Dear Parents,
It is hard to believe that we are already into our third quarter of the school year. The weeks seem to be flying by as we stay busy with all the fun activities going on at our school. I am listing below some information regarding our curriculum and upcoming events for the week ahead. As always, please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
READING - Students are enjoying learning about the elements of mysteries and some of the specific vocabulary (suspects, alibi, red herring, etc.) specific to this genre. Last week, we read some one minute mysteries and used our inferring skills to solve these mysteries. I have encouraged your child to check a mystery out of the class library or school library so that they may practice the skills they are learning in their own book. This week, I will be sharing a couple of fun mystery read alouds entitled Grandpa's Teeth and Private I. Guana to help my students understand the elements of mysteries. The mid-year reading assessments are almost completed, and I will be sending a letter home soon to let you know your child's fluency and comprehension levels at this point in the year.
WRITING - Students are now writing the rough draft of their animal informational paper. They have researched the appearance, diet, habitat, care of the young, and interesting fun facts on the animal they chose. Now, they are learning how to write a main idea sentence for each paragraph supported with details. We will continue writing the rough draft this week, and I am hoping to have students "publish" (write final copies) these by the early part of next week.
SCIENCE - In science, students are building upon the study of solids, liquids, and gases from second grade by exploring the ways matter changes. We have been reviewing the properties of solids, liquids, and gases by doing some kinesthetic activities in class. This past Friday, students created a poster to distinguish the differences between the three states of matter using fruit loops to represent the molecules. This is a fun unit with some really cool experiments that students will enjoy.
MATH - We will continue our study of area and perimeter in math for the upcoming week. We have been using manipulatives such as tiles and Cheez-Its to understand area, as well as apply area in real life situations to make it more applicable to the students. On Monday, we will be creating rectangles using graph paper and colored pencils to explore rectilinear area. When talking with your child at home, please relate area and perimeter to items around the house to help students distinguish the difference between the two.
IMPORTANT DATES
Monday, February 1 - PTA Boosterthon begins
Friday, February 5 - Superbowl Spirit Day - Wear Carolina Panthers or Denver Broncos colors/team gear or wear your Douglas shirts.
Friday, February 12 - Music, Dance, and Science Informance
Friday, February 12 - Early Release Day
Sincerely,
Ms. Underwood
Sunday, January 31, 2016
Sunday, January 3, 2016
WEEK OF JANUARY 4, 2016 NEWS
Happy New Year Parents,
I hope you enjoyed the holiday season with your families and had time to relax. I am excited about a fresh start to a new year and teaching your children. I must say that I thought about them quite a bit during the break and am looking forward to seeing them tomorrow. Listed below is an overview for the coming week.
READING - We will continue our study of informational text as we focus on the main idea and supporting details not only in written text, but in pictures as well. We will also incorporate poetry into Reader's Workshop this week to practice determining main idea in a different genre of text. In Work Work, students will be learning the spellings of the following words: knew, new, know, no, probably, and usually. They are enjoying participating in the interactive chants we have learned to help us remember our words.
WRITING - Students are also practicing determining main idea and supporting details in Writer's Workshop as they write on a topic in which they are an expert. We will finish writing these informational papers this week and begin writing a research-based paper on an animal of their choice towards the end of the week. Students seem to enjoy this writing that is based on factual information.
MATH - We will review strategies for multiplying and dividing, as well as estimating during the first part of the week in preparation for a test in the middle of the week (Wednesday or Thursday). Our next unit of study in math is graphing which will include reading and creating bar graphs and pictographs. I think students will enjoy the hands-on activities planned in this unit to help them create their graphs.
SOCIAL STUDIES - Students will be wrapping up the unit on Economics and Financial Literacy with Mr. Otto.
IMPORTANT DATES - January 6 - January 26 - mClass reading assessment window
January 11 - 15 - Third Grade Writer in Residence
January 20 - Reading Case 21 Testing for Third Grade
January 21 - Math Case 21 Testing for Third Grade
January 15 - Quarter 2 ends
I look forward to working with you as we begin the new year. I am very grateful for your support. Please do not hesitate to contact me regarding any questions you may have.
Sincerely,
Ms. Underwood
I hope you enjoyed the holiday season with your families and had time to relax. I am excited about a fresh start to a new year and teaching your children. I must say that I thought about them quite a bit during the break and am looking forward to seeing them tomorrow. Listed below is an overview for the coming week.
