Announcements:
On Wednesday, May 28 the third grade will have swimming altogether. This will be a fun time, so please make sure your child has their swimsuit and towel!
On Thursday those students that have passed their division facts will be having an ice cream party to celebrate their achievement. Only a few more days to reach that goal!
On Friday those students with 150 AR points will be going to get slurpies. Look for a permission slip coming home this week if your child has achieved this goal!
Reading, Spelling, Grammar: There will be no new reading units or spelling lists for the rest of the year!!! This week we will take the Unit 6 test which completes our reading units for the year!
Math: This week we will finish up Chapter 12 (the last chapter in our math book!!) with some problem solving that focuses on measurement and probability. We will do the chapter review in class, and take the Chapter Test on Friday. Look for the math book and study pages coming home on Thursday!
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Monday, May 19, 2014
May 19- 23
Announcements:
We have our last once a month swim on Tuesday, May 20! Make sure you have your swimsuit, towel, and goggles!
The third grade will tie dyeing on Thursday for our trip to the zoo. Your child will need a white T- Shirt to dye, and old clothes in case any dye gets on them. We will rinse the shirts on Friday.
The Hill Air Force Base field trip is Wednesday! We will be leaving at 8:15 and returning between 4:00 abd 4:30. The trip is free, but your child will need to pack a sack lunch from home.
Reading: This week is our last reading unit for the year! The main story will be "Elena's Serenade". We will be focusing on generalizing and predicting to better understand what we read.
Grammar: Our last grammar unit will be about quotations. By the end of the week we will be able to determine if a quote is written correctly in a text, as well as add quotations to our own writing correctly.
Spelling:
cloth
clothes
nature
natural
able
ability
mean
meant
deal
dealt
please
pleasant
sign
signal
signature
equal
equation
equator
major
majority
Vocabulary:
burro
bursts
factory
puff
reply
tune
serenade
shriek
discouraged
instruments
mellow
Math: This week in math we will focus on probability, including describing the chances of an event occurring, determining whether events are fair or unfair, and looking at probability in actual events as fractions.
We have our last once a month swim on Tuesday, May 20! Make sure you have your swimsuit, towel, and goggles!
The third grade will tie dyeing on Thursday for our trip to the zoo. Your child will need a white T- Shirt to dye, and old clothes in case any dye gets on them. We will rinse the shirts on Friday.
The Hill Air Force Base field trip is Wednesday! We will be leaving at 8:15 and returning between 4:00 abd 4:30. The trip is free, but your child will need to pack a sack lunch from home.
Reading: This week is our last reading unit for the year! The main story will be "Elena's Serenade". We will be focusing on generalizing and predicting to better understand what we read.
Grammar: Our last grammar unit will be about quotations. By the end of the week we will be able to determine if a quote is written correctly in a text, as well as add quotations to our own writing correctly.
Spelling:
cloth
clothes
nature
natural
able
ability
mean
meant
deal
dealt
please
pleasant
sign
signal
signature
equal
equation
equator
major
majority
Vocabulary:
burro
bursts
factory
puff
reply
tune
serenade
shriek
discouraged
instruments
mellow
Math: This week in math we will focus on probability, including describing the chances of an event occurring, determining whether events are fair or unfair, and looking at probability in actual events as fractions.
Friday, May 9, 2014
May 12- 16
Announcements:
The 4th grade Yellowstone meeting is on Monday at 6: 30 PM. Please have all the paperwork filled out and with you at the meeting, including the interest in chaperoning form if you wish to attend the trip.
On Wednesday the 3rd grade will be going the nursing home from 1-2 to present a short musical on Jazz. If you wish to come watch your child perform, you are more than welcome!
On Thursday the 3rd grade will participate in the Bike Rodeo at 1:30. In order to participate your child needs to be wearing a helmet!
Reading:
This week's story will be 'Two Bad Ants'. We will be focusing on determining the plot and theme of a text to better understand what we read.
Grammar: This week in grammar we will be learning about and practicing comma placement. We will work on editing sentences that have incorrect comma placement, and well as using commas correcting in our own writing.
Spelling:
leadership
gracefully
refreshment
uncomfortable
overdoing
remarkable
carefully
unbearably
ownership
unacceptable
impossible
reappeared
unprepared
oncoming
misbehaving
outrageous
incomprehensible
undoubtedly
independence
disadvantage
Vocabulary:
crystal
disappeared
discovery
goal
journey
joyful
scoop
unaware
Math:
This week in math we will continue working with different units of measurement. We will look at units of weight and converting between different units including pounds, grams, and kilograms. We will also be practicing measuring temperature.
The 4th grade Yellowstone meeting is on Monday at 6: 30 PM. Please have all the paperwork filled out and with you at the meeting, including the interest in chaperoning form if you wish to attend the trip.
On Wednesday the 3rd grade will be going the nursing home from 1-2 to present a short musical on Jazz. If you wish to come watch your child perform, you are more than welcome!
On Thursday the 3rd grade will participate in the Bike Rodeo at 1:30. In order to participate your child needs to be wearing a helmet!
Reading:
This week's story will be 'Two Bad Ants'. We will be focusing on determining the plot and theme of a text to better understand what we read.
