March Newsletter

We continue our exciting and busy learning in third grade. The month is kicking off with a terrific field trip to History Colorado Center to link our learning about our wonderful state’s history to artifacts and exhibits related to these topics.

Student-led conferences are Thursday, March 16 and Friday, March 17. We look forward to this opportunity for your children to share their learning and progress with you around the table. While we believe this is a powerful and celebratory experience, it can also be daunting for some children. We ask that you come prepared to ask uplifting questions and share supportive comments with your child. They are excited to share their work with you, and they have all accomplished so much! 

The curriculum has been driving a busy classroom environment. In math, we have honed our skill of multiplying 3-digit by 1–digit numbers.  Next, we are moving into division.  Our division work will culminate with doing long division problems that require regrouping and have remainders.  Division can be a difficult concept for students.  You can help at home by having them divide items evenly into groups (It’s okay if they have remainders, too).  This concrete work anchors division in real situations that they can reflect back on when they are practicing the algorithm.   The automaticity of multiplication facts and division facts is critical for student’s confidence and success with long division and fractions. We will continue to work on these skills in class and practice at home will help your child solidify the processes.

Literacy instruction is woven into everything we do each day. In language arts, we are learning about many rules that govern our language: prefixes, suffixes, possessive nouns, possessive pronouns, and proper nouns to name a few. As we read, we are identifying story structure and using monitor/clarify and visualizing to deepen our comprehension. This month we will wrap up our persuasive writing unit and begin fictional narratives – always a favorite of students.  If you have a cherished fairy tale or imaginative picture book from your childhood, feel free to share it with your student.  Newbery books are flying off of the shelves and students are sharing their book reviews of titles they have read. New genres have been enjoyed and an excitement of reading has been seen in our classrooms. Thank you for supporting this endeavor. Our annual book fair will be held in the Fries Theater and will be a great place to pick up some books for your home library and be perfect for Spring Break reading!

Book Fair Sale Hours

March 15         3:10-4:30 PM              after school sales

March 16         8:00 AM – 4:00 PM   sales during parent conferences

March 17         8:00 AM – 1:00 PM    sales during parent conferences

 “Pike’s Peak or Bust!” In social studies, we are exploring the lives of the Colorado trappers, traders, and gold miners. We are looking at the lure of the possibility of riches and also the extreme hardships of those who pursued the promise. Students will also choose a topic related to Colorado history that they find particularly interesting and start their Colorado History Affinity Project, also known as CHAP.  Look for detailed information to come home on this project mid-month.

Thank you for your continued support in our teaching and your child’s learning.  Welcome Spring!

Sincerely, 

The Third Grade Team

Upcoming Events:

March 7:                      History Center Colorado Field Trip

March 16 & 17:          Student-led Conferences

March 22:                    Third Grade Concerts  ( 8:20 – 9:10   and  2:20 – 3:10 )

March 24:                    Spirit Day and Half Day

March 27 – 31:            Spring Break

April 3:                          Students Return to School

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