Dear Parents,
I hope you enjoyed some fun times with your family this past weekend and are rested from the extra hour we gained. As we prepare for the new week, I wanted to let you know of exciting learning opportunities taking place in our classroom.
READING - I was so impressed with the creative costumes your children designed as they "walked in the shoes" of their characters last week. On Friday they enjoyed sharing summaries of their books, traits of their characters, and lessons learned by their characters. Students did such a fantastic job digging deeper into their characters' lives, and I am very proud of them. This week we will be focusing on the setting (where and when), as well as the plot (the important events in the story that include the rising action, climax, falling action, and ending) in our stories.
WRITING - Last week we began opinion writing by learning how to state our opinion and support it with three specific, detailed reasons. This week we will be writing a review of a favorite book, and I will introduce a graphic organizer to help students organize their writing. Some of the topics students have enjoyed writing about include opinions of art work, favorite candy bars, and whether recess at school should be increased to 40 minutes and why.
SCIENCE - We are now focusing on the phases of the moon in our "Objects in the Sky" unit. I have been using a read aloud, videos, and visual representations to help students understand the different phases of the moon and why these phases occur each month. Please remind your child to take a look at the moon each night and record the information on their moon calendar. I have also assigned a project which is due November 20th. Your children were very excited about working on the project, so I hope they will enjoy being creative while learning. This week in science students will be learning about the relationship between the sun, earth, and moon as we explore the concepts of rotation and revolution. On Friday, we frosted vanilla wafers with chocolate icing to represent the phases of the moon we have learned about. I will post pictures on the blog soon for you to enjoy.
MATH - We will continue practicing the strategies we have learned to multiply and divide. Some students are struggling with division. It would be helpful if you could incorporate multiplication and division into real life applications at home. For example, pose problems such as "Mom baked 18 cookies. She is going to give an equal amount to the three children in the family. How many cookies does each child receive?" We are also discussing the distributive property of multiplication as a way to decompose or break down facts such as 9 x 7 into (4 x 7) + (5 x 7) to help students more fluently multiply. On Wednesday we will have an assessment on our multiplication and division unit.
REMINDERS - PBIS ASSEMBLY - Friday, November 6 10:15 - 10:45 a.m.
Sincerely,
Ms. Underwood
Sunday, November 1, 2015
Sunday, October 18, 2015
WEEK OF OCTOBER 19, 2015 NEWS
Dear Parents,
I hope you enjoyed the crisp, fall weather this past weekend. As we begin a new week, I wanted to let you know what your child is learning in third grade. I am enjoying teaching your child, and I continue to learn from them each day.
READING - The reading standard that we will continue to practice is determining the central message/lesson/moral in stories and explain how it is conveyed through key details. This week, I will be sharing folktales (short stories passed down from generation to generation) and myths (a folktale that explains something about nature). Some of the stories the students will enjoy include" Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears" and "How the Tiger Got His Stripes." These are very engaging stories that give students the opportunity to read material from other cultures.
WRITING - This week, we will publish our second personal narrative as we complete our writing unit for the first quarter. I am impressed with the descriptive details, leads, and bit by bit storytelling that my students are incorporating into their narratives. They are also excited when one of our higher level vocabulary words is applicable to their story, and they can use it in their writing. I am teaching students how to use commas in their writing. Last week, I shared a fun read aloud called Eats, Shoots and Leaves to show how the placement of that tiny punctuation mark called the comma can change the whole meaning of a sentence.
SOCIAL STUDIES - Students are finishing up a travel brochure in Mr. Otto's class this week. It is due by Friday!! Next Monday, we will begin our new science unit entitled, "Objects in the Sky." We will be exploring our solar system and building background knowledge in preparation for our field trip to the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center on November 18.
MATH - I am proud of the conceptual understanding of multiplication my students are building as we have explored various strategies for multiplying: repeated addition, equal groups drawings, arrays, and making visual drawings. The focus has been on equal groups, sets, and rows (in the case of arrays). We have also made the connection that multiplication and division are inverse operations. Students are working on determining when to multiply or divide in a word problem. Last week we had fun writing our own multiplication and division word problems using real life applications. This Tuesday, we will have an assessment on multiplication and division in order for me to determine where additional support may be needed.
