3L Weekly News
Week Ending March 18, 2016
Exciting Upcoming EVENT!!!!
As many of you know, we have recently finished reading a story in our Journeys text titled Aero and Officer Mike Police Partners by Joan Plummer Russell. Through this text, children learned how to understand an author's purpose and worked to determine reasons why Ms. Russell included certain pieces of information for the reader. The text taught us that Aero and Officer Mike have a special bond that goes far beyond a dog and his owner.
While we would have loved for the real Officer Mike and Aero to visit us, that didn't seem possible. However, the Camden County K-9 Police Department was a perfect fit! Officer Wright and his German Shepherd as well as another officer and K-9, will be visiting Central on Thursday, March 31st at 2:00 outside on the field. The rain date will be Thursday, April 7th at 2:00 .The officers will be discussing their duties and the responsibilities of a police K-9. Additionally, they will be demonstrating some of the dog's unique abilities. As a third grade team, we thought it would be so exciting to merge the community with our school, and we are thrilled to share this special experience with you and your child. Parents, you are more than welcome to join us for this event!
While we think may third graders will find this exciting, we also understand that large dogs can make some students uncomfortable. If your child would not like to physically watch the demonstrations, that's okay! We will be streaming the event live into a classroom through Apple TV (technology is a beautiful thing!).
We are looking forward to this experience, and we hope your child is too!
Rowan Planetarium
We are going paperless! On Friday, April 8, 2016, the third grade students will visit Rowan University's Planetarium. There is no need for you to send back a paper permission form as all signatures will be electronic. Permission forms must be signed electronically by Friday, April 1st. See below for Genesis instructions.
Please note that if you are interested in being a chaperone, please look for the form in your child's take home folder. Chaperones will be chosen by lottery.
Singing the form on Genesis is easy! Just follow the step below.
· Login into the Genesis Parent Portal
· Select your third grader from the drop-down menu (this applies only if you have more than 1 child in the school district)
· Click on the Documents tab at the top of the screen.
· Click on and read the 2016 3rd Grade Planetarium Trip.
· Click on the back button (arrow) and click the green bar that reads, “I have read the field trip form and grant my child permission to attend.”
Once you have clicked this green button, the form is complete.
The school met our Read Across America Challenge! Mrs. Miller and Mrs. Simkus were turned into HUMAN ICE CREAM SUNDAES!
The students answered the following question....What are important components of informational writing?
Chapters and Domain Specific Words
Pictures!
Table of Contents and Indexes!
Reflecting on our checklists.
Wow! We've become great writers!
William made his own cat at home inspired by our math lesson!
Lindsey was our Star of the Week!
Vienna explaining a multiplication trick.
It was too beautiful not to go outside to learn our math lesson and incorporate basketball!
This week in...
Thank you Mrs. Wolchina, Blair's grandmother, for coming in and reading us a fabulous story!
Reading:
- We spent time completing Daily 5 activities such as read to self and reading with a partner.
- We learned how readers can understand various opinions author's of persuasive writing share. We read two different stories about the benefits and disadvantages of video games.
- We read a humorous fiction chapter titled A Mr. Rubbish Mood.
- This is an excerpt from the text Judy Moody Saves the World written by Meghan McDonald.
- The story is about Judy and her mission to do her part in saving the environment.
- During this story, we reviewed vocabulary terms and worked on the target skill: author’s purpose and the strategy: monitor/clarify.
- Please continue to reinforce the concept of author’s purpose with your child. In class, we reviewed author’s purpose and the acronym P.I.E. (persuade, inform, entertain).
- We took author’s purpose a step further and discussed theme.
- Students learned that theme is the big idea or lesson the author wants readers to know. We spent time monitor and clarifying our reading as we searched for the theme in our anthology and in our independent readings selections.
- At home, encourage your child to practice identifying the theme in their personal readings.
Math:
We completed a review of fractions by completing stations, a practice test, and the Unit 9 assessment on fractions.
Additionally, we began Unit 7. This unit focuses primarily on multiplication.
