Newsletters

March 30th, 2026

Hello,

Third grade is leading Mass this week on April 1st. Every student has a reading part that went home last week, so please practice with your child leading up to it. Natalie will also be the altar server. 

Religion - We met with our faith families; we learned about the parable "The Lost Sheep" and discussed how God doesn't forget any one of us because he loves us so much. Sister Navya also made each student a magnet with a sheep on it to remind us of this love.

Believe and Read - Students learned about vowel combinations, which are 3 or more letters that make a vowel sound. For example, "igh" in "night" makes the long "i" sound, and "eigh" in "weight" makes the long "a" sound. We are practicing both reading and spelling words with these spelling patterns in them. 

Reading - We read the book "Grace Hopper: Queen of Computer Code" and talked about how computers have changed over time. We also started planning a persuasive paragraph that we will begin writing this week about Grace Hopper. 

Grammar - In grammar, we are learning about subject pronouns and how they have to agree with the verb that comes after. Some examples of subject pronouns are "I, we, she, it, they, he." 

Math - Students had their topic 11 math test last week on 2 step word problems, using all 4 operations. We will correct them today, and start the next topic tomorrow. It is on fractions - the one the students have been waiting for! (The next 2 topics will cover fractions).

Science - We started our last unit of science for trimester 3 last week and it is all about floating trains and learning about types of force. The chapter 1 question we are figuring out is "why does the train rise?" Students had an experiment last week where they had 8 different materials to work with and they had to make a wooden block move. 

Social Studies - Students learned about the census that is done every 10 years and how it is useful to help predict the future population, as well as how the population is constantly changing. This week, we are learning about how communities change over time.

Upcoming events:

• 4/1 - Third Grade Mass 

• 4/2 - Spring Clubs

• 4/3 - 4/12 - No School

March 13th, 2026

Hello,

There will be no newsletter next week with it being spring break, so the upcoming events take place the week we come back. I hope everyone enjoys their time off! On Wednesday, March 25th, Isabelle will be our altar server. Spring clubs will also start, and the third graders can sign up for art club with Mrs. Allen.

The April book project got passed out yesterday, and will not be due until Wednesday, April 29th. Students have 2 spring breaks and over a month to complete it. This project consists of reading a historical fiction chapter book (the I Survived book series is a great option to pick from, and I have plenty in my library) as well as completing a flip book. The flip book should include the parts of the book listed in the directions, such as characters, plot, setting, conflict and resolution, etc. The packet also has instructions on how to make the flip book with the flip book pages provided. If there are any questions regarding this month's book project, please reach out via email!

Religion - Our chapter 11 quiz will be on Tuesday, March 24th. It is on a scripture story we read, and Augustus Tolton, America's  first black priest. Students should also be able to describe what a missionary is - someone who dedicates their life to spreading God's news without being a priest or nun.

Believe and Read - We finished learning all the vowel digraphs that make the /oo/ sound. These are "oo, ou, ue, ew, and ui" such as in the words "zoo, you, glue, stew, and fruit." Students should be able to read and spell words with this sound.

Reading - We read the book "Watch the Stars Come Out" and are learning about immigration to the United States. It is about a little girl who traveled to Ellis Island by boat and met up with her parents when she arrived. We are also comparing and contrasting immigration back then to how it is done today. Students wrote an opinion paragraph on what it would be like to immigrate, and put themselves in the little girl's shoes. 

Grammar - We had our unit 4 test this week on adjectives and adverbs. When we come back, we will start a new unit. 

Math - On Monday, students had their topic 10 assessment. These went very well! We also started topic 11, which is on 2 step word problems with all 4 operations - adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing. It is a short topic, so the test will already be on Thursday, March 26th.

Science - We ended our science chapter for trimester 2, so when we return from break, we will begin our last science unit, which is on balancing forces. Students will have lots of hands on experiences with making objects move. 

Social Studies - Our quiz was on Thursday, but students also had to make their own timelines. It could have been about their own lives or be about someone famous, but they needed at least 5 events to include with the correct dates. 

Upcoming events:

• 3/25 - Mass

• 3/26 - Spring Clubs 

• 3/27 - Faith Families, Library & Stations

March 6th, 2026

Hello,

Hadley will be our altar server for Mass next week. For school penance, students are expected to talk to Father and confess their sins. If they are not Catholic, they should remind Father and he will give them a blessing. I also wanted to thank our 3 chaperones for volunteering for the Science Museum field trip. It should be a fun time! Please remember to have your child wear their RED uniform shirts or last year's red Friday shirts to the field trip.

Religion - For the month of March, we started our new virtue, affability. Affability means being approachable, friendly, and easy to talk to. Today, students brainstormed ways to cultivate this virtue at home and at school. 

Believe and Read - We are learning new vowel digraphs and their sounds. For example, we learned about "oo," "ou," and "ow" in words like "moon, soup, found, and growl." Since these vowel digraphs can make more than one sound, students need to recognize and become familiar with to remember which way we spell these words. 

Reading - In our new unit, we read the book "The Proudest Blue," which was written by the first Olympian ever to wear a hijab in the games, and win a bronze medal. We had a great conversation about hijabs, as students were very curious about them. We also practiced writing similes since there were lots of examples of similes in the book as well. A simile is a comparison of 2 unlike things using the words "like" or "as." For example, "life is like a box of chocolates."

Grammar - We finished our unit this week in grammar, ending with identifying negatives. Negatives are words like "never, not, no, nowhere, and nobody." You can never use 2 negatives in one sentence - that would be considered a double negative. Our unit test will be next week, after we review. It will also be on adjectives and adverbs. 

Math - This week, we started a new topic, but since it was only 4 lessons long, our chapter test will already be on Monday. It is on multiplying by multiples of 10, like 6 x 30. The easiest way is to find the basic fact and add a zero. For example, 6 x 3 = 18 so 6 x 30 = 180. 

Science - We read a book called "How the Sparrow Learned Its Song" and asked questions while we read to help us understand how some organisms get their traits. It is not just from inheritance - some traits are learned from other animals in their environment, and some are even from the food they eat, like flamingos turning pink from shrimp. 

Social Studies - We finished our unit of geography this week. The next unit will be 6 weeks, and the topic is history. We will learn about timelines, important people, how communities change over time, and more. 

