Update

May 3, 2024

We had a blast on our field trip to Zilker Botanical Gardens. Our super docent, Mr. Matthew, took us on an interesting exploration of different ecosystems and the flora and fauna there. There were native trees and plants and a really cool riparian area. Along the way we saw spiders, lizards, dragonflies, butterflies, caterpillars, birds, tadpoles, water sliders, and other creatures. Reat’s Treats made all sorts of connections to our science studies of ecosystems, food chains, and life cycles (and future topics of adaptations, structures and functions). Some of the favorites for students were touching and smelling plants in the herb garden,looking for caterpillars and butterflies, and planting the microgreens (hope they grow!). I didn’t take too many, but I’ve included photos. A big thanks to the parents who were able to tag along!

This week we spent a lot of our ELAR time on reading science. We put to use all of our skills in determining main ideas, locating supporting details, finding cause & effect, and identifying vocabulary as we reinforced science content of ecosystems and food chains.

In math this week, we did some brain-expanding problem solving. We also learned all about identifying decimals as tenths and hundredths. It was especially fun to start learning this concept because it’s a fourth grade skill. I’m thinking there are some third graders almost ready for the next grade!!!

In science students finished researching to observe the physical characteristics of environments and how they support populations and communities within an ecosystem, then they created awesome flip books to describe an ecosystem of their choice. On Monday we’ll have the Dowser Dan Water Conservation performance. This is always very fun and informative about water in central Texas.

Next week students will preview the Book Fair so each student will have a list of books they are interested in. Then, on Wednesday and Thursday, those who bring money may purchase books from the Book Fair.

Dates:

May 6 Dowser Dan-Water Conservation Presentation

May 8-9 Book Fair

May 13 All library books due

May 23 EOY Party [more info in future]

April 26, 2024

Again, I am so proud of Reat’s Treats! 😊

One thing we did in ELAR this week was learn what a thesaurus is and how we can use it as a tool in our poetry writing. Since word choice is so important in poetry, finding synonyms is very helpful. Students continued writing and publishing poems. They also spent time putting the finishing touches on their graphic novels. Wow! We have so many amazing authors!

We had a cool tie-in between TLIM learning this week and social studies. In TLIM we focused on a mindset of discovering our talents and passions. If we are reflective about our talents and passions, we can look for connections between them and potential classroom leadership roles, education paths, and even careers. Then in social studies we looked at some amazing historical figures who used their talents and problem-solving processes to develop scientific breakthroughs and new technology. These included Charles Babbage, Alan Turing, Ada Lovelace, and Grace Hopper.

In math (besides testing 🤪) students worked with multiplication & division puzzles, grid coordinates, and mystery estimations.

Reat’s Treats spent the majority of science time this week learning about a variety of ecosystems. Through research they observed the physical characteristics of environments and how they support populations and communities within an ecosystem, then they created awesome flip books to describe some ecosystems.

Next Wednesday, our class goes to Zilker Botanical Gardens for our field trip (rain or shine -- cross your fingers for shine!). We will be leaving by bus around 10:00 am, returning to school around 1:30 pm, and we will be eating lunch at our destination. Students please wear their 3rd grade t-shirt. A google permission form was sent out. Parents are more than welcome to join but must meet us there and pay the admission fee. We will travel as a class, led by a docent, through the gardens.

Dates:

April 29 Scholastic Book Order

April 29-May 3 EGGI (College/Career) Week [GOE shirt Tuesday, college shirt Thursday]

May 1 Field trip - Zilker Botanical Gardens (wear 3rd grade shirt)

May 6 Dowser Dan-Water Conservation Presentation

May 13 All library books due

April 19, 2024

In ELAR we read and wrote poetry, and we focused on figurative language and the importance of word choice in writing. We had a ball learning about common idioms in English. The kids passed with flying colors as they identified and interpreted idioms. Students had more fun than a barrel of monkeys as they created visual representations of the literal and figurative meanings of some idioms.

In math we have been reviewing all the math concepts and skills covered during the year. The best way for this is to incorporate them in math problem solving. So we have been doing a ton of that! We began with addition and subtraction, incorporating money, estimation, and perimeter. Then we reviewed multiplication and division with area, input/output tables (pairs of numbers), and multi-step thinking. Next we focused on identifying, decomposing, comparing, and finding equivalents in fractions. Throughout it all we were touching back on those vocabulary heavy topics of geometry and measurement. Each day students were surprised by how much they have learned this year!

This week in science students were able to describe the physical characteristics of environments, and how they support populations and communities of plants and animals within an ecosystem. They could describe environmental changes, such as floods and droughts where some organisms thrive and others perish or move to new locations.

Please remember that on Tuesday next week we have the Math STAAR Test. Thanks for ensuring that your child gets enough rest prior to the test and that she/he eats a healthy breakfast that day. Your child may bring several snacks for the testing day and water bottles. She/he should have a couple of chapter books to be reading after the test. [Another consideration is if students have cell phones or smart watches, they must be turned off and collected. It would be best to not bring them to school those days.]

Your child's attitude will affect her/his performance on test day. Students should take the test seriously and use the strategies they have learned/practiced all year long, including showing their thinking on paper. On their Chromebook, your child can even show you what the test will look like and the online tools they'll be using. But it is not helpful for the children to feel too worried or anxious. Please talk to your child about using the strategies, doing her/his personal best, and having pride in what she/he is doing. Everything I saw Reat’s Treats doing during the Interim STAAR tests, in class since then, and on our online practices was impressive --- so I know they can do this!

Dates

April 23 Math STAAR Test

April 25 Recess at Pepper Rock Park

April 26 Library lesson & check out (moved from regular schedule)

April 29-May 3 EGGI (College/Career) Week [GOE shirt Tuesday, college shirt Thursday]

May 1 Field trip - Zilker Botanical Gardens (wear 3rd grade shirt)

April 12, 2024

Our stellar week began with the amazing natural phenomenon -- the total solar eclipse. What a wonder to experience together! (photos)

On Tuesday we continued with the celestial theme (ha! ha!). I am so proud of Reat’s Treats! That’s just all I have to say about it. 😊

In language arts this week, we examined graphic novels, and students began planning one of their own. We’ll keep working on those in the days to come…

Our math focus has been financial literacy. Students investigated credit and interest, identified planned and unplanned spending, and looked at making decisions involving income, spending, saving, credit, and charity giving. [Be warned, all this learning about personal finances has ignited the fire of ‘getting an allowance’ in many students! 😊] Also, Reat’s Treats really enjoyed watching the educational videos from Warren Buffett’s Secret Millionaires Club.

In science Reat’s Treats began to identify and describe the flow of energy in a food chain.