Grammar: This week in grammar we will be learning about and practicing comma placement. We will work on editing sentences that have incorrect comma placement, and well as using commas correcting in our own writing.
Spelling:
leadership
gracefully
refreshment
uncomfortable
overdoing
remarkable
carefully
unbearably
ownership
unacceptable
impossible
reappeared
unprepared
oncoming
misbehaving
outrageous
incomprehensible
undoubtedly
independence
disadvantage
Vocabulary:
crystal
disappeared
discovery
goal
journey
joyful
scoop
unaware
Math:
This week in math we will continue working with different units of measurement. We will look at units of weight and converting between different units including pounds, grams, and kilograms. We will also be practicing measuring temperature.
Sunday, May 4, 2014
May 5- 6
Announcements:
The third grade will be traveling to the Clark Planetarium on Tuesday! We will be leaving the school at 7:30, and will return at 4:00.
The reading rodeo is coming up soon! Please make sure your child is reading at home and doing their best to progress toward that 200 point goal so that they may compete in as many events as possible!
Reading: This week's story will be "Talking Walls". Our main focus will be determining what is a fact and what is an opinion in a text to better understand what we read.
Grammar: We will be working on combining sentences in grammar this week to improve our writing. Our goals will be to combine sentences using comma's and conjunctions correctly, and to determine whether sentences have been combined correctly.
Spelling:
question
creature
furniture
division
collision
action
direction
culture
vacation
mansion
fiction
feature
sculpture
vision
celebration
fascination
legislature
manufacture
possession
declaration
Vocabulary:
encourage
expression
local
native
settled
social
support
Math: In math this week will take the Chapter 11 test on Monday. We will begin Chapter 12, which focuses on measurement on Wednesday. This week we will be learning about the units of capacity, and specifically working with mL and L including converting between the two. Chapter 12 is our last math unit for the year! Where has the time gone?!
The third grade will be traveling to the Clark Planetarium on Tuesday! We will be leaving the school at 7:30, and will return at 4:00.
The reading rodeo is coming up soon! Please make sure your child is reading at home and doing their best to progress toward that 200 point goal so that they may compete in as many events as possible!
Reading: This week's story will be "Talking Walls". Our main focus will be determining what is a fact and what is an opinion in a text to better understand what we read.
Grammar: We will be working on combining sentences in grammar this week to improve our writing. Our goals will be to combine sentences using comma's and conjunctions correctly, and to determine whether sentences have been combined correctly.
Spelling:
question
creature
furniture
division
collision
action
direction
culture
vacation
mansion
fiction
feature
sculpture
vision
celebration
fascination
legislature
manufacture
possession
declaration
Vocabulary:
encourage
expression
local
native
settled
social
support
Math: In math this week will take the Chapter 11 test on Monday. We will begin Chapter 12, which focuses on measurement on Wednesday. This week we will be learning about the units of capacity, and specifically working with mL and L including converting between the two. Chapter 12 is our last math unit for the year! Where has the time gone?!
Thursday, May 1, 2014
April 28- May 2
Announcements:
This week is the last week of testing for the year! We will take reading, math, and language MAP tests this week.
Next week we will be going to the Planetarium on Tuesday! Please make sure your child's permission slip and 8$ are turned in. We will be leaving at 7:30 a.m. and returning at 4:00 p.m.
Reading: Our main story this week will be "Mr. Kang". We will be focusing on cause and effect to better understand what we read.
Grammar: The focus in grammar this week will be abbreviations, and well we be working toward properly abbreviating titles, months, days, and names.
Spelling:
above
another
upon
animal
paper
open
family
travel
afraid
nickel
sugar
circus
item
gallon
melon
character
cardinal
Oregon
particular
dinosaur
Math: This week in math we will finish up Chapter 11 with traditional division. We will complete the chapter review, and take the Chapter test on Monday.
This week is the last week of testing for the year! We will take reading, math, and language MAP tests this week.
Next week we will be going to the Planetarium on Tuesday! Please make sure your child's permission slip and 8$ are turned in. We will be leaving at 7:30 a.m. and returning at 4:00 p.m.
Reading: Our main story this week will be "Mr. Kang". We will be focusing on cause and effect to better understand what we read.
Grammar: The focus in grammar this week will be abbreviations, and well we be working toward properly abbreviating titles, months, days, and names.
Spelling:
above
another
upon
animal
paper
open
family
travel
afraid
nickel
sugar
circus
item
gallon
melon
character
cardinal
Oregon
particular
dinosaur
Math: This week in math we will finish up Chapter 11 with traditional division. We will complete the chapter review, and take the Chapter test on Monday.
Thursday, April 17, 2014
April 21- 25
Announcements:
This week we will be taking the SAWS test, which the state writing assessment. My class will take the test Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday in the morning. Please make sure your child is well rested and has a good breakfast!
We have our once a month swim this Thursday.
Reading: The main story this week will be 'The Story of the Statue of Liberty". We will be focusing on main idea and supporting details to better understand what we read.
Grammar: This week in grammar we will be working with capital letters, and identifying words that need capitals in our writing.
