Thank you for your partnership 🙂

Reading / Writing:

It is so hard to believe that our year is coming to an end. We have finished our last Wit & Wisdom module and spent a week exploring different poetry forms. This week we are having a blast writing fiction. The students are writing fantasy, sci-fi, and realistic fiction. We are using what we have learned about elaboration and dialogue to create interesting characters and compelling conflicts. 

Check out the Summer Suggestions page of our website for lots of summer reading booklists and activity suggestions. 

Math:

Help your student keep their math skills strong by periodic practice of 3 digit addition and subtraction. Your student will be able to access their iReady account for practice by using their Clever account on any device. 

Check out the Summer Suggestions page of our website for suggestions on additional topics to practice.

It has been my pleasure to be your child's teacher this year. I am so proud of all the  progress we made. Wishing you all a wonderful summer. 🥰

Ms. Collins

Upcoming events:

April:

• 10th: Read-A-Thon Closing Assembly

• 11th: D65 & Northwestern Computer Science Showcase (11:00-1:00pm)

• 11th: Pizza and Bingo Family Fun Night! (5:00-7:00pm @Willard)

• 13th: D65 Committee of the Whole meeting (5:00-7:00pm)

• 30th: ABC Countdown Begins (in school activities)

May:

• 6th: Half Day

• 8th: AAPI Celebration (6:00pm at Willard)

• 12th: Our Field Trip to the Shedd Aquarium

Reading / Writing:

We have started our last Wit & Wisdom module for the year, Immigration. This module focuses on immigration in the past, pre 1940s. Although the insightful 3rd graders have made many comparisons to the current events shaping our country. We have read Grandfather's Journey and Tea with Milk, both by Allen Say and inspired by the immigration experiences of his own grandfather and parents. We are in the final stages of drafting and publishing our multi-paragraph essay comparing the experiences of two main characters from these two  historical fiction books. Students are expected to support their topic (how these characters' immigration experiences are similar and different) with evidence from each text. Tools such as an anchor chart with linking words are available for students to use as they plan and draft their essay(s). 

Our next section of this module will focus on writing narratives using historical information about immigrants who passed through Elis Island. We will use texts as well as primary sources to help us learn about these experiences. As we write our narratives, one focus for us as writers will be to include relevant, descriptive details.

Through this unit students will come to understand:

• The United States is a nation of immigrants.

• Immigrants seek a new home in a new country for a variety of reasons.

• Immigrants face challenges as they make a new home in a new country.

• Immigrants often bring traditions to their new home.

Math:

Our study of fractions continues. This week we explored the concept of equivalent fractions. Students have multiple models they can use to help themselves find equivalent fractions including drawing fraction bars, area models, and showing fractions on a number line. We will continue to work with equivalent fractions next week and look at ways of comparing fractions to determine greater than and less than quantities. I am including the family letters for you below.

Science and Social Studies:

We are beginning our last science unit for the year, Life Cycles and Animal Survival. Students will compare the life cycles of various plants and animals. We will also develop an understanding of how animals and their environments have changed over time. We will learn how fossils provide a window into animals and habitats of the past and look to the present to help us create our understandings. 

Upcoming events:

January:

• 14th: Founding Foster Family Meeting

• 19th: No School - MLK Day

• 26th: D65 Regular Board Meeting

February:

•  4th - Half Day

• week of 10/11 - Parent Teacher Conferences 

Reading / Writing: 

We are wrapping up our study of Galileo and his contributions to our understanding of the universe. We planned and drafted our first four paragraph essay consisting of an introductory paragraph, two body paragraphs (both with evidence and elaboration from class texts), and a conclusion paragraph. Next week we will move forward in time and begin learning about the Apollo 11 mission to the moon. We will read two books about the mission, view historical footage, and write essays sharing our opinions. 

Math: 

We continued to develop our understanding of the relationship between multiplication and division this week. The students did a great job showing their knowledge on this week's comprehension check. We are moving into using multiplication to find the area of a shape. This is done by multiplying the length and width of a shape. We will begin learning about square units, using the formula to find the area of simple rectangular shapes, and then to finding the area of complex, combined shapes.

I am sharing the next few parent letters below for you to see how the lessons progress.

Science/Social Studies/SEL

We will be finishing up our exploration of weather and climate patterns next week. We will be studying Early Humans, our Erin's Law Sex Ed lessons focusing on consent (more information will come to you via email BEFORE I teach these lessons) and Animal Survival and Adaptations as the year progresses. 

We are also continuing to explore the brain with our kindergarten buddies and will meet with them next week!

Upcoming events:

Fall Break- Nov. 24 - 28 Wishing everyone a safe and enjoyable break!

Welcome Back! - Mon. Dec. 1

Half Day - Dec. 3rd

Reading / Writing:

We have wrapped up our Wit & Wisdom Module 1 with one last writing task explaining why and how scientists explore the giant squid or sharks. On Wednesday our kindergarten buddies will be coming up so we can share our finished writing projects. Then your student will bring theirs home to share with you! This has been a very engaging module for the students.

