This Week's HW

Monday:
Reflex
Social Studies WB (Workbook) p. 6-8 if not finished in class (Ancient Greece test Thursday!)
Write 5 difficult spelling words in agenda.
Begin bonus spelling and/or vocabulary homework (due Thurs.).
Read.

Tuesday:
Reflex
Social Studies WB (Workbook) p. 9-11 if not finished in class
Write the other 10 spelling words in agenda
Read.

Wednesday:
Study for Ancient Greece test!
Finish bonuses if completing.
Read.

Thursday:
Reflex
Study for spelling and vocabulary tests.
Get ready for the Olympics Friday (12:30-2:30)!

Friday:
Olympics (12:30-2:30)

Subject/Predicate ELA Videos

Mr. Morton Subject/Predicate Lesson

Mr. Morton video

Subject and Predicate Song

Subject and Predicate Song (Kelly Clarkson)

Subject and Predicate (Twinkle Trails)

Grade 3 Subject and Predicate

This Week's ELA: Short- and Long-E and The BFG

3.04 Spelling: Short and Long E                                                     

BONUS Practice/extra credit (due Thursday):  Spell and Draw (Write each word and draw an appropriate picture or symbol to explain what the word means.)

Monday: Which are the 5 hardest words for you to spell?  Write them correctly in your agenda in the box on the bottom right.  Practice and study these words.  (Start on bonus practice if completing.)

Tuesday: Write the rest of your spelling words correctly in your agenda.  Study all 15 words.  (Work on bonus.)

Wednesday: Study all 15 words and previous weeks’ words. 

Thursday: Study all 15 words and previous weeks’ words!  If possible, take a practice spelling test (either on paper or at www.spellingcity.com.) 

*Your test on Friday will have 20 words.  The “extra” five will be selected from previous weeks’ words.

The short-e vowel sound is the vowel you hear in egg and every.

The long-e vowel sound is what you hear in eat and eel.

1.     wrench

2.     hello

3.     yellow

4.     bread

5.     kept

6.     better

7.     sentence

8.     eggshell

9.     medal

10. metal

11. remember

12. peaches

13. peace

14. piece

15. special

Vocabulary: The BFG (Week 1)

BONUS Practice/extra credit (due Thursday):  Write each word in an original super sentence.

Monday: Use the word bank to match each word to its definition.

Tuesday-Thursday: Study for Friday’s test.  Your test will use each word in a sentence (in context).

astonishment              brilliant           crouching        massive           motionless                  sprinting        

1.     _____________________________________________________: running as fast as you can for a short distance

2.     _____________________________________________________: very bright

3.     _____________________________________________________: very large

4.     _____________________________________________________: to bend your knees so you take up less room

5.     _____________________________________________________: not moving, or without motion

6.     _____________________________________________________: a feeling of surprise

Grammar Focus: Complete sentences (subject/predicate)

Reading Focus: fantasy

Open House Presentation

If you were unable to attend Open House or would like to view the presentation that I shared, click HERE.  Please email me if you have any questions!

Spelling City

Spelling City seems to be working correctly now.  Students log in with their five digits followed by uc.  That is also their password (12345uc/12345uc).

Elephant Toothpaste/Heat Energy Demonstration

Today Mrs. Cook made "elephant toothpaste" as part of our heat energy science unit!  Check out the results of mixing hydrogen peroxide, food coloring, dish soap, and yeast together.

Your/You're Practice

Click HERE for a quick quiz!

This Week's Homework: 8/22

Monday:
Reflex or flashcards (10 min.)
Write the five most difficult spelling words in your agenda.  (All 15 due Wednesday.)
Begin writing 3x each if you made below 90% on last week's test.
Study vocabulary terms.  Try Spellingcity.com. 
Read your library/independent reading book.  Log on Whoo's Reading if you can.