Be sure to mark your calendar - our class will be attending a Field trip to the Zilker Botanical Gardens on Wednesday, May 1. (We will be leaving by bus around 9:30 am, returning to school around 1:30 pm, and we will be eating lunch at our destination. Students please wear 3rd grade t-shirt.) A google form permission slip will be sent out soon. Parents are more than welcome to join but must meet us there and pay the admission fee. We will travel as a class, led by a docent, through the gardens.

Finally, Mrs. Freeman, in the library, has a few reminders.

Last day for students to check out books- Thursday, May 2
Spring Book Fair- May 6-10
All student library books due- Monday, May 13

Dates

April 15 Dinosaur George program

April 16 3rd Grade Teacher Treasure (from Carnival raffle)

April 23 Math STAAR Test

April 25 Recess at Pepper Rock Park

April 26 Library lesson & check out (moved from regular schedule)

April 29-May 3 EGGI (College/Career) Week [GOE shirt Tuesday, college shirt Thursday]

May 1 Field trip - Zilker Botanical Gardens (wear 3rd grade shirt)

April 5, 2024

In language arts Reat’s Treats revisited non-fiction texts, examining how text structure can guide our comprehension. The author chooses a text structure based on their purpose in writing. For example, in the description text structure, centering on main ideas and supporting details, the author is informing the reader about a topic. But, in compare and contrast text structure, the author is explaining how things are alike and different. Students also spent a lot of time planning and typing essays (RACE-ACE!) related to their reading.

Measurement continued to be a math focus this week. After reviewing customary weight (ounces & pounds) and customary capacity with cups, pints, quarts, and gallons, we explored measuring liquids using the metric system for capacity – milliliters and liters. At home you can pull out those measuring cups and start looking at packaging on bottles -- the more hands-on the better with measurement! We also began our new math focus this week with financial literacy. First we reviewed money and counting a collection of bills and coins. Surprisingly, some students are struggling with this second grade skill. (One way to practice at home is for students to use real money and practice counting on to find a total value. Also, you can play a game by holding a small collection ‘in your tight fist’ and tell your child how many coins you have and what the total value is. Then they can determine the combination of coins you have ‘in your tight fist’.) Then we began to study some knowledge and skills needed to manage money and spending. Students made the connection between labor and income. Much more next week…

In science this week we looked at how resources may be conserved and how essential this is to Earth's well-being.

Some very important reminders about our upcoming week:

Eclipse Monday - Monday will be a regular day of school. We will have language arts, math, and science lessons. What will be unusual is the day’s big natural event, the solar eclipse. There have been many notifications to you from Mr. Frazer regarding eclipse procedures. I want to reiterate that we will be giving very specific directions to students for their own safety. Please review the following basic safety procedures with your child:

Follow all directions the teacher gives you.
Stay with your class and your teacher at all times.
Wear the eclipse glasses provided by the school when the teacher asks you to.
Do not play with friends during the eclipse. We must be focused on following directions to protect our eyes.
Never look at the sun without your eclipse glasses. The sun will damage your eyes if you look at it without them.

I have told the children they can bring a towel to sit on. Also, I told them if they make a simple eclipse viewer, they can bring that to school too.

Testing -Please remember that on Tuesday next week we have the Reading (RLA) STAAR Test. Thanks for ensuring that your child gets enough rest prior to the test and that he/she eats a healthy breakfast that day. Your child may bring several snacks for the testing day and water bottles. He/she should have a couple of chapter books to be reading after the test. [Another consideration is if students have cell phones or smart watches, they must be turned off and collected. Honestly, it would be best not to bring them those days.]

Your child's attitude will affect his/her performance on test day. Students should take the test seriously and use the strategies they have learned/practiced all year long. But it is not helpful for the children to feel too worried or anxious. Please talk to your child about using the strategies, doing his/her personal best, and having pride in what he/she is doing. For the record, everything I saw Reat’s Treats doing during the January Interim STAAR tests was impressive --- so I know they can do this!

Student day off on Wednesday. (Teacher staff development)

Thursday Recess - We will be walking to Pepper Rock Park for recess because of 5th grade testing on campus. Please remember to fill out the google form permission for recess (on 4/11 and 4/25).

Dates:

April 6 Carnival

April 8 Total Solar Eclipse (Day at school)

April 9 Reading STAAR Test

April 10 Staff Development, Student Holiday

April 16 3rd Grade Teacher Treasure (from Carnival raffle)

April 23 Math STAAR Test

March 28, 2024

Wow!!! Our Wellness Day was great! We’ll all sleep well tonight! We played and played outside cooperative games. We were so glad the weather cooperated too! It was the best Wellness Day ever!

The three days of actual instruction this week were so full they would have busted a train engine. Students worked so hard we could see the steam building in their brains. They wrote so much their fingers swelled to the size of baseball bats. 😉Whew! What a lot of exaggeration! Sounds like we’re telling tall tales around here. This week we took a look at some famous tall tales, like those of Pecos Bill and Paul Bunyan. Tall tales are folk tales with unbelievable exaggerations that are told as if they are true or factual. They are fun and funny!

We also refocused our writing skills on writing essays using an extended organizer called RACE-ACE! This one is definitely challenging for third grade writers.

Measurement continued to be a math focus this short week (only 3 days of instruction). We explored customary weight (ounces & pounds) and began to look at customary capacity. Next week we’ll jump into the equivalencies of cups, pints, quarts, and gallons.

In science this week we explored the characteristics of natural resources that make them useful in products and materials, such as clothing and furniture. We sorted natural resources by the type of products - ones for transportation, construction, and agriculture. We also began to look at how resources may be conserved.

The Great Oaks carnival is scheduled for Saturday, April 6. Much fun! Third grade teachers are offering a ‘teacher treasure’ raffle opportunity called Popcorn, Popsicles, Pop, & Pictionary (which we’ve scheduled for after school on April 16).

Dates:

March 29 Spring Holiday

April 6 Carnival

April 8 Total Solar Eclipse (Day at school)

April 9 Reading STAAR Test

April 10 Staff Development, Student Holiday

April 16 3rd Grade Teacher Treasure (from Carnival raffle)

April 23 Math STAAR Test

March 22, 2024

Spring has sprung! Today we spent time on a nature walk with our Kindergarten buddies. We were so engaged in using our sense to find items in nature that we (I) forgot to take photos. Sorry! Your Reat's Treat can tell you all about it, though. 😊

This week we explored traditional literature focusing on fairy tales, legends, myths, and fables. Besides practicing a variety of reading skills -- cause & effect, transitions, beginning-middle-end, context clues -- we focused on the common elements of these types of folklore. We also briefly revisited theme in reading selections. In reading, the theme is the author’s underlying message. In fairy tales (legends, myths, and fables) it is often much easier to see what universal truth or lesson is implied. In regular fiction, the theme is sometimes harder to determine. Obviously this is an ongoing skill and we will continue to work with this idea; students reading at home can also think about the theme of the selection.

