Class Updates

I thought I would take this blog post to update you on a few things happening in our classroom.

Spelling

    We have now had two weeks of our spelling routines. Every Monday, students will take a pretest over 10 words that fit a certain pattern. Based on their score on this pretest, students are given either list A or list B. These lists contain 10 new words that also fit the pattern. Throughout the week, students learn about the patterns and complete various activities using their words. On Fridays, they are given a test over their ten words and then five new words. Those tests will come home Monday along with the new list for the week. Since it is a short week, we will not do spelling this week. We will use this time to practice how to write in complete sentences. 

Brown Bag

    In case you missed it in the newsletter a couple of weeks ago, we will be having a brown bag lunch in our classroom on Friday, October 17th. Our lunch is from 12:55-1:20.  Feel free to bring your third grader lunch or you can purchase the school lunch. 

Please let me know if you have any questions!

Geometry Dash-By Owen

This is Geometry Dash. #BestGame. Our class got to use iPads for tools to help us learn. When we finished, we got to have free time on the iPad. I love technology and I requested this app. (WARNING this app will NOT help your child learn) This app is based on a cube running through courses full of obstacles, different modes and TONS more. From rocket ships, to spinning wheels, to upside down parts, and lots of other fun stuff. Now, before you download this app, you should take note that there is a full version and a lite. The full is $1.99 and the lite is FREE. Another thing is this app may get you addicted. 

                 BE AWARE!!! 

      

                                          Now get on your iPad and download NOW!!

Literacy Rotations

We started our new literacy routine this week. After lunch recess, students listen to the read aloud book. Following that, groups of students are divided into smaller groups and given a task. Here is the rotation schedule for our first round today. 

The different stations are independent reading, word work, guided reading, and writing. We are still practicing what to do in each of these stations, but they are getting the hang of it! They continue this activity for around 20 minutes and are then sent to a new station. I caught these students being excellent examples of what to do:

During the word work station, students are asked to choose an activity from a menu. 

They use their current spelling words to complete the activities. Each activity is worth a certain number of points. The goal is for students to get at least 25 points each week. 

Bar Diagrams-By Jessica

In math today, we were practicing on bar diagrams. A bar diagram is a strategy that shows addition. 

You are trying to figure out the answer to the word problem. You make a bar diagram and put the numbers that you are adding in the boxes. These are called the parts. On top of the bar diagram, you put the whole. I made up this problem. Do you know the whole?

Answer: 800 kids

Read Aloud

Last week, we started a new read aloud called Kensuke's Kingdom. Here is a brief synopsis:

When Michael is washed up on an island in the Pacific after falling from his parent's yacht, the Peggy Sue, he struggles to survive on his own. But he soon realizes there is someone close by, someone who is watching over him and helping him to stay alive. Following a close-run battle between life and death, the mysterious someone--Kensuke--allows Michael into his world and they become friends, teaching and learning from each other, until the day of separation becomes inevitable.

This is one of my favorite read alouds of the year, as there are so many themes to discuss: bravery, friendship, and survival to name a few. Our main character Michael, has just met Kensuke for the first time. The students are loving the action and suspense as we read each day. Make sure to ask your third grader about what new adventures Michael and Stella (his dog) have had!

QR Code Addition-By Ja'Renzo

In math today, we were doing 3-digit addition. There were numbered cards on the tables, counters, and white boards that had problems on them. We had to solve the problems on paper using a strategy. Then we had to use our new iPads to scan the card. Each card had a symbol on it and you had to take a picture of it. The answer would pop up on your screen. If you got it wrong, you had to find your mistake and fix it. If it was right, you got to move on to another card. 

Addition Strategies

Our class has moved forward with three digit addition. Each student has the ability to us a strategy that makes sense to them. Here is our list of strategies:

Before I reviewed and taught the regrouping strategy, we worked very hard on understanding the why behind it. I let students know that as a student myself, I wasn't sure why I was putting that one up there. I just knew my teacher wanted me to and it would get me to the right answer. By using place value blocks and modeling what is happening to these numbers as they are being added, students will have a better understanding of this strategy and be able to apply it down the road. When working with your students on math, please always strive to ask the why questions to promote that stronger number sense. 

Choice Ladder-By Kenley

This is our choice ladder. If you are talking when Mrs. Fox is talking, you get a warning from her.  If you keep talking, then you move your clip down one to the Warning spot. If you keep talking to your friends, then you move your clip down to Think Sheet. A think sheet is a paper where you tell what you did and why you did it and what you should do next time. If you keep talking some more, then you go down to the Office spot. Then you go downstairs to the office to talk to Mrs. Patton (the principal) or Mr. Gabel (the assistant principal). They would call your parents. You get to move your clip back to Start the next day so you have a fresh start! This ladder can be for any behavior that you do that is bad. I like the choice ladder because you get another chance before you get a think sheet. 

p.s. Knock, knock...

       Who's there?

       Ach...

       Ach who?

       Bless you!

Lighthouses

Yesterday in shared reading, we looked at a book called Lighthouses, Beacons of the Past. We are using this book to discuss how good readers ask questions before, during, and after reading. We have looked at the cover so far and come up with these questions...

The blue ones are questions we had about the cover and title. The pink ones are yes/no questions. The yellow ones are everything else! As you can see, we have quite a few questions about lighthouses. We had a wonderful discussion about how some of the yellow questions are deeper than others, but that all of our questions are important. Tomorrow, we will add to this chart as we begin reading the book. Students will star the questions that get answered. We are looking forward to becoming lighthouse experts!

Math-By Trina

Today in math, we learned how to regroup and we used tens, ones, and hundreds. 

We were adding 37 and 44. We learned how to add a one to the tens column if the ones equal more than 10. We used place value blocks on the Smart Board. This strategy is easier for me because it's really fast. But it might not be the easiest for everyone!

P.S. What kind of dog likes to take a shower?

Answer: a shampoodle!

Questimate

This morning in math, we discussed how to estimate. We started by playing a game on the iPad called Questimate. Students were able to create a question (the sillier, the better) and then estimate their answers. Here is an example of a question...

Most questions looked like this where they had to drag the arrow to the best estimate. Students developed some wonderful mathematical strategies! Here is another picture of when they show your answer compared to the actual answer. 

Not only did we practice our estimating skills, but we also learned some great trivia. Did you know it would take 9.1 soccer balls to reach the height of Kobe Bryant? 

The free version of the app comes with an introductory amount of questions, but you are able to purchase coins to unlock different categories. It is definitely an app I will continue to use! We took our estimating skills to the next level by then finding estimates of addition problems. 

Missouri Strings Project

This morning, 3rd graders had the opportunity to learn about the Missouri Strings Project. We saw musicians play the violin, viola, and cello. The students loved listening to these instruments! Your third grader brought home a blue brochure today with more information. The first Open House to learn more and sign up is this Saturday.

Plickers!

Today we tried out a new response system called Plickers. Every student got a card with their number on it that is linked to their name. 

Students were asked a multiple choice question with four possible answers. They held up their card a certain way to show which answer they chose. For example, if a student wanted to choose A, they hold up their Plicker card so A is at the top of the card. I then went around scanning student's cards with the iPad. I received instant feedback and could see every student's response. 

The kids and I really enjoyed this new technology and will definitely be using it in the future!

Community Books

In Social Studies this week, we have been discussing communities. Today, we made a book that shows the different communities that are special to us. We started with ourselves and then talked about Paxton Keeley, Columbia, Missouri, the United States, North America, and finally the Earth. Here we are in the process of making the books:

And the finished product!