Upcoming events:

• 3/10 - Science Museum field trip

• 3/11 - Mass

• 3/12 - Penance

• 3/13 - Stations 

February 26th, 2026

Hello,

Olivia will be our altar server for March 4th Mass. For stations of the cross, the third graders will be leading again and will have the same reading parts as before. Feel free to join us on Fridays during lent! Our Super Star party will take place on March 3rd. It will be a fort, pajama, and snack party. Students can bring a blanket and / or pillow, their pajamas to change into, and a snack for themselves to enjoy during the party. If you have any questions, let me know!

Religion - Our chapter 10 religion quiz will be Monday. It is on the parts and order of the Mass. Students should also know ways that Jesus is present with us during Mass. 

Believe and Read - This week, we continued to focus on spelling words with the schwa sound on our magnet boards.

Reading - We reread the book called "The Water Lady" and finished with our final writing activity for the unit. Students had to write about the author's purpose for both stories. We also wrote a final draft of our persuasive letters. They were to pick something that could help make a difference and address it to someone in the community. For example, they could write to Mrs. McSweeney and convince her to stop using plastic straws to save the sea turtles. 

Grammar - We started working on adverbs, which are words that gives more information on the verb, such as tell how, when, or where it takes place. The following are all examples of adverbs: quietly, slowly, politely, soon, then, everywhere, uphill, etc. 

Math - We had our topic 9 assessment on Tuesday, and finished them up and corrected them yesterday. Check students' backpacks to see how they did! We will start topic 10 when I get back to school on Monday. 

Science - The new question students are trying to answer is "why isn't wolf 44 like the Bison Valley Pack in hunting style and size?" We discovered that organisms get traits from their parents, but now what about traits that are not inherited from them...?

Social Studies - We will have our week 20 assessment on types of water, how the water cycle works, and what happens to excess water later today. Next week, we will learn about migration and the reasons people move - push and pull factors. 

Upcoming events:

• 3/2 - Wellness Week Kick Off Assembly 

• 3/3 - Super Star Party & Isabelle's Birthday (:

• 3/4 - Mass & Mrs. See's Birthday (:

• 3/6 - Library & Stations of the Cross 

February 20th, 2026

Hello,

I am looking forward to meeting with you all during the next 2 weeks! My conferences start on Monday, so I will see some of you then. I do have a couple people who have not signed up yet so please make sure to do that! The science fair is taking place on Thursday, and students can start bringing in their projects any time next week. I will be gone the day of the fair, but I know the kids will do great! I would recommend having your child practice presenting it before bringing it in. Next week, I will give the kids directions on how to present. 

On Monday, students can dress up as their favorite book character and therefore be out of uniform. If you are choosing not to participate, uniform is required! Also for I Love to Read month, students brought home a BINGO card at the beginning of February. It is due next week if they completed it. Bring it back to school to receive a free dress pass! For Mass next week, Remy will be the altar server. 

Today, the third graders earned a Super Star party! We voted and they decided on a fort, pajama, and snack party. We are not having it until Tuesday, March 3rd, so I will send a reminder when it gets closer to the date, along with what all to bring (:

Finally, here is a reminder to all families from Mrs. Kleis: Gym class is usually every Monday and Thursday. Students should have tennis shoes here on these days so they can participate in a safe way!

Religion - We started the season of lent with Ash Wednesday Mass this week and picked names from our class to pray for over lent. This was from Father Tix's homily and his suggestion to do! Students do not need to do anything besides pray for this person leading up to Easter. Students also led Stations of the Cross today and did a great job - they will be continuing to do so every Friday of lent with the same readings. 

Believe and Read - We learned a bunch of other ways the schwa sound can be spelled. The schwa is mostly found at the end of these words, meaning the first syllable would be the accented syllable. For example: mit-ten, car-pet, and com-ma.

Reading - This week, we read a story called "The Water Lady." It is about a boy's family who lives on an Indian reservation and doesn't have access to clean and fresh water each day. However, the "water lady" comes once a month to drop off a barrel of water for them to use. We are also practicing writing persuasive paragraphs. Students are using "power" words to convince readers of their opinions and backing them up with facts / reasons. 

Grammar - We learned that suffixes "er" and "est" are used to compare people, places, and things. The difference is "er" is used to compare 2 and "est" is used to compare 3 or more. It is the same with "more" and "most" - "more" is used to compare 2, and "most" is used to compare 3 or more. 

Math - We finished topic 9 today, meaning that we will review on Monday, and the test will be Tuesday. It will be on adding and subtracting 3 digit numbers with regrouping. For addition, if the numbers add up to more than 9, you need to carry the one. In subtraction, if the top number is lower than the bottom number, you need to borrow 1 from the next number over and then give 10 back to the number that needs it. We learned other strategies, too, but students can use any one they would like. 

Science - Today, students completed their chapter 2 scientific explanation, meaning they answered the question to chapter 2 by writing a paragraph and explaining why wolf 44 is similar to the Bison Valley pack but different from the Elk Mountain pack. Next week, we will start chapter 3. 

Social Studies - Students had their quiz on the other 4 regions on Thursday: the midwest, northwest, southwest, and the west. Next week, we will be learning about water and how it is a natural resource. 

Upcoming events:

• 2/23 - Book Character Dress Up Day

• 2/25 - Mass

• 2/26 - Science Fair & Mrs. See Absent

• 2/27 - No School

February 13th, 2026

Hello,

I hope the students enjoy their long weekend! Third grade always leads the readings for Stations of the Cross. Most students will have a part (some didn't want one) for each week of lent. We will practice next week, but they also should have brought their part home today to practice as well. Also, a friendly reminder that the science fair is coming up! Please continue to work on these projects so they are ready to go - it will be here before you know it! Finally, make sure you sign up for a time to meet with me for conferences. If none of the options work for you, just email me and we can figure something out!

Religion - Students had their chapter 9 quiz on Monday. We also went over our virtue prayerfulness and discussed some ways we can practice this virtue; for example, paying attention during Mass. 

Believe and Read - We are still practicing the schwa sound and spelling words that have the schwa in them. Along with this, we are learning some common latin root words so students can recognize these word parts and understand the meaning of them. For example, we learned "tract" "spect" "ject" and "tend" so far. 

Reading - This week, we read the book "Thunder Rose," which is a tall tale story, and a nonfiction passage on the westward expansion of the U.S. Students are also writing opinions they have of Thunder Rose (the main character) and supporting them with facts from the story. 

Grammar - Students are practicing using articles (the, a, an) and adjectives that end in "er" or "est." We use "er" when comparing 2 people, places, or things, and "est" when comparing more than 2. 

