We continue to be very busy in 3B! There are lots of activities going on, and the students are working hard! I am so impressed with their overall behavior and dedication to learning. It makes my job so much easier to have the students I do so thank you! They are fabulous!!!!
If your 3B child did not tell you, we started our MISIC test (also known as MAPs test) last Friday. Students in 3rd grade are taking three test: language, reading, and math. Today, Monday, we are taking the reading portion of the test followed by math on Tuesday. Then we will be done! I have been giving the students yummy "brain food" in the morning as it is hard to come to school and have a big test already at 8:45, but that is what was scheduled for 3B. They have been doing a fabulous job, trying hard, and taking their time. When completed, the students' test scores will be analyzed and used to determine goals and obtain information about the students as well as each grade. I am sure the students will be glad to be done tomorrow, even though one said to me today, "I like having MAPs test in the morning because we get yummy brain food!". :)
Science continues to be a favorite time of day for 3B. Our latest "guest" have been daphnia, damselfly nymphs, and we continue to monitor our aphids, fruit flies, and ants. Last Friday, we discussed the concept of "predator-prey" relationships and watched what happen when we put the daphnia with the damselfly nymphs. The students will realize later today when they check the population of each that one of them no longer exist in the their containers. Our fruit fly population has tripled so there has been lots of discussion about why that has happened, as well as our aphid population. Our last visitor will be introduced this week and will show another "predator-prey" relationship that we will focus on as we continue to build our knowledge about plant and animal populations. Below is a picture of what the daphnia and damselfly nymphs look like.
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| damselfly |
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| daphnia (enlarged) |
We are wrapping up unit 1 in math, which reviewed concepts from last year. Students will begin taking the unit 1 assessments this week. No material will be sent home for students to use to study. I just wanted to let you know where we are at. Unit 1 covered such areas/topics as time, place value, number grids, skip counting, and money.
Thank you so much for participating and publishing a piece of writing for our individual books about ourselves. This was a new project 3rd grade decided to do this year, and the students have loved it! If you have not returned your "homework" to publish and illustrate your part about your 3B child, please do so and return as soon as possible! We are finishing up today and tomorrow, and I would like to put their individual books together this week. We will be moving into an activity with clay to look at how writing is like art and connect the writing process to art in our upcoming lessons.
The students went through their first "practice" week of word works. This is another component of our literacy that is similar to "spelling". I will be making a post explaining each days' activities to foster retention and understanding of our "word list words" so that you as parents know what your child is working on in word works and when you can look for his/her list to come home so you can practice the words together. Last week was a practice run, this week is the "real thing". :)
Just a reminder that this week we have a 3 hour early out for teacher inservice. Please be sure your 3B child knows where he/she is suppose to be going that day.
Enjoy the week and make it a great one!
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