In math we went back to basics to look at place value and numeration. Students used standard form (using digits in the number places to form a numeral), word form (the words we use to say the number), and expanded form (showing the value of each digit in its place) for any number up to 4-digits. We composed and decomposed, located on number lines, and compared 4-digit numbers. Later in the week we spent some time telling time. Please remember to have your child practice reading an analog clock regularly (telling time all the way to the minute) and telling the time in more than one way. (For example, 7:40 can be seven-forty or twenty till eight.) Relating times past and until the hour seemed to be the most challenging part. [examples: 10: 45 quarter to eleven; 6:35 twenty-five till seven; 3:15 quarter after three; 12:30 half past twelve]. We work on problem solving daily and have even incorporated passing time into this. [By the way, IXL has some great time practices in the second grade section Q and third grade section T.]

In science students were introduced to renewable and nonrenewable resources. Next week we will continue to explore how natural resources are used by humans, and how we can conserve natural resources.

Dates:

March 28 Wellness Day

March 29 Spring Holiday

April 6 Carnival

April 8 Total Solar Eclipse (Day at school)

April 9 Reading STAAR Test

April 10 Staff Development, Student Holiday

April 16 3rd Grade Teacher Treasure (from Carnival raffle)

April 23 Math STAAR Test

March 8, 2024

WOW!!! What a fantastic Living Museum! Reat’s Treats shone as they performed their speeches on stage. They were very brave to be the first 3rd graders to perform. I am also thrilled that so many parents were able to come to school to witness this historic performance! Then the Hallway Performance became the fantastic finale to the whole project. I am so proud of them for their hard work researching, writing, and memorizing, and for their creativity in becoming these historical figures. (photos)

Otherwise in ELAR we are focused on grammar, parts of speech, and dictionary skills. This helps when we write, and this week we wrote a bunch! Mainly we are working to master the R.A.C.E. formula for writing constructed responses to reading.

Friday was extra fun because we celebrated the Living Museum with a movie day -- snuggling up with blankets and pillows, watching The Miracle Worker (as a content connection to Helen Keller), and snacking a lot. Then, in the afternoon there was the ‘No Tardy Party’ which amounted to eating popcorn with friends.

In math we reinforced our strategies for multiplying larger numbers. These are skills that grow with practice, so Reat’s Treats practiced them a lot, especially in problem solving. Over the spring break, continued practice is recommended. 😉

Dates:

March 11-15 Spring Break

March 28 Wellness Day

March 29 Spring Holiday

April 6 Carnival

April 8 Total Solar Eclipse (Day at school)

April 9 Reading STAAR Test

April 10 Staff Development, Student Holiday

April 23 Math STAAR Test

March 1, 2024

In ELAR we finished our biography of Helen Keller, whose life was truly inspirational. She took her situation, which some would say was impossible, and made it possible. She turned ‘I can’t’ into ‘I can, and will.’ She overcame being blind and deaf to become a leader in establishing programs and organizations to help the blind and deaf. Her whole life was one of service for others. I think Reat’s Treats were equally moved by Helen’s achievements as they were impressed by those of their historical research figures. In addition, we’ve been working very hard to use the R.A.C.E. strategy as a framework for writing constructed responses. You’d be amazed to read how well they are restating the question to answer it, citing evidence from the text, and explaining.

In math we focused on solving 2-digit by 1-digit multiplication with the actual algorithm. Reat’s Treats loved this and have gotten really good at it. Do you want to know what slows some students down the most? It’s that they don’t have some of their times facts actually memorized yet!!!! Please have your child practice these regularly. (Reflex is a good practice that can be done at home.) We also incorporated the concept of 2-digit by 1-digit multiplication into our problem solving. Students discovered the greatest challenge in problem solving was multi-step thinking. Keep trying to practice this at home by presenting your child with math problem solving situations of increasing complexity.

Examples:

One Step : Round Rock ISD is renovating picnic areas of its 29 elementary schools. Each area needs 8 new tables. How many new tables are needed by Round Rock ISD?

Two Step: J works in a tire shop. Every weekday, he puts 4 new tires on each of 28 cars. How many tires does J put on cars during a week?

Mixed Concept Multi-Step: J used inches to measure the length of a candy bar. If J lined up 8 candy bars, how long (in inches) would the line be?

In science students continued learning about the earth’s moving plates and their constant change. This included more studying of volcanoes, earthquakes, and landslides.

Meanwhile, Living Museum Performances are next week. Our class is up first for the Stage Performance on Monday, March 4. Students will come to school (at the regular time) in costume. We start in the cafeteria at 8:10 a.m. All parents are welcome to watch this once-in-a-lifetime stage performance. See you at 8:10 in the cafeteria! Until then, PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE!

Dates:

March 4 Living Museum Stage Performance (costumed, 8:10 a.m.)

March 7 Living Museum Hallway Performance (costumed, 5:30-6:00 p.m.)

March 11-15 Spring Break

March 28 Wellness Day

April 9 Reading STAAR Test

February 23, 2024

In ELAR we continued to read and work with biographies and timelines this week. We used the Helen Keller book to focus on sequence of events. Most students also spent a significant amount of class time crafting the body of their Living Museum speech.

Speaking of, the Living Museum is just around the corner! Please make sure your third grader has an appropriate costume. Research is completed, speeches are written, and each student can begin memorizing and practicing his/her speech. Please keep practicing! He/she will need to practice a lot to truly memorize the speech well enough to get through stage fright to perform. Thanks for your support.

We had a great time growing our brains in math this week. We learned strategies to help us in multiplication of larger numbers. We used factor pairs and multiples of ten to make multiplication easier (the “Magic Zero”). We also used the Double/Half strategy. If that doesn’t sound familiar to you, ask your child to demonstrate. We also built ‘factor trees’ to use the associative property of multiplication.

Science has been an earth moving experience as students began learning about rapid forces that change the earth. Students learned about the earth’s moving plates and their constant change. We looked at landslides and started to learn about volcanoes.

Dates:

March 1 Living Museum Speech Rehearsal (not costumed, in classroom, just us)

March 4 Living Museum Stage Performance (costumed, 8:10-8:45 a.m.)

March 7 Living Museum Hallway Performance (costumed, 5:30-6:00 p.m.)

