October is here!

Hello Third Grade Families!

It's hard to believe that the end of September is here and October is upon us. We are looking forward to the much needed cooler weather. All students worked so hard last week on their ITBS tests. We are so very proud of them! Every student who was in attendance each day of testing received one homework extension pass.  They may use this pass when they forget their assignment at home or need an extra day to complete it.

Upcoming Events

• Thursday, October 2nd - Please have your child wear their Team 100 shirt
• Thursday, October 2nd (evening: 6:30) - Mandatory Sacrament meeting for at least one parent in the library 
• Friday, October 3rd - Picture Day: Please have your child wear their school uniform; no spirit shirts please and thank you

English Language Arts (ELA)

Weekly Focus Wall - Lesson 4

Spelling kills is long o spelling patterns; o, oa, and ow. 

Grammar skill is common and proper nouns. 

Reading skill is compare and contrast. 

Please have your child log into our online spelling program and work on activities in unit 11. 
Each student went home with their username, password, and website URL.  These on line games will reinforce the strategies being taught in class and will assist your child on their spelling tests.

There will be a spelling, grammar, and reading comprehension assessment on Friday, October 3rd. 

Social Studies 

Students will finish up their lessons on landforms with an assessment. We will move into lessons on understanding how to read and create maps within our neighborhood. 

Writing

Students began the brainstorming process last week for their personal narrative, and they will continue to work on it this week by composing a rough draft using their ideas. 

Religion 

Students will finish up their DWP lessons with skill #5. 

Math 
The students will continue their lessons in rounding numbers to the nearest ten, hundred, and thousand.

Homework 

• Nightly read and log 2 complete sentences
• Grammar review sheet
• Math skill sheet
• Practice Dreambox at least 3 times a week for fifteen minutes each visit
• Practice Spelling activities online - All students in both classes were sent home with a letter that contains your child's username, password, and school ID # 
• Monthly Book Report for September is due Tuesday, 9/30
• *New October Book Report will go home later this week 

Testing Week

Hello Families,

We hope you all had a wonderful and restful weekend. We have a busy week ahead of us and we are preparing to begin our ITBS Testing on Tuesday, September 23rd. We will be testing, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings this week. We ask that you please make sure your child arrives to school by the 7:40 am bell. Please insure that your child has had a hearty breakfast, as it will help them remain focused throughout their testing time. Also note, that during our testing week, students are not permitted to leave for any reason throughout the school day, unless previously approved by Ms. Cavnar.

A few helpful tips to help your child be as successful as they can be during testing time:

1. Get a good night's rest; at least 8 to 10 hours
2. Start the day off with a good, hearty breakfast
3. Pack a healthy snack for school

Music Notes from Mrs. Nemeth

Grade 3 is working with reading treble clef notes as well as counting to prepare them for playing the recorder. The school will give each child a recorder and a book that has been paid for through our music grant. We hope to start playing them in October!

Websites for Music Education

These are completely free and educational!

www.musictechteacher.com

www.nyphilkids.org

www.creatingmusic.com

Save the Date!

Christmas Concert: December 11, 2014

Spring Concert: May 12, 2015

English Language Arts (ELA)

With this week being ITBS testing, we will not be following our regular reading program. Instead, we will focus on introducing the students to Informational Text to the students utilizing our National Geographic Magazines. By the end of the week, students will be able to provide text evidence to answer questions and create an informational poster about a specific topic. 

Our vocabulary words for the week, will come from the magazine articles. We will not be having a regular spelling test, and our grammar lessons will continue to focus on compound sentences, use of capital letters, and correct punctuation. 

Writing 

We will continue our lessons on using descriptive language to strengthen our writing. Students will begin the brainstorming process and compose a rough draft of a place they visited this past summer. 

Social Studies

Students will continue their lessons on landforms by working through a study guide to use as a resource tool. They should also use their vocabulary flash cards and landforms worksheets that were completed in class to study for the assessment. Both 3A and 3B students will be assessed on Friday, September 26th on landforms. 

