I wanted to let you know about an exciting new opportunity coming up for our third, fourth, and fifth grade students.

For the first time, our school district will be hosting a cup stacking competition. This event is designed to be a fun and positive experience, not an intense or high-pressure competition. The focus is on participation, trying something new, and enjoying a unique activity with other students from across the district. 

Sport stacking helps develop hand-eye coordination, focus, and confidence, and it’s a great way for students to challenge themselves in a new and engaging way. Whether your child has tried stacking before or would be brand new to it, this event is meant to be welcoming and encouraging for all participants.

Please see the attached flyer for more details about the event. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out.

Thank you for supporting new and fun opportunities for our students!

We are diving into Module 6, and it’s all about animal behaviors—get ready for curious minds and wild discoveries! Our Gators will be sharpening important literacy skills like researching, reading informational texts, and sharing their learning, all while working on an amazingly fun animal research project.

This module blends learning and excitement as students become animal experts, ask great questions, and show off their knowledge. We can’t wait to see their creativity and growth shine—this one is going to be wildly fun!

This week students will be learning...

Reading- This week, students will focus on building strong reading skills by exploring text and graphic features (TEKS 3.6A, 3.6G, 3.7C, 3.9Dii, 3.10C), practicing how to retell and summarize important details (TEKS 3.6A, 3.6G, 3.7D, 3.7E), and learning about an author’s purpose (TEKS 3.6F, 3.6G, 3.7C, 3.10A) and author’s craft (TEKS 3.6F, 3.6G, 3.7C, 3.10F). Students used informational texts to understand how authors share ideas clearly and creatively, while thinking deeply about why a text was written and how the author’s choices help the reader.

Grammar-This week, students will strengthen their grammar skills by learning how adjectives tell what kind and how many (TEKS 3.11Div), using this, that, and articles correctly in sentences (TEKS 3.11D), and reviewing plural nouns during spiral practice (TEKS 3.11Diii). Students applied these skills in speaking and writing to make their sentences clearer and more descriptive. 

***9's fact fluency quiz Thursday (1/15)***

***Unit 5 quiz Friday (1/16)***

Before break we wrapped up our Unit 4 Multiplication and Division Application. Now onto unit 5 Data and Analysis!

This week the students will be learning...

• I can summarize a set of data to solve problems. (TEKS 3.8B)

• I can organize data into a pictograph and bar graph and analyze the data to solve problems. (TEKS 3.8B)

To help your child at home with these skills-

• Practice their multiplication facts/ skip counting. (Students can log onto canvas for a link to our songs and online flashcards)

• Work in independent practice workbook on pages section S- Represent and Interpret Data (pg. 175-190)

• Practice division and multiplication multi-step story problems.

The images below are some ideas of math practice to do at home (choice board) and examples of these types of representations.

3.4C GEOGRAPHY. The student understands the concepts of location, distance, and direction on maps and globes. The student is expected to identify, create and interpret maps of places that contain map elements including a title, compass rose, legend, scale, and grid system.

Students will talk about cardinal and intermediate directions.  They will also create a community map that includes a title, compass rose, legend, scale, and grid system.

Resources:

Studies Weekly Newspaper and App **Week 15: Location

3.9B Earth and space.The student knows there are recognizable objects and patterns in Earth's solar system. The student is expected to identify the order of the planets in Earth's solar system in relation to the Sun.

We will be creating solar system projects!!

Resources: 

McGraw Hill App Chapter 7 Lesson 4 and Pebble Go Next

Last week we learned about the Earth, Moon, and Sun relationship.  Key vocabulary: Rotate, Revolve, and Orbit.  Ask your child if they know how long it takes the earth to rotate? Revolve? How long does it take the moon to orbit the Earth?

- Please remind your child to take proper care of their Chromebook: always carry it with two hands, keep it away from food, drinks, and younger siblings, and store it safely when not in use. Each night, ensure there is a designated place to charge the Chromebook and double-check that it makes it into your child’s backpack each morning. While we will reinforce that caring for the device is the student’s responsibility, your support during these first few weeks is essential.

Additionally, please send in wired earbuds or headphones that plug into your child’s Chromebook. If possible, label them with your child’s name.

We love seeing our students excited about their favorite toys and fidgets — but we’ve noticed they’re starting to take over our classrooms like tiny, colorful invaders. 

Starting this week, toys and fidgets should stay at home unless a student has a fidget accommodation listed in their IEP or 504 Plan. For students who do have approved fidgets, please make sure they:

• Fit in one hand

• Can be used quietly while working

This helps us keep our classrooms focused, calm, and ready for learning. Thank you for your support! 💚🐊