Ancient Rome Test

There will be a test on Ancient Rome on Friday, December 16. Vocabulary cards were sent home today (as homework to finish cutting and gluing together). Study guides also went home today and they are due Friday. Students who complete the study guide will receive extra credit points towards their test grade. Students should use their vocabulary cards, textbook, study guide, and Rome packet to study. Students should be bringing these materials home each night this week. 

Holiday Hallway

Third grade is working hard to spread holiday cheer in the hallway! 

Very Beary Musical Performance

Check out Ms. Catlett's Kodiak Bears ready to perform! Our third graders did an awesome job! 

 

Warm Up With A Good Book

Winter is here! Our reading class likes to get cozy and warm up with some good books. Take a look at some of the books we've been reading. If you're wondering what book you should read next, check out some of our recommendations! 

Fall Party & Parade Fun

Our class enjoyed seeing all the fantastic costumes in the Fall Fashion Parade. We enjoyed tasty treats while watching "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" followed by several rounds of Halloween Bingo. Thank you to all the parents & families who joined us on our special day and to all who donated goodies for our party! 

Pumpkin Decorating

Here's a sneak peek of Ms. Catlett's class pumpkin. 

3rd Grade Hallway

Here's a look back at our decorated third grade hallway ready for the PES Fall Carnival. It features grammar practice with synonyms and antonyms, nonfiction paragraphs about bats, and multiplication practice. Way to go third grade! 

Functional Text Fun

In reading, we began looking at functional texts. Functional texts are texts we encounter in the world around us. They include recipes, fliers, how-to instructions, forms, advertisements, etc. While we were working on comprehending recipes we thought it'd be fun to follow one and make a tasty treat! We practiced reading the recipe carefully, measuring out ingredients, and following steps in order. Here's a few photos of when we made Halloween Zombie Chex Mix! 

Newsletter for the Week of Oct.17-21

3^rd Grade News

Issue 9                                                                                                                                               October 17, 2016

Last Thursday, students and teachers had fun participating in an Olympic Games and Greek food tasting party.  Thank you for your contributions to help make our day a success!

Please continue to encourage your child to read nightly at home. The more we read, the better we become at reading. Students may also get on their RAZ kids accounts and IXL.com (via Quick Links on the PES homepage) to practice reading and math skills. If your child forgets their login information, feel free to contact their reading or math teacher.

*Impact Aid forms sent home today must be returned by November 4th. 

           

IMPORTANT DATES: 

*October 17 -- End of 1^st Quarter

*October 20 -- Fall Picture Day

*October 24 -- Report Cards

*October 28 -- Fall Carnival

	REMINDERS
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday	Thursday Folders, Picture Day
Friday	Reading Test, Spelling Test

  

What are we working on in class?

Reading – Last week, we were working on finding the main idea and supporting details within a story. Students learned how to use the main idea and details to better understand what they are reading.

While we continue to practice main idea and details, this week students are also looking at nonfiction books and learning about their special text features.  Students are learning about:  table of contents, photographs and captions, glossary, index, bold and italic print, headings and more.  Students will also be learning about the difference between facts and opinions.

Math – During math this week, we will begin to study multiplication.  Students will see how multiplication is “repeated addition” and how it relates to “skip-counting.”  They will learn how to draw arrays as a simple way of showing the multiplication problem.

Science- This week, we are beginning a unit on matter.  In this unit, students will investigate and understand that objects are made of materials that can be described by their physical properties.  We’ll be learning the different states of matter and how matter can change states.

3rd Grade Olympics Day!

Our Olympic day was a huge success and we had tons of fun! In the morning, we made our olive wreath crowns. In ancient Greece, Olympic competitors would earn these crowns if they won an event. They did not have medals back then. We also finished our class banner to represent our Greek city-state of Rhodes. 

Once we were outside, we took our Olympic Oath and began our parade to see all the Greek city-states. After our parade, we began to take part in five Olympic events: javelin throw, relay race, long jump, 50 yard dash, and tug o' war. After a great competition, we earned our medals and enjoyed lunch in the courtyard. 

Later, we enjoyed a Greek tasting party. We sampled pita bread and butter, olives, feta cheese, grapes, and crackers. It was all very delicious. Thank you so much for your generous donations! 

Here we are before the Olympic Games with our olive wreath crowns representing the Greek city-state of Rhodes. 






Below, we are taking our Olympic oath before the parade begins. 

