What's Happening 12/12-12/16




Reading:

Drama, multiple meaning words, and homographs

Grammar:

Comma rules 

Math:

Relationships between multiplication and division
Solve one and two-step problems involving multiplication and division (including addition and subtraction). 

Science: 

Natural Resources

Social Studies:

Healthy Communities
Jonas Salk and Louis Pasteur

Holiday Party!

It’s almost time for our Holiday Party!  It is going to be a fun event. We will be having our party on December 21 from 8:30-10 am in the cafeteria. We will have 6 stations that the classes will rotate through, which will include a snack, two crafts and 3 games. We would love to have you there to enjoy the fun and to help your students do their activities at each station!

We also have created a Sign Up Genius list of supplies that we are needing for the party. If you are able to donate something to our party, please click the link below and sign up! Supplies can be brought to our classroom or the office.

www.SignUpGenius.com/go/60B044FADA923A57-3rdgrade1 

Have a wonderful weekend! 

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What's Happening 12/5-12/9

Happy Friday!

There are a lot of important dates coming up. Next week the Peppermint Shop will be open for students to purchase gifts for their families. Please see the flyer that was sent home today to see when your child is allowed to shop.

Here is what we are learning next week:

Reading/Language Arts/ Writing

We have learned the structure of poetry and how to classify poems. Next week, we will be analyzing poetry. We will be looking at poetry in multiple choice formats. This can get a little boring, so I will simulate a game show with the kids next week to pump them up! I hope they will enjoy this lesson! :)

Language Arts:
Similes and Metaphors 
Click {HERE} to see the definitions. 
Home Activity: 
  1. Ask your child to create some similes and metaphors
  2. Try to use more similes and metaphors in your daily language to see if they catch it! 
Writing:
The kids will write poems that convey sensory details using the conventions of poetry. 

Math

Determine the quotient using the relationship between multiplication and division

Solve 1 and 2 step word problems involving multiplication and division

Science

Characteristics of land forms

 Social Studies

The History of Transportation
Henry Ford 

Secret Code:

What is your child's favorite movie? 
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What's Happening 11/14 and 11/28

Hey Families!

I apologize for not sending the newsletter out to you this week. I had a training  during the mornings of Monday, Tuesday, AND Wednesday. Preparing for a sub take a lot of prep, so three days out took a lot of my time! Thank you for giving me a little Grace this week :)

Here is what we are learning when we get back from Thanksgiving Break!

Reading

11.14 We started poetry. We read poems from different books and described how it made us feel. We focused on stanzas, line breaks, line numbers, and rhyming words. We also focused on repeating words and how those repeated words change the poem. 

11.28 We will be focusing on classifying the poems. There are three types of poems: humorous, lyrical, and narrative. These poems can either be free verse or rhyming. The kids will hopefully master how to determine whether the poem is free verse or narrative, and then place the poem into the category of humorous, lyrical, or narrative.

Here is a video that I found that explains it. Just note that in Texas, we teach that Free Verse can be any of the three types:
Watch the video: HERE

Math

11.14 We wrapped up area of rectangles. We will go back and extend our learning of area later in the year, but this past week focused just on rectangles. We use area = length times with. Sometimes the questions give us just the area and we have to use our knowledge of multiplication to determine which two factors could equal the area. Sometimes we are given the are and one side of a shape. 

11.28. We will introduce division. The kids will explore how division is taking a whole, and separating the whole into equal parts. They will also understand the different ways that division can be represented in picture form. 
To see an example: CLICK HERE

Math Skip Counting Songs!

We begin every math block singing our multiplication facts to popular tunes. The kids just love it because it is one big dance party. I am providing the link in case your child wants to show you. They have learned 3's. 4's, 6's, and will be starting 8's when we get back :) 

Science:

Formation of Soil 
Rapid Changes 

Social Studies:

Communities and Education
Bill Gates
The kids will create a movie about Bill Gates that shares his accomplishments. 

Book Fair!

Check out the Google Calendar for more important dates! 

Secret Code:

What is your child's favorite item to eat on Thanksgiving? 
OR What was one thing your child did over Thanksgiving Break? 


