Team Third Grade
Mrs. Behm, Mrs. Komar, Mrs. Frye & Mrs. Marcks
January 15th, 2021
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
Language Experience
We are coming to the end of our inquiry unit in Language Workshop. We have read, unpacked and reflected upon the various text structures utilized in these books that have helped us grow a deeper understanding of the characters and the struggles they’ve faced through adversity. We have also noticed numerous nonfiction text features and discussed at length their purposes.
Grammar/Patterns of Power
We have discovered, studied and compared regular past-tense verbs with irregular verbs. We noticed the slight differences between the two. Regular past-tense verbs all end in -ed to show past tense and the irregular verbs had slight vowel changes to indicate past and present.
Reader's Workshop
In Reader’s Workshop, we have also been reading, studying and analyzing informational texts. We have worked hard at identifying the main idea and key details that support the main idea. We are currently working on composing an informational summary.
Writing Workshop
At the publishing of this newsletter, writers have selected an opinion writing piece and have taken it through the publishing process. This is exciting! Ask your writer what their opinion was and their reasons to support their opinion that they selected to publish. Our 3rd grade writers continue to grow and learn about themselves and the writing process!
Word Study & Phonics
Did you know that in a 2-syllable word ending in -le, the consonant before the -le is included in the second syllable? True! Here are some examples: fa-ble, mid-dle, sim-ple and ti-tle. We learn every day studying Phonics and we are recognizing how hard our English language truly is! You should always be able to ask your 3rd graders what we are learning in Phonics.
Math Workshop
We are well underway into learning fractions! Just a friendly reminder that fractions are relatively new for our friends. We are focusing on two main ways to use fractions - the area model and the number line model. For an area model, each unit fraction is represented that shows how a unit fraction never changes. One half is one half no matter the context. The number line model shows the order of fractions - one fourth, two fourths, three fourths, and four fourths. This concept is challenging for students to understand but essential.
Science
The students are so excited about our new science unit entitled “Unity and Diversity” all about animals! This week we started our study of living organisms through our inquiry about crayfish. We have explored the crayfish structures/body parts and their functions (purpose/job). We are also making observations about their behaviors. These activities will help us to better understand other organisms as well.
Second Step
Our next unit for Second Step is called Emotion Management. We understand that sometimes things that seem little to us can rock a 3rd grader’s world. We are diving deep into understanding the brain and how it works to manage these big emotions. Understanding and acknowledging that it’s hard to think when these big emotions take over is the first step! Students are learning how to focus their attention on the clues that our body gives us (warm face, racing heart). When your child is feeling frustrated at home, help them talk about how they are feeling and come up with some strategies on how to manage that.
Why this lesson matters? According to Second Step, “when emotions are intense, it is hard to think straight and make good decisions. Strong feelings of anger can lead to aggressive behavior. Students may also struggle to make good choices when experiencing other intense feelings. Recognizing and labeling feelings in oneself and others facilitates problem solving, self-management, and social competence. Focusing on bodily signs of strong emotions helps students recognize emotions that might need to be managed.”