Classroom Update: September 26, 2014

In English Language Arts, we continued to look for evidence in literary texts. For example, we made predictions about Judy Blume’s Freckle Juice and supported them with evidence. We also practiced our weekly word study routines. Those routines are detailed here: http://hughes227.blogspot.com/p/word-study.html. We will begin assigning word study homework next week.

In writing, we continued to write our personal narrative stories. We have been emphasizing the importance of drafting and revising. We read Dr. Seuss’ Hooray for Diffendoofer Day! to exemplify the power of revision. An appendix to the story details the many drafts and revisions that the story underwent before its final copy was published. We learned that even famous authors like Dr. Seuss alter their stories to tell them in a more effective way. 

In math, we practiced placing numbers on a number line, pushing us to think about the relative sizes of numbers. We also identified the amount of hundreds in addition expressions. One way we did this was through playing the game “Go Collecting.”

 

This week, we played games to review the content that was covered during our first social studies unit. For example, we played a game of Jeopardy to review what we have learned about mapping, New England, Massachusetts, and Arlington.  In addition, we also played concentration to review facts about Massachusetts cities and landmarks.

Across the subject areas, we have been working on building “grit” and perseverance. We have adopted the following acronym for grit:

Give It Your All

Redo If Necessary

Invent Solutions

Take Time to do it right

One way we have shown grit is by revisiting and making corrections to English Language Arts, math, and spelling assignments. We also came up with a number of solution methods during a math problem solving workshop. Students began to solve a challenge problem entitled “Eating Grapes,” using math manipulatives, tables, and equations.

Students who are enrolled in instrumental music lessons had their first lesson this week. Weekly lessons will be on Tuesdays from 10:20-11. I will remind students when it is time for their lesson on Tuesdays. It is expected that students make up any regular classwork that is missed during this time. Schedule permitting, I will usually set aside time within the school day for students who go to instruments to work on catch-up assignments. 

Lastly, here is a new optional homework math challenge, due on October 6:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8-gXqit3js-a0tNcVFXQzQxb3ktRzlPcUpPdkJ4UU5qVzEw/view?usp=sharing

Classroom Update: September 19, 2014

In English Language Arts, we continued to practice writing summaries for both picture books and chapter books. Specifically, we wrote summaries of Karen Hesse’s Come on, Rain! and the first chapter of Judy Blume’s Freckle Juice using the “Someone-Wanted-But-So-Then” organizer introduced last week. Using the organizer, we have been isolating key story elements such as the main characters and problem/solution. In doing so, we been working on capturing the “big picture” of a story, rather than focusing on less significant events when summarizing.

This week, we launched a “Listening to Reading” center. We listened to an audio recording of Patricia Polacco’s My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother to serve as a model of fluent oral reading. Afterwards, students performed this text in readers’ theatre, with a goal of reading expressively.

Finally, we introduced the reading strategy of “Finding Evidence” (this is one of eight reading strategies for fiction texts that we will be learning about this year). We compared finding evidence in a text to a detective looking for clues in a mystery. We find “clues” in books that tell us more about characters, setting, and events. Students reread My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother, with the objective of finding evidence to support either the claim that “Richard is an annoying brother” or “Richard is a good brother.” Students recorded evidence on sticky notes and tagged them to the whiteboard. We will revisit these pieces of evidence next week.

In social studies, we began the week by researching some of the state symbols of Massachusetts. Then, we narrowed our study of Massachusetts to the town of Arlington. We read about Arlington landmarks such as the Robbins Library, Jason Russell House, Old Schwamb Mill, the Minuteman Bikeway, and the Cyrus E. Dallin Museum. Students chose one of these landmarks and created a postcard about it.

In writing, we finalized topics for personal narratives.  Students practiced writing leads using action and dialogue. Then, we outlined the events of the story and began drafting. We practiced the strategy of making a quick sketch to transfer the mental picture in our minds to the page. 

In math, we continued to practice strategies for addition with two-digit numbers. Some of our favorite strategies include using number strings (“Add Tens, Add Ones, Then Combine”) and using number lines (“Add on Tens, Then Ones”). We also completed a “broken calculator” activity. Students were tasked to find 49+83 on the calculator, without using the “nine” key. Some of the student responses from our class may be found to the left. The activity prompted students to think flexibly about numbers and to apply properties of addition. An online version of the broken calculator activity may be found here: http://seeingmath.concord.org/broken_calculator/.  At the end of the week we began a new math unit, in which we will practice addition and subtraction with three-digit numbers.

Below you will find an optional homework math challenge. If your child chooses to complete it, it is due on Monday, September 29.

Please note that Tuesday, September 23 is an early release AND picture day. Dismissal is at 1:00 and lunch will be served. In addition, there will be no school on Thursday, September 25.
 

Have a great weekend!

Classroom Update: September 12, 2014

In English Language Arts, we continued to build stamina in independent reading. We introduced literary genres by categorizing some of the books in our classroom library. In groups, students identified the genre of picture books using a list of characteristics (below).

