Dear Parents,
I hope you enjoyed the beautiful weekend with your families. Listed below is information about the coming week.
READING - We will shift our focus back to determining the main idea/central message of a reading passage including poetry. Distinguishing the main idea from supporting details is a difficult concept, so we will continue practicing this strategy in the week ahead. We will also take a look at the spelling patterns in our set of "Word Work" words this week. We have been playing a game called "Sparkle" to reinforce correct spelling of these words. The class loves this game!
WRITING - Students should be wrapping up their biography reports. This week, I will be teaching minilessons about the revision part of the writing process. We will be looking at items such as sentence structure and improving word choice to make our writing clear and interesting to the reader.
SCIENCE - In our study of plant development, we have now begun to focus on the composition of soil. We will be comparing/contrasting some of the components of soil such as clay, sand, and humus. I have a fun edible project planned in order to help students understand the various layers of soil. We will also learn about composting. Students have been very excited to check the bush beans and lima beans they have been growing in plastic baggies. Last week we transplanted the sprouts to a cup, and many of them are growing quite nicely. Hopefully, we will plant them in the garden soon.
MATH - We will spend two more days reviewing fraction strategies followed by an assessment on Wednesday. Our next unit will be approximately six days with the focus being on telling time to the minute and solving elapsed time problems.
IMPORTANT DATES
Friday, April 29 - Spirit Day - Who can wear the most zippers to school? - National Zipper Day
Tuesday, May 3 - Math Night - 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.
Sincerely,
Ms. Underwood
Sunday, April 24, 2016
Sunday, April 17, 2016
WEEK OF APRIL 18, 2016 NEWS
Dear Parents,
We had a wonderful time last week integrating lots of art activities into our learning. We made seed mosaics (science), partitioned CD's into equal parts and decorated them to go on our fraction fence on the playground, and made origami roses to understand fractional parts. I am looking forward to another fun-filled week with your children. Listed below is an overview of the upcoming week.
READING - This week we will continue reviewing and practicing reading strategies to help us comprehend our reading. Our focus will be on inferring (using background knowledge plus text clues) to figure out what is not directly stated in the text. We will also practice strategies that can be used to figure out the meanings of unknown words we encounter in our reading. Please encourage your child to use Achieve 3000 at home to give him/her further practice using strategies to answer comprehension questions.
WRITING - Students are completing their biography booklets this week. They have enjoyed learning about the lives of these notable people. Students will be sharing some of the interesting facts they have learned with their classmates.
SCIENCE - It has been so exciting to watch the roots, stems, and seed leaves emerge from our bush beans that have been growing in our plastic baggies. We will be planting these seedlings in a cup this week and continue our study of plant development by focusing on pollination.
MATH - This week we will explore fractional relationships using pattern blocks. For example, if a yellow hexagon represents one whole, what fractions do the trapezoid, rhombus, and triangle represent? Students will be creating a creature using the pattern block shapes and explaining the relationships between the shapes chosen. Please continue to help your child memorize their multiplication facts.
IMPORTANT DATES
Thursday, April 21 - Field Day 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
Friday, April 22 - Spirit Day - Earth Day - Show your appreciation for the earth.
Monday, April 25 - Snow Make-up Day
Sincerely,
Ms. Underwood
We had a wonderful time last week integrating lots of art activities into our learning. We made seed mosaics (science), partitioned CD's into equal parts and decorated them to go on our fraction fence on the playground, and made origami roses to understand fractional parts. I am looking forward to another fun-filled week with your children. Listed below is an overview of the upcoming week.
READING - This week we will continue reviewing and practicing reading strategies to help us comprehend our reading. Our focus will be on inferring (using background knowledge plus text clues) to figure out what is not directly stated in the text. We will also practice strategies that can be used to figure out the meanings of unknown words we encounter in our reading. Please encourage your child to use Achieve 3000 at home to give him/her further practice using strategies to answer comprehension questions.
WRITING - Students are completing their biography booklets this week. They have enjoyed learning about the lives of these notable people. Students will be sharing some of the interesting facts they have learned with their classmates.
SCIENCE - It has been so exciting to watch the roots, stems, and seed leaves emerge from our bush beans that have been growing in our plastic baggies. We will be planting these seedlings in a cup this week and continue our study of plant development by focusing on pollination.
MATH - This week we will explore fractional relationships using pattern blocks. For example, if a yellow hexagon represents one whole, what fractions do the trapezoid, rhombus, and triangle represent? Students will be creating a creature using the pattern block shapes and explaining the relationships between the shapes chosen. Please continue to help your child memorize their multiplication facts.
IMPORTANT DATES
Thursday, April 21 - Field Day 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
Friday, April 22 - Spirit Day - Earth Day - Show your appreciation for the earth.
Monday, April 25 - Snow Make-up Day
Sincerely,
Ms. Underwood
Sunday, April 10, 2016
WEEK OF APRIL 11, 2016 NEWS
Dear Parents,
I am excited about our in-house field trip tomorrow. The scientists from Science is Fun will be visiting our third graders to present a program on matter which should reinforce many of the concepts we learned when studying solids, liquids, and gases. I think the program will be very engaging for our students.
READING - This week in reading, we will be focusing on main ideas and supporting details. Tomorrow, we will determine the main idea and supporting details in various pieces of art. When reading with your child at home, please ask them to tell you the main idea of their reading in a sentence and support their answer with three details. This is a difficult concept for many students and practice at home will help reinforce this reading skill.