Math - We had our topic 8 assessment on Monday, and finished them up and corrected them on Tuesday. We then started topic 9, which is called "fluently add and subtract within 1,000." This week, we learned more addition strategies, when to regroup, and how to add 3 or more numbers together at a time. 

Science - We read a book called "The Code," which described how we get traits from our parents - through our genes. We then made a creature out of clay that represented an offspring of two parent creatures using instructions for what it should look like. Students had fun making them, and then we discussed how they were similar and how they were different from each other, even though they are all siblings. 

Social Studies - Our quiz on the northeast and southeast regions was Thursday. Next week, we will be learning about the other four regions in the United States: the midwest, the west, the southwest, and the northwest. 

Upcoming events:

• 2/16 - No School

• 2/18 - Ash Wednesday Mass

• 2/19 - Winter Clubs

• 2/20 - Library & Stations of the Cross

February 6th, 2026

Hello,

Third grade is leading Mass on February 11th and Isabelle will be our altar server. If your child comes home with a reading part, please have them practice over the weekend. Also, just a reminder that the Catholic United raffle ends on February 22nd. Keep selling those raffle tickets; each one sold directly impacts our school! The conferences sign up is out - please sign up for a time slot that works for you if you haven't already (my conferences will take place at a different time than the school's conferences). Lastly, attached to the email is the Valentine's Day party invitation. There are 9 students in third grade (plus me) if you want to being in a treat to share on Friday, February 13th!

Religion - We will have our chapter 9 quiz on Monday. It is on the story of the Samaritan woman and the vocab words catholic, resurrection, and paschal mystery. As always, it is open book and read to them.

Believe and Read - This week, we learned about the schwa sound being spelled with the letter "i" in the middle of the word such as "habitat" and with "tion" at the end of the word such as "information." It makes the "uh" sound. Students should also be able to mark the accented syllable, which is NOT the schwa syllable. 

Reading - We read the book "Magic Ramen: The Story of Momofuku Ando," the story about how instant ramen was invented. They are also reading passages about Japan cuisine and the city of Osaka, Japan. In writing, we are learning about poetry and students are writing their own narrative poems. 

Grammar - We finished our unit 3 grammar tests this week which were passed back to students yesterday. Our next unit is on adjectives and adverbs. Adjectives are describing words (cold, soft, three, yellow, etc.) and adverbs tell more about the verb (quickly, patiently, excitedly, etc.). 

Math - Our topic 8 test is Monday. Students are expected to know how to add, subtract, and round to the nearest tens and hundreds. Students brought home their workbooks today to do a practice assessment over the weekend. 

Science - We started chapter 2 this week. The question we are investigating is "why is wolf 44's color similar to one pack but different from the other?" Students are learning about traits between the offspring and parents through different organisms in order to answer this question. 

Social Studies - We had our quiz on oceans and deserts. Next week, we will be learning about the different regions in the United States. This will continue for the next 2 weeks. 

Upcoming events:

• 2/8 - Natalie's Birthday (:

• 2/11 - Mass

• 2/12 - Winter Clubs

• 2/13 - Valentine's Day Free Dress & Party

January 30th, 2026

Hello,

Due to the science fair project being due at the end of February, there will be NO February book project this month. Students should be spending their time working on the science fair instead. Also, Olivia will be our altar server for Mass on Wednesday. 

Religion - Next week, we will begin learning about the virtue of prayerfulness. This virtue means being still, listening, and being willing to talk to God as a friend. 

Believe and Read - This week, we learned something called the "schwa" sound. It is a vowel sound that is not emphasized (it sounds sort of like a muffled short "i" or short "u" sound). Students should not mark the schwa, but rather mark the accented syllable. For example, in the word "amaze," the "a" is the schwa and so they should mark the "maze" syllable with an accent. This is a new concept to the third graders so we will practice this for the next few weeks. 

Reading - We read the book "Waiting for the Biblioburro," which means "library donkey." The book is written in both English and Spanish. Students are now in the process of writing a story about a time when they had to wait for something special - it could be for their birthday, Skateville, the state fair, etc. We are focusing on adding dialogue and adverbs in our stories to add more detail. 

Grammar - Students had a grammar test this week, but many did not finish. Therefore, we will get those completed early next week. It is on all kinds of verbs - present tense, past tense, irregular past tense, and future tense verbs. 

Math - We are learning how to use mental math to add and subtract. Students are encouraged to check their work to make sure they are getting the correct answer. Next week, we will work on rounding and estimating sums and differences. 

Science - We did not get to science this week because of Catholic Schools Week activities each day. We will start chapter 2 next week. 

Social Studies - Students learned about examples of natural features, and had to find the similarities and differences between mountains and valleys. Next week, we will talk about deserts and oceans. 

Upcoming events:

• 2/4 - Mass

• 2/5 - Winter Clubs

• 2/6 - Faith Families & Library

January 22nd, 2026 (Catholic Schools Week Edition)

Hello,

As you all are aware, Catholic Schools Week is next week, which is going to be filled with fun and exciting things. This newsletter is meant to help you remember what dates are for what events! Remy will be the altar server for Friday's Mass. Also, a reminder that the January book project is due this Thursday. P.S. There is no bussing on Monday, January 26th. 

Sunday - Please try to join us for Mass at 10:00am. Students should wear their uniform to get a free dress pass. The book fair will also be open!

Monday - Students should wear comfy clothes. We will have a safari guide visit and a chance to meet some animals.

Tuesday - Students should wear beach clothes and bring a beach towel. We will have all school bingo at 2:30pm and the book fair will be open from 9:00am - 11:00am. 

Wednesday - Students should wear their blue uniform shirts and comfy pants. We will be going on a field trip to Skateville, leaving school at 11:30am and returning at 3:00pm. The book fair will also be available from 3:00pm - 4:00pm. 

Thursday - Students should wear sports jerseys for team spirit day. They should also bring socks for the sock shootathon. We will get a visit from 4H for baby goats as well. 

Friday - Students should wear their school uniform. We have Mass at 10:00am and our family picnic after that. The book fair will be open for the last time from 11:00am - 12:30pm. 

Upcoming events:

• 1/28 - Nate's Birthday

• 1/29 - Winter Clubs & January Book Project due

• 1/30 - Mass

January 16th, 2026

Hello,

Remy will be our altar server for Mass next week. I also wanted to share a little about a parent prayer group that meets the first Wednesday of each month. It is from 8:30am - 8:40ish in the church gathering space, and is a great way to stay connected with other parents and to pray for our school, students, and community. Lastly, the second science fair form went home today and is due Friday, January 23rd. It will need to get approved by a teacher before moving on to completing your experiment!

