Weekly Update: November 22, 2019

Happy Friday 3B Parents!

The students and I have had a great week! They are very much looking forward to our field trip next week along with Thanksgiving break!

Field Trip Information: Students will be traveling to Plimoth Plantation next Monday 11/25 for our field trip! Please make sure your child is at school on time that morning.  We will be leaving close to 8:30. Our field trip is usually a fun day.  Dress code is casual, weather appropriate clothing. We have gone in all types of weather over the years, snow, rain, windy and bitter cold, and a few years of mild temperatures.  Please help your child to dress according to weather predictions.  Layers are always best.  We spend the greatest portion of the day outside.  Please pack their lunch in a disposable bag with no glass bottles or containers at all.   

We have been asking all students to be sure they are memorizing the words to the songs they will sing in the Christmas Pageant.  We have begun preparations for that this week. They are performing so well!

***Please remind your child to continue memorizing the lyrics to the Christmas songs that they will sing as part of the pageant***They need to especially practice: "Oh Come All Ye Faithful," “The First Noel,” and “Drummer Boy.” 

Upcoming Events:

Monday, November 25^th---Field Trip to Plimoth Plantation

Tuesday, November 26^th---Chapter 4, Lesson 5 Science Quiz

Tuesday, November 26^th---Topic 4 Math Test

Wednesday, November 27^th-Friday, November 29^th---Thanksgiving Break

Thursday, December 6^th---Topic 4 Math Test

Thursday, December 5^th---First Trimester Report Cards

Friday, December 6^th—No School (Faculty Professional Day) 

Tuesday, December 10^th—Christmas Concert: 1:00pm & 6:30pm

Math: We have begun studying multiplication.  Students have learned how to draw an array to display a multiplication sentence. They have learned that multiplication is also known as repeated addition and have learned the Commutative Property of Multiplication. This is a short topic and we will have the test next Tuesday.

 It would be a good idea to start thinking about making or purchasing flash cards (Dollar Tree is always a good bet!) as the students will soon be asked to start memorizing these facts. Beginning with 0 and working their way up is the best way to study.

You Can Help: The following link shows a great example of an array and how students can derive a multiplication sentence by looking at the model: http://www.eduplace.com/math/mw/background/3/05/te_3_05_array_develop.html

The link also explains the Commutative Property of Multiplication which the students have learned as well. Basically it states that regardless of the order of the factors the product will be the same. 4x2 is equal to 2x4. 

-Students have learned that in a multiplication sentence, the first factor describes the amount of equal rows or groups in the array (or word problem) and the second factor describes the amount of items in each group or row.

-Students sometimes get confused on how to write a multiplication sentence as an addition problem. To help, in class we continuously remind students that 6x3 is stating that there are 6 groups of 3, therefore as an addition problem it would be written as: 3+3+3+3+3+3=18.

Reading: This week we finished up working with making connections as we read. We read the book, The Name Jar and students practiced making different types of connections on sticky notes.

After Thanksgiving we will begin a Gingerbread Reading Unit where we compare the different book versions of the Gingerbread Man! They will be comparing characters, setting, and problems. They will be describing the different gingerbread men using skills learned during our Character Trait unit.

Writing: The 3B elves have been busy creating their elf application forms for Santa! They have started writing letters to try to persuade Santa to hire them for their elf job of choice. Check out our bulletin board after Thanksgiving!

Science: This week students learned about different animal adaptations. They have learned that adaptations help organisms survive. 

After Thanksgiving there will be only one more lesson before the Chapter 4 Test. After the test, students will no longer be working through the science book. They will have gained the background knowledge necessary to make important deductions for upcoming science activities. Science will be taught through a series of activities, experiments, and story books. Let the fun begin!

Have a happy weekend!