Spelling:
few
school
true
goose
fruit
cookie
cushion
noodle
bookmark
balloon
suit
chew
glue
Tuesday
bushel
bamboo
mildew
soothe
barefoot
renewal
Vocabulary:
crown
liberty
models
symbol
tablet
torch
unforgettable
unveiled
pedestal
riveted
sculptor
initials
patriotic
recruiting
Math: This week in math we will finish practicing multi- digit multiplication, and work on using the strategies we have learned to solve word problems. We will then move into division with two and three digit numbers, and begin with the strategy of using objects such as base 10 blocks to divide.
This week we will be taking the SAWS test, which the state writing assessment. My class will take the test Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday in the morning. Please make sure your child is well rested and has a good breakfast!
We have our once a month swim this Thursday.
Reading: The main story this week will be 'The Story of the Statue of Liberty". We will be focusing on main idea and supporting details to better understand what we read.
Grammar: This week in grammar we will be working with capital letters, and identifying words that need capitals in our writing.
Spelling:
few
school
true
goose
fruit
cookie
cushion
noodle
bookmark
balloon
suit
chew
glue
Tuesday
bushel
bamboo
mildew
soothe
barefoot
renewal
Vocabulary:
crown
liberty
models
symbol
tablet
torch
unforgettable
unveiled
pedestal
riveted
sculptor
initials
patriotic
recruiting
Math: This week in math we will finish practicing multi- digit multiplication, and work on using the strategies we have learned to solve word problems. We will then move into division with two and three digit numbers, and begin with the strategy of using objects such as base 10 blocks to divide.
Friday, April 11, 2014
April 14- 18
Announcements:
The fundraising items for Yellowstone will be in on Monday! Please arrange to have them picked up after school.
Friday is a 1:00 release for Easter.
SAWS testing will be next week, April 22- 24.
Reading: This week in reading our main story will be 'Me and Uncle Romie'. We will be focusing on the author's purpose in writing stories (inform, entertain, persuade) to better understand what we are reading.
Grammar: This week we will be focusing on conjunctions, and identifying conjunctions in sentences as well as using them correctly in our own writing.
Spelling:
rocky
foolish
rainy
childhood
selfish
treatment
movement
neighborhood
childish
parenthood
crunchy
bumpy
payment
sleepy
shipment
assignment
livelihood
stylish
environment
guilty
Vocabulary:
cardboard
feast
fierce
flights
pitcher
ruined
stoops
treasure
Math: This week we will continue multiplying with larger numbers, and learning different strategies to multiply larger numbers. We will work on arrays, breaking numbers apart into more manageable problems, and traditional methods for multiplying 2 and 3 digit numbers together.
The fundraising items for Yellowstone will be in on Monday! Please arrange to have them picked up after school.
Friday is a 1:00 release for Easter.
SAWS testing will be next week, April 22- 24.
Reading: This week in reading our main story will be 'Me and Uncle Romie'. We will be focusing on the author's purpose in writing stories (inform, entertain, persuade) to better understand what we are reading.
Grammar: This week we will be focusing on conjunctions, and identifying conjunctions in sentences as well as using them correctly in our own writing.
Spelling:
rocky
foolish
rainy
childhood
selfish
treatment
movement
neighborhood
childish
parenthood
crunchy
bumpy
payment
sleepy
shipment
assignment
livelihood
stylish
environment
guilty
Vocabulary:
cardboard
feast
fierce
flights
pitcher
ruined
stoops
treasure
Math: This week we will continue multiplying with larger numbers, and learning different strategies to multiply larger numbers. We will work on arrays, breaking numbers apart into more manageable problems, and traditional methods for multiplying 2 and 3 digit numbers together.
Friday, March 28, 2014
April 7-11
I hope everyone had a wonderful and relaxing Spring Break! We are now heading into 4th quarter! I can't believe how quickly this year is flying by!
Announcements:
We have set the dates for three 3rd grade field trips! We will be heading to Clark Planetarium May 6th, Hill AFB May 21st and Hogle Zoo June 4th. We will need parent chaperons for all of these field trips. If you would like to spend the day (7:30 am-4:00 pm) with our class, please let me know!
Since it is 4th quarter, all students should be working toward mastering division. If your child is still working on multiplication, please encourage them to study their facts at home. This is also the final quarter to earn AR points for the reading rodeo!
Reading: This week our main story is 'Jalapeno Bagels', and we are making bagels in class on Wednesday! We are focusing on drawing conclusions and summarizing in order to better understand what we are reading.
Grammar: This week our focus is adverbs that compare. Our goal by the end of the week will be to identify comparative adverbs, and use them correctly in our writing.
Spelling:
thought
fought
bought
caught
walk
cough
talk
daughter
ought
sought
brought
trough
chalk
stalk
sidewalk
distraught
afterthought
overwrought
beanstalk
Math: This week in math we will begin multiplying with multi digit numbers, and determining the best strategy to solve multiplication problems. We will also be working on dividing multi digit numbers, and using patterns and estimation to solve and check our answers.
Announcements:
We have set the dates for three 3rd grade field trips! We will be heading to Clark Planetarium May 6th, Hill AFB May 21st and Hogle Zoo June 4th. We will need parent chaperons for all of these field trips. If you would like to spend the day (7:30 am-4:00 pm) with our class, please let me know!
