Home Stretch

Dear Families,

I hope everyone had a fun, relaxing vacation.  We are entering the final 8 weeks of third grade.  We have a lot planned to keep the third graders academically focused until the final day of school, Thursday, June 9.  In literacy, we will begin a research unit.  Third graders will be working collaboratively to research an Australian animal and then each third grader will write a report from their animal's perspective.  In addition, they will create a sculpture of their chosen animal in art class.  Students will also be reading book club books in mixed grade level groups.  At 1:00 on June 3, we will have a 3-5 Open House to share work.

In math, we are beginning our final unit.  This unit is centered around multi-digit multiplication and fractions.  Here is a description of what your student will be learning in this unit.
Unit 7


During the week of May 16-20, third graders will be participating in the SBAC test.  It is very important that your child arrives at school on time this week, ready to test.  We will be spending a large part of the morning working on this computerized test.  If students need more time, they will be able to continue with the test in the afternoon.

This summer, I will be helping teachers around the country get started with the Bridges Math Program.  I would like to use some photos and short videos of students working on math, as well as a few work samples in my presentation.  Your child is bringing home a permission form to allow me to use these items.  I would appreciate it if you would sign this permission form and return it to school as soon as possible.  No identifiable information about your child will be used.  Before vacation, you received a permission form from Steven, the Middlebuy College intern that has been observing in our class, to video tape a math lesson that he will be teaching next week.  If you have not signed the form, I would appreciate it you could sign it and return the form to school before Thursday.

I hope you have marked your calendar to join us on our Shelburne Farms field trip on Wednesday, May 25!

Here are some fun photos from the past few weeks.

How many tokens for this item?

Checking out the items.

Thomas did a good job bartering.

A quick way to subtract across zeroes.

Using the law of constant difference.

Holly handing out morning fruit!

This must be a good book.

Third Graders will be bringing home cabbages today for a 3rd Grade Cabbage Contest.  Please read the attached information to learn more about this fun opportunity for your child.

Cabbage Contest

Music Concert, Tuesday, April 12

Dear Families,

Third graders have been working hard to get ready for their Spring Concert on Tuesday, April 12.  The concert will start at 6:00 p.m.  Students should arrive at school at 5:45 and come dressed to perform in clean, bright clothes.

We have started to learn about the continent of Australia in preparation for our upcoming Non-Fiction Research Unit.  After vacation, third graders will choose an Australian animal to become an expert on. They will be writing an informational article on their animal and making a sculpture in art class.  Part of our Australia unit, includes geography work.  Your student has a map of the world to study.  He/she is learning to identify the continents and major oceans on the map.

In math, we will are completing our study of quadrilaterals and moving into area, perimeter and further work with fractions.  We hope to finish this unit before the April vacation.


On May 25, third and fourth grades will be going to Shelburne Farms for a field trip.  We will be participating in a Wet Lands Investigation.   Mark your calendars with this date, we would love to have parents join us!