Congrats on completing your first week in 3rd grade! We did lots of getting-to-know-you activities, team-building activities, set goals for the year, and established norms and rules for our classroom.
Next week, we will begin our academic study. Read underneath each heading to know what to expect for next week's learning.
Reading Workshop:
Our standard of focus will be on reading closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from text. On and advanced will focus on asking and answering questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers. Accelerated will focus on referring to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
Students will rotate through reading stations where they will complete assignments that relate to those standards. Some assignments will be done in a small group, and some will be completed independently. I will meet with students one-on-one to do BAS testing so that I can get every child's current reading level.
Suggested ways to support learning at home--
Remember that we switch for math, so if you child goes to another teacher, s/he may be studying a different unit. Contact your child's math teacher for that information.
Our first unit is Numbers and Operations in Base Ten. This unit will last about 5 weeks with the post-test tentatively scheduled for the week of Sept. 14.
The students took the pre-test today (Aug. 14), and next week, we will graph our results in our data binders and write 1-2 goals for this math unit. For the next two weeks, we will focus on rounding whole numbers to the nearest ten and hundred. We will model how to round using number lines and learn the "rules" for when to round up or down. Students will rotate through stations where they will work with me in a small group, practice fact fluency, play partner math games, work independently on task cards related to the standard, and practice using technology.
Suggested ways to support learning at home--
Writing Workshop
We are launching our first unit on crafting true stories. This unit focuses on writing personal narratives. The students will write about their own lives, whether it be about a person who matters to them, a first moment or experience, a small moment, an accomplishment or goal, or a last moment.
Science
Our first science unit will be on Georgia's habitats. This unit will last about 4 weeks with a test tentatively scheduled for the week of Sept. 7. Students will be introduced and expected to know the 5 major regions of GA: Mountains, Piedmont, Swamps & Marshes, Coastal Plain, and Ocean. They must also be able to identify species of plants and animals that live in those regions and certain adaptations that allow those plants and animals to thrive there. Next week, we will discuss what a habitat is and start learning about the Piedmont region.
Homework
ALL homework for my students (for reading and for math) will be completed at school for the next two weeks. This is so that students completely understand how to do our homework for the year.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS
Next week, we will begin our academic study. Read underneath each heading to know what to expect for next week's learning.
Reading Workshop:
Our standard of focus will be on reading closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from text. On and advanced will focus on asking and answering questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers. Accelerated will focus on referring to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
Students will rotate through reading stations where they will complete assignments that relate to those standards. Some assignments will be done in a small group, and some will be completed independently. I will meet with students one-on-one to do BAS testing so that I can get every child's current reading level.
Suggested ways to support learning at home--
- Have your child generate a list of questions about who, what, where, when, why, and how to answer using evidence from the text. You could also come up with questions for your child to answer verbally.
- Ask questions that require inferential thinking where an answer about what is happening cannot be found in the text; the child has to inference what s/he thinks will happen based on clues given by the author.
Remember that we switch for math, so if you child goes to another teacher, s/he may be studying a different unit. Contact your child's math teacher for that information.
Our first unit is Numbers and Operations in Base Ten. This unit will last about 5 weeks with the post-test tentatively scheduled for the week of Sept. 14.
The students took the pre-test today (Aug. 14), and next week, we will graph our results in our data binders and write 1-2 goals for this math unit. For the next two weeks, we will focus on rounding whole numbers to the nearest ten and hundred. We will model how to round using number lines and learn the "rules" for when to round up or down. Students will rotate through stations where they will work with me in a small group, practice fact fluency, play partner math games, work independently on task cards related to the standard, and practice using technology.
Suggested ways to support learning at home--
- Click HERE to download the parent letter for this unit for ways to provide support.
- Once accounts for IXL and Redbird Math are available, information about where on those websites to go will be posted.
Writing Workshop
We are launching our first unit on crafting true stories. This unit focuses on writing personal narratives. The students will write about their own lives, whether it be about a person who matters to them, a first moment or experience, a small moment, an accomplishment or goal, or a last moment.
Science
Our first science unit will be on Georgia's habitats. This unit will last about 4 weeks with a test tentatively scheduled for the week of Sept. 7. Students will be introduced and expected to know the 5 major regions of GA: Mountains, Piedmont, Swamps & Marshes, Coastal Plain, and Ocean. They must also be able to identify species of plants and animals that live in those regions and certain adaptations that allow those plants and animals to thrive there. Next week, we will discuss what a habitat is and start learning about the Piedmont region.
Homework
ALL homework for my students (for reading and for math) will be completed at school for the next two weeks. This is so that students completely understand how to do our homework for the year.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS
- Boxtops & Labels for Education--don't forget to collect these and send them in! The class that has the most by September 18 will win a cupcake party.
- The Back to School Bash is Friday, August 21 at 5:30.
- Picture Day is Friday, August 21. Order forms will be sent home on Monday. These pictures are the ones that will be used for the yearbook.
- Anyone who wants to volunteer at the school MUST complete the online volunteer registration. It takes 48 hours to process, and the office will NOT let you come into a classroom if you have not completed this. Click HERE to be taken to the online course.