Happy Fall!

Post date: Sep 24, 2015 2:26:40 PM

The 3rd graders have been having a wonderful first full month of school!

Below is a recap of what they have been up to...

Writing:

They have working on their first round of personal narratives. They have been learning strategies for generating ideas, sketching out stories by storytelling to a partner, and choosing the small moment story that really matters to them. From here they will rewrite their draft, revise and edit. I am so impressed with their ability to reflect on their writing and recognize when they are listing what happened instead of telling it like a story. This is such hard work and they are so good at it!

Reading:

Now that our Reader's Workshop is well underway, the students have been showing some excellent thinking and goal setting about what they are reading. The focus lessons have been centered around how GOOD READERS....

  • choose just-right books

  • take off the brakes to read faster and longer

  • read like the words matter (with feeling and expression)

  • recognize when they have lost the story and use several strategies to fix it

  • build positive relationships with books

  • create a buzz around the books they love

  • give and take book recommendations

  • balance when to stop and fix it up and when they can skip it and keep reading

In groups, they have also been working on context clues, reading comprehension strategies, and reading responses.

Math:

In math we are wrapping up Topic 1, which was focused on understanding multiplication and division. Remember you can always visit pearsonrealize.com and sign in with your child to see the specific lessons and expectations!

Below are the focus lessons and teaching points that you could reinforce at home.

  • Multiplication as repeated addition - 4 x 3 is the same as 4 + 4 + 4

  • multiplication on the number line - 4 x 3 would be 4 jumps, 3 in each jump on the number line

  • multiplication can be shown using arrays - 4 x 3 would be 4 rows, 3 in each row

  • commutative property or the "order" property - 4 x 3 is the same as 3 x 4

  • division as sharing - 12 divided by 3 means you have 12 in a group and divide them into 3 equal groups. How many in each group?

  • division as repeated subtraction - 12 divided by 3 can be shown by 12 - 3 = 9, 9 - 3 = 6, 6 - 3 = 3, 3 - 3 = 0.

Sharing the Planet:

The kids have been investigating endangered and extinct animals as well as the habitats they live in. They have researched some of the causes of extinction and how this affects living things. They have also been learning about different habitats and what adaptations animals need in order to survive in each of these environments. They have been doing a fantastic job working in partnerships to put their research skills to work. Way to go third graders!!!!