Catie's Third Grade Class Blog: Weekly Update-Catie's Class

Friday, January 4, 2013

Weekly Update-Catie's Class

Math

This week we continued our study of 2 dimensional geometry. We learned about angles, the different types of triangles, and quadrilaterals. Geometry is an area of mathematics that is very heavy on vocabulary. Third graders are expected to know terms such as acute, obtuse, congruent, parallel, similar, symmetrical, equilateral, scalene, isosceles....and many more (I’m pretty sure I didn’t know these words in 3rd grade!). I have posted some resources to the blog that will help your child (and perhaps you) to learn these terms (see the Math Games menu on the right side of the blog).

While we are working on geometry, there will be less of a focus on adding and subtracting. However, I do not want the kids to lose their edge in these skills in the coming weeks. If you have flash cards at home or if your child can use the computer, I would highly encourage having them practice their addition and subtraction facts several times a week.

Writer’s Workshop

This week, the kids worked on Choice Writing pieces while I conferenced with students one-on-one about their Personal Narratives. I gave each child two “Wows” and a “What’s Next.” The “Wows” tell them what I think they did well on their piece and the “What’s Next” tells them what I’d like them to improve for their next piece. Next week we’ll begin our unit on poetry.

Reader’s Workshop

This week, we read picture books for Read Aloud, about writers and their legacy of books, as well as about peace and Americans who told the truth (Ask your student about this-they all decided to be truth tellers!) We also worked on non-fiction reading. We read a short piece about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and then practiced using the text to answer questions. Kids at this age often think that they have to answer questions about their reading from memory. I am teaching them to go back into the text to justify their answers.

Science

Next week we’ll begin our first science inquiry of the year. At first we’ll focus on the scientific method and how it can be used to answer a variety of questions. The kids will then begin to use this process to create their own questions and experiments.

Portland - A Musical

Our weekly musical rehearsals (Thursdays 10:30-11:30) are now including narrating, acting, and dancing parts. It is absolutely vital that each child practice his/her parts as much as possible in coming weeks. All kids (except narrators) are expected to have their parts fully memorized by the end of January. Narrators should have their parts mostly memorized so that they can maintain eye contact with the audience. Make sure that your calendars are marked for Friday, Feb. 22nd at 6:30 pm for the big performance. Expect e-mails from Rhonda Baker (Josie’s mom in Jeremy’s class) regarding costumes and other musical related things in the coming weeks.

Ask Your Third Grader...

What are acute, obtuse, and right angles?

What are the different kinds of triangles? Quadrilaterals?

Tell me about peace, and people who have told the truth.

What truth do you want to tell?

What did you learn about Martin Luther King Jr. in reading?

Important Things Coming Up...

Jan. 16th - Late Opening (school starts at 10:40 am)

Jan. 21st - Martin Luther King Jr. Day (no school)

Jan. 23rd - Columbia Children's Arboretum Field Study

Feb. 1st - Teacher Planning Day (no school)

Feb. 8th - No School (SES only)

Feb. 18th - President's Day (no school)

Feb. 20th - Late Opening (school starts at 10:40 am)

Feb. 22nd - Portland - A Musical (9:30 am performance for school and 6:30 pm performance for families)

Thanks for sending such creative students to school each day (their gifts and cards were truly amazing, thank you),

Catie

No comments:

Post a Comment

If your child is absent due to an illness I am happy to provide an overview of the work they missed in class that day or for those days they are out sick. Inevitably there are times when trips need to happen during the school year and your student should be assured that although they are missing class time, I encourage them to embrace the learning opportunities outside the walls of our school. Parents often ask me for a packet to bring along to keep their child engaged in some learning and kept busy in a car or on a plane, but I don't assign "trip work" packets. Trips on their own have the potential to be rich learning experiences from airport or car, to destination and back. Instead I ask that students keep a journal, photo journal or scrapbook of their trip which could be shared with me upon their return to class. They are also welcome to share these with the class, but I don't require them to do so. Finding a secret spot and having a special little journal in hand in which to write and sketch what they see is infinitely more valuable to your child than me giving them a story prompt. If you do want your child to have some 3rd grade-level busy work during travel you could visit Learning Palace or a similar store to purchase 3rd grade skills workbooks. The following are some ideas for meaningful learning during trips:

Math:
Have your child use math, reading and writing skills as often as possible. Have them pay for things and count change or add up the coins received back, use maps, figure out elapsed time or the time an activity took to complete, compare prices of menu items, look for patterns in nature or architecture, estimate the time it will take to complete an activity, collect data of some kind and create a bar graph (cars vs. trucks on a five mile stretch of road or the kinds of people around you on the plane who order soda vs. juice for example), etc.

Writing:
Have them bring their writer's notebook or more fun, have them choose and buy a special little notebook just for the trip where they can sketch possible characters, special spots or images to use in future writing. Everyone and everything they see can be given new life as a character or setting in future writing. A little set of colored pencils or tiny watercolors to go along with it can make it more fun as well. Have your child write and mail a postcard or letter to our class (even if it arrives after they return). Our school's address is 3421 SE Salmon St., PDX 97214. Thank you notes for guest accommodations or for hotel operators is always fun, too.

Reading:
Trips can be made more fun if your child is taken to the library or to Powell's for a special trip book or two. Perhaps they could visit a local book store at your destination where they can choose a book to read or purchase for the time they are there or for the trip back. As time permits, be sure they read at least 30 minutes or more each day.

Science or Social Studies:
We study rocks and minerals in 3rd grade and it's always a joy for kids when we begin this unit in winter to bring in a special rock from a place they have visited during the year. We also learn about the first peoples who lived on this land long before white settlers came to what is now known as Portland. It can be interesting for kids to learn about other first peoples who lived in places you visit. Just learning a bit about the history of a new place with a city walking tour, nature hike, scenic route or collecting little souvenirs or scraps can be fun for your child as well.