We practiced basic multiplication and division facts.
We worked on our multiplication and division facts by identifying patterns on the number grids, working with square numbers, and completing number puzzles.
We created number models that contain parentheses and worked to find different ways to score 10 points in a basketball game.
By this point, students should have multiplication facts committed to memory.
Please encourage your child to study these facts each night!
We worked on an open ended problem that focused on using parenthesis, addition, subtraction, and multiplication.
Writing:
- Students took note of the progress they have made in their persuasive writing. They did this by assessing their work against a checklist and set new goals form themselves.
- We shared our writing with the other 3rd grades in a celebration!
- We began Informational writing by preparing to write an informational text, listing ideas students are good at, and identify important components of informational writing (pictured above).
- We created a plan for the information each student will write about their topic.
- We organized information by brainstorming different ways to organize. Students thought about their table of contents and made sure it had a logical structure.
- We gained new perspectives on our topic by considering different organizational structures and thinking about a topic in new ways. We thought about a topic in the following ways: problem and solution, cause and effect, boxes and bullets, pros vs. cons, and compare and contrast.
Word Study:
- The next Word Study Assessment will be on Monday, April 4th (Day 6)
Social Studies:
- Students discovered the usefulness of compass directions and measurements of distance. Students worked in partners to use iPads to determine where North was in relation to our classroom.
Cursive:
- we learned how to make the cursive i and how to connect it to other letters such as: r, c, a, d, g, h, t, p, e, l, f, u, y, j, and k.
Habit of the Month: Put First Things First
Work First, Then Play
I spend my time on things that are most important. This means I say no to things I know I should not do. I set priorities, make a schedule, and follow my plan. I am disciplined and organized.
I encourage parents to submit their children for nominations (you can email it right to me)! I'd love to celebrate what a child does outside of the classroom as much as we celebrate what they do in school. :-)
Reminders
Please remember to have your child submit his/her poem for Poet of the Week prior to the presentation for approval.
Multiplication: It is important that students are studying their multiplication facts each night. It not only helps build good study habits, but also builds stamina and quick recall! While it is great students are using strategies such as repeated addition and drawing pictures, these facts must be known by heart. Students can check out my eBoard for additional practice with this skill.
Absences/Late: Always include csattendanceoffice@haddonfield.k12.nj.us on all emails regarding absence, early dismissal or late arrival. This email is checked frequently throughout the day.
Vocabulary: Vocabulary for each story in Journeys can be found on my eBoard under the Language Arts tab. The red tabs are sectioned by lesson (example: L1 is Lesson 1 etc.). Vocabulary can also be found in the Journeys textbook or online textbook (before the reading selection).
Strings Make Up Work: Please keep in mind that your child will be missing instructional time when he or she attends strings. Any work that he or she miss will be expected to be made up.
Birthdays: If your child would like to celebrate his/her birthday, please contact me so we can set up a date to celebrate! See my eBoard for more details.
Student Logins: If students forget their Journeys Textbook click this link for the website. Students have logins and passwords in the front of their Agendas. EDM Home Links can be accessed on the website. The login information is also in the front of your child's planner book. My eBoard has additional information on logging in under the Language Arts and Math tabs.
Check This Out!
**My eBoard has loads of resources on it under the Math Tab. Be sure to check it out!
1.Typing Agent: **This is a GREAT tool to help your child with his/her typing skills!
- The link can be found on my eBoard under the PARCC/Teach tab.
