It is hard to believe that we are well into May. Here is the news.

 

Social Studies: We are into our explorer unit. So far we have discovered new information about Christopher Columbus, Juan Ponce De Leon and Jacques Cartier. We focused on key vocabulary such as European, colonize, voyage, new World claim perspective and point of view. 

 

Word Study: Our focus has been on using the dictionary and thesaurus to develop and enrich our vocabulary. We are learning about multiple meanings, syllables and parts of speech.  

 

Reading:  Our focus strategy for this week has been cause and effect. One thing happens to cause an effect. We are also using all learned strategies to help us in preparation for the SOLs. We read Nation Geographic to learn more about our World.

 

Math: We are solving and creating division and multiplication word problems.  We continue to practice multiplication and division facts to better solve these complex problems.

 

Writing: We are completing our  Treasure Books. We are writers and illustrators in this process.

 

SOL Dates:

Science May 24

Reading May 31

Social Studies June 5

Math June 7

 

Please be sure that you child is here on those dates.

 

 

 

Greeting

 

Social Studies:We completed our U.S. Government unit of study. Students have an understanding of why and how our government was established. They know the three branches and how they are inter-connected. We discovered patriotic symbols. We connected our study of famous Americans such as Thurgood Marshall, Rosa Parks, George Washington; to this unit.

 

Science: We are investigating soil. We observed and took notes on soil samples. We are used our schema from Green Spring Gardens to infer certain things about soil. We also discovered the various layers of soil. We love getting our hands into soil!

 

Word Study: We continue our sorts, creating sentences and reflections from our words.

 

Reading: We read about many famous Americans and other people. We learned many new facts. To demonstrate our understanding we wrote a  summary about several famous people. It was hard work but we did a great job. Currently, we are practicing the inferring strategy. We observe pictures, use our schema, and then infer. Next, we will work on inferring with captions, poetry and longer reading passages.

 

Math: Currently, we are working on fractions. We investigated fractions of a whole and a set. We are working on mixed numbers and converting them to improper fractions. We use fraction bars to help us understand. We continue to practice multiplication facts. So please practice at home.

Writing: We are writing paragraphs with topic sentences and details. We are using transition words. We wrote about our Discovery lab instruction.

 

Dates to remember:

STEM Night Feb.28

Parent Teacher Conferences March 7 & 8

Swimming Week of March 11-18

Early Release March 13

Spring Break march 23-30

Greetings!

Social Studies: Currently we are finishing up our unit on Ancient Civilizations. Students should know the physical and human characteristics of Ancient Mali, Greece and Rome. They should also know the major contributions made by each regarding government, architecture and sport events. There will be a test on January 31. Students have review cards and note to assist them in reviewing.

 

Word Study: Students continue to sort and reflect on words. Students are responsible for spelling those learned words in all their written work.

 

Reading: We are practicing learned strategies and thinking as we read. We jot down notes to record our thoughts. This week and next we will study the genre of biography. We will practice finding the important information about each person. Also, we will practice the sequencing strategy. Our reading will be integrated to our social studies unit on famous Americans.

 

Math: Currently we are working on our multiplication unit. Most students have mastered 0s, 1s, 2s, 5s, and 10s. Last week and this week our focus sets have been 2s, 4s, and 8s. We are learning how multiplication and division are related. Please be sure to practice with your child every evening at home. Also, you can check out the Barrett Website for skill games. In addition we are working a word problems involving multiplication and division.

 

Writing: We continue to work on developing paragraphs with a topic sentence supported by detail sentences. We use the "hamburger" to help us organize our writing.

 

Dates to remember:

Feb. 11 Photos and Honor Roll Assembly

Feb. 13 Club photos

Feb. 14 Valentine Party

Feb 18 Presidents' Day Holiday

March 7 and 8 Parent Teacher Conferences

 

 

Greetings,

 

Thank you to all the parents that helped make the Winter Party a success. There was plenty of food, games and crafts for all to enjoy. 

Also thank you all for the generous holiday gift. It is thoughtful of you to remember me.

 

We worked with Dr. Sullivan and Mrs. Bratt to create books about our field trip to the Nature Center. Soon you will be able to get it off of an app. on your computer.  Now we are working on another book related to Mars.

 

Today we finished our unit on Ancient Mali. We learned about the physical and human characteristics of Mali, location, climate and government. Our unit started with our very own Artifact Display. We learned about each other and our past. Now we know how scientist discover about ancient civilizations.

