March 30 to April 1

Here are the learning objectives for the week:

Reading: We are continuing to investigate heroes during reading time.  This week, the students are investigating the question "Can an ordinary person be a hero?".  They will also be focusing on the strategies of making predictions, recalling and retelling stories, using descriptive language, and identifying character traits.  They will be comparing and contrasting the fiction version versus the non-fiction version of The One and Only Ivan.  One more thing!  They will also be identifying story elements and begin the process of writing their own stories.

Writing: The students are finishing a persuasive paragraph identifying how to keep friends.

Math:  The students are in the thick of investigating fractions.  This week, they will be identifying fractions that are less than, equal to, or greater than each other.  They will also be working with fractions on a number line. They are also practicing their multiplication and division fact fluency.

This is a short week, and we will dismiss from school on Thursday at 12:00 noon.  We will resume school on Tuesday.

March 24 to 27

Hello families!

We have some very exciting news for members of our class this week.  Six of the third-graders have spent the last six weeks designing, testing, and recording science experiments for the Billings Clinic Expo.  This weekend, the Expo will be open to the public for viewing on Saturday, March 28 from 10:00 - 2:00 in the Montana State University-Billings Alterowitz Gym.  We would love to have you come on down to the Science Fair to see our students' and others hard work and innovative ideas!

Here are our learning goals for the week:

Reading: The students are reviewing the use of Predictions to understand a story this week.  They will also practice noticing and using descriptive language that gives the reader a feeling about the book.  They will then take this strategy into their persuasive writing for the week.

Story Elements: The students will identify character traits.

Math: The third-graders are continuing to investigate fractions with shapes and number lines.  They will be completing various assessments for adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing in preparation for report cards.

Writing: The students are writing outlines, accordion paragraphs, and paragraphs to persuade the reader how to keep a friend.

Spelling: Suffixes -ful, -ly, and -er

Have a great week!
Miss Kimpton

March 16 to 20

Here is a peak at our learning goals for the week:

Reading:  We are currently in Week 2 of Unit 5: Heroes Across Time.  The focus question of the week is "Why do we make up stories about heroes?" The following are the various reading skills we will focus on:

Comprehension Strategy: Make Inferences (combine what you know about a subject with what a text contains in order to make meaning or sense of the text), make generalizations

Vocabulary Strategy: Use context clues (words found in the text to understand unknown words)

Word Work: Common Prefixes, Comparative and Superlative Adjectives (comparing two or more)

Vocabulary Words: amazing, famous

Spelling Words: prefixes re- and un-

Writing: Retell and recall the order of a book to make it a paragraph, Write a paragraph titled "How to Keep a Friend"

Math:  

Review work:

1. MobyMax Math, Fact Master, and Numbers (you can check your child's progress on MobyMax by using your child's sign on and password and then signing on as a parent.  Your third-grader knows how to access this!

2. Daily Math Games: Multiplication, Addition, Subtraction

3. Multipication Facts

New Information:

1. Make a number line showing fractions
2. Use geoboards to show fractions of shapes
3. Understand the relationships of fractions with "Cuisenaire Rods" (the students will be comparing lengths of rectangular prisms)

Art:  Continue Symmetry Project

March 2 to 6

Thank you to all the families for your support regarding Friday's incident.  I was reminded of the many wonderful aspects of Sandstone Elementary: caring and dedicated professionals that move quickly to fill in as needed, students that know our routines and trust our judgments, and families that go above and beyond to help in any way possible. I am truly thankful to be a teacher at our school.


As far as teaching and learning extends, here are our learning goals for the week:


Reading:  We are introducing the first week of our Unit 5: Heroes Across Time.  The students are practicing the comprehension skills of determining important information.  Using this strategy, they will also by making generalizations about the texts.  The theme question for the week is: "Why do we tell stories about heroes from the past?"


Grammar:  Finding Common Prefixes (mis-, inter-, etc.) and determining the meaning of a word based on these prefixes, Adverbs


Spelling: add -ed and -ing to the ends of words


Reading Groups: (This work is completed independently during each afternoon in rotations) Spelling practice, Finish writing the glacier paragraph, Moby Max-Vocabulary, Reading Informational, Independent Reading, Prefix practice, Vocabulary Investigations, LEAD21 reading and practice


Writing: Make paragraph outlines for an opinion paragraph about school, organize the elements of a story


Math: Moby Max practice every morning to review and extend skills, Develop an understanding of fractions by making "set models", matching fraction strips to models, and investigating the numerators and denominators in a fraction


Art: Name Symmetry Piece (all work must be completed from Reading Groups in order to complete the Art project)