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

Friday, January 11, 2013

Weekly Update-Catie's Class

Math

This week, the students focused on quadrilaterals (four sided polygons). In addition to learning about the different types of quadrilaterals, the kids got lots of practice describing the properties of different quadrilaterals. The week culminated with a rousing game of “Geopardy” (Geometry Jeopardy) yesterday morning. The students are still struggling with all of the vocabulary (especially when it involves the length of the sides OR the angle measure OR number of sides, but they are persevering, and beginning to use the vocabulary naturally.

Writer’s Workshop

This week, we began our study of poetry by asking the question: what is poetry? We read some poetry books and then generated a list. From that list, they are creating their own poems about poetry.

Reader’s Workshop

This week, we continued to focus on writing about our reading. Each day the kids do independent reading, they are required to respond to the text in writing. We also have started non-fiction fridays, where the students choose a non-fiction book for silent reading and then share out a fact with a partner, who shares it to the whole class. We could really use some additions to our nonfiction area, please let me know if you have any gently used and relevant/interesting donations. Thanks!

Science

This week, we began science inquiry - the process of asking questions and then designing experiments to answer them. We did two experiments involving drops of water on a penny. Next week, they will begin working on self-guided inquiry where the kids need to create the questions, hypotheses, list of materials, and procedures.

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.

Classroom Needs

-Nonfiction texts of all kinds (except magazines, which we have a lot of and are not very sturdy)

- Our class would love some more rulers that have both inches and centimeters-CLEAR IS ESPECIALLY appreciated

- A floor lamp

-Plants to brighten our room

- Our snack supply is now officially on “Empty” - even if it is not your turn to bring in snack, it would be great to get a few more items to use as future back-ups

Thanks!!!!

Last, we have a new student in our class-which puts us at an even 24. Please introduce yourself to him and his family (mom Rebekah) when you get a chance-we are so happy they're here and the students have been more than welcoming.

Ask Your Third Grader...

What have you learned about quadrilaterals? Tell me about all the different kinds of triangles and quadrilaterals.

What do you think poetry is?

What is science inquiry? Tell me about the drops on a penny experiments?

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 welcoming students to school each day,

Catie

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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.