January 4

It's 2016! We hope everyone had a wonderful break! We are excited to see all of you on Monday!

Resources this week:

Cox:

Monday: PE

Tuesday: Computer Lab

Wednesday: Art

Thursday: Art

Friday: Media   Please return your library books!

Kluge:

Monday: Music

Tuesday: PE

Thursday: Music and Computer Lab

Friday: Art

Wednesday, January 5 is an early release day.  1:45 pm

Thursday, January 7 is Middle School Information Night at 6:30 pm. There will be a PTA meeting at 6:15 pm. It's not too early to start thinking about the options for middle school. There will be formal presentations from several middle schools followed by an informal opportunity to talk with middle school students and staff. 

ELA: We will begin our final unit in our frog module on Monday. Students will choose one of four frogs they wish to research further in preparation for creating a "Freaky Frog" trading card. We have already studied the frogs when reading one of core texts, Everything You Need to Know about Frogs and Other Slippery Creatures. We will now read an additional text about the same type of frog to further our research. This will reinforce one of our third grade standards where we compare and contrast two texts focused on the same topic.This will be a great culminating project for our frog experts! It will combine both reading and writing skills.

glass frog

Amazon horned frog

water holding frog

poison dart frog

We also begin to learn cursive writing starting with the basic strokes. Students will eventually bring cursive practice home with them. 

Math:  This week in math the students will reason about and explain patterns using units of 0 and 1 as they relate to multiplication and division.  They will identify patterns in multiplication and division facts using the multiplication table and they will continue solving two-step word problems involving all four operations and assess the reasonableness of solutions.

Homework:

Module 3 Lesson 15

Module 3 Lesson 16

Module 3 Lesson 17

Module 3 Lesson 18

Things to practice and review at home:

Practice adding and subtracting numbers within 1000.

Continue practicing multiplication facts 2 to 10

Continue practicing division facts

Please check out our DCPS site http://www.duvalschools.org/Page/17284

for homework help and strategies to help with solving homework problems.  You may also find the homework videos helpful.

Science:

Students will continue learning about stars and star patterns.  The students will work in groups to research 2 stars, that will be assigned to them, and compare and contrast the 2 stars. 

Module 3 Lesson 16:

Module 3 Lesson 17:

Module 3 Lesson 18:

Module 3 Lesson 19:

Module 3 Lesson 20:

Module 3 Lesson 21:

  

Week of December 7

The science fair projects were wonderful!! We loved hearing our students share their work with their classmates. Way to go! Thank you also for coming to Math and Science night. We had a great turnout!

We have 2 more weeks until Winter Break. Our last day of 2015 will be December 18. School will resume on Monday, January 4, 2016.

The Media Center is sponsoring a Gingerbread House Contest December 7 - 17. Students are invited to bring a gingerbread house made from edible or non-edible materials. Entries need to be turned in to the Media Center and need to include the student's name, grade, and homeroom teacher. This can be a family project. The grand prize is a gift card to Barnes and Noble!

The PTA Holiday Shop will be December 14 - 18.

Our Holiday Party will be Thursday, December 17! 

We will send home an invitation on Monday!

Our IMAX field trip will be Friday, December 18. 

We will see 2 movies: Flight of the Butterflies... about the amazing migration of the Monarch butterfly and also Galapagos, filmed in one of the most hard to reach places in the world - the Galapagos Islands, islands that are filled with very rare and unique plant and animal species. Lunch is included and the choices are on the back of the field trip forms.  Field trip permission slips are due Tuesday, December 8.

Resources this week:
Cox:
Monday: PE
Tuesday: Computer Lab
Wednesday: Art
Friday: Music
Kluge:
Monday: Music
Tuesday: PE
Wednesday: Computer Lab
Thursday: Art

ELA: There will be no spelling this week. One of our third grade language standards is to know how to write an address correctly. On Monday, students will bring home a sheet to practice this during the week. It is due FRIDAY. Students will need to know their own address also. We will have a quiz on Friday.

We will continue our study of different types of frogs, their different habitats and the adaptations they have which enable them to survive in those habitats. We will look closely at text features and determine why the author used them to help the reader understand the topic. Text features are very important in informational text as they support the reader in learning about more complex content. The pages below from our current text show headings, bold words, close-up photographs, and detailed captions explaining the photographs.

Important vocabulary for this week:

habitat   dweller   amplify   gaps   canopies   

hatch   transparent   rain forest   blend

These words are excellent ways to start conversation at home about what we are reading about in class this week!

