Science

This week we learned that there are two different types of models, 2 dimensional and 3 dimensional.  We also learned that all models are not correct.  In class we all created models of the Big Dipper.  Everyone had a model but not all of them were accurate.  We also learned that scientist use models to see objects that are far away close up.

Watermelon Fun! {Volunteers Needed}

As part of our math unit, the third grade classes will spend an afternoon working with watermelon seeds -- they get to eat watermelon, save their seeds, and then practice estimating and measuring how far they can spit the seeds!

We're planning to hold this special event on Friday, September 16 as part of our afternoon stations.  The students will work in small groups and rotate through several "stations" (outside spitting seeds, or inside doing other activities).  Each station will last about 20 minutes.

If you're available, we'd love to have you help us with this fun activity.  Volunteers should plan to arrive at KE at 12:15 to help cut and serve the watermelon.  We'll be finished by 2:30 so that students can participate in 2:30 recess.

Please contact your child's homeroom teacher if you'd like to help out. A pink form has been sent home that you can fill out and return, or you can contact us via note or e-mail.

Thanks!

Off and running . . .

Wow!  We've already completed a full week of third grade!  We've been busy, busy, busy in our classrooms!  Students have taken several beginning of the year assessments, jumped into the curriculum, and have learned the expectations and routines of third grade.  It looks like we're off to a great start ,and we look forward to a super year of learning together.  Please take time to read the posts below highlighting some of the things we're learning about!

We plan to update the blog weekly (usually on Fridays), and will send e-mail reminders to those who have submitted e-mail addresses to let you know when the blog has been updated.

In addition, student work will be sent home on Fridays in Friday Folders.  Please take time over the weekend to check out your child's work, as well as any information or notes that may be sent home.  Folders should be signed and returned on Mondays.

In this week's Friday Folder you'll find . . .
• A note from our student teacher, Miss Flynn, regarding permission to video tape lessons for her coursework.  Please sign (if you so choose) and return this note asap.
• A packet from your child's homeroom teacher that includes our class schedules, procedures, and discipline plans.  Again, please take a moment to read over this important information.

Finally, thanks to those who have returned the forms sent home at Open House (Let's Communicate/e-mail request, and Getting to Know Your Child) as well as the baggie of coins for math class.  If you have not returned those items, please do so.  Thank you!

Foreign Language at KE

KE students are lucky to have the opportunity to study both Spanish and Chinese at the elementary level!

We're pleased to welcome Mrs. Lundberg as our new K-3 Spanish teacher (Mrs. Freeman returns and continues to teach Spanish to grades 4 and 5).   Mr. O'Brien also returns as our K-5 Chinese teacher.

Mrs. Lundburg introduces herself (en Espanol!) with the help of several objects/props

Mr. O'Brien reviews vocabulary that students learned last year - they remembered a LOT over the summer!

Reading

Students took a beginning of the year reading assessment that accompanies our reading series this week. Scores from this test, as well as from last spring's reading MAP test scores and DRA scores were used to divide students into reading groups.  Some students meet with Mrs. Bender for reading, and the rest work with Mrs. Hartsock.  Both groups use the same general core curriculum, and both provide guided reading instruction at students' specific reading levels. (Over the next few weeks we'll take the MAP and DRA reading assessments again to better determine reading levels.)

This week we kicked off our new reading theme, Off to Adventure!  We began reading our first story, Cliff Hanger, and will continue reading it next week.  Skills that we are working on with this story include predicting and identifying cause and effect.

Students in Mrs. H.'s class drew themselves as an "adventurer" to kick off the theme

Students in Mrs. H.'s class also practiced selecting independent reading books, as well as how our room should look and sound during independent reading time.  They're doing a great job!

Integrating technology

KE is very fortunate to be able to support lots of technology use in our classrooms. Last year each classroom received an interactive whiteboard (SMARTboard), as well as a document camera (think of it as an updated/high tech overhead that works with the SMARTboard).  Our Boosters have also provided a great computer lab, and we are very pleased to have added a second laptop lab of 25 macbooks to our K-3 wing.

Third graders got to be the first kids in the school to use the new laptop lab this week!  M-P Technology Integration Specialist, Beth Swantz, visited us to help students learn to use the laptops and their flash drives.  Throughout the year students will save their work on their flash drives, which will allow them to access their documents on any computer, and will also allow teachers to view student projects digitally rather than always printing them out.  The kids were very excited to learn how to use the flash drives, and caught on very quickly.  

Mrs. Swantz will return next week to help us teach students how to open a word processing program, create a document, and to save that document properly on their flash drive.  We plan to have students use the new laptops to type journal entries for science, as well as to publish stories/projects for language skills (just to name a few!).

Language Skills

This week students completed a beginning of the year spelling assessment.  We'll begin our regular spelling lists that correlate with the stories in our reading series next week.

We also reviewed the proper format for writing in our daily writing journals, and learned about the writing process (prewriting, drafting, editing, rewriting/publishing). Students are working on writing letters following the steps in the writing process.

Social Studies

We're beginning the year with a study of map skills.  This week students reviewed reasons why maps are useful, as well as kinds of maps.  We also discussed that most maps show the "airplane" view of a location, and learned about the difference between airplane/map view and bird's eye and eye level views.  

Students drawing familiar objects from airplane, bird's eye, and eye level viewpoints

Math

This week has gone by quickly!  We spent most of our time reviewing the tools used in our math curriculum along with practicing the math facts.  Since there is no homework over the weekend, it is always a good time to get out those flash cards and do some practicing!  Or, use one of the games we learned in class.

Math homework can sometimes be a difficult task at home.  Remember if your child is struggling in completing the assignment, try to do two or three problems, then just sign and return the Homelink.  I do recommend that parents read over the Homelink, checking for errors, and then sign the paper before returning it to school.

Some helpful hints for homework, shared by the Iowa Newspaper Foundation and Wellmark of Iowa include: Turning off the T.V. until the homework is complete, designate a specific place to do the homework, and do the homework the same time every night - helps to establish a routine.

If you haven't sent back your coins to school, please do so by Tuesday.  The money will be returned to you at the end of the year.

Science

This year we have a new science kit to use in third grade.  It is called Space Science for Third Grade.  In the kit the kids will learn about the different sizes of the planets and satellites in our universe, learn about which planets and satellites are in our universe and learn more about the moon in its relationship to the Earth.

This weekend the kids do have a homework assignment.  Their assignment is to observe the sky during the day and during the night.  What things can they see?  They don't have to write anything down, just be prepared to share in class.