Week at a Glance

Week of October 29 - November 2, 2018

Math: We are finishing up Chapter 3 on multiplication strategies of drawing a picture and writing number sentences. Our test is Tuesday, 10/30. Then we will start Chapter 4, which continues with more multiplication facts and strategies.

Science: Please visit Ms. Papagianis’s page for Science information

Language Arts:

Reading: We will cycle back to identifying Author’s Purpose of a text (entertain, persuade, inform). We will also continue to build fluency and read with expression. We will continue working on picking out books that are “just right”. Please help your child remember to bring in his/her book report on or before Friday, November 2nd.

Social Studies: We will compare renewable and nonrenewable resources, and we will also plan ways to help save the environment by reducing our waste, reusing items, and recycling.

Religion: We will take a break from our fruits of the Holy Spirit (we will come back to this) to learn about All Saints’ Day. This is an important holy day of obligation for our catholic church.

Tests and Quizzes:

• We will take a Math test on Tuesday. Please see previous posts for information about the optional online practice test.
• We will have our Reading and Spelling test Friday. Due to the field trip, we may or may not have a pretest for Spelling on Monday. (There is never enough time in the day...)
• Math fact quizzes this week will be x 9. Your child brought home a x 9 fact sheet to practice. I will also share some strategies for 9s next week in class. (We will start Tuesday, as Monday is the field trip.)
• We will not have IXL practice this week due to the Math test and other activities (Halloween party and field trip).

Other reminders:

• Monday, October 29 = field trip to The Grove - Thank you for all sending in permission slips and money. Please make sure your child is on time to school and that s/he dresses warmly. The students do not need to be in their uniforms, but they should follow the dress code rules.
• Tuesday, October 30 = no all-school mass - we will go Thursday at 8:30am to celebrate the holy day of obligation - All Saints Day
• Wednesday, October 31 = Halloween - students may come in costume (following the guidelines provided by the administration). Our party will be in the afternoon.
• Friday, November 2 = Book reports due

Accessing the Chapter 3 Online Practice Test

*Note for parents: This assignment is optional (not required). It will be available through next week (10/31). I will discuss it in class on Wednesday with the third graders. 

The Chapter 3 Test is on Tuesday, October 30th. While this assignment is not required, I highly recommend it, as the test will cover very similar questions. We will also complete a chapter review in class later this week. Thank you for any extra help you can do at home!

*Students should:

1. Visit the Think Central webpage:  https://www-k6.thinkcentral.com/ePC/start.do
2. Login using your username and password found in your assignment notebook
3. Click on “Things to Do” (Chapter 3 Test should be available as of Wednesday, October 25th)

1. Click on blue letters twice
2. Complete Skill - work through test
3. Click “Turn it in” once it is completed

*I should then be able to see your test and view the results*

*Please email me with any questions or send in a note.*

*Other Think Central resources:

• “My Library” = skill guides, videos, MEGA MATH (math games)
• “Math on the Spot” videos - by lesson and chapter
  

Week at a Glance

Week of October 22 - October 26, 2018

Math: We will continue our work with basic multiplication. We are using skip counting, repeated addition, and drawing models as we learn our facts. In word problems, we are looking for clue words such as “equal groups” and “find the product” in order to help us solve.

Science: Please visit Ms. Papagianis’s page for Science information

Language Arts: Spelling words this week are compound words (combinations of two or more words to form a new word). We will break these words apart to practice spelling each part. We will also use the different parts to figure out the meanings of the words. In Grammar, we will continue our daily spiral review in our Simple Solutions books. We will also form irregular plural nouns. (Examples of these include: goose → geese, mouse → mice, child → children.) During Writing, we will work on forming good endings for our personal narratives. We will look at mentor texts for examples and practice with our own stories.

Reading: Our story this week is a fantasy entitled Prudy’s Problem and How She Solved It. The skill we will focus on is drawing conclusions (sometimes called “making inferences”) using clues from the text. In reading groups we will use additional resources to practice this skill as well. We will also continue to look for “just right books” when we select books from the classroom and school libraries.

Social Studies: This week we are studying Ecosystems. We will learn how animals and plants interact with each other in their environment for survival. We will discuss terms such as habitat, vegetation, food chain/web, and survival.

Religion: We will discuss the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Make sure to ask your child about the song we learn next week. The Holy Spirit is with us, and we can call upon the Holy Spirit for help. We recognize the Holy Spirit as part of the Trinity.

Tests and Quizzes:

*We will continue our timed quizzes in Math (x5 next week), with the best grade for the week going in PowerSchool as a homework grade.

*Spelling test Friday

*Reading test Friday

Additional Reminders:

*Please send in field trip forms and $15 for our trip to the Grove on Monday, October 29th. (Students do not have to be in uniform that day. They should dress for the weather, as we will be outside.)

*Art in a Box session 1 will be Monday afternoon. Please ask your child about what s/he learned.