Newsletter 11-29-12

Ms. Little’s Third Grade Beacon

November 29, 2012

Upcoming & Important Events:

·        Tuesday, December 4^th – Picture retakes

·        Thursday, December 6^th – Dismissal at 11:25 (conferences)

·        Friday, December 7^th – Dismissal at 11:25 (conferences)

·        Friday, December 7^th – Book orders due

Classroom News:

Katie: Last week we read The Three Little Pigs. It was about three little pigs leaving the momma pig. The pigs built a house for each of them. The first pig built his house out of straw and the wolf came and blew the pig’s house down. The same thing happened to the other pig but his house was made out of sticks. The last pig made his house out of bricks and the wolf couldn’t blow the house down. The wolf asked him to go and get radishes at 3:00 but the pig went at 2:00. The next day the wolf asked to go apple picking at 2:00 and the pig went at 1:00.

Phaydan: In read aloud we are reading The Tale of Despereaux. Right now we are at the part where Despereaux gets sent to the dungeon. Roscuro lives in the dungeon. He is a rat. He wanted to go upstairs, but all the mice live upstairs in the castle.

Logan:  We multiplied by 10 last week in Math. We played a game. To play the game you roll two dice. Then you add them together and times them by ten. Then you color in the space with the answer on a piece of paper.

Colin: In Math we learned how to multiply by 0. Anything times 0 equals 0. For example, 9 x 0 = 0. I think it’s easy! 

Daniel: One week ago on Wednesday in Library we finished our word documents. After that, we checked out books. When we finished checking out books we got to play games on the computer. Last, we lined up and left.

Molly: Last week we received postcards. We received them from Washington D.C. and Hungary. When we got Washington D.C. it counted as Virginia. We colored Virginia yellow on our maps.

Seanalee: We started learning about matter in Science. There are four stages of matter. They are solid, liquid, gas, and plasma. Matter is all around us. We are made of matter. An example of a solid is a table; a gas is gas in air. Liquid is H2o.

Nathan: In Math we used the finger strategy to help us multiply by 9. The finger strategy was when Ms. Little told us a multiplication problem, we would put the lower number finger that was not 9 down. Then you could count the fingers on the left as tens and the fingers on the right as ones to get your answer.

Ali: In Literacy we had a choice to do Thanksgiving papers for word work. They were for Thanksgiving. One of them was a crossword puzzle. The other one was a word search.

Emily: Last week we went to Mrs. Messina’s class so we could watch the Mouse on the Mayflower. It was about a mouse that sneaked on the Mayflower and he kind of helped them fix it. It was also about the Pilgrims having a hard time on the Mayflower and the Wampanoags helping them get through the hard winter. A lot of them died. When it was fall again they had a Thanksgiving feast and there was a lot of food there.

Brenna: We painted sunsets. We looked at some other pictures of sunsets on the Smartboard. We designed sunsets with watercolor paints. When we were done we wrote a poem.

Tyler: On Monday in Art we finished our masks. We finished by finishing with the oil crayons. After we put on the stuff that makes it glow and shine. That is how we made our masks.

Jesse: We looked at sunsets because we read a book with Mrs. Messina. Then we painted. We also wrote sunset poems after we looked at some different kinds of poems together. Some people put line breaks and some people did rhymes in their poems.

Elizabeth: Yesterday we watched Bill Nye the Science Guy. It helped us learn about matter. He mixed chemicals and made explosions. There were also some kids doing science.

Seamus: At Gym two weeks ago we put on songs while we were working. We also did a bucket relay. It was so fun because I wore my favorite shoes.

Madison: When we finished our personal narrative books we had a publishing party. Our first grade buddies came. They wrote comments after we read them our story. Then they went to read the other classmates’ books.

David: A couple of days ago we learned how to write lowercase j, p, a, and d in cursive. The j is written like this: j. The p is written like this: p. The a is written like this a. And d is like this: d. I wasn’t here for all of it but I know how to spell d and a because they’re in my name.

Tatyiana: In Math last week we wrote math problems. It was addition and subtraction math facts. I liked doing it. I liked the addition facts.

Jameson: Last week at Music we played a game called Button and the Key. There is a guesser and a passer. The passer passes the button around and the guesser guesses who has the button. We sang a song during the game.

