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!

Math Unit 6: Geometry and Perimeter

Third graders have started on Bridges Math, Unit 6.  Our current focus is on geometry and perimeter.  Our geometry focus is on quadrilaterals.  On Tuesday, we created tangram pieces from a square and then put the square back together.  It took a lot of perseverance to put the tangram pieces back into a square.  Everyone's hard work was rewarded with a prize!

Bridges Unit 6 Parent Information

On Thursday, we created a scavenger hunt for our Pre-K buddies.  They had to follow our clues all over the playground to find a St. Patrick's Day treat!

We had a great time with our Skype session with Alex London, author of many elementary age books.  Here is a link to his web page.

Alex London

Here is photos of kids enjoying the Skype session with the Everybody Wins Mentors.

Wax Museum a Great Success!

Dear Families,

I am so proud of the outstanding job that the third graders did with the Wax Museum.  The costumes were magnificent and EVERYONE knew their speeches.  It was a lot of hard work to stand and give the speeches over and over.  Everyone got very hot and tired, but they hung in there and did a fantastic job.   Here are a few highlights from the event!

Rosa Parks, Rosa Parks and Rosa Parks

Ruby Bridges standing with Rosa, Rosa and Rosa!

Harriet Beecher Stowe with Ruby Bridges

The 16th and 44th President Standing Together!

George Washington Carver

Sojourner Truth

Sojourner Truth and Lincoln meeting once again!

Jackie Robinson times 2!

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

How many times do I need to give this speech?

This mustache is hot!

I am important because.....

This is hard work!

"Some people think I was tired..."

Rosa with a huge smile!

What a lady!

"I helped start the Montgomery bus boycotts..."

President Obama

 Look, I finally got a picture of Phoenix smiling!

Conferences This Week:
I look forward to seeing everyone for your child's Student Led Conference.  Please be sure your third grader comes with you.  They will be leading the conference.  If you were unable to make it to school for the Wax Museum, I have all of the third graders on video tape.  I will share the video with you at your child's conference.

Friday is the Wax Museum!

Dear Families,

Friday, March 4th is the Wax Museum.  Students have been working hard on their reports, back drops and speeches.  Please check in with your child to make sure that he/she has everything needed for his/her costume.  We are looking forward to seeing you for this fun event!

Wax Museum

Friday, March 4

1:00-2:00 p.m.

Third Graders will be reading Mystery Books for their home reading during the the month of March.  Students will try to read several mystery books during the month and complete small projects around their books.  In addition to Mystery Books, students will also be choosing a novel to read during class as part of a mixed grade level book group.  I have notices that many students are "forgetting" to fill out their book logs and return them to school on a daily basis.  As we move into our March Mystery Books, we will be working to read for a minimum of 20 minutes a night and to fill out reading logs daily.

It is hard to believe that March is almost here!  It is time to think of Spring Conferences.  The March Conference is a student led conference.  Students will spend time over the next two weeks preparing for their conferences.  This conference is a great opportunity for students to share what they have learned this year and set goals for the remainder of the school year.  There is a lot of preparation that goes into these conferences.  It is very helpful, if all of the conferences can be done over a few days, so that you child has an opportunity to share his/her information soon after he/she prepares for the conferences.  I will be trying to do all of the third grade conferences on March 10 and 11th.  Your child will bring home a list of conference times on Monday.  Please choose three times that you and your child are available for a conference and send back the form as soon as possible.  You may also email me a list of times you are available, and I can get back to you by email.  I will be running conferences from 2;30-7:00 p.m.  on Thursday, March 10 and 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Friday, March 11.  I look forward to meeting with you and your child.

I have been spending time helping third graders get familiar with the computerized Smarter Balance Test that all third graders will be taking at the beginning of May.  Third graders have had a chance to explore some of the training and practice tests.  This gives them an opportunity to experience the type of questions they will be asked and know how to use the various computer buttons that are available to them.  I have attached a link to the SBAC student/family training site, so that you have an opportunity to see what the SBAC third grade test is like.  If you need help navigating through the training, ask your third grader for assistance!

Smarter Balance Training 

Students had a wonderful afternoon skating on Friday, February 12.  Here are some photos from this fun even!

Addison skating for the ball!

Emma is about to kick the ball.

Holly and Luke are off!

Look at Vance go!

Mare (Luke's Grandmother) sent bracelets from Florida for all of the third graders and their preschool buddies.  Here are some photos of students wearing their new bracelets!

In math, we are hard at work on division.  Here are photos of a few of the models that we have been using to show our division thinking!