3C is a busy bunch!

Another week is under our belts and we worked on so many different things!

Here's a summary of the curricular happenings in 3C this past week:

Numeracy

We finished up our Confidence Building Unit working with fractions and moved on to a quick review of strategies with basic addition facts to 9+9. We focused on +0, +1, +2, doubles (5+5), doubles plus/minus one with neighbour numbers (5+6...think 5+5 is 10, so 5+6 is one more than 10), partners of ten (1&9, 2&8, 3&7, 4&6, 5&5) and using Touch Math. Most of the strategies that we worked on were review for the students but Touch Math was brand new.

Touch Math is an amazing program that helps students be accurate with their calculations when they don't know all of their basic facts by memory. It's a quick and consistent strategy that avoids drawing attention to the fact that the individual doesn't know their math facts. By grade three, some students are self conscious using their fingers or a number line to do their calculations. Touch Math allows students to be quick and accurate without drawing attention to themselves.



I felt that it would be easiest to demonstrate this strategy using a video. I couldn't find a video that I liked so I made my own! This is a first for me...so I hope it makes sense to you. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me at your earliest convenience.

Touch Math Introduction by Mrs. Milson

As with any addition strategy, the preference is for students to memorize their basic addition facts to 9+9. Strategies are to be used when the student isn't able to recall the answer quickly.

All of this addition and soon to be subtraction practice is leading us into our first official unit in math, patterning. Establishing a strong foundation of number sense in these simple calculations now, will assist us in progressing through the patterning unit more smoothly and successfully.

The students were proud of their progress during our How Many Ways activity this week! Students took turns writing their favourite sentence on the board!

Literacy

We have continued to build our stamina during read to self time, with the goal of reading for 30 minutes independently, without interruption. This time is critical in allowing me to conference with students and focus on their individual reading strategies. I have had the opportunity to read with almost all of the students now and will finish up the final few at the beginning of this week. 

Our read alouds have focused on introducing a variety of comprehension, accuracy and fluency strategies and enjoying some of my favourite books! We have been talking about:

• making connections when we read 
• finger tracking 
• cross checking 
• predicting what's going to happen next in the story
• choosing good fit books
• checking for understanding
• backing up and rereading
• reading around the word
• chunking or breaking the word into known parts
• looking for small words we know within bigger words

Ask your child to describe the above strategies and encourage them to use them during their home reading time.

In writing this past week we focused on coming up with a specific idea to write about. Often students say "I don't know what to write!" This past week we looked at taking a general idea and making it more specific. For example, instead of getting stumped on what to write about the rock walk, students can narrow their focus down to specific thoughts about the rock walk. For example:

• the walk to and from the river valley
• searching for rocks with specific properties
• having a picnic at the gazebo
• playing at the park with friends
• finding their favourite rock

After working on this strategy all week, students completed a journal entry based on a specific idea that they came up with. 

This week, we also focused on using periods at the end of statements in our writing.

Science

In science, we focused our studies on the types of rocks, the rock cycle, petrified wood, weathering and erosion. We have been watching some amazing videos, having discussion, looking at some rock samples and completing our lap books.

Art

In art, we completed a watercolour name painting. They will be up on display in the hallway and in the classroom as soon as a few finishing touches are added.

Star Student

We all enjoyed getting to know our first Star Student a little bit better! Miss S did a fantastic job!

Important Reminders for this Week!

• Picture day - Wednesday
• Terry Fox Walk - Friday. 
• Please bring in a toonie for Terry if possible and fill out the permission slips online asap.

Rock Walk

Team 3C enjoyed a beautiful day exploring our river valley! They especially loved their time searching for rocks with specific properties!

To see all of our Rock Walk pictures, click here.

Welcome to 3C!

Wow! I can't believe that we are already 8 days into our new year! We have been working hard in 3C to establish new routines and new friendships for everyone.

To see all of our first day of school pictures click here.

Over the past two weeks we immersed ourselves into a regular schedule and routine filled with the following activities:

• Read Alouds (Every morning I start our day by sharing one of my favourite books. While I read I model and teach specific reading strategies.)
• Read to Self (30 minutes of uniterrupted reading - This gives me the opportunity to have one on one reading conferences with three students each day. We focus on specific reading strategies that they need to be using during their own personal reading.)
• Writing - We are working on a Grade Three Newspaper project that highlights the students' favourite memories from the summer and their hopes and goals for the new school year. We have also started journal writing.
• Science -  We have started our first unit on Rocks and Minerals.
• Math - How Many Ways, Daily Graph and a confidence building mini unit on fractions

How Many Ways?

This is one of my favourite math activities to do! Students are asked to write equations that equal the target number. Today we worked on the number 8. 

The rules are:

1) you can only have one = in each equation

2) you can use addition, subtraction, multiplication or division

3) you need to be sure that you are right

4) you can use counters if needed

As time goes on, we will add a few more rules about how long you can follow a particular pattern before you need to switch things up.

Here's an example from our first attempt this year! The students were so proud of themselves filling the whiteboard with their number sentences making 8!

Supplies

All of our school supplies have now been sorted and labelled. I have placed each child's extra supplies in a ziploc bag with their name on it.

Team 3C students are already participating in a Pencil and Eraser Challenge. Each month students start the month with a pencil and eraser with their name on it. If they manage to keep the same pencil and eraser for the entire month, they will receive two stickers on our chart. If they need a new pencil mid month because theirs is too short, I simply give them a new pencil from their supplies and write their name on it. As long as they show me their old pencil, they are not penalized in the challenge. At the end of the year, I will count up everyone's stickers and reward our most responsible students with a few prizes. Last year, each student was able to take home an entire box of pencils that they didn't get around to using! The purpose of this challenge is to teach the students to be responsible for and respect their supplies. 

Water Bottles

Students are encouraged to bring a water bottle to school each day. Trips to the water fountain are very disruptive. I will be encouraging students to bring home bottles each day to be washed and refilled for the following day. 

Parent Homework

The students loved the fact that you received the first homework assignment of the year! Please complete the In A Million Words or Less sheet and return it to school ASAP.

Library

Team 3C has library every Tuesday. 

Please remind your child to return their library books each Tuesday to prevent overdues.
Our new librarian, Mrs. Caudron, was excited to meet all of our 3C students! 

I think that is all for now...I hope I haven't overloaded you with information!

My door is always open to our 3C families. If you have any questions or concerns at any time, please bring them to my attention at your earliest convenience.

Grade three photos

Grade Three Photos 2016-2017