Week of May 7th, 2012

Citizenship - This week we will continue to review bullying and how we can help to prevent it by being more empathetic.  Students will be working on identifying feelings in others and practicing empathetic behavior.

Reading – The story this week is is written by Gail Gibbons and is called Yippee-Yay!.  This is an expository nonfiction piece that describes the life of the American cowhand in the Old West.  We will learn that this was exciting, yet tough.  There is some wonderful vocabulary and connections that we will make between the Old West and our social studies unit on the pioneers. 

Vocabulary:  corral, ranchers, tending, stray, profit, market

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, body paragraphs and a conclusion.

Spelling - This week we are on list #28. The pattern is contractions. Please help your child review for the test that will be on Friday, May 11th.

Social Studies – Last week we began our last Social Studies unit of the year. The students will continue to learn about immigration and migration.  We have started the unit with reasons for moving west and how difficult it was along the trail.  This week the students have been put into families to "ride on the Oregon Trail".  Will there decisions allow them to get all the way to Oregon City to begin a new life? 

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 - Unit 9 focuses on fractions, decimals and percents.  Students will work on conversions between the three.  We will also be comparing results of surveys and taking a survey ourselves.  Towards the end of the unit, students will learn how to multiply and divide decimals.