October 2019

BONJOUR!

It was my pleasure to meet many parents at our Open House in September. First term is well under way now and students are settling into the rhythm of grade 3. As we continue to build our routines, you are welcome to share with me any questions or concerns you may have. A message in the agenda is the fastest way to communicate with me. As needed, we can arrange meetings to discuss issues in greater detail. Below are a few reminders and an overview of some topics we will be working on during the month of October.

Headphones

Our class will use Chromebooks and iPads for a variety of learning activities this year. Many activities involve listening, so the use of headphones is very important in order to avoid distractions and excessive noise. If you have not already done so, please send in a set of headphones to keep in your child's desk. Merci! ​

Assessment updates

Throughout September and October we are working with students one on one to get a sense of their abilities in certain foundational learning areas.

  • French: recognition of essential French sight words ("Golden Words") and general reading skills
  • English: spelling skills for the most common English words, sight word recognition and general reading skills
  • Math: memorized math facts, including addition/subtraction of "doubles" (e.g., 18-9, 7+7) and addition/subtraction of 10 facts (e.g., 4+6=10, 10-2=8)

When students struggle in these areas, it hampers their progress in other areas of the curriculum. If we find that students need support with French sight words or basic math facts, a note will be sent home describing specific areas to practise. Throughout the year, we will work on English spelling skills.

From Doubles to Multiplication

In September, we often began math lessons by counting by 2's, forwards and backwards. We started at various points anywhere from 0 to 200. We also practiced the addition "doubles", as mentioned above. Finally, we noticed that the answers to addition doubles are the same as the answers for the 2x multiplication table. We remembered that the symbol "x" really means "groups of" ("groupes de"). You can help your child consolidate these skills by practising the 2x facts up to 2x7 (or beyond!). Ask your child to draw something that shows a multiplication fact in a visual way (groupings, arrays,...).

OCTOBER CURRICULUM HIGHLIGHTS:

Math:

  • Skip counting by 5's to 200
  • Mental Math strategies: Almost-Doubles, Adding/subtracting 10
  • Measuring temperature; using a T-chart to record data
  • Graphing with a Pictogram and a Bar Graph
  • Place value (10's and 1's); rounding to the nearest 10
  • Linear measurement and perimeter

French:

  • Sound review: o, u, é, è/ê
  • Getting used to expectation that we speak in French all the time (apart from daily English periods)
  • Brief, prepared oral presentation​
  • Attentive listening during presentations
  • Reading level assessment

English:

  • Recognizing vowels and syllables
  • Learning to "work with words" (sorting words by sound, alphabetizing, identifying meanings)
  • Writing a friendly letter
  • Reading Comprehension Strategy: Visualizing


Phys Ed. and Health:

  • Fire safety, Halloween safety
  • Safety in the gym (moving safely, following instructions)
  • Cooperative Games, Physical Fitness activities
  • Self-assessment: Do I participate actively and follow instructions during DPA and gym class?