Week 29: Happy Spring Recess!

We are off from school from March 30th to April 8. We will return to school on Monday, April 9th, which is two days before the ELA. some families have attended the testing meetings and reached out to ask about how best to help their child be ready. Here are some suggestions:

• The best thing kids can do over the vacation is to read just-right books daily. In class, we discussed keeping up our reading stamina in order to help us stay focused when we sit down to work on the test. Students should try to read for ten minutes more than their usual times or around forty minutes. 
• Kids were asked to shop for books to take home this Thursday. Some students opted to just stick with book from home. It would be great to read a mixture of fiction and nonfiction texts. 
• Once the school week begins, it is important to stick with a consistent bedtime so that your child can be well rested. Encourage your child to eat a nutritious breakfast before coming to school. 

There was no homework assigned over the break. If you would like for your child to keep up their math learning during this week, please have them check out the links below:

• https://www.ixl.com/math/grade-3/elapsed-time
• https://www.ixl.com/math/grade-3/convert-between-hours-and-fractions-of-hours
• https://www.ixl.com/math/grade-3/subtract-numbers-up-to-three-digits
• https://www.ixl.com/math/grade-3/add-two-numbers-up-to-three-digits-word-problems
• https://www.ixl.com/math/grade-3/complete-the-addition-subtraction-multiplication-or-division-sentence
• https://www.ixl.com/math/grade-3/multi-step-word-problems

Have a happy recess!

Week 28

We are getting closer to April 11, which is the first day of the ELA test. There will be two days of testing and in preparation for this, we have been going through some old test passages and thinking about what reading and writing strategies will be useful for each task Many students feel eager and are finding that the passages are interesting to read. to best help your child at home, it is important to keep up their independent reading. I see many children have picked up new longer chapter books and are reading with longer attention to the book which is great!

The chapter 9 math test was sent home today. Please keep an eye out for it. for the first time, the test was completely multiple choice and student had to record their answers on a separate answer sheet.
next week, we will begin a new unit about time and how to tell elapsed time. to give you child some practice to prepare for this work, please check out the first two links. The last link is a review of comparing fractions.

• https://www.ixl.com/math/grade-3/read-clocks-and-write-times
• https://www.ixl.com/math/grade-3/match-analog-and-digital-clocks
• https://www.ixl.com/math/grade-3/order-fractions-with-like-numerators

Here's what to expect next week:

• We will have Dance class on Monday. This is s change from our usual dance day. Please have your child dressed for movement.
• We are headed to the Armory on Tuesday. 
• Schools will be closed on Friday due to Good Friday. We will resume school on Monday April 9th after Spring Break. 

Have an excellent weekend!

Week 27

We start the new semester with two new units in Reading and Writing. We will be preparing for the NYS ELA test which will take place over two days (April 11 and April 12). This will be your child' first encounter with standardized testing. To prepare students for the new experience, we are reviewing the important reading and writing strategies they have been using throughout the years. Children have been practicing with previous years' test passages so that they can familiarize themselves with the tests format and applying the skills they have accumulated as readers and writers these years.

Here's what else is happening this week:

• The science fair project is due this Monday. Ms. Gamboi asks that projects be brought to your child's classroom and she will call classes to set up in the MMr. 
• We will have the Chapter 9 math test on Wednesday. Here are some links to help your child prepare:

https://www.ixl.com/math/grade-3/compare-fractions-using-models
https://www.ixl.com/math/grade-3/compare-fractions-using-number-lines
https://www.ixl.com/math/grade-3/find-equivalent-fractions-using-area-models
https://www.ixl.com/math/grade-3/find-equivalent-fractions-using-number-lines
https://www.ixl.com/math/grade-3/find-equivalent-fractions

• Dance class resumes this Thursday. Please make sure your child dresses for movement. 

Have a wonderful weekend!

Week 26

Fractions are a challenging topic to many children and we will continue to work on recognizing fraction models and understanding the relationship between the numerator and denominator. Here are some links that will provide additions practice for the lessons we worked on this week.

• https://www.ixl.com/math/grade-3/compare-fractions-using-models
• https://www.ixl.com/math/grade-3/compare-fractions

Here's what to expect for next week:

• We will have a special visit from the author of Ada's Idea. Fiona Robinson will join us on Monday. 
• We are starting a unit on ELA Test Prep this week. This unit will provide the students with practice of essential reading and writing skills. Students will read a variety of text and reflect on the reading strategies we would use to help us comprehend these texts. We will also look at the strategies used in writing to explain. 
• Report cards will be given out on Wednesday. 
• Parent Teacher conferences will take place starting at 12:30pm to 2:30pm and resuming at 4:30pm to 7:30pm. If you have requested a conference by returning the sign up slip, please check your child's homework folder for your scheduled time. If you would like an appointment, please send in the slip or a note on Monday. 

Have an excellent weekend!

Week 25

Our first week back from our Midwinter Break was a very full one! We are finishing some projects and starting to dive deeper into the fraction work. Many students are just beginning to look at the fraction and think about what it really means. It important to remember that the numerator (top number) names the amount of pieces being counted. Sometimes the pieces being counted are shaded, sometimes they are not. The denominator (bottom number) names the amount of pieces that are needed to complete only one whole. Sometimes there are models in the math book that shows more than one whole; it is important to pay attention to the directions so that we can find what the whole is.  This requires a lot of thinking and practice; slowly the children are showing more comfort working with fractions.

If you feel your child can use additional practice, please check out the following links:
https://www.ixl.com/math/grade-3/match-mixed-numbers-to-models
https://www.ixl.com/math/grade-3/fractions-of-a-group-word-problems

Here's what to expect next week:

• We will have a Math test on Tuesday. 
• We will have Dance on Thursday. 

Please note that the Third Grade Author's Visit has been moved back from this coming Monday, to March 12th, which is the following Monday. This year we will be visited by Fiona Robinson. This list ties in with our biography studies since she will be here to share her biography on the first computer programmer, Ada Lovelace. 

Have a safe and cozy weekend!