Third Grade Newsletter
Ms. Aldrich, Mrs. Criss and Ms. Clement
Important Dates & Reminders
- Monday, October 9th - No school for students, Staff Development Day
Language Arts What are we learning?
- Reading Unit: Characters
- Readers synthesize multiple ideas to develop and revise complex theories about characters
- Readers explain and justify their ideas
- Readers develop and build on their ideas and theories through discussion
- Writing Unit: Personal Narrative
- Writers use strategies to independent generate ideas for stories significant to their lives
- Writers use elaboration techniques to develop parts of their small moment that reveal the significance
- Writers share their pieces, receive feedback, and use the feedback to revise, considering new perspectives
Home/School Connection
Questions to ask your student:
- “What is this book really about?”
- “What is the author trying to teach you?”
- “What is the author really trying to say?”
- “Why did the author write this book?”
- “What did the author want you to learn from ____?”
Books We’ve Been Reading
- The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
Math What are we learning?
We’ll be starting Multiplication and Division this month.
- Math Unit: Multiplication and Division
- Mathematicians will represent multiplication and division through 10x10, using a variety of approaches and models
- Mathematicians will create and solve single-step practical problems that involve multiplication and division through 10x10
- Mathematicians will identify, describe, create, and extend patterns found in objects, pictures, numbers and tables
- Mathematicians will create equations to represent equivalent mathematical relationships
Home/School Connection
Things to do with your student:
- Practice fact fluency with multiplication and division through 10x10
- If student has access to the computer, have them practice fact fluency on Reflex math
Science What are we learning?
- Science Unit: Ladybugs
- Scientists will understand that animals have structures and behaviors that help them survive in their environments
- Scientists will understand that every plant and animal depends on other organisms and nonliving factors to survive in an ecosystem
- Scientists design and build models to explain observations of the natural world
Social Studies What are we learning?
- Social Studies Unit: Geography
- Students will use globes and maps to locate, describe, and compare major rivers, mountain ranges, and geographic features of Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Australia, and Antarctica.
AAP Corner What are we learning?
Students will be able to understand that…
- Interactions create a community of collaboration, compromise, and participation.
- Interactions and relationships can be positive and/or negative.
- Interactions strengthen relationships.
- Relationships and interactions can influence perspective and ideas.
- People may be inspired to make changes based on interactions and relationships.
Home/School Connection
Questions to ask your student:
- What types of relationships and interactions exist in my classroom and community?
- What do relationships look like and how are relationships established?
- How do relationships and interactions connect to me, the world and what I am learning?
Specials:
What are we learning? & Home/School Connections:
- Library: 3rd graders will explore the library catalog, Destiny Discover, and learn how to use it to find books they enjoy. They will continue to experience and explore a variety of fiction and nonfiction literature, and expand their identities as readers by discovering readalikes - books that are similar to books they already enjoy.
- PE: After mastering our first unit- “Rules, Routines, and Expectations,” all classes are progressing to the next unit. Students in grades 3-6 are mastering throwing and catching concepts and proper form. Our connection to FCPS’ “Portrait of a Graduate” is currently connected to “Communicator” traits. Please contact Ms. Brod or Mr. Bergin for any questions or concerns.
- Music: Ms. Shaw’s Music Class 3rd, 4th, 5th & 6th Grade: Recorders! We are building our music theory knowledge and repertoire of recorder music!
- Music: K – 6th grade will continue to explore traditional Hispanic music for Hispanic heritage month.
- Art: In the Forestdale art program, the primary goal is to create an environment in which every student feels confident, safe, and supported by Ms. Barrett and by the other students. The goal is that each student will reach a level of technical mastery and self-confidence that allows them to take risks with their own artwork and create work that they value. In October all students will be wrapping up their printmaking units and doing their planning drawings for the upcoming painting unit!
- 3rd graders marker prints of robots using Presto foam printing plates.
- STEAM: 3rd graders will identify interactions within food chains and webs as they design and build winter habitats for ladybugs.
ESOL - English Speakers of Other Languages
During the month of October, we are highlighting the language of informing. Here are some questions you can ask your students and sentences you can use to help them practice how to inform.
- Tell me about what you noticed.
- Tell me what happened.
- What does that look like?
- How might you describe that?
- I notice that __________.
- That is __________.
- That has __________.
- This shows __________.