ISAT Information

Within the past couple days there have been a few questions for teachers and administrators regarding the ISAT coming up next week.  Information below is a response and note from administrators:

This year’s ISAT is more aligned to the Common Core and is an important exam for a number of reasons. 

• It is an additional opportunity to understand the increased expectations of a Common Core-aligned test.
• At Skinner North, assessment data and results are extremely important to our instruction.  Our teachers use the data to make sure we are best meeting the needs of all students.  Multiple data points (NWEA, classroom assessments and ISAT) allow us to better differentiate instruction for our students.
• The data from ISAT informs our teachers and their instructional programs. Teachers make important use of all assessment data.  
•  ISAT – like PSAE for high schools – is still a measure used to determine Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) of schools.

If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to email Mr. Netterstrom (enetterstrom@cps.edu). 

A Sneak Peek At Our Week ...

Writing:  This week students will focus on creating extended responses in a timed period, without using a graphic organizer.  Today I gave students their final goals to work on before ISAT next week!

Reading:  Similar to last week, we will be reviewing different reading concepts this week and students will be participating in different reading stations in our literacy block.  Lessons and activities will focus on figurative language, word knowledge (prefixes, suffixes, Latin roots), main idea, and genres.  

Math:  We will be taking a break this week from Unit 6 of Everyday Math and be reviewing important math concepts specific to Grade 3 Common Core math standards.  Students will not have Study Links this week, but instead will have different math worksheets or assigned IXL practice for homework.  

Important Dates & Information: 

• 2/24 - Today an ISAT informational letter was passed out to your child!
• 2/26 - Day of Service in the classroom
• 2/28 - "Read to Succeed" reading logs are due (no late exceptions; students can turn this in earlier than Friday if they would like!)
• 3/1 - Literacy Day & Book Sale @ SN
• Next week begins ISAT testing

Correcting Multiple Choice Homework

Today for a homework, students are supposed to correct any multiple choice problems that they got wrong from today in class by explaining and providing text evidence that supports the correct answer/choice.  They each took home a lined sheet of paper to complete this assignment.  An example of how students can set up their work is listed below:

1.  #54 - My Answer (A), Correct Answer (B)
At first I thought A was the correct answer because I thought the reason twigs were used was to make the teepee look a tree since twigs come from trees.  However, now I know that B is the correct answer because in the text it says, "carefully spread twigs out to form a pyramid shaped frame."  This shows how the purpose of the twigs is to create the form or shape of the teepee.  

ISAT Information Letter

Tomorrow an informational letter about ISAT will be sent home with your child.  Please be sure to look for it in your child's take-home side of their homework folder!

A Sneak Peek at Our Week ...

Writing:  This week, students will no longer use a graphic organizer when they are writing extended reading responses.  Students will continue to create responses that focus on comparing and contrasting texts.  

Reading:  With ISAT being just around the corner, we will take the next two weeks completing different review stations to review reading concepts, strategies, and skills. This week, stations will focus on author's purpose, compare/contrast, cause/effect, fact/opinion, and sequencing.  

Math:  We will continue with Unit 6 lessons this week!

Social Studies:  This week we will be starting Unit 3: Chicago Today in social studies.  Information for this unit can be found on the Unit 3 page of the Third Grade website!  Listed below are guiding questions for the unit:

• What does Chicago look like today?
• How do Chicago's neighborhoods reflect the history of the city?
• How does Chicago take care of its citizens?
• In what ways have Chicago become a leading cultural and entertainment center?
• What are some of the businesses that have helped define Chicago as a city?

Study Links 6.3

Tonight students will be completing study links 6.3 which focuses on the partial quotients division algorithm.  This algorithm really helps students understand the concept behind dividing larger numbers more clearly.  I'm including a family/parent resource that can help explain this method: Partial Quotients.  After getting to the website you'll need to click on the following buttons:

1. Algorithms in Everyday Math
2. Grade 4
3. Division
4. Partial Quotients
5. Then you can choose different models of how this method is used to solve different division problems.  

