Enrichment-Making Paper Pots Exploring Equivalent Fractions Readers' Theatre (reading a myth) Coming Up... Week of February 1-5Writing: We'll dive into informational writing this week. Students will write/create an informational piece about habitat loss. This may be in the form of a featured article, a slideshow, a letter, or a narrative nonfiction story. Each student will choose how they want to present their information. Although this is part of our writing, it also serves a purpose-we want to teach others about what we have learned.
Reading: This week we are revisiting informational texts. We'll review text features, text structures, and authors' purpose. As we read a variety of texts, we'll practice making inferences, questioning, predicting, making connections, and synthesizing our learning. Math: Last week we wrapped up our unit on equivalent fractions and comparing fractions. We'll take a quiz on Monday and then move on to our next unit...more multiplication and division. In this unit, we will finish learning strategies for the rest of the multiplication and division facts. The focus will be on 9s, 6s, 3s, & 7s for multiplication, however, we will be working on all the facts in our problem solving. Science: We will finish our unit on ecosystems & environments. I LOVE this unit, because it relates to our PBL. So, while we have learned about interdependence between organisms in an environment, it has deepened our understanding the balance needed within each habitat. Last week, students used several interactive websites on ecosystems and food chains and realized the important role of each organism and why people need to protect the environment. It was also lots of fun! Social Studies: Our focus this week will be on supply and demand of goods and services in a free enterprise system. Upcoming Events Monday, February 8th: 100th Day Tuesday, February 9th: Spring individual and class picture day Friday, February 12th: Valentines's Day party at 1:30 Monday, February 15th: No school for students
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Guest Speaker from the District On Tuesday we had a guest speaker from the district that talked with students about the process for designing schools in RRISD. He explained conservation efforts the district takes during the designing and constructing of new schools. We were glad to hear that they try to save older trees, plant native plants, and ensure that no endangered species will be harmed. Also, we saw the design plans for the new middle school which is currently called Middle School #11. Our One Little Words for 2016 Creating PBL Posters and Displays What Would They Say... Students wrote from the point of view of an animal or tree that was pictured on each page to get others to think about habitat loss. The idea was to be the voice of wildlife. Exploring unit size of fractions with rods Our Walking Trip We enjoyed our walk even though the wind was blowing quite a bit. In fact, we ended up going at 1:40 instead of in the morning since it was a chilly 40 degrees at 10:00. Even though we couldn't walk around the property of the middle school site, we were able to walk on a small side section to view the wildlife. We even saw some trees that were tagged to be saved. Yay! Additionally, we were able to see the road construction that looks like it is almost complete. In fact, there were signs of construction in almost every direction. We were wondering where all the animals are going to go and how many trees have been cut down. Coming Up Week of January 25-29Writing: Have you heard about the Brushy Creek Trail possibly being torn down to make way for power lines? That's the news that is going around and lots of community members are getting involved to try to stop this from happening. This sounds like a job for the Wildlife Warriors! This week, we will write letters to local officials regarding the LCRA plans. This is a perfect opportunity for us to help make a difference in our community.
Reading: This week we will read traditional literature and discuss theme, inferences, and characterization. Also, we'll compare setting and plot of various traditional tales. Math: Students will take the test on geometry Monday, (this was postponed from Friday since I thought we needed a little more practice with area). Then we'll work on fraction sense through equivalence and comparison in our next unit. We spent a day last week reviewing and gaining an understanding of unit size in relation to fractions, so we are ready to begin our fraction unit. Science: We'll continue learning about ecosystems, food chains, and the interaction between organisms in an environment. Social Studies: Mapping skills Upcoming Events Thursday, January 28: Third Grade Math Night
The Four Triangle Problem
Visual Literacy-Reading Infographics
Response to Infographics on Padlet
I shared several PBL related infographics with students via Google Docs for them to read and analyze. They used Padlet to write what "stuck" with them. This was a great opportunity for students to share their thinking and learn from others.
Identifying Landforms
Classroom News & Updates
​How is it that January is more than half over? It seems like we just came back from winter break. Well, I guess that means we have been so busy with our learning. This week will certainly go by quick with just four days and a packed agenda. See below for our learning this week.
