October 31, 2016

Report cards went home on Friday, I am hoping this facilitated some good conversations about the positive things that are happening. In our classroom we set Growth Mindset Goals, one of these goals is, instead of thinking: I can't make this better you can think: I can always improve. We are always identifying just one thing we are going to work on doing better, this is a great opportunity to set this goal with your child for the next quarter. 

Math
We finished our chapter about the foundations of multiplication and we are now moving on to the foundations of division. As a whole the class did really well on the summative assessment for multiplication. In Friday Folders a letter came home regarding our Banana Split party for multiplication facts. Students will be taking timed tests on their multiplication facts, as they pass each number set they receive a new topping to add to their banana split. Once the class has earned all of their toppings we will have a Banana Split Ice Cream party at school. We will be making multiplication flash cards at school for the students to take home and practice their multiplication facts. Practicing facts can count as math minutes on students' math log. We will be moving on to the foundations of division, so the more fluent students become with their multiplication facts the easier the transition to division will be. 

On Monday please look for a letter regarding the use of I-Ready at home. I-Ready is a computer program we use at school for reading and math, the letter that is coming home will include your students username and password along with an explanation of how students can use it at home. 

ELA
Last week we began working on the strategies of summarizing and identifying connections within a text. Students are practicing the connections strategy with the text they have chosen to read during Read to Self. The connections they are making include: Text-to-Self, Text-to-Text, and Text-to-World. We practiced summarizing fiction texts and we will be also be summarizing non-fiction text. The non-fiction text we are using will also carry over into our Writing Workshop. In our writing we have been working on producing writing that states and supports our opinion. Last week the students wrote an opinion piece about their favorite candy. Next week we will write an opinion piece using an article about utilizing robots in marine research. 

Science
We are coming to the end of our animal unit. The students are working on finishing their Google Slideshow report about the animal that they made their Habit Shadowbox for and they have been researching. Last week we learned about animal life cycles and we begin to wrap up this unit. At the end of the unit we will have an assessment. If you have a conference scheduled this week or are picking up your child from school, please take that opportunity to take home their animal shadowbox project.

During the days of November 8 and 9 all third graders in the district will be taking the ELA portion of the state mandated AIR Test. It is important that all students be at school on those days, so if you are able to avoid scheduling outside appointments during that time it would be very helpful for everyone. Please make sure that your child gets an appropriate amount of sleep during this time as well as a well balanced breakfast in the morning. 

Important Dates:
October 31-Halloween Party. Please have students bring their costume to school. If there are pieces that they can wear without it interfering with their school day they may wear those to school.
November 2 & 10-Parent/Teacher conferences 4:30-7:30.
November 7 & 8-ELA AIR Assessment
November 23-25-No School-Thanksgiving Break
December 1-Third Grade Concert
January 5, 2017-Current Event Due