Religion

Students will continue their DWP lessons with skill #4 on Sharing. 

Math 
The students will continue their lessons on Place Value.  The students will be assessed on the following key concepts;

• identifying numbers to the 10,000's

• standard, expanded, and word form in place value

• comparing numbers

• ordering numbers 

The students will then begin their lessons on rounding numbers up to the ten thousands. 

Homework 

• Continue working on Social Studies landforms project = due Friday, September 26th 
• Continue working on My Me College project = due Friday, September 26th for 3A
• 3B will begin working on their My Me College project = due October 3rd
• All third graders need to visit Dreambox, 3 times in a 7 day week, for fifteen minutes each visit! Weekend visits are fine:)
• Continue working on Monthly Book Project = due Tuesday, September 30th 
• Study for Social Studies landforms test  for Friday, September 26th
• Please remember to sign your child's agenda on Thursday night to ensure that they will receive their 'paycheck' for  the week.

Practice, Practice, Practice!

Hello Third Grade Families,

As we approach the week of ITBS testing, your children will be partaking in several ITBS practice tests this coming week. These short practice tests are to assist the students in becoming familiar with the language and the processes used during the actual test.  It will also help promote what the testing environment will feel like. The 'real' ITBS test is a timed test and once it is started the student is required to finish it in that sitting.

We would also like to take a minute to introduce our third grade aid, Mrs. Connie McCabe. For those of you who do not know Mrs. McCabe, she has been working at St. Francis for several years. She was previously the aid in the Kindergarten classes, but we are very lucky to have her as a-part of our team this year. She is working with both classes on a regular, consistent basis, and is getting to know the daily routines of each classroom. We are thrilled to have her partner with us this year!

ELA Weekly Focus Wall

Spelling skill for the week is long a and long e spellings.
Grammar skill for the week is compound sentences.
Reading skill for the week is understanding characters.

There will be a spelling, grammar, and reading comprehension assessment on Friday, September 19th. 

Math

The students have begun their lessons in the mathematical concept of Place Value.  This week, our focus will be:

• understanding the value of each digit
• understanding standard, expanded, and word forms of numbers
• learning how to round numbers up to the ten thousands place

Social Studies

Students will continue to learn about the various types of land forms and where they can be located on a map.  We will also touch on the different types of maps.

Writing

Students will begin the process of writing a narrative paragraph, using descriptive language. We will look at a variety of pictures that will help us to create a list of descriptive words.

Religion

We will continue with our DWP lessons and focus on skill #3 Asking Meaningful Questions. We will also begin our discussions on the Sacrament of Confirmation. We will talk with the students about what it means to choose a sponsor as well as the significance behind choosing a Confirmation name.
Each student is only allowed to have one sponsor for the Sacrament of Confirmation.

Homework

              We are A-M-E-R-I-C-A-N-S!
                            I Can Learn. 
                    I Can be Independent. 
                  I Can Give My Very Best. 
                    I Can Be My Best Self.
                I Can Be A Kid For Others!

• Nightly reading for at least 20 minutes and logging 3 complete sentences neatly. 
• Nightly Math skill sheet
• Please visit Dreambox 3 times a week for 15 minutes (each time you visit the site)
• Grammar skill sheet
• Continue working on Monthly Book Report - Due: September 30th 
• Also, don't forget that "Team 100" is in need of your participation. If your family hasn't already joined, please join us in participating in the completion of our beautiful school and church!  The school is both grateful and appreciative of your help!

Are You Ready for Some Football?

Dear Third Grade Families,

Are you ready for some football? What a wonderfully busy weekend it was between college football games and the new NFL season starting. As we know with athletes, coaches always tell their players that practice makes perfect. However, in the third grade classrooms, we are taking a cue from our new Spanish teacher, Maestra Bustamante, and using her saying,
PRACTICE MAKES PERMANENT! 