MATH: This week in math the students will interpret the unknown in multiplication and division to model and solve problems using units of 6 and 7.  They will continue to learn about parentheses as tools for grouping and learn the conventional order for performing operations.  We will begin to focus on the associative property of multiplication.  The students will model how to compose and decompose to make problems using units up to 8 easier to solve. 

For example:

   8 x 5 = (4 x 2) x 5

            = 4 x (2x5)

            = 4 x 10

The students will use patterns learned in previous lessons (5 + n) as a strategy for solving multiplication and division problems using units of 8 with the distributive property.  They will learn that multiples of 8 can be thought of as (5+3) x n.  In division problems the students will continue decomposing the dividend to solve and recognize that the dividend must be decomposed into numbers that are divisible by the divisor.

For example:   

64 ÷ 8 =

decompose 64 to 40 and 24 because both numbers are divisible by 8 

64 ÷ 8 = (40 ÷ 8) + (24 ÷ 8)                                                            

           =        5      +      3

64 ÷ 8 =                8

Homework:

Module 3 Lesson 7

Module 3 Lesson 8

Module 3 Lesson 9

Module 3 Lesson 10

Things to practice and review at home:

Practice adding and subtracting numbers within 1000.

Tell and write time to the nearest minute and measure time intervals in minutes.

Continue practicing multiplication facts 2 to 10

Continue practicing division facts

Please check out our DCPS site http://www.duvalschools.org/Page/17284

for homework help and strategies to help with solving homework problems.  You may also find the homework videos helpful.

SCIENCE: The students will identify the sun as the star closest to Earth and understand that the sun gives off energy some in the form of light.  They will study how objects in space affect each other.  

Math Videos:

Module 3 Lesson 6:

Module 3 Lesson 7:

Module 3 Lesson 8:

Module 3 Lesson 9:

Module 3 Lesson 10:

Week of November 30

Its hard to believe it's December already! We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your families.

This week students will take the DCPS mid-year tests in reading and math. The tests cover all the standards that are listed in the Test Design Summary and Item Specifications on the FSA Assessments website.    

  http://www.fsassessments.org

Although your child’s grade will NOT be affected by the test results, it must be taken seriously.  The data we gather will help us determine what students already know and what they need more help with.

Please help your child have a good night of sleep on these days and a good breakfast too!

Science Fair projects are due December 2. 

Thursday, December 3 is Math and Science Night beginning at 6:00 PM.
The PTA sponsored Holiday Shop will be the week of December 14th - 18th.

Resource schedule this week: Wednesday is early release.
Cox:
Tuesday: art
Friday: music
Kluge:
Wednesday: p.e.
Thursday: art

ELA: There will be no spelling this week. Remember your RAH log is due December 1!!! We are so excited about our new informational text... see below! It is filled with cool information about all types of frogs! This week we will focus on frog skin and frog habitats. As we closely read specific pages, we will ask questions and search for answers using specific details from the text. We will also continue finding the main idea and will describe steps in several procedures such as the frog life cycle and how a frog sheds its skin. Students will also compare 4 unique types of frogs and research their habitats and what special adaptations they have that help them survive there.

We will also explore a lot of new vocabulary as we read this text. Some words to talk about and use in conversation at home are:

 In writing, we will be using the friendly letter format to write letters about a frog that interest us. Students will work through the writing process:

plan - draft - revise - edit - peer conference - publish

MATH: The students will count by sixes and sevens, composing up to and then over the next ten.  For example, students might count 6, 12, 18, and then mentally add 18 + 2 + 4 to make 24.  This skip-counting method utilizes make ten strategies. Students will begin to understand that multiples of 6 can be thought of as (5 + 1) x n to make 5 and 1 more groups, or 6 groups of n.   Multiples of 7 can be thought of as (5 + 2) x n to make 5 and 2 more groups, or 7 groups of n.  In working with division students will decompose the dividend using a multiple of 5 and then add the quotients of the smaller division facts to find the quotient of the larger unknown division fact. 
For example:

             54  6 = (30  6) + (24  6)

             =   5 + 4

             =   9

Homework:

Module 3 Lesson 4

Module 3 Lesson 5

Module 3 Lesson 6

Things to practice and review at home:

Practice adding and subtracting numbers within 1000.

Tell and write time to the nearest minute and measure time intervals in minutes.

Continue practicing multiplication facts 2 to 10

Continue practicing division facts

Please check out our DCPS site http://www.duvalschools.org/Page/17284

for homework help and strategies to help with solving homework problems.  You may also find the homework videos helpful.