We will begin Module 2 after the break. This module focuses on space. The module begins by reading about Galileo and his contributions to our understanding of the solar system. From the long-ago past, we ove forward to the more recent past and learn about the Apollo 11 mission to the moon. We also will be reading some mythology and the fiction story Zathura towards the end of the module. 

Math:

We will be moving into division when we return after the fall break. Our first lesson explores the meaning of division, ie what is happening to a group or collection of items when we divide. The next lesson explores the relationship between multiplication and division. I am sharing the first few family letters below for you.

e-learning info:

Students will bring home their ipads over the fall break just in case of any serious weather. 3rd grade will begin sending ipads home for the weekends after the break. In case of an e-learning day, students know how to access our online meeting space and will be able to find their assignments in our Google classroom. I will also send information out to you as soon as I can via your emails. Let's hope for a mild winter. 

Upcoming events:

Drama Field Trip - Fri. Oct. 31 (no chaperones needed)

Friday Oct 31 - Comfy Cozy day - Wear your PJs or comfiest clothes to school! 

                   NO Costumes please

Early Dismissal - Wed. Nov. 5th

Family Literacy Night - Friday, Nov. 14th 6:30-7:30 "Books and Smores"

Reading / Writing:

We have started reading about sharks and exploring the many ways that text features (contents list, glossary, index, captions, tables, headings, etc) help us understand the text. This week we will be continuing to find the main idea and supporting details of an informational text. We will also explore the way informational writers use facts, definitions, and key details to support their readers' comprehension. We will use this tools in our writing as well. 

We are continuing to reinforce the expected grammar skills, ie. beginning each sentence and proper name with an uppercase letter, ending each sentence with an end mark, and wrapping a quotation with quotation marks. 

Math:

We continue to use facts we know to help us learn more challenging facts. This week we are focusing on our X 7, 8, and 9 facts. For example, if we know 5 X 4 =20 this can help us figure out 7 X 4 by breaking up the 7 into 5 and 2 so the equation 7 X 4 becomes (5 X 4) + (2 X 4) or 20 + 8 =28! We will also continue to utilize equal groups and arrays as helpful models. I am attaching the family letter below along with the letter for our next lesson focusing on order and grouping of factors when we multiply.

Science and Social Studies:

Maps, maps, maps! We have started our Maps unit by learning about various types of maps, the cardinal directions and how to read a map key. We will continue to explore these concepts, as the skill of reading a map will be useful as we move into our Science unit about Weather and our later Social Studies unit of Early Humans.

Upcoming events:

Tonight: Community Conversation on School Closing Scenarios - Chute Middle School 6-7:30

Author Visit : This Thursday! (see info below)

Drama Field Trip - Fri. Oct. 31 (no chaperones needed)

Early Dismissal - Wed. Nov. 5th

Reading / Writing:

We are continuing our exploration of the sea as we learn about scientists who studied the ocean and it's life beneath the surface. We learned about the ocean food chain and the phytoplankton that makes up the beginning point. We have been learning about the life of Jacques Cousteau. This week we will explore the figurative language he often used to talk about his love for the ocean. We will also examine text features in his biography and find the connection between his words and the text that lead to a deeper understanding. As we write about our reading, we continue to use evidence from the text and elaboration to support our topic statements. As our topic turns to the life of Cousteau, we will explore using direct quotations as evidence/elaboration. . We are continuing to reinforce the expected grammar skills, ie. beginning each sentence and proper name with an uppercase letter, ending each sentence with an endmark, and wrapping a quotation with quotation marks. 

Math:

We have been building our multiplication fact knowledge by learning about our (times) 0, 1, 2, 5, and 10 facts. Later this week we will begin our next set of facts, (times) 3, 4, and 6. I have included the family letter below. We will explore how the facts we already know can help us with these new facts. For example, if we know 6 X 2 =12 this can help us figure out 6 X 4 by breaking up the 4 into 2 twos, so 6 X 4 becomes (6 X 2) + (6 X 2) = 12 + 12 or 24. We will also continue to utilize equal groups and arrays as helpful models. 

Science and Social Studies:

Maps, maps, maps! We have started our Maps unit by learning about various types of maps, the cardinal directions and how to read a map key. We will continue to explore these concepts, as the skill of reading a map will be useful as we move into our Science unit about Weather and our later Social Studies unit of Early Humans.

Author Visit!!!!

Kim Long, author of Catching Cryptids: the Scientific Search for Mysterious Creatures  is visitng with grades 3-5 this Thursday. We are so excited! If you are interested in purchasing her book, please use the link to Booked, our local wonderful children's book store that is facilitating her school visits.

Upcoming events:

No school - Thursday, Oct. 2nd

Parent Teacher conferences - week of 10/6

No school - Friday Oct. 10th and Mon. Oct. 13th 

Report Card note:

I wanted to share a quick note about report card grades as you ,may see grades listed in your student's Powerschool and possibly be concerned. I try to share periodic assignments so you can see the progress your student is making on the various standards for grade 3. We do not calculate the grades by using an average of assignments, but rather how your student is able to demonstrate that skill at the end of the term. What that might mean is you may see a grade that seems low, but that is not the final grade. This shows where your student is at now for that skill, not where they will end up. 