Since it is 4th quarter, all students should be working toward mastering division. If your child is still working on multiplication, please encourage them to study their facts at home. This is also the final quarter to earn AR points for the reading rodeo!
Reading: This week our main story is 'Jalapeno Bagels', and we are making bagels in class on Wednesday! We are focusing on drawing conclusions and summarizing in order to better understand what we are reading.
Grammar: This week our focus is adverbs that compare. Our goal by the end of the week will be to identify comparative adverbs, and use them correctly in our writing.
Spelling:
thought
fought
bought
caught
walk
cough
talk
daughter
ought
sought
brought
trough
chalk
stalk
sidewalk
distraught
afterthought
overwrought
beanstalk
Math: This week in math we will begin multiplying with multi digit numbers, and determining the best strategy to solve multiplication problems. We will also be working on dividing multi digit numbers, and using patterns and estimation to solve and check our answers.
Sunday, March 23, 2014
March 24- 28
Announcements:
Yellowstone fundraising packets are due on Wednesday, March 26! Please make sure your child brings their order forms and payments to school this week, or that you have signed the form acknowledging that you wish to fund the trip out of pocket.
Friday is a 1:00 release due to Spring Break and the end of 3rd Quarter!!!
On Friday the 3rd grade will be going to the movie theatre to watch Epic as their AR goal reward for the quarter! Please ask your child how they are progressing toward meeting their AR goal, as they need to have met this goal in order to attend the trip!
Reading: This week in reading our main story will be 'Goodbye, 382 Shin Dang Dong'. We will be focusing on sequencing stories to better understand what we are reading.
Grammar: Our focus will be adverbs, and our goal for the week will be to identify adverbs in a sentence and to correctly use adverbs to strengthen our writing.
Spelling:
small
almost
always
because
straw
drawn
also
author
false
already
flaw
sausage
applesauce
walnut
lawn
awesome
altogether
awning
faucet
laundry
Math: We will be taking the Chapter 7 test on Monday. All students needed to complete pages 422-425 over the weekend to prepare. We will be finishing Chapter 10 this week as well, and will be taking the Chapter 10 test on Thursday. Please complete pages 606-609 at home to prepare. After this week we will be done doubling up in math, and will return to our regular schedule of math once a day!
Have a wonderful spring break!!
Yellowstone fundraising packets are due on Wednesday, March 26! Please make sure your child brings their order forms and payments to school this week, or that you have signed the form acknowledging that you wish to fund the trip out of pocket.
Friday is a 1:00 release due to Spring Break and the end of 3rd Quarter!!!
On Friday the 3rd grade will be going to the movie theatre to watch Epic as their AR goal reward for the quarter! Please ask your child how they are progressing toward meeting their AR goal, as they need to have met this goal in order to attend the trip!
Reading: This week in reading our main story will be 'Goodbye, 382 Shin Dang Dong'. We will be focusing on sequencing stories to better understand what we are reading.
Grammar: Our focus will be adverbs, and our goal for the week will be to identify adverbs in a sentence and to correctly use adverbs to strengthen our writing.
Spelling:
small
almost
always
because
straw
drawn
also
author
false
already
flaw
sausage
applesauce
walnut
lawn
awesome
altogether
awning
faucet
laundry
Math: We will be taking the Chapter 7 test on Monday. All students needed to complete pages 422-425 over the weekend to prepare. We will be finishing Chapter 10 this week as well, and will be taking the Chapter 10 test on Thursday. Please complete pages 606-609 at home to prepare. After this week we will be done doubling up in math, and will return to our regular schedule of math once a day!
Have a wonderful spring break!!
Sunday, March 16, 2014
March 17- 21
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Announcements:
On Thursday, March 20 we will have our once a month swim. Don't forget your swimsuit and towel!
PAWS testing will continue this week, and we will take the math portion Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 8:30- 10:00. Everyone did an AMAZING job staying focused and trying their hardest through the reading portion, and I was so proud of them!! Please make sure your child is in school those days, well rested, and ready to rock the math section just like they did the reading section!
All 3rd grade students who reach their 3rd quarter AR goal will be going to the movie theatre to watch 'Epic' on Friday, March 28th! Please check in with your child and encourage them to be reading if they haven't quite met their goal so that everyone can join us at the movies! Look for a permission slip coming home Monday!
Reading: This week's story will be 'How My Family Lives in America'. We will be working on determining whether details in a story are fact or opinion to better comprehend what we are reading.
Grammar: This week in grammar we will be learning about adjectives that compare (superlative and comparative adjectives). Our goal is to be able to define superlative and comparative adjectives, as well as find them in a sentence. We will also work on incorporating adjectives that compare in our writing to create better descriptions and paint mental pictures for our audience.
Spelling:
to
too
two
week
weak
our
hour
stair
stare
flour
flower
write
right
new
knew
their
there
they're
weather
whether
As you can tell, the spelling list theme this week is homophones! It would be very beneficial to your child to practice spelling these words correctly in sentences, since the spelling is dependent on meaning.
Math: In math this week we will continue with measurement, practicing measuring with centimeters, decimeters, meters, and kilometers. We will also be working with converting between these units, and focusing on using our knowledge of fractions and tenths/hundredths as a strategy for solving conversion problems.