Lily: In Time for Kids there were kid entrepreneurs! But the main article was about Hurricane Sandy.  A rollercoaster fell down because of Hurricane Sandy. My fence fell down because of Hurricane Sandy!

Ms. Little: Parent conferences will be held on Thursday, December 6^th and Friday, December 7^th.  A reminder with your scheduled date and time was sent home with your child on Monday. Please let me know if you are not able to come at your scheduled time and we can find a different time that works for you. Enjoy the weekend. 

Marvelous Multiplication!

 We have been working on our multiplication unit in Math. Multiplication was introduced as repeated addition of equal groups. First, we used stickers to show equal groups.

Then, we went on "array hunt" around the classroom. For each array we found, we wrote the array, and then wrote the corresponding multiplication sentence on the recording sheet.

After that, we played a sticker array matching game. We each made an array with stickers on an index card, and then wrote the corresponding multiplication sentence on a separate index card. Then we worked in groups to match each array with the correct number sentence.

For more practice with arrays and multiplication, we each created an "array" full of sunshine.

Now, we are learning strategies and tricks to help us multiply. So far, we can multiply by 0, 1, 2, 5, and 10. We have been playing several dice and card games to help us practice. Soon, we will learn new strategies and tricks so that we will be able to multiply by all numbers 0 - 10! 

Newsletter 11-15-12

Ms. Little’s Third Grade Beacon

November 15, 2012

Upcoming & Important Events:

·        Friday, November 16^th – Dismissal at 12:30

·        Friday, November 16^th – Book orders due

·        Wednesday, November 21^st – Dismissal at 11:25

·        Thursday, November 22^nd – No school

·        Friday, November 23^rd – No school

Classroom News:

Phaydan: In Math we have a multiplication packet for patterns and facts. We learned how to multiply by 2s and 5s. Whenever we learn how to multiply by a new number we will always write the number at the top of the page. Then we will highlight the multiples.

David: So far in The Tale of Despereaux, Despereaux hasn’t been acting like a mouse and he has very big ears. He can also do a lot that the other mice can’t do. He can hear things that the other mice can’t hear. He can read too (the words to the other mice look like squiggles). Recently, he walked into the room of the princess of the castle he lives in. The king, however, did not want him there because a mouse is related to a rat, and they have had a horrible history with rats. Speaking of rats, Despereaux is supposed to be thrown into a dungeon full of rats. What will happen next?

Lily: We received postcards this week. We received postcards from Finland and Tennessee. And we put them on the wall of postcards! I love receiving postcards! J

Ali: In Math last week, we played a math game. We did one number doubled like this: 8 x 2 = 16. Then there were boxes that we filled if we got that answer. The strategy to multiply by two is to add the number that is not two to itself.

Madison: We went with Mrs. Messina’s class to a different room because it was too cold in our classroom. While we were there we learned about Plymouth colony jobs. Some choices of the jobs were blacksmith and miller. A blacksmith uses iron to make horseshoes. We had a lot of fun.

Elizabeth: In Math we made arrays of sunshine. We had to draw an array in the middle of the sun. Then we colored and cut the rays out. Then we glued the middle and rays together. We made a paper with the number sentence and glued it on. Then Ms. Little put them on the bulletin board.

Tatyiana: Last week we went to the Library. Mrs. Patino read to us. Then it was computer time. We played on Brainpop. It was about Science.

Logan: We multiplied by 5s in a book. It is a multiplication fact and pattern book. We had a numbered chart and we colored in all the multiples of 5 up to 100. Then we had to answer 5 x 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. For the game, we had to roll the dice, add them together, then multiply by 5. Then we colored in the space with the answer on the game board.

Sophia: Last week we watched the story Duck for President. Duck wanted to be president. Duck got more votes for the election. After the story we voted. Duck won.

Seamus: On Tuesday we went to a make-up Library class. We went on the computer. We wrote on a word document about what we want to be when we grow up.

Jameson: At Music we played a game called Button You Must Wander. And we learned a new song called Rizzeldy Razzeldy Mow Mow Mow. In Button You Must Wander, the person puts their face on the rug so they can’t see. Then we pass around the button while we sing the song to the game. The song goes, “Button you must wander, wander, wander. Button you must wander everywhere.”

