Week 10

Class Notes

It's hard to believe that we're already heading into Week 10 of third grade!

Fall Conferences begin on November 3rd. Please sign up for your conference HERE. I'll send the Zoom link (if applicable) prior to your scheduled meeting time.  Before we meet, please take a few minutes to fill out this pre-conference survey; it helps me prepare and make the most of our time together. I’m really looking forward to meeting with you, sharing your third grader’s portfolio, and discussing their goals for the year. It’s always such a joy to celebrate how much they’ve already grown!

Literacy Lessons: We’ll begin our second Fishtank unit: Rediscovering Thanksgiving: Fact or Fiction. This unit explores the experiences of Indigenous and Native peoples of the United States when the colonists first arrived. We’ll read This Land by Ashley Fairbanks, the article “The English Colonies,” and The Wampanoag (A True Book: American Indians) by Kevin Cunningham and Peter Benoit.

Fundations: In Fundations, we’ll wrap up Unit 3 this week, focusing on vowel-consonant-e syllables. Our assessment will be on Wednesday. On Thursday, we’ll begin Unit 4, which covers vowel-consonant-e exceptions and adding vowel and consonant suffixes to v-e words. HERE are the Fundations Home Support Materials for Unit 4 to review at home.

Math: In Math we're continuing with Unit 2: Area and Multiplication. Students will explore what “area” means and discover how it connects to multiplication and addition through hands-on activities and problem solving. This week we will focus on calculating the area of rectangles by multiplying the side lengths and solving real-world problems involving area.

Science: Our Design Your Own Animal Species project is underway! Students will choose a habitat where their animal can thrive and think about key adaptations. How does your animal get food? How does it protect itself? How does it care for its young? Let your imagination and creativity run wild! 

Second Step: This week’s SEL lesson is  "Being Assertive." Why is it important? Being assertive helps children communicate what they want or need in a way that is respectful toward others. Ask your child: What’s the difference between being assertive, aggressive, or passive?

Repeat Announcements

Warm Clothes and Footwear:
The heat is ON! Now that the heaters are running, our classroom can get quite toasty. Pro tip: students should dress in layers so they can bundle up for recess but have a lighter layer to stay comfortable indoors. If your child wears rain or snow boots to school, please send in a pair of indoor shoes, sneakers, or even slippers. They’ll be much more comfortable moving around the classroom and school in dry shoes.

Mystery Reader:
Would you like to volunteer as our next Mystery Reader? Click HERE to sign up.

Picture retakes:

Picture retakes will take place on November 4th. Please let me know if you would like your child to have their photo taken again.

Scholastic Book Ordering:

If you would like to order books through Scholastic Book Clubs, our online ordering code is DPC2T (purchasing online is required).  SHOP OUR CLASS PAGE. By building your home library with Scholastic, you will also be helping to build our classroom library. The more books students order, the more free books we get for our classroom library!

Library Reminder: 

Our book swap day in the Media Center is every Wednesday. Please help your child remember to return their library books.

Links for more information: 

Click HERE for home support materials for Unit 4 of Fundations

Click HERE for home support materials for Unit 3 of Fundations

Click HERE for home support materials for  Unit 2 of Fundations

Click HERE  for home support materials for Unit 1 of Fundations

Link to access Clever from home

Directions:

Log in with Google

Enter student username (initials + # @students.needham.k12.ma.us)

Enter student password 

Click on ST Math App or Amplify App then Boost

Special Subject Schedule

Monday -- Art

Tuesday -- P.E. & Spanish

Wednesday -- Media

Thursday -- P.E.

Friday -- Music & Spanish

Important Dates

Monday, November 3rd- Fall Conferences Begin

Tuesday, November 4th- Picture Retake Day

Monday, November 10th-- No School, Professional Development Day

Tuesday, November 11th-- No School, Veterans' Day

Wednesday, November 19th-- Early Release Day, 12:15 dismissal

Wednesday, November 26-- Thanksgiving Break, no school

Monday, December 1st-- Class resumes

Wednesday, December 3rd-- Early Release Day, 12:15 dismissal

Created 10/2025

Jennifer_ramras@needham.k12.ma.us