Classroom Update: January 30, 2015

In reading, students continued reading fantasy books with their book clubs. We practiced forming predictions using clues from the text. This morning, we held “MCAS Training Day,” a brief introduction to some of the test-taking strategies that we will be practicing over the next couple of months. Students sang songs, completed dance movements, and played games designed to help them remember the names of the strategies. We will practice how to apply these strategies in reading.

In math, we have been working on understanding the concept of a square unit. We’ve explored the difference between a square centimeter and a square inch. This week, we also began a new round of “mixed-up” math. Mixed-up math occurs on Thursday afternoons for a half hour and is designed around a specific math focus. Our current math focus is multiplication. Students across the grade meet in groups led by myself, the other third grade teachers, and our math coach Mrs. Veader. The groupings give students a chance to collaborate with teachers and peers that they might not work with on a regular basis. Working in small groups allows us to better meet the unique needs of each student.

 

In writing, some students worked on finishing up their informational books, while others wrote poetry. Students practiced writing a variety of different poetic forms, including haikus, acrostics, and odes. We also discussed concepts such as lines, stanzas, rhyming, and imagery.

We have now finished our unit on the Pilgrims. I was impressed by all of the facts that students remembered during a review game that we played this week! Having wrapped up our study of the Pilgrims, we will begin a science unit on the Solar System.