 

Word Study: 

We continue to work on our individual routines of sorts, sentences and reflections.

 

We spent several weeks finding the main idea of a reading story or passage. It takes much work and thinking to select the main idea. Now we are working on author's purpose.  What is the author's purpose--to persuade, inform, teach a life lesson or entertain?

At times the author's purpose may overlap. We are reading both fiction and non-fiction text along with our Storytown main selections.

 

Our unit on patterns ended and we began our multiplication unit today. We are all excited to learn. Today we talked about groups of and fair shares. New vocabulary included factors and product. We will need plenty of practice to learn all those facts.

 

We are learning about homophones and using them in the proper context. We continue to write using topic sentences followed by detail sentences and ending with a conclusion. We worked in pairs to edit our paragraphs.  Writing time is our favorite!

 

I wish you all a wonderful Winter Holiday and Happy New Year.

 

 

I hope that everyone had an enjoyable Thanksgiving Holiday. It is great to have the students back.

 

Social Studies: We finished our geography unit. The students reviewed the seven continents and five oceans. They also investigated the US map and its features. Students should be able to locate: Virginia, James River, Great Lakes, Mississippi River, Rio Grande, Rocky Mountains and Appalachian Mountains. They also should know Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Hemispheres. 

We also had a chance to practice democracy in action by using the computer. Our school conducted a mock presidential election. In our class, we elected our SCA representatives. Each interested student talked about how he/she would best represent our class.

 

Science: We are well into our unit on simple machines. The six simple machines are the lever, inclined plane, pulley, wheel and axle, screw, and the wedge.  Outside our classroom window we are able to observe compound machines at work at the construction site. The test related to machines will be this week. Please be sure that you child reviews for it.

 

Reading: We are working on the strategy of finding the main idea in both fiction and non-fiction. We read books and passages looking for the main ideas and details to support it. We will continue to work on this strategy for awhile. Our robust vocabulary list is growing. This week several of our new words are: communicate, chatter, flick and groom. The Frayer model enables us to explain the words and give examples of each.

 

Writing: We are creating a book about our trip to the Patuxent Wildlife Refuge. We are also working on topic sentence in our writing and supporting details. Our homophone chart is growing each day.

 

Math: Money is a unit that we will continue to practice and review. Please practice making change up $5.00 with your child at the store. We are also learning about charts and tables. We know how to read and interrupt them. Please continue to practice math addition and subtraction facts at home. Students must know them readily. You can practice online at home by going to the Barrett Web Site, click student resources-math and find FACT DASH.

 

Important Dates:

Friday Nov. 30 Honor Roll Assembly 2:00

Sat. Dec. 1 Barnes and Nobel Bookfair 10:00-2:00

Wed. Dec.11 Library Night

Wed. Dec. 12 Early Release

Fri. Dec. 14 Family Bingo Night

Wed. Dec. 19 Roving Readers

Mon. Dec. 24- Tues. Jan. 1 Winter Break

 

 

 

We are almost mid-way into October. The children have been busy. Here are highlights of our learning.

 

Science:  Students have been learning about biomes-- terrestrial and aquatic. They learned about plant and animal adaptations that help them survive in these environments. We learned to take notes from books, Brainpop and videos. Our field trip to Patuxent Wild- life Refuge enabled us to see the plants and animals in action.  Dr. Sullivan conducted several lessons in the Discovery lab with many hands on activities related to our study.

We planned, prepared and presented our research projects related related to  biomes --plant and animal adaptations. We researched food chains, populations and communities, adaptations, and interesting facts. We circulated around to each third grade class to read and take notes from students' research.  Remember that the test is on Friday October 12. Your child has notebook notes and a study guide match-ups. Please take time to review with them.

 

Word Study: Students have words that they sort, manipulate, write, use in sentences, and reflect upon. Please ask your child about his/her current sort.  

 

Reading: We use our Storytown books to read for comprehension and for learning new vocabulary. We are currently practicing the strategy of questioning. We create green questions and identify answers found in the text. We are now creating red questions in which we have to infer or use our prior knowledge to answer. In small groups, we practice using short text and chapter books. Next week, we will move on to yellow questions. Some of our new vocabulary words are: ponder, murmur, and dismiss. We are also developing use of the character trait word: persistent. Challenge your child to use those words!

 

Math: Students have been working on math facts, adding and subtracting two and three digit numbers with and without regrouping and ungrouping. We are also learning concepts of symmetry and congruence. Please continue to work with your child every evening at home reviewing math facts.