REMINDERS - Monday, October 19 - Field Trip Permission Slips Due
Friday, October 23 - Spirit Day - Hat Day
Monday, October 26 - Teacher Workday - No School For Students
Tuesday, November 10 - Payment For Field Trip Due
Wednesday, November 18 - Field Trip To Morehead Planetarium
Sincerely,
Ms. Underwood
I hope you enjoyed the crisp, fall weather this past weekend. As we begin a new week, I wanted to let you know what your child is learning in third grade. I am enjoying teaching your child, and I continue to learn from them each day.
READING - The reading standard that we will continue to practice is determining the central message/lesson/moral in stories and explain how it is conveyed through key details. This week, I will be sharing folktales (short stories passed down from generation to generation) and myths (a folktale that explains something about nature). Some of the stories the students will enjoy include" Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears" and "How the Tiger Got His Stripes." These are very engaging stories that give students the opportunity to read material from other cultures.
WRITING - This week, we will publish our second personal narrative as we complete our writing unit for the first quarter. I am impressed with the descriptive details, leads, and bit by bit storytelling that my students are incorporating into their narratives. They are also excited when one of our higher level vocabulary words is applicable to their story, and they can use it in their writing. I am teaching students how to use commas in their writing. Last week, I shared a fun read aloud called Eats, Shoots and Leaves to show how the placement of that tiny punctuation mark called the comma can change the whole meaning of a sentence.
SOCIAL STUDIES - Students are finishing up a travel brochure in Mr. Otto's class this week. It is due by Friday!! Next Monday, we will begin our new science unit entitled, "Objects in the Sky." We will be exploring our solar system and building background knowledge in preparation for our field trip to the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center on November 18.
MATH - I am proud of the conceptual understanding of multiplication my students are building as we have explored various strategies for multiplying: repeated addition, equal groups drawings, arrays, and making visual drawings. The focus has been on equal groups, sets, and rows (in the case of arrays). We have also made the connection that multiplication and division are inverse operations. Students are working on determining when to multiply or divide in a word problem. Last week we had fun writing our own multiplication and division word problems using real life applications. This Tuesday, we will have an assessment on multiplication and division in order for me to determine where additional support may be needed.
REMINDERS - Monday, October 19 - Field Trip Permission Slips Due
Friday, October 23 - Spirit Day - Hat Day
Monday, October 26 - Teacher Workday - No School For Students
Tuesday, November 10 - Payment For Field Trip Due
Wednesday, November 18 - Field Trip To Morehead Planetarium
Sincerely,
Ms. Underwood
Sunday, October 11, 2015
WEEK OF OCTOBER 12, 2015 NEWS
Dear Parents:
Listed below is an overview of our upcoming week. Thank you for all of your support!
READING - In reading, we will be enjoying fables as we learn to determine the central message (also called the moral or lesson) of these stories. This work involves a higher level of thinking. Please make sure that your child is reading good fit books at home, and question him/her about the central message in his/her book.
WRITING - This past week, students generated ideas for their second personal narrative by thinking of strong feelings, as well as first times/last times. Students will write a narrative that has an interesting lead that "hooks" the reader. They will add vivid details while telling not only the external story (what happened), but also the internal story (feelings). They are always eager to share the writing they completed during Writer's Workshop, and I am grateful for their enthusiasm.
SOCIAL STUDIES - Students are creating a travel brochure in Mr. Otto's class as they learn about the regions of North Carolina. They are really enjoying the discussions in Social Studies.
MATH - We will continue to focus on the conceptual understanding of multiplication this week. Students have had fun playing a game called Circles and Stars which reinforces the idea of equal groups. Example: 5 x 3 is 5 groups of 3 or 5 sets of 3 or 3+3+3+3+3=15 or 3 x 5 = 15. Continue to talk with your child at home about real life examples of equal groups. Eggs are packaged in groups of 12, for example.
REMINDERS - Oct. 16 - Spirit Friday - Wear pink for breast cancer awareness.
Oct. 16 - Early Release Day
Nov. 18 - Third Grade Field Trip to Morehead Planetarium and Science Center
Sincerely,
Ms. Underwood
Listed below is an overview of our upcoming week. Thank you for all of your support!
READING - In reading, we will be enjoying fables as we learn to determine the central message (also called the moral or lesson) of these stories. This work involves a higher level of thinking. Please make sure that your child is reading good fit books at home, and question him/her about the central message in his/her book.
WRITING - This past week, students generated ideas for their second personal narrative by thinking of strong feelings, as well as first times/last times. Students will write a narrative that has an interesting lead that "hooks" the reader. They will add vivid details while telling not only the external story (what happened), but also the internal story (feelings). They are always eager to share the writing they completed during Writer's Workshop, and I am grateful for their enthusiasm.
