Miss Branchick's Newsletter
September 8-11, 2015
MasteryConnect and Grades
Please be aware that if you check in on Mastery Connect, you might see that your child has a red color in their standards. I do import their pre-test scores, even when they leave the pre-test blank. I use Mastery Connect to place students into small groups, and rely heavily on the colors in Mastery Connect. I will reach out to you if I enter a post-test score and your student is still in the red. We will discuss a plan of action and I will reassess that standard later on.
If you have any questions, please let me know.
This week in room 506
Math-
Unit 3 -
- Tuesday- Vocab/Pre-test
- Wednesday- Lesson 1-1 Hundreds and 1-2 Thousands
- Thursday- Lesson 1-3 Greater Numbers
- Friday- Lesson 1-4 Ways to Name Numbers
Standards being taught/assessed this unit: MA.3.NS.1, MA.3.NS.2, MA.3.AT.1
***Students will begin switching classes on Wednesday. Not all students will switch this unit. If your child is now with another teacher, you will see the teacher's name written on your child's Unit 3 packet. If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know right away.
Science-
Students will begin working on our Light and Sound unit. This is a 2 week unit.
Standards being taught/assessed this unit:
- SC.3.1.1 Generate sounds using different materials, objects, and techniques. Record the sounds and then discuss and share the results.
- SC.3.1.2 Investigate how the loudness and pitch of a sound changes when the rate of vibrations change.
- SC.3.1.3 Investigate and recognize that sound moves through solids, liquids, gases (i.e. air)
- SC.3.1.4 Investigate how light travels through the air and tends to maintain its direction until it interacts with some other object or materials (shadows)
- SC.3.1.5 Observe and describe how light is absorbed, changes its direction, is reflected back, and passes through objects. Observe and describe that a shadow results when light cannot pass through an object.
- SC.3.1.6 Describe evidence to support the idea that light and sounds are forms of energy.
Writing-
We are starting our first Writing Unit - Narrative Writing. We will be focusing on the traits of Ideas and Conventions (punctuation, capitalization, complete sentences)
Standards being worked on: 3.W.3.3 Write narrative compositions in a variety of forms that-
- establish an introduction
- include specific descriptive details and clear event sequences
- include dialogue
- connect ideas and events using introduction and transition words
- provide an ending
Reading-
This week, we will be working in Unit 1 Week 3- During this week long unit, we will be focusing on:
- Strategy: Ask and Answer Questions
- Skill: Sequence
- Genre: Narrative Nonfiction
- Vocabulary Skill: Compound Words
- Phonics/Fluency: Final /e/ and inflectional endings- drop final /e/
Spelling and vocabulary lists have been uploaded to ScootPad. Words will be glued in on Tuesday
This week's spelling words:
- striped
- sneeze
- fine
- wise
- crime
- smoke
- envelope
- smiled
- globe
- come
- plane
- whale
- grade
- skate
- shapes
Vocabulary:
- admires- to like something or someone
- classmate- someone who is in your class
- community- a place where people live, work, and play together
- contribute- give money or help
- practicing- do something again and again
- pronounce- to say the word correctly
- scared- to be afraid of something
- tumbled- to fall over
Scholastic Book Orders
Websites
- ScootPad
- TenMarks
- Tumblebooks (username northelementary / password books)
- MasteryConnect
Tumblebooks is registered for grades K-4 so North and South share.
Box Tops for Education
K-Kids
K-Kids is a student led leadership and service group here at South. Students will work together on service projects throughout the year for local organizations here in Danville, as well as, strengthen their leadership skills.
Our first K-Kids meeting is on Monday, September 14th. All meetings are from 2:30-3:30pm, and students must be picked up after meetings or go to PACE, there are no buses available for transportation. A calendar of meeting dates will be passed out at the first meeting.
If you need another slip, please let me know and I can send another one home.