Reading / Writing:

Last week we finished up with Amos & Boris. We examined the illustrations and discussed how they supported the text. We also analyzed the text in order to determine the central message. Students planned, drafted, and revised their first official curriculum writing task called a FQT (focusing question task). Students selected a piece of art or text, stated the main idea and provided evidence to support this main idea. I will share these pieces with you at our parent teacher conferences. 

This week we began by reading Ocean Sunlight: How Tiny Plants Feed the Seas. We will be examining the illustrations, pulling out the main ideas and supporting evidence, and using the text to learn more about the ocean food chain. 

Math:

This week we are beginning to learn about multiplication. Today two models for drawing an equation were introduced: drawing equal groups and drawing an array. I am attaching the next few family letters below for you. 

Science and Social Studies:

To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month each classroom selected a Spanish-speaking country toresearch. We explored Peru. We read about Machu Picchu, the Nazca lines, weaving, llamas, the Amazon Pink River dolphins, and a few urban centers like Lima. We also had fun weaving ourselves in the classroom. The students are excited to bring these home to share with you! 

Upcoming events:

Sept. 17th - No School - Teacher Meetings

Sept. 23rd - No School -  Rosh Hashanah 

Picture Day! - Thursday, Sept. 25. ***NOTE the DATE CHANGE!

Curriculum Night - Thursday, Sept. 25

Reading / Writing:

We have started our first Wit & Wisdom module, "The Sea". We began by exploring a poem, noting the repeated figurative language, and exploring the central message of the poem. We then began to explore the woodblock print The Great Wave. We will examine the use of line, color, and composition to determine the central message of the art. We will write about this piece using specific evidence from the art to support our writing. This lays the foundation for writing about texts using evidence.

Math:

We took our iReady Diagnostic this week and are moving into our first official lesson, adding 3 digit numbers. This will be followed up by subtracting 3 digit numbers. In both lessons, students are asked to think about numbers flexibly and use what they know about place value to add and subtract. We will then work with regrouping as we add and subtract, for ex: making a new ten out of ten ones, or breaking apart a hundred to make ten more tens as needed. 

Science and Social Studies:

We continue to practice our routines of the classroom and Willard School. We have started our first official Purposefull People unit, RESPECT. We continue to learn about the Willard Peace Pillars too. Last week we met with our Kindergarten buddies for the first time. We had so much fun getting to know each other!

Reading / Writing:

We begin our reading year off with a module designed to reaqquaint students with our ELA curriculum, Wit & Wisdom. We have read the text Thank You, Mr. Falker. This is a story of the author's struggle to learn to read and the power of resilience and a growth mindset. Wit & Wisdom is our reading and writing curriclum. This is a theme based curriculum that builds background knowledge. 3rd grade studies the sea, space, and immigration. This curriculum also weaves in art such as paintings, block prints, and artifacts that students use to make meaning. We will end this week by exploring how the character's feelings about reading change through the text and how this change helps us think about the central message of the text. I have included a Wit & Wisdom family letter below for you.

Math:

Our first math lesson is a review of place value and an exploration of rounding 3 digit numbers to the nearest 10 and to the nearest 100. I have included the family letter for this first lesson below for you. After this lesson concludes, we will move into Lesson 2 - Adding 3 digit numbers. 

Science and Social Studies:

We have been learning the routines of 3rd grade this week. The students have been doing an excellent job! We have also been focusing the Willard Peace Pillars and how the pillars of Speak Peace and Feel Peace look and sound like in our classroom and school. 

We are in Year 2 of implementing our new SEL curriculum, Purposefull People.  You can explore this resource by checking out the Purposefull People - Family Strong website. Our year begins with a 2 week "Kindness Kickoff" followed by our first unit focusing on the theme of Respect.

A bit of schedule info:

We have fine arts five days a week: Monday (Music), Tuesday (Art), Wednesday (Drama), Thursday (Coding), and Friday (Library).  We also have twenty minutes of Physical Education period each day. We will have PE and fine arts beginning the first day of school. We have recess/lunch at 10:50-11:40am. 

As this is a very early lunch time, we will have an afternoon snack. Please send a snack with your child each day that does not require refrigeration.

School Year 2024 - 2025 below

Happy April!

Upcoming events:

PTA Read-a-thon- Mon., Mar. 10-Fri., Apr. 11 (video demonstrating how to log reading minutes)

Willard Literati Book Fair - begins online Mon. Apr. 7th 

(in-person shopping in May)

 Pizza and Bingo Family Night - Friday, Apr. 11th  - ** RSVP for pizza here: https://forms.gle/qAy2jS21QgxULdtu7

No School Friday April 18th 

Reading / Writing:

We have started our third  Wit & Wisdom module focusing on Immigration. Through this unit students will come to understand:

The United States is a nation of immigrants.

Immigrants seek a new home in a new country for a variety of reasons.

Immigrants face challenges as they make a new home in a new country.

Immigrants often bring traditions to their new home.

