9/26/11 - 9/30/11

Important Reminders- Picture Day is Oct. 6^th. The envelopes will go home on 9/30.

After School Enrichment has started.

Thank you to the PTA and May Watts Families! The PTA is working hard to raise money to purchase technology at May Watts. Families can assist by sending in box tops, purchasing May Watts apparel, and purchasing Market Day products. Thanks for all that you do!

Citizenship- The students are learning ways to problem solve. So far, they have learned about the importance of stopping and cooling down. The next step is to learn how to talk about feelings. We will practice talking and listening to each other using I messages (Example: It makes me feel ___ when ____.) It's important for students to have positive ways to deal with problems when they arise.

Spelling- The test for list 4 is Friday, 9/30. The skill is long i and long o words.

Reading- The students will read the realistic fiction piece called The Stories Julian Tells by Ann Cameron. This story is about friendship. Julian is a little boy who makes a new friend when someone new moves into his neighborhood. The new friends share ideas and teach each other things. There will not be a Harcourt comprehension test for this story, however, the students will be assessed on the skill of sequencing through a special kite activity. We will also create wishes for our kites.

Vocabulary: cartwheel, seriously, mustache, fastened, beyond, collection.

Writing- The students are doing a terrific job of getting in the habit of writing every day during our quick writes. We have modeled what Writer’s Workshop looks like and examined the daily routine. We have also identified the materials and procedures that can be used in writing. We have generated ideas through different lists such as authority lists and heart maps). We will continue to examine the writing process and when it is used in our free choice writing.

Grammar- The students will continue to learn about different types of sentences- commands and exclamations.

Science- This week, we are continuing with our Bones and Muscles Unit. The students will learn the names of the joints and their function. They will also learn the purpose of the Muscular System and learn about voluntary and involuntary muscles. The essential questions that students should be able to answer at the end of this unit are: What are cells? How are bones, muscles and joints formed? What is the purpose of the skeletal system? What are some scientific names for bones? What is a joint? What is the purpose of the muscular system? What are voluntary and involuntary muscles?

3^rd Grade Math- We will begin Unit 2- Adding and Subtracting of Whole Numbers this week. This unit covers multi-digit addition and subtraction and number stories. We will begin by working on Fact Families and Fact Extensions. We will continue by learning “What’s My Rule” Tables and multi-digit addition and subtraction and number stories using “part + part = Total” and “Start – Change + End” Diagrams.

The secure (S) and developing (D) learning Goals for Unit 2 are:

D-.Estimate answers to multi-digit addition and subtraction problems.

D- Compare “What’s My Rule?’ tables.

D- Add multi-digit numbers.

D- Subtract multi-digit numbers.

D/S- Use basic facts to solve fact extensions.

S- Know basic addition and subtraction facts.

S- Complete fact and number families.

S- Solve addition and subtraction multi-digit number stories

Additional goals assessed at the end of Unit 2 (from Unit 1) are:

D-Identify and use number patterns to solve problems.

D/S- Count by 10’s and 100’s

D/S- Apply place-value concepts in 4-digit numbers.

D/S- Tell and show times to the nearest minute.

D/S Find equivalent names for numbers.

Accelerated Math- We will begin Unit 2 this week which focuses on using numbers and organizing data. Some of the concepts we will cover will be: reading and writing whole numbers up to billions; using numerical expressions to give equivalent numbers; solving multi-digit addition and subtraction problems; making estimates for whole numbers, using a tally chart and creating a bar graph from a set of data; finding the maximum minumum, range, median and mode of a set of data, measuring length to the nearest 1/2 centimeter and describing and classifying plane figures. Our Unit 2 Test will be in a few weeks, but we will have quizzes throughout the unit to check for understanding.

9/19 -9/23

Upcoming Events…
Monday, 9/19/11 – PTA meeting at 7:00pm.  All are welcome to come!
Tuesday, 9/20/11–Young Rembrandts begins.
Tuesday & Thursday - After School Enrichment (ASE) begins.

Reflections Program Reflections program has begun and hopefully students are working on an original piece that expresses the 2011-2012 theme, Diversity means….  All entries are due on Friday, October 7th.  For more information please visit the PTA website - www.wattspta.org.     Please encourage your child to participate!

Citizenship
This week the students will continue to focus on problem solving.  Our goal is to help students recognize anger and frustration as normal feelings that often accompany conflict.  The “Cooling-off” strategy will help them find nonviolent ways to release these emotions and deal with the problem.  The students will also have a chance to redeem their paw prints for various prizes this week.  In addition, Mrs. Boldt will pick winners of the raffle drawing on Friday.  Students may put their paw prints tickets into grade level buckets for a chance to win Wii time with Mrs. Boldt.

Spelling
The skill for List 3 is long a and e words.  If you need to refer to the lists, click on the spelling tab above.  The test will be on Friday, 9/23.

Reading
The students did a wonderful job last week during our talent show.  I am impressed with all of the talented performances!  We truly enjoyed the talent show.Turtle Bay by Saviour Pirotta.  It is about a boy named Taro who helps a wise old man, named Jiro-San, clean up the beach for the return of the giant sea turtles.  Our reading strategy for the week is author’s purpose.   Students will be assessed on identifying whether the author is trying to entertain, inform, or persuade.
Vocabulary: eager, trained, litter, patiently, message, wise

Writing
During Writer’s Workshop, the students will need to complete a writing activity using the writing process.  The writing process includes pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing.  The students are going to become more familiar with each of these steps and its importance in writing.  They will also pick one of their pieces written in class and create a final, published piece.