Announcements:
On Thursday, March 20 we will have our once a month swim. Don't forget your swimsuit and towel!
PAWS testing will continue this week, and we will take the math portion Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 8:30- 10:00. Everyone did an AMAZING job staying focused and trying their hardest through the reading portion, and I was so proud of them!! Please make sure your child is in school those days, well rested, and ready to rock the math section just like they did the reading section!
All 3rd grade students who reach their 3rd quarter AR goal will be going to the movie theatre to watch 'Epic' on Friday, March 28th! Please check in with your child and encourage them to be reading if they haven't quite met their goal so that everyone can join us at the movies! Look for a permission slip coming home Monday!
Reading: This week's story will be 'How My Family Lives in America'. We will be working on determining whether details in a story are fact or opinion to better comprehend what we are reading.
Grammar: This week in grammar we will be learning about adjectives that compare (superlative and comparative adjectives). Our goal is to be able to define superlative and comparative adjectives, as well as find them in a sentence. We will also work on incorporating adjectives that compare in our writing to create better descriptions and paint mental pictures for our audience.
Spelling:
to
too
two
week
weak
our
hour
stair
stare
flour
flower
write
right
new
knew
their
there
they're
weather
whether
As you can tell, the spelling list theme this week is homophones! It would be very beneficial to your child to practice spelling these words correctly in sentences, since the spelling is dependent on meaning.
Math: In math this week we will continue with measurement, practicing measuring with centimeters, decimeters, meters, and kilometers. We will also be working with converting between these units, and focusing on using our knowledge of fractions and tenths/hundredths as a strategy for solving conversion problems.
Friday, March 7, 2014
March 10-14
Announcements:
This week is PAWS testing!!! We will be taking the reading portion of the test Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 8:30- 10:00. We have gone over the importance of these tests in class, but since the 3rd graders are new PAWS please stress to your child the importance of taking their time and trying their hardest.
We will be going to a movie on the 28th to celebrate those who have made their AR goals for 3rd quarter, so please remind your child to keep reading and staying on track with their points!
Reading: This week in reading our main story will be Suki's Kimono. We will be focusing on comparing and contrasting events, characters, and similar stories to better understand what we are reading. We will also be working on making predictions based on details from the story and our own background knowledge.
Grammar: In grammar we will be working on adjectives and articles. Our goal will be to define and identify articles (a, and, the) and adjectives (words that describe nouns). We will also be working on adding these words to our own writing and using them correctly.
Spelling:
create
medium
piano
idea
radio
video
studio
violin
duo
patio
rodeo
pioneer
trio
stadium
audio
audience
radiate
cereal
Creole
recreation
Math: In math this week we will continue working on division- using strategies and patterns to solve division problems with 10, 11, and 12 and introducing dividing when there is a remainder (what a remainder is, and how to find it). We will also begin Chapter 10- naming parts of a whole as tenths and hundredths using fractions and decimals.
Monday, March 3, 2014
March 3- 7
Announcements:
This Wednesday the University of Wyoming Science Posse is coming to our classroom! They will be talking to the students about their research, the importance of math and science, and leading our class in 5 different experiments! It should be a fun day!
Spring school pictures are on Wednesday.
PAWS testing is coming up in the next two weeks. We will do our tests in the morning on 3/11, 3/13, 3/18, and 3/20. Please make sure your child is well rested, has breakfast, and knows the importance of these tests.
Reading: We will not be starting a new reading unit this week, since it is a shortened week. No new spelling words!! Instead we will be focusing on writing, and taking the Unit 4 test.
Math: In math this week we will finish up measurement with measuring feet, yards, and miles, complete our chapter review in class, and take the Chapter 9 test on Thursday. We will also continue working on division, focusing on dividing with 6,7,3, and 9.
This Wednesday the University of Wyoming Science Posse is coming to our classroom! They will be talking to the students about their research, the importance of math and science, and leading our class in 5 different experiments! It should be a fun day!
Spring school pictures are on Wednesday.
PAWS testing is coming up in the next two weeks. We will do our tests in the morning on 3/11, 3/13, 3/18, and 3/20. Please make sure your child is well rested, has breakfast, and knows the importance of these tests.
Reading: We will not be starting a new reading unit this week, since it is a shortened week. No new spelling words!! Instead we will be focusing on writing, and taking the Unit 4 test.
Math: In math this week we will finish up measurement with measuring feet, yards, and miles, complete our chapter review in class, and take the Chapter 9 test on Thursday. We will also continue working on division, focusing on dividing with 6,7,3, and 9.
Science- Owl Pellets
This week we started looking at life cycles in science, and dissected owl pellets! Before we started dissecting our pellets, we made some predictions about what we were going to find inside. A few kids actually had barn owls in their barns, so they had a lot of prior knowledge! We discussed how pellets form when owls (or hawks and eagles) regurgitate the 'leftovers' that their stomach enzymes and acids couldn't dissolve. Then we talked about what it means for scientists to dissect something, set our expectations for the day, and began! (Side note: The pellets were sterilized before they were shipped, and we made sure to wash our hands and desks after touching the bones and before touching anything else. If you look for pellets around your house and barn they will NOT be sterile.)