Emily: Last week we learned another Spelling activity for Literacy. It is called Roll and Spell – the super silent edition. The directions are to roll the dice and spell your next word according to the matching die. Whisper each word as you finish. When you roll the die and it lands on the number one then you use your finger to spell the word out in the air. When you roll the die and it lands on the number two, then you use your finger to write the word on your neighbor’s back. When you roll the number three, then you take one step for each letter of the word in your head. When you roll the number four, you use your body to make the shape of each letter as you spell the word. When you roll the number five, then you use your finger to write the word on your desk. When you roll the number six, then you use your foot to write the word on the floor.

Daniel: Last week on Friday we saw a video about Tigercast News. In the video people from Mrs. McPhail’s class were interviewing teachers. One of them was Mrs. C. Nathan asked her why we could not play football at recess and she said it’s because we don’t have the right gear.

Molly: Last week we filled the marble jar. When we fill the marble jar we get to do something fun. We voted on a fish for a class pet. We named him Sir Puffs a Lot. He is purple and blue.

Colin: In Writing Workshop we wrote about us (about the author). I wrote, “Colin likes soccer,” and other stuff like that. We are having a publishing party soon!

Nathan: A couple weeks ago we had an assembly. The teachers announced the winners of the election. The winners were Obama, and yes for hat day. The teachers told us not to cheer.

Katie: Last Friday we watched Matilda. It was about a girl whose family treated her badly. She went to school where there was an evil principal. At the end of the movie a very nice teacher named Miss Honey adopted her. They played games and planted plants, flowers, fruits, and vegetables in the garden.

Tyler: Last week in Art on the cart we made masks. First we got cardboard and then we outlined our face. Then we made the eyes and the mouth and it was all done. We are making these masks to make them like masks from Africa.

Brenna: We finished reading The Witches. We eat snack while Ms. Little reads to us. It is so good. The boys in the book turned into mice. My favorite part was when the mouse boy sneaked under the table.

Jesse: At Gym we did stations. One of the stations was balance cups. We also climbed on the cargo net. We hula hooped to music.

Seanalee: Mr. Molloy is learning how to be a teacher. He watches us when we work in our classroom. He helps us sometimes. I like having him in our class.

Ms. Little: Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, we will not be writing our class newsletter next week. Also, students will not be required to complete an Independent Reading Journal for homework. Please note that dismissal will be at 11:25 on Wednesday, November 21^st. Please let me know if you have any questions. Enjoy the weekend as well as the Thanksgiving break. 

Newsletter 11-8-12

Ms. Little’s Third Grade Beacon

November 8, 2012

Upcoming & Important Events:

·        Monday, November 12^th – Veterans Day (no school)

·        Friday, November 16^th – Dismissal at 12:30

·        Friday, November 16^th – Book orders due

Classroom News:

Colin: In Listen to Reading we listened to a book called The Vanishing Pumpkin. The characters in the book were an 800-year-old woman and a 900-year-old man. They couldn’t find their pumpkin! A wizard had it.

Lily: In Library we picked out books of course. But what you don’t know is that Mrs. Patino read us a story! She read us a book about the president’s pets. I like Library!

Jameson: In Music we learned a new song. The song was called Rizzeldy Razzeldy Mow Mow Mow. At Music we played Button and You Must Wander. You pass the button to other people and someone needs to guess the person who has the button.

Phaydan: On Halloween we read this play called the Hallo-weiner. I read it two times and it was really fun. The first time I was Dog 2 and the second time I was the mother. The play was about a hero that was named Oscar. Oscar saved Cat number 1 and Cat number 2. Oscar pulled them out of the pond. The cats were really surprised that Oscar pulled them out of the pond because he was a little dog.

Molly: On Monday we went to run the school election. There was a check in counter, vote counters, three voting booths, a ballot box, and a check out counter. I worked at the check out counter. Then kids would come in and vote.

Katie: In my book group we are reading Freckle Juice with Ms. Little. It’s about a boy named Andrew that really wants freckles. The characters are Sharon and Andrew and also Nicky. The freckle juice has disgusting ingredients but Andrew drank it.

