Week of April 30 - May 4

We are entering May and the last month of school.  Our third graders are in the home stretch and looking forward to summer vacation.  During the next few weeks, there is still a lot of learning to do---with a sprinkling of fun added in:) Please read about what's coming up this week. 

Please attend the fabulous Volunteer Tea Party!  The staff would like to thank all the wonderful parents that help us throughout the year with a lovely "tea party".  Finger foods and desserts will be served.  Come on down and join the  fun.

Citizenship - This week we will review bullying and how we can help to prevent it by being more empathetic.  For the next two weeks, students will be working on identifying feelings in others and practicing empathetic behavior.

Reading – In conjunction with our unit on westward movement, we will read a historical-fiction story called Boom Town by Sonia Levitin. The story focuses on a period from 1848 – 1855, when people from all over the world went to California during the Gold Rush in search of job opportunities. Boom Town is about a family whose gooseberry pies become famous in the mining camps and help to transform a tiny community into a thriving boom town.

Writing -

Students will continue working on expository writing. Expository means "to explain". Students will learn how to brainstorm a web of ideas and generate a 4-square graphic organizer. This organizer will help them to write a multi-paragraph paper. The students will learn to defend an opinion using reasons, transition words, details, and elaboration. We will demonstrate some” I do’s” and “We do’s”. We will also give instruction on how to write a good introduction.

Spelling - This week we are on list #27. The pattern is  change y to i and es. Please help your child review this week because some of the words  may be more difficult.The test is May, April 4th.

Social Studies – We will be beginning our last Social Studies unit of the year. the students will be learning about immigration and migration.  After our country was formed, more and more people came to the U.S. in hopes of a better life.  As the United States acquired more land,  people started moving westward out of the crowded cities hoping to purchase cheap land in the west to build homes and farms.  One trail that was traveled was the Oregon Trail.  We will 

begin the unit with reasons for moving west and how difficult it was along the trail.  

Math-

Third grade math - Unit 9 is all about multi-digit multiplication and different strategies to find the answer.  During this unit students will be exposed to partial products, lattice and traditional multiplication techniques.  The highlight of the unit is always learning lattice multiplication.

Accelerated math