This was probably one of the coolest investigations we have done. I always LOVE to see everyone's faces light up when they discover something new and unexpected, and I really love to hear their excitement and the connections they make- and this day was full of energy and discoveries! Here are a few of the things we discovered:
After we fully dissected the pellets, and separated the bones from the fur and feathers, we tried to piece the skeletons back together as much as we could, and attempted to determine the animals they had come from. Then we used our pieces of skeleton and the skulls found to estimate the species and number of animals that we had found.
We tallied this on our bones poster, discussed our findings, and they created bar graphs to show the number of animals we found. After we were all done we discussed how the pellets, owls, rodents, and other caterpillars and bugs fit into a food web, and what levels they were all on. This led into a great discussion on where animals in Wyoming fit into a food web, and where carnivores and herbivores generally fall.
It was such a fun day, and we all learned so much, myself included!
This was probably one of the coolest investigations we have done. I always LOVE to see everyone's faces light up when they discover something new and unexpected, and I really love to hear their excitement and the connections they make- and this day was full of energy and discoveries! Here are a few of the things we discovered:
After we fully dissected the pellets, and separated the bones from the fur and feathers, we tried to piece the skeletons back together as much as we could, and attempted to determine the animals they had come from. Then we used our pieces of skeleton and the skulls found to estimate the species and number of animals that we had found.
We tallied this on our bones poster, discussed our findings, and they created bar graphs to show the number of animals we found. After we were all done we discussed how the pellets, owls, rodents, and other caterpillars and bugs fit into a food web, and what levels they were all on. This led into a great discussion on where animals in Wyoming fit into a food web, and where carnivores and herbivores generally fall.
It was such a fun day, and we all learned so much, myself included!
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
February 24- 28
Reminder: There is no school Monday, March 3!
PAWS testing for third grade will be March 11, 13, 18, and 20. Please make sure your child is present on these days!
Reading: In reading this week our main story will be 'Fly, Eagle, Fly'. We will be working on story structure (beginning, middle, and end) to better comprehend what we are reading. This includes determining the problem and solution in a story, which often occur in the middle and end. We will also look at main idea and theme.
Grammar: In grammar this week we will be learning about prepositions. Our goal by the end of the week will be to determine what word in a sentence is a preposition, as well as find the prepositional phrase.
Spelling:
monster
surprise
hundred
complete
control
sample
instant
inspect
pilgrim
contrast
explode
district
address
substance
children
merchant
embrace
purchase
curtsy
contract
Math: In math this week we will begin measurement, including measuring to the nearest inch, 1/2 inch, and 1/4 inch, as well as measuring using feet. We will also be working on different strategies to solve division word problems, and moving into practicing our division facts. With PAWS coming up in two weeks, we have also started doing one difficult multi-step story problem every day as a class to practice all the problem solving strategies we have learned up to this point in the year.
PAWS testing for third grade will be March 11, 13, 18, and 20. Please make sure your child is present on these days!
Reading: In reading this week our main story will be 'Fly, Eagle, Fly'. We will be working on story structure (beginning, middle, and end) to better comprehend what we are reading. This includes determining the problem and solution in a story, which often occur in the middle and end. We will also look at main idea and theme.
Grammar: In grammar this week we will be learning about prepositions. Our goal by the end of the week will be to determine what word in a sentence is a preposition, as well as find the prepositional phrase.
Spelling:
monster
surprise
hundred
complete
control
sample
instant
inspect
pilgrim
contrast
explode
district
address
substance
children
merchant
embrace
purchase
curtsy
contract
Math: In math this week we will begin measurement, including measuring to the nearest inch, 1/2 inch, and 1/4 inch, as well as measuring using feet. We will also be working on different strategies to solve division word problems, and moving into practicing our division facts. With PAWS coming up in two weeks, we have also started doing one difficult multi-step story problem every day as a class to practice all the problem solving strategies we have learned up to this point in the year.
Friday, February 14, 2014
February 17-21
Thank you all for coming to conferences last night and this morning!
Announcements:
There is no school on Monday due to President's Day.
We have swimming Thursday, February 20th, so make sure your child has their swimsuit and towel!
The Kemmerer Elementary Olympics are Friday, February 21! Everyone needs to be dressed for the snow and cold, since we will be outside for most of the day!
Language Arts this week will be a continuation of the concepts we were focusing on last week due to the shortened weeks.
Reading: We are still working on the story 'America's Champion Swimmer: Gertrude Ederle', and focusing on determining whether events in a story are fact or opinion.
Grammar: We will continue focusing on contractions.
Spelling: No new words, continue studying last weeks words.
Math: This week in math we will move into division, specifically using pictures that show division as sharing among groups, and using repeated subtraction to solve division problems. We will also continue learning more about fractions- finding the fractional part of a group, adding and subtracting fractions with common denominators, and reading/ writing mixed numbers. We also start to look at the connection between division and fractions.
Have a wonderful long weekend, and Happy Valentine's Day!
Announcements:
There is no school on Monday due to President's Day.
We have swimming Thursday, February 20th, so make sure your child has their swimsuit and towel!