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What's Happening 11/7

This week is the end of the 6 weeks! We are wrapping up our learning so we can begin new content next week :) 

Reading

Drawing Conclusions

Writing/Grammar/Spelling

Wrapping up expository text.
Subject and Predicate
Contractions

Math

2nd week of representing multiplication problems

We are learning how to skip count to popular pop songs. Here is the song we learned last week to practice the 3's:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XzfQUXqiYY

To see how we are learning this, refer back to last week's newsletter.

Science: 

Force and Motion

Important Dates:

We have some important dates this week. Click the Google Calendar at the top of this website to see what is happening at school. 

Secret Newsletter:

Have your child count by 3's to the song provided in the math section. 
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What's Happening 10/31

Happy Halloween! 

I would love to see some fun costumes! Please email me a picture so I can share with the class :) 

Reading:

Cause and Effect
Here is a good explanation: CLICK HERE
The cause is the WHY, the effect is the WHAT.
We will be searching for cause and effect in non-fiction texts. 

Writing/Grammar

Conjunctions: CLICK HERE
Wrapping up our expository story. Once the kids finish, they will be working on creative writing till the end of the 6 week (next Friday).

Multiplication!

EEK! This is my favorite favorite favorite! 
This week we are discussing how there are many different ways to represent a multiplication problem. This will help the kids later if they forget a fact and need to problem solve to find the answer. 

The different ways include:

Equal Groups
Repeated Addition
Skip Count
Number Line
Area Model 
Array
To see example of this click HERE

Parent Help: Give your child a multiplication sentence and ask them to represent it using one of the ways above! Make it interesting by using beans and pipe cleaners. 

Learn to skip count with songs!

Here is one I found for the tricky 7's! 
More skip counting songs:

Science/Social Studies

Magnets
Ruby Bridges 

Secret Code:

Does your child like chocolate or sour candy more? 

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What's Happening 10/24

Reading

Summary and Comprehension Focus: Monitor and Adjust Comprehension

Summarize information in text, maintaining meaning and logical order. 

For the past 2 weeks, we looked at sections of texts and learned what the main idea of the sections are. This coming week, we will learn how a summary of a nonfiction text are the main ideas of all the sections put together to be a summary. 

Here are some online websites: 
Have your child read articles from these sites, or magazines found at home. Ask your child to find the main idea of the sections. What is the section mostly about? What details explain or prove the main idea? 

Spelling and Grammar: 

Spelling: ee, ea, and oo words

Grammar: simple and compound sentences 

Math

Determine the length of the perimeter of a polygon or a missing length given perimeter and remaining side lengths in problems. 

Kids will be given shapes and asked to add up all of the lengths like this:

They will also (this is trickier) be asked to find the missing length of one side given the total perimeter. 


Science:

Magnetism and Gravity

Social Studies:

The Founding of a Nation: Benjamin Franklin 

Red Ribbon Week! 

Just a reminder that next week is packed with dress up days! A reminder note was sent home today. All of the dress up days are also on the Google Calendar! 

Secret Question:

What will be your favorite dress up day this week?

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What We're Learning! 10/17

Happy Friday!

Reading:

Analyze, make inferences, and draw conclusions about expository text and provide evidence from the text to support their understanding. 

Main Idea 
ReadWorks is a FREE website that I have provided on the Home Activities tab. 
Once you create a free account click the link below for main idea passages:


Spelling/Grammar/Writing

Expository Text (3rd week)

Spelling: ui, ew, ai, ay 

Spelling Word Families paper here:
Spelling Lessons:

Subject and Predicates (2nd Week)

"The who and the what" in a sentence
FREE Subject and predicate game:

Subject and Predicate Quiz (for extra work)

Math:

3rd Week problem solving skills.
This is the song we sing when we solve a problem. Ask your child to sing it. They DEFINITELY know it! 

Read Twice
Underline the questions 'cause it tells what must be found
write your find
soooooolve, the way we solve is we
act it out
choose a strategy
show your work! 

Please see the previous newsletter to see the different ways that we represent a word problem:
strip diagram, number line, and base 10 blocks. 

Science and Social Studies:

Force and Motion (2nd Week)
Founding Fathers

Please bring in box tops! :) 


Secret Newsletter Code:Write a sentence with 3 nouns and 1 adjective.