Scientific Method Unit!

Our first science unit is underway! We are having a great time learning about the scientific method and all the steps involved in conducting an experiment. We are even getting a chance to be scientists as we take part in several different experiments this week. Be sure to look at the science vocabulary for this unit located in the Science & Social Studies tabs. Students should know the steps in the scientific method as well as key vocabulary. 

HOMEWORK ANNOUNCEMENT!

Effective immediately, we will be changing our homework requirements.  Third graders will no longer have weekly literacy or math homework packets.  Instead, students will have nightly spelling homework (homework requirements vary by teacher) and students will still have to study for all tests and quizzes as needed. 

Since, formal math and reading homework is going to cease, it is our hope that this will allow time for students to read for enjoyment daily at home.  We realize that nothing makes a better reader than more time actively reading. 

If you are looking for ways for students to practice what they are learning at school, IXL and sumdog are great websites for students to use at home to practice math, and RAZkids is a great resource for reading practice.

Newsletter - Issue 3 Sept. 6

In case you missed it -- This week's newsletter Issue 3

What we're working on this week -- 9/6 to 9/9

September 6 

Reading - This past week we continued our study of story components, comprehension, silent reading and different types of questions.

This week we will begin reading, Anansi and the Talking Watermelon, as a class. While reading the story we will focus continue to focus on comprehension skills as they follow along with the class. Your child should be coming home with a copy of the story and vocabulary flashcards for this story (gorge, salivate, ponder, oddity, absurd, unison). The story should be kept in their folder and returned to school each day. A test on Anansi and the Talking Watermelon will be on Friday.

Grammar - We have been working on contractions and compound words for the past couple of weeks. Students have done a great job! Now we will be moving on to identifying homophones. There will be a Grammar Test on Friday covering contractions, compound words, and homophones.

Spelling - THERE WILL BE NO SPELLING THIS WEEK!

Math - We are working on rounding to the nearest ten, hundred, and thousand as well as comparing numbers.

Homework - Math and Literacy Packet due Friday!

Tests & Quizzes - Reading and Grammar Tests on Friday. Rounding Quiz on Thursday.

Reminder!

Don't forget to study for your tests this week! 

Vocabulary for our Map Test can be found under the "Science and Social Studies" page located on the right. You can also find out what we're reading this week under "Reading," and find out this week's spelling words under the "Spelling."

	REMINDERS
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday	Thursday Folders
Friday *Early Dismissal	*Trial of Cardigan Jones Reading Test & Spelling Test *Map Test

Reading This Week

This week we will begin reading, The Trial of Cardigan Jones, as a class. While reading the story we will continue to focus on comprehension skills. A few new vocabulary words that we will study are: trial, jury, convinced, guilty, pointed, honest, murmur, stand. You may read and study the story online by using the link below. Our test is on Friday! Don't forget to study.

https://www-k6.thinkcentral.com/content/hsp/reading/journeys/na/gr3/ese_9780547360270_/volume1/launch.html#

Convinced	Made someone believe or agree to something
Guilty	Having done something wrong
Pointed	Used a finger to show where something was
Honest	Truthful
Trial	A meeting in court to decide if someone has broken the law
Murmur	The sound of people speaking very slowly
Jury	The group of people who make the decision in a trial
Stand	The place where a witness in a trial sits while being questioned

This Week's Newsletter: Aug 29 - Sept 2

Here you'll find a link to our weekly newsletter. Newsletter Issue 2

Reminder: Quizzes

There will be a Contractions Quiz on Friday as well as a Map Quiz on Friday, August 26th. For the Map Quiz should be able to label the 7 continents and 5 oceans on a map.

The site below is a great site to review contractions
Contractions Practice

Weekly Newsletter - Issue 1 August 22

REMINDER - About Me Bags & Paper Work

Don't forget About Me Bags are due Friday, August 19. Students need to put 5 items that tell about themselves in the brown paper bag I provided.

Example: If you always wear a bow in your hair, put in a bow. If you like baseball, put in a baseball card. If you collect seashells, put in a shell.

Be prepared to tell your classmates the significance of each item in the bag.

AND

Also, remember to turn in all paper work signed that you picked up at Open House!

Reading This Week (and into next week)!

We have been reading the story, A Fine, Fine School, in class. We will have a test on this story on Tuesday, August 23 (comprehension and vocabulary). Students made flash cards for the story’s vocabulary words in class and should have them in their Take Home folder. As we read, we have been working on comprehension skills starting with predicting and questioning. We will also discuss story elements (character, setting, plot, problem, resolution) during this Quarter. 