READING - We will continue our study of informational text as we focus on the main idea and supporting details not only in written text, but in pictures as well. We will also incorporate poetry into Reader's Workshop this week to practice determining main idea in a different genre of text. In Work Work, students will be learning the spellings of the following words: knew, new, know, no, probably, and usually. They are enjoying participating in the interactive chants we have learned to help us remember our words.
WRITING - Students are also practicing determining main idea and supporting details in Writer's Workshop as they write on a topic in which they are an expert. We will finish writing these informational papers this week and begin writing a research-based paper on an animal of their choice towards the end of the week. Students seem to enjoy this writing that is based on factual information.
MATH - We will review strategies for multiplying and dividing, as well as estimating during the first part of the week in preparation for a test in the middle of the week (Wednesday or Thursday). Our next unit of study in math is graphing which will include reading and creating bar graphs and pictographs. I think students will enjoy the hands-on activities planned in this unit to help them create their graphs.
SOCIAL STUDIES - Students will be wrapping up the unit on Economics and Financial Literacy with Mr. Otto.
IMPORTANT DATES - January 6 - January 26 - mClass reading assessment window
January 11 - 15 - Third Grade Writer in Residence
January 20 - Reading Case 21 Testing for Third Grade
January 21 - Math Case 21 Testing for Third Grade
January 15 - Quarter 2 ends
I look forward to working with you as we begin the new year. I am very grateful for your support. Please do not hesitate to contact me regarding any questions you may have.
Sincerely,
Ms. Underwood
Sunday, December 6, 2015
WEEK OF DECEMBER 7, 2015 NEWS
Dear Parents,
I hope you are enjoying this beautiful time of year with your family. It is a busy time so I wanted to keep you informed of what is going on in our classroom.
READING - We are continuing to use text features (photos, captions, maps, diagrams, etc.) to comprehend our nonfiction reading. This week we will also look at digital text to learn how to use text features such as hyperlinks. Please encourage your child to read nonfiction at home as well.
WRITING - This week as we begin informational writing, students will begin writing on a topic that interests them. We will be brainstorming topics in class that students feel they may be an expert on such as soccer, dancing, etc. We are really trying to focus on writing complete sentences with capitalization and ending punctuation, as well as using our knowledge of spelling patterns from word work to spell correctly.
SOCIAL STUDIES - Students are studying economics and learning new vocabulary words in Mr. Otto's social studies class.
MATH - We are focusing on applying mathematical properties (commutative, associative, and distributive) to solve multiplication and division word problems. This week we will use our problem solving strategies to solve multi-step problems that involve all the operations. In class, students have had some meaningful discussions as they analyze the various strategies students use to solve problems. On Friday, we will have an assessment.
Please return signed interim reports as soon as possible. If you would like a copy, just jot me a note, and I will be glad to make you one.
Have a wonderful week. Thank you for all you do to help your child be successful in school.
Sincerely,
Ms. Underwood
Sunday, November 29, 2015
WEEK OF NOVEMBER 30, 2015 NEWS
Dear Parents:
I hope you had a very restful and enjoyable Thanksgiving break with your family. Thank you to all the parents who provided food for our Thanksgiving Feast last Tuesday. The students had a great time eating, discussing what they are thankful for, making a craft, and creating a Pilgrim Hat dessert. Thanks also to Mrs. Purcell for organizing this fun activity for our students. Listed below is an overview of our upcoming week:
READING - Our focus in reading will now shift to learning strategies for comprehending nonfiction text. I have placed a leveled nonfiction text in your child's book basket for him/her to read during our literacy time. Please encourage your child to read nonfiction books at home as well. We will build upon the use of text features students learned in second grade to do higher level thinking as we comprehend the text. This week students will learn a strategy called Flip It in which they turn a heading/sub-heading into a question, using text evidence to answer their question.
WRITING - Students will write an opinion piece this week on a topic that they are passionate about and support their opinion with three reasons and supporting details. I am providing students with constructive feedback on their first opinion paper in order for them to build upon what they learned and write an even stronger piece during this week.
SCIENCE - We will complete our Objects in the Sky unit with a review tomorrow and a test on Tuesday. On Wednesday, students will return to Mr. Otto's class for Social Studies to begin an economics unit.