We also began reading partnerships to support oral reading fluency. Each day, students paired up with another student in the class to practice reading aloud. Finally, we worked on written responses to literature beginning with writing summaries. We used the following graphic organizer to help craft summaries in response to texts that we had read:

In social studies, we used Google Maps to orient where New England, Massachusetts, and Arlington fall within relation to their surroundings. We labeled maps of New England and Massachusetts. We also read about some of the popular attractions within the state of Massachusetts.

In math, we played a new game called “Coin Combinations.” In the game, students found combinations of coins that make a dollar. We also introduced some new addition strategies. These strategies reinforce knowledge of place value and the properties of addition. In groups, students made posters using the strategies. (I will be uploading resources on these strategies soon!)

In writing, we brainstormed about important places in preparation for our upcoming personal narrative unit. We also practiced the writing strategy of “showing not telling.” This entails being descriptive in our writing with word choice, sensory details, and dialogue. We compared the showing not telling strategy to replaying a movie in our minds. Today, we set goals for our narrative writing unit. Students set goals such as using juicier words, using the five senses, and writing more sentences each period. Next week, we will begin drafting these stories!

Scholastic Reading Club

The Dallin School is a member of the Scholastic Reading Club. Scholastic book catalogs will be sent home throughout the year. If you are interested in purchasing books from the catalog, please follow the directions below.

1.       Go to https://clubs2.scholastic.com/

2.     Click on PARENTS > “Connect to Your Teacher”

3. Enter our class activation code: MHWZQ or search for our class by entering school information.

4. This will pull up a number of third grade titles. You can browse the digital catalog and search for specific titles. Click on a title to see a description of the book and add it to your shopping cart.

   

         5.Click on the shopping cart symbol in the top right corner of the screen to finalize your order. 

Classroom Update: September 5, 2014

We have now completed our first week of third grade and I feel so excited to be working with such a wonderful group of students! We began the week with some getting-to-know-you activities, including creating “All About Me” books. We also spent time getting familiar with where things are located in the classroom. One feature of our classroom is an “I Can” board that lists what we are working on in each academic subject area, as well as organizational and behavioral goals:

As shown above, we began to establish routines in readers’ workshop. We learned three ways to read a book (reading the pictures, reading the words, and retelling a story we have read). We also discussed a strategy for selecting just right books called “P.I.C.K.” When selecting just right books, we consider Purpose, Interest, Comprehension, and if we Know most of the words in the text. We compared books to shoes when discussing the PICK strategy. Different pairs of shoes suit specific purposes, just as we read for a variety of purposes. In addition, a pair of shoes that fits me “just right” may not be just right for someone else. The same goes for books.

We also reviewed the “Five Finger Rule” for selecting books, a strategy that many students learned in earlier grades (see below).

Students applied the “Five Finger Rule” and P.I.C.K. strategy to select books for independent reading. We have been working on building stamina in our independent reading. We have defined stamina as the amount of time we can last reading silently while staying in one spot. We are recording our progress in building stamina on a bar graph.

We have also been working on building stamina in writing. We launched daily quick writes, to be completed at the beginning writers’ workshop. Students are given five minutes to respond to a quick write prompt. The goal of the quick writes is to increase students’ written fluency and production in an abbreviated amount of time. We also began a narrative writing unit by brainstorming about people who are important to us. I have asked that students collect some small items (photographs, pictures printed from the computer, stickers, magazine cut-outs, etc) to decorate the covers of their writers’ notebooks. In the past, students have brought in post-cards, copies of family photographs, pictures of favorite animals, stickers of favorite sports, and magazine cut-outs of a favorite location. In addition to personalizing the notebooks, the purpose of the decorations is to give students ideas for their writing. I have asked students to try to bring these items in on Monday (I have some extra materials if necessary!).

In Social Studies, we have begun a unit on mapping. We have identified map features, such as a title, compass rose, key, scale, and labels. We played “Four Corners” to practice the cardinal directions. Students also made maps of their imaginary towns to practice using map features.

In math, we have a unit on addition and subtraction. Students practiced addition strategies that they had learned last year by playing two math games—“Capture 5” and “Close to 100.” We also began practicing a daily routine of a math “Do Now.” Students should have brought home this week’s math “Do Now” in their homework folders today.

Another classroom routine we have begun is “Rainbow Roundup.” When students notice a classmate doing a good deed (i.e. being helpful to the classroom, school community, or another person), they write the deed on a slip of a paper and place it in the Rainbow Roundup jar. At the end of the day, we read the slips from the jar and post them to a bulletin board. Once we have filled up the entire board, the class will earn a celebration.

As a final note, I would like to call your attention to some of the notices sent home this week. Please return recorder forms and health forms if you have not done so already. In addition, a form was sent home today for picture day, to be held on September 23.

We will begin assigning nightly homework on Monday, September 8. A homework calendar will be sent home on Monday listing that week's assignments. Part of this homework includes four nights of sustained independent reading, for thirty minutes each night. There is a parent/guardian sign-off at the bottom of the homework calendar to confirm that students have done the required amount of reading. This sign-off will be due on the following Monday, September 15.

Thank you, and have a great weekend!