Writing: Last week everyone worked hard finishing their expository essay. We didn't quite have time for our final copy, so we'll finish those on Tuesday. Then we will begin writing an informational piece to showcase our PBL research. Reading: We'll finish our biography book clubs this week. Each student will reflect on what they can learn from the lives of the person they are reading. We should be finished by Wednesday, then it's time for Traditional Tales! While reading traditional tales we'll learn more about theme, setting, plot, and character analysis. Math: This week we are finishing our unit on 2D & 3D shapes and area. Students will have a test on Thursday or Friday which will include identifying and classifying quadrilaterals, polygons, other 2D shapes, and 3D shapes based on their attributes as well as finding the area of rectangles. Our next unit we cycle back to fractions. Science: We are starting a unit on environments and ecosystems. Students will learn about the flow of energy and food chains this week as well as the various ecosystems in our world. Much of this unit ties in with our PBL, so it will be a great time to start taking action. We have already planned some posters and displays to add to our common area to educate others about habitat loss. The kiddos are excited to begin creating them this week. Social Studies: Our focus will be on mapping skills. Upcoming Events: Thursday, January 21: Science Night Friday, January 22: Third grade walking field trip to view the future site of the new middle school (see flyer that went home Thursday) Thursday, January 28: Math Night for 2nd and 3rd grade Volcano Investigation The biggest highlight of our week was building volcanoes and creating a simulation of an eruption. And we had the perfect weather! This is always a hit, especially since the kiddos build them from natural resources found in the school field. I love that there isn't any waste except one small paper cup to act as the mouth of the volcano. One Little Word Ever hear of One Little Word? You can check out the idea here. It's a great way to start a year without resolutions that ofter are forgotten in a few weeks. Instead, you choose one word that will represent your goal for the year. Students chose their word for 2016 and wrote a paragraph about why they chose their word. I was very impressed with the words they chose and their honesty about the reasons for their choice. See photos on next weeks update. Geometry Scavenger Hunt with IPADS We all had so much fun searching for geometry around the school while taking photos with IPADS. After our hunt, students collaborated with partners to create slideshows using their photos. They described the shape or geometry term, listed attributes, definitions, etc. to go with the photos. Geometry using Marshmallows Classroom News & Upcoming Events January 11-15Writing: This week we are writing expository essays using a prompt. This is a district wide writing assessment. We will begin noticing the difference between expository and narrative, then planning our essay, and finally beginning our draft later in the week.
Reading: We'll continue reading biographies and noticing how we can learn from the lives of others. This week students will choose a chapter book biography to read as part of a short book club. Math: Students will review attributes of 2D and 3D shapes and then move on to area. Science: More fun this week as we continue to learn about earth's surface. We'll investigate landslides and earthquakes focusing on how these change the land and structure on earth. I hope you had a wonderful winter break and a happy New Years! I certainly did! It was great to have time to relax, go shopping, and enjoy my family, (sleeping in was nice too).. Like always, time went by quickly, but I am ready to start the second semester. I'm excited to see all the kiddos tomorrow.
I know it can be hard to get up early and head back to school, so I have planned a fun activity for each day this week. Tomorrow we will create marshmallow and toothpick 2D and 3D shapes during math. Wednesday we'll have a special flashlight reading time after lunch. Please send a flashlight with your child on Wednesday. Thursday, we are going to go on a shape scavenger hunt around the school using IPADs. And on Friday, we'll have extra recess. Hopefully, this will help make the transition back to school a little easier. A Glimpse of Our Week:January 5th-8th Writing: Our focus this week will be on expository essays. Students will learn strategies for planning and drafting their essay. We should have our plans ready this week. Also, during writing, students will reflect on the new year and write a few goals related to one word they choose to focus on this year. Reading: We'll begin a unit on biographies and autobiographies. Students will identify features of biographies and read biographies to learn from the lives of others. Math: Geometry will kick off our math for the new year. Students will explore 2D & 3D shapes this week. Science: We are starting a unit on Earth's forces which includes landslides, earthquakes, and volcanoes. Students will discover how volcanoes and landslides change the earth as we conduct investigations this week. Social Studies: Geography & Landforms Upcoming Events Tuesday (1/5)
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November 2019
Mrs. Swyers3rd Grade Teacher |