We began this unit by reading the historical fiction book Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say. We will also read Tea With Milk by Allen Say that continues the family story. We will be exploring narrative writing from a point of view different from ourselves. This will provide students to write a bit more creatively while still organizing their writing and providing text support. We are also analyzing essays that compare and contrast characters' experiences and perspectives. Both of these texts are based on the family history of the author. You can learn more about Allen Say in the interview above.

Finally, if you have not had a chance to check out our published space essays from our previous Wit & Wisdom module, head on over to on our website: Ms. Collins' Writers!

Math:

Our study of fractions continues. This week we began exploring the concept of equivalent fractions. We will continue to explore equivalent fractions next week and look at ways of comparing fractions to determine greater than and less than quantities. I am including the family letters for you below.

Science and Social Studies:

We are beginning our last science unit for the year, Animal Survival and Changing Environments. Students will develop an understanding of how animals and their environments have changed over time. We will learn how fossils provide a window into animals and habitats of the past and look to the present to help us create our understandings. 

Yay, our IAR testing is complete! We had a lot of fun exploring a few artists after each testing session. These artists included Alma Thomas, Wendy Red Star, Rachel Jones, and Romero Britto. We viewed various art and created our own art inspired by each. While these pieces are currently enhancing our classroom space, they will come home soon! Here are a few samples.

Does your student need a library card? I will send home an application for a card. If you would like, you can fill the application out and send it back to me. In partnership with the Evanston Public Library, applications can be scanned by me and sent to the library. The library cards will be delivered here to school! 

Reading / Writing:

We have started our last Wit & Wisdom module for this year. Our topic is Immigration and is centered around texts by Allen Say and other primary sources. Say's books provide a window into the experiences his grandfather and mother had when they immigrated to the United States and back to Japan. We will be learning about the hardships of the journey as well as challenges immigrants face as they begin to make a new home for themselves.

This module will ask students to write expository pieces as well as narrative pieces using details gathered from our primary sources. We will be adding dialogue to our narratives and including the thoughts, feelings, and specific actions of our characters. 

Finally, make sure you check out our published space essays on our website: Ms. Collins' Writers!

Math:

Our study of fractions continues. Our next lesson focuses on using number lines to show equal parts, including fractions greather than one whole. We will then move into learning about equivalent fractions and compare them using <, >, and =. The family letters are below.

Science and Social Studies:

We will be participating in our mandated Sexual Health lessons next week, our Erin's Law lessons. The focus of our lessons is consent (No one can touch you and your body without your permission) and is discussed in a developmentally appropriate way. (You may opt your child out in writing by email or handwritten letter to me.) You can find more information on the District's Erin's Law page.

Reading / Writing:

We are wrapping up our Module 2 (Space) unit. This week we will engage in a Socratic Seminar and begin planning our end-of-module essay. This will be an opinion essay that asks students to share what they think are the most impactful endeavors humans have undertaken to learn about space. Students will be expected to support their opinion using evidence from any of our module texts. We will be working on these four paragraph essays over the next several days.

Our next module will begin in a few weeks and centers around immigration. The module begins by reading and anlayzing texts by Allen Say. These picture books are inspired by the immigration of Say's grandfather to the United States. Here is an interview with Say on PBS.

Math:

We are exploring scaled picture and bar graphs this week. Scaled graphs require students to use multiplication to pull accurate data from a graph. (See the family letter link below.)

We will also be working with fractions. Students have been building background knowledge with fractions for the past few weeks. I ahve attached the family letter for our first fractions lesson below too.

Science and Social Studies:

For the past few weeks we have been learning about early humans. Our learning has looked at the first fossil evudence of humans in Africa and traced the migrations across the glode. We have read about fossil evidence and watched interviews with archeologists. We have read about hunter-gatherer societies and will explore how the agricultural revolution impacted those societies. We will end this unit by reading some creation myths from various cultures.

IAR testing:

Willard 3rd graders will start IAR testing on Monday, March 10th. We will take 3 math tests (3/10, 3/11, 3/12) and 2 ELA tests (3/13 and 3/14).  The Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) is the state assessment and accountability measure for Illinois students enrolled in a public school district.  This year it will consist of two reading (ELA) and three math tests.  The tests are timed, so the children will have 75 minutes to complete each reading test and 60 minutes to complete each math test.  These tests will be taken on their ipads. We will take each test in the afternoon after we return from lunch (12:30-2:00, this includes prep and post wrap up).

As this is new for the third graders, I wanted to let you know about some of the restrictions:

• No technology devices allowed in the classroom including smart watches.

• Students must sit quietly when they finish.

• I can not provide assistance, but can only repeat the scripted directions.

We are doing some practice in the classroom so students know what to expect. If you would like to see examples of the tests or practice with your student, check out the practice tests at: 

https://il.mypearsonsupport.com/practice-items/ 

• Choose either ELA or Math

• Select 3rd grade 

• Choose Computer Based Unit 

Please encourage your student to do their best. But I also want us all to be aware and mindful of the pressure these tests can bring. I will do my best to minimize this pressure at school. You can help your student be ready to do their best by making sure they get a good night’s sleep.

