Third Grade Weekly News
Week of December 10th
Dates to Remember
- Monday, December 10th: Technology Dinner Night at Chaps Pit Beef (Westview)
- Tuesday, December 11th: Murphy Book Exchange; Play Auditions for Grades 1-3
- Wednesday, December 12th: Chevalier Book Exchange
- Thursday, December 13th: Maryland Science Center & Baltimore Aquarium Field Trip 9:00 - 4:30
- Friday, December 14th: Pritts Book Exchange; Reading and Math Homework Due; 2 Hour Early Dismissal
Field Trip Information
Our field trip will begin at the Maryland Science Center and we will explore the center from 10:00 - 12:30. We will eat at the MD Science Center. Our tour at the aquarium will be from 12:45 - 3:00. We will depart the aquarium promptly at 3:15.
We will not be returning back to school in time for students to ride home on their bus. As a result, you will need to make arrangements for your child to be picked up at 4:30 pm. All students, including walkers, will need to be picked up at school at 4:30. Students will not be allowed to walk home without a parent.
If you have any questions, please contact your child's teacher.
Don't Forget Your Coat!
Homework
Reading Homework: Independent reading of non-fiction text is equally as important as reading fiction text. Please encourage your child to read non-fiction text too.
Language Arts
Reading:
Identifying the main idea of text is critical to students successfully understanding what they read. The main idea is often stated in a sentence in the passage, and other sentences comprise pieces of information that tell more about the most important idea. Identifying and understanding main ideas along with determining importance are prerequisite skills to summarizing text. Readers summarize the most important aspects of the text by determining the details that are significant and discard those that are not while stating the main idea in their own words, thus improving comprehension and understanding what is read. When constructing the main idea of a piece of text, the reader may start with a topic they think the text is about, what the author is saying about the topic, and details that support the main idea. This week students will continue to identify the topic, main idea, and details as they read non-fiction texts.
Students will also use websites to listen to nonfiction text read aloud. We use these websites as part of our listen to reading station. Students can listen to informational text through True Flix, Pebble Go, Capstone, etc. While listening to nonfiction text, students are practicing note taking skills. Each student has a Stop and Jot notebook to take notes while listening, reading or watching nonfiction topics. Students pause to take notes when they read new information, see a strong image, burst with curiosity, meet new words, or come to the end of a section. Students are also using these notebooks to take notes while watching nonfiction video clips. The notes will help students identify the topic, main idea and supporting details of a text or video.
Students can access these reading websites from home. Go to our google classroom -- classwork (top middle of page) -- Sites -- Whittier Media Website. Please explore these resources at home!
Writing:
As students continue to write informational essays, they will elaborate on the topic by explaining facts with examples, definitions, and analogies. We worked together as a class to develop a rubric for evaluating our writing. Students will re-write their hook (lead into essay) and their best paragraph. Students will use the rubric to evaluate their writing. On a scale of:
3 - I can do it!
2 - I need some more practice!
1 - I need support
Teachers will also evaluate student writing samples and provide feedback.
Math
This week, we will start Unit 4 in math. Students will begin by reviewing the concept of fractions using an area model (circles, bars, etc.) They will then connect the bar model of fractions to plotting fractions on a number line.
Thus far, students have only used fractions less than 1. This weeks, students will deepen their understanding of fractions by going beyond 1. When identifying fractions beyond 1, students will be using the improper fraction instead of the mixed number (i.e. 7/4 instead of 1 and 3/4).
Students will review the vocabulary of numerator, denominator, and unit fraction. They will be introduced to the term interval or distance.
Click here for an overview of the unit and ideas to try at home!
Social Studies/Science
This week, students will continue a new Social Studies unit on economics called The Game of Life. This unit is modeled after the board game Life. Throughout the unit, students will be exploring the compelling question: How does economics affect our everyday lives?
This week, students will distinguish between natural, capital, and human resources. They will discuss how each impacts production and what would happen if one of their resources becomes limited.
Later in the week, they will apply this knowledge to the production of a hamburger by identifying the natural, capital, and human resources required to produce a hamburger.
Quarterly Expectations
Important News
PTA
Please take a moment and become a member of the PTA. Your membership entitles you to discounts in and around Frederick County. More importantly, your membership says that you are in support of our school. We would love to have you join us. Our next PTA meeting is Monday, December 17th @ 6:30pm. ALL ARE WELCOME!
Upcoming PTA Events:
Play Try Outs - Coming soon!- see below for information
December 17 - PTA Meeting - 6:30 pm
January 4 - Bingo Night
January 5 - Donuts with Dads
January 14 - PTA Meeting - 6:30 pm
PTA membership is always appreciated in order to support your children and the PTA’s mission. Volunteering is not required! Sign up at WhittierElementaryPTA.com and follow us on Facebook to keep up to date on all events!
Check out the PTA website! http://whittierelementarypta.com
Follow the PTA on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/WhittierPTAFrederick/
Email them! WhittierPTAFrederick@gmail.com
WE ARE MONSTERS- PTA PLAY
“We Are Monsters is a hilarious musical that follows human kids into a monster cabinet filled with quirky monster characters. The monsters and kids discover the importance of friendship and celebrating in the attributes that make each of us different and unique.”
Winner of the 2013 Children’s Musical Theatre Festival, NYC
Auditions: Tuesday December 11, 2018 4:00-5:30pm Grades 1- 3
Thursday December 13, 2018 4:00-5:30pm Grades 4 -5
*Students should be prepared to sing a 30 second song, for example, Happy Birthday or A,B,C’s. All who audition will get a role in the play.
Rehearsals: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:45-5:00pm
(A rehearsal schedule will be given out at the parent meeting.)
Performance Nights: April 5 & 6, 2019 at Frederick High School
Mandatory Parent Meeting: January 8, 2019 @ 5:00pm (WHES media center)
to discuss parent volunteer commitment, rehearsals, and performances
all fees are due at this time
find out your child’s part in the play
bring your calendar to sign up to volunteer
Fee: $75 per student (This cost covers student participation in a professional play organized by the MET, t-shirt, dvd, and flowers.)
If you are experiencing a financial hardship, please contact Mrs. Miller or Mrs. Reese.
Phone: 240-236-3140 or 240-236-3170 or Email: barbara.miller@fcps.org or lisa.reese@fcps.org
All parents must volunteer in some capacity for the play, and all parents need to be volunteered trained. For your convenience, we will have a training session directly after the mandatory parent meeting for those parents who have not yet received it.
Register for the play using this link: https://goo.gl/forms/iYFmQZKRAlhPKvto1
Students must be registered by: December 7, 2018.
You may submit payment online:http://whittierelementarypta.com/Home (click JOIN NOW button, click on play.)
Please submit payment online or make checks payable to: Whittier PTA
Any questions/ concerns, please contact:
WINTER SESSION OF CHESS, CODING, AND ROBOTICS CLUB
Please let us know if you have any questions.
Amy Broomall
240-236-3160
Jaime Chevalier
240-236-3158
Robin Murphy
240-236-3156
Megan Pritts
240-236-3154