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What's New (10/10-10/15)

What We're Learning:

Math:
2nd week of problem solving (3 weeks total)
Ask your child to sing you the problem solving song.
Representing word problems in MANY different ways.
Check out what I mean here----> (CLICK HERE)


Reading: 
Main idea in non-fiction texts.
I encourage you to open a magazine with your child and ask them about the text features that they notice! How does the text feature you are pointing to help the reader? 

Grammar:
Subject and Predicate

Spelling: 
Prefixes and Suffixes 
-tion endings

Writing:
Expository Writing

Social Studies: 
Celebrate Freedom Week
Thomas Jefferson

UIL Permission Slips

UIL permission slips are going home Friday! I highly encourage you to chat with your child about trying out.

NO SCHOOL:

Monday, October 10th
Friday October 7th, Wear midway colors! 
October 13th is Fall picture day! 

Secret Code:

If you had to give up ONE of the two food items below and never eat it again, 
what would you (kid) pick?
Pizza OR Cupcakes/Cakes ? 

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What's Happening (10/3-10/7)



SWAT

Swat forms were sent home with every student, today. Forms are due NO LATER than Wednesday, October 5th. If your child managed to let the paper fall out of the backpack, you can see the form by clicking ---> HERE

Steve Harspter

Today, we have the pleasure of having Steve Harpser the author/illustrator visit our grade! He taught our kids how to draw and use their imagination! He has sent his drawing books to CCE to sell next week. They are $7.50 and our school will receive 30% of the book sales! 

Homework

In an effort to make homework easier in case your child loses a copy and you do not notice until the weekend, I am going to create a post that will have all of the homework assignments scanned. 
As the year progresses, you can use past homework assignments as a review for your children if you are looking for more help at home. 
To access the homework post click  ----> {HERE}

Secret Code

Do you have a pet? What is their name?! :)
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What's Happening (9/26-9/30)

*If this image is a little fuzzy, I recommend clicking the image so it will enlarge*

Parent Night

I placed on our Google Calendar (I know are't you sick of me constantly saying that haha) awhile back, but I wanted to bring it your attention in case you forgot.
Parent night is 9/27 from 6:00-7:00. This night is only for parents, and is a chance for me answer any questions you may have about 3rd grade routines. I will also be sharing tips for a successful 3rd grade year!

Need a Tutor for Your Child?

9/19 I sent an email out regarding FREE tutoring for your child. If you would like more information about that, you can click {HERE} or the link below:

Dress Up Days!

Don't ever miss a dress up day! Earlier this week, I sent home a print out that had all of our dress up days for the year! It should have been in your child's PAWS folder. If they lost it, I am providing a PDF copy (it is ALSO on the you guessed it...GOOGLE CALENDAR! ha)
Here is the link:

Secret Code! 

Thanks for sticking to the end!
The code is:
Question: 
What does your child want to be when they grow up?

Have them write the answer down (along with their name) on a piece of paper and I will give them $5 to spend in their class store! 

Thank you for your continued support and willingness to read what is happening in your child's classroom! :)


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National Honor Society Tutoring



Families,


In the link below you will find the Midway High School National Honor Society members for 2016-17. 
To maintain active membership, NHS members must complete twenty hours of community service, four of which must be tutoring. 

 If you would like to capitalize on this offer, please use the link provided below. 

 You may contact any of the NHS members on the list to set up tutoring times. Most NHS members keep hectic schedules, so you may need to call three or four people from the list until they find someone who is available.  

 The subjects checked by the students are those courses for which they are comfortable tutoring at the high school level.  

 They should be able to tutor any subject at the middle school level or below. 

 Tutoring hours are a part of their community service and therefore they should not receive payment.

 Please understand that a NHS member may not feel comfortable going to a stranger’s house, so the parents of students needing tutoring should be willing to meet the tutor at a neutral site such as Starbucks, etc.

Please make arrangements directly with the NHS members. 

This arrangement is between you and the NHS member. Please understand that the NHS member is not responsible for finding curriculum for your child. You will provide what you would like to help them with yourself. Google has tons of worksheets and ideas for you to pull for the tutoring! 


To access the numbers click the link below:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-o7hEd383OABaHMuGZ5fhMLSR5Pct8JZLSHqQ8Kx2z0/edit#gid=363582727


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What's Happening 9/19



Box Tops:

If you have any box tops, please send them to school.



SECRET CODE:

Where is you child's favorite place to eat? 


