September 4

Hello!

Welcome to another week of 3rd grade!  We are off to a great start and have a busy 4-day week ahead of us.  Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. 

MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) Assessments-  MAP testing begins in 3rd grade!  This is a district tool that is used to help us evaluate the progress of our students from year to year.  Students will take MAP assessments in the fall and in the spring every school year from 3rd grade through 12th grade. 

Our class will take their very first round of these tests this week- Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.  The students will take 3 tests:  reading, math and language arts so there will be one each day.  I will review the results from this first round of testing with you at parent conferences at the end of September.

Reading-
We are continuing with Theme 1, Community Spirit.  We will keep practicing how to make connections with the text that we read.  Small reading groups will begin in a couple of weeks.

Spelling-
The spelling pattern for this week is "beginning consonant sounds".  The lists contain words that begin with the consonants b, d, f, m and v. Your child's list was sent home with them in their homework folder and should be written in their agenda this evening. The final test will be on Friday.

Math-
We are still learning about place value this week.  We will be comparing numbers, ordering numbers and using an organized list to represent given information in a problem. 

Writing-
Students will prewrite ideas for their story and write a first draft.
We will continue reveiwing nouns and verbs this week, as well.

Science and Social Studies-
We are learning about how the sun is the main source of the solar energy we recieve on earth.  We have several activities planned for this unit in which sunlight is required.  Therefore, we may go back and forth between science activities and social studies based on the sunlight's cooperation. 

We will begin learning about our community in social studies.  By the end of the week, students should know where they live-- on the planet earth, on the continent North America, in the country of the United States, in the state of Kansas, in the county of Johnson, and in the city of Shawnee.  They may even be able to tell you which neighborhood they live in.

Have a great week!