We will celebrate each day with a bit of art. 🙂

If you have any questions about the IAR test, please reach out to Principal Battle  (battlek@district65.net) .

Science and Social Studies:

We have finished our science unit about weather. We are beginning to read constellation myths from various cultures. This will lead into our social studies unit about early humans. We will also be starting our Sex Ed lessons in March. 

As we approach Valentines Day, we ask that you do not send in individual cards for each student. Rather, we will exchange names in class and each student will make a "friendship card" for another student. We will exchange these cards on Thursday, Feb. 13th as part of a Friendship Celebration.

Reading / Writing:

We are continuing to explore why scientists study the sea and sea creatures. This week we began reading our last text in this module, Giant Squid: Searching for a Sea Monster. This book explores the life long search for the giant squid by Dr. Clyde Roper. We will be analyzing the chapters and pulling out the main idea and supporting details. We are also exploring the sea in various book clubs together. The module culminates with a writing task that asks students to use text evidence to explain how and why scientists explore the sea and it's creatures.

Math:

We have been building our multiplication fact knowledge and learning strategies to help make complex multiplication problems more manageable. Our next lesson explores using our knowledge of place value when we multiply. And after that lesson, we will be moving into an introduction of division. I have included both family letters below.

SEL:

We have started our Purposefull People Gratitude Unit. Last week our lesson was about striving for  balance when we are disappointed by an event or circumstance by focusing on gratitude.  This week we will explore how we can advocate for ourselves when we feel big emotions.

week of 10/14

Upcoming events

Hispanic Heritage Celebration - Oct. 18th

Author Visit - Oct. 23rd (more details to come)

         *Check out her site for a preview - Karla Arenas Valenti

Picture Retake Day - Oct 25th

No School - Nov. 5th - Election Day! 

Half Day - Nov. 13th 

Reading / Writing:

We have started our first official Wit & Wisdom Module, "The Sea". We began by analyzing a poem by Sara Teasdale called "The Sea Wind". Exploring the figurative language the poet used helped us uncover the essential meaning of the poem. Then we moved on to examine and analyze the woodblock print "The Great Wave". We learned about the elements of art an artist uses like color, line, and composition to convey meaning. We will explore two additional artworks and then jump into Amos and Boris, a fiction text. One rigorous task embedded across the module is asking students to cite evidence from the text, whether it be a piece of art or a written text. 

Math:

Our math lesson continues to focus on rounding double and triple digit numbers to the nearest 10 and nearest 100. We will move forward into our next lesson which focuses on adding three digit numbers together using various strategies. You can find the family letter below.

Social Studies/Science:

District 65 has adopted a Social Emotional curriculum this year called Purposefull People (the K-5th version of the Character Strong curriculum). We began the year with a two week "Kindness Kickoff". Part of this kickoff was to create "Classroom Kindness Agreements". The students brainstormed what kindness looks like , sounds like, and feels like from student-to student, student-to-teacher, teacher-to-student, and to our classroom environment. We found we were able to combine and distill their ideas into the 5 agreements pictured above. These will be the expectations we all strive for this year as a community. We will be moving on to Respect for the first unit in our K-5th classrooms. Check out their family website below.

We also continue to explore our Willard Peace Pillars. These pillars of Speak Peace, Feel Peace, Know Peace, and Make Peace are a part of our SEL framework as well.

PowerSchool FAQs

What is PowerSchool?

PowerSchool is a secure, web-based system that stores student and family information provided during the registration process and is used for scheduling, taking attendance, storing grades and assignments, health information, and more! All District 65 parents/guardians will have real-time access to the parent portal to view information about their child(ren).

How can I log in to the PowerSchool Parent Portal?

1. Go to https://district65.powerschool.com/public/home.html
   Username: your email address
   Password: Please use intructions provided in welcome email.

2. You will be prompted to change the temporary password.

If you receive a message that your parent portal is not set up or you still need assistance logging in, please email us at registrationinfo@district65.net.

Is there a mobile app?

Yes! There is an official PowerSchool Parent Portal app called PowerSchool Mobile, and it’s available on Android and IOS! Through this app, families can check the school’s bulletin board, see their child’s progress and have access to real-time information on grades, assignments, lunch balance, attendance history, and communicate directly to teachers! Be sure to enter our four-digit District Code HGFG when signing up!

You can request support via the district website.

week of 4/15

Upcoming Events:

4/25 at 5:30pm Screening of "Angst" -D65 Parent University event 

                 to address youth anxiety (flyer) - childcare will be available

Half Day - Wednesday, May 1

Reading / Writing:

We have been writing about our reading this week. Beginning with a close read of both Grandfather's Journey and Tea with Milk, we analyzed the challenges these characters face as they immigrated to a new country. Students use a graphic organzier to plan a multi-paragraph response comparing and contrasting the charachters' experiences. We are drafting our essays and then will begin revising. Students will have an opportunity to give and receive feedback with each other as a springboard  for their revisions. We will also be editing our essays this week. Next week we will be moving on to other texts that highlight immigrants' experiences from other points of view.