Religion - Our religion quiz will be on Thursday, January 22nd. It is on Saint Patrick and the holy trinity, which includes the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 

Believe and Read - This week we worked on prefixes. Each prefix gets its own syllable and changes the word's meaning. For example, "re" means "again," "de" means "opposite," and "pre" means "before." 

Reading - We read the story called "Sugarbush Spring," which is about a family whose tradition is making maple syrup. We discussed the process of making the syrup, and are now writing a narrative story about a tradition they have with their family. Ask your child what they chose to write about!

Grammar - We finished learning all the lessons in unit 3. That being said, next week will be a review week, and the following week will be our grammar test. In the next newsletter, I will mention the date it will be on. It is on all kinds of verbs - action verbs, helping verbs, irregular verbs, and past tense verbs. 

Math - We took our unit 7 test this week. Students corrected them and brought them home. Check backpacks to see how they did! (A couple students still need to finish). The next topic is on addition and subtraction. They will work on mentally doing these operations, as well as rounding and estimating numbers. 

Science - This week, we did a class traits poster walk where each student marked off their hair color, hair texture, eye color, fingernail length, if they have an attached earlobe, etc. We then graphed the results and discussed how humans can have variation within their traits (everyone is different). We are going to dive into why this happens even though we are all the same species.

Social Studies - We learned about lines of latitude and the equator, and lines of longitude and the prime meridian. We will not have social studies next week due to it being a short week. 

Upcoming events:

• 1/19 & 1/20 - No School

• 1/21 - Mass & NWEA Language test 

• 1/22 - Winter Clubs

January 11th, 2026

Hello,

You should have received the science fair information on Thursday. The last page (page 7) is due on Friday, January 16th for a teacher to look over to make sure you are on the right track. This week, you will get the next step in order to complete the project. I will remind students of this deadline, but it is work that should be done at home. If you have any questions, you may email either myself or Mrs. Midby at emidby@sjb-school.org. 

I also wanted to give you all a heads up about spring conferences. Even though it isn't for a while, my dates and times will look different than the other grades. Adrienne will still send out a sign up genius link, but mine will not take place February 27th. I will be absent February 26th - February 27th due to my gymnastics state meet. Therefore, they will either be the week leading up to it or the following week! Thank you for being understanding. 

Finally, Natalie will be our altar server for Mass on January 14th, and NWEA tests start this week!

Religion - The month of January brings us the virtue of industriousness, which means diligence, especially in work that leads to natural and supernatural maturity. Some examples of this virtue are completing your homework on time, staying focused on a task, and being determined to do well on a test. 

Believe and Read - Last week, we continued to chop words into syllables, and learned that "y" can also make the long "e" sound when at the end of a 2 syllable word. For example, in the word "fly," it makes the long "i" sound, but in "happy," it makes the long "e" sound. 

Reading - We read a book called "Snowflake Bentley," which is a biographical fiction story because it is about the real life of Wilson Bentley but told in the form of a story. Students learned how he became famous and known for his knowledge of snowflakes. 

Grammar - We are learning about irregular verbs. These are verbs that cannot have suffix "-ed" added to the end of them to make it happen in the past. For example, "run = ran, take = took, swim = swam." 

Math - This chapter of math is on graphing. Students learned how to make a picture graph and a bar graph, as well as answering questions about the data in a graph. They will have their math test Wednesday, January 14th. 

Science - We are continuing to observe different animal species. Last week, we listened to bird sounds and looked at different kinds of bears, and then sorted them into groups. 

Social Studies - We started a new unit last week about geography. We looked at different types of maps and learned what all a map needs - a compass rose, a legend / key, a scale, and a title. Students even made their own map of the school, classroom, or community. 

Upcoming events:

• 1/13 - NWEA Reading Test

• 1/14 - Mass

• 1/15 - NWEA Math Test & Winter Clubs

• 1/16 - Library

December 19th, 2025

Hello,

When we come back to school, Isabelle will be altar serving for Mass on January 7th. We will also have our Christmas party that Friday, so please have your child bring in a small gift for their Secret Angel to school on January 9th. I hope you all have a great winter break with family and friends; stay warm and stay safe!

Today, I passed out the January book project in case kids wanted to get a head start on it. It will be due Thursday, January 29th. This month, students need to read an autobiography or a biography chapter book. The presentation is of at least 5 main events that happened in their person's life, with explaining it as a "high" or a "low," and ranking it. The packet I provided has space for a rough draft, a timeline of events, the rubric I will use to grade them on, and an example of what it should look like when finished. I have poster paper I will give to each child once they have read their book to complete the project on. As always, my email is open for questions. 

Religion - Students took their chapter 7 quiz on Thursday, and we finished our lessons on the virtue of meekness. 

Believe and Read - We are continuing to learn about syllable division, along with adding prefixes to the beginning of words. For now, we have talked about "un, dis, mis, and mid." Prefixes always have a meaning and therefore changes the meaning of a word. They also always get their own "scoop" for a syllable. 

Reading - We read a book called "Ruby's Wish," which was about a little Chinese girl who wanted to go to university, even though it was unusual for females to go to school at the time. We also read about the Chinese New Year and Chinese calligraphy, since they were both mentioned in the story as well. 

Grammar - We did not do grammar this week. 

Math - Students finished their math tests this week and made corrections to the questions they may have gotten wrong. We will begin a new chapter when we return. 

Science - We did not do science this week. 

Social Studies - We did not do social studies this week. 

Upcoming events:

• 12/20 - 1/4  - No School - Enjoy!

• 1/7 - Mass

• 1/9 - Christmas Free Dress & Party

December 12th, 2025

Hello,

Just a reminder that the December book project is due next Thursday. Students should have their windsock completed and ready to present. Also, Hadley will be altar serving next Wednesday for Mass! Feel free to join us at our Christmas concert on Tuesday and Christmas caroling on Friday. There is a sign up for the caroling on the school newsletter and website. 

Religion - We will have our chapter 7 quiz next Thursday, December 18th. It is on the Ten Commandments, the Great Commandment, and Elizabeth Lange (she taught people of African background about Jesus' love and started a school for them).

Believe and Read - We are continuing to learn about how and where to scoop syllables in words. Every syllable has a vowel sound in it. An easy way to know how many syllables is in a word is to count the vowels - the exception is if the vowel is silent. We also learned the homophone "week" and "weak." 

Reading - Students are reading and writing about Amelia Earhart and Eleanor Roosevelt. They read some nonfiction passages about the two, and are in the middle of writing about how they were adventurous women for their time. 