March 11-15 Spring Break

February 16, 2024

Valentine’s Day was a blast! Thanks to parent volunteers and all who donated materials and food to the effort. WOW! The awesome valentines boxes were the most creative ever! (photos)

We continued to read and work with biographies and timelines this week. Most students spent a considerable amount of class time researching their Living Museum figure and determining that person’s sequence of life events. We even began writing the introduction of Living Museum speeches. Students have taken home a copy of the first two (very short) paragraphs to get a head start on memorizing over the long weekend. It’s important they get these accomplished because the next 2 paragraphs (written and published next week) will be the bulk of the speech.

In math this week we went back to our multiplication foundation. We spent several days determining what real-life situations multiplication and division can represent, showing patterns in tables, and using comparative multiplication and division in problem solving. We drew strip diagrams for the relationships in addition, multiplication, division, and comparative multiplication.

In science we noticed how rocks and minerals are basic components of soil (along with decomposing organic material). We explored how weathering is the breaking down of materials into little particles, and erosion is the moving of those particles. We even practiced a little chant to remember: Weathering breaks it. Erosion takes it. Deposition drops it.

We enjoyed our Friday because it started with buddy classes. Third graders were the leaders and taught their kindergarten buddy how to make a heart-person. Fun, fun! (photos)

Dates:

February 19 Student Holiday

February 21 Spring Pictures (8:50)

March 1 Living Museum Speech Rehearsal (not costumed, in classroom, just us)

March 4 Living Museum Stage Performance (costumed, 8:10-8:45 a.m.)

March 7 Living Museum Hallway Performance (costumed, 5:30-6:00 p.m.)

March 11-15 Spring Break

February 9, 2024

Wow! Thank you so much for helping your child donate to the Souper Bowl of Caring. Our school collected over 5,000 items!

In ELAR we used the Helen Keller book to locate cause & effect in non-fiction text and also focused on sequence of events. We continued to read and work with biographies and timelines this week. Most students spent a considerable amount of class time researching their Living Museum figure.

In math we are still practicing the related concepts of multiplication and division, focusing especially on determining the operation in problem solving. We also stressed our 9s facts and 6s facts and all the great strategies for them.

In science students learned to differentiate between weather -- the minute-by-minute changes in the atmosphere -- and climate -- what the weather is like over a period of time in a specific area. Then we switched our focus a bit, and we closely examined a couple of samples of soil to determine what makes up soil. Next week we’ll figure out where soil comes from.

Please remember our valentine party plan. Students will come to school on Valentine's Day bringing creative valentine boxes and valentines for classmates. We will be eating banana splits, sharing valentines, and awarding box prizes in the afternoon (1:45-2:30). Parents are welcome to attend at that time. Please check out the sign-up for items still available to bring.

Dates:

February 14 Valentine's Day Party (bring decorated box & valentines for classmates)

February 19 Student Holiday

March 1 Living Museum Speech Rehearsal (not costumed, in classroom, just us)

March 4 Living Museum Stage Performance (costumed, 8:10-8:45 a.m.)

March 7 Living Museum Hallway Performance (costumed, 5:30-6:00 p.m.)

March 11-15 Spring Break

February 2, 2024

Although it feels like we didn’t do much this week besides testing, that’s far from accurate. I’ll admit we devoted 2 days to STAAR Interim tests. We’ll be sharing the diagnostic results with you sometime later in February.

Meanwhile, in ELAR this week we continued studying biographies. We are three chapters in on our biography of Helen Keller. What an amazing life! In reading this biography students will understand how to glean useful information about a real historical person. At the same time we are practicing important reading skills such as sequencing, cause & effect, multiple meaning words, and timelines. Also, this biography is an excellent example of a person who made a significant contribution to society.Those are extremely important concepts as we research Living Museum historical figures.

This week we dove back into the exciting world of multiplication and division!! (As I like to say, “We are cranking it up a notch….”) First we revisited the related concepts of multiplication and division, focusing especially on determining the operation in problem solving. We also stressed our 9s facts and all the amazing strategies for them. (Multiplication Trick | Full-Time Kid | PBS Parents) Best bet, though, is memorization! That takes practice, practice, practice!!!!

In science we continued comparing and describing day to day weather inRound Rock and Amarillo at the same time. Students learned about specific cloud formations and how to predict stormy weather (like today’s). Next week students will learn to differentiate between weather -- the minute-by-minute changes in the atmosphere -- and climate -- what the weather is like over a period of time in a specific area.

Dates:

February 8 Souper Bowl of Caring Last Day

February 14 Valentine's Day Party (bring decorated box & valentines for classmates)

February 19 Student Holiday

March 1 Living Museum Speech Rehearsal (not costumed, in classroom, just us)

March 4 Living Museum Stage Performance (costumed, 8:10-8:45 a.m.)

March 7 Living Museum Hallway Performance (costumed, 5:30-6:00 p.m.)

March 11-15 Spring Break

January 26, 2024

We connected Habit 3 and Habit 4 this week with the central idea of kindness. It was ‘kindness week’ after all. When we set aside unimportant things to focus on the big rocks of classroom relationships, and we continue to choose kindness, it’s a win-win for all. (Here are a few pictures.)

Our class really showed kindness this week in a variety of ways. A few I saw were:

a student helping another to organize a desk
many students cleaning up restroom messes that weren’t theirs
a student comforting another student who was sad
a student cleaning up someone else’s spill
a student pick up another’s trash at lunch
a student help another locate a missing assignment
a student celebrate another’s accomplishment
students saying thank you and please
and heard a student compliment another

This week (and next) we studied biographies by reading short biographies and timelines in ELAR, and focusing on main ideas and supporting details. Meanwhile, we have begun reading a longer biography about Helen Keller. This will lead right into modeling research skills for the Living Museum project.

Also, on Friday, we did the very first step of our Living Museum research! We spent time looking at our research resources (from the district databases). Woohoo! Lots more in store next week…

In our geometry study we revisited plane figures and solid (3-D) shapes. This week we also practiced finding the perimeter of a figure and explored strategies for calculating the area of polygons. We covered area as counting squares and as multiplication (thinking of it as an array). The kids had fun learning a class song for both these concepts.

(to the tune of Jingle Bells)

Perimeter, perimeter

Goes around and round

Add up all the sides and

Then write your total down, hey!

Area, area

Counting squares today

For rectangles, multiply

‘Cause it looks like an array

In science we began to compare and describe day to day weather in different locations at the same time that include air temperature, wind direction, and precipitation.

Beginning next week, Great Oaks is participating in the “Souper Bowl of Caring” to collect non-perishable food items. So, clean out those pantries and let’s see how much we can share with others!