Math:

We are continuing to explore the concept of equivalent fractions. We have been using various models to show equivalent fractions, including showing both fractions on a number line and with fraction bars. As we move forward, students will be exploring the different ways to show wholes as equivalent fractions. For example, 3 pizzas can be shown as 6 halves. We will also learn how to write wholes as a fraction with 1 as the denominator (ex: 3/1 ) Check out the family letters below for more information. 

Other news:

The website "We Need Diverse Books" (WNDB) now has a website devoted to books by Indigenoous authors for students. You can check out the new site here: Indigenous Reads Rising. The website offers booklists and resources for parents and educators. 

I also wanted ti share Instagram account that I have recently discovered that shares advice and bits of insight for parents that I am enjoying. It is called The Parent Project. This page often shares interviews from experts about parenting as we face the challenges of today. 

week of 3/18

Upcoming Events:

Spring Break - March 25th - March 29th 

Reading / Writing:

This week we will be taking our 3 ELA IAR tests. We will be testing on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Then we are done! :) We will not have math homework on our testing days, but students should continue to read every night. 

We have started our third  Wit & Wisdom module focusing on Immigration. Through this unit students will come to understand:

The United States is a nation of immigrants.

Immigrants seek a new home in a new country for a variety of reasons.

Immigrants face challenges as they make a new home in a new country.

Immigrants often bring traditions to their new home.

We began this unit by reading the historical fiction book Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say. We will also read Tea With Milk by Allen Say that continues the family story. We will be exploring narrative writing from a point of view different from ourselves. This will provide students to write a bit more creatively while still organizing their writing and providing text support. 

Math:

We finished our final IAR Mathematics test on Friday. Phew! We will be spending time this week reviewing our multiplication and division strategies and exploring scaled graphs.

When we return from Spring Break, we will be moving into a more formal exploration of fractions, including using a number line to demonstrate understanding of a fractional part, identifying equivalent fractions and comparing fractions. 

You can reinforce this knowledge at home by involving your student in cooking or baking activities. Measuring ingredients is a great way to explore fractions with cups, tablespoons, and teaspoons. You can also use the language of fractional parts (halves, fourths, etc) whenever you are splitting up something or using a part of something.

Wishing you a safe and enjoyable Spring Break! 

Writing:

Last week we began learning about opinion writing. This week we finished up our first Opinion Essay. The students were asked to explain why they would (or would not) want to have been part of the Apollo 11 mission to the moon. I have been so impressed by the way students planned their essays using a graphic organizer, stated their opinions, and supported their opinions with evidence from the text. I look forward to sharing these essays with you at conferences! 😀

week of 1/22

Upcoming Events:

African Diaspora Celebration - Friday Feb. 2 , 5:30-7:30 

Right at School Scholarship window opens Feb. 5 - use this GoogleForm if interested

Half Day - Wed. Feb 7

Chromebook Update:

I apologize for the multiple, conflicting  messages regarding the issue of Chromebooks coming home each night. For now, devices at 3rd grade will NOT come home each night. The weather will be monitored and if there is a chance of an e-learning day, I will send the devices home with your student. Please make sure the Chromebook comes back with your student the following school day. Also, we have a few chargers that have not been returned yet. This makes keeping everyone's devices charged a bit of a challenge. Please check at home to see if your student forget to bring theirs back to school. Thanks!

Reading:

We are continuing to learn about space, focusing on the Apollo 11 mission to the moon in 1969. We read and analyzed Moonshot by Brian Floca. This week we began reading and analyzing One Giant Leap by Robert Burleigh. We focused on retelling sequential key events from the text, identifying the main idea and supporting details, and are examining examples of literal and nonliteral language in the text. Moving into next week, we will begin analyzing the ways two texts explore the same historical event. We will be continuing this theme with a fiction text and reading a few myths and legends that highlight the moon.

Math:

We finished Unit 2 that focused primarily on multiplication and division. Moving into unit 3, we will use what we learned in unit 2 and apply this knowledge to the concept of area. We have begun learning about square units and using these square units as a tool for measuring area. We will move into using the formula of multiplying Length X Width to find the area of rectangular shapes. We will also explore strategies for employing this formula for non-rectangular shapes as well. 

Writing:

We have begun planning and drafting opinion essays. Our focus for the work within this genre is stating our opinion, supporting our opinion with relevant reasons, and providing elaboration for this reasons to make a compelling argument. This week's topic was to write about the event from One Giant Leap that the reader believed showed the most dangerous part of the Apollo 11 mission. I have been so impressed by the depth of knowledge students are bringing to their writing!

week of 12/18

Upcoming Events:

Winter Break - 12/25-1/8/24 (No school for students on Monday 1/8)

Wishing you all a happy and restful Winter Break!

Reading and Writing

We have been reading about Galileo and his contributions to our understanding of the universe. The students have been fascinated by his life and the idea that others ,would resist new scientific knowledge. After our winter break, we will begin reading about the Apollo 11 mission. Your student might want to check out National Geographic Kids' "Passport to Space" to read about the planets, the sun, and other space objects. 

