefoot Island’ map (luckily, it wasn’t too stinky with all of those bare feet being traced!), watched the ‘Holy Hoops’ games and started our immigration unit. Here is a more detailed description of the last week below:

Academics

Spelling: We tried a new way of doing spelling words, to ensure we are meeting the needs of all the students. Based on how the students do on the spelling pre-test, a spelling test tailored to their level is given to them. This allows us to challenge students where needed, give extra support and have our regular spelling test for those who are at level. Please continue to make sure your kids are doing their spelling homework at home. 

Social Studies: The students finished their ‘Barefoot Island’ maps. They loved being able to remove their shoes and socks, drawing a fictional island to show their understanding of making a legend/key, symbols within the key, a compass rose and directions. 

We introduced our Immigration unit, discussing how the United States is a conglomerate of rich culture, diversity and history. We read ‘Molly’s Pilgrim’ and a well articulated/beautifully pictured book titled, ‘We are a Garden’, discussing the different kinds of immigrants who have traveled to the United States, along with the reasons for doing so (push & pull factors). The students have been excited to share about their own family ancestry and where their roots have come from. 

I would love for the students to bring in any pictures/and or stories of family members who have immigrated to the United States and then share those stories/pictures with the rest of the class. It deepens the connections we are making on this subject, ties students to their family lines/ancestry, and allows the children to embrace one another’s heritage, connecting in an engaging way with their classmates, celebrating one another’s diversity. 

Literacy: We finished our Animal Adaptations booklets and took our unit 1 test. Though the chapters are long, we learned so much about penguins, camels, poison dart frogs, salamanders, and several other animals in this unit. We have learned how to compare and contrast, introduced the concept of inference, main idea and understanding the setting in books.

Reading/Book Reports -Please see the written outline and directions in your child’s Friday Folder this evening. Examples are posted on Seesaw of the pumpkin, so please check there. This is BOTH the pumpkin (character) and the summary sheet. I’ll have extra pumpkins available for families who may find this a hardship, so please reach out or let your child know to ask me. This is a fun one and the students love to share and view each other’s creativity! Use pipe cleaners, googly eyes, yarn, cardstock, anything you can find to create the character. These will be DUE MONDAY, OCTOBER 28th.

Religion: Some of the students were able to participate in Mass today, by reading prayers for all the congregation to hear. We had several who wanted to participate. Each of them did such a great job reading in front of everyone. I’m always impressed at how willing the students are to participate and the confidence they have. This week we also discussed a variety of Saints, with the students each choosing one to research for an upcoming writing activity. We also discussed 3 virtues: Faith, hope and charity. 

Math: Mrs. Williams had her traditional ‘Williams Bakery’, a fun and interactive way to learn about arrays. We are setting the foundation for learning multiplication and arrays are a big part of those building blocks. Eating cupcakes and arranging candy on the frosting into an array was a great way to learn while having fun! The kids really loved this activity. We also introduced the commutative property of multiplication this week, with Friday finishing off a review of all of the many ways to consider multiplication, such as repeated addition, equal groups, the number line and arrays.

Spanish -Each student created their own “mochila” (backpack) and filled it with classroom supplies labeled in Spanish. 

We had a short, yet packed week here in third grade. We are getting in our grove and Mrs. Young is taking over and teaching more, which is wonderful! I hope you all have a wonderful three day weekend and enjoy this beautiful fall sunshine!

Veteran’s Day Permission Slip -Please SIGN the permission slip for the VFW essay in your child’s Friday Folders. We will be doing this in class, I simply need your signature to submit the writings. One of my students has one the past three years, which is amazing and I’d love to continue this tradition.

Book Report -Students should be in the midst of reading their books for October. Their report this month involves a pumpkin, so I wanted to give you plenty of heads up. A fake pumpkin is a perfect alternative and will work as well. Directions will come home on Friday, October 18th.

Academics:

Literacy -This week students learned about a variety of animal coverings, used the skill of asking questions and comparing and contrasting. In addition, they wrote the answers to text dependent questions and are getting better at writing PQPA (Part Question, Part Answer).

Math -Our lessons this week covered repeated addition, relation to multiplication, and using a number line to skip count. We’ve realized these visuals are very helpful to many of the students. We will keep working on these background skills to build the foundations of multiplication next week with arrays.