Grammar Skill
We are going to focus on different types of sentences for the next few weeks.  This week, we will discover that a statement is a telling sentence and a question is an asking sentence.  Using the correct punctuation is very important when trying to express your ideas and thoughts in writing.

Grade 3 Math
The students are getting close to finishing unit 1.  This week we will work on counting combinations of bills and coins.  They will need to write their totals in dollar and cents notation.  The students will also work with frames and arrows.  It is important for them to remember to identify the rule of each problem.  Please refer to the SRB if you have questions about either of these concepts. We will be handing out the study guide on Monday.  The study guide is due on Thursday, 9/22.  We will go over the questions to review for the test.  The test will be on Friday, 9/23.

Accelerated Math
We have completed Unit 1 and the students have been given their study guides.  The study guide is due on Wednesday, 9/21.  We will go over the questions to review for the test.  The test will be on Thursday, 9/22.  Please help your child study and feel free to use the SRB for more explanation.

Science
The students will continue to review the different names of the bones in our body.  We will do the Hokey Pokey, play Pin the Bones on the Body and Simon Says to help us review.  We will begin discussing the muscular system, including the voluntary and involuntary muscles.  Voluntary muscles are muscles that we choose to move, like raising our hands.  Involuntary muscles automatically work without having to think about it.  An example of an involuntary muscle is our heart.

Weeks of 9/5 and 9/12

Upcoming Events...
Friday, 9/9/11= Walk to School Spirit Day!  Please walk to school and wear our school colors and/or spirit wear!
Monday, 9/12/11= Back to School Ice-Cream Social @ 6 p.m. on the blacktop near the playground!  Hope to see you there!  Come for some free ice-cream and socialize with your friends!
Thursday, 9/15/11= Curriculum Night 
Kindergarten through 2nd grades 6:30 - 7:00 p.m.
Kindergarten through 5th grades 7:05 - 7:35 p.m.
Grades 3, 4, 5 may visit math teacher 7:40 - 7:50 p.m.
3rd grades through 5th grades 7:55 - 8:25 p.m.

Music

Dear 3rd grade parents,

      It's recorder time! Our third grade students will be starting recorder soon. Please go to the music blog at mwmusicnews.blogspot.com to print out a copy of the order form. If you need a hard copy, I will have extra forms available in my room.  Thank you very much! The students are very excited about the recorder.

Sincerely,

Cathy Dunafin- Music Teacher

 

Citizenship
We will learn how to respect YOE (Yourself, Others, and the Environment) in different school settings such as in the bathroom, hallways, and playground. Each week, the class will set a goal to try to earn gold tickets by demonstrating good citizenship skills throughout the building. When the class meets their goal, they earn a celebration at the end of the week! The students can also earn individual blue paw prints which can be redeemed for different rewards.  We will also start learning different ways to problem solve. 

Spelling
Simply click on the Spelling Tab above for your child's list. The skill for List 2 is short i, short o and short u words. The test will be on Friday, 9/16.

Reading
Our story for the next two weeks is The Talent Show by Susan Wojciechowski. This story is about a little girl who decides to do a play with a bossy friend for the class talent show. Throughout the story, Beany learns many lessons about friends who try to "run the show" and learns that it is okay to be "Beany". While reading this story, the students will review how to create mental images. There will not be a comprehension quiz this story, however, the students will be assess on the skill of the week which is creating mental images.

vocabulary: gym, perform, prefer, recite, enjoying, billions, roam

To go along with the story of the week, each class will be putting on their own talent show. There is a tab on the top with more details.  The talent show will be on Thursday, 9/15 and Friday 9/16.

Writing- We have been launching our Writer's Workshop.  We've talked about what Writer's Workshop sounds and looks like and how the daily routine will be.  We have also started to brainstorm several different ideas for our writing this year.  Soon we will be going through the writing process using one of the stories we will write from one of our brainstorming maps.

Grammar Skill- The students will review verbs and adjectives for the next two weeks.

Grade 3 Math- The students will begin Unit 1 by learning how to use their SRB (Student Reference Book) as a study tool. We will also review the skills of telling time and using rulers to measure objects in inches and centimeters. The children will learn how to compile data into the form of a graph. Please encourage your child to complete their Home Link every night and to use the SRB to reinforce their skills at home.
Later in Unit 1, the students will find equivalent names for numbers. We will talk about the language of chance and what is likely or not likely to happen (or sure and not sure). We will also talk about what finding the difference means (subtracting the amount between two numbers) and finish with calculator routines.
By the end of Unit 1, the students should be able to:
- Identify and use number patterns to solve problems
- Count by 10"s and 100's
- Apply place value concepts in 4 digit numbers,
- Tell and show time to the nearest minute
- Count combinations of bills and coins and write the total in dollars and cents notation
- Find equivalent names for numbers

Accelerated Math- Unit 1 focuses on naming and constructing geometric figures. We will practice using geometric tools, learn how to classify quadrangles and will explore and identify polygons. In addition, we will explore the SRB (student reference book) and review and practice addition and subtraction facts.

Social Studies
This week we will wrap up our unit on communities by creating brochures of Naperville.  We will also review the unit and have our test this Friday, 9/9.  A study guide came home last Thursday.  Please make sure to review with your child.

Science
We will begin our first science unit on bones and muscles next week.  We will focus on the purpose of the skeletal system and the muscular system.  The students will learn some scientific names for bones and will learn the names of the different joints in our bodies.