The Kemmerer Elementary Olympics are Friday, February 21! Everyone needs to be dressed for the snow and cold, since we will be outside for most of the day!
Language Arts this week will be a continuation of the concepts we were focusing on last week due to the shortened weeks.
Reading: We are still working on the story 'America's Champion Swimmer: Gertrude Ederle', and focusing on determining whether events in a story are fact or opinion.
Grammar: We will continue focusing on contractions.
Spelling: No new words, continue studying last weeks words.
Math: This week in math we will move into division, specifically using pictures that show division as sharing among groups, and using repeated subtraction to solve division problems. We will also continue learning more about fractions- finding the fractional part of a group, adding and subtracting fractions with common denominators, and reading/ writing mixed numbers. We also start to look at the connection between division and fractions.
Have a wonderful long weekend, and Happy Valentine's Day!
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
February 10-14
I hope you all enjoyed your snow day yesterday!
Announcements:
We will be celebrating Valentine's Day on Thursday, February 13. If your child wishes to bring valentines for the class please send them on Thursday, and make sure there is a Valentine for every student. I sent home a class list last Friday, if you need an extra let me know!
Conferences are this Thursday and Friday! I sent a note home on Friday with your conference time, so if you need to reschedule let me know!
There is no school on Friday, or on the following Monday due to President's Day.
Reading:
Due the change in schedule from the snow day as well as the school Olympics coming up next Friday, we are going to spread our reading unit for the week across two weeks. The main story will be 'America's Champion Swimmer: Gertrude Ederle'. We will be focusing on determining what is a fact and what is an opinion to better understand events in a story.
Grammar:
In grammar we will be focusing on contractions- what they are, determining what two words were used to create a contraction, and creating a contraction correctly.
Spelling:
Since we are stretching this unit, the spelling test for these words will be on Thursday, February 20. Bonus time to study!! :) The focus for these words is suffixes: -er, -or, -ess, and -ist.
dentist
editor
artist
hostess
actress
swimmer
seller
tutor
tourist
organist
lioness
shipper
chemist
investor
conductor
announcer
pharmacist
journalist
commuter
pianist
Math: In math this week we will wrap up multiplication, complete a chapter review in class, and take the Chapter 6 test on Thursday. In order to prepare, each child should complete pages 364-367 in their book Wednesday night. We will also continue working with fractions, and learning about different ways to compare and order fractions on number lines and with manipulatives.
Thank you for everything you do at home to help your child, and I look forward to seeing you all later this week!
Announcements:
We will be celebrating Valentine's Day on Thursday, February 13. If your child wishes to bring valentines for the class please send them on Thursday, and make sure there is a Valentine for every student. I sent home a class list last Friday, if you need an extra let me know!
Conferences are this Thursday and Friday! I sent a note home on Friday with your conference time, so if you need to reschedule let me know!
There is no school on Friday, or on the following Monday due to President's Day.
Reading:
Due the change in schedule from the snow day as well as the school Olympics coming up next Friday, we are going to spread our reading unit for the week across two weeks. The main story will be 'America's Champion Swimmer: Gertrude Ederle'. We will be focusing on determining what is a fact and what is an opinion to better understand events in a story.
Grammar:
In grammar we will be focusing on contractions- what they are, determining what two words were used to create a contraction, and creating a contraction correctly.
Spelling:
Since we are stretching this unit, the spelling test for these words will be on Thursday, February 20. Bonus time to study!! :) The focus for these words is suffixes: -er, -or, -ess, and -ist.
dentist
editor
artist
hostess
actress
swimmer
seller
tutor
tourist
organist
lioness
shipper
chemist
investor
conductor
announcer
pharmacist
journalist
commuter
pianist
Math: In math this week we will wrap up multiplication, complete a chapter review in class, and take the Chapter 6 test on Thursday. In order to prepare, each child should complete pages 364-367 in their book Wednesday night. We will also continue working with fractions, and learning about different ways to compare and order fractions on number lines and with manipulatives.
Thank you for everything you do at home to help your child, and I look forward to seeing you all later this week!
Friday, January 31, 2014
February 3- 7
Announcements:
Conferences are coming up next week (February 13 and 14)! Look for a sign up slip in your child's folder and make sure it comes back to school so I can give you a time that works best for you!
All students in 3rd grade will be moving to multiplication Monday for math facts so that they can work toward mastering the facts we will be working with the rest of the year in multiplication and division. Thank you for everything you do at home to help your children practice, it is so helpful for them to practice at home too!
Friday (February 7) is the sled dog race! Please make sure your child is dressed for cold weather and has returned their permission slip!
Reading: This week in reading we will be reading 'Rocks in His Head' and focusing on asking questions and generalizing to better understand what we are reading.
Grammar: In grammar this week we will continue to focus on pronouns, and move into using possessive pronouns as well as understanding what possessive pronoun correctly replaces the noun in sentences.
Spelling:
prepaid
midnight
overflow
outdoors
outline
overgrown
prefix
Midwest
pretest
midpoint
outgoing
overtime
overdue
outside
outfield
precaution
prediction
midsection
overweight
prehistoric
All of our spelling words this week are words with prefixes: pre-, mid-, over-, and out-. We will be learning about what those prefixes mean as well, and how they change the meaning of the root word so you could discuss that at home too!