Religion -We completed our unit on our relationship with God, reviewed Bible hunting, and will start talking about virtues, as well as SAINTS next week! All students will be selecting a saint to gather information and complete a PowerPoint report on!

Social Studies -This week we solidified our. knowledge on oceans and continents and will be taking the test on Monday. Labeling the continents and oceans on a “globe” (aka balloon) was a fun way to put it together. It’s harder than you think!

Science -We are working our way through a lesson on how we know what dinosaurs looked like through Mystery Science. We looked at traits and classified different bones.

Art -Inspired by It’s Fall! by Renée Kurilla, students will create a self-portrait using line drawing and wax-resist techniques with crayon and watercolor. They will add 3D leaves to explore depth and texture, celebrating the changing seasons. 

Music -This week in music class we are discussing improvisation and musical form, and learning about rondo with the song Shake the Papaya. 

Happy Friday, the first one of October! This is Mrs. Young, the student teacher for Mrs. William’s 3rd grade class. Bev and I will be taking turns sending out the newsletter for the next couple of months.

I’m excited to tell you all of the great things we have been learning about! Below is a brief overview:

Grammar: We have been going over verb tenses, past, present and future.

Writing: The students have been writing their final version of their ‘Alpha-hawk’ paragraph. We have enjoyed reading and learning about their heroes. I love how focusing on those people who have been kind, self-less, and persevered through hard things have motivated the students to be like them and want to do the same.

Reading: Students have been sharing their book reports. It’s been neat to see the confidence in many of the students of getting up in front of their peers and presenting.

Math: We have reviewed rounding, learned about estimates, compatible numbers, bar models and number lines for addition and subtraction. We are setting the foundation for multiplication, which will be coming right around the corner.

Social Studies: Reviewing the oceans and learning about the continents has been a highlight. The kids love singing along to the oceans and continents song. They have been learning how to label the 5 oceans and 7 continents on a map.

Science: The students had an activity centered around our fossil unit. There will be a few more activities on fossils next week, before we finish out the unit.

Religion: We have been talking about Saint Francis Assisi this last week. A lot of the students participated in bringing their animals in to be blessed this last Wednesday, it was great to see the enthusiasm and meet so many of their furry friends. We have also been talking about ‘The Circle of Grace’ program, which helps kids to understand the value of positive relationships with God and others within their safe circle. Boundaries and a course of action was discussed, if those boundaries are or have been violated.

Spelling: Spelling has once again resumed this last week, it’s been a bit tough getting back into the habit of completing spelling homework. Please help your kids in making this happen. There will be spelling homework involving sentences and ABC order every week.

Specialties:

Spanish: We searched the classroom for vocabulary words. Then, we played games to practice classroom vocabulary.

Library: This week we discussed our “rings of responsibility”. What we do online can affect not only ourselves, but our community and even the world at large.  We also practiced our typing skills.  https://acschool.edclub.com

Other items of note:

*We connected with our buddies in fifth grade today and finished our leaf colored project with oil pastels.

*Gavin was celebrated this last week for his birthday. A cute shot was captured of several students giving him a big birthday hug. Have a blessed weekend!

Happy Friday! The students were excited to finally finish all four of their MAP tests, and they worked so hard. Hooray! Next week we will be back to regular routines, with nightly homework and class time.

Please remember:

Monday- Spelling Sentences, Math, Read for 20 Minutes

Tuesday -Spelling Page, Math, Read for 20 Minutes

Wednesday -Grammar/Language, Math, Read for 20 Minutes

Thursday -ABC Order, Math, Read for 20 Minutes

Animal Blessing -Next Wednesday, we will be having our annual Saint Francis Animal Blessing. Students can bring their pets to the traffic loop first thing for a short prayer service. Please remember the loop will be closed for drop off that morning so plan accordingly.

Book Report- All book reports are due on Monday, September 30th. Please remind the students they are to be colored, complete, and to have their books with them when they present.

Circle of Grace -Next week we will be talking about safe people in our lives to go to when we are struggling or have a problem. They will be asking you for three names and phone numbers. The other part of this talks about people they can trust who are in their “Circle of Grace.”

