Week of April 29 - May 3

Hello Third Grade students and families!  Welcome to May!  Here's what's happening in third grade this week...

Important Dates:

 5/6/13 -Volunteer Appreciation Dessert Reception
Mark your calendars volunteers.  The Volunteer Dessert Reception has been re-scheduled for Monday, May 6th from 2:00-3:30.  Please come and be our guests for some yummy desserts.  It's our way of saying "thanks" for all you do to help the May Watts community.  May Watts wouldn't be the great school it is without the time and talent of all our fabulous volunteers.

The third grade students will be preforming a special "thank you" about 2:45pm -- don't miss it!

5/9/13 - Jump for Heart

Students will be jumping rope to raise money and promote heart healthy activities.

5/13/13 - No School - School Improvement Day

Reading - This week the students will discuss the setting of a story and how it affects the mood/feelings of the reader.  We will read a fun story called Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch.  Later in the week, we will be reading the poem I'm in Charge of Celebrations by Byrd Baylor.  The poem is about a girl who shares her love for desert life as she tells of treasured experiences such as dancing in the wind on Dust Devil Day or sleeping outside on a hot summer night.  This story will lead into our writing unit on poetry. 

Writing -  The students are finishing up their natural disaster posters and will practice how to write to a prompt - or on-demand writing.  This is when the students are told to write on a certain topic in a timed environment.  The students will learn how to use linking words such as for example, because,  for instance, therefore, etc. to explain their opinion.  After the students complete a few prompts, we will be moving into a unit on poetry.

Spelling - This week the students will be tested on list #27.  The pattern is to change y to i.  The test will be Friday, May 3rd.

Social Studies - The students have been learning about immigration through Ellis Island and Angel Island in the early 1900's.  We will also discuss the Great Migration when many African Americans moved North from the South to have a better life.  

Math-

Third Grade Math -  Currently third grade math is learning about volume and capacity.  The students are learning how to measure weight in grams and kilograms and how to measure liquid capacity in liters and milliliters.  After we complete this short unit.  The remainder of the year will be dedicated to solving word problems and a review of the standards.

Accelerated Math - Accelerated math is continuing to study fractions

Week of 4/22 - 4/26

The staff at May Watts will reschedule the "Thank You Volunteers" celebration which had to be postponed due to the weather. As soon as the date is set, we will post it. We hope you can make it. Our third graders have something special planned for you!
4/22-Earth Day, Book Exchange Collection
4/23- Book Exchange Collection
4/24--4/26- Book Exchange
The students will be taking Interim Assessments this week on from 1:00-1:45 on M, T, W, and F. Students should get plenty of sleep and eat a healthy breakfast each day. They should also bring a healthy snack and drink plenty of water.
M- English Language Arts Part 1
T- English Language Arts Part 2
W- Math Part 1
R- None
Friday- Math Part 2
Just a reminder that we will no longer be mailing report cards or other items left behind for those students who are not in attendance on the last day of school. Parents will need to contact the office and come in over the summer to secure their belongings.

Citizenship- We will have a refresher on how the students can problem solve.

Reading– This week, we will read a story called Meanwhile Back at the Ranch written by Trinka Hakes Noble and illustrated by Tony Ross. This is a hilarious book about Rancher Hicks, who drives to the town of Sleepy Gulch, looking for a little excitement. Little does he know that some amazing things are happening to his wife and ranch during his absence! The strategy that we will work on this week is how setting affects the feelings/mood of a story.

Writing - The students will practice prompt writing this week. The students will write an opinion piece on a topic or text supporting a point of view with reasons and information. They will provide reasons that are supported by facts and details. This should be organized with a concluding section that relates to the opinion presented. Students should strive to write complete sentences, recognizing and correcting inappropriate fragments and run-ons. We will also continue our natural disaster projects and begin presentations of posters.

Grammar- We will focus on using complex linking words and phrases (for instance, in order to, in addition). These are words that are used to connect the opinion and reason in sentences and essays. (This is different from the traditional reference of referring to linking words as linking verbs.)

Spelling - This week we are on list #26. The pattern is words that end in er, ful, ly, and able. Please help your child review this week because some of the words  may be more difficult.The test is Friday, April 26th.

Social Studies–

We will begin a unit on Immigration and The Great Migration. The students have an opportunity to learn about someone in their family who has immigrated to the United States. The students will gain knowledge of the reasons why people immigrated to the United States. They will also find out about an important time in history called The Great Migration. The students will learn how these events helped to form our country.They will also learn about the significant individuals and events that were important in the development of our country and communities.
 Math-

Third grade math –

We will teach students how to calculate the volume of a cube.

The students will measure and estimate liquid volumes and masses of objects using standard units of grams (g), kilograms (kg), and liters (l). they will add, subtract, multiply, or divide to solve one-step word problems involving masses or volumes that are given in the same units, e.g., by using drawings (such as a beaker with a measurement scale) to represent the problem.

