The End is Near

Dear Families,

Please know, that with only 8 school days remaining, this will be our last formal blog. Please continue to refer to your child's agenda for any important information.

It is hard to believe that the school year is coming to an end. We are beginning to wrap up our lessons and are looking forward to celebrating all the students' hard work next week.  

It has been a wonderful year as we watched your children grow academically, personally, and spiritually. We thank each of you for your continued support and partnership in your child's education. We hope you all have a restful and amazing summer! We look forward to seeing you back here in August. 
~Mrs. Ezell and Mrs. Connell 

Things to Remember:

• Wednesday, June 3rd is a half day. It is also our third grade party.
• Thursday, June 4th the students will come to school at the regular time, and we will attend Mass as a whole class. Dismissal will be around 10 am. There is NO after care that day. 
• ALL library books are due to Mrs. O by Friday of this week, as she prepares to close up the library. Also, please check at home for any books that belong to the class libraries because throughout the year our libraries have slowly decreased in books. Thank you! 

ELA

Students will continue to work through Donovan's Word Jar.

3A's Spelling words will focus on words spelled with q and ex.
3B's Spelling words will focus on words spelled with ite, ight. and ought
Grammar will continue to be a review of important skills.
Writing will consist of creative writing prompts and letters to next year's third graders.

Social Studies

Students will continue to learn about Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome.

Science

The students will give their scientist presentations on Friday, May 29th.

Religion

Students will continue their lessons in the Benziger Family Life book.

Math  

The students will begin learning about measurements of capacity (liquid measurements).
 

4 Day Weekend Ahead!

Hello Families,

Time is quickly winding down! We only have 3 short weeks to go. Over the next few weeks, we will be quite busy, so please be sure to read our blogs and the SFX e-blast.

On Thursday, May 21st, we will have our annual hot dog lunch with Fr. Dan out on the fields. Students do not need a lunch this day.

This is a gentle reminder that there is no school this Friday, May 22nd and Monday, May 25th.   
Enjoy your Memorial Day weekend!

English Language Arts

Your children have worked their way through the entire Reading series. We will shift our focus on a book study using the book, Donovan's Word Jar. Each day, we will read two chapters, look up vocabulary words, answer comprehension questions, and work on other activities.

Spelling words will comprise of words from our study of Ancient Greece and Rome.
Grammar will be a cumulative review of key skills.

REMINDER - FINAL BOOK PROJECT OF THE YEAR IS DUE THIS THURSDAY, MAY 21ST

Social Studies

Students will continue learning about the life of Ancient Greeks and Romans and their contributions to our world.

The students will also complete their Junior Achievement lessons.

Religion 

We are continuing our lessons from our Family Life book.

Math

The students will complete their lessons in the area of Geometry.  This week's focus in Geometry is area, perimeter, and volume.  Did you know that Geometry was created by the Ancient Greeks?  In fact, the word Geometry is derived from the Greek words "gaia" (geo) and "metria" (meter) and means "earth measures".

Once we complete our Geometry lessons, the students will begin learning about the measurement of liquids.

Science

3B  will begin creating their biographical reports on their assigned famous scientist. 

4 Weeks to Go!

Hello Families,

Summer is almost here! 

This week, makes our last 5 day school week! With only a short time left, the coming weeks will be packed with learning and fun activities. Please be sure to note, that this is the last full 5 day week because next week there is no school on Friday, May 22. The week after that, there is no school on Monday, May 25th, and the last week of school, we are only at SFX Monday through Thursday. The last day of school is Thursday, June 4th with our all school Mass.

We will be STAR Reading and STAR Math testing this coming Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. Please try your best to have your child arrive to school on time and please insure that he/she has eaten a good breakfast.

Please remember that tomorrow night is our Spring Concert. The students have been working hard on their song, and they are excited to perform you. Please arrive no later than 6:15 pm. See you tomorrow night!

ELA



Spelling skill focuses on words beginning in a or be.
Grammar skill focuses on pronouns, and we will continue to work on prepositions.
Reading skill focuses on conclusions.

Science 

Students will continue working on their famous scientist reports.

Social Studies

Students will begin their lessons on Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome.

Religion

Students will continue work in their Benziger Family Life books.

Math

Students will continue to focus on geometry concepts.

Hello May!

Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

We hope you enjoyed your 3-day weekend! 

Please remember that this Thursday, May 7th, the third graders will be on a field trip from 9:30 to about noon. We will be walking over to Xavier College Preparatory for a play. If a student has hot lunch, it will be there when we return. Our lunch time will be slightly pushed back.

Have you heard your child say that they "Blended" at school? Or perhaps that they had "Blended Learning"? Over the past several weeks, the third graders have participated in a Blended Learning pilot program in both the areas of Reading and Math.  Blended Learning enabled us to create small groups for learning.  It also incorporated technology which really engaged the students, guided their learning, and insured that each student was learning at a level that is within their individual zone of proximal development -just right for where they are and where they are ready to go next. When students would "Blend", they would rotate between two to three rotations. The rotations would consist of teacher instruction, independent or partner practice, and exploration on the iPad - technology based activities. Although our piloted program has come to an end, we have found that the students are highly engaged during the Blender and are growing leaps and bounds. We will continue with this model until the end of the school year. 

To celebrate all of the students hard work last Friday, we had a "Blender" party, where students watched the videos they had previously created during the Reading Blender on Coral Reefs, and we had a special treat - smoothies! We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to Mrs. Vallado, Ms. Milano, Mr. Russell, and Mr. Long for all of their guidance and support as we launched this new way of learning. 

Here are a few pictures from our Blender Party!!!!!

English Language Arts 



Spelling skill focuses on words in ending -er and -le. 
Grammar skill focuses on prepositions. 
Reading skill focuses on understanding characters. 

In two weeks, we will begin our book study on Donavan's Word Jar. Our class only has 16 copies of the book, so if your child would like their own, please consider purchasing it from Barnes and Nobel, Amazon, or Half Priced Books. ~Mrs. Ezell 

A gentle reminder, that your child's last book project is due Thursday, May 21st. 

Writing

Students will begin researching a famous scientist. Once they have gathered all of their information, they will begin the writing process. 

Science

The students will be finishing their unit on plants. 3A will create a study guide to help prepare them for their upcoming assessment.  3B completed their study guide and it was sent home with the students on Friday, May 1st.

Social Studies

If time permits, the students will begin learning about Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. The students will discover the contributions from these two ancient civilizations which are still evident today. 

Math 

The students will begin their lessons in Geometry.

Religion

The students will begin their Benziger Family Life lessons.
  

Week of Gratitude

It is with grateful hearts, that we thank you for partnering with us in the faith formation of your children this year. It was such a beautiful Mass on Saturday and it truly touched our hearts! All of the children looked like such little ladies and gentlemen in their beautiful dresses and handsome suits.  It is with sincerest gratitude, that we would like to thank you for all of the love, support, and guidance you shower over your children each day. We are truly blessed to have your children at S.F.X. and what a gift it is to be at a Jesuit school.  We would like to take the time to thank Mrs. Westerfield for all of her hard work and efforts.  She is the reason that our third grade retreat, sacrament preparation,  and celebration is both meaningful and joyous.

As we move into this week, please make sure to review the weekly e-blast, so that you are aware of the happenings for each day during our week of gratitude. Also, please remember that your child's bag of recycled items for their Art project is due Thursday, April 30th. Mrs. Aspen sent out an email last week, and each child came home with a flyer on Friday.

Reminder that there is NO SCHOOL MONDAY, MAY 4TH!! ~ Enjoy!! 

English Language Arts



Spelling skill will focus on words with ough and aught.
Grammar skill will focus on commas in sentences.
Reading skill will focus on fact and opinion.
In writing, students will work on taking concrete facts to support their opinion.

In about 3 weeks, the students will begin a book study on Donovan's Word Jar, by Monalisa Degross. Our classroom, only has 15 copies of the book. So, if you would like to purchase the book for your child, it can be found on Amazon, Barnes and Nobel, or Half Priced Books. Please let me know if you have any questions. ~Mrs. Ezell 

Please remember that your child should be reading nightly for 20 to 30 minutes and completing their nightly reading homework.

Science

Students will continue their lesson on plants with hands-on activities.

Religion

Students will begin lessons in the Benziger Family Life books.

Math
The students will complete their lessons on fractions.  The third graders will then move into Geometry concepts.

A Special Week

Happy Monday Families,

This week, begins a very special week for you and your child. The excitement is beginning to build in each child. We will all gather on Friday evening, April 24th, at 5:30 pm in the church for rehearsal. Then, we will come together as a community to celebrate our children receiving their First Holy Communion and Confirmation on Saturday, April 25th. Please remember to arrive at the church by 9:45 am.


ELA



Spelling skill focuses on double contestants.
Grammar skill focuses on contractions.
Reading skill focuses on cause and effect.

Science

We will continue to dig deeper within our plant lessons by conducting hands on experiments.

Religion 

Students will complete their lessons on the Rite of Confirmation, 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit, and Fruits of the Holy Spirit. We will also be preparing for Saturday's liturgy. Please make sure your child is present Thursday afternoon as we will be practicing as a class at the church.

Also, the third grade will be leading the Mass at Brophy Chapel on Wednesday, April 22nd.  Please feel free to join us at 1:45.  However, the students are not permitted to sit with their parents during this Mass because they are leading this liturgy.

Math

The students will complete their lessons on equivalent fractions and will then learn how to add and subtract fractions with like denominators.

8 Weeks Til Summer Vacation!

Hello Families!

Welcome back from Easter break! We hope you were able to enjoy some down time with your family and friends.  We also hope that you were able to get some much needed rest and relaxation time!

Yes ~ that is right, we are just a short 8 weeks away from summer vacation!

We are back refreshed, well rested, and ready to hit the books! We have lots of learning to do over the next two months. Please remember to continue to read our blog weekly, so that you are aware of the upcoming events, lessons and activities. The coming weeks will fly by and your children are busy preparing as they get ready for the fourth grade!

Reminder that there is no Xavier tutoring this week! There are only 3 Tuesdays left for Xavier tutoring. They are: April 21st, April 28th, and May 5th. 

Our classrooms are in need of glue sticks to get us to the end of the school year. So, if you could please send in with your child a glue stick or two for their pencil box. 

ELA



Spelling skill is the VCCV pattern.
Grammar skill is abbreviations.
Reading skill is main idea and details.

The students will be assessed this Friday, April 17th in all ELA areas.

**April/May book report will be going home this week. Please note that the due date is Thursday, May 21st. This gives students over a month to read and complete the book project. All directions will be given in class.**Points are deducted for book reports turned in late.

Science

Beginning this week, we are starting our unit on plants. 

Religion 

With the celebration of the Sacraments just two short week away, we move into our lessons on the 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirits and the Fruits of the Holy Spirit. 

Math 

The students will be working on the concept of equivalent fractions.

Happy 'almost' Easter!

Happy Monday Third Grade Families,

Please remember that this week is a 
3 and a half day school week. On Thursday, April 2nd, dismissal is at 12:25pm. There is no aftercare on this day. 

We hope that you all have a joyous Easter and a relaxing break! We will see you all back at school on Monday, April 13th. 

ELA 

We will continue with activities that go along with our story from last week on Mount Everest.

Reminder:  The students monthly book reports are due on Tuesday, March 31st.

Spelling words will consist of Easter themed words.
There will be a spelling test on Thursday, April 2nd.

Grammar will focus on a variety of review skills.

We will be working on a short writing piece this week that goes along with our reading program.

Social Studies 

Students will be finishing up their unit on Ellis Island.

Religion 

Students will continue to work in their Lenten Journals daily.

Math  
The students will begin learning about equivalent fractions this week.

Spring is here!

It is hard to believe that we are at the end of March, Spring is here, and Easter is just two weeks away! Where has this school year gone?

We have a fun start to begin our school week with Field Day on Monday.

We will have our regular spelling pretest on Tuesday with a follow up assessment on Friday.

ELA



Spelling skill focuses on suffixes -less and -ness..
Grammar skill focuses on words that compare.
Reading skill focuses on text and graphic feature.

Social Studies and Writing
Students are putting the finishing touches on their "Journey to America" narratives.

Religion
Students are working in their Lenten Journals and finishing up the Stations of the Cross in preparation for the live Stations on Friday, March 27th.

Math
The students will continue to work in the area of fractions.  This week will focus on comparing and ordering fractions.  Please have your child continue their work on Dreambox, 3 times a week in 15 minute sessions.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Top of the Morning to Ya!

We hope you all enjoyed your extra long week. We are just three short weeks away from our Easter break. So, lets keep our kiddos motivated to continue working hard in the classroom. 

Last week, the third quarter ended and student report cards will be available for viewing this Friday, March 20th. 

ELA

This week, there is no ELA wall as students will be using a different supplement for reading classes. Students will be reading informational text and focusing on identifying the main idea and supporting details.

Spelling words will consist of St. Patrick's themed words, as well as, Social Studies (Ellis Island) themed words.

Grammar will continue to focus on simple, compound, and complex sentences.

Social Studies and Writing

We will continue to work on our rough drafts of Our Journey to America narratives.

Religion

We are working through the Stations of the Cross and our Lenten Journals.

Math

The students will complete their lessons on bar models. and we will proceed in our study of fractions.

A 4 day weekend lies ahead of us!

Happy Monday Families,

What gorgeous weather we had this past weekend! We hope you and your families were able to spend some quality time together. These next two weeks are 4-day school weeks! There is no school, Friday, March 13th and no school, Monday, March 16th. Enjoy the extra long weekend with your family!

ELA 



Spelling skills focuses on prefixes re and un.
Grammar skill focuses on complex sentences.
Reading skill focuses on author's purpose.

**Please note we will be having our spelling test on Thursday, March 12th. **

Social Studies and Writing

Last week, we started our unit on Ellis Island and Angel Island.  Both classes experienced a webquest that gives an interactive tour of Ellis Island. We will continue to discuss the long journey that many immigrants traveled in order to come to the United States.  The students will also understand the reasons behind many people choosing to leave their home countries to travel to America.

Monday, we will partner with the 8th graders to begin our "Immigration" writing project. Students will work together to create a piece of historical fiction.  Their writing pieces will tell a narrative of their fictional character's journey to the U.S.

Religion 

Students will be learning about the Stations of the Cross. We will continue these lessons until we attend the live Stations, which will be presented by the 4th graders on Friday, March 27th.

Remember to continue your conversations as a family about what Lent means and how we are preparing for Jesus' death and resurrection. Also, please continue to fill those rice bowls. They will be collected at Pledge and Prayer on Thursday, April 2nd.

Math
The students have been working on creating bar models in order to solve story problems.  Also, the students have begun their lessons on fractions.  Please have your child visit "Dreambox" 3 times a week for 15 minute sessions.  Also, here is a free "app" to assist your child in practicing and learning fractions:

• Grade 3 Z Math Fractions

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go. -Dr. Seuss

The above quote is so true for our third graders. As we near the end of the third quarter and enter into the final quarter of school, it is imperative that your child read every night for 20 to 30 minutes. It will greatly help your child if they read out loud to you as well. We see the most growth from the Fall to Spring in our students that read every night.

March Book Reports will be going home this week. Please know that they will be due on Tuesday, March 31st.

Has your student told you about a new program we are piloting in 3^rd grade reading and math called – “The Blender”?  We are excited to announce this student-centered model that combines face-to-face learning with online learning – a.k.a. blended learning.  For our particular application, students are divided into flexible groups based on what they are ready to learn next and they rotate through 3 centers for both math and reading.  The centers include a teacher facilitated station, an independent or partner work station and a tech station.  This model enables us to leverage the small groups and technology to engage students and guide learning at a level that is within students' zone of proximal development – just right for where they are to improve student learning.  We started the pilot last Thursday with the math class and will include reading this week.  We look forward to reporting back to you on our progress with this program!

ELA 



Spelling skill focuses on suffixes -ful, -ly, and -er.
Grammar skill focuses on possessive nouns and pronouns.
Reading skill focuses on sequence of events.

All third grade students, were given a tutorial and directions on how to access Quizlet.com. Quizlet is used for vocabulary practice. There is no log in and password necessary to access the activities. The students should visit this website twice a week for practice.

Social Studies
Last week, the 3A students finished their President Research reports, and they all did such a great job!
The 3B students will put the finishing touches on their reports this week.

We finished our lessons on Black History Month and the Civil War. As we move into March, we will begin our unit on Ellis Island and Angel Island. We will be partnering with the 8th grade class to assist us with our lessons and writing project.

Religion 
We will continue work in our Lenten Journals.

Math
The students will begin their math lessons on fractions.

A Time to Prepare and Reflect

Hello Families,

Last week, we began our Lenten journey with an all school Mass. Each child in the third grade, received a Lenten Journal, which is filled with daily activities. These journals will stay at school during the Lenten season and we will work on the daily reflections in class, as part of our morning routine. Please continue to talk with your children about how they can reflect and prepare their hearts for Jesus' death and resurrection. 

On Monday afternoon, we will have the privilege of having guest speakers from our country's different military branches. These military men and women are kind enough to take time out of their day to come and talk with our students. This, at school field trip, is a great follow up to our American Government Unit and a great way to end a month that focused on our country's Presidents, the Civil War, and Black History Month.  It is with grateful hearts, that we would like to thank these military men and women for valiantly serving our country and for coming to talk with our third grade students.  

ELA 



Spelling skill focuses on words that require students to change y to i and then add the ending. 
Grammar skill focuses on making comparisons. 
Reading skill focuses on comparing and contrasting. 

FEBRUARY BOOK REPORT IS DUE FRIDAY! 

Social Studies
Students will finish their lessons on the Civil War, Underground Railroad, and famous African Americans. 

Math 
The students will complete their lessons on money.  The third graders will then move into learning about fractions.

Religion
Students will continue their Lenten activities through the use of their journals.   The third graders will be leading Mass on Wednesday, in Brophy Chapel at 1:45. 

Happy President's Day

 

Dear Third Grade Families,

Thank you to all who joined us on Friday, for the Third Grade Retreat. It was such a beautiful day! All the children looked so beautiful and handsome. We are very excited about continuing their journey as they prepare to receive their Sacraments.

We have a four day week ahead of us, that includes the beginning of our Lenten season. SFX is participating in "Operation Rice Bowl."  The Rice bowls will be coming home with your child this Wednesday. Please place the rice bowl on your family dining table and place any donations inside the carton. All rice bowls, with their donations, will be collected on the last day before we go on Easter break.




ELA




Spelling skill for the week is words with -ed and -ing endings.
Grammar skill for the week is adverbs and adverbs that compare.
Reading skill for the week is story structure and point of view.

Social Studies
We are continuing our lessons on the Civil War. We will incorporate a few lessons on the Underground Railroad and influential African Americans such as Ruby Bridges. We will also discuss the impact of our Presidents, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Students will continue working on their President reports in the computer lab to incorporate technology with writing.

Math
The students have begun to learn about key money concepts.  The third graders will now move into adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing with money.  All students are now expected to practice on our school wide "Dreambox" site, 3 times a week for 15 minute sessions.

Religion
We will talk about the significance of Lent and how we can prepare our hearts for Jesus.  The children will attend mass for Ash Wednesday and we will begin our daily Lenten journal reflections.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hello Third grade Families,

What a special week we have ahead of us. It is going to be a busy one, but filled with so much LOVE!

On Wednesday, we will celebrate Valentine's Day. Students may bring in their valentine's and we will pass them out in the afternoon during our party. 

On Friday, we gather as a community to celebrate the Sacraments of Confirmation and First Holy Communion. Please be sure to read Mrs. Westerfield's email, so that you are aware of the day's events. 

Housekeeping issues to address:

• Please check in with your child to see if they are in need of any school supplies. Our classes are extremely low of the class buckets for glue sticks, scissors, and pencils. 
• Please reinforce at home, the importance of covering their mouth when sneezing and coughing, as well as, washing their hands after using the restroom and when coughing or sneezing into them. We have had several students out over the last few weeks and we want to try our best to keep everyone healthy. 
• Please remember to leave ALL your child's work in their accordion folders as we are continually working on mini projects and assignments that they will need at school. 

