Newsletter--Week of 12/14

News from 3P

Week of: December 14, 2015

Reading and Language Arts: This week we are wrapping up our study of non-fiction text features, although we will continue to reference them throughout the year. Students are working on creating a page about a branch of government, to be compiled into multiple government books created by 3P!   **Students should be reading at least 25 minutes for homework every night!

Grammar: We are reviewing 3^rd grade writing conventions like capitals, punctuation, and complete sentences.

Writing: This week our writing is tied into Reading. Students will write what they know about a branch of government in a creative, non-fiction text way.  

Social Studies: This week we are finishing up the study of our government. We will be doing a study guide and testing on Wednesday.

Math: This week we will be finishing up our study of 6, 7, and 8. We will be testing on those facts and also on story problems. When we return from break, we will be jumping into fractions!

Dates to Remember:

Mon. Dec 14- Secret Pal starts today J

Tues. Dec. 15- Get Smart with Art

Wed. Dec. 16- Kindergarten Buddies

Thurs. Dec. 17- Holiday Brunch 11am-12pm J

Thurs. Dec. 17- Holiday Concert @ Wheaton North HS

Have a FANTASTIC Winter Break! See you in the New Year!

Newsletter--Week of 12/7

News from 3P

Week of: December 7, 2014

Reading and Language Arts: This week we will continue to focus on nonfiction text. We will still be incorporating our Social Studies text book into Reading time, and looking for nonfiction text features within that text. **Students should be reading at least 20 minutes for homework every night!

Grammar: We will finish up working with suffixes.  

Writing: This week we will be writing about our government.  Students will continue to work on linking words and conventions (grammar, capitalization, and punctuation).

Social Studies: We will continue to learn about the three branches of government. Students are really enjoying this unit of social studies, so make sure to ask them about it! J

Math: This week our focus will be on 8’s and 7’s multiplication. We will be incorporating story problems with these as well. Students must not only solve the problem, but show HOW they got their answers.  

Dates to Remember:

Thurs. Dec. 10- Cook’s Night Out @ Potbellys! J

**Secret Pal Information will be coming home sometime this week. Please look for this note and information. J

Fun Times in Google Expeditions

3P had a blast traveling around the world with Google Expeditions today! Keep reading to see what students enjoyed the most!

Grace: The thing I loved most about Google Expeditions was that we got to look at things they did in the past and what they do today.

Ella: I especially liked when we went to outer space and saw all the different planets. I felt like you were actually there, and could reach out and touch things.

Ethan: I liked when we got to see all the stars in the Milky Way in outer space. At the end I felt like I was sick and going to throw up. I would still do it again though!

Sabina: I really liked that I got to see the ocean. I really liked being in outer space and liked seeing the Earth. I felt like I wasn't on the Earth anymore and it was really cool!

Claire: Google Expeditions was really fun! I liked seeing all the animals. It was really cool, especially when I saw all the sharks!

Mackenzie: My favorite part was when we went to London "rode" on the Ferris Wheel. I got to see the city where my aunt lives! I also liked seeing all the animals like the sharks and the gorilla.

Patrick: I really liked how we went under the water and saw sharks. I didn't like how at the end I felt kind of dizzy!

Carter: I think that the ocean was good, but the Moon was better! Also, the outer space was the BEST! The goggles made a circle around my nose!

Seth: I really liked when we got to see the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. I liked seeing Abe Lincoln. I really liked when we got to see the soccer fields and the sea. And I liked when we got to go to space and the Moon.

Abigail: I liked when we got to see what Native American girl and boy clothes looked like. The girls' clothes were really colorful!

Addy: I loved when we went underwater and saw all the different animals. I felt like I was really there!

Aiden: I was so amazed by how good they made it look! I loved the underwater and space! I was also really dizzy after we were done. I liked seeing the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument because it felt like we were actually in Washington DC. It was fun going to outer space because it felt like you could reach out and touch everything!

David: My favorite part was when I went to the Moon and outer space. I also liked looking down because it felt like I was falling!

Max: I liked the soccer field in Brazil. I also liked the sharks and the cave. It really felt like I was underwater. At the end I felt really dizzy and I really liked when we saw the outer space because it looked like you could touch the Earth and see the Milky Way. At the end I felt really dizzy and I also liked seeing the sea animals. They were so cool and it felt like you were there!

Jaden: I liked going to outer space and going underwater. It really felt like I was actually there under the water. I liked seeing close up pictures of gorillas coming after you. I liked that it felt so realistic like you were actually there and could put your hand out to touch them.