Dates:

January 29-February 8 Souper Bowl of Caring

January 29 Reading STAAR Interim

January 31 Math STAAR Interim

February 19 Student Holiday (Staff Development)

January 19, 2024

In reading we continued to focus on theme -- the author’s underlying message -- this week. In fact, pretty much when we are reading any story for any purpose, we are also identifying a possible theme. We contrasted author’s theme with the main idea of a story. Students have really picked up on the differences between them …. Also in ELAR we differentiated fact from opinion. This concept, and the sometimes subtle clues between the two, leads to interesting classroom discussion. Our writing focus has been opinion writing (argumentative text).

In math we practiced finding the perimeter for a variety of polygons. We also spent a lot of time with problem solving that incorporated perimeter or missing side lengths.

We’ve completed our travel through the solar system and revisiting the planets and other objects in space. Next week we’ll begin a timely science unit on weather and climate.

Next week is “Kindness Week” and we hope that students will participate in the “Great Kindness Challenge”. (Copies will go home on Monday.) Also, students are so looking forward to "STEAM Night" on January 24.

One more thing - Great Oaks will be participating in the “Souper Bowl of Caring” to collect non-perishable food items beginning January 29.

Dates:

January 15 MLK Day Holiday

January 17 Living Museum Choice Letters go home (much more info to come…)

January 22-26 Kindness Week

January 23 Living Museum Choices due

January 24 STEAM Night

January 29-February 8 Souper Bowl of Caring

January 12, 2024

With our Leader in Me learning, Reat’s Treats are understanding the difference between Big Rocks and little rocks (Work First, Then Play). We sorted big rocks vs. little rocks in the classroom environment (tasks & activities), and we examined personal big rocks in our lives. Our goal is to be able to say no to unimportant things, plan carefully, prioritize, and increase organization.

Our reading focus this week continued to be argumentative text. Students identified the author’s claim and supporting evidence as well as the intended audience. Also, we started opinion writing.

Our learning targets for social studies this week were to be able to describe federal and state governments. We touched the 3 branches of each - legislative, executive, and judicial. This was an introduction to this very complex concept that students will continue to learn about in coming years. Next week we’ll look at local government a little closer, focusing on Round Rock specifically.

In math this week students really analyzed quadrilaterals - square, rectangle, rhombus, parallelogram, trapezoid - and their attributes. Also, they began to calculate the perimeter of plane figures.

We also identified the planets in Earth's solar system and their position in relation to the Sun. Students compared and contrasted the inner and outer planets, and they researched them in several resources.

Dates:

January 15 MLK Day Holiday

January 17 Living Museum Choice Letters go home (much more info to come…)

January 22-26 Kindness Week

January 23 Living Museum Choices due

January 24 STEAM Night

January 5, 2024

Welcome back! Happy New Year! It’s hard to believe 2024 is already here. Things are going to get pretty busy around third grade in this second semester, so be sure to stay tuned. Our days are very full, so please remember that the classroom opens at 7:20 (with tardy bell at 7:35). Students enter the classroom and immediately begin routines then a series of learning activities leading into TLIM or Reading/Writing Workshop. If your child is ill and misses school, it’s very helpful to pick up his/her missed assignments so that your child does not feel ‘lost’ when returning. [Just shoot me an email and I’ll gather assignments for an office pick-up.]

Our two-day week this week was surprisingly full. To start, students found one theme word to define their new year. Students chose words like effort, calm, try, planning, patience, responsible, learn … They talked and wrote about why they chose the word and what they will do to try to make the word their own theme for the year. This meant some really great reflection…

BTW, parents, your child really appreciates your help/reminders when it comes to checking homework binders daily for homework. Yes, this week we already had a math homework page, and students did not do it! Also, please remember, 20 minutes of daily reading is a minimum.

In math, we moved into geometry by studying lines, line segments, angles, plane figures, and polygons. Next week we will sort and analyze quadrilaterals and will start to measure plane figures to calculate perimeter. There is so much new vocabulary with geometry that it’s like learning a new language.

In science we returned to our look at the solar system. We identified the planets in Earth's solar system and their position in relation to the Sun. Students began to compare and contrast the inner and outer planets, and they researched them in several resources.

December 14, 2023

Reat’s Treats spent energy on reading this week! We practiced reading argumentative text and identifying the author’s claim and audience. Also every child had the opportunity to check out library books for the break and each left school today with a book. Please remember to have your child read every day over the holiday break. Your child can write down their minutes and you can initial for the “Holiday Challenge” (total of 150 minutes during the break)…. [In an aside, I want to reassert how important daily reading truly is to your child’s growth as a learner. He/she has made amazing progress this year. I notice this every day as I read with the children. However, when students come back from a break without having read, they show obvious regression. That twenty minutes of reading -- before bed, in the car, in the morning when no one else is up, during a break between activities – makes a huge impact. Thank you for encouraging your child to read.]

In math we reviewed all that we had learned about fractions. This included identifying fractions as parts of a whole, parts of a set/group, fractions as strips/bricks, fractions on number lines, equivalent fractions, and comparing fractions. We also solved problems involving fractional parts and information. Whew! Students are looking forward to the next unit of geometry!

It was great to see so many parents at the winter party. Thank you for your generosity! We had fun!

Have a happy and safe break and see you next year!

December 8, 2023

We continued to work with making inferences this week. Students used the text evidence along with their background knowledge to draw conclusions. We looked at how inferences can go awry if we do not have enough information from the text. We cannot just rely on our background knowledge. We also added hyperbole to our toolbox of figurative language. Even this week’s library lesson focused on hyperbole. Don’t be surprised if your third grader starts to exaggerate or tell tall tales. After all, they're just practicing what they’ve learned at school!😄 In addition, we’ve been working very hard to use the R.A.C.E. strategy as a framework for writing constructed responses. You’d be amazed to read how well they are restating the question to answer it, citing evidence from the text, and explaining. We’ll be growing this skill all year long.

In math we compared fractions. Over and over the students proved that larger denominators meant that the whole was divided into more parts. So when comparing unit fractions, the fraction with the larger denominator would actually be smaller. Here are some links for reteaching/reviewing these ideas with your child.

In science we have moved into a high interest space study, and are looking into systems like Sun-Earth-Moon and at our solar system. Soon we will travel through the solar system and revisit the planets and other objects in space.

Please remember that our Winter Party will be next Thursday, December 14 at 8:15-9:15. Thank you for sending in the non-food materials from the sign-up on Wednesday and the breakfast food items on Thursday morning. We are looking forward to seeing many parents there!

