It is hard to believe that this school year is coming to an end. We have had such a wonderful experience with this special group of students, and we don't want to say goodbye! Lucky for us, we still have six weeks left to learn with them! We know there are a lot of activities, late nights, and busy schedules. Please help your child stay organized and get good sleep, as we wrap up this important third grade school year.
The Colorado History Affinity Project is underway and the students seem excited to dig in to their research. We
have spent an incredible third grade school year studying Colorado history. Now, they get to focus on one area that really interests them and has a special meaning to
them. This project is going to take our students on a journey to discover information about
their chosen topics that will deepen their understanding and appreciation of Colorado
history.
Students are working hard on making dash notes while researching, and a calendar of due dates has been provided. Please keep this at home to help guide your child know what to do and when. We send home a copy of this calendar with homework each week, and highlight that week's responsibilities; however they may need your guidance as well.
We are wrapping up our settlers unit (miners and pioneers). Check out your child's blog for an iMovie trailer of their journey west. Our final social studies unit is called The Making of a State. We will be answering the following questions:
- What is a territory?
- How did Colorado become a territory?
- Who were the first territory governors?
- What was a Constitutional Convention?
- How was a Colorado territory law passed?
- How did Colorado finally become a state?
- What are some of Colorado's state symbols?
As part of this unit, we will be visiting the State Capital and Governor's Mansion on Friday, April 24!
Third grade ERB testing dates are slightly different than what is noted on the Graland calendar. We will be testing Monday, April 20 - Thursday, April 23. Other grades will more than likely be sticking to the Graland ERB dates, which are the same week, but Tuesday-Friday. Third grade is unable to test on Friday due to a great field trip opportunity! As a reminder, please make sure your child gets rest and a hearty breakfast before testing days.
Third grade ERB testing dates are slightly different than what is noted on the Graland calendar. We will be testing Monday, April 20 - Thursday, April 23. Other grades will more than likely be sticking to the Graland ERB dates, which are the same week, but Tuesday-Friday. Third grade is unable to test on Friday due to a great field trip opportunity! As a reminder, please make sure your child gets rest and a hearty breakfast before testing days.
In literacy, we will continue practicing a variety of comprehension strategies, including story structure, monitor/clarify, compare and contrast, visualize, sequence of events, analyze/evaluate, author's purpose, questioning, text and graphic features, and inferring/predicting.
We are studying different phonics skills, grammar, and vocabulary strategies:
Our classroom writing instruction is now focused on two specific writing traits: voice and word choice. These traits will enhance our students' writing. We will continue to practice brainstorming, editing skills, and development of ideas. Congratulations on the completion of your child's first WrAP (Writing Assessment Program).
- Base Words and -ed, -ing, -s, -es endings
- Suffixes -ful, -y, -ous, -ly, -er, -est, -less, -ness, -able
- Base word and prefix non-, in-, im-, un-, pre-, re-, bi-
- Possessive Nouns and Pronouns
- Less Common Plurals
- Changing Final y to i
- Abbreviations
- What is an adverb?
- Analogies
- What is a preposition?
Our classroom writing instruction is now focused on two specific writing traits: voice and word choice. These traits will enhance our students' writing. We will continue to practice brainstorming, editing skills, and development of ideas. Congratulations on the completion of your child's first WrAP (Writing Assessment Program).
Students have been working hard in math. We are going to continue multiplication and division using bar models to assist in two step story problems. We will end the school year with fractions!
As you can see, we are busy in third grade, and we have even more events to look forward to. Mountain Man, Doc Grizzly, will be joining us on the afternoon of May 6, and all day on May 7. Then, we will visit the History Colorado Center for our final trip of the school year on May 19. Be on the lookout for information from drama teacher, Tony Catanese, for dates/time of the upcoming third grade plays.
The third grade tradition is to hold our end-of-year party on the last morning of school. Parents and students celebrate at a potluck breakfast on the terrace off the Anschutz Commons. More information will be coming from your room parent, and please plan to join us for breakfast from 8:30-9:25!
We appreciate all of your support at home! Thank you for a wonderful school year and we will be in touch many times over these last six weeks.
The third grade tradition is to hold our end-of-year party on the last morning of school. Parents and students celebrate at a potluck breakfast on the terrace off the Anschutz Commons. More information will be coming from your room parent, and please plan to join us for breakfast from 8:30-9:25!
We appreciate all of your support at home! Thank you for a wonderful school year and we will be in touch many times over these last six weeks.
The Third Grade Team
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