October 1st - 5th

Reminder:

Picture Day is Thursday, Oct. 4th. Your child will bring home an order form for this on Tuesday, Oct. 2nd.

Family Science Night is this Wednesday, October 3rd between 6:30 and 8:30P.M. Our goal in Science Night is to increase students' exposure to, and opportunities to do hands-on science. There is a fee of $5/per family. You may still turn in the form sent out by the PTA if you have it. We will still accept walk-ins on the day of the event. Families just need to bring with them enthusiasm and spirit to enjoy the event.

 

PTA Reflections- All students are invited to participate in this wonderful opportunity for artistic expression. The theme this year is: "The Magic of a Moment." The completed projects and entry forms are due by Tuesday, Oct. 9^th. For more information, visit www.ptareflections.org or contact Amy Toepper, our local chairperson at amytoepper@hotmail.com

Citizenship: This week the students will continue to learn about conflict resolution, and how to talk about feelings. The students will learn to recognize that feelings surround conflict situations and how to express these feelings. They will also learn a positive way to handle anger through the Talk It Out process: stop and cool off. They will learn the importance of talking and listening to each other. We will practice using “I” messages- I feel ___ when you _____ because ________. We will also discuss the importance of timing when sharing upset feelings, so that we know when it is a good time to give someone an “I” message verses a bad time.

Spelling: The test for list #5 is Friday, 10/5. The pattern is words with consonant blends with st and str.

Reading: This week, we are taking a break from our Harcourt Trophies Series to start an exciting unit on bats! The students will think about how they feel about bats. We will read an online version of Stella Luna and examine how this story is a fantasy. We will also practice the strategy of sequencing events. We will read the book, Zipping, Zapping, Zooming Bats. The students will learn the difference between facts and opinions through a fun, interactive game. We will also learn how to research bats.   

Writing: The students will continue working on their creative writing pieces on sea creatures. The students have created a new type of sea creature and have shared information about their unique animal. The students will continue to review paragraph writing, which includes a topic sentence, details, and a concluding sentence. They are also learning how to write body paragraphs and a conclusion. The students are completely immersed in the engaging Smart Board Activities from this writing unit!

Grammar: The first quarter is devoted to reviewing nouns, verbs, adjectives, and types of sentences.

Science: This week, we will continue our Science Unit on the bones and muscles. We have learned that cells become tissues, tissues become organs, and organs become body systems. The students are learning to identify the 14 major bones in the body as well as describe how the bones and muscles work together. The joints will also be taught in this unit. The students are thoroughly enjoying using the Smart Board with interactive games which are helping us to learn about the skeletal system. If there are any parents who work in a health, Science, or medical field who are interested in talking to our students about the Skeletal or Muscular System, or their job, please email your child’s teacher. Thanks!

Math: The Common Core Math Standards philosophy is to teach deeper. We will be going more in-depth with our teaching and EDM will be used as a supplement.

Third Grade Math: Unit 1 is a review of number grids, patterns and time. Students will be doing number grid stories, recognizing number patterns and solving elapsed time problems. We will also introduce students to bar and pictographs. Students will draw a scaled bar graph and picture graph to represent data. They will also solve one and two step “how many more” and “how many less” problems using information presented on a bar graph.
Accelerated Math: Unit 1 focuses on Geometry. The students will become familiar with a a variety of geometric figures and shapes, such as lines, rays, angles, and polygons. Learning the different properties will help the students classify 2D shapes into different categories. This week the students will discuss the different attributes of triangles and quadrangles.

September 24-28

Citizenship:  This week the students will continue to learn about conflict resolution, and how to cool off.  The students will learn to recognize that feelings surround conflict situations and how to express these feelings.  They willl also learn a positive way to handle anger through the Talk It Out process: stop and cool off.

 

Spelling:  The test for list #4 is Friday, 9/28. The pattern is long i and long o words.

Reading: This week we will continue reading 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 a special group of friends.  Taro needs to wait patiently for the friends to arrive.  You will have to ask your child who the friends are that came to visit Jiro-San.  Our reading strategy for the week is author's purpose.  The students will determine whether the story is meant to give information, entertain, or persuade the reader.
Please remind your child to reread this story at home at least once during the week. The classes that have not taken the test will take an open book test (with vocabulary and comprehension questions) at the end of the week.