Grammar - Students learned about helping verbs this week. Some common helping verbs are "had, have, and has." After the helping verb comes the main verb. For example, "has learned" or "have walked." 

Math - We had our topic 6 assessment today, which was on multiplication and area. Only two students finished, so I would recommend going over their math workbooks this weekend to look over some more examples. We will finish them Monday, go over them Tuesday, and will not be starting topic 7 until after winter break. 

Science - We have been observing different animals by looking at pictures of them, and then discussing the traits that are similar and different between them. 

Social Studies - This week there was no assessment. Instead, the kids researched a type of government on their own. They chose between different state governments and country governments. 

Upcoming events:

• 12/15 - Advent Service

• 12/16 - Christmas Concert

• 12/17 - Mass

• 12/18 - Holiday Clubs & Book Project Due

• 12/19 - Christmas Free Dress & Caroling

December 5th, 2025

Hello,

Olivia will be our altar server for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception Mass on Monday, December 8th. It is at 2:00pm if you would like to join us. Third grade is also leading that Mass, and every student has a reading part. Please have them practice their readings over the weekend so they feel ready to go!

Religion - We started our new virtue for the month of December, which is meekness. Meekness is the serenity of spirit while focusing on the needs of others. 

Believe and Read - Students are beginning to scoop syllables to help "chop out" words. There are rules to this - if the word has a vowel consonant consonant vowel, you want to split up the consonants. For example, in the word "garden," you scoop "gar" and "den." As we keep learning, more and more rules will come to surface. However, this is still review from second grade, so students should remember other rules, too.

Reading - This week, we finished a unit, so students wrote about the 2 books we read during the past 2 weeks. Today, we read the book "Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride." Students are learning about Amelia Earhart and Eleanor Roosevelt, 2 strong female individuals. 

Grammar - We learned about future tense verbs and linking verbs this week. Future tense verbs begin with the word "will." For example, we "will go" to the beach for spring break. Linking verbs are words for the verb "to be." For example, "I am, you were, they are."

Math - We are on topic 6, which is all about finding area. Area is the space inside a figure. Students should know how to count the unit squares, but if the figure is a square or rectangle, they can find the area by multiplying the side lengths. They can also cut up a rectangle into 2 smaller rectangles, find the area of each, and then add them together to find the total area of the big rectangle. 

Science - We started our second unit in science this week. The unit question is "how do organisms get their traits?" and our chapter 1 question is "why are wolves different even though they are all the same species?" 

Social Studies - We had our quiz on Thursday on civic responsibility - jury duty, voting, volunteering, military, holding office, etc. Next week, students will be researching a specific government - a tribal, state, or local government. They will be using their Chromebooks to complete this project. 

Upcoming events:

• 12/8 - Advent Service & Mass

• 12/9 - Picture America

• 12/10 - Field Trip

• 12/11- School Penance & Holiday Clubs

• 12/12 - Library

November 21st, 2025

Hello,

There will be no newsetter next week, but when we come back from Thanksgiving Break, Barrett will be our altar server for Mass on Wednesday, December 3rd. We are also starting an all school advent service on Monday, December 1st, and third grade and kindergarten will be leading it. Students got their reading parts today. Please have them practice over the weekend and Thanksgiving break. As a reminder, the November book project is due this Monday, and our Super Star party will be on Tuesday.  Feel free to have your child bring candy canes or marshmellows (not required). If you want your child to do a holiday club, please turn in the sign up sheet you received in your blue folders - it begins December 4th. We also passed out the permission slip for the field trip we will be going on in December with kindergarten. Those will need to be signed and returned asap. Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving and a happy birthday to Hadley! As always, my email is open for questions or concerns! 

P.S. The December book project will be explained in another email next week!

Religion - Students will have their chapter 6 quiz on Monday, November 24th. It is on the two sacraments, anointing of the sick and reconciliation. They also need to know the difference between mortal and venial sin and the steps of reconciliation. 

Believe and Read - We learned about the soft "c" sound which makes the "s" sound, and the soft "g" sound which makes the "j" sound. This only happens when the letter "c" or "g" is followed by the letters "e, i, or y." For example, the words "dance" and "gym." 

Reading - We read the book "Counting on Katherine," which is about Katherine Johnson, who saved Apollo 13. We learned how important she was to space travel and about the space race with the Soviet Union. Students are also writing about ways Katherine helped NASA. 

Grammar - We are learning about verbs. So far, we have covered present tense verbs and past tense verbs. We usually can just add suffix "ed" to the end when doing past tense, but sometimes we need to double the consonant, drop the final "e," or change the "y" to an "i" and then add "ed." 

Math - Students took their topic 5 assessment today. Most students need to finish it up on Monday, and we will be going over any corrections they might need to fix on Tuesday. 

Science - Students finished science for the trimester. We spent the week talking about natural hazards such as lightning,  blizzards, and hurricanes. We also discussed how people can prepare for weather like this. 

Social Studies - We had our newspaper quiz 11 on Thursday. We will not start a new newspaper next week, but will continue after break. 

Upcoming events:

• 11/24 - November Book Project Due

• 11/25 - Super Star Party & Last Day of Trimester 1 

• 11/26 - No School

• 11/27 - No School, Thanksgiving, & Hadley's Birthday

• 11/28 - No School

November 14th, 2025

Hello,

Remy will be our altar server for Mass next Wednesday!

Religion - Students had a quiz this week. The next chapter is on the sacraments of healing, which are reconciliation and anointing of the sick. 

Believe and Read - We are continuing to learn about suffixes like "er" and "est," which compare 2 or more things. When adding these vowel suffixes to words that end in "e," you have to drop the "e" and then add the suffix. For example, "ripe" becomes "riper" and "ripest." 

Reading - We read a book called "Three Days on a River in a Red Canoe" and a nonfiction passage about the Mississippi River. Students also finished up their paper on protecting beaver populations. They had to grade themselves on how well they think they followed the rubric. 

Grammar - This week, we talked about action verbs and present tense verbs, which are verbs that show it is happening right now. 

Math - We started topic 5 this week. Students are expected to continue to know their basic facts, but also know how to use a multiplication table. This is a tool that is meant to help them find patterns, but if it is more confusing than helpful, then they can use other strategies. 

Science - We finished chapter 3 this week and wrote our final arguments to save the orangutans. Next week, we will start chapter 4, but probably won't be able to complete it before trimester 1 ends. 