Tuesday:
*OPEN HOUSE IS AT 5:30 THIS EVENING!
Reflex or flashcards (10 min.)
Write the rest of your spelling words in your agenda & study.  Try Spellingcity.com. 
Study vocabulary terms.
Read your book/log at Whoo's Reading.

Wednesday:
Read/log at Whoo's Reading.
Finish 3x each if required.

Thursday:
Reflex or flashcards (10 min.)
Study for your spelling and vocabulary tests!

This Week's ELA: 3.03 Short-A and Long-A; Word Study; Nonfiction

3.03 Spelling: Short and Long A                                                     HD3/JC3

*If you made below a 90% on last week’s spelling test, you must write this week’s words 3 times each (due Thursday).

Monday: Which are the 5 hardest words for you to spell?  Write them correctly in your agenda in the box on the bottom right.  Practice and study these words and last week’s words.  (Work on 3x each if you made below 90% on last week’s test.)

Tuesday: Write the rest of your spelling words correctly in your agenda.  Study all 15 words and last week’s words.  (Work on 3x each if you made below 90% on last week’s test.)

Wednesday: Study all 15 words and last week’s words.  (Finish 3x each if you made below 90% on last week’s test.)

Thursday: Study all 15 words and last week’s words!  If possible, take a practice spelling test (either on paper or at www.spellingcity.com.) 

*Your test on Friday will have 20 words.  The “extra” five will be selected from previous weeks’ words.

The short-a vowel sound is the vowel you hear in apple and ant.

The long-a vowel sounds is what you hear in age and eight.

1.     track

2.     stamp

3.     stage

4.     grade

5.     they

6.     batch

7.     chance

8.     graph

9.     raise

10. eight

11. safety

12. wrapped

13. laugh

14. magical

15. station

Vocabulary: Word Study

Monday: Use the word bank to match each word to its definition.

Tuesday-Thursday: Study for Friday’s test.  Your test will include matching and examples to label.

antonym                     base, root, or stem                  prefix               suffix               synonym                    

1.     _____________________________________________________: a word that means the opposite of a given word

2.     _____________________________________________________: a word that means the same as a given word

3.     _____________________________________________________: the main part of a word that gives the word meaning; a word in its simplest form

4.     _____________________________________________________: word part added to the beginning of a base, root, or stem

5.     _____________________________________________________: word part added to the end of a base, root, or stem

Reading Focus: Nonfiction (true books/articles); nonfiction text structure

8/18

Please study for your spelling and vocabulary tests!

Also please look through/study your social studies interactive notebook.

8/16

Please look through this week's papers in the purple folder.  Keep the Whoo's Reading login information at home.  Sign and return the sheet in the front clear pocket along with the empty folder. 

Students who didn't perform as well as expected on last week's vocabulary test will re-test this Thursday at recess.  Please study!

HW:
Write all 15 spelling words in agenda.
Work on vocabulary spell & draw (due Thurs.).
Work on spelling 3x each if required (also due Thurs.).

8/15

We have started reading our first nonfiction text together, Ancient Greece. All of this week's vocabulary words come from this text.  (Scroll down for spelling and vocabulary.)

HW:
*Write the 5 hardest spelling words in your agenda.  (All 15 due Wednesday.)
*Try to figure out which vocabulary term matches which definition and write the word on the line (on your spelling and vocabulary sheet).
*IF you have spelling 3x each, begin working on them (due Thursday).

This Week's ELA: Writing

3.02 Spelling: Writing Words                                                       

*If you made below a 90% on last week’s spelling test, you must write this week’s words 3 times each (due Thursday).  [If your child needs to do this, I highlighted this sentence to let them know.]

Monday: Which are the 5 hardest words for you to spell?  Write them correctly in your agenda in the box on the bottom right.  Practice and study these words and last week’s words.  (Work on 3x each if you made below 90% on last week’s test.)

Tuesday: Write the rest of your spelling words correctly in your agenda.  Study all 15 words and last week’s words.  (Work on 3x each if you made below 90% on last week’s test.)

