January 29th- February 2nd

Many lessons and projects came to an end this week. Students were finishing up their Snowman fiction stories by working with peers and teachers to edit for punctuation, spelling, and grammar, as well as editing by adding specific detail to assist with the flow of the story. We reread our stories with a focus, one focus being to make sure there was a clear problem and solution. Students also finished The Kid Who Ran for President by Dan Gutman. What a great story! They will be starting a culminating project this week. Some students may even be interested in reading the sequel, The Kid Who Became President by Dan Gutman. Students have really been learning how to look back in the text and reread chapters to help with comprehension questions. At the end of the book we had a conversation about theme and point of view.

During Morning Meetings this week the students thought about Acts of Kindness and how we can incorporate them into our every day routine. Each student picked another student out of a hat and was directed to do an act of kindness for that peer every day. On Friday, we had a reveal, by giving a compliment to our classmate and letting them know some of the nice things we did. It was so nice to see the students writing each other notes, holding the doors open, giving up our turn in a scoop chair, or even giving up our Wax Museum choice to another student who wanted the same person. Way to go 3rd graders!

We also worked on the language: Helpful, Harmful, Not Helpful, and Kind. These descriptors can describe most things that we say in class on a daily basis. Many times we say things that are kind and helpful, but sometimes, we say things that, although may not be ‘mean’, are not helpful. The students are recognizing that the ‘not helpful’ comments can be distracting in class. We are going to continue to discuss these terms this week.

In 3rd grade we are going to start practice being mindful and setting an intention for the day. This week we did some morning yoga to wake up our bodies and our minds. It was enjoyed by all!

January 22nd-26th

The 3rd Grade Government has been set and the students are dilgently working to pass a bill on less, and appropriate, advertisements on websites that kids use. They are tired of having their learning, or fun, interrupted by an ad that does not pertain to them. In class we have discussed what protections are in place for them, such as COPPA, and they are writing away. The bill is still in the House of Representatives, comprised of five students, and should pass to the Senate this week.

In math the students continue to focus on multiplication and division. We are examining how these two operations are applicable to daily life and solving lots of word problems. Students continue to study area and perimeter and are working to apply these skills into daily life as well.

We are finishing up The Kid Who Ran for President by Dan Gutman. The students continue to enjoy the book, and we are at the point where Judson just took the lead in the polls. What is going to happen? We will finalize this book with a fun project.

During our Morning Meetings this week we have focused on Acts of Kindness. What do these look like specifically and how can we do them on a daily basis? We know that Acts of Kindness can be as simple as a smile or asking a friend if they are doing okay. This week we will continue to discuss and practice Acts of Kindness . Ask your child how these can be demonstrated at home.

January 16th- 19th

What fun it was to play in the snow! Although the week was a day shorter, the students were still very busy!

We continued our reading of The Kid Who Ran for President by Dan Gutman. It really is a great compliment to our government unit tying in a lot of the big language and ideas into a story that is relatable to them. We are able to have quality conversations about amendments, role of the media, and the basic process of running for a position in politics. The students are really enjoying the idea of a ‘kid’ running for president and relating to the character’s struggle of not being good enough.

We also spent time this week looking at the process of a bill becoming a law. We examined the role of the Legislative Branch and the Executive Branch, and how our system of checks and balances plays a role. The students began to generate ideas for their own bill, and I know are very excited to try to write and pass their own bill this week. We have some wonderful ideas focusing on pollution, animals, and censorship. I’m excited to see where they decided to devote their time.

In writing, we are continuing to write and finish our Snowman fiction stories. The students used organizers to write their rough draft, and are now typing a rough draft on the computer. We are spending time with the editing process and editing with peers and adults. I love hearing two students working together to improve one another’s writing, and sharing very solid advice. It really makes it meaningful when it is not always coming from an adult.

In math we are continuing multiplication. Many of the students were excited to try the math challenges and extensions last week! Way to go!

January 8th- 12th

Happy New Year and Welcome Back! From what I heard from the students, it seems everyone had a wonderful and relaxing break filled by creating new memories with family and friends.

We started the week off revisiting our classroom routines, discussing the qualities of a good leader, and creating new personal and academic goals for the next six weeks. The students really practiced active listening skills throughout the week. The 3rd graders sit next to their partner and have to retell directions, or reteach main ideas, to one another throughout the day. They even had to present the main ideas about their partner’s winter vacation. We will continue to practice our active listening skills this term.

In reading, the students continued to read The Kid Who Ran for President by Dan Gutman. It always makes me smile when the class reads together and laughs together because we are all enjoying a great book. As we continue to learn about the government, this story provides insight into the election process in a fun way. The 3rd graders are also working on defining and explaining main character traits of the characters using a list or coming up with traits on their own.

In writing, the students are continuing their snowman personality stories. We really focused this week on setting up our stories with a beginning, middle and end. Most importantly we focused on the problem and solution. By sharing ideas with the class and looking at stories we love, the students began to see how the problem and solution is vital to any story, no matter how long or short.

We took some time this week to read about Martin Luther King Jr. The students listened as I read a picture book aloud. They were introduced to a note taking chart called a Double Entry Chart, where they wrote down main ideas on one side, and then connected the main ideas to thoughts, feelings, or personal experiences of their own. They did a wonderful job, and we learned a lot about Martin Luther King Jr.

In math we are continuing our study of multiplication. It is so important for the students to know their math facts. Please make sure they are practicing at home every night. Problem of the Week and Tic-Tac-Toe math were also introduced to the class this week. These are two extension opportunities the students will have weekly. They are to be done independently and will vary on the skill covered. Ask your child if they have tried the math challenge; a focus in class is always to just to try, even if it seems hard. We will go over the problems the following Monday.