SCIENCE: The students will study the properties of stars.  Students will describe how stars are different and what makes up star patterns.  They will explain that stars can be different; some are smaller, some are larger, and some appear brighter than others; all except the sun are so far away that they look like points of light.    

Module 3 Lesson 4:

Module 3 Lesson 5:

Module 3 Lesson 6:

Module 3 Lesson 7:

Mid-year Assessments in December

We would like to wish you all a happy Thanksgiving holiday. We will have school only Monday and Tuesday of this week and school will resume on Tuesday, December 1. 

Students will be taking mid-year assessments in December. The testing window is December 1 - 18. As soon as we know specific dates, we will let you know. 3rd graders will have 2 days of reading and 2 days of math. These assessments will be paper/pencil and will have bubble sheets. The assessments will give us valuable information for future instruction. 

Week of November 16 and November 23

Thank you to all who supported our school in the Boosterthon Fun Run! The proceeds will help us to purchase additional computers for our students. Please try to collect all pledges by this Thursday, November 19th! If our class does this, we will have crazy hair day!!!

Mark your calendars!!! Please note we will not have school from Wednesday, November 25 through Monday, November 30 for the Thanksgiving Holiday.

Resources this week:

Cox:

Monday: Computer Lab i-Ready

Tuesday: Art

Wednesday: PE

Thursday: Computer Lab Achieve

Friday: Music

Kluge:

Monday: PE

Tuesday: Computer Lab Achieve

Wednesday: Music

Thursday: Art

ELA: We are looking at the final page in our text, Bullfrog at Magnolia Circle this week. This page is informational text and has a glossary. We have already worked in pairs to determine the main idea of each paragraph and this week we will identify key details to support these main ideas. Students will also create vocabulary posters in cooperative groups for each of the 5 glossary words: amphibian, bayou, crustacean, tadpole, and tympanum. 

Later in the week, we will have a "Science Talk". This involves students working with one question and preparing their answer with their opinions and evidence from the text. They will have learning targets that include following our conversation norms, This is an excellent exercise for team building and learning how to communicate in a group setting, much like a business meeting!

MATH:

The students will continue estimating sums and differences of measurements by rounding, and then solving mixed word problems. We will revisit the commutative property of multiplication to find known facts of 6, 7, 8, and 9. We will be applying the distributive and commutative properties to relate multiplication facts.                                          

  

Homework:

Module 2 Lesson 20

Module 2 Lesson 21

Module 3 Lesson 1

Module 3 Lesson 2

Study for End of Module Test

(End of Module Test Friday)

Things to practice at home:

Use place value understanding and vertical number line to round numbers to nearest 10 or 100. 

Practice adding and subtracting numbers within 1000.

Tell and write time to the nearest minute and measure time intervals in minutes.

Continue practicing multiplication facts 2 to 10

Please check out our DCPS site http://www.duvalschools.org/Page/17284

for homework help and strategies to help with solving homework problems.  You may also find the homework videos helpful.

SCIENCE:

The students will continue to study matter focusing on how matter is measured, the different states of matter, and how matter can be described.  They will create a concept map describing matter to help them organize key concepts.   

Week of 11/9

Thank you to all who have been able to gather pledges for our BSE Fun Run. The Fun Run for 3rd grade is 1:00 on Friday, November 13. Please help us raise funds for additional computers for our school! Click the logo to go directly to the Boosterthon site. Our school code is: 563-779

Tuesday, November 10 at 8:45 AM, we will have a Flag Raising Ceremony to honor our Veterans. Please wear red, white and blue to show your patriotism that day!

There will be no school Wednesday, November 11.

Resources this week:

Cox:

Monday: Art

Thursday: Music

Friday: PE

Kluge:

Tuesday: Art

Friday: Music

ELA:  Students will have their mid-unit 1 assessment early this week. The close reading assessment will include the following concepts:

• identifying the main idea of text
• listing key details from the text that support the main idea
• explaining how information in the illustrations and words help to understand scientific concepts
• determine meaning of new vocabulary
• explaining what adaptations help bullfrogs survive

Below is a chart of all of the new vocabulary words we are working with... One of the most effective ways to learn new vocabulary is to use it frequently in conversation, so this would be a great activity to do at home!

In writing, students are collecting information from Bullfrog at Magnolia Circle and organizing it into the categories: habitat, eating habits, physical characteristics, life cycle, and behaviors. They will use the information to write informational paragraphs.