Social Studies - We had our week 10 quiz this week. Next week, we will be talking about tribal, state, and local governments and how they are organized.

Upcoming events:

• 11/19 - Mass

• 11/20 - Fall Clubs

• 11/21 - Library

November 7th, 2025

Hello,

There are no new announcements for next week! The third graders are working hard to finish up trimester 1 this month and are doing great!

Religion - We will have our chapter 5 quiz next Tuesday. It is on a scripture story about how Jesus healed a paralyzed man, and how we should treat others with compassion and mercy. It will also cover Saint Francis of Assisi. For our virtue of the month, we started magnificence, which means "to do great things for God."

Believe and Read - This week, we started learning suffixes, such as "s," "es," "ed," and "ing." This is review from last year, and students are expected to know the doubling rule. The doubling rule is when you are adding a vowel suffix and there is one short vowel followed by one consonant, you need to double the consonant. For example, "drum" becomes "drumming." 

Reading - We read a nonfiction book called "Beavers" this week, and students are now in the middle of writing a paper on how we can protect the beaver population. 

Grammar - We had our unit test this week on nouns. Next week, we will be starting a unit on verbs. 

Math - Students had their topic 4 math assessment this week. We will be going over these next week. After, we will start topic 5, which is called "fluently multiply and divide within 100." This means we will learn patterns on a multiplication table and continue to practice our facts. We will also write our own story problems. 

Science - This week, we finished looking at more evidence to be able to answer our chapter question "over many years, which island's weather will be best for orangutans?" Next week, we will write our final argument. 

Social Studies - We had our week 9 quiz this week. Next week, we will be learning about the national government. We will talk about the three branches of government as well as what citizens do on voting day. 

Upcoming events:

• 11/11 - Veterans' Day Celebration & Free Dress

• 11/12 - Mass

• 11/13 - Fall Clubs

October 31st, 2025

Hello,

The November book project will be given to students on Monday. This month's genre is fairy tales, fables, folk tales, and/or tall tales. They are to read 3 books since these are usually picture books, and then pick one to present on. The presentation is either a puppet show or a play (they can choose). If they choose to do a puppet show, they need to make puppets for the main characters and tell about them along with the problems they faced in the story. If they choose to do a play, they need to rewrite the story in their own words and then present it to the class. I am checking out a bunch of these types of books from the library to our classroom, and also making them check out at least 1 themselves (library is next Friday). The due date for this project will be on Monday, November 24th so we can present before the trimester ends!

Religion - We finished up with our virtue of humility. Students have learned what this virtue means, came up with examples on how to show this virtue, learned about a saint who practiced this virtue, and now reflected on this virtue in a prayerful way. 

Believe and Read -  We continued to learn about "r" controlled vowels. Students had to read and spell words using all 5 "r" controlled vowel options. We also talked about 2 new homophones, "stair" and "stare." 

Reading - We read a book called "Crazy Horse's Vision" and then students wrote a paper answering the following question. Do you agree with Crazy Horse's decision to go on his vision quest without following the traditional procedure? Why or why not?

Grammar - Next week, we will review all the lessons on nouns and then have our unit 2 test on Thursday. Students should know common vs. proper nouns, how to turn singular nouns into plural nouns (including irregular plural nouns such as goose = geese), and possessive nouns such as "the cat's toy."

Math - Our topic 4 test will be next Thursday, November 6th. Wednesday will be a review day. This test is on multiplication and division fact families. They will be tested on the numbers 0 - 10. 

Science - We discussed the vocabulary words seasons and climate. We are looking at the different seasons (wet season vs. dry seasons and warm season vs. cold seasons) to figure out what the climate of a certain place is. 

Social Studies - Students had their weekly quiz today on the different types of government. Next week, we will talk about the important documents of the United States such as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. 

Upcoming events:

• 11/5 - Mass, All Saints Skit, & Marathon Pizza Lunch 

• 11/6 - Fall Clubs

• 11/7 - Faith Families & Library

October 24, 2025

Hello,

This week started getting pretty chilly outside at recess. Please make sure your child is bringing their winter gear to keep at school as the weather gets colder. Third grade is leading Mass next Wednesday, so please have your child practice reading their parts this weekend so they are prepared. Also, October book projects are due this day. If you would like to participate in outdoor game club, it starts next week. We are still accepting the forms so bring it in early next week if you would like. Finally, with the Halloween party coming up, please make sure if you bring treats, you have enough for 8 students (plus me if you like!) and that student costumes are appropriate for school. If you would like to check, you can always ask (:

Religion - Our chapter 4 quiz is on Monday, October 27th. It is about the different types of prayer (blessing, petition, thanksgiving, and praise). Next week, we will also finish up our virtue of humility and responsibility. 

Believe and Read - Students learned "r" controlled vowels this week. For example, "ar" in star, "or" in pork, "er" in fern, "ir" in stir, and "ur" in curl. "Er, ir, and ur" all make the same sound and students have to see what looks right when using spelling choices. 

Reading - This week, we read a book called "Grandma's Tipi." Students are learning about the Ojibwe and Dakota tribes in Minnesota, while also writing a letter pretending to be the main character to describe what they learned about her culture. 

Grammar - We learned the difference between singular and plural nouns. Students had to change a noun to make it plural by thinking about spelling rules. For example, you need to add "es" when the word ends in "sh, ch, s, or x" and change the "y" to an "i" and add "es" when the word ends in a "y."

Math - We started topic 4 this week and it is all about division. Luckily, multiplication can help with division, and we are learning the 4 fact families that go with each equation. For example, the numbers 3, 4, and 12 would be 3 x 4 = 12, 4 x 3 = 12, 12 / 4 = 3, and 12 / 3 = 4. 

Science - We started chapter 3 this week. The question they are investigating is "over many years, which island's weather will be the best for orangutans?" Students are analyzing bar graphs and data from many years ago to see if there is a pattern to the weather. This pattern leads to the climate and therefore are able to predict what the weather will be like many years from now. 

Social Studies - We had our week 7 newspaper quiz on Thursday, which was about the government and why it exists. For example, it keeps us safe by creating laws and provides services to us like the military and fire department. 

Upcoming events:

• 10/28 - Remy's birthday!

• 10/29 - Mass (third grade) & October Book Projects Due

• 10/30 - Rosary & Fall Clubs (Outdoor Games)

• 10/31 - Halloween Free Dress & Party

October 10th, 2025

Hello,

Next week is a short week, but I will see you all on October 15th for conferences! Enjoy the long break - there will be no newsletter next week. 