Dates:

December 8 Continue Holiday Fun

December 13 Holiday Lunch (note different lunch time: 11:40-12:10)

December 14 Winter Holiday Party 8:15-9:15 am (sign-up)

The Winter Party sign-up is here! Thank you!

December 1, 2023

In ELAR this week we spent more time inferencing. That means we drew conclusions based on clues in the text and our schema, or background knowledge. We began by reading Chris Van Allsburg’s Wretched Stone.The plot of the story is centered around a large stone found by sailors on a mysterious island. The stone negatively changes the ship’s crew. During the book we stopped to discuss and record story clues and text evidence. We also wrote down some background knowledge. Our goal was to infer what this wretched stone could be. The best thing is that the book actually never says, but eventually the students infer it. We made a visual reminder for inferencing - we mixed yellow water (text evidence/clues) with blue water (background knowledge/schema) to equal a new color---green (our inference). All week long we practiced making inferences.

Fractions on a number line in math this week was our greatest challenge yet. Reat’s Treats need as much practice with this concept as they can get. Try these videos at home. Fractions on a Number Line and Number Line Fraction Race. Also, please pull out those rulers and measuring cups at home to reinforce fractions on a number line with real world applications.

We finished our focus on force & motion in science. During the unit students demonstrated and described forces acting on an object in contact or at a distance including magnetism, gravity, and pushes and pulls. They also explained how position and motion can be changed by pushing and pulling objects.

On Friday we enjoyed meeting with our kindergarten buddies for some synergy activities. It is terrific to be the older buddy and show leadership! (photos)

It’s hard to believe that we’ll have just 9 more school days together before the winter break. We are going to continue to work hard and learn while we have fun. It’s an exciting time that we are all looking forward to. Sometimes students have a difficult time focusing or taking things seriously. I appreciate your reminders to your child that it’s not all fun and games (sorry!) -- we actually have a great deal of learning to accomplish too! 😄

Dates:

December 4 Start of Holiday Fun

December 6 Author Visit

December 13 Holiday Lunch (note different lunch time: 11:15-11:45)

December 14 Winter Holiday Party 8:15-9:15 am (sign-up)

November 17, 2023

Habit 6: Synergize

I value other people’s strengths and learn from them. I get along well with others, even people who are different from me. I work well in groups. I seek out other people’s ideas because I know that by teaming with others we can create better solutions than what any one of us could do alone. I look for Third Alternatives.

Our reading focus this week was Thanksgiving, and we learned a lot about Pilgrims. It was fun to laugh at how people confuse Pilgrims and pioneers so much. We used all this new (or refreshed) knowledge about Pilgrims to compare and contrast Pilgrims and pioneers to see how they were similar and how they were different. This was an excellent learning experience with much discussion and reasoning.

The field trip to the PAC for Westwood’s performance of Miss Nelson Is Missing was great! Don’t be surprised if your student has been bitten by the acting bug, or if they want to see more plays in the future. (photos)

We also spent a lot of time cultivating our attitude of gratitude. We realized that those mindful moments of thankfulness actually build us up and lift our spirits. This class is precious and I am so grateful that they share each day with me.

In math, we began to identify fractions as part of a group/set. We also tried to relate fractions to daily real world math. For example, if I have eight gummy bears and give ½ to my sister, how many does she get? I think the Thanksgiving break tends to offer many opportunities to think in fractions (imagine all the pies!...).

Please remember to have your child read (and complete their reading log). If they have extra time, students would also benefit from spending some time on Reflex (which I will switch to multiplication/division) and IXL for math and RAZKids for reading. The Thanksgiving “2 Weekend Reading Challenge” is a total of 120 minutes of reading for the whole nine days, with parent initials.

Dates:

November 20-24 Happy Thanksgiving break

December 4 start of Holiday Fun

December 6 Author Visit (Varsha Varjaj - Thirst)

November 9, 2023

Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood

I listen to other people’s ideas and feelings. I try to see things from their viewpoint (paradigm). I listen to others without interrupting. I listen with my ears, my eyes, and my heart. I am confident in voicing my ideas.

This week, while we focused on Habit 5, our biggest take-aways were reminders on attentive listening, advice to “don’t assume -- leave some room!”, and matching emotions to people’s expressions.

Talk about synergize (Habit 6) -- What an incredible Pioneer Day! I think every child (and adult) sincerely enjoyed the activities and the spirit of the day. A huge thank you for all the parent volunteers who helped make the day special. I’m so glad so many parents joined us at various activities and the pioneer picnic. That made them so much more memorable. Thanks to everyone who donated materials and time – we couldn’t have done it without you! What a day! (Check out some photos.)

In ELAR we finished Sarah, Plain & Tall with a huge focus on figurative language. The book is so beautifully written and is rich with examples of simile, metaphors, hyperbole, onomatopoeia, personification, and idioms. I highly recommend the Patricia MacLachlan books about the same characters - Skylark, Caleb’s Story, and more.

In math, we explored fractions as parts of a whole and used fraction strip models.

In science students observed how position and motion can be changed by pushing and pulling objects to show work being done.

It was so great to see all the family participation in the Boosterthon Obstacle course. The weather held, the course was fun, and the students had a blast! Thank you to all for your involvement and support in this major school fundraiser.

Dates:

November 15 Field Trip-PAC

November 15 Family Night

November 15-17 Book Fair

November 20-24 Happy Thanksgiving break

December 4 start of Holiday Fun

November 3, 2023

What a great Boosterthon fundraising effort! We enjoyed the donation celebrations during the week. And, in case you didn’t know it, we are really looking forward to November 6 and the rescheduled obstacle course!

Next week is another big week, mainly because Wednesday, (November 8) is Pioneer Day! We will spend this day celebrating the pioneer way of life with fun activities, storytelling, and a pioneer picnic. Don’t forget to plan a pioneer outfit for your child to wear, and maybe help them choose some pioneer-ish lunch food. Thanks to all the volunteers and to those donating materials (which can be brought to school Tuesday).

We are very close to finishing Sarah, Plain & Tall. This week we drew inferences and focused on how character relationships influence the plot. Reat’s Treats were making some amazing connections as they worked on this high level thinking. We also read more informational text about pioneers and began to examine how text structure can guide our comprehension. (Compare/contrast is an example.) Students have also enjoyed writing as if they were a pioneer traveling west. (There have been many adventures --- mud everywhere, snowstorms, and crossing raging rivers to name a few.)

In math the students are just beginning to learn to identify basic fractions and their names. Lots more to come….

In science we connected to energy by looking at motion and force.