MATH:  We will be decomposing to subtract measurements including three-digit minuends with zeros in the tens or one place.  The students will be estimating sums and differences of measurements by rounding, and then solving mixed word problems.  We will be working with the standard algorithm for subtraction and using two-and three-digit metric measurements and intervals of minutes within 1 hour to subtract.

Examples of three digit metric measurement problems using standard algorithm and tape diagram:

Tara brings 2 bottles of water on her hike.  The first bottle has 471 milliliters of water, and the second bottle has 354 milliliters of water.  How many milliliters of water does Tara bring on her hike?

   

Jolene brings an apple and an orange with her to school.  The weight of both pieces of fruit together is 417 grams.  The apple weighs 223 grams.  What is the weight of Jolene’s orange?

Homework:

Lesson 18

Lesson 19

Lesson 20

Lesson 21

Things to practice at home:

Use place value understanding to round numbers to nearest 10 or 100.

Practice adding and subtracting numbers within 1000.

Tell and write time to the nearest minute and measure time intervals in minutes.

Continue practicing measuring and estimating liquid volumes and masses of objects.

Continue practicing multiplication facts 2 to 10

Please check out our DCPS site http://www.duvalschools.org/Page/17284

for homework help and strategies to help with solving homework problems.  You may also find the homework videos helpful.

                     

SCIENCE:

The students will be learning about and describing the changes water undergoes when it changes state through heating and cooling by using familiar scientific terms such as melting, freezing, boiling, evaporation, and condensation.  They will be inferring based on observations during their explorations.

Weekly Math Videos:

Module 2 Lesson 19

Module 2 Lesson 20

Module 2 Lesson 21:

Week of November 2

Nov 6th is PTA's Movie on the Lawn.  This will be a free event.  
Gates open at 6 PM and the movie will start at 6:30 pm.  
Pizza, soda, candy and glow necklaces will be sold all for $1.00 each.  
Movie to be shown:  "Inside Out"  



Tuesday is the PTA Fun Run Pep Rally. 
Friday, Nov 13th is the Fun Run!

Wednesday is Early Release.

Resources this week:
Cox:
Tuesday: Music
Wednesday: Music
Thursday: PE
Friday: Science Lab

Kluge:
Monday: Art
Thursday: Music
Friday: PE

ELA: 
We are beginning a new module of study this week! In this module, students will use literacy skills to become experts—people who use reading, writing, listening, and speaking to build and share deep knowledge about the topic of FROGS! Our first text is Bullfrog at Magnolia Circle.

Click on the cover for a video reading of the text.

          OR Click here for an online version of the book. 

            

As we explore this new text and topic this week, we will read closely and focus on main idea, supporting details, and vocabulary. Not only will we look at details in the text which support the main idea, we will look at illustrations and think about key details they have that help us understand the main idea. In our vocabulary work, we will look at specific words and phrases and determine why we think the author chose them for this text. Although this text is written in a narrative format, it is filled with great information that will help students become experts on the topic of frogs.

In writing this week, we will begin with a free write on what we know about frogs. As we learn new information from our text, we will add information to our writing. Midweek, we will begin to organize our information into categories using index cards.

Home learning: Please continue to read at home daily and complete 1-2 Achieve3000 articles during the week.

MATH:

We will begin adding two and three-digit measurements including intervals of minutes within 1 hour.  The students will apply the place value concepts they practiced with rounding to model composing larger units.  They will solve measurement word problems drawing tape diagrams.  The students will round to estimate the sums of measurements and then solve problems determining the reasonableness of their solutions.  The students will use the standard algorithm for subtraction to solve two and three digit metric measurements and intervals of minutes within 1 hour problems.

Example Problem and Answer Two and Three Digit Measurement and Subtraction-Using Place Value Chart

Sabrina had 726 milliliters of water when she started her hiking trip. She had 182 milliliters of water after her hiking trip. How many milliliters of water did Sabrina drink?

Homework:

Lesson 15

Lesson 16

Study for Mid-Module Test

Lesson 17

Lesson 18

Things to practice at home:

Practice using analog clocks to determine elapsed time of various activities.

Continue practicing multiplication facts 2 to 10

Discuss the liquid volume of milk, juice, and water containers found at home.

Talk about how much certain objects weigh and differences in total weight of specific things at home.

Please check out our DCPS site http://www.duvalschools.org/Page/17284

for homework help and strategies to help with solving homework problems.  You may also find the homework videos helpful.

SCIENCE:
The students will compare matter using some of its properties, such as size, shape, color, texture, and hardness.      

Weekly Math Videos:

Module 2 Lesson 15

Module 2 Lesson 16

Module 2 Lesson 17

Module 2 Lesson 18: