A Sneak Peek At Our Week!

Reading:  After learning about the four types of conflict found in stories on Friday (character vs. character, character vs. self, character vs. nature, and character vs. society), students will now independently describe the type of conflict found in different fables.  On Wednesday students will learn more deeply about characters, determining the protagonist and antagonist of different fables and analyzing how these characters affect the plot of a story.  

Writing:  This week students will learn how to include topic sentences in their extended responses.  On Tuesday they will practice creating different topic sentences using responses  they've already completed, and on Wednesday they will apply their learning with a new prompt and extended response.   

Math: Students will complete lessons 5.8 and 5.9 this week!

Science:  The key question students will "uncover" this week is, "How are sedimentary rocks formed?"  Students will be able to explain how minerals and rocks are formed when layers of sediments pile up over time and cement together under great pressure to form sedimentary rocks.  Key vocabulary will include erosion, sedimentary rock, and pressure.  

Social Studies:  Students will create a cover for their Chicago History ABC books using the program Wordle!  Students will include all 26 of their topics in their "word cloud" and then analyze and evaluate which topics had the greatest impact on Chicago becoming the city it is today.  These words will show up larger than the rest!

Important Dates & Information: 

• Tuesday, 1/21 - Art Night, 4:00-5:30
• Wednesday, 1/22 - Field Trip Permission Slips & Fees due!
• Thursday, 1/23 - Field Trip to the Field Museum
• Thursday, 1/23 - Science Fair, 4:00-5:00
• Friday, 1/24 - NO SCHOOL (End of Quarter)

Field Trip

On Thursday, January 23rd the third grade will be going on a field trip to the Field Museum.  If you are interested in volunteering and being a chaperone for this field trip please e-mail me to let me know!  Permission forms for the field trip will be going home tomorrow!

Multiplication Algorithms

Part of Everyday Math requires students to learn different algorithms when completing multiplication problems.  Today, students learned about the "partial products" algorithm  which is a great way for students to conceptually understand multi-digit by multi-digit multiplication.  Although this may not be the strategy they ultimately choose to use, it's important for them to understand this method.  

Information regarding this strategy can be found on the following link: Free Family Resources.  Then, click on the buttons in the order listed below:

• Algorithms in Everyday Math
• Grade 4
• Multiplication
• Choose an Algorithm

A Sneak Peek At Our Week ...

Writing:  Students will finish their James and the Giant Peach character analysis essay rough draft Tuesday this week.  They will complete paragraph #4 on Monday an paragraph #5 on Tuesday.  Students will need to rewrite or type the final draft of this essay at home.  The final draft will be due Friday.  Then, students will continue writing extended reading responses related to character change and theme for the remainder of the week.  

Reading:  Students will start a new genre study focused on Fables, Folktales, & Myths this week.  Listed below are enduring understandings of the unit:

• How can readers distinguish between different genres?
• How and what can readers learn from fictional stories?
• What can readers learn about different cultures and themes from fables, folktales, and myths?
• How do themes and morals differ in different fables, folktales, and myths?
• How do different types of conflicts attribute to the plot of a story?

Math:  Lessons 5.4-5.7 will be instructed this week.  The Unit 5 page of the third grade website has been updated!  A unit description, games that correlate with lessons, and the Unit 5 IXL checklist can be found on this page.  

Science:  We will be continuing our Rocks & Minerals unit this week.  There are lots of great interactive resources and games for students to explore on the Unit 2: Rocks & Minerals page of the third grade website!  This week students will explore the following guiding questions and learning objectives:

• Lesson 2: How are sediments formed? (3 days)
• Students will observe the effects of weathering
• Students will explain the physical effects of weathering using a model
• Lesson 3: How are sedimentary rocks formed? (2 days)
• Students will explain how some rocks and minerals are formed when layers of sediments pile up overtime and cement together over great pressure

Important Dates:

• Friday, 1/17: Final Character Analysis Essay due
• Friday, 1/17: Chicago ABC book due (we are no longer working on this in the classroom!)
• Monday, 1/20: NO SCHOOL
• Thursday, 1/23: Field trip to the Field Museum
• Friday, 1/24: NO SCHOOL for students

ABC Book Resource

Tomorrow will be students' final 'in-class work time' to work on their Chicago History ABC books.  Whatever is not completed in class tomorrow will need to be completed at home.  I'm including a link to the "Encyclopedia of Chicago History" website that includes A-Z entries of different Chicago related topics.  

Welcome Back!

Here is a look at our shortened week this week:

Writing:  Today students began writing a character analysis essay on the shared text James and the Giant Peach.  The essay rubric and example essay (based off a model text used in the classroom) can be found on the Character Study page of the Third Grade Website.  We will be working on a paragraph a day in the classroom.  Today students completed Paragraph 1 - a summary of the text.  Students will be finished writing the rough draft next Tuesday.  After this, they will need to type, or rewrite, their final essay at home for homework.  Final essays will be due on Friday, January 17th.  

Reading: Thursday and Friday this week students will be completing benchmark assessments, as part of a CPS requirement.  Next week students will be starting a new unit on Fables, Folktales, & Myths.  

Math:  Today students began Unit 5: Big Numbers, Estimation, & Computation.  Information about this unit, including the Family Letter, can be found on the Unit 5 page of the Third Grade Website (the page will continually be updated with additional information throughout the unit!).  

Social Studies:  We have finished Unit 2 lessons and activities.  Students will have time Thursday and Friday this week to continue to work on their ABC books.  After this week, students will not have any more time in the classroom to work on them.  ABC books will be due on Friday, January 17th as well.  Please use the Unit 2 page of the third grade website for resources/information!

Science:  This week we will be starting Unit 2: Rocks & Minerals.  An overview of the unit can be found on the Third Grade Rocks & Minerals page.  This week students will complete Lesson 1 which is centered around the key question, "What are rocks made of?"

Important Dates:

• Friday, 1/10: Quarter 2, Part 3 Projects Due
• Friday, 1/17: Character Analysis Essays & ABC Books Due
• Monday, 1/20: NO SCHOOL
• Thursday, 1/23: Field Trip to the History Museum
• Thursday, 1/23: End of Quarter
• Friday 1/24: NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS

Quarter 2 Project - Due Friday

WARM wishes sent your way on this extremely cold day off from school :).  I hope you all had wonderful breaks with family and friends!

I've had a few questions regarding the Quarter 2 Project, so I wanted to update you all with some additional information: 

• Both the triangles and the persuasive ad can be typed if your child wishes do so; however it is not required
• PDF and Microsoft Word versions of the triangle pages can be found on the Quarter 2 Project page of the Third Grade website
• In class we modeled how to fold and put the pyramid pieces together.  However if your child needs additional help with this, he/she may bring it into school (before the due date!)  and I can help them complete it.

As always, if you have any questions, please e-mail me so I can help, thanks!