WRITING - Students will continue to research and write biographical reports on the family life, early life, school years, later life, and accomplishments of the person they are researching. We are writing this paper in a booklet format with a few illustrations included.
MATH - In math, we will continue to practice comparing fractions by drawing various types of visual models to prove our thinking. Students have also been playing some fraction games to enhance their understanding of fractions. A unit test will be given on Thursday.
SCIENCE - Students are excited about the bush bean they are growing in a plastic bag in class. We are hoping to see a sprout soon so that we can then transplant them in our garden at Douglas.
IMPORTANT DATES -
Friday, April 15 - National Tax Day - "Show Me the Money" Spirit Day
Sincerely,
Ms. Underwood
I am excited about our in-house field trip tomorrow. The scientists from Science is Fun will be visiting our third graders to present a program on matter which should reinforce many of the concepts we learned when studying solids, liquids, and gases. I think the program will be very engaging for our students.
READING - This week in reading, we will be focusing on main ideas and supporting details. Tomorrow, we will determine the main idea and supporting details in various pieces of art. When reading with your child at home, please ask them to tell you the main idea of their reading in a sentence and support their answer with three details. This is a difficult concept for many students and practice at home will help reinforce this reading skill.
WRITING - Students will continue to research and write biographical reports on the family life, early life, school years, later life, and accomplishments of the person they are researching. We are writing this paper in a booklet format with a few illustrations included.
MATH - In math, we will continue to practice comparing fractions by drawing various types of visual models to prove our thinking. Students have also been playing some fraction games to enhance their understanding of fractions. A unit test will be given on Thursday.
SCIENCE - Students are excited about the bush bean they are growing in a plastic bag in class. We are hoping to see a sprout soon so that we can then transplant them in our garden at Douglas.
IMPORTANT DATES -
Friday, April 15 - National Tax Day - "Show Me the Money" Spirit Day
Sincerely,
Ms. Underwood
Sunday, April 3, 2016
WEEK OF APRIL 4, 2016 NEWS
Dear Parents,
I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of my Spring Break and hope that you also had a wonderful time with your families. I am looking forward to seeing your children and beginning a new quarter. It is hard to believe that this is our last quarter of the school year!
.
Students will be receiving their new reading logs for the month of April tomorrow. During the final quarter, the expectation is that students will read 30 minutes nightly. Thank you for continuing to sign both the reading and multiplication logs. **Also, I am not sending the weekly work habits/conduct reports in the Monday folders tomorrow since we have been on break. I will include these reports in the Monday folders going home on April 11.
INFO FOR THE COMING WEEK:
READING - Our focus in reading this week will be on the text structures of sequencing and compare/contrast. I have a fun activity planned for tomorrow involving Ritz crackers and Oreos to give students a hands-on lesson with comparing/contrasting. On Tuesday, we will compare and contrast two different pieces of art. Later in the week, we will sequence the events taking place in various art pieces.
WRITING - Students will continue researching and writing informational papers on their biographical characters.
MATH - We will continue our study of fractions as we learn how to compare them. Students will understand the relationship between fractions with the same numerators, but different denominators, as well as fractions with the same denominators, but different numerators. I will also be teaching games involving fractions that students will play during center time in math.
SCIENCE - I am looking forward to our Plant Growth and Development unit as we will be participating in several hands-on activities, including lessons in our Douglas Elementary garden, to learn about plants and soils. One of our first activities involves dissecting a lima bean to identify the parts of the seed.
IMPORTANT DATES
April 8 - PBIS Assembly - 10:15 - 10:45 am. - Gym
April 8 - Dress like an animal Spirit Day
April 8 - Report cards go home.
Sincerely,
Ms. Underwood
I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of my Spring Break and hope that you also had a wonderful time with your families. I am looking forward to seeing your children and beginning a new quarter. It is hard to believe that this is our last quarter of the school year!
.
Students will be receiving their new reading logs for the month of April tomorrow. During the final quarter, the expectation is that students will read 30 minutes nightly. Thank you for continuing to sign both the reading and multiplication logs. **Also, I am not sending the weekly work habits/conduct reports in the Monday folders tomorrow since we have been on break. I will include these reports in the Monday folders going home on April 11.
INFO FOR THE COMING WEEK:
READING - Our focus in reading this week will be on the text structures of sequencing and compare/contrast. I have a fun activity planned for tomorrow involving Ritz crackers and Oreos to give students a hands-on lesson with comparing/contrasting. On Tuesday, we will compare and contrast two different pieces of art. Later in the week, we will sequence the events taking place in various art pieces.
WRITING - Students will continue researching and writing informational papers on their biographical characters.
MATH - We will continue our study of fractions as we learn how to compare them. Students will understand the relationship between fractions with the same numerators, but different denominators, as well as fractions with the same denominators, but different numerators. I will also be teaching games involving fractions that students will play during center time in math.
SCIENCE - I am looking forward to our Plant Growth and Development unit as we will be participating in several hands-on activities, including lessons in our Douglas Elementary garden, to learn about plants and soils. One of our first activities involves dissecting a lima bean to identify the parts of the seed.
IMPORTANT DATES
April 8 - PBIS Assembly - 10:15 - 10:45 am. - Gym
April 8 - Dress like an animal Spirit Day
April 8 - Report cards go home.
Sincerely,
Ms. Underwood
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