*Please have your child's name on the paper so I know who to give the $5 to spend in our class store*

Thank you so much for reading the newsletter.
Have a great week! 
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What's Happening 9/12


Progress Reports:

Progress reports will go home next week. There are not as many grades at the moment since no grades were taken the 1st week of school.

If you would like to see your child's grades that are posted online ahead of time you can sign up for 

Home Access Center

See how to sign up here: http://www.midwayisd.org/cms/lib/TX01000662/Centricity/Domain/13/HAC%20Online%20Registration%20Directions.pdf

Why Some Grades for your Child may be Blank:

There will be times when your child makes a less than desirable grade. When this situations happens. I give the kids an opportunity to re-test and retake.

For example:

Sally makes a 50 on a quiz.
Ms. Calderon records the grade on a paper copy so she knows to pull that child for a small group to re-teach her that standard.
Ms. Calderon also keeps the original grade so she can staple it to the re-take quiz
After the child masters the standard Ms. Calderon gives Sally the quiz again. 
The better grade THEN goes in the grade book. 

Please keep in mind that while I am ensuring that your child can master the standard, I am also having to teach the new lessons the following week. Therefore, this may not go as quickly as you imagine. However, by doing this I am ensuring that no child is left behind. 

How Math Tests Work in 3rd Grade

Kids take a math test that covers the big unit that we taught. The teacher will record the data of the children's scores. All of the 3rd grade teachers will meet and group the kids based on what they need. For example, if a child made a 90-100 on the quiz, they will be extended with higher level thinking concepts. 

Once groups are made, every day for 30 minutes a day, the kids will switch classes and be re-taught the previous unit. 

At the conclusion of 2 weeks, the kids will re-take their math test and will receive the better grade.

This is the reason you will see a CFA grade in the grade book but it will not be sent home until the re-test is given. 

Super secret code #3:

I am sad to report that last week I had ZERO children turn in the secret code. I use this secret code as an accountability for myself and the parents. If I am not receiving and codes, then I will assume parents do not need me to communicate with them weekly. Your child is also receiving $5 each week the code is brought back to me! J

Thank you so much for reading this newsletter! 
Please have your child write down their favorite sport and I will give them $5 to spend in our class store! 


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What's Happening 09/06



Want to know everything that is happening at CCE? 
I have added all the dates to a Google Calendar!
Just click the CALENDAR tab at the top of this site or click {HERE}

Last week, we worked on the different ways to represent a number.
Here is an example below:

Give your child various numbers and ask them to represent the numbers in these different forms for more practice at home.

Thank you SO MUCH for checking this newsletter! 
If you read this, please have your child write down a book that they are currently reading.
They can write it on any slip of paper and bring it to me in the morning.
I will give them FIVE dollars to spend in our class store! :) 

Thank you so much for taking the time to learn about your child's classroom!
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What's Happening 08/29

Hello Families!

I cannot believe that we are about to begin our SECOND week of 3rd grade! Lot's of fun and fundamental skills will take place this coming week. Here's what's happening:



If you would like some ideas to help your child with this math skill at home,
check out the "Home Activities" tab on this website! :) 


Homework begin this week.
Homework is given to the kids on a Monday and due the FOLLOWING Monday.
Unless there is no school on Monday, they will receive their homework on a Tuesday but it is STILL due the following Monday. 

PAWS FOLDER:

A yellow take home folder (PAWS folder). Will serve as a communication tool for you and me. Assignments not for a grade will go home daily (unless it is an activity on the iPad). Graded papers will be sent home on Friday's. Please ensure you are checking this folder so you may review and empty its contents. 

Place lunch money in an envelope in the zipper pouch.
Envelope must include the child's first and last name, grade, and teacher name.

If you have a handwritten note that you need to give me, please place the note in the front pocket of the yellow PAWS folder. 


I have been posting what our class has been learning to our {Class Twitter} page.
Please sign up and show your child that you are taking an interest in their learning! I try my hardest to give you a peak into the classroom in hopes this will help you have great conversation starters when discussing school with your child. 

Want to see what's happening but don't want to create an account?
Click {HERE} or the Twitter tab at the top of this page. 





If you read this blog post, have your child write down their favorite color on a piece of paper and I will give them $5 to spend in our class store!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this! 

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