Dates:

November 6 Library Lesson & Checkout (books due) -(rescheduled)

November 6 Boosterthon (rescheduled from Nov.1)

November 8 Pioneer Day

November 9 Veterans Day Assembly

November 15 Field Trip-PAC

November 15 Family Night

November 15-17 Book Fair

October 26, 2023

This week in language arts we continued reading Sarah, Plain & Tall. We kept working with main idea and summary, we compared and contrasted Maine and the prairie (from the story), and we talked about character traits of the 4 main characters. A huge focus as we read this week was figurative language. Quick as a wink students were able to identify similes in their reading; then they began to transfer them into their own descriptive writing. They are stars! We also began learning about and writing personal narratives. What great stories they have to tell!

Remember, Pioneer Day is Wednesday, November 8. We will spend the day celebrating the pioneer way of life with fun activities, storytelling, and a pioneer picnic. Don’t forget to be planning a pioneer outfit for your child to wear! Also, for the pioneer picnic, we are encouraging students to bring ‘pioneerish’ food if they can. (We’ll talk more about it next week.) Plus, if they have one, children can bring a blanket for sitting outside. I’ve created a sign-up genius for donations of materials we’ll need for crafts. Pioneer Day is going to be a much-anticipated super fun day!!!

In math we have almost finished off our long introduction to multiplication and division, focusing on the concepts and using a variety of representations for each. It is understandable that third graders have not yet mastered all the X and ÷ facts. Keep them practicing, though. Quick recall certainly makes complex problem solving more efficient. And we do a lot of problem solving…

We finished our activities with energy - light, sound, thermal, and mechanical. Reat’s Treats were so excited and energized to make connections from our lives to the explanations found through science.

Today was quite an exciting morning because members of the Round Rock High School football team visited our classroom to celebrate the reading program Dragon Tales. The high schoolers read to the third grade and autographed footballs. They told the students how important it is to read and succeed in school. We had fun! (Please see pictures in the photo tab.) It was great timing for this visit because today was Book Character Day! We enjoyed seeing all these familiar figures…

What a great Boosterthon fundraising effort so far! We have already enjoyed some donation celebrations during this week. And, in case you didn’t know it, we are really looking forward to November 1 and the obstacle course!

October 20, 2023

This week in language arts we continued reading Sarah, Plain & Tall, focusing on main ideas, making inferences, first person narrator point of view, and context clues for word meaning. We used a fun way to think of main ideas called “Get the Gist”. In this students try to determine main ideas in 10 words or less. We also continued to learn about pioneer life with expository/informational texts. We looked for main ideas and supporting details.

Remember, to celebrate the pioneer way of life, our annual third grade Pioneer Day, is scheduled for Wednesday, November 8, 2023. You will continue to receive information, and we will be asking for some materials, donations, and parent volunteers. Here’s another heads up because we ask the kids to dress up in "pioneer-like" clothes similar to what people in Texas in the mid 1800's might have worn. Boys could wear hats, boots, jeans, overalls, suspenders, and bandannas. Girls can wear things like aprons, bonnets, petticoats, calico skirts, boots, and braided hair. I wanted to give you time to start putting together their outfit. It doesn't have to be expensive or new...your closet, your friend's closets, or Goodwill probably have some great, free/inexpensive options. On Pioneer Day children will participate in a variety of activities that include making crafts, “churning” butter, listening to storytellers, and having a pioneer picnic. Please stay tuned for further information about this fantastic event.

Reat’s Treats really represented well for Unity Day and Digital Citizenship Week. Students were very thoughtful as they reflected on, discussed, and wrote about uniting for kindness, acceptance, and inclusion to help against bullying. (photos)

Math had students working a great deal with double double doubling. “What’s that?” you say. Double double doubling is a method of using facts and operations students already know to figure out the more difficult 8s facts.

For example, 6 x 8

Students think: 6 x 2= 12 (double); 12 x 2= 24 (double double); 24 x 2= 48 (double double double)

We also practiced all the ways to represent multiplication – arrays, equal groups, repeated addition, skip counting, jumps on a number line, and strip diagrams. Input output tables as a way to generate paired numbers in a relationship was another focus. Flashcards, games, and websites are all good resources for helping with this concept. Here is a link to some games I found.

We continued to study many forms of energy in science with lots of hands-on activities. We looked for melting from the sun’s thermal energy, we tested light energy through transparent, translucent, and opaque materials, and we examined the vibrations of sound energy through different materials.

Dates:

October 23 Boosterthon Kick-Off

October 27 Story Book Character Dress Up Day

October 27 Dragon Tales

November 1 Boosterthon

November 8 Pioneer Day

November 9 Veterans Day Assembly

October 13, 2023

Habit 4-Think Win-Win: Students balance courage for getting what they want with consideration for what others want. Students make deposits in others’ emotional bank accounts (fill their bucket). When conflicts arise students look for a third solution.

This week in language arts and social studies we began our amazing pioneer unit. To celebrate the pioneer way of life, we are planning for our annual third grade Pioneer Day, scheduled for Wednesday, November 8, 2023. We will be asking the kids (and adults, if possible) to dress up in "pioneer-like" clothes similar to what people in Texas in the mid 1800's might have worn. Girls can wear things like aprons, bonnets, petticoats, calico skirts, boots, and braided hair. Boys could wear hats, boots, jeans, overalls, suspenders, and bandannas. I wanted to give you time to start putting together their outfit. It doesn't have to be expensive or new...your closet, your friend's closets, or Goodwill probably have some great, free/inexpensive options. On Pioneer Day children will participate in a variety of activities that include making crafts, “churning” butter, listening to storytellers, and having a pioneer picnic. Please stay tuned for further information about this fantastic event. [We will send out the request for volunteers to make the day a huge success, and at the beginning of November we’ll be sending out a sign-up for the necessary materials.]

As an integral part of our pioneer unit of study, we began reading Sarah, Plain & Tall. This historical fiction novel depicts frontier life in the late 1800’s. With chapter 1 we focused on main characters, setting, and story problem. More to come…

Math continued to investigate multiplication and ways to represent equal groups in problems. These included repeated addition, arrays, pictures of equal groups, strip diagrams, equal jumps on number lines, and equations (number sentences). We still practiced 10s and 5s times tables (thinking that 5 is half of 10 or counting by the number). We also introduced the 2s facts as doubles and the 4s facts as double doubles. [3x4 is like saying 3x2=6x2=12]. If you're looking for another practice for your child, maybe try Bunny Times.

A student’s reflection in the mirror is light energy. Cooking food involves thermal energy. Drumming on drums demonstrates sound energy (vibrations and pitch). Throwing a football or using a catapult uses mechanical energy. These were some of the concepts we examined as we studied many forms of energy in science. We tried twice to do a light activity with our shadows, but the sun didn't cooperate. So we made the most of it and reviewed the types of energy with chalk art. (see photos)

Next week is Unity week and Digital Citizenship Week. Lots of times to wear themed clothes planned, like Sports Rep Day, Super Hero Day, Unity Day, Wacky Sock Day, and Hat Day....

