This Week in Our Virtual Classroom...

Good Morning Third Grade Families,

I hope you're surviving this at home time and staying safe.  I miss seeing the kids everyday and I'm looking forward to the day we can go back to school.  Below is a brief overview of what you can expect this week.  The plans can be found under the Home Learning tab on the Third Grade Website.

Reading:  Students need to distinguish between first and third person point of view.  In addition, they need to recognize the difference between third person omniscient point of view and third person limited point of view.  On the learning plan for the week, there is a link to a slide show (Thursday/Reading).  You may want to sit down and do this with your child.   Similarly, your child needs to know that different characters can have different perspectives about the same event.  This is shown clearly in the book, Voices in the Park.  Have your child think about the perspectives of each character in the book, and how their background may influence their perspective about their walk in the park.

Writing:  Students should publish their Rock Tells Story using PowerPoint this week.  Ideally, I'd love for the students to record themselves reading their story on PowerPoint so we can publish them to Kidblog.  If the recording is too much of a challenge, just the PowerPoint will be fine.

Math: Unit 6 focuses a lot on division strategies.  Have your child work on Khan Academy and Freckle.  One of the first lessons in the unit teaches students that remainders can mean many things.  Sometimes remainders should be represented as a fraction, other times as a decimal or whole left-overs.  I'm posting an Educreations assignment this week in which students create a number story to represent each type of remainder.

Science: This week, students will share their dioramas virtually and work on a virtual science lesson. Next week, we'll begin our next social studies unit.

A reminder for anyone that needs it:  This is new for all of us!  You're doing a great job working through the kinks of this new (temporary) reality.  Homeschooling doesn't mean your child has to work on academics for 7 hours of the day.  Dedicate 2-3 hours a day to academic/school work if possible- do what works best for your family. 💜💜

Congratulations, Reese!

Congratulations, Reese! Reese's essay won second place in the citywide DuSable Essay Competition!  We are so proud of her.  

This Week in Our Classroom...

Below is a brief overview of what to expect this week in our classroom. 

Literacy:  Students wrapped up using the National Geographic Theme Set leveled texts this week.  They will take the final comprehension assessment this afternoon.  For the remaining part of the week and into early next week, students will review non-fiction craft and structure.  Early next week they'll take a final (short) assessment over the structure of non-fiction texts as well as the text features that help readers use non-fictions texts. 

During writing, we'll continue to work on non-fiction writing.  Each student will have composed a 4-5 chapter, non-fiction book that includes an "All About" section, a more focused section, a short historical fiction story, and an essay.  Students will publish their first mini-books.  Then, they'll choose a new topic for the next book they'll be writing.  

Science:  This week we used stream tables to explore how erosion and deposition create and destroy landforms.  Students tested several variables including the height of the slope (hills/mountains) and amount of water flowing (flooding).  Please ask them to explain in more detail about what they learned from the stream tables and how the stream tables work.  Today we'll begin studying fossils.  Students will take the final iCheck (assessment) this week.  They may use their notes and their text books.  

Math:  Today students took the Unit 5 assessment.  We'll begin unit 6 next week.  Unit 6 will focus on division strategies as well as adding and subtracting angle measurements.   Students learn a strategy for dividing called, "Partial Quotients."  Click on the link to familiarize yourself with the strategy if you'd like.   You can also find many helpful videos on YouTube.  Please make sure your child is able to use the strategy in addition to the "long division" strategy if you've already taught them the "long division" strategy.  By the end of the unit, they should be able to use the "Partial Quotients" strategy fluently. 

IAR Testing:  Third grade will not be taking the IAR (required state test) until after spring break.  The test is computer-based this year, and your child will be expected to type a short response.  I would highly recommend practicing typing at home.  There are many free typing programs available on-line.  

Important Dates: 

3/19 Field Trip- Great Works "Chicago" play

3/19 25 books due for the 40BC

3/19 Literacy Night at Skinner North 3:45-5:15

3/28 Starry Night Fundraising Event

4/2 Spring Picture Day

4/6-4/10 Spring Break (no school for students)

Happy Birthday, Chicago!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CHICAGO!!   Click on the link below to sing "Happy Birthday"

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1t4h0JbPDMUGynHDeUQBLm70vOuu9PJ0V/view?usp=sharing

This Week in Our Classroom...

Below is a brief overview of what to expect this week in our classroom...

Literacy:  Students will begin a short mini-unit using non-fiction texts that focus on forces that change the earth's surface.  The texts align with the content we are studying in science.  Throughout the unit, I will teach students to use text features strategically and notice the structure of the text.  Students will review using the index, table of contents, and headings/subheadings to locate information.  We will also explore multiple structures (cause/effect, problem/solution, compare/contrast, etc.) within a text.  During the writing block, students will apply using the text structures to write a non-fiction book.  This week they'll add an essay section to their book, as well as a short story!

Science:  Investigation 2 explores landforms, erosion, and deposition.  Students will use stream tables to model and investigate the slow processes of erosion and deposition over time.  They will observe how landforms grow and change during this process.

Math: Students will continue to explore adding and subtracting fractions using a line plot and number stories.  Later in the week, I'll teach students to measure angles and determine missing angle measurements using what they know about shapes and angles.

Carnivale @ Skinner North

The specials teachers organized a special Carnivale celebration for us today!  The kids loved showing off their hats in the Hat Parade.

This Week in Our Classroom...

I hope you enjoyed the beautiful weather this weekend!   Below is a brief overview of what your child will be up to this week in our classroom...

Literacy:  Several groups need one more week to finish up their guided reading novels.  They'll study character motivation, vocabulary connotations, and themes.  The other groups will begin a mini non-fiction unit of study.  In this unit, students will study the author's craft and structure.  They'll review text features, non-fiction text structures, and arguments the authors make within the text.  Likewise, during the writing block, we'll begin drafting non-fiction, historical pieces based on topics we've studied in social studies.  Your child may need to do a little research at home to fill in any holes as they get going with their writing.  Please ask your children what topic they'll be writing about this week!

Math:  Students will learn to add and subtract fractions and mixed numbers with unlike denominators this week.  They'll also work in teams to solve a tricky math problem.  Check in with your child to make sure he/she is understanding the Home Links content.  The content on the Home Links directly connects to the content on the quizzes and the final assessment.

Science:  We'll begin the week reviewing the effects of physical and chemical weathering.  Then, students will work on an activity focused on erosion and weathering and watch a brief movie.  On Friday, students will take the first science assessment.

Reading Response #7 is due on Thursday.  Please make sure you read over your child's response before it is submitted, as they cannot be made up or redone.

Thank you FOSN for our new indoor recess STEM building set!