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Third Grade Newsletter

To find out what your student has been learning the week before winter break, ask them about...

• Division Math Mystery

• Jellyfish 3D Art

• End of Module Writing Task

• The Sea Celebration

• Social Studies: How do Oregonians connect with water? 

Oregon Battle of the Books: OBOB!

Regardless of whether or not your child is on an OBOB team, the OBOB books are great books to read.  Check out the OBOB website to learn more: OBOB 

Scholastic Book Orders

If you order through our class page, orders can be placed anytime.  Scholastic sends us an email and we can submit the same day.  Books usually arrive about a week after we submit the order.  Each order adds "points" to our class points total which can be used to purchase new books and keep our classroom library filled with the latest books. 

Mandy's Class Page: https://orders.scholastic.com/PK2W3

Windy's Class Page: https://orders.scholastic.com/HF27Y

A Note From our School Social Worker:

Kate Lefco is Peninsula's school social worker.  She can help assist families in connecting to resources, such as clothing assistance, food boxes, mental health services, and other services.  While we don't currently have rental assistance we can refer directly to support if families have an eviction notice.  You can reach Kate via phone or text at 971 276 1759 or email klefco@pps.net.  Kates work part time and I'm in the school Mon-Thurs.  In addition to supporting families, she provides individual and small group social emotional support to students and outreach and support regarding attendance.  You can see a list of past resources shared here. 

Project FeederWatch

Check out our classroom Lifelists (bird list) to see all the birds we've spotted this year.  We are actively tracking our bird species during the week.  Ask your child how they are participating in this as citizen scientists! 

Interested in learning more about Project FeederWatch?  Check out this link: Project FeederWatch 

If you or your child is interested in learning more about any of our local bird species, check out this link: All About Birds You can search any birds found in North America!

Identify Lessons with Ms. Carranza

Ms. Carranza will be starting a series of identify lessons in January.  Please see the letter below for more information about these lessons.  Let Ms. Carranza, Windy or Mandy know if you have any questions.  

Identity Unit

With Ms. Carranza

Grade 3

Hello 3rd grade families,

We finished our third grade counseling lesson unit on conflict resolution. The next few lessons will revolve around identity. The lessons include:

• Learning about the word identity and defining it as the puzzle pieces that make up who we are

• One lesson going in depth on the following components of identity:

  • Family shape (make up, similarities to other families, differences from other families, things that are special about our families). Book resource A Family is a Family is a Family

  • Skin color and race: Understanding how our skin is different colors (because of melanin and genetics), doing an art project where we mix colors to create our own skin color with water colors or crayons. Book resource All the Colors of Us

  • Gender: understanding the difference between sexuality and gender, identifying gender roles, learning that people express their gender in many diverse ways. Slides and Standards 

  • Ability and disability - understanding that bodies and/or brains work differently and that some people use different tools to help them. Book resource Just Ask

• Learning to identify “should messages” (stereotypes, gender roles, cultural standards, dominant culture standards) and critically examine how they fit with our self-image.

While this in no way fully introduces kids to the concepts of identity, I work with the teachers across the grade levels to have a vertical plan and supplement classroom teachers’ lessons for helping kids learn about identity, diversity and equity.  Please reach out if you have any questions. 

Sincerely,

Samara Carranza

School Counselor

(503)916-6275

scarranza@pps.net

Calendar of Events

January 5: School Resumes

January 14: Early Release

January 19: No School MLK Day

January 23: End of the Second Quarter

January 26 & 27: No School, Grading and Planning Days

February 11: Early Release

February 16: No School, President's Day

February 17 - 20: Guest Teacher (Mrs. Dutton) in Windy's Room

March 5: TBA - Field Trip 

March 11: Early Release

March 23 - 27: Spring Break

3rd Grade Photo Album

Mandy's Class

Practicing with sentence types

Multiplication and Division Math Wizards

3D Jellyfish

December Calendar Markers

Sea Celebration

Windy's Class

Don't see any pictures of your student here?  If you would like to see occasional pictures of your student in the 3rd Grade Photo Album, take this quick survey and let us know!