THE STUDENTS ARE PROGRESSING ALONG QUITE NICELY! WHAT A DELIGHT THEY ARE TO HAVE. THEY ARE ALL VERY KIND AND ATTENTIVE TO EACH OTHER. THIS MAKES TEACHING THEM EASY.THEY ARE VERY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT ANY NEW SKILLS WE ARE LEARNING. REMEMBER THIS GRADE BECOMES A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT WITH EACH PASSING MONTH, BECAUSE THEY ARE LEARNING NEW SKILLS. THE SKILLS LEARNED HAVE TO BE APPLIED WITH PREVIOUS SKILLS LEARNED AND WITH THE NEW SKILL THEY LEARN THIS YEAR. IT IS NOT SKILLS ISOLATED ON ONE SHEET BUT RATHER MANY SKILLS. THESE SKILLS  SHOULD ALSO BE APPLIED IN THEIR WRITING. LET'S NOT JUST LEARN A SKILL AND FORGET IT!
 
 

     THE STORIES AND THE VOCABULARY ARE ALSO BECOMING LONGER AND MORE DIFFICULT. EVERYONE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DECODE THE NEW WORDS IF THEY USE THE PHONICS APPROACH THAT WAS GIVEN TO THEM IN SECOND GRADE AND CONTINUED INTO THIRD. THEY NEED TO TAKE THEIR TIME AND SOUND OUT WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SAY. VOCABULARY WORDS WILL BE LONGER WORDS THAT DEFINITELY NEED TO BE DECODED OR SOUNDED OUT. IF YOU ARE HAVING A GREAT DEAL OF PROBLEMS- MAKE OUT FLASH CARDS. REMEMBER THE TEST IS ALWAYS ON FRIDAYS.

     STUDENTS CAN ALWAYS TAKE HOME THEIR READING BOOK OVER THE WEEKEND TO GET A JUMP START ON THE STORY OF THE WEEK. THIS ALSO CAN COUNT FOR THEIR READING MINUTES. PLEASE,PLEASE,PLEASE, READ WITH THEM OR ENCOURAGE THEM TO READ. IT SHOULD NOT BE A CHORE. GET BOOKS OR MAGAZINES THAT THEY WILL ENJOY. THIS READING HELPS THEM WITH COMPREHENSION AND READING SWIFTLY AND FLUENTLY FOR MEANING.

     THE SKILLS IN COMPREHENSION WILL ALSO BECOME MORE INVOLVED. THEY WILL BE LOOKING FOR TOPICS,MAIN IDEAS,DETAILS,NOTE TAKING, SUFFIXES, PREFIXES,AND DICTIONARY SKILLS.AGAIN, THE SKILLS WILL BE COMBINED.THEY TRULY CAN DO IT! IT WILL JUST BE A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT AND CHALLENGING.

     THERE WILL BE TWO BOOK REPORTS DUE DURING THE WINTER MONTHS. ONE REPORT WILL BE DONE ON ANIMALS. THIS BOOK CAN BE FICTION OR NON-FICTION. THE OUTLINE FOR BOTH WAS SENT HOME. THE SECOND BOOK REPORT WILL BE A BIOGRAPHY.THEY MAY CHOSE ONE FROM HOME OR GET ONE FROM THE LIBRARY. WE WILL BE DOING A MINI BIOGRAPHY BOOK REPORT IN SCHOOL ON A BIOGRPHY THAT I ASSIGN THEM. EVERYTHING IS ALWAYS MODELED FOR THEM. THERE IS AN OUTLINE AND A RUBRIC SENT HOME AT ATHE BEGINNING OF THE ASSIGNMENT. ALL RESPONSES HAVE TO BE DONE IN COMPLETE SENTENCES.

     Along with Reading,Math, is getting a bit more difficult also. The students need to know ALL the bascic multiplication facts up to nine by MARCH. We have been practicing daily, doing games and skill sheets so the students will become more proficient. Now it is up to them to learn them and practice them at home, if they do not know them.After Fevruary vacation, third grade will be getting into longer multipication problems. They will learn the traditional way of multiplying.  We can not hold up the class if one or two people are not proficient.STUDY!STUDY!STUDY! PLEASE ! We will also touch upon simple division and two digit by one digit multiplication.

     Geometry  will also be touched upon. Each day we have  a math message to figure out and practice the times tables. The practice is developed by the students themselves. Word problems will also get more involved.
      Students that are not studying on their own, will be asked to practice the times tables by writing them.

     What great writers they have become! Their sentences should be longer, containing all the different parts of speech we have covered in class. Parts of speech are: pronouns, nouns,verbs, subjects, predicates. We will be covering adjectives and adverbs shortly. Every week for their spelling sentences, the skill should be applied. 

     Their stories are more interesting because they are using more descriptive words.Using the weekly vocabulary words from reading is encouraged. Any spelling words or spellling changes that they have learned needs to be applied in their writing. Points will be taken off for any spelling errors. Please remember to check the writing rubric for grading . The writing rubric is always in their writing folder so they are aware of the expectations. We have also been reading storries that are treceiving a five. This way they have a clear example of what is expected.