We will be transitioning into writing persuasive texts. The focus will be including text based reasons to support our opinion. 

Math

We have started to explore the concept of division. Here is the lesson 10 family letter and the lesson 11 family letter. This week we learned about what is happening to a set of objects or amount when we divide the set into equal groups. After break we will be exploring the relationship between multiplication and division.

PowerSchool refresher in case you need help logging in to your parent portal

District 65 Parent Portal Access Information

Hello District 65 Families!

As we get ready to start the new school year, we want to empower our families by connecting you to important information about your child as well as their school, schedule, and teachers. PowerSchool is our secure, web-based system that contains student and family information. It is very important to sign up for a PowerSchool account, as this system allows you to view report cards, enrollment information, and more.

Attached you will find  [[firstName]]  [[lastName]]'s parent portal access information for the 2023-2024 school year. The password to access this document is the student's birthdate in the following format: MMDDYYYY

If you need assistance, please visit our PowerSchool webpage or email registrationinfo@district65.net.

Enjoy your first day of school!

Student/SIS Assignment, Registration, and Records Department 

Evanston/Skokie School District 65 

1500 McDaniel Ave., Evanston, IL 60201

P: 847-859-8065

week of 11/27

Welcome back! I hope you all had a wonderful Fall break. 😊

Upcoming Events:

Winter MAP testing (this week and next)

Reading and Writing

Phew! We wrapped up our first Wit & Wisdom module right before Fall break. We learned so much about how and why artists and  scientists explore the ocean. We will continue that investigation into the exploratory nature of humans as we begin Module 2: SPACE! This unit begins with an exploration into the life and work of Galileo. We will continue our exploration as we learn about the Apollo 11 mission. Students will be reading nonfiction texts as well as fiction texts such as mythology surrounding the constellations. We will continue to write expository paragraphs, but will finish this module by writing  multi-paragraph opinion pieces. We will continue to reinforce the need for evidence and elaboration to support our topics in both writing genres. I am excited for this new module! 

You might enjoy this home activity -"Making a Telescope" from National Geographic.

Math

We have been learning about multiplication and developing our multiplication fact fluency. This next week's lesson is all about using order and grouping to solve multiplication problems. For example, if I have the problem of 10 X 3 X 5, I can solve this problem by multiplying the numbers together in any order and the product (answer) will be the same. I can think 10 X 3 = 30 and 30 X 5 = 150 or I can think 3 X 5 = 15 and 15 X 10 = 150. We will also begin to use parentheses as a way to group factors together when we multiply. 

Science and Social Studies

We will begin lessons from the Nora Project this week. From their website: "We're on a mission to promote disability inclusion by empowering educators and engaging students and communities." You can explore their website here. The focus for us is developing skills needed to be good friends to all. Check out the Family and Community Resources under the Resources tab. 

We will also be completing our required Sex Ed lessons for Grade 3 before winter break. You can view information about the curriculum and opting out on the District's webpage. The focus of our lessons is consent (No one can touch you and your body without your permission) and is discussed in a developmentally appropriate way. 

week of 10/2

Upcoming Events:

No School Wed. Oct. 4th 

Parent Teacher Conferences Tues. 10/17 and Wed 10/18 

No school Friday Oct. 20th 

Picture Retake Day Thurs. Nov. 2nd 

Reading

We have been learning so much about the sea in our first Wit & Wisdom module. We began by exploring painting of the sea including the Gulf Stream  by Winslow Homer, The Boating Party by Mary Cassatt, and The Great Wave by Katsushika Hokusai. Students observed and analyzed how the artists used colors, lines, and composition to convey a feeling or central message about the sea. we then read Amos & Boris, the charming story of friendship by William Steig. In this book we analyzed elements of art within the illustrations along with the author's word choices and story elements to determine the theme. We have now moved into the informational part of the module and are currently reading Ocean Sunlight:How Tiny Plants Feed the Seas by Molly Bang. We will be reading a biography about Jacques Cousteau, an informational text about sharks, and a text about giant squids. 

Math

We began the year reviewing concepts of place value and moved into addition. We are currently working on subtracting three digit numbers with regrouping as needed. We explored the why and the how behind the traditional algorithm. Our next math unit will be beginning multiplication concepts. The students are very excited. 

Writing 

We have been writing a lot in response to the art we have studied and to the texts we have been reading. We are writing paragraphs that begin with a topic statement, have three pieces of evidence and elaboration, and end with a concluding statement. We have been learning about nouns, verbs, and adjectives as well as the parts of a sentence.

Other News

We met with our kindergarten buddies to design posters for the Peace Walk. We had so much fun working together and look forward to our nexr meeting!

Math

We are also beginning our first math unit on Tuesday. This first unit focuses on place value, addition and subtraction. Some of the unit will be a review from second grade and some of the lessons take these grade 2 skills a bit further. 

I look forward to chatting with you at Curriculum Night about our 3rd grade curriculum.

Ms. C

Welcome Back!

I am so excited to begin the school year with you!