Flashlight Friday, Leveling Up, and Reading Groups

ACADEMICS:

Literacy – We read a passage about Animal Adaptation, focusing on camouflage. Students learned the skill of asking questions, and using context clues to figure out the meaning of a word. In writing they are moving through the writing process with the four square, writing about their Alphahawk. In grammar we reviewed nouns and are learning about abstract and concrete nouns.

Math -Mathematicians reviewed rounding and learned compatible numbers, along with strategies to break apart numbers. Next week we will bring this to subtraction.

Religion -Students have been learning about being in communion with God. In Second Step they talked about problem solving to strengthen their networks of new skills they are learning.

Social Studies – Geographers continued with their map skills and mastered the five oceans and their locations.

Science -Students are continuing their studies as paleontologists. They did an activity on Seesaw classifying land and ocean fossils.

Spanish – Students labeled the classroom with vocabulary words, and then played an eye-spy game to find all the classroom items on a list.

We enjoyed a special church tour with Father Moore today. He ended with a fun name game.

Happy Friday! Third graders worked hard this week with their MAP testing. We finished the Reading and Math portions, so next week should feel lighter with Science and Language.

We ended the day with a very exciting celebration, earning our 100th starrie! Barely squeaking by with a win against the fourth grade class, students have now unlocked the Super Improver and we are all so happy ;). I hope to see many of you Saturday for the Harvest Festival festivities.

Book Reports – Please find the paper for the September book report in your child’s Friday Folder today. These will be DUE on Monday, September 30th and we will share them orally that week. Please make sure your child has his/her book with them.

MAP Testing – Two down, two to go! Yes, no homework while we are testing so we will get back to those routines the week of the 23rd.

SAVE THE DATE: November 15th -Immigration Day! More information to come but we need parent volunteers to make this day happen.

Alphahawks -We learned this term today; people who live for others. Students talked about a variety of people in their lives they look up to, people who think of others first and are role models. I asked the students to bring in a photo of their personal alphahawk for our wall. You can also email me a picture. Ideas: Grandma, uncle, Saint Theresa, Cesar Chavez, Jesus, saints, parents, etc.

Academics:

Literacy -Third graders practiced their cursive names and completed a creative cursive bug. In addition, they published their persuasive paragraphs after completing the writing process. You should be able to see their four square and how that equates to a well written paragraph.

Math -This week in our minimal math time, due to testing, we revisited the difficult concept of rounding. We will put this into practice next week as we look at adding larger numbers.

Religion -Students learned how to read Bible verses, worked with a partner, and went on a Bible Hunt finding different verses, including our school theme.

Social Studies -We begin the year with map skills so we’ve covered the compass rose and will learn the oceans next.

Science -Third grade paleontologists dove into different types of fossils and completed a fun hands on trace fossil activity. We also did a STEM activity, where students worked collaboratively for International Dot Day, celebrating creativity.

Library -We discussed the importance of learning to type: skills that make us good typers, and expectations on how to practice good typing.  We began our first lessons via:  acschool.edclub.com. Feel free to log in and practice at home as well (no looking at the keyboard).  :

Spanish -We reviewed numbers by counting school supplies. Now, students are creating signs to label the classroom materials in Spanish.

PE -This week in PE, students learned about the 5 components of fitness specifically cardiovascular endurance and muscular strength.  They participated in the fall Fitnessgram Pacer and Curl-up test.  They learned about setting realistic and specific goals. 

Welcome to the end of the very first week of third grade! It was great to get a full week of learning underway and so many third grade routines solidified. It was so nice to meet many of you and see you on Wednesday for Curriculum Night as well.

Rounding in Math

*Seesaw -Where you able to get the app and logged into the “Student” account? Please let me know if you need assistance or another code. Also, send them to grandma’s, uncles, whomever would like to see your beautiful children and all they are doing in third grade.

*Homework -We are building our third grade routines. Please remember that EVERY night your child will have 2 pieces of homework and they should be returned the next day. They should be spending no more than 45 minutes, and a signature on the paper or agenda will excuse them if he/she is spending more than that. Check your Friday folders for items that were not turned in.

MAP Testing Next Week -Please know there will be no homework next week due to MAP testing. I ask the students to rest and eat a good breakfast and for you to please refrain from making appointments during school hours for the next two weeks (T and TH). I really appreciate that!