This time of year is very important, the Lenten  Season. We will be learning the Stations of the Cross and all about the hard journey Jesus took. During Lent it is important that prayer, sacrifice and alms giving is emphasized. ALMS GIVING  will be our priority this year. The students are old enough to be doing good deeds for others. Look for ways for them to help out at home. They will have a chart of good deeds to keep. The students will be bringing home some  Bible readings to place in a special area at home. Remember to choose realistic lenten practices.
Before Lent begins, we have Catholic School Week. Look for the information about the activites we will be doing.

SCIENCE AND SOCIAL STUDIES

During the month of  January,February and March, Social Studies is empahsized , Martin Luther King,- Black History, Lincoln and Washington"s birthday, Presidents Day.During the month of March , we will return to map skills and geography. In Science , we will turn our attention to physical sciences - machines, forces, and chemicla reactions. All students are expected to keep their graphic organizes up to date with the facts and vocabulary they are learning with the unit. 

REMINDER
 

              Please remember it is chilly out ,but we all need the fresh air and physical activity. Please make sure they have warm coats, mittens and hats.As always we certainly can use classroom supplies, especially tissue and paper towels.
Have your child check frequently to replenish his/her school suppl;ies. 
Thank you so much for your continues support.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 PLEASE TAKE SPECIAL NOTE!
 
 

 Please be advised that we cannot heat up any lunch items. If you want your child to have a hot lunch, please use a thermos to keep it warm. There is no place for a microwave in the classroom. It takes to long to heat items if there is more than one child who needs his/her lunch heated.

   STAYING SAFE
 My main job as a teacher is to make sure your child is safe and secure. This happens when a consistent set of rules is set to follow. This allows the student to realize what behavior is expected of him/her and to realize the rewards and consequences.
 I have always believed in positive reinforcement for positive behavior, so the emphasis is on the positive. There will be three types of positive reinforcement in our classroom. The first is the Star of the Week; this allows every child to participate in special privileges for the week. The class votes on the student who follows all the rules of the classroom and who is kind and responsible. No individual gets a second chance before everyone gets one. The second reinforcement is accomplished by rewarding a student for good behavior, good citizenship and responding the correct way, through the use of a check system. For every good deed a check is given. If the student has completed twenty checks during the month he/she receives a small reward. The chart is completed at their own pace. Every twenty checks are a different reward. The third type of reward is a system called Happy Grams. For every good deed or good participation the student receives a happy gram. The student places his/her name on the gram and places it in a basket. At the end of the week two happy grams are chosen. These people are given the privilege of choosing a prize form the happy gram box. What a great motivator. It’s Fun!
 There is also a class reward called Minute Madness. This is a class effort. For every good deed performed by the entire class a minute slip is place in the bin. All the minutes are added up at the end of the month and allotted minutes are put aside to do something special with the entire class. This special event is voted on by the entire class.
 There are times when some students do not chose to follow the rules or be cooperative, this is when I believe assertive discipline should take place. The child should be held accountable for his/her actions. Each child has three stars place on his/her chart. If he is disruptive or does not follow the rules he/she is given a warning. The second warning a star must be taken. When all three stars are taken, he/she looses ten minutes of their recess time. The student will be given a behavior slip to be signed by the parent. The student makes out the slip. If the behavior is continued, he will receive silent lunch in another classroom. Further infractions, a parent conference will be held. A list of all rules, rewards and consequences is posted in the classroom. Information explaining this program was also sent home to parents to read over and sign. 
 Regarding safety issues, please make sure your child knows his/her home address and phone number. Please labile your entire child’s important items, sweaters, lunchboxes, backpacks, and sweats.
 
 
 
 

       HOMEWORK

 Homework will be posted every night on Schoolnotes.com. I also post the weekly spelling and vocabulary words every week on the site, just in case they are forgotten in school. Homework will be given every Monday through Thursday.Please make sure the homework is in the school bag every night.
 I have given each one of the students a no homework pass, for a day that homework can not be gotten too.
 Monday night, the students will have reading and math homework. The spelling folder is past out that day, but does not have to be started.
 Tuesday night the students will have reading question and math.
Wednesday night, only math is given. This is a good opportunity to start the spelling assignments.
Thursday night, just math is given. REMEMBER TO STUDY THE VOCABUALRY WORDS AND SPELLING WORDS FOR ATHE TEST ON FRIDAY.
 All homework should be written down in their agendas. All students need to be responsible for their homework.
 Always try to provide a quiet place free of distractions for your child to do his/her homework.

  FOLDERS

 Folders will be passed out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Please check over the work and return the folder to school the next day. Checking the folders regularly gives you an excellent way of knowing how your child is doing.
 

SCHEDULE

Monday- Gym and Art
Tuesday – Spanish
Wednesday – Computer
Thursday- Music and Library
Friday- Just me!

PICK UP AND DROP OFF

Students will play in the side play yard before school. Third graders line up under the basketball hoops when the commencement bell rings. If it is bad weather students will go to the gym and then be dismissed to sit outside their classroom until school begins.
At dismissal time, third graders will be dismissed by Mrs. Burns through the side gym doors leading to the blacktop.

 Every year brings something new and different. The students are always a delight and I enjoy learning from them and about them. 
 Please know that I am always available to speak with you before or after school hours. Just contact me and we will set up an appointment.