Wednesday: Study all 15 words and last week’s words.  (Finish 3x each if you made below 90% on last week’s test.)

Thursday: Study all 15 words and last week’s words!  If possible, take a practice spelling test (either on paper or at www.spellingcity.com.) 

*Your test on Friday will have 20 words.  The “extra” five will be selected from last week’s words.

1.     to

2.     two

3.     too

4.     first

5.     second

6.     third

7.     next

8.     last

9.     finally

10. because

11. when

12. every

13. while

14. without

15. sometimes

Vocabulary: Ancient Greece by Sandra Newman

*Students are expected not only to know the definition of each vocabulary word but to be able to use them in context (in sentences).

Monday: Use the word bank to match each word to its definition.

Tuesday-Wednesday: Begin “Spell and Draw” (due Thursday) where you draw a picture or symbol to represent each vocabulary term.  Label the picture.  Spell vocabulary words correctly!

Thursday: Study for Friday’s test.  Your test will include matching and sentence completion.

citizen              civilization        columns        glories         myth       mythology       peninsula

1.     _____________________________________________________: wonderful accomplishments or deeds

2.     _____________________________________________________: a strong post that holds up a roof

3.     _____________________________________________________: the way of life of a people

4.     _____________________________________________________: land that has water on three sides

5.     _____________________________________________________: the people who are recognized as members of a country

6.     _____________________________________________________: a traditional or legendary story that is told over and over through the years

7.     _____________________________________________________: a set of stories that are important to a particular group or culture

Reading Focus: Nonfiction (true books); nonfiction text structure

8/12

Happy Friday!  We have had a really great start to 3rd grade!  The kids are settling in well, and I really expect things to take off next week.  We continue to work on classroom and school procedures so that they know what is expected of them.  Thanks to everyone who checks the blog and who has signed up for Remind and/or Class Dojo! 

Encourage your child to read over the weekend, watch some of the Olympics, and enjoy some family time.

8/11

We had a class picnic today because we have earned over 1000 Class Dojo points!  Way to go!!!!  (I posted pictures on Dojo.)

We were able to go to the library today, so students now have a chapter book and another book (chapter or picture book) to read.  Thanks for your help in providing time to read.

Study for tomorrow's spelling and vocabulary tests!

Vocabulary Spelling City is Ready!

Students may now go to http://www.spellingcity.com to practice their spelling and vocabulary!  This week's words are 3.01 Back to School Spelling and 3.01 Ancient Greece Vocabulary.  Students received a letter today with their log in information.  You can keep these letters at home.

To log in, students use their five-digit school number and then uc (example: 12345uc) as both their user name and password.

8/9

Thank you to everyone who has sent in the information packets and/or goodies for the classroom. 

Students brought home a green newsletter.  We will be paperless as much as possible.

Purple folders will start next Tuesday.  (I don't have them all back yet, so please return ASAP.  Thanks!)

We have had another good day!  I love third grade!!!

HW:
Continue to work on vocabulary sentences (due Thursday).
Write 5 more words in agenda and study all 10+.

8/8

Each day I will endeavor to post the day's homework assignments.  We will get into a fairly predictable groove.

Homework (HW):
*Please start writing vocabulary sentences.  (Click HERE for the list.)  All six are due Thursday.
*Write the five most difficult (for you) spelling words in your agenda.  (There is a box on the bottom right to list the spelling words.)  You may work ahead!  We will check five tomorrow.
*Read!  (Your choice of book, topic, amount, etc.  Enjoy!)

Parents, please help students remember that they need to get you to sign their agenda.  Thanks!

This Week's ELA: Back to School

Back To School Spelling

Students can practice their spelling words online at http://www.spellingcity.com.  (Spellingcity.com should be ready on Wednesday of this week.)  Each week, students are expected to know what the words mean, be able to use them, and be able to spell them for their test on Friday.

Each day in class, we will check agendas following the assignment schedule below.