SOCIAL STUDIES - Students are creating a travel brochure in Mr. Otto's class as they learn about the regions of North Carolina. They are really enjoying the discussions in Social Studies.
MATH - We will continue to focus on the conceptual understanding of multiplication this week. Students have had fun playing a game called Circles and Stars which reinforces the idea of equal groups. Example: 5 x 3 is 5 groups of 3 or 5 sets of 3 or 3+3+3+3+3=15 or 3 x 5 = 15. Continue to talk with your child at home about real life examples of equal groups. Eggs are packaged in groups of 12, for example.
REMINDERS - Oct. 16 - Spirit Friday - Wear pink for breast cancer awareness.
Oct. 16 - Early Release Day
Nov. 18 - Third Grade Field Trip to Morehead Planetarium and Science Center
Sincerely,
Ms. Underwood
Sunday, October 4, 2015
WEEK OF OCTOBER 5, 2015 NEWS
Dear Parents,
I hope everyone was able to rest and have some fun, family time over the rainy weekend. Maybe we will see the sunshine this week!
Please check out our classroom blog. I posted some great pics of your children!
Listed below are some updates about the upcoming week.
READING - Last week in reading, students walked in the shoes of their characters by focusing on the emotions (feelings) the character was experiencing, as well as the motivation (the why) for those feelings. This week, we will be taking a look at the traits of our characters. Distinguishing between character emotions and traits can be confusing for third graders. Feelings are fleeting feelings a character may be having due to an outside force (frustrated, anxious, nervous) whereas traits describe who a character is on the inside - their personality (determined, dependable, curious). I will also share some fun read alouds this week to help students distinguish their own point of view from that of the character in the story.
WRITING - Students should be wrapping up their first personal narrative. This week, we will continue our study of narrative writing using mentor texts. Students will identify techniques that writers use to hook readers in their books (writing interesting beginnings), as well as identify turning points in stories. They will then practice writing a personal narrative, including a turning point in their own story.
SOCIAL STUDIES - Last week my third graders started learning about the geography and regions of NC with Mr. Otto. For the next few weeks, they will be taught Social Studies by Mr. Otto while I teach Mr. Otto's students Science.
MATH - On Tuesday we will have an assessment on 2-D shapes and their attributes. We will play a fun review game on Monday to help students prepare for the assessment. Our next unit in math will be focused on a conceptual understanding of multiplication rather than rote memorization of facts. This week we will explore the relationship between repeated addition and multiplication. I am including the parent resource letter in today's Monday folder to give you resources for how this unit is being taught in case your child needs support at home.
CogAt TESTING - Third graders will take the CogAt assessment on October, 6th, 7th, and 9th at 9:30 a.m. This test will determine those students who may qualify for academically gifted services. Please make sure your child has a hearty breakfast and gets a good night of rest before the testing days.
PICTURE DAY - Our class will have their pictures made on Wednesday, October 7 at 1:50 p.m. Pictures must be prepaid, so if you are interested in ordering, please send your payment in as soon as possible.
BOG INFORMATION - I am sending home detailed information regarding your child's BOG reading score in today's Monday folder. Please know that I will be working with your child this year in guided reading and strategy groups to help them grow as readers. Also, I am including a wonderful resource entitled "Read to Achieve Passage Parent Recommendations" that will help you as you converse with your child about his/her reading. This resource aligns the standard we are studying with questions you can ask to reinforce that standard.
Wow! Lots of information and wonderful things happening at Douglas!! Thank you so much for all you do to help your child at home. It is a pleasure to work with you and your child!.
Ms. Underwood
I hope everyone was able to rest and have some fun, family time over the rainy weekend. Maybe we will see the sunshine this week!
Please check out our classroom blog. I posted some great pics of your children!
Listed below are some updates about the upcoming week.
READING - Last week in reading, students walked in the shoes of their characters by focusing on the emotions (feelings) the character was experiencing, as well as the motivation (the why) for those feelings. This week, we will be taking a look at the traits of our characters. Distinguishing between character emotions and traits can be confusing for third graders. Feelings are fleeting feelings a character may be having due to an outside force (frustrated, anxious, nervous) whereas traits describe who a character is on the inside - their personality (determined, dependable, curious). I will also share some fun read alouds this week to help students distinguish their own point of view from that of the character in the story.