 

Writing: We learned about what makes sentences using words such as subject and predicate. We developed poems about ourselves using robust adjectives. Please read them on the walls of the third grade hall.

 

Field Trip: Our trip Patuxent Wild life Refuge was a fabulous learning experience. I encourage all families to attend the Fall Nature Festival to take place at the refuge, Saturday October 13th. It is worth the trip.

 

Thank you to all for your support during the Book Fair. Also thank you for the generous supply of classroom books that you purchased.

 

Halloween is almost upon us. I would like parents to organize a small party after the parade.

 

Parent -Teacher Conference:  October 18th and 19th-Please keep to your appointed time and date because the schedule is tight.

 

October 16th Family Library Night

October 18th and 19 Parent/Teacher Conferences

October 22nd to 26th Heritage Week

October 22nd Picture Day

October 23rd Family Library Night

October 24th Early Release

October 26th U.N. Assembly

October 30th Dogfish  Head Alehouse, Barrett Night Fundraiser

October 31st Halloween Parade and Party

 

We have so much fun and learning to look forward to. I enjoy working with your children.

Thank you for your support. 

 

Mrs Quinzio

 

 

 

 

May has been a busy month so far.

 

Science/Social Studies: 

We completed all of our units of study. We are now observing life cycles of a butterfly and a plant. We have one butterfly flying around and soon we hope to have more. We are reviewing all units of study in preparation for the end of the year and SOL testing. 

 

Math: We are finishing our unit on measurement. We can measure length in both standard and metric units. We measured in grams and kilograms, plus ounces and pounds. We can tell time and figure elapsed time as well. Also, we are reviewing for SOL testing.

 

Reading: students are using all learned strategies such as inference, sequencing, cause and effect, and drawing conclusions to understand reading passages, chapter books and non-fiction material.

 

Writing: We finished our biographies and shared them. Students wrote in paragraphs, edited their work and revised. They are also very proud of their completed Treasure books. Please show them to other family members.

 

SOL testing- Our class:

Science- Tuesday, May 15

Math- Friday, May 18

Reading- Tuesday, May 22

History -Wednesday. May 23

 

Please be sure that you don't schedule appointments for those days. Also, be sure that your child is in bed no later than 8:30 and prepare a good non-sweet breakfast.

 

 

 

Greetings

 

Students have been very busy this past quarter.

 

Science: We finished our unit on matter Wednesday. Students know about the various states of matter, solids, liquids and gases. They also learned about changes in matter and that atoms are the basic building blocks of matter. We conducted many experiments and hands on activities.  Next, we move on to a unit in economics.

 

Math: Many students have mastered several multiplication math facts. We need to continue working at school and at home so that everyone can recall facts to 12. I appreciate your help with this matter. Students have been successful in solving word problems related to multiplication and division. We are now taking an additional challenge of solving multi-step problems.

 

Reading: We read many fables, fairy-tales, myths and folktales. We discussed main characters, setting, events and the plot of our readings. Next, we will read passages and determine the author's purpose.  In addition, we are discovering dictionary skills, prefixes and suffixes.

 

Writing: We finished our narratives. We are revising, editing, and illustrating our stories for our soon to be published Treasure Books.

 

Thank you all for attending the Discovery Science Fair Night. It was a great success. Many students from our class completed individual projects. I applaud their efforts. They earned extra credit for their work.

Don't forget that swimming starts next week on Monday. Students swim each morning for the entire week.  Be sure that your child has a dry towel and swimming suit each morning.

Parent Teacher Conferences start today and continue Friday. Please keep your appointment time.

 

 

Welcome New Year 2012

 

Social Studies: We began our unit on Ancient Civilizations this week. Students searched for artifacts in their attics and closets. Then we all participated in a Third Grade Museum. Our artifacts were labeled and described on description cards displayed in our rooms. It was a wonderful learning experience. We now know how archeologists  found out about past civilizations. In the next weeks, we will study ancient Mali, Greece and Rome.

 

Math: We are learning multiplication through picture and array models. Each evening we must study the assigned facts with an at home partner.  We also practice in class with a peer partner.  We use the Smartboard and manipulatives to gain an understanding of the concepts.

 

Reading: We are learning about how authors use the characters' actions, feelings, and voices to help us understand the story.  We continue to read nonfiction and fiction books and magazines.

 

Writing: We are completing our personal narratives for our Treasure Books. We are now in the revising and editing stage of the writing process. We can't wait until they are published.