The Classroom Connection

Mrs. Jefferson

DFES: Academy of Environmental Sciences

November 17, 2022

Celebrating Veteran’s Day

Reading and Writing Workshop


Greetings Families! I am so happy to celebrate the amount of reading and writing that's occurring in our classroom! At the end of the 1st nine weeks, we learned how to write an opinion piece for everyone to read about our favorite books. We learned to make a claim about the book and provide at least two reasons explaining why it’s our favorite book. An important part of our process was to use evidence and elaboration to support our reasons. We also explored how using transitional phrases helps our writing to flow. I’m extremely proud of our 3rd grade writers. Their writing stamina has increased, and they are learning to provide more relevant content to express their thinking about a topic. We are definitely on our way! Be sure to ask your 3rd grade writer to share their experience with writing an opinion piece and check out the writing that’s being spotlighted in today’s newsletter. I shared all of them because everyone’s growth for this particular writing should be praised!


In our current unit of study, we are inquiring into natural disasters. We are learning about various kinds of natural disasters and reading real stories about people who have experienced them. Your 3rd grader is being exposed to literary nonfiction and informational texts and will extend their understanding of text features and structures to help them better navigate and comprehend texts. I’m sure you’ll be delighted when you ask your 3rd grader about the natural disasters they’re learning about, but more importantly how they’re learning to ask and answer thin (literal) and thick (inferential) questions about the various articles we’ve been reading. Plus, how they're using text features to help them navigate complex texts and to learn more information about the content we are reading about. Last, Make sure you ask your 3rd grader what natural disaster they are currently researching!

Evan, Lenden, Miles, and Trevor Reading about the Eruption of Mount St. Helens

Bernard, Autumn, and TaKlu Reading about a Tornado in Joplin, Missouri

Spotlight on Writing:

Favorite Book Opinion Piece

Math Workshop

Math Workshop

We are learning to use the distributive property to multiply and fact families to divide!

In Topic 3, we studied multiplication using 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8 as factors. Our 3rd grade mathematicians now know how to use multiplication facts he or she already knows to find multiplication facts he or she does not know. See the example below and then ask your 3rd grader to tell you more about the distributive property.


Today, we began Topic 4: Using Multiplication to Divide Division Facts. Your mathematician is beginning to use fact families to learn division facts. A fact family has one or two

multiplication facts and one or two division facts that use the same three numbers.For example, below is the fact family for 5, 9, and 45.

9 × 5 = 45

5 × 9 = 45

45 divided by 9 is 5

45 divided by 5 is 9

Math Workshop
Big picture

Exploring Geometry w/ Candy Corn & Marshmallows

Dairy Farm Virtual Field Trip

Science & Social Studies

Science & Social Studies

In Social Studies, we are learning how lines of latitude and longitude divide the world into hemispheres, and how to use hemispheres and lines of latitude and longitude to locate continents and oceans.


In Science, 3rd grade scientists are learning to identify traits that provide advantages in survival, finding mates, and producing offspring and explain how variations of traits can affect the chance of survival and offspring in organisms. We will take a test on this unit next week.

Science & Social Studies

DHEC Virtual Presentation on Recycling

Halloween Fun at the Media Center!

The Book Fair!

Today's VIP Folder should include:


  • Graded Classwork
  • DFES Spirit Wear Order Form (Due 11/28/22)
  • Scholastic Book Order Forms - Make checks payable to Scholastic or use the information below to order online.


Scholastic Orders:

With a $25 order, you can pick a FREE $5 Book (use code: READS).

Class Order Due Date: 11/28/22

Shop Digital Flyers for Our Grade with Your Child: https://clubs.scholastic.com/grade3

Please share the Class Page link to extended family and friends. All orders also earn FREE Books for our class.

Thank you for your support!

Class Code: DVFVH

Upcoming Events & Assessments:

11/18/22 - Greek Latin and Roots Quiz ​7

11/21/22 - Science Test

11/21/22 - Skate Night, 6-8 pm at Sport & Skate Station USA

11/23/22 - 11/25/22 - Thanksgiving Holidays

12/1/22 - Reading MAP Winter Testing

12/2/22 - 2nd Nine Weeks Interim Issued

1​2​/​2​/22 - Greek Latin and Roots Quiz ​​8​

12/6/22 - Math MAP Winter Testing

12/6/22 - Math Topic 4 Test (Tentative)

12/16/22 - Nov./Dec. Reading Goal Sheet due

12/19/22 - Winter Break Begins

Thanks for Reading!

Contact Mrs. Jefferson

Contact Mrs. Jefferson

Contact Mrs. Jefferson
Our partnership as parents and teacher will lead to success for your child this year! Remember to stay connected through Remind, newsletters, phone calls, and email updates. Last, please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions or comments, no matter how big or small!
tjeffers@lexrich5.org 8034763951 lexrich5.org/Page/4238

DFES is proud to be a Title I school.