ELA 



Spelling skill focuses on compound words.
Grammar skill focuses on adverbs.
Reading skill focuses on main idea and details. 

Social Studies

Students will continue to learn about the Civil War by adding daily facts to their Civil War Journal. Students are also learning about different Presidents through a research project that is taking place during our writing and computer lab time. 

Math 
The students will complete their lessons on long division.  We will then move into the concept of counting money.  This will also include, adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing with money.

The students will now need to utilize the school's dream box program, three times a week, for 15 minutes sessions.

Religion 

Students will continue to prepare for their Retreat. 

Black History Month Begins

Hello Third Grade Families,

Last week, your children really enjoyed celebrating National Catholic School's Week! We are back to our regular schedule this week and are ready to dive into some new topics.

Also know, that next week, the students will be celebrating Valentine's Day on Wednesday, February 11th.  Please have your child bring a valentine for each child in their homeroom class.  We will send home a list of the student's names early this week.

ELA



Spelling skill focuses on vowel sounds in spoon and wood.
Grammar skill focuses on irregular verbs.
Reading skill focuses on story structure.

Math
The students began their lessons on basic division last week.  This week, we will focus on learning how to divide with remainders and cross multiplication.  All of the third graders, will be assessed on their basic multiplication facts on Feb. 5th.  Please continue to have your children practice their facts utilizing the multiplication.com website.  Division practice is available on this site too.

Social Studies

• 3A students will begin their lessons on the Civil War through the use of a Realistic Fiction story, vocabulary words, timelines, short videos and a creation of a 'diary' to keep our notes. 

• 3B students will finish up their lessons on the American Government with an assessment this Friday, February 6th. 

Religion 

Students will continue their lessons on the Sacraments of Initiation, as well as, beginning the process of preparing for the Sacraments Retreat next Friday, February 13th.

Happy National Catholic Schools Week

Happy Catholic Schools Week! It is going to be a jam packed week of fun activities! Our theme this year is "Kindness Matters."   As a school, and as a class, we are taking the
"Great Kindness Challenge."

Each student will take the kindness pledge this Monday and will receive a checklist of kind acts to 'check off' throughout the week.

Monday - We will take a photograph in the shape of a heart as a school.
Tuesday - Wear a tie with your uniform
Wednesday - School Mass
Thursday - Be You-nique! Wear free dress and the CDA Dance-a-thon is in the afternoon
Friday - Team Kindness: wear your favorite jersey

ELA



Spelling skill focuses on words that make the /k/ and /kw/ sound.
Grammar skill focuses on helping verbs and the verb be.
Reading skill focuses on text and graphic features.

Math
The students are now learning about basic division concepts.  We also, are continuing to build multiplication fluency through our basic facts drills.  Any student who also masters multiplying by the 11's and 12's will receive additional points to be added to their math grade.  Please know, that it is an expectation for all third graders, to master their basic multiplication and division facts.  Also, please continue to have your child practice their basic facts using the multiplication.com web site.  This site also has basic division fact practice.

On Thursday, February 5th, all of the third grade students will take their multiplication facts post test.  This test will weigh heavily into your child's math grade for the third quarter of school.  Please practice the basic multiplication facts at home.  Here is a link that will lead you to free, printable, triangular shaped, multiplication flash cards to assist your child at home.

http://teacherweb.com/NH/HampsteadCentralSchool/heatherburkett/Triangle-Facts-Division-and-Multiplication.pdf 

Social Studies
The students are wrapping up their American Government lessons.  Both classes, will create a study guide and will take a practice test, to assist them in understanding the test format, content, and expectations.  Both the study guide and practice test will go home with the children and they are to utilize these materials for studying purposes.  The actual test date will be announced in class and every child should have the information written inside their agendas.

Religion
Students are beginning to prepare for their upcoming retreat. We will be learning about the Sacraments of Initiation.

Sacraments Information

Sacraments of Initiation Retreat - Mandatory for students and at least one parent
 at Brophy Chapel on Friday, February 13th. 

  

Sacramental Practice - Mandatory for student, parents, and sponsor

at St. Francis Xavier Church, on Friday, April 24th, at 5:30 p.m.