Molly: I enjoyed being on the Ferris Wheel because when I tipped over a little it actually felt like I was falling into the river. I also liked being in the cave because when I looked down I saw a little crack and it felt like it was sucking me in. I also liked being underwater and seeing the sharks and the scuba divers. I liked being in the jungle and seeing the gorillas and it was kind of like I was on a real safari. It was cool seeing the people because it was like seeing everything in real life. You could also get a little scared because it was so realistic and it felt like we weren't even at Lowell School anymore!

Aimee: I felt like it looked real and I was there. I also liked when we saw the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. I also liked being in outer space. The Earth looked bigger than the Sun. I liked seeing the Little Dipper. At the end I felt dizzy and there was a circle around my nose. I also liked the sharks and the soccer field. When I was in London on the Ferris wheel I felt a little scared because it felt like we were so high in the air. All the Indian clothes looked cool because it looked like they made it themselves with their own hands.

Newsletter--Week of 11/16

News from 3P

Week of: November 16, 2015

Reading and Language Arts: This week we will be finishing up our chocolate novels. We will then briefly preview non-fiction text features before break. **Students should be reading at least 20 minutes for homework every night!

Grammar: We will finish up with prefixes.

Writing: This week in writing, students will be focused on their journaling during Daily 5. There will be a variety of prompts and students will work on linking words and conventions (grammar, capitalization, and punctuation).

Social Studies: We will continue with our Native American study this week. Students will be finishing up their tribe study in library. We will take our test on Thursday.  Watch for the study guide to come home today. Please make sure to use the guide to study!

Math: We will be testing over 4’s and 9’s this week. Up next….multiplication of 6’s, 7’s, and 8’s.

Dates to Remember:

Tues. Nov. 17-Google Expeditions (see Lowell Memo for more info)

Wed. Nov. 18-Kindergarten Buddies

Thurs. Nov. 19-PE Circus at 9:40am (Parents are invited! J)

Thurs. Nov. 19-Native American Test

Thurs. Nov. 19-9’s and 4’s Math Test

Thurs. Nov. 19-Cook’s Night Out at Chick-Fil-A

Fri. Nov. 20-Report Cards Home

Nov. 23-27-NO SCHOOL: Thanksgiving Break

Have a nice Thanksgiving Break!

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Projects

The students in Mrs. Thurston's reading class have been busy reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory the past few weeks. After reading, they put together some Adobe Voice projects, describing the actions of some of the characters. They are excited to share their final projects! If your student read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, make sure to check out these projects. If your student read a different chocolate book, make sure to ask what their final project was!

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Final Adobe Voice Projects

https://voice.adobe.com/a/wJGbe Molly F.

https://voice.adobe.com/a/pMbEV Layla G.

http://voice.adobe.com/v/HSfR5WQ8XWp Aurelia

http://voice.adobe.com/v/JR2a-CQjjqY Jaden

https://voice.adobe.com/a/l5mLx/ Lillian

https://voice.adobe.com/v/JW28MKhsS88 Cullen

http://voice.adobe.com/v/5gMYFRysFjZ Owen

http://voice.adobe.com/v/VeYtfPrq4FX Trey

https://voice.adobe.com/a/rYddn Rebecca

http://voice.adobe.com/v/DopnFkInkJt Ivy

https://voice.adobe.com/a/9L66g Kaylee

http://voice.adobe.com/v/2mWLCDYkZXy Camille

https://voice.adobe.com/a/5z88V Carter

https://voice.adobe.com/a/QwqqM Ella

https://voice.adobe.com/a/rYddV/ Sophie

https://voice.adobe.com/a/xj33D/ Calah

http://voice.adobe.com/v/5ceGvcpKjMv Claire

http://voice.adobe.com/v/K66fRkbQUH6 Addy

Newsletter--Week of 11/9

News from 3P

Week of: November 10, 2014

Reading and Language Arts: We are almost done with chocolate novels. We will continue discussing the chapters: character traits, comparing/contrasting characters, themes of chapters and novels and inferencing and citing evidence.  Please encourage your child to share what happened within their novels each day. **Students should be reading at least 20 minutes for homework every night!

Grammar: We will begin working with prefixes, suffixes and root words. We will be taking words apart to decide how prefixes and suffixes change the meaning of words.   

Writing: This week in Writing, students will be working on writing legends. They are coming up with some great ideas! Make sure to ask your child what he/she is writing about!  

Social Studies: We will continue with our Native American study this week. We will focus on the Illini tribes and will start to work on the following vocabulary: starve, alliance and legend.

