Mrs. Fraser, January 13, 2014

 BIBLE

Character Trait:  Generosity

Reference:  Psalms 11:5

Verse:  Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice.

Definition:  Freely sharing with others from what God has allowed me to have

Opposite:  Selfishness or holding on to things instead of sharing

SPELLING WORDS:  LESSON 18

This week is a review week.  Please review all words from Lessons 13-17.  You will find a study list of words attached to your newsletter on Monday.  There will be a multiple choice test this Friday.  Next week in Lesson 19 we will continue to write 5 more words in cursive as we study our weekly 20 words and 2 challenge words.  This will make 10 words to practice writing in cursive.

PARENT CORNER

MULTIPLICATION FACTS

Third graders will begin a special level program to learn our multiplication facts.  Each week we will concentrate on a particular factor family.  Students will study the facts at school and students should review them at home.  We will have a daily 3-minute timed test of 36 multiplication facts in that factor family.  Our goal is to pass the fact family each Friday.  This is a progressive test and we will learn facts up through the family of 9.  Students must pass one level with 100% accuracy before moving on to the next level. Students should pass all 9 levels by the end of the third quarter.  We will begin with the factor families of 0, 1, 2, and 3’s.  Now is a great time to purchase a set of multiplication fact flash cards for your child to help with daily practice in multiplication as  well as in addition and subtraction facts if you do not yet have these tools.  The Dollar Tree offers them very inexpensively.

Factor Family of 0

0 x 0 = 0

0 x 1  = 0

0 x 2 = 0

0 x 3 = 0

0 x 4 = 0

0 x 5 = 0

0 x 6 = 0

0 x 7 = 0

0 x 8 = 0

0 x 9 = 0

0 x 10 = 0

Factor Family of 1

1 x 0 = 0

1 x 1 = 1

1 x 2 = 2

1 x 3 = 3

1 x 4 = 4

1 x 5 = 5

1 x 6 = 6

1  x 7 = 7

1 x 8 = 8

1  x 9 = 9

1 x 10 = 10

Factor Family of 2

2 x 0 = 0

2 x 1 = 2

2 x 2 = 4

2 x 3 = 6

2 x 4 = 8

2 x 5 = 10

2 x 6 = 12

2 x 7 = 14

2 x 8 = 16

2 x 9 = 18

2 x 10 = 20

MATH COMPUTATION FACTS

Our second semester goals are to show proficiency in 100 addition and subtraction facts with 100% accuracy within 4 minutes time limit.  Students will continue to practice facts.  Requirements are to pass Addition Facts Form A with 100% accuracy and then pass Form B with 100% accuracy.  Then students will proceed to show proficiency in 100 Subtractions Facts with 100% accuracy within 4 minutes for Form A and then Form B.  A copy of Form A and B in Addition and Subtraction will be sent home for students to use as practice.  Math certificates will be awarded for passing each form and level.  Timed tests in computation facts will be given twice a week. Upon reaching these goals, a third grader becomes a Member of the Third Grade Math Club and will be invited to an Ice Cream Party near the end of the school year.

Students will then progress to earn entrance to the Fourth Grade by mastering 100 Multiplication Facts in Form A and B, 100 Division Facts in Form A and B for the Fifth Grade Math Club, and 100 Mixed Facts for Sixth Grade.  Students who reach this goal  become a Lifetime Math Member and will earn pizza with the 3rd and 4th grade teachers near the end of the school year.

LIBRARY DAY

Please note that every TUESDAY is Library Day at 2:00-2:45 PM for our third grade class.  Students should be returning their books every week.  They are required to check out 3 Red Star Books from the recommended reading list in the library each week.  They may keep their library books up to TWO weeks before they are overdue.

Please keep library books stored in student backpacks while at home so that their Red Star Books go back and forth to school every day.  Children have a routine to pull Red Star Books out  of their backpacks after lunch for daily Sustained Silent Reading.   Much reading time is wasted when children do not have their reading books to complete their reading assignments to be prepared for READING COUNTS quizzes on Wednesdays and Fridays.  Students are required to read a minimum of 1 Red Star Book per week and take a quiz with a passing score of 70% or above.  During the third quarter of school books chosen should now more closely match their lexile comprehension level.  You may check the individualized recommended reading list sent home for examples.  Most library books should have the lexile comprehension level on the inside cover of the book.  Thank you for helping your child develop a daily routine for this study habit.

READING

Last week students began a literature study of The Mouse and the Motorcycle focusing on skills for critical thinking in Chapter 1 including identifying story elements, recalling details, matching, comparing characters, making outcomes, drawing conclusions, predicting, as well as stating and defending an opinion. This week we continue our literature study in Chapter 2 .  We will learn about sequencing events, stating the main idea, identifying cause and effect and practice the critical thinking skills introduced in Chapter 1.

We also continue Unit 3:  Incredible Stories in leveled readers to build fluency and independence.  Students are studying key vocabulary and focusing  on comprehension skills.  Students are drawing conclusions based on story details by using graphic organizers in a conclusion chart along with improving oral reading accuracy through timed oral reading records.

ORAL INTERPRETATION

By now all students should have their poems selected.  This week we continue to practice our poems in class daily for next Friday’s class speech meet on January 24th.  Students should have their poems memorized by this Friday, January 17.  Begin to think about what voice expressions and hand gestures you would like to add to make your poem story come alive!  Sorry, no props are allowed per oral interpretation rules.

READING COUNTS

During the third quarter students are required to take a minimum of 1 Reading Counts quiz WEEKLY with a passing score of 70% or above for credit as part of the reading grade.  Please note that these quizzes cannot be made up at a later date unless absent.  Students are given daily Sustained Silent Reading Time to read their books.  They also have access to the computers on Wednesdays and Fridays in class to take quizzes.  Students are not allowed to use their books when taking a quiz other than inputting the title and author.

If you choose to take a quiz at home during the week after reading a Red Star Book, the student should be supervised by a parent.  You may print a copy of your child’s recommended reading list from home with books tailor fit to their interests and lexile comprehension level.  If students are taking Red Star Books home to read, please store them in student backpacks so that books are returned to school daily for use during Sustained Silent Reading each week.

READING COUNTS GOALS

Special Reading Certificates
BLUE – 25 POINTS
RED – 50 POINTS
BRONZE – 100 POINTS
SILVER – 250 POINTS
GOLD – 500 POINTS

 Year-End Awards

100 points- Ice Cream Party

500 points- Pizza with the 3rd and 4th grade teachers

MATH

ACADEMIC END OF THE YEAR MATH REWARDS