The third grade brings many new adventures and challenges for our students, as well as their families. The level of rigor increases immensely, as does the homework load and importance of testing. This fosters the ideal of responsibility. We are asking for your partnership over the next few weeks and throughout the school year, as we prepare and take our entering STAR Reading and Math assessments and ITBS assessments. Please know, that both these assessments not only give us an idea of where your child is academically, but it helps us, the teachers, plan lessons for the future. We ask that you do not remove your child from school for any reason during these important times. Once they have arrived at school and have begun their test, they cannot return to it. They must complete it in one sitting. We will be working on practice tests this week to better prepare our students.

• STAR Math Testing - Tuesday, September 9th **POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE DUE TO TECHNICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE PROGRAM STAR.**  
• STAR Reading Testing - Thursday, September 11th 
• ITBS Testing - September 22nd - October 2nd 

Monthly Book Report 
Last week, your child brought home the directions and template for their September Book Report. Please have your child pick from the list of recommended books or another book within the genre of realistic fiction. All book reports are due Tuesday, September 30th.  If a book report is late, points will be deducted.

Accordion Folders 
Parents, please do not empty out your child's accordion folders unless it is in the 'homework' section. We had several students not prepared for class last week due to work being taken out and discarded from their accordion folder. The majority of the time, once we have finished a paper or packet in class, we will tell the students that the paper can go home and stay there. We are asking for your help on this, so that we aren't needing to create extra copies on a regular basis. We are diligently working with the students on the ideal of responsibility and accountability for their personal materials.

ELA (English Language Arts)



Our spelling skill for the week is VCe words. (Vowel-consonant-silent e word patterns)
Our grammar skill for the week is a continuation from last week, capitalization and punctuation.
Our reading skill for the week is on conclusions.

SPELLING WORDS
Parents, please know that each week, your child will have 4 to 5 words written in their agendas. These words are the ones that are considered review words and challenge words, and they will be one hundred percent on the spelling test on Friday. The other 13 to 14 words are subject to change from Monday's pre-test to Friday's test. We do this for two reasons. One, we want our students to not just memorize the spelling words, but to instead, understand the spelling skill. Two, we want them to then practice that skill and to be able to apply it. Each week, your child will work with the words from the pre-test through sorting activities, online games, and flash cards.  The flash cards are sent home on Tuesdays and are a great way for your child to practice and study.

There will be a spelling, reading comprehension and vocabulary assessment on Friday, September 12th. 

Math
The students will complete their studies on data analysis.  
Your children have now completed lessons on the following concepts:

• taking a survey, creating a tally chart on the survey's data, and then creating a bar graph from those results

• bar graphs

• tally charts

• pictographs

• line plots 

Later this week, we will begin our lessons on place value.  Please know, that we will be using the Singapore methodology as we move into our place value lessons and through out the year.  Also know, that the children will consistently  have nightly math homework  to assist them in practicing their math concepts.  Dreambox has been purchased for the school this year!  Beginning this week, every student is expected to practice on Dreambox at least three times per week in fifteen minute sessions.  Completing your Dreambox sessions over the weekends is acceptable. If students do not complete their math homework, it will be documented inside their agendas, points will be adjusted,  and we will have the students forfeit their lunch recess to complete their missing assignment.  It's imperative that your child consistently completes their math homework in order to insure mastery of mathematical concepts and mathematical growth at the end of the school year. 
 Remember, practice makes permanent!


Social Studies

We are moving right along in our Geography unit, and will switch our focus this week to land forms. We will begin our week with watching a short video from brainpopjr.com and taking notes on the variety of land forms. We will make flash cards to assist with the definition and illustration of the different land forms.

Religion

Your children will continue to work through their DWP skill lessons by focusing on skill #2, Following Directions.
Homework

We are A-M-E-R-I-C-A-N-S!

I Can Learn.

I Can be Independent.

I Can Give My Very Best.

I Can Be My Best Self.

I Can Be A Kid For Others!

