Third graders have been busy exploring light. Students did some free exploration
with flashlights and mirrors. During the
light unit students will investigate where light comes from, how light travels,
why light changes direction, and what happens when light hits different
materials. Students are using the “I Wonder”
circle to frame their questioning and discovering. I am especially impressed with their careful
scientific drawings of what they observed.
We have explored how light travels and how we can measure its intensity. We also talked about a number of different technologies that use light. Third graders were given the challenge of designing an experiment that proves that light travels in a straight line. Their experiments were varied and extremely creative. They also worked to understand that light can reflect, be absorbed, or transmitted. There was some excitement around the design of an invisibility cloak! Ask your child how that design is connected to what we have learned about light.
Third graders also learned about optical engineering in anticipation of
our engineering connection to this unit.
They are excited to have the opportunity to practice being engineers! Third
graders learned about optical engineers
and how they use light to develop new technology. Students are excited about
the challenge of how to light a “tomb.”
Click here for a fun online activity that allows students to practice some of the concepts we are studying in the classroom. I hope you
have time to explore the site with your child.
Writing Partners, Estimating, and Hopes
I enjoyed seeing many of you at Back-to-School
Night. Thank you for taking time out of
your busy day to come and learn about third grade. If you were not able to attend I am sending home
the packet of information that was shared in the classroom. Please contact me
with additional questions. Thank you to
those of you who have filled out the survey.
If you have not had a chance to do so, please take a moment to respond. It is very helpful information as I continue
to get to get to know your children and work to create our partnership. Third graders are enjoying learning more about
one another through the clue box. Ask
your child what clue he/she shared. After
each third grader and teacher shared his/her hope or dream for the year, we
brainstormed ways that we could help our classmates achieve their hopes and
dreams. Some of the ideas that students
thoughtfully shared were to read quietly when classmates are reading so they
can become better readers, to include new people in our games so classmates can
make new friends, and to ask classmates if they need help so everyone can learn
new things. We also signed our “Hopes and Dreams Quilt” as a reminder of what we
agreed to work on this year. Third graders are finished having keyboarding
every day. We will continue visiting the
E & P lab once or twice a week.
However, I encourage them to continue practicing keyboarding at
home!
We finished the first
unit, Numbers to 10,000. Students were highly successful with this
first math unit of third grade. They
engaged in the games, conversations and student work eagerly and productively. We
started the second unit, Mental Math and
Estimation. In this unit we have
practiced a number of different strategies for adding and subtracting numbers
mentally. We also practiced using
rounding and front-end estimation to estimate sums and difference. There are many real world applications of
these skills and I encourage you to have your third grader use estimation while
grocery shopping.
I am almost finished
listening to each child read independently.
This information is very helpful as we move ahead with Readers’
Workshop. Please help your child remember
to have a “just right” reading book at school every day. Our independent reading work has been focused on habits of a good reader. We discussed how important it was for third graders to stop and think as they read. In addition, we shared strategies for choosing a just "right book". Thank you for your support in developing strong reading habits at home.
Each third grader was assigned a writing partner. It has been wonderful to watch them collaborate and set goals together. Each partnership chose something that they were going to help one another with. I was impressed as I heard students ask others to help them use a storyteller's voice, come up with new ideas, and write more.
Math Resources
We'd like to make you aware of two Moodle pages, called Singapore Math Resources for Parents and Lower School Math Problem Solving, created by PK-12 Math Department Chair Ina Loobeek to provide parents with information about Blake's Earlybird (PK-K) and Math in Focus (1-7) Singapore math programs and to provide practice in problem solving. Here you will also find links to resources that help students develop conceptual understanding in mathematics, practice their computation skills, and explore math enrichment topics.
To access the Singapore Math Resources for Parents Moodle page, do the following:
- Go to www.blakeschool.org
- Under "Parents", click on "Courses at Blake (Moodle)" which can be found under Upper School resources.
- At the upper right of the BLAKE Moodle home page, click on "Alt Login - Not for students"
- Enter the following information on the left half of the page, then click on "Alt login"
- Username: lowerschool (all lowercase)
- Password: parent (all lowercase)
- Scroll down and click on "Lower School" under Divisional Courses
- Click on "Singapore Math Resources for Parents" or "Lower School Math Problem Solving"
Alternatively, the following link will take you directly to the Singapore Math Resources for Parents page (you will still need to log in using the preceding username and password). We recommend that you bookmark this link:
The Singapore Math Resources for Parents page includes information on:
- What is Singapore Math?
- Blake Parent Information Nights (slides and videos)
- Frequently Asked Questions
- In the Classroom
- Ten Frames and Number Bonds
- Model Drawing
- Math Practice
- Enrichment & Games
- Earlybird & Math in Focus Resources
- Other Links and Resources
If you'd like to request or recommend the inclusion of additional resources, please don't hesitate to contact Ina Loobeek at iloobeek@blakeschool.org.
The Lower School Math Problem Solving Moodle page contains practice word problems (with solutions) that are organized by problem solving heuristic. This video demonstrates how to access the Lower School Math Problem Solving page: http://www.
The Lower School Math Problem Solving Moodle page contains practice word problems (with solutions) that are organized by problem solving heuristic. This video demonstrates how to access the Lower School Math Problem Solving page: http://www.
We wish you joy in exploring mathematics with your child!
Establishing Routines
We have had a busy second week of school. I have enjoyed watching third graders become more comfortable with classroom routines and engage in classroom activities with energy, respect, and enthusiasm. Thank you for supporting your child's reading routine at home. I was impressed with the number of minutes that I saw on reading graphs this morning. Our homework expectations will expand in the next few weeks. Here are some of the highlights from the week.
* Dr. Yu visited our classroom and read Rosie Revere Engineer and talked about Blake School rules. Third graders enjoyed the story and are continuing to think like engineers.
* It is fun to watch the third graders engage in Spanish everyday. They are learning quickly and having a lot of fun!
* We started our writers' workshop and third graders are already writing fast and furiously. They are writing true stories and using important people and places as inspiration. At the end of workshop one third grade proudly exclaimed that he had never written so much in his life!
* We are finishing with our first math unit on place value called Numbers
to 10,000. I have been very impressed with students’
understanding and ability to work with such large numbers. Math time
is a focused and productive time in our classroom! Next week we will
take the final chapter assessment and move into Chapter 2- Mental Math
and Estimation. In this chapter, students will practice adding
and subtracting 2-digit numbers, with and without regrouping. They will
also be rounding and estimating sums and differences. I offer a variety of extension activities in the classroom for
third graders to try when they are finished with their workbook pages. I
am impressed with home many third graders are up for the challenge!
* We continue to work on
establishing good reading habits during readers’ workshop. We spent time talking about what good readers
do and how to choose a “Just Right Book.”
Please help your child remember to have his/her independent reading book
at school every day.
* Third graders have been keyboarding everyday. They also started work on programming a golf club which will become part of their miniature golf hole.
Here are a few upcoming dates I want to make sure you are aware of.
Wednesday 9/9 - Picture Day
Friday 9/11 - Noon Dismissal
Wednesday 9/16 - Back to School Night
Friday 10/2 - Convocation and Legacy Day
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