Third Grade Tribune
News from 3L and 3R February 16, 2016
ELA
In ELA, students have been studying inventors and their inventions. Through this study, students have identified cause/effect, worked on time and sequence, and identified main idea and key details. They’ve become experts on inventors like Thomas Edison, Elijah McCoy, George Washington Carver, and kid inventors – like the inventor of the popsicle and the trampoline! Students have also had the opportunity to choose any invention and research it on their Chromebooks. They are currently working on writing a ‘Guess What I Am’ piece that requires them to ‘become the invention’ and write from first person perspective. As a class, we are enjoying this unit of study and sad it will end this week! Our next unit of study will focus on identifying parts of a drama and sequencing events in fiction. This quarter students have been studying adjectives, particularly comparative and superlative adjectives. They even used adjectives to describe themselves in a fun writing project! This week students will begin learning about adverbs. I know they will do a great job!
Please continue reading with your child at home and reinforcing the skill work portion of the reading log, which includes practicing our Stoplight Strategy. This strategy is important because students need to be able to provide sufficient text evidence to support their thinking. Thank you for your continued support at home!
Math
Over the past two weeks mathematicians have been learning about fractions. We began our study of fractions looking a various fraction models. Presenting fraction situations within a context familiar to students makes modeling easier for them. Since models reflect specific situations, students need to be exposed to different types of models. The area model represents fractions by showing a region partitioned into equal parts shaded to indicate they are being considered. An area model is useful for representing scenarios that involve wholes, like cakes and pies. The number line represents fractions with a linear model. Scenarios that fit this model include length or distance. Finally, a set model can be used to show discrete objects such buttons, marbles, or muffins.
While learning about fractions mathematicians have enjoyed several "Fun with Fractions" projects. Using family photos we wrote fractions to describe our family members such as two fifths of my family are boys or one fourth of my family is wearing blue. We also made fraction pizzas with a variety of toppings and shared the pizzas equally with our friends. The students really enjoyed these hands-on acitivities.
Social Studies
It has been such a joy to watch our young entrepreneurs hard at work over the past two weeks as we learn about economics. Students selected business partners, signed a business contract, developed a business plan, tracked productive resources using an expense report, and created a fun carnival game to be shared with other third grades during Wally Mart this week. This process involved several tough decisions regarding supply and demand as well as positive and negative incentives.
Wally Mart will be held in the school cafeteria on Wednesday, January 17 from 9-10 for Mrs. Lewis' homeroom and Thursday, January 18 from 9-10 for Mrs. Rottenberg's homeroom. Parents are welcome to come and support our young entrepreneurs!
Important Dates
February 22-26- Bus Drivers' Appreciation Week
February 23- Third Grade Musical
February 24- Third Grade Musical
March 11- End of Third Quarter
March 18- Report Cards Available online
Students in Mrs. Mongenas, Mrs. Rottenberg, Mr. Seeger and Mrs. Slusher’s classes will perform Tuesday at 7:00 pm (Cast A), while students in Mrs. Bammerlin, Mrs. Lewis, and Mrs. O’Brien’s classes will perform Wednesday at 7:00 pm (Cast B).