Logan: Last week in Math we made sticker arrays. We put stickers in an array on a card and wrote the number sentence on another card. Then we played a game with them. We had to match the arrays with the right number sentence.

Ali: Last night for homework we did November calendars. First we wrote the name of the month on the top of the paper. Then there are boxes that you write the days of the week in. Finally, we write all the things we are going to do and decorate it.

Madison: On Thursday the Maynard Elks came. They gave us dictionaries. They asked us if our name was spelled correctly. They showed us the longest word in the world and the pages that show you how to do sign language. Then they showed our class their special badge and they left.

Sophia: In the story The Witches right now the grandmother made a lot of inventions for her mouse, which was really a boy. She made a contraption for turning on lights. She made one for opening doors. She made these things because the mouse boy could not do things like she could.

Emily: On Monday we had a school election and the third graders worked at it. It was in a room near the Library and in the room it was all set up and ready. There was a check in table, voting booths, a ballot box, and a check out table. We weren’t going to work there first, we were going to vote first so we would know what it would look like so we would get an ideas of where were going to be. So when we got in the room to vote we first went to the check in table and told the other third graders what our names were and they highlighted them. Next, we went to the voting booth and check marked the person that we were voting for, either Mitt Romney or Barack Obama. Then we went to the ballot box and folded up our answer and put it in the box. Last, we went to the check out table and told the third graders our name and they highlighted it just like at the check in table. My job was at the check out table and after I voted I knew what to do there.

Nathan: On Friday we climbed the net in Gym. It was hard. Most people got sore on their hands. Some people climbed to the top.

Daniel: Last week we watched a Brainpop video. In the video Moby wanted to be a king. Then they told us about an election. It is when candidates run against each other. Running against each other is when two people try to get voted for president.

Logan: We used stickers to do multiplication. I did 6 x 10. We had six circles we could put equal groups of stickers in. I used all six circles. Other people cut out less. Then we put on the stickers in the circles. We had to write the number sentence on a piece of paper, then glue the circles on the paper.

Elizabeth: We wrote thank you letters to the Elks for giving us dictionaries. We had to start our letters with Dear Maynard Elks, Thank you for giving us dictionaries. And we had to write one thing we would use it for learning, and one thing we like about it. Then we could decorate our letter.

Tatyiana: Last week we took the pumpkin seeds out of the pumpkins. It was gooey. And we measured our pumpkin. After we took the seeds out we counted them.

David: In class we got new seats. I sit across from Daniel and next to Phaydan. We changed seats when November started. I liked it.

Tyler: Yesterday in Art we made masks from Africa. It was Art on the Cart in our class with Ms. Jones. First we got a piece of paper and outlined our mask. Then we made the eyes and the mouth.

Brenna: In Writing Workshop we wrote final copies of our story. We had to write nice and neat. Some people were finished so they worked on their covers. We had to pick the page with the box with the picture for one of our pages.

Seamus: Last week we searched for arrays in Math. It was fun because we got to pick our partner. I picked Colin. The arrays were everywhere in the classroom. Then when we found an array we had to write down the number sentence for it.

Jesse: Last week we wrote letters to the President. I wrote to President Obama asking if he would make school longer. Obama won the election. Elizabeth Warren won the Senate.

Ms. Little: We have started our multiplication unit in Math. As multiplication builds on addition, it would be helpful for your child to practice basic addition facts at home, either with flash cards, aloud with a family member, or by using one of the math websites listed on our classroom website. Enjoy the weekend!

Pumpkin Day!

On Pumpkin Day our class participated in pumpkin math and science activities. First, students measured the circumference of their pumpkins. Then, we discussed whether we thought the size of the pumpkin was related to the amount of seeds inside. Students recorded each group's circumference and their own predictions on a recording sheet. After that, we played a game called "Pumpkin Scattergories" to practice describing our pumpkins using unique adjectives.

Finally, it was time to open the pumpkins! Students worked together in teams to scoop out the seeds and insides. Each member of the team helped sort, count, and find the total amount of seeds inside their pumpkin. At the end, we compared our predictions with our actual findings. Even though Pumpkin Day was a little messy, it was definitely a memorable learning experience!