This week we continued to study nonfiction texts. We even practiced being detectives and searching for an author's hidden opinion within facts. Did you know that the adjectives an author chooses give clues to their opinion of the information? Well, your child knows that and that, my friends, is critical thinking at it's finest. So proud of these kids!
Place value and rounding have been our focus in math. We are building on skills we learned in second grade to help us solve third grade level problems. So important for the students to see how mathematical concepts build upon each other. We've spent a short bit of time discussing how the Native Americans and French fur traders lived in Michigan hundreds of years ago. Finally, please know we had a special visitor come see us this week from the Child Advocacy Center. Amy Dalman came and talked with students about how to keep themselves safe from anyone who might wish to hurt them. It was indeed important information. I would encourage you to ask your child about what they heard from this conversation. Looking ahead to important dates:
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Our non-fiction reading unit sure is tough, but boy oh boy are these kids rising to the challenge. Thursday's learning goal was to read TWO pieces of non-fiction text and create ONE summary using information from both texts. I wish I'd thought of video taping the conversations that were happening during this work. The students were absolutely remarkable as they decided in pairs what information should go into these summaries. I was listening to third graders have truly mature, knowledgeable, polite debates. Our political candidates could learn from these kiddos!
We have begun a new math unit. We will be revisiting place value and place value drawings (remember the sticks and circles) as well as addition and subtraction skills. Students will be practicing adding and subtracting 3 and 4 digit numbers. Students are busily creating informational books in science with Mr. Talmadge. I wish I could give you lots of detail about this project, but unfortunately I can't. Should you have questions or concerns, please feel free to email Mr. Talmadge. He'd be happy to help. Look for information to come home soon regarding an iPad parent meeting for Jeffers students. It will be after this meeting that we hope to once again be able to send iPads home with students. Some upcoming dates:
This week we dove head first into INTENSE work on non-fiction reading. The students learned skills to "rev up" their minds prior to doing NF reading, the practiced finding the main idea and details in NF texts (with AND without subheadings). Many students have been "commenting" (aka complaining) about how hard this work is and I agree with them. It IS hard, but oh so important! As your child grows, we as adults know that they will be doing less learning to read (so to speak) and more reading to learn. That is a distinct and important difference and now is the time to begin that process. I am very proud of the learning they are doing in room C4!!! They are indeed rock stars!
We finished our most recent math unit and will be taking the final unit assessment today. The students were given a review in class on Wednesday and had to continue continue correcting mistakes until they received 100% on it. They have also spent time in class using supportive apps. I am confident these will help them do well on today's assessment. The work of determining main idea and supporting details continues during social studies. Students have been assigned lessons from the text and are working in groups to present important information to their classmates on Michigan's history. Some important dates to remember:
Parents,
The new year is bringing some new changes to our learning. Specifically, we have begun an intensive study of non-fiction reading skills. Due to this change, I have determined we are going to TEMPORARILY abandon our reading logs as homework. The students will be bringing home a reader's notebook. In that notebook, students will have specific assignments to complete. For the next few weeks, these notebooks will be used in place of the reading log. We will finish up our current math unit on Tuesday and there will be a test on Wednesday. The concept of elapsed time and measuring to the nearest 1/4 inch and half inch has been challenging. We will review here at school, but some reminders at home certainly would be helpful as well. FYI, I am hopeful iPads will be coming home again in a week or so (maybe two at most). Finally, please remember that students will have outside recess unless it is raining or the temperature. Please make sure your child is dressed appropriately for outdoor play. |
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