MATH - Students are continuing to practice using multiplication and division strategies to solve word problems. They are also learning how to determine when to multiply or divide based upon the information given in the word problem. This week we will focus on the commutative, associative, and distributive math properties as we problem solve.
IMPORTANT DATES: Tuesday, December 1 - Interims go home
Sincerely,
Ms. Underwood
I hope you had a very restful and enjoyable Thanksgiving break with your family. Thank you to all the parents who provided food for our Thanksgiving Feast last Tuesday. The students had a great time eating, discussing what they are thankful for, making a craft, and creating a Pilgrim Hat dessert. Thanks also to Mrs. Purcell for organizing this fun activity for our students. Listed below is an overview of our upcoming week:
READING - Our focus in reading will now shift to learning strategies for comprehending nonfiction text. I have placed a leveled nonfiction text in your child's book basket for him/her to read during our literacy time. Please encourage your child to read nonfiction books at home as well. We will build upon the use of text features students learned in second grade to do higher level thinking as we comprehend the text. This week students will learn a strategy called Flip It in which they turn a heading/sub-heading into a question, using text evidence to answer their question.
WRITING - Students will write an opinion piece this week on a topic that they are passionate about and support their opinion with three reasons and supporting details. I am providing students with constructive feedback on their first opinion paper in order for them to build upon what they learned and write an even stronger piece during this week.
SCIENCE - We will complete our Objects in the Sky unit with a review tomorrow and a test on Tuesday. On Wednesday, students will return to Mr. Otto's class for Social Studies to begin an economics unit.
MATH - Students are continuing to practice using multiplication and division strategies to solve word problems. They are also learning how to determine when to multiply or divide based upon the information given in the word problem. This week we will focus on the commutative, associative, and distributive math properties as we problem solve.
IMPORTANT DATES: Tuesday, December 1 - Interims go home
Sincerely,
Ms. Underwood
Sunday, November 22, 2015
WEEK OF NOVEMBER 23, 2015 NEWS
Dear Parents,
I know everyone is looking forward to the upcoming Thanksgiving holidays so that we may rest and spend some fun times with our families. I wanted to send a brief letter to keep you informed about the upcoming week.
READING - Students have been learning how to compare/contrast the settings and plots of the books they are reading. I will continue modelling this standard for them using a Venn diagram. We will also be digging deeper into our books to compare/contrast the themes as well.
WRITING - Students are expected to complete the final drafts of their book review this week. After the holidays, I plan to give students feedback on their opinion writing and give them the opportunity to write another persuasive piece on an issue of their choice.
SCIENCE - On Friday, students created their own constellations with black paper and sequins. This week they will write a myth that explains the origin of their constellations. After Thanksgiving, we will culminate our Objects in the Sky unit, and students will return to Mr. Otto's class for Social Studies. We had a wonderful time on our field trip to the Planetarium this past Wednesday. I was very proud of the way our students represented Douglas Elementary.
MATH - We will continue to practice multiplication and division strategies. Please work with your child at home to help him/her become fluent with their multiplication and division facts.
IMPORTANT DATES
NOVEMBER 24 - THANKSGIVING CELEBRATION (in our classroom)
Thank you to Mrs. Purcell, our room mom, for organizing this activity for our students!!
NOVEMBER 25 - TEACHER WORKDAY
NOVEMBER 26 - 27 - THANKSGIVING HOLIDAYS
Enjoy the holiday break, and be safe in your travels.
Sincerely,
Ms. Underwood
I know everyone is looking forward to the upcoming Thanksgiving holidays so that we may rest and spend some fun times with our families. I wanted to send a brief letter to keep you informed about the upcoming week.
READING - Students have been learning how to compare/contrast the settings and plots of the books they are reading. I will continue modelling this standard for them using a Venn diagram. We will also be digging deeper into our books to compare/contrast the themes as well.
WRITING - Students are expected to complete the final drafts of their book review this week. After the holidays, I plan to give students feedback on their opinion writing and give them the opportunity to write another persuasive piece on an issue of their choice.
SCIENCE - On Friday, students created their own constellations with black paper and sequins. This week they will write a myth that explains the origin of their constellations. After Thanksgiving, we will culminate our Objects in the Sky unit, and students will return to Mr. Otto's class for Social Studies. We had a wonderful time on our field trip to the Planetarium this past Wednesday. I was very proud of the way our students represented Douglas Elementary.
