Weekly Update

Research Workshop:

Students continued taking notes this week based on subtopics that they chose for each of their 6 main research topics.  Lessons this weeks focused on helping students choose important vs. interesting facts as well as using text features such as captions, maps, graphs, and charts to collect more information for each subtopic.

Here is an example of a student's subtopic web along with the notes for each subtopic below.

Math:

We are plugging along in Unit 4.  At the beginning of the week, students learned/reviewed how to round numbers to the nearest 10 and the nearest 100.  At the end of the week, students learned 3 methods for multi-digit addition and also learned how to make proof drawings.  After students solved the addition problems using one of the numerical methods, they were required to prove their answer through a proof drawing.  Below are pictures of the three numerical methods for multidigit addition and an example of a proof drawing.

Example of a Proof Drawing

Below is a video that demonstrates the 3 addition methods we teach in 3rd Grade Math Expressions, along with some modeling of how to create a "proof drawing."  This is a new concept for both parents and students, so watching his video will help you be able to assist your children more effectively with homework assignments. (Go to 2:25 to skip ahead to the "proof drawings.")

  

Social Studies:

We are near the end of our Southeast Region tour!  After visiting the Everglades and the JFK Space Center, we visited Orlando, Florida and had a special Disney Day.  Students brought in any souvenirs they had from the parks or Disney things that they had at home.  We then opened a "Disney Museum" in our classroom.  Students displayed their Disney memorabilia at their tables, and students walked around to check out what their classmates brought to school.   We even watched a "behind the scenes" informational movie about the parks.

Students browsing the Disney Museum!

More Social Studies!

After visiting the coal mines of Appalachia, an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, Natchez, Mississippi, and Montgomery, Alabama, we made our final tour stops in Memphis, Tennessee and New Orleans, Louisiana.  In both Memphis and New Orleans, we learned about some of the most popular musical styles in the Southeast.  Students played a "Name that Musical Style" game during which they had to identify Dixieland Jazz, Delta Blues, Cajun music, and Bluegrass music based on the instruments they heard in the songs.

We also visited New Orleans and had a little Mardi Gras celebration in our classroom!  Not only did students learn about the fun of Mardi Gras, but they also learned about the devastating impact of Hurricane Katrina and how New Orleans is still in the process of rebuilding their great city years after the storm.

All-Star of the Week

Abby was our awesome Room 13 All-Star last week!  She loved sharing her special diary and a neat "All About Me" book in which she writes things about herself and her life.  She also shared wonderful photos that helped us learn more about her family.  Abby was lucky enough to have both her grandma and her mom write very thoughtful parent letters that helped us learn more about Abby's interests and hear great examples of her kindness toward others.  Her favorite day was when she had some special guests join her as her lunch buddies!

Weekly Update

Research Workshop
Students began taking notes on their subtopic webs this week.  Each day they are learning a new strategy for taking notes.  We focused on taking notes as fact fragments versus writing complete sentences.  This takes a lot of practice.  It is easy for students to begin to copy sentences from their books.  We work with them to turn the information they read into their own words and write them as fragments.

Math
We started Unit 4 this week.  Students learned how to create place value drawings.  They used these drawings to help them solve place value word problems.  Each student created an Educreations lesson in which he/she wrote his/her own place value word problem and solved it.  You can check out the word problem your child created on his/her iPad.  Students used Secret Code Cards to practice naming the digits in a number and identifying each digit's value.  They also learned how to write numbers in standard form, word form, and expanded form.  
standard form: 1, 725
word form: one thousand seven hundred twenty five
expanded form: 1,000 + 700 + 20 + 5 OR 1 thousand + 7 hundreds + 2 tens + 5 ones

Weekly Update

Research Workshop
We Started country research this week, so we are now combining reading and writing workshop into research workshop.  We will do research workshop two times during the school day.  Students were so excited to get the library books they will be using for their research!  They created webs to determine the six main topics they want to research about their country.  Sample topics included food, clothing, housing, holidays and festivals, school, animals, etc.  Using the table of contents and the index int heir books, students placed sticky notes on the pages in their books that included information about their topics.  This task was in preparation for the notes they will begin taking this week.

Word Study Centers
Each week in class students practice their assigned patterns by playing word study games and doing activities that help them study and sort words by their patterns.  Below are some pictures of students working in their small groups.

Math
We wrapped up Unit 3 with a review and assessment.  The unit test covered the various skills which were taught throughout the unit, including: reading and creating a bar graph, telling time, measurement, and elapsed time.  The test will go home by the end of the week.  We will begin Unit 4 this week--Multidigit Addition and Subtraction.  Front Row is the latest math app we've asked students to install on their iPads.  Please have your child practice various math skills at home using this app.  It will provide a lot of data for us, which we can share with you in the near future.

Science

Students enjoyed visiting the Michigan Science Center.  Our field trip started with a show in the DTE Sparks Theatre where Megan had a "hair raising" experience and Zavier became a Jedi for a moment.  In the Toyota 4D Theatre we went for a "ride" and got a little wet as we learned more about engineers. We also learned more about the sun, moon, stars, and planets at a show called "Junior Astronomer" in the Planetarium.  The last show we caught was the Chrysler Science Stage Show where students learned some experiments they could try at home.  Students also had a lot of time to explore the many exhibits throughout the center.  Below is an Animoto video of pictures from our trip.  You can also check out photos from the trip in the slideshow below or click HERE to see the photos individually. 

All-Star of the Week
Faisal was our fantastic All-Star last week.  Students enjoyed listening to him read a classic by Dr. Suess.  They also liked seeing his pictures with his family and checking out the items from his sharing sack.  Faisal enjoyed a special lunch with his mom and dad last week too.