Dates:

October 18 Unity Day (wear orange)

October 19 Library Return/Check-out

October 23 Boosterthon Kick-Off

October 27 Story Book Character Dress Up Day

October 27 Dragon Tales

November 1 Boosterthon

November 8 Pioneer Day (more info to come…)

October 6, 2023

All week in ELAR we read informational text to ask questions before/during/after reading, to identify main ideas (also called generalizations or central ideas), to evaluate key details that support the main ideas, and to identify context clues. Whew! Not to worry -- we spiral back to these skills throughout the year and our reading. 😊 We also focused a lot of time on restating the question as we give a written response to text.

Math continued to investigate multiplication and ways to represent equal groups in problems. These included repeated addition, arrays, pictures of equal groups, strip diagrams, equal jumps on number lines, and equations (number sentences). We still practiced 10s and 5s times tables (thinking that 5 is half of 10 or counting by the number). Playing games makes good practice (photos). We also introduced the 2s facts as doubles.

In science we continued to think about changes to matter such as adding/removing heat, mixtures (which are easily separated), and solutions (which require evaporation to separate).

Dates:

October 9 Fall Conference Day

October 27 Story Book Character Dress Up Day

October 27 Dragon Tales

November 1 Boosterthon

September 29, 2023

We finished reading The Truth About Bats and have learned many reading skills from it. These include story elements, main/central idea, sequence of events, and context clues for word meaning. As we read we learned how to have ‘inner conversations’ to think about and understand what we are reading. Jotting a note or sticky as we read helps us pay attention to what we are reading. Since comprehension is the goal, we are working on these self-checks. We also looked a lot at the characters and how they were changing during the story. Finally, as we distinguished between fact and fantasy and fact and opinion in this book, students were so excited to learn about bats (from this book and other sources of different genres). A bat is an amazing mammal, and we have greatly enjoyed learning about them!

We connected writing and social studies as we looked at the topic of culture. Students wrote short informational paragraphs (including central idea and supporting detail sentences) about a cultural celebration. These were fun to share!

In math we began to explore multiplication. The main topic so far was relating repeated addition to multiplication and representing it using arrays and equal groups. Much more to come…

In science we continued to think about changes to matter. Students investigated mixtures by observing them, creating them, and determining the properties to use in separating them.

Dates:

October 4 Fall Student Pictures (8:40 a.m.)

October 5 Library Lesson & Check out

October 9 Fall Parent Conferences

October 27 Dragon Tales

October 27 Storybook Character Day

September 22, 2023

This week in ELAR we read a variety of expository (informational) text selections about bats. We also distinguished between fact and fantasy and fact and opinion. As a science connection we noticed some adaptations of microbats and megabats that allow them to survive successfully in their habitats and with food sources. In the Truth About Bats we focused on main ideas and supporting details. Finally, we further explored the characteristics of fiction and non-fiction reading materials.

In math we worked all week with problem solving. Students applied our addition and subtraction skills in problem solving. They used the rounding skill in problem solving to find estimations rather than actual answers. They analyzed data collections (Tally tables, frequency tables, pictographs, bar graphs, and dot plots) for problem solving. By the end of the week we dipped out toes into the exciting world of multiplication and division!! Much, much more to come…

Lots of hands on science this week. We had fun with changes to matter caused by heating or removing heat -- we observed melting, evaporation, condensation, and freezing.

On Friday the students enjoyed the Austin Jazz Workshop’s interactive performance. (Reat’s Treats had also experienced a visit by one of the musicians during music class.)

Dates:

September 25 Student Holiday (Staff Development)

September 29 Dragon Tales (more info to come) rescheduled to Oct. 27

October 4 Fall Student Pictures (8:40 a.m.)

October 9 Fall Parent Conferences

September 15, 2023

In language arts we continued to read The Truth About Bats and focused on main ideas and summarizing. We also examined a variety of other bat-related texts in order to determine the author’s purpose in writing (PIE). Was the author trying to persuade us to do or think something about bats, trying to inform us about bats, or trying to entertain us with bats? Our writing focused on recognizing and using ‘adverbs of time’, and we grew our word spelling awareness with words using the long /o/ sound.

Whew! Math this week has been intense! We went from addition of 3-digit numbers and simple subtraction last week (which most students had mastered in 2nd grade), to subtraction of 3-digit numbers with 1, 2, or double regroupings. Wowee! Were the brains growing this week!! They did great! All the students would certainly benefit from more practice -- maybe a couple of problems each night. This video might also be a help. 3 Digit Subtraction with Regrouping

In science we reviewed how to classify matter by using different properties of matter. We then began to explore how adding or removing heat can change the state of matter.

This week our Leader in Me focus was mainly Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind. We really looked at how everyone has their own paradigm and how it affects how they ‘see’ everything in their lives. It’s important that we are open to others and their paradigms. This led to a fun Habit 6: Synergize activity called ‘Two on a Crayon’. We learned a lot about each other during this activity. Ask your Reat’s Treat to explain the activity and then be sure to check out the photos of what two on a crayon can produce.

Dates:

September 21 Library Lesson & Check Out (library books should be returned)

September 22 Jazz Workshop

September 25 Student Holiday (Staff Development)

September 29 Dragon Tales (more info to come)

October 9 Parent Conference Day (Student Holiday)

September 8, 2023

In language arts we’re doing more reading and writing about bats. This week, as we read The Truth About Bats, we learned how to have ‘inner conversations’ to think about and understand what we are reading. In order to grow our brains as good readers we have to frequently self-check for focus and understanding. Some of us are very fluent readers, but pay little attention to what we are reading. Since comprehension is the goal, we are working on these self-checks. We make predictions, we wonder, we make connections… all this we do as we read the words.

As we were writing this week we focused on complete sentences and what every good sentence needs. It was fun (and funny) thinking about sentence fragments and how they do not communicate a whole idea.

This week in math rounded numbers to the nearest hundred, and then we raced through 2 and 3-digit addition. Afterwards we switched to subtraction without and with regrouping. We started using place value blocks to model the process, then branched to the algorithm. Here’s the cute rhyme to remember the steps:

“More on the top,

No need to stop

(I have posted pictures in the Photos tab under 2023-2024)

Link to Counselor Newsletter for Parents

Welcome Reat's Treats 2023-2024!

I am looking forward to meeting you on Supply Drop-Off on Thursday from 3 to 5 pm. See you in room 408!