Religion - We took our chapter 3 quiz this week. We will begin chapter 4 next week, which is about the different types of prayer (blessing, petition, thanksgiving, and praise) and reasons why prayer is important. 

Believe and Read - We learned 2 new homophones "maid" and "made," and "hear" and "here." 

Reading - We read the book "Watercress," which is about a family who immigrated here from China. Students are also in the middle of the writing process, where they will finish next week. They are going to revise and edit their writing to be able to publish. 

Grammar - We started unit 2, which is about different types of nouns. They learned common versus proper nouns this week. 

Math - We are all done learning our multiplication facts. Students should know how to multiply from 0 - 10s. Their math quiz will be the Monday students came back from break, Monday, October 20th. 

Science - We finished chapter 2 this week. Students wrote their arguments, answering the question "which island's weather will continue to be the best for the orangutans?" We will begin the next chapter when we come back from MEA break. 

Social Studies - Students learned about communities this week - why communities are formed and how communities change over time. We will not be starting a new newspaper until we come back from MEA break. 

Upcoming events:

• 10/15 - Conferences 

• 10/16 - 10/17 - MEA Break

October 3rd, 2025

Hello,

If you haven't already, please sign up for a conference time for October 15th. If none of the times work for you, let me know so we can arrange something else. I explained the October book project to the students this week. The genre is mystery, so the book needs to include some sort of mystery that the characters are trying to solve. They had library today, and I encouraged them to find a book there. The project they will be completing this month is a cell phone. I gave them an example of one, but it is a paper cell phone that has the same story elements as our last project - characters, plot, opinion, setting, etc. Students need to fill each "app" out on the cell phone (I already made it for them; they just need to complete it). They will also be coloring it. The due date for this project is Wednesday, October 29th. Students should be aiming to be done reading the book by 20th so they can begin the cell phone part of the project. As always, my email is open for questions. 

Religion - We will have our chapter 3 quiz on Tuesday, October 7th. We also started studying our virtue of the month, humility. Humility is the awareness that all of our gifts come from God, and the appreciation for the gifts of others. 

Believe and Read - Unfortunately, we did not get to small groups this week. We will for sure start them next week. We have been learning more vowel digraphs such as "oi," "oy," "au," and "aw." For example, reading and spelling words like "boil" and "straw." 

Reading - We read a book called "A Picnic in October" where we discussed the Statue of Liberty, and made connections to the main character.

Grammar - This week was a review/testing week, so we practiced the skills we learned so far this year, and then had a quiz on them. Some of the students will finish next Monday if they did not complete all of it yet. 

Math - We had our Topic 2 quiz on Tuesday, went over them on Wednesday, and began Topic 3 on Thursday. This topic is about the rest of the multiplication facts: multiplying by 3s, 4s, 6s, 7s, and 8s. Keep practicing basic facts with flash cards! 

Science - We are getting close to the end of chapter 2 where students will pick the best island again, but this time based on a whole month's worth of data. We studied line plots for temperature and added up the total amount of rainfall for each island. Next week, we will write a new argument to the organization using strong evidence for the orangutans. 

Social Studies - This week we did not have an assessment. Students had the opportunity to research their own compelling question and inquiry. We went through the 5 step process and used our Chromebooks to research to find an answer. Next week, we will begin a new unit, called Civics and Government. 

Upcoming events:

• 10/7 - Rosary

• 10/8 - Mass

• 10/10 - Marathon

September 26, 2025

Hello, 

I hope to see you all at the fall festival this Sunday! I will be there for church and a little bit after (: We had our first field trip this past Monday - take a look in the pictures tab to see some of the fun we had! In Mrs. McSweeney's newsletter this week were conference sign up times. Please find a time that works for you to come in and sign up using the link! Also, don't forget those marathon pledges! We are almost to the end, with the marathon being October 10th. Finally, the September book project is due this Monday; they will be presenting to the class. I encouraged them to take it home over the weekend, even if they say they are done. I will explain October's book project next week. 

Religion - We started chapter 3 this week, called We Show Love for Others. We also ended our monthly virtue of docility.

Believe and Read - We got through our oral reading fluency testing this week, where students read to me for 1 minute and I recorded any errors. We will begin small groups next week based on the results, although the groups are fluid and can change at any time. I am also starting to progress monitor next week, where I continue to assess students' oral reading fluency. Not every kid will be monitored, however.

Reading - We read a book called "Thank You, Mr. Falker" and discussed what dyslexia means (the main character has it), and we learned about the author and illustrator of the book, Patricia Polacco. 

Grammar - We learned about complex sentences, which are sentences that have a subordinating conjunction (until, because, after, before, etc.). We also learned how to fix run on sentences by adding punctuation in the right spot. 

Math - We will have a quiz on multiplication facts (0s, 1s, 2s, 5s, 9s, 10s) next Tuesday. Monday will be a study day, and Wednesday we will go over the quizzes. No homework on Tuesday or Wednesday. 

Science - We started chapter 2, which our question to answer is "which island's weather will continue to be best for orangutans?" We looked at line plots to discuss temperature ranges over a whole month. 

Social Studies - We had our quiz on Thursday. Students got them back, so look in backpacks to see how they did!

Upcoming events:

• 9/28 - Fall Festival

• 9/29 - September Book Project due & Bus Safety 

• 10/1 - Mass (Blessing of the Stuffies)

• 10/2 - Rosary & Marathon Pledge Collection due

• 10/3 - Faith Families & Library

September 19, 2025

Hello,

Our field trip is coming up! Please make sure your child has a completely disposable lunch and drink on Monday because we are eating there. Students should wear their blue Friday shirts and tennis shoes for the field trip, and dress accordingly for the weather since most of it will be outside. 

Religion - We will have our chapter 2 open book quiz next Tuesday. It is on the gifts we receive from the Holy Spirit, and the 3 sacraments of initiation - baptism, communion, and confirmation. 

Believe and Read - I will be assessing students' oral reading fluency next week by giving them 2 passages and letting them read for 1 minute while I mark any errors they may make. This is one assessment I use when making small groups. This past week, we have been working on vowel digraphs: "ai, ay" and "ee, ea, ey." These all make their long vowel sounds. 

Reading - Students read a book called "The Name Jar" and discussed how the main character has changed from the beginning of the book to the end. They are also learning about the Korean culture in our nonfiction texts. 

Grammar - We learned about predicates and how they come after the subject. They always start with the verb in the sentence - it tells us what the subject does or is. We also learned the difference between simple sentences and compound sentences. Compound sentences have a conjunction such as "and, or, but" to combine 2 simple sentences. 