Monday: Which 5 words are the hardest for you to spell?  Write them correctly in your agenda in the box on the bottom right.  Practice and study these words. 

Tuesday: Write five more spelling words correctly in your agenda.  Study all 10 words.  (You can write the final 5 words in your agenda if you would like.)

Wednesday: Write the final five spelling words correctly in your agenda if you haven’t already.  Study all 15 words.

Thursday: Study all 15 words!  If possible, take a practice spelling test (either on paper or at www.spellingcity.com.) 

1.     math

2.     science

3.     reading

4.     English

5.     spelling

6.     music

7.     writing

8.     library

9.     sign

10. Union County

11. elementary

12. school

13. panthers

14. teacher

15. student

Challenge words: Portuguese, French, cafeteria, physical education, principal

Vocabulary: Ancient Greece and the Olympics

            Students are expected not only to know the definition of each vocabulary word but to be able to use them in context (in sentences).

Monday-Wednesday: Use each word in a Super Sentence!  A Super Sentence starts with a capital letter and includes a subject and verb, plus interesting details like who, what, when, where, why, and/or how.  End with punctuation!  Underline the vocabulary word.  Be ready to turn in on Thursday. 

Thursday: Study for Friday’s test.

1.     ancient: long, long ago

2.     architecture: the design of buildings

3.     characteristics: different traits

4.     contribution: the act of giving or doing something

5.     government: a group of people who make rules and laws, carry out rules and laws, and decide if rules and laws have been broken

6.     laws: rules people live by

Olympic Medal Tracker

Click HERE to see how your favorite teams are performing in the 2016 Summer Olympics!

Our Schedule

Here's our daily schedule. 

8:00 morning message; language arts (reading, grammar, writing)

9:00 Portuguese or French

9:45 snack time

9:55 specials*

10:40 social studies

11:20 lunch

12:00 recess

12:40 Switch classes and go to Mrs. Cook for math and science

2:35 Switch back for end-of-day routine (check agendas, pack up, review, etc.)

*Specials:
Purple Week: Mon. Art; Tu. Music; Wed. Writing; Th. PE; Fri. Writing
Gold Week: Mon. Art; Tu. Music; Wed. STEM; Th. PE; Fri. STEM

8/5: First Day of School!

We had such a great start to third grade!  I am so proud of our boys and girls!  They tried very hard to listen and follow directions.  They are very respectful and kind to each other (and me).  Thank you, moms and dads!  We still have a lot to learn about our school, but we are off to a great start.  (I hope your kids said the same thing!)

One important thing we did today was organize our binders.  Click HERE for a post about that specifically to check your child's things.

Normally posts won't be this long, but I wanted to give you some important information.

Starting in 3rd grade, students have an agenda (calendar book) that they use to write down their homework and other important info.  We started using it today.  Parents have the job of checking the agenda, looking over student work, and signing the agenda each night.  Your children have been instructed to train you to do this!  Please sign Friday, Aug. 5 this weekend.

The kids were pretty excited about their weekend homework.  Hopefully they explained it to you correctly, but here is clarification.

Agenda p. 1 & Dojo means to look at p. 1 of the agenda for the blog info and my email address.  Dojo is a reminder to check to see if parents have signed up for Class Dojo.  You certainly do not have to sign up, but I think we will all find it beneficial.

Olympics means that I have encouraged them to watch some of the Olympics.  We will begin studying ancient Greece and the Olympics this month, so what a wonderful opportunity!  (Of course there is no penalty if they do not watch any of it.)

Read means just that!  Please read over the weekend!  I had hoped to loan them books from my class library, but we ran out of time.  Again, there is no penalty for not reading, but we all know the importance!

Have a wonderful weekend!  Thank you for entrusting your child to my care.  I look forward to getting to know you all better and take them on exciting learning adventures.

P.S. If you've managed to read this far, please write a note in the agenda (on Friday) saying "I read the blog!"  Students will earn an extra Dojo point for teamwork, because it takes us all working together.  You are a part of our team too!