You can study and read the story online by using the link provided below. Vocabulary words and definitions are also found below: 

https://www-k6.thinkcentral.com/content/hsp/reading/journeys/na/gr3/ese_9780547360270_/volume1/launch.html#

Principal	The head of a school
Proud	Feeling pleased and satisfied over something owned, made, or done
Strolled	To walk in a slow, relaxed way
Soared	To rise or fly high in the air
Announced	To officially make known
Worried	To feel or cause to feel uneasy
Fine	Excellent; of high quality
Certainly	Surely, without a doubt

Welcome!

Welcome back to PES. You're officially a third grader for the 2016-2017 school year! I am so excited you are here. I can't wait to get to know you. This year we are going to grow together as thinkers and learners, and of course, have some fun! Come meet me in Room 69!

Week at a Glance 2/29 - 3/4

This Week - Feb. 29 to Mar. 4

Monday - Leap day

Tuesday - No School (Teacher Workday)

Wednesday - Read Across America Day

Thursday - Picture Day, Field Trip, & Ancient Mali Test

Friday - Measurement Test & Spelling Test

Don't Forget!!

Don't forget our Famous Americans Unit Test is tomorrow - Tuesday, Feb. 9th! Make sure you study and turn in your study guides tomorrow! 

Famous Americans Test Tuesday!

FYI - Our Famous Americans Unit Test will be next Tuesday, Feb. 9th. Study Guides are coming home this afternoon. Students should study vocabulary cards, textbooks, and complete the study guide. 

Report Cards Update

Report Cards will be coming home Monday afternoon. In the envelope, you will also find Reading Counts points and your child's Reading Benchmark score. Please review this information with your child and send the signed envelope back to school.

Q2 Math Benchmark

MATH BENCHMARK RESCHEDULED FOR MONDAY, FEB. 1ST! 

Originally, our Math Benchmark for Quarter 2 was scheduled for Thursday, January 21. Unfortunately we missed our testing date because of the inclement weather we received. Our new testing date will be on Monday, February 1. 

This weekend, students will come home with a math review packet. Students must complete the packet and turn it in on Monday morning. Students can also get additional math practice on IXL.com using the Quick Links tab on our PES homepage. 

For the benchmark, make sure you get plenty of rest and eat a healthy breakfast. This is your time to shine and show all that you've learned this quarter. Good luck! I know you will do great -- I believe in YOU! :-) 

Q3 Reading Class Goals

Quarter 3 

The third quarter has just begun and we want to start off strong. Here are a couple goals we should keep in mind as we begin.

*Reading Counts Goal

For this quarter, we want to earn either:

-         35 points (growth for the quarter) OR

-         90 points (total for the whole year)

*Reader’s Notebook Goal

For this quarter we are striving to read 4 books with the pages completed!

-        2 books must be nonfiction (informational)

-        2 other books can be any genre of your choice

* check out the reading tab on the right-hand side for any additional reading information. 

Reading Benchmark

Our Reading Benchmark for Quarter 2 is tomorrow! Please make sure our child gets plenty of rest tonight and eats a healthy breakfast in the morning! I can't wait for them to show me what they've learned this quarter! Good luck guys! :-) 

Reminder!

Just a reminder: 
This week marks the end of Quarter 2! 
We have an early dismissal on Thursday and Friday. 
There is NO school on Monday. 


For reading class, students have a biography poster due Thursday, Jan 14. They should have 3 books completed in their Reader's Notebook (one of which being a biography). Finally, they should have 55 points (total) in order to meet the quarter 2 goal. Report Cards go home on Jan. 22. 

Homework this week! 1/11 - 1/15

Students have a Literacy Packet and Math Packet due Friday. There is no spelling homework this week! 

Biography Project Due Jan. 14th

Biography Poster

For Quarter 2, students had to read a biography for his/her Reader's Notebook. This poster should be an extension of the biography they read. The goal is for the student to teach us about the person they read about in the biography he/she chose. 

Poster should include:
1) Name of Person
2) Picture (can be drawn or printed off of the Internet)
3) Dates (when the person was born, and when they died if applicable)
4) Include at least 5 facts about that person

DUE DATE: Thursday, January 14th. 

*I have poster paper available if students need it. The project may be turned in ahead of time.