Liturgy For First Holy Communion and Confirmation are scheduled for April 25th, at 10:00a.m.
This date and time has been confirmed by the Diocese.

I Have A Dream...

Hello Third Grade Families,

We hope you enjoyed your long weekend!

Last Friday, the students watched a short video from BrainPopJr.com on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The students also read about this great American's life contributions. We discussed why we honor
Dr. King and his dream that "A person should be judged by the content of their character, not by the color of their skin."

Last week, the students took both the STAR Reading and STAR Math benchmark tests. Those results will be going home soon. We also began our January benchmark fluency reading tests. We will continue those through this week.

ELA 



Spelling skill is /j/ and /s/ sounding words such as in circle and age.
Grammar skill is adjectives that compare.
**As a third grade, we will review basic adjectives and retest students this week due to low grammar tests scores from last week's assessment. 
Reading skill is conclusions and point of view.

Math
This week, the students will complete their multiplication boot camp and we will then move into basic division concepts.  It's very important that every third grader masters their basic multiplication facts by the end of this quarter.  Please support us at home, by having your child practice their basic multiplication facts nightly.  It's such a gift for the students to enter the fourth grade with fluency in the four basic operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division), as many math concepts build on these four foundational skills.

Social Studies
The students are continuing to work hard on understanding the 3 Branches of Governemnt. We will continue our lessons through more videos and hands on activities. Be on the lookout for a student guide and sample test to be coming home soon.

Religion 
The students are finishing up learning about the Parts of the Mass.
*3A students will be retaking their assessment on Parts of the Mass on Wednesday, January 21st. Please remember to study.

We have Mass this week, at Brophy Chapel. Feel free to join us in the celebration.

Please remember to NOT clean out your child's folders and papers unless your child says it is okay. We have had several students unprepared for class, due to not having the necessary papers. We will continue to use our flip books and worksheets as we work through that specific unit. 

Testing Week

Dear Third Grade Families,

What a great first week we had with all your children. They are full of energy and ready to learn. Looks like each of them grew over our Christmas vacation!

This coming week, we have our second round of STAR Reading and STAR Math testing. We will test Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Please try to refrain from pulling your child on these days so that they can take their assessments. Also, please make sure they get a good night's rest the nights before and a good breakfast in the morning.

As a third grade, we have been talking about setting academic goals by looking at our past STAR scores and seeing what areas we can grow in and what steps we will take to achieve that goal.

Reminder: Students are allowed to bring in their device Monday through Thursday to use during Reading class. 

Reminder:  Students are required to wear socks that match the school uniform.  The socks need to be either a solid white, black, or navy blue.  This is in the parent handbook.  If a student comes to school not wearing the proper uniform socks, they will forfeit their morning recess.

ELA 

Spelling skill for the week focuses on vowel teams plus the -r sound as in air, wear, & bare.
Grammar skill for the week focuses on adjectives and articles.
Reading skill for the week focuses on story structure and theme.

All students received their directions last week for the January book report, which will be due on January 30th. 

Math 
The students will complete their multiplication boot camp by the end of this week.  Beginning next week, we will have daily "Fast Fact" drills to begin our math lessons.  This will help to build fact fluency.  Please have your child practice at least 3X a week on multiplication.com
Every child should be playing one game on this site and then practicing their basic multiplication facts on multiplication.com.  All of the students, should also be utilizing our school math program, Dreambox, once a week for 15 minutes.  It's imperative that every child is practicing their basic multiplication facts at home in order to master the basic facts of multiplication.  It's a third grade expectation, that every third grader is fluent in their knowledge of basic multiplication.  Please know, that multiplication.com even provides free printable flashcards for families to print off for their children.   This will also assist your child in the skill of rote understanding of multiplication.

Here are some additional I-pad resources to assist your child in mastering their basic multiplication facts.

• Math Champions (free app on apple)

• Times Tables Quiz!  (free app on apple)

• Sushi Monster!  (free app on apple)

Social Studies
We will continue our lessons on the three branches of government.

Religion 
We will begin our lessons on the parts of the mass by creating a book to list the names of the five parts, what we experience during each part, and a small picture to represent specific parts of the mass.