2. Multiplication
Student Council Activities
Central Events: January and February
Central Events: March
Monday, March 21
- 8:00 am Spring Break
Tuesday, March 22
- Spring Break
Wednesday, March 23
- Spring Break
Thursday, March 24
- Spring Break
Friday, March 25
- Spring Break
Sunday, March 27
- Easter Sunday
Friday, April 1
- 8:00 am Spirit Day
Wednesday, April 13
- Thomas Jefferson's Birthday
Thursday, April 21
- 6:30 pm Central School Expo Night
Friday, April 22
- 5:30 pm Rotary Oyster Dinner
Friday, April 29
- 6:00pm Family Fun Night
Useful Links
Lunch Payment Portal:
Weather Report:
Specials This Week
Monday is a Day 1:
- Spanish and Gym
Tuesday is a Day 2:
- Music
Wednesday is a Day 3:
- Health and Gym
Thursday is a Day 4:
- Spanish
Friday is a Day 5:
- Library and Strings
Guest Read Aloud Schedule
October:
- Jennifer Cittadini Wednesday, October 14 @ 2:40 (completed)
- Beth Wassall Wednesday, October 21 @ 2:40 (completed)
- Nicole Ventrella Tuesday, October 27 @ 2:40 (completed)
November:
- Emmie Goldenbaum-Cook Thursday, November 12 @ 2:40 (completed)
- Mia Levine or Eric Huebl: Friday, November 20 @ 2:40 (completed)
- Jennifer Barker Monday, November 23 @ 2:40 (completed)
December:
- Stefanie Kist: Wednesday, December 2 @ 2:40 (completed)
- Dana Mower: Monday, December 7 @ 2:40 (completed)
January:
- Jeff Tucker Tuesday, January 5 @ 2:40 (completed)
- Susan Gordon: Tuesday, January 12 @ 2:40 (completed)
- Jennifer Grega : Friday, January 22 @ 2:40
February:
- Robin Landis: Friday, February 5 @ 2:40 (completed)
- Dori Shields: Monday, February 22 @2:40 (completed)
- Barbara Cavacini: Thursday, February 25 @ 2:40 (completed)
March:
- Heather Tucker: Friday, March 4 @ 2:40 (completed)
- Debbie Wolschina: Friday, March 11 @ 2:40 (completed)
- Shannon Simkus: Tuesday, March 29 @ 2:40
April:
- Sara Blackburn: Tuesday, April 5 @ 2:40
- Sharon Dominco: Wednesday, April 13 @ 2:40
May:
- Mary Beth Smith: Tuesday,May 10 @ 2:40
June:
- Carol Cox: Friday, June 10 @ 2:40
Star of the Week Schedule
Student and Date:
1. Natalie Sept. 28-Oct.2 (completed)
2. Diego October 5-9 (completed)
3. Katie October 12-16 (completed)
4. Isaiah October 26-30 (completed)
5. Blair November 9-13 (completed)
6. Caden November 16-20 (completed)
7. Nathan November 30-Dec. 4 (completed)
8. Eliza January 4-8 (completed)
9. Caroline January 11-15 (completed)
10. Bryson January 25-29 (completed)
11. Vienna February 1-5 (completed)
12. Dayne February 22-26 (completed)
13. Libby February 29-Mar.4 (completed)
14. Derrick March 7-11 (completed)
15. Lindsey March 14-18 (completed)
16. Diana March 29- April 1
17. Molly April 4-8
18. Liam April 11-15
19. Elena April 25-29
20. William May 2-6
21. Joey May 16-20
22. Christopher June 6-10
Poet of the Week Schedule
Student and Date:
1. Libby Friday, October 2 (completed)
2. Liam Friday, October 9 (completed)
3. Diana Friday, October 16 (completed)
4. Vienna Friday, October 30 (completed)
5. Lindsey Friday, November 13 (completed)
6. Derrick Friday, November 20
7. Molly Friday, December 4 (completed)
8. Elena Friday, December 11 (completed)
9. Natalie Friday, January 8 (completed)
10. Joey Friday, January 15 (completed)
11. William Friday, January 29 (completed)
12. Isaiah Friday, February 12 (completed)
13. Katie Friday, February 19 (completed)
14. Christopher Friday, February 26 (completed)
15. Blair Friday, March 4 (completed)
16. Diego Friday, March 28
17. Caden Friday, April 1
18. Nathan Friday, April 15
19. Eliza Friday, May 6
20. Caroline Friday, May 13
21. Bryson Friday, May 27
22. Dayne Friday, June 10