Math: This week we will be working on learning our multiples of 4 and 9. We will also review the other facts we have studied: 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, and 10.

Dates to Remember:

Tues. Nov. 10- PJ Day to celebrate being 1/3 of the way through 3^rd grade!

Wed. Nov.  11- Veteran’s Day- Meet at the flagpole @ 9:00am.

Fri. Nov. 14- No School for Kids

Our Amazing Day as Native Americans

Today a traveling Native American museum came to Lowell. We went to the music room to hear all about Native American lives. Here are some of the things we learned AND some of our favorite activities!

Aimee: I liked seeing the beds and the chair. They aren't like our beds!

Molly: My favorite part was when we got to try on the clothes and play instruments because it kind of felt like you were a real Native American!

Jaden: My favorite part was when we saw how they made their tools. They used the cattail plant to make rope.

Max: I liked playing the game where you threw the elk-skin ball and other friends tried to catch it. I also liked the spears and the weapons Native Americans had.

Andrew: I liked the weapons because we could hold them.

David: I like that we learned about the spears and all the weapons they had. 

Aiden: I liked seeing how they made fire and getting to try and make a fire myself! I also liked seeing how the weapons were made and getting to see them. 

Addy: I liked that we got to try everything ourselves at the end. I also liked all the different games they had.

Abigail: My favorite part was when we got to play the instruments like the flute and drums.

Seth: My favorite part of the museum was when I got to try out the weapons. My favorite weapon was the spear. The spear was used for throwing short distances at mammoths or buffaloes. 

Carter: We talked about the atlatl. The atlatl is a weapon attachment that can help you thrown the spear further with greater force. I also liked making the cattails ropes. 

Patrick: I liked that we got to play the drums that he had with him. I also liked taking a class picture. 

Mackenzie: I liked doing the class picture and seeing how the dog carried stuff. I also liked all the weapons. 

Claire: I liked the game where one person covers their eyes and the other people try and steal a stick from them. The blindfolded person has to try and tag them before they get the stick. The trick is trying to be sneaky and grabbing where he isn't tagging. 

Sabina: I liked cracking the acorns with the rock. Then I smashed the nuts and turned them into powder.

Ethan: I liked the musical instruments. My favorite was the drum that I help by two fingers. 

Ella: One of my favorite things was the flute that I got to play. Another favorite thing was the game where there were two balls connected with a rope and you had to catch it with a stick. 

Lola: My favorite part was the rope making because it was complicated to do but it was fun!

Luke: I liked the weapons and the spear and the atlatl.

Grace: My favorite part was actually seeing the things that Native Americans used in their day. 

Here are some pictures of our fun day in the Native American Museum! 

Newsletter--Week of 11/2

News from 3P

Week of: November 2, 2015

Reading and Language Arts: We will continue in our chocolate novel groups this week. Within these novels we will be working on the following: character traits, comparing/contrasting characters, themes of chapters and novels and inferencing and citing evidence.  This unit will take place for 3 weeks. Please encourage your child to share what happened within their novels each day. **Students should be reading at least 25 minutes for homework every night!

Grammar: The focus this week will be comparative and superlative adjectives. Encourage your child to compare things at home or while driving using these types of describing words!  

Writing: This week in writing, students will be talking about Thanksgiving. The prompt will be “What do you like best about Thanksgiving and why?” Students will be encouraged to write it on their own, without a graphic organizer. We will have the steps up in the room so that students will be able to see what the process is and continue to use the linking words. We will also keep focusing on the following: linking words and conventions (grammar, capitalization, and punctuation).   

Social Studies: This week we will begin the study of Native Americans. We will focus on the early groups: Paleo, Archaic, Hopewell People and Mississippian Mound Builders.

Math: This week we will be finishing up with place value, addition, and subtraction. We will test on Tuesday. On Thursday we will be switching groups and heading back to multiplication. Our focus will be learning our multiples of 4. We will also review the other facts we have studied: 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, and 10.

Dates to Remember:

Wed. Nov. 4- Native American Traveling Museum at Lowell for third grade; a BIG thank you to PTA for paying for our in school field trip!  

Fri. Nov. 6- November book orders due

Bluestem Books

By Addy

This year we have something called Bluestem Books. Bluestem Books are special books that people like. If you read four you get to vote which one is the best. Miss G. said that we should try to read at least six ( but we don't have to). We get until March to read them. If you read ten you get to have lunch with the teacher and if you read twenty you get to have lunch with any teacher in third grade and a friend in any class. You can read any Bluestem B
ook you want. You have to sign your name on a paper so people know where the book is.