Academics–

Literacy -Students discussed author’s purpose with the acronym PIE (Persuade, Inform, Entertain). In addition, we discussed making connections to their reading and began their first writing paragraph. Each child choose a topic to write a persuasive paragraph using the four square writing model. We will work through the writing process with this assignment.

Math -After reviewing place value, we dove into rounding this week. This is a hard concept for some students, so we spent an extra day practicing and ended with a fun review of the concept today.

Religion -This week we wrapped up our Mass responses, watched Brother Francis on Formed.org and then began a quick mini unit on the Bible. In Second Step this week we learned about the brain and building networks when we learn something new.

Social Studies – We will be starting with a map skills unit and this week we learned about Cardinal and Intermediate Directions on a compass rose.

Science – Third graders dove into the fossil unit with an exploration of what a fossil is and what it is not. The did a fossil “dig” through Mystery Science.

Art– Mother’s Helper Drawing -Students will create a balanced composition of a child and mother figures with black pastel inspired by Diego Rivera’s painting.

PE -This week in PE we learned the Conflict Corner, Good Sports Code and what a strike is.  We played 4 school using “Old School Rules” then added in various rules like cherry bomb, around the world, war, bubbles and double bounce. 

Music -This week in music, students are singing and moving to music (Plainsies Clapsies), reading rhythms and solfa notes, and passing a beanbag to steady beat. 

Library -We read the Little White Dog.  During the school year the kids will be re-creating this book to become an author themselves.  We worked on our covers and first page.  Students that brought books back also had the opportunity to check out new books.

MAP Testing – Tuesday and Thursday for the next two weeks. No Homework

Harvest Festival -September 21st

Happy Friday! It was a short, yet packed week as we continued to get to know each other and our classroom expectations. We’ve worked on building our “classroom family,” which I will refer to all year. This is an incredibly sweet group and I’m so excited for the year to come.

Wednesday is Curriculum Night and I’m looking forward to meeting you all and sharing about this great year to come. Please be in the gym at 6pm. There will be three sessions in the classrooms to ensure families with multiple children can hear all presentations and these will begin at 6:30.

Friday Folders -Please locate the folder in your child’s backpack. These will be coming home every week. Please look over the work (minimal this week), your child’s goal, and look for missing work. Reports will be sent home every week. Sign the parent page and send back with your child on Monday. Thank you!

Headphones -Many students still do not have headphones. Please make sure your send your child to school next week with headphones, which were on the supply list. If this is a hardship, please let me know.

Book Reports – Each month the students will have a book report. At the beginning of the month they will get a book (at their reading level) approved with me and then spend the month reading it. They will receive the actual book report assignment mid-month and then present them to the class the last week of the month. Students should have a book to show me by Monday, September 9th.

ACADEMICS:

Literacy – Students have learned how to log into various sites on their Chromebook’s and even typed their sentences for an art project this week. We began spelling this week with some review words with short a and short i. Next week we will begin cursive, and build the foundations before beginning our reading groups, centers, and routines.

Religion –This week we are building our classroom community and going to be starting with a brief unit on the Mass. We will get a clear understanding of the four parts, the mass responses, and what each part means. You are always welcome to join us on Fridays at 8:15. Students may sit with you.

Math –This week we completed our beginning of the year assessment and began reviewing and solidifying our understanding of place value before we dive into rounding next week. Begin looking for consistent math homework every night.

Social Studies – We have not dove into our first unit yet, but will be exploring maps, regions, directions, continents, and oceans first.

Science -We’ve completed two STEM activities, which involve how to work together, solve a problem, and learn the cycle. They’ve “Saved Fred” and created their dream school with a floor plan, straws, and tape.

PE- This week in PE students learned rules and procedures.  They worked on teamwork and cooperation while playing a game called “Crazy Card Challenge” and “Hula Hut Relays”.

Art – Students learned about who the Mona Lisa was and then drew self-portraits using correct proportions and space. We also discussed how they can earn a glowing art party at the end of the school year.

*Curriculum Night -Please plan on at least one parent attending this Wednesday at 6:00 pm. We will begin in the gym at 6pm.

*Map Testing Begins September 16th. Please do not make appointments during school hours for that week.

*Harvest Festival -Saturday, September 21st! Don’t miss this!