MATH - We will continue to practice multiplication and division strategies. Please work with your child at home to help him/her become fluent with their multiplication and division facts.
IMPORTANT DATES
NOVEMBER 24 - THANKSGIVING CELEBRATION (in our classroom)
Thank you to Mrs. Purcell, our room mom, for organizing this activity for our students!!
NOVEMBER 25 - TEACHER WORKDAY
NOVEMBER 26 - 27 - THANKSGIVING HOLIDAYS
Enjoy the holiday break, and be safe in your travels.
Sincerely,
Ms. Underwood
Sunday, November 15, 2015
WEEK OF NOVEMBER 16, 2015 NEWS
Dear Parents,
In reading this week, we will compare/contrast the plot and settings of two different books by creating a Venn diagram. As you converse with your child about his/her reading, please ask questions about character traits (words that describe the personality - ambitious, motivated, determined) vs. character feelings (lonely, ecstatic, furious). Some students are continuing to learn how to distinguish a trait from a feeling.
During Writing Workshop, students will be completing the final copies of their book reviews. Students will then take a stance on an issue such as wearing uniforms to school and further practice their writing skills as they support the opinion with reasons/details. We have been using a graphic organizer in class called OREO. O = State your opinion. R= Provide the reasons for your opinion. E= Give examples and details to support your reasons. O = Restate your opinion.
This week in math we will complete our unit on equations and inequalities. Students are learning to balance equations by making sure both sides of the equation have the same value. They are solving for unknowns (represented by a variable - letter or symbol that represents the unknown), as well as creating and solving real world multiplication and division word problems. We will be testing Tuesday and Wednesday on this unit.
Last week in science, students participated in some fun, hands-on experiences to learn more about light and shadows. We will continue our study of shadows on Monday, followed by constellations during the remainder of the week.
REMINDERS:
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 18 - FIELD TRIP TO MOREHEAD PLANETARIUM
THURSDAY, NOV. 19 - LITERACY NIGHT - 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. - Come dressed in your cozy pajamas and enjoy some hot chocolate and good books!
FRIDAY, NOV. 20 - SPIRIT DAY - FANCY FRIDAY - Wear your fancy clothes!
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Also, if you have not signed up for a parent conference, please email me at dunderwood@wcpss.net, and I will schedule a time to meet with you.
Thanks for all you do!
Ms. Underwood
In reading this week, we will compare/contrast the plot and settings of two different books by creating a Venn diagram. As you converse with your child about his/her reading, please ask questions about character traits (words that describe the personality - ambitious, motivated, determined) vs. character feelings (lonely, ecstatic, furious). Some students are continuing to learn how to distinguish a trait from a feeling.
During Writing Workshop, students will be completing the final copies of their book reviews. Students will then take a stance on an issue such as wearing uniforms to school and further practice their writing skills as they support the opinion with reasons/details. We have been using a graphic organizer in class called OREO. O = State your opinion. R= Provide the reasons for your opinion. E= Give examples and details to support your reasons. O = Restate your opinion.
This week in math we will complete our unit on equations and inequalities. Students are learning to balance equations by making sure both sides of the equation have the same value. They are solving for unknowns (represented by a variable - letter or symbol that represents the unknown), as well as creating and solving real world multiplication and division word problems. We will be testing Tuesday and Wednesday on this unit.
Last week in science, students participated in some fun, hands-on experiences to learn more about light and shadows. We will continue our study of shadows on Monday, followed by constellations during the remainder of the week.
REMINDERS:
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 18 - FIELD TRIP TO MOREHEAD PLANETARIUM
THURSDAY, NOV. 19 - LITERACY NIGHT - 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. - Come dressed in your cozy pajamas and enjoy some hot chocolate and good books!
FRIDAY, NOV. 20 - SPIRIT DAY - FANCY FRIDAY - Wear your fancy clothes!
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Also, if you have not signed up for a parent conference, please email me at dunderwood@wcpss.net, and I will schedule a time to meet with you.
Thanks for all you do!
Ms. Underwood
Sunday, November 1, 2015
"Phrosted Phases" - Learning the Phases of the Moon
Students frosted vanilla wafers with chocolate frosting to represent the phases of the moon they have been learning in class. What a fun and yummy project!
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