Vocabulary eager, trained, litter, patiently, message, wise
 

Writing:We have started a new writing piece that coordinates with our reading story for the week.  The students will be working on a creative writing piece on a sea creature.  The students will be creating a new type of sea creature and will share information about their unique animal.  The students will review paragraph writing, which includes a topic sentence, details, and a concluding sentence. They will also learn how to write exciting leads and a conclusion sentence.  The students and teachers will have a great time with this assignment!
 

Grammar: The first quarter is devoted to reviewing nouns, verbs, adjectives, and types of sentences. 

Science:  Our first science unit will focus on the bones and muscles.  We will be starting with the idea that cells become tissues, tissues become organs, and organs become body systems.  The students will learn to identify the 14 major bones in the body and describe how the bones and muscles work together. The joints will also be taught in this unit.  

Math:  The Common Core Math Standards philosophy is to teach deeper. We will be going more in-depth with our teaching and EDM will be used as a supplement.

Third Grade Math:  Unit 1 is a review of number grids, patterns and time. Students will be doing number grid stories, recognizing number patterns and solving elapsed time problems. We will also introduce students to bar and pictographs. Students will draw a scaled bar graph and picture graph to represent data. They will also solve one and two step “how many more” and “how many less” problems using information presented on a bar graph.
Accelerated Math:  Unit 1 focuses on Geometry.  The students will become familiar with a a variety of geometric figures and shapes, such as lines, rays, angles, and polygons.  Learning the different properties will help the students classify 2D shapes into different categories.  This week the students will discuss the different attributes of triangles and quadrangles. 

September 10th-14th,

Important Reminders- Our third grade is excited to have our PTA President, Mrs. Straub, visit our students to talk about how the PTA is part of our May Watts Community. Thanks for doing this Mrs. Straub!

Curriculum Night is Thursday, 9/14/12.  Session 1 begins at 6:30-6:55 in each classroom. At 7:05, there will be a presentation in the Gym on Math, Champs/Citizenship and an introduction of specials teachers. Session 2 is at 7:35 for anyone who missed Session 1.

Citizenship- This week’s cool tool is responsibility. The students are learning ways to demonstrate responsibility throughout May Watts. We will learn about the importance of making responsible decisions. The students will learn that when we make responsible choices, we are doing our personal best.

Spelling- The test for list 4 is Friday, 9/14. The skill is short  i, short o and short u words.

Reading- The students will read the realistic fiction piece called Pepita Talks Twice by Ofelia Dumas Lachtman. This story is about a girl named Pepita, who stops speaking Spanish because she is tired of being the neighborhood translator. Pepita eventually realizes that speaking two languages is a positive skill through a difficult lesson.  A disaster almost happens when her dog does not respond to the English name that she has given him. Please have your child reread this story at home at least once during the week. There will be an open book test (with vocabulary and comprehension questions) at the end of the week.

Vocabulary: languages, grumble, mumbled, darted, streak, exploded, stubborn

Writing- The students are doing a terrific job of getting in the habit of writing every day. We will introduce quick writes. The students will also examine the writing process. Our writing prompt will be about “How We Spent Our Summer Vacation.”  We will continue to model what Writer’s Workshop looks like and examine the daily routine. It’s been fun to generate ideas through different lists such as authority lists, webs, and heart maps.

Grammar- The students will learn to identify and use verbs to enhance their writing.

Social Studies- Mrs. Straub’s will talk to our students about how the PTA is part of our May Watts Community. This will connect our Communities Unit to real life experience. The students will continue to learn about communities by creating a brochure about Naperville. We will examine places to live, work, and have fun in our suburb. We will also compare and contrast the three different communities- urban, rural, and suburban. Lastly, students will examine how geography affects a community.

Math- We started the year by dividing the students into their various math classless.  Beginning in third grade,  there are both Accelerated Math and Third Grade math classes.  Mrs. Brayton and Mrs. Kiselyk teach Accelerated Math and Miss Anco, Mrs. Baumann and Miss Pedersen teach third grade math.  Each class will be going over the structure of math class and laying the ground rules.  Everyone will be starting the New Common Core math curriculum.  While you will see familiar homework pages from the Everyday Math Program, we will not be using EDM exclusively.  Expect various kinds of homework and some skipping around. The Common Core Math Standards philosophy is to teach deeper.  We will be going more in-depth with our teaching and EDM will be supplemented.

Third Grade Math - Unit 1 is a review of number grids, patterns and time.  Students will be doing number grid stories, recognizing number patterns and solving elapsed time problems. We will also introduce students to bar and pictographs. Students will draw a scaled bar graph and picture graph to represent data. They will also solve one and two step “how many more” and “how many less” problems using information presented on a bar graph.