Rapping About Story Elements

On Tuesday students began to learn how to compare different story elements found in Little Red Riding Hood and Lon Po Po.  To review the different story elements they could compare and contrast they "rapped" to a video about story elements!  I've included the link - have your child rap to you at home! - https://www.flocabulary.com/fivethings/

A Sneak Peek At Our Week ...

Reading & Writing: Skills taught in reading and writing will be blended into our literacy block this week.  On Monday students will practice comparing themes of two stories and then will write a response about theme.  For the remaining part of the week, students will practice comparing and contrasting texts and writing about the comparisons.  

Math:  Unit 6 will begin this week!  Lessons 6.1-6.4, which all focus on division will be instructed.  Unit 6 information including the Family Letter, IXL checklist, and extra games can be found on the Unit 6 page of the Third Grade Website.

Science:  Now that students have learned about the three different types of rock, they will begin comparing and contrasting each type of rock and will explore connections amongst the three types of rocks when they learn about the rock cycle.  The following website - Interactive Rock Cycle - is a great way for students to visualize and comprehend the rock cycle.  The test for this unit will be on Thursday.  

Important Information:

• 2/11 - SN Family Game Night
• 2/12 - NO SCHOOL
• 2/14 - Rocks & Minerals test

Chicago ABC Wordle Covers

Students' Chicago ABC wordle covers turned out great!  Students showed their creativity with the color, format, and layout of each of their covers.  On each wordle cover, the larger the word, students thought the larger the impact that person or event had on Chicago becoming the city it is today.   

      

Igneous Rock Model

Today and tomorrow in class students will explore different stations discovering more about igneous rocks.  At one station they observed three types of igneous rocks and described their properties.  At another station students read different informational texts about rocks, and at a third station they explored online interactive websites about rocks and minerals. 

At the final station students observed an igneous rock model.  Students made observations of what happened to a "rock" (crayon model) as heat was added.  The burner represented the heat from the core of the Earth which melted the rock (crayon model) into "magma" or "lava."  Students saw the melted wax harden which represented the formation of an igneous rock.

Valentine's Day

On Valentine's Day, students are allowed to bring in Valentine's cards for their classmates.  Cards will be passed out at the end of the day on Friday, February 14th.  If your child decides to bring in cards, they must bring one in for each student in our class.  Class lists will be passed out tomorrow and will be in your child's "Take Home" side of their Homework Folder.  Please remember, no food or candy is allowed!  Please let me know if you have any questions!  

A Sneak Peek At Our Week

Writing:  Early in the week, students will be given extra opportunities to practice elaborating their thinking and providing inferences while writing reading responses.  They will also revise and edit their peers' work.  Towards the end of the week students will learn how to conclude their extended response.  

Reading:  Today students learned different genre characteristics of myths and legends and on Tuesday will learn about different allusions found in mythology.  Later this week, and which will also extend to the next, students will focus on comparing and contrasting different elements of fables, folktales, and myths.  

Math:  Students completed the final lesson of Unit 5 today, which focused on comparing large data and numbers.  On Tuesday they will complete a study guide in class and on Wednesday students will correct their study guide, practice IXL, and take the Unit 6 pretest.  The Unit 5 test will be on Thursday and students will begin Unit 6 on Friday.  Information about Unit 6 can be found on the third grade website!

Science:  This week, students will discover how both metamorphic and sedimentary rocks are formed.  The Rocks & Minerals assessment will be Thursday of next week.  

Quarter Project Information:  Today information about students Quarter 3 Literacy project went home!  Students will be writing a hybrid story told from the perspective of a rock.  They will ultimately create digital stories telling their "rock's story".  Parts 1 and 2 of the project will be completed at home, and Part 3 (the PowerPoint and digital story) will be completed  in the classroom.  Information about this project can be found on the Quarter 3 page of the third grade website!

Important Dates:

• SN Game Night - 2/11
• NO SCHOOL, Lincoln's Birthday - 2/12
• Q3 Project, Part 1 - Due 2/20