• Nightly read and log it!
• Grammar review pages (twice a week)
• Math skill sheet
• Visit Dreambox 3 times per week in 15 minute sessions, weekends are acceptable.
• Continue working on monthly book report, due September 30th 

4 Day School Week

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Happy Labor Day! We hope you all had a restful 3-day weekend! Last week, both the children and the teachers had a wonderful first full week of school. The students worked diligently and displayed their eagerness to learn. We are looking forward to another busy week ahead of us filled with lots of hands-on learning activities.

This week, we have our first all school mass on Wednesday, September 3rd, beginning at 1:45. Please feel free to join us for the celebration. If you would like to sit with your child, you are welcome to join our class.  However, we are not permitted to allow the students to leave their homeroom to sit with their family. 

English Language Arts (ELA)

Last week, your students reviewed key details and characters from their summer reading, Charlotte's Web.  Last Friday, the students viewed the cartoon version of the movie, so that we could compare and contrast the details from the book to the film. We will finish that activity this week.  

Below, you will find what is called our weekly Focus Wall. Each week, this wall will change according to the target skills and strategies that we will be learning through our reading story, grammar, spelling, and writing lessons. The Focus Wall is used as a resource guide for parents.  This will allow you to see what skills we will be working on and it allows the students to see their language arts goals for the week. 

You will notice at the bottom of the Focus Wall, is a list of spelling words. These words are the spelling pre-test assessment words. Every student takes the spelling pre-test on Mondays. However, the students will be not be assessed on these exact same words on Friday.  In third grade, we focus more on learning and applying the spelling skills verses memorizing the spelling words. Students will be practicing the skill for the week through a variety of activities each day. They will also come home with a set of flash cards with spelling words on them to review. As the year progresses, we will be able to access our online spelling website which will contain additional lessons and activities for them to work through.

• Reading skill focuses on story structure. 
• Spelling skill focuses on short vowel words. 
• Grammar skill focuses on simple sentences. 

Students will be assessed on spelling, reading, and grammar on Friday, September 5th. 

Math
The students will complete their unit on Data Analysis this week.  By this Friday, your child will have gained knowledge in the following graphing concepts;

• analyzing data on a graph and answer questions based on the information

• identifying a variety of different types of graphs (bar graph, chart, table, tally chart, picto-graph)

• conduct a survey and create a tally chart and bar graph based on the data

• create a picto-graph, bar graph, and table 
• create and answer questions based on data

Social Studies

Students will continue their lessons on Where in the World is Phoenix, Arizona?  

• The students are learning about the continent of North America, that our country is The United States of America, our state is the state of Arizona, and that the city of Phoenix is located in Maricopa county.  We have viewed a "Brain pop" video to gain more knowledge on our global world.

• The students are focusing on the identifying and locating the seven continents and five oceans.  We have been viewing a "Seven Continents Song" to assist us in learning our world's seven continents.

Religion

This week, students will focus on DWP skill #2, following directions. 

Homework 

Nightly reading for 20 to 30 minutes and logging it

Pick a book to read for the month to begin book report 
Nightly math skill sheet for Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday

Review spelling skill 

Gentle Reminders:

The students are only permitted to wear solid white, navy blue, or black socks.  Stripes or socks with designs are not in line with the school dress code.

Also, please have your child keep all of their materials inside their accordion folders.  The only pocket that can be emptied at this time would be the Homework pocket.  We had several students who were missing study materials that we are currently still working on.  Thank you :)

We are in need of some more Decision Making help and Junior Achievement moderators.  If interested please let us know and we will give the information to our home room Moms.  

Monthly Book Reports

Today, your child was given directions and a handout about their September monthly book report. Students may choose a book off of the list they received today, or they may select their own, as long as, it follows the genre for the month. On the back side of the directions, you will find a place for the students to record information on their book. They will have the entire month of September to complete this project. Five points will be taken off for any late work.  If you have any questions please feel free to ask Mrs. Ezell.