This is where you will find updates about what's happening in our room!

week of May 15, 2023

Upcoming events

Field Day- Friday May 26 (color for t-shirt will come home soon)

Sneaker Ball - Friday May 26 

Grade 3 End of the Year celebration!!!

Where: The North Field at Willard School

When: Monday, June 5, 11:00am - 1:00pm

Why: It’s the End of the Year!!!!

What: Please send your child with a towel/blanket to sit on, a lunch to eat outside, a water bottle to drink from, and any activities that are school appropriate for outside. Sports games, footballs, chalk, bubbles, etc.  We will play outside and enjoy the company of all the 3rd grade classes. Towards the end of the picnic we will eat lunch on our blankets!

Reading

Our new My View unit focuses on communities and how they grow and change over time for the good of the people in the communities. This week's genre selection is a biography of Frederick Douglass. We will be analyzing the main idea and supporting details while exploring the many ways Douglass worked to improve his community. We will be exploring suffixes this week in word study and using those endings to help us understand how the word meanings change. 

Math

We are wrapping up our exploration of fractions, equivalent fractions, and using the symbols <,>, and = to compare fractions. We have also been studying geometry concepts. Our focus has been using characteristics of 2D shapes to categorize them. For example, identifying and grouping quadrilaterals together or identifying and grouping shapes with one or more right angles together. For the remainder of the school year we will be focusing on concepts of elapsed time and measurement using volume and mass. 

*Time family letter

Writing

The students have been writing poetry for the past few weeks. This week we will turning our efforts to writing opinion pieces. Students will be asked to generate a topic, something they would like to change about our Willard or Evanston community. Students will draft a multi-paragraph essay supporting this opinion with reasons and specific examples. 

week of April 24, 2023

Upcoming events

Half Day on May 3

Reading

In our current reading unit we are exploring the theme of community change. This week's genre focus is on biographies. We read The House that Jane Built and used this text to analyze the text structure of a biography to help us comprehend. 

Math

We are continuing to explore fractions. This week's focus was "Understanding Equivalent Fractions". For example, we worked to understand that 1/2 of a whole is the same area as 2/4 of a whole of the same size. We explored this concept using number lines (showing fractional parts of a number line) and using  fraction bars (rectangles that are divided into equal parts). Next week we will explore identifying equivalent fractions. See the Family Letter below:

Family Letter, lesson 23

Writing

We are revising, editing, and publishing our fractured fairy tales. The students have had so much fun stretching themselves creatively! We will be sharing our published versions with our Kindergarten buddies next week, and then the fairy tales will come home. We used the traditional versions of the tales as mentor texts to help us plan and organize our stories. The students also made sure to use narrative "craft moves" (elements of engaging writing such as descriptive details, including a character's thoughts/feelings, etc) to create stories that encourage the reader to visualize as they read. We will add illustyrations and be using Canva to add a cover. There is so much excitement in our writing workshop!

week of April 14, 2023

Upcoming events

Half Day on May 3

Reading

We have started our next MyView reading unit. The theme of this unit is "Heroes". We will be exploring the genre of historical fiction to explore past heroes and the characteristics of heroic deeds. We continue to deepen our comprehension skills as we read more challenging texts.

Math

We have started our next math unit too. This unit focuses on fractions. We built a lot of background knowledge previously about equal parts. The students have done a great job this week in using that knowledge to use fractions to show a part of a whole. Two vocabulary words they will hear a lot are numerator (the top number of a fraction that shows the number of parts shaded or used) and the denominator (the total number of equal parts in the shape). 

Writing

We have been having lots of fun this week with our new writing unit, Fractured Fairytales. In this unit, we explore adapting three fairy tales: Cinderella, Three Billy Goats Gruff, and Little Red Riding Hood. We began by reading "traditional" versions and then explored several fractured versions. Now the students have selected a tale and are planning their own fractured version. They are coming up with such creative ideas!

Week of March 20, 2023

Upcoming events

• IAR testing for us begins March 21.

• We test 3/21 - 3/27 (1 test per day)

IAR testing - How can I support my student?

There are a few things you can do to help your student do their best and (hopefully) not feel too stressed out about these IAR tests:

Make sure they get a good night's sleep all week. Even though we are testing after lunch each day, having breakfast gets our mornings off to a good start.

Talk with your student if you think they are worried about these tests. We try our best, but like the MAP tests, we may not know all of the answers. Also the tests are timed so students may not finish in the allotted time.

Here's our testing letter that came home earlier this month.

Other notes

Mark your calendars- the 2023 Science Fair will be April 18th! If your student would like to participate in the science fair, please let us know using this form. 

Even if your student is still working on their topic, please register them anyway; its fine if their topic shifts or changes over time! Scientists are always refining their projects as they delve deeper into their area of specialty.

Questions? email: emgiacobbe@gmail.com. 

The Black Affinity Potluck Dinner: March 24th

Where: Fleetwood Community Center

When: Friday March 24th

Time: 6:00pm to 8pm

Please bring a (main) dish to share

Dessert and water will be provided

Kids are welcome!

Please RSVP Janelle Stuart at nellecakes2@yahoo.com