Weekly Update 11/7/2014

Dear Parents,

As we come to the close of our first trimester of third grade, we can look back at how much we have learned in such a short time. Your kids have been working very hard and I am very proud of their efforts and growth so far this year. 

Literacy:

We have jumped in to our writing unit about adapting fairy tales. The kids and I have been reading many, many classic and adapted fairy tales to get familiar with their style. This week we looked at how and why writers of adapted fairy tales might have decided to make the changes they did. We have also put ourselves in the author's seat by choosing a fairy tale to adapt. The class has started making a plan and we will begin writing our first draft next week. It's very exciting. 

In spelling we are continuing our work on spelling patterns and our spelling lists.  We will have a new list next week.  Last week I sent home the last spelling test.  You can use that with the list I gave you at conferences to create your child's next list at home.

Math:

Unit 2 has been a lot of practice with all of the multiplication facts and how to use them in one and now two step word problems. The class is doing a great job using a step by step method to find the important information, think about what the problem is asking them to do and then writing and solving the equation. We even started using order of operations (ask your child about PEMDAS). I have been very impressed with their hard work.

Social Studies:

Last week we finished up our Life Cycles unit in Science and now we are moving on to the second unit of Social Studies- Regions of the United States. Your child will be studying 5 different regions in the United States, the states that make up each region, and the history, people and cultures of those regions. 

Important Dates:

Tuesday, November 11- NO SCHOOL VETERANS DAY

Friday, November 14- Trimester 1 report cards go home

Tuesday, November 18- Unit 2 Math Test

week of November 24-28- NO SCHOOL THANKSGIVING BREAK

Have a wonderful weekend with your families. See you next week.