The students will also understand that shapes in different categories (e.g., rhombuses, rectangles, and others) may share attributes (e.g., having four sides), and that the shared attributes can define a larger category (e.g., quadrilaterals). The students will also recognize rhombuses, rectangles, and squares as examples of quadrilaterals, and draw examples of quadrilaterals that do not belong to any of these subcategories.

Accel.math –

We will work practice ordering fractions and adding/subtracting fractions.

Week of 4/15 - 4/19

Important Dates:

Thursday, 4/18: Volunteer Luncheon 2:00-3:00

Reading:

This week we will be reading the story Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears retold by Verna Aardema.  The genre of this story is a West African tale which is a story that is passed down through time.  In the story the King Lion calls a meeting to find out what led to an accident.  The reason why mosquitoes buzz in people's ears is revealed.  The students will work on creating mental images, sequencing, and onomatopoeia.

Writing:

The students will be researching and writing about natural disasters. They will be creating a poster about the information that they learn and then will present it to the class.

Spelling:

Unit 25 focuses on -tion and -sion words. Every student should be practicing their words throughout the week to prepare for the test. Please make sure to help your child study. If you need a copy of the words, they are posted on the third grade blog.

Science:

We are continuting to work on the Simple Machines unit. The students will learn about the 6 simple machines and how they make work easier.  At the end of this week, the students will take a test over the six simple machines.

Math:
Both third grade math and accelerated math are working on fractions.  Third grade math will have a quiz at the end of the week.

Hot Lunch Choices:

It has been brought to our attention that the kids who are ordering hot lunch are chosing something in the morning and then changing their mind at lunch time. The rule is that whatever the child picks to eat in the morning is what they have to have at lunch. Please help your child make up his/her mind by viewing the menu on our school website. Thanks!

LMC Book Exchange Coming Soon!

If you are doing any spring cleaning, please consider keeping the children's books for our book exchange. It is a great way to recycle books your child has outgrown and get different books. Our 5th Annual Book Exchange will be held the last week in April. More information will come home soon.

Volunteer Luncheon:

Volunteering is a gift from the heart! Thank you for the gift of time that you have so generously given our children and our school. Please join us for a dessert reception in your honor on Thursday, April 18th. This wonderful event will take place in the multi-purpose room between 2:00-3:30. We hope to see you there!

Week of 4/8 - 4/12

Important Dates:

Tuesday, 4/9: No School
Wednesday, 4/10: 3BA Field trip to DuPage Children's Museum
Thursday, 4/11: 3K and 3BR Field trip to DuPage Children's Museum
Friday, 4/12:  3A and 3P Field trip to DuPage Children's Museum

Friday, 4/12: Young Author's Breakfast

Thursday, 4/18: Volunteer Luncheon 2:00-3:00
 

Reading

We will continue to read and work on Rocking and Rolling. It is a nonfiction piece that talks about the earth and the natural disasters that occur in our world.  The students will be working on a research project in writing that coordinates with the story.

Writing

The students will be researching and writing about natural disasters. They will be creating a poster about the information that they learn and then will present it to the class.

Spelling

Unit 24 focuses on -ed and -ing words.  Every student should be praciting their words throughout the week to prepare for the test.  Please make sure to help your child study. If you need a copy of the words, they are posted on the third grade blog.

Science

We are continuting to work on the Simple Machines unit.  The students will learn about the 6 simple machines and how they make work easier.  This week, the third graders will be going on a field trip to the DuPage Children's Museum to explore the different simple machines with their hands-on learning lab. Each teacher will need 4 parents to go with. If you are interested, please contact your child's teacher via email ASAP. 


Math
Due to the day off on Tuesday and the field trips this week, we will only be having math on Monday.  Please continue to work on basic facts and fraction concepts at home.


Hot Lunch Choices

It has been brought to our attention that the kids who are ordering hot lunch are chosing something in the morning and then changing their mind at lunch time. The rule is that whatever the child picks to eat in the morning is what they have to have at lunch. Please help your child make up his/her mind by viewing the menu on our school website. Thanks!

Young Author's

The Young Author's Breakfast for all participants will be on Friday, April 12th before school. Manuscripts and certificates will be passed out at that time.  Please return the permission slip as soon as possible. 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners were announced in school and will be posted to the Edline LMC page.

LMC Book Exchange Coming Soon!

If you are doing any spring cleaning, please consider keeping the children's books for our book exchange.  It is a great way to recycle books your child has outgrown and get different books.  Our 5th Annual Book Exchange will be held the last week in April. More information will come home soon.

Volunteer Luncheon

Volunteering is a gift from the heart! Thank you for the gift of time that you have so generously given our children and our school. Please join us for a dessert reception in your honor on Thursday, April 18th. This wonderful event will take place in the multi-purpose room between 2:00-3:30. We hope to see you there!