WRITING - Students should be wrapping up their first personal narrative. This week, we will continue our study of narrative writing using mentor texts. Students will identify techniques that writers use to hook readers in their books (writing interesting beginnings), as well as identify turning points in stories. They will then practice writing a personal narrative, including a turning point in their own story.
SOCIAL STUDIES - Last week my third graders started learning about the geography and regions of NC with Mr. Otto. For the next few weeks, they will be taught Social Studies by Mr. Otto while I teach Mr. Otto's students Science.
MATH - On Tuesday we will have an assessment on 2-D shapes and their attributes. We will play a fun review game on Monday to help students prepare for the assessment. Our next unit in math will be focused on a conceptual understanding of multiplication rather than rote memorization of facts. This week we will explore the relationship between repeated addition and multiplication. I am including the parent resource letter in today's Monday folder to give you resources for how this unit is being taught in case your child needs support at home.
CogAt TESTING - Third graders will take the CogAt assessment on October, 6th, 7th, and 9th at 9:30 a.m. This test will determine those students who may qualify for academically gifted services. Please make sure your child has a hearty breakfast and gets a good night of rest before the testing days.
PICTURE DAY - Our class will have their pictures made on Wednesday, October 7 at 1:50 p.m. Pictures must be prepaid, so if you are interested in ordering, please send your payment in as soon as possible.
BOG INFORMATION - I am sending home detailed information regarding your child's BOG reading score in today's Monday folder. Please know that I will be working with your child this year in guided reading and strategy groups to help them grow as readers. Also, I am including a wonderful resource entitled "Read to Achieve Passage Parent Recommendations" that will help you as you converse with your child about his/her reading. This resource aligns the standard we are studying with questions you can ask to reinforce that standard.
Wow! Lots of information and wonderful things happening at Douglas!! Thank you so much for all you do to help your child at home. It is a pleasure to work with you and your child!.
Ms. Underwood
Saturday, October 3, 2015
Dancing Geometry Vocabulary
It may be raining outside, but students in Ms. Underwood's third grade class are not letting the weather dampen their spirits. Mrs. Eleczko, one of our instructional coaches, and Ms. Underwood co-taught students how to create dance movements to represent the meanings of vocabulary words learned during our unit on shapes and their attributes. Students were very creative and had a blast dancing the vocabulary!!
PASTA SKELETONS
During our Human Body unit in science, students learned how the skeletal and muscular systems, as well as the joints help the body move. They had fun making pasta skeletons to culminate this unit.
Sunday, September 27, 2015
WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 28, 2015 NEWS
Dear Parents:
I hope you had a restful weekend. Listed below is an overview of our upcoming week.
WRITING - Students are continuing to revise their personal narratives to "show rather than tell" and to include "juicy" details that will help the reader visualize what is happening in the story. Students have learned to write a lead that will "hook" the reader by beginning with action, dialogue, or setting. I have enjoyed conferencing with your children and learning more about them through their stories.
READING - This week in reading we will begin our Character Study unit. Students will be placing themselves in the shoes of the character by taking a closer look at the emotions, motivations, and traits of the character. As we study our characters, we will also be practicing fluency and expression while we read the text as the author would say it, conveying the meaning or feeling. I am excited about the texts I will be sharing with students this week as we take a more in depth look at our characters. We have also begun our vocabulary lessons. Students enjoyed the fable about the sly fox and the little red hen while learning the words sly, mend, peer, shriek, prepared, and dependable.
SCIENCE/SOCIAL STUDIES - On Monday, we will conclude our assessment on the Human Body and finish creating our pasta skeletons. Tuesday, my class will rotate to Mr. Otto for Social Studies while I teach his class Science. Students will be learning about the three regions of North Carolina (Piedmont, Coastal, and Mountains) in Mr. Otto's class.
MATH - In math this week, students will continue to compare/contrast the attributes of various 2-D shapes. There are many hands-on learning activities students will be involved in to help them understand the characteristics of these shapes. We are even going to incorporate dance into our math as students create movements to represent the vocabulary associated with these 2-D shapes. I learned about this kinesthetic type of learning in our professional development workshop on Wednesday, and I am anxious to try it out in my class. Mrs. Eleczko will be helping me!
IMPORTANT DATES -
SEPTEMBER 28 - Third Grade Parent Meeting for CogAt Testing - 5:30 p.m. - Media Center
OCTOBER 1 - ARTS NIGHT - 5:00 - 7:30 p.m.
OCTOBER 6th, 7th, 9th - Third Grade CogAt Testing
Sincerely,
Ms. Underwood
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