Third Grade Happenings:)
PSSA Update
Third grade has finished the PSSA for the 2013-2014 school year. Our class did a great job of being prepared and doing their best work. This year we completed the ELA (reading) and Math tests. Next year, they will have a Science test as well.
Dr. Reddish rewarded all third and fourth grade students with a movie, some popcorn and water this past Friday. Students were so pleased with the surprise movie to celebrate their accomplishment.
Math
We have just started Unit 9 in math. During this unit children will be focusing on multiplication and division. We will learn partial-products algorithm for multiplying 1- and 2- digit numbers as well as the lattice method. Students will also develop a readiness for division and be introduced to important concepts such as remainders in division and positive and negative numbers.
Partial Sum and Lattice are two very different ways to solve multiplication problems. Often parents are seeing these processes for the first time. Everydaymathonline.com has small movies to explain the algorithms (partial sum and lattice) on your child's home page. Just log onto the website using your child's login and password. At the very bottom of the page is a border that says "More Stuff You Can Do" click on the icon for algorithms and choose the type of problem you need help solving.
As always, if you need any help, feel free to contact me.
ELA -- Reading , Writing, Listening, Speaking
We have started the 5th theme in ELA- A place for all.
Students will be reading 2 non-fiction and 2 fiction stories during this time. Focus skills include:
sequence: the order in which events happen in a story
cause and effect: cause is why something happens and the effect is what happens . The question "why?" can help you find the cause. The question "what?" can help you identify the effect.
Homophones: words that sound the same and are spelled differently (be/bee: for/four/fore)
Author's message: the main idea the author wants the reader to learn.
Grammar includes:
The verb to be
Main and helping verbs
present, past and future tense verbs.
Science
The children are very excited to start the last Science unit. They are going to Mrs. Amici's class and will be learning about plants.