Hey...it's not Monday yet!!

Hello to my favorite third graders' families! What a great Spring we're having!! So much to tell you...here we go....

Language Arts
We are all about plays right now...we spent most of the week focusing on stage presence and voice...we also started work on sets, backdrops, props, etc....

Our three plays are titled:
"Cinderella Outgrows the Glass Slipper"
"Once Upon a Hundred Years Nap"
"Will the Real Abraham Lincoln Please Stand Up?"

I promise by next week I will pick the date for the presentation of the plays so you can mark your calendars...I'm not quite ready to commit!

In Social Studies we have started the unit Environmental Issues...I can see this class really getting into this unit. We will be reading about and discussing different environmental issues, how they effect our communities, and what we can do to improve these issues. During this unit we will be writing persuasive essays...speaking of essays...no, I have not graded the "how-to essays" yet...but I have finally caught up with all other papers, so they are next! Writing takes a long time to grade...but I am excited to finally read them!!

We started off the week doing some problem solving in Math...questions where the kids can solve them in so many different ways...the questions all had solutions where multiplication was an efficient way to solve...but not everyone uses multiplication...its important for the kids to know there are multiple ways to solve problems, but that there are ways that are most efficient. So, after a four question pretest, I grouped the kids into three different groups...one group started out the week reviewing the algorithm for one digit times three digits multiplication...they eventually joined the second group which sarted out learning the algorithm for two digit times two digit multiplication. And my third group had the multiplication algorithms down pat, and they worked on applying the algorithms. It was a lot to manage, but it was by far a productive week. I still have a few friends that get confused in the one digit times three digit algorithm...this skill is important for next year...if you have trouble with one digit times any number, it is hard to master two factors that are two or more digits...this would be a great practice skill for the summer. I have only a few kids left that really need fact practice...I've talked to them and they know who they are...this is a must for summer!!

We will be continuing our problem solving this week...most of the problems will require a BCR answer...the kids always groan when they have to write BCRs...they hate to explain their thinking...but I will continue to push them until the very last day of school...you can count on that!

We have some cool assemblies this week...tomorrow the kids will be participating in an assembly titled, "Together We're Better" and the idea behind this assembly is sensitivity awareness...a young many with Asperger's Syndrome will talk about the challenges and successes in his life. Then on Wednesday, your kids will get to see the Band/Orchestra Recruitment show...this is an entertaining, fun show that will excite your child about the opportunity to play an instrument in 4th and/or 5th grade...so expect them to come home with a lot of enthusiasm about playing an instrument! Then on Thursday, Mrs. Fike will be visiting our class to share a lesson with the kids...this time we'll have the lesson in the computer lab...the kids are going to love that!!