Math: We have just started fractions, and will continue to learn more about naming, comparing, and estimating with fractions. We will also continue with our multiplication unit this week, and finish it up early next week.
Conferences are coming up next week (February 13 and 14)! Look for a sign up slip in your child's folder and make sure it comes back to school so I can give you a time that works best for you!
All students in 3rd grade will be moving to multiplication Monday for math facts so that they can work toward mastering the facts we will be working with the rest of the year in multiplication and division. Thank you for everything you do at home to help your children practice, it is so helpful for them to practice at home too!
Friday (February 7) is the sled dog race! Please make sure your child is dressed for cold weather and has returned their permission slip!
Reading: This week in reading we will be reading 'Rocks in His Head' and focusing on asking questions and generalizing to better understand what we are reading.
Grammar: In grammar this week we will continue to focus on pronouns, and move into using possessive pronouns as well as understanding what possessive pronoun correctly replaces the noun in sentences.
Spelling:
prepaid
midnight
overflow
outdoors
outline
overgrown
prefix
Midwest
pretest
midpoint
outgoing
overtime
overdue
outside
outfield
precaution
prediction
midsection
overweight
prehistoric
All of our spelling words this week are words with prefixes: pre-, mid-, over-, and out-. We will be learning about what those prefixes mean as well, and how they change the meaning of the root word so you could discuss that at home too!
Math: We have just started fractions, and will continue to learn more about naming, comparing, and estimating with fractions. We will also continue with our multiplication unit this week, and finish it up early next week.
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Science- Plant Life Cycles
This Friday in science we learned about different plant life cycles, including flowing plants, seed plants, and cone plants. In my room we focused on cone plants, and got to do some fun pinecone observations!
We started out by discussing and writing down predictions about what part of a pinecone was needed to grown new pine trees, what kind of adaptations pinecones had to protect themselves from weather and animals, and what we thought would happen if a pinecone got wet. It was really cool to hear about their predictions, and the connections they made between animal adaptations and pine cone adaptations.
Then it was time to observe! Since we are scientists we had to make many observations and comparisons between dry pine cones and wet pine cones, as well as other parts of the pinecone using our senses- sight, touch, smell and strong adjectives. I set up stations and the students moved to each one with their magnifying glasses.
It was very cool to see the pinecones closing up in water before our eyes, and they had a lot of fun picking them apart and learning about all the different parts and adaptations. I was very impressed with their observations and the wonderful adjectives they used to describe the cones, too!
We started out by discussing and writing down predictions about what part of a pinecone was needed to grown new pine trees, what kind of adaptations pinecones had to protect themselves from weather and animals, and what we thought would happen if a pinecone got wet. It was really cool to hear about their predictions, and the connections they made between animal adaptations and pine cone adaptations.
Then it was time to observe! Since we are scientists we had to make many observations and comparisons between dry pine cones and wet pine cones, as well as other parts of the pinecone using our senses- sight, touch, smell and strong adjectives. I set up stations and the students moved to each one with their magnifying glasses.
January 27- 31
Wow, January is going by so quickly! No new announcements this week, but make sure your child is still reading and working toward those AR point goals!
Reading: Our main story this week is 'Hottest, Coldest, Highest, Deepest'. We will be comparing and contrasting details, characters, and events in stories to better understand them.
Grammar: In grammar we will be building on our pronoun knowledge from last week and learning all about subject and object pronouns. By the end of the week we should be able to determine whether a pronoun is a subject or object pronoun, as well as use them correctly in our writing.
Spelling:
third
early
world
certain
dirty
herself
earth
word
perfect
verb
nerve
worm
thirsty
workout
earn
determine
commercial
whirlwind
worthwhile
virtual
Math: This week in math we will wrap up our Geometry unit with the Chapter 8 test on Wednesday. On Tuesday night students will be expected to complete pages 492- 495 in their math books to prepare. We will also be continuing with multiplication- practicing all facts, finding multiplication patterns to complete tables, and different ways to use multiplication in problem solving (including key words and ideas such as equal groups). Any extra time that you can spend at home practicing those multiplication facts will be incredibly helpful to your child in the classroom!
Have a wonderful week!
Reading: Our main story this week is 'Hottest, Coldest, Highest, Deepest'. We will be comparing and contrasting details, characters, and events in stories to better understand them.
Grammar: In grammar we will be building on our pronoun knowledge from last week and learning all about subject and object pronouns. By the end of the week we should be able to determine whether a pronoun is a subject or object pronoun, as well as use them correctly in our writing.
Spelling:
third
early
world
certain
dirty
herself
earth
word
perfect
verb
nerve
worm
thirsty
workout
earn
determine
commercial
whirlwind
worthwhile
virtual
Math: This week in math we will wrap up our Geometry unit with the Chapter 8 test on Wednesday. On Tuesday night students will be expected to complete pages 492- 495 in their math books to prepare. We will also be continuing with multiplication- practicing all facts, finding multiplication patterns to complete tables, and different ways to use multiplication in problem solving (including key words and ideas such as equal groups). Any extra time that you can spend at home practicing those multiplication facts will be incredibly helpful to your child in the classroom!
Have a wonderful week!
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