Math - We started topic 2, which is just more multiplication practice. For example, we started with 2s and 5s, and now today are learning how to multiply by 9s. Each day, we will add on until we are fluent with our basic facts 0-10. 

Science - We finished up our chapter 1 question this week. Students decided on the best island to send the orangutans to, and wrote Mrs. McSweeney a letter to convince her to send them there. Next week, we will hear back from her and see what will happen!

Social Studies - We had our weekly newspaper quiz on Thursday. Our next newspaper is about taking action in a community to make a difference. We will learn what this looks like and why it is important. 

Upcoming events:

• 9/22 - Carpenter Nature Center field trip

• 9/23 - NWEA math test

• 9/24 - Mass

• 9/26 - Fire Safety 

September 12, 2025

Hello, 

As you can see in our upcoming events, next week we will be starting NWEA tests. Please try to make sure your student gets a good night sleep the night before. The math test will be the following week so they don't have 3 tests in one week! 

We are also leading third grade Mass next week. If your student has a reading part, please practice with them this weekend- they got their parts today. 

Religion - Students had their chapter 1 quiz on Thursday. Check backpacks to see how they did! We are also practicing docility and coming up with examples of how we can show this virtue at home and at school. 

Believe and Read - This week, we learned ways to spell and make long vowel sounds. For example, if it follows the "vowel consonant E" pattern, the vowel will be long. Also, if it is an open syllable. This happens when a word ends in a vowel. For example, the word "no" is an open syllable and the "o" is long. Finally, students need to know that "y" can act as a vowel and make the long "i" sound at the end of a one syllable word, like in "fly." 

Reading - Students did their unit 1 final writing project today. This will happen every 10 days (each unit). They had to show an understanding of the two books we read in class and give examples of what the characters would say to one another. 

Grammar - We started learning about subjects in simple sentences. They need to know that they usually come at the beginning of the sentence, but more specifically, they are who or what the sentence is about - every sentence has a subject!

Math - We had the topic 1 quiz today. It was on multiplication and division. We will begin topic 2 next week, which is really digging into multiplication facts. If you don't already have flash cards at home, I would really recommend getting some, or even having your child make their own! That is a great way to get these facts memorized. 

Science - Students will be picking the island that is best for the orangutans next week by looking at data and deciding which one is the hottest and the rainiest. This week, we read about other places in the world and compared their temperature and precipitation to each other. 

Social Studies - We had our week 2 quiz on Thursday. Next week's newspaper is about looking at evidence and presenting the information that you found. 

Upcoming events:

• 9/16 - Reading NWEA test 

• 9/17 - Third Grade Mass, Back to School Night, & Barrett's Birthday (:

• 9/18 - Language Usage NWEA test

• 9/19 - Faith Families & Library

September 5th, 2025

Hello, 

We have a field trip coming up on September 22nd to the Carpenter Nature Center. We will be going with 4th grade, but we need 1 chaperone from a third grade parent that would like to come with. The first person to email me will get to go! (:

We also started a book project that I am sure your child has mentioned. We will be doing this every month, but the project will change. The September book project will be due September 29th, and the goal is to have it done mostly at school. Your student needs to pick out a realistic fiction chapter book, read it, and then complete the project "Bag the Elements." This means they need to bring in a bag (pillow case, lunch box, grocery bag, etc) and fill it up with items that represent each element in the book. For example, the characters, the setting, plot, conflict and resolution, theme or lesson learned, and opinion. They need to be able to explain why they picked the item they did when they present it to the class - be creative!

Religion - We started chapter 1, called "The Holy Spirit Guides Us." Students will have an open book quiz on this chapter next Thursday, September 11th. We also are studying our virtue of docility, meaning the willingness to be taught. 

Believe and Read - We had our first day 5 lesson of Believe and Read, meaning we had our first spelling assessment. Every 5 days we will have one, where I record their answers. This is to help guide small group instruction. There is no spelling list, as the words are randomly selected but follow the rules we have been working on.

Reading - We read the book "The Sweetest Fig" this week. We made connections to the main character, studied what the word "furious" means, and wrote about what we would dream if our dreams could come true. 

Grammar - Students learned the difference between fragments and sentences, and questions and statements. We are really focused on punctuation and capital letters also! 

Math - The first week of math was all about multiplication. Students are learning what it means (we use the term "repeated addition) and how to use arrays to help. These are pictures with items that are in equal rows and columns. P.S. Everyone did a great job with their homework sheets this week! 

Science - Our chapter 1 question that we are investigating is "which island's weather would be best for orangutans?" We have been experimenting with water since orangutans like a lot of rain! Next week, we will be experimenting with temperature. 

Social Studies - We read our week 1 newspapers and took an "open newspaper" quiz on it Thursday. Students should expect this every week, each time we finish the newspaper. 

Upcoming events:

• 9/8 - MN Vikings free dress

• 9/10 - Mass

• 9/11 - Picture Day

August 28th, 2025 

Hello, 

I cannot believe we already are 1 week down! It has been such a fun time getting to know your children - they are so sweet! We have been busy getting to know the ropes of third grade, learning routines and expectations, and starting beginning of the year assessments. 

Religion - We have not started religion yet this year, but will begin next Tuesday. 

Believe and Read - This program is all about phonics. I tested the students by having them read words, read nonsense words, and spell words so I know what they remember from second grade. We also started our first lesson, week 1 day 1. Students will never have Believe and Read homework to bring home, but this is something we do every day in class. 

Reading - We have a new reading curriculum called Knowledge Based Comprehension, which is closely related to Believe and Read. We started unit 1 day 1 on Thursday, and I think the students will really enjoy it. Again, there will be no homework, however, everyone should be reading about 30 minutes each night. 

Grammar - We also have a new grammar program that we added to third grade this year. We have not started it yet, but will begin next Tuesday. 

Math - Students completed a third grade math readiness test this week. It is used to see what they need help on and what they already know. We will begin the first lesson next Tuesday. Please expect your child to have a math worksheet each night that they need to complete. I am not super strict on deadlines, but I would hate for them to get too far behind. It is crucial that they are fluent in both multiplication and division facts by the middle of third grade. 

Science - We have not started science yet this year, but will begin next Tuesday. 

Social Studies - We have not started social studies yet this year, but will begin next Tuesday. It is a new social studies curriculum to third grade, but they had it in second grade, so they know how it works (:

Upcoming events:

• 9/1 - No school

• 9/3 - Mass