Newsletter--Week of 10/26

News from 3P

Week of: October 26, 2015

Reading and Language Arts: This week third grade will be breaking up into chocolate novel groups. Students will be reading Chocolate Fever, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the Chocolate Touch. Within these novels we will be working on the following: character traits, comparing/contrasting characters, themes of chapters and novels and inferencing and citing evidence.  This unit will take place for 3 weeks. Please encourage your child to share what happened within their novels each day. **Students should be reading at least 25 minutes for homework every night!

Grammar: The focus this week will continue to be adjectives. Encourage your child to begin using adjectives, or sparkle words, in their conversations!

Writing: This week in writing, students will finish their final copy of the Halloween opinion paragraph. Our next prompt will be: Do you enjoy Thanksgiving? Why or why not? This will be the FIRST writing piece where students won’t fill in a graphic organizer. We will have the steps up in the room so that students will be able to see what the process is. We will also keep focusing linking words and conventions (grammar, capitalization, and punctuation).

Science: This week we will talk about the muscular system. We will focus on the difference of voluntary and involuntary. From there we will be filling out a study guide over muscular system and digestive system. The test will be Thursday. J

Math: This week we will focus on using different strategies to solve multi-digit subtraction equations. After learning a few strategies, students will be able to choose the one that works best for them.  

Dates to Remember:

Thurs. Oct. 29- Science Test: Digestive and Muscular Systems

Fri. Oct. 31- Halloween- Students will begin to get ready in their costumes around 1:20pm on Friday afternoon. Please send all costumes etc….to school in the morning (don’t send your child wearing their costume). Please remember to keep any scary/bloody costume pieces at home. The parade will begin at 2:00pm with our classroom party following. Thank you to all our parents and party planners! I know it will be a GREAT party! J

Newsletter--Week of Oct. 19

News from 3P

Week of: October 19, 2015

Reading and Language Arts: This week we will continue to focus on making inferences. We will also begin to ask questions as we read stories, to better understand what the author is telling us. Our stories this week will be Turtle Bay and Balto, the Dog Who Saved Nome. With Balto, we will be adding in another comparison with watching parts of the movie to see if our opinions of the characters have changed. **Students should be reading at least 25 minutes for homework every night!

Grammar: The focus this week will be adjectives. Remind your child to use lots of adjectives, or sparkle words, when they are talking and writing!

Writing: This week in writing, students will continue the writing workshop process. We will continue with opinion writing with the following prompt: Do you enjoy Halloween? Why or why not? Within this paper, we will focus on linking words, adjectives and conventions (grammar, capitalization, and punctuation).

Science: This week we will begin learning about the Digestive System. Please have your child explain where food enters their body and where it goes from there! J

Math: This week we will be working on adding and subtracting with larger numbers. Students will be introduced to different ways to do this. They are encouraged to use the way that suits their learning needs best.   

Halloween Note: Next week, we will be making a fun Halloween project called Scared Silly! We are looking for donations of Halloween stickers to help complete this project. If you would like to donate some, please send them in with your child! Thank you! J

Make a Difference Week

Monday, October 19th: Canned Foods & Caps Wear your favorite cap/hat and bring in any canned food item(s) for PRC!

Tuesday, October 20th: Pasta & Pajamas for PRC Put on your plush pajamas & bring in a box (or two) of pasta to support People’s Resource Center!

Wednesday, October 21st: Eating healthy is a Sport! Put on your favorite team jersey or wear your favorite team colors and donate some canned fruits or canned vegetables to support good nutrition at the PRC!

Thursday, October 22nd: Helping Others is COOL! Wear your coolest sunglasses and bring in any miscellaneous non-perishable food item(s)!

Friday, October 23rd: We STUFFED the truck with foods for the most important meal of the day! Bring in a stuffed animal to snuggle (stuffed animal must be able to easily fit into your backpack) and one non-perishable breakfast item such as a box of cereal, container of oatmeal or box of breakfast cereal bars.

Newsletter--Week of 10/13

News from 3P

Week of: October 13, 2014

Reading and Language Arts: This week we will continue to focus on point of view. We will be expanding and looking at both character point of view and comparing it to our own point of view. **Students should be reading at least 20 minutes for homework every night!

Grammar: The focus this week will continue to be nouns. We will wrap up working with common, proper, singular, and plural nouns.

Writing: This week in writing, students will continue the writing workshop process. We finished up our pick of the patch papers. Make sure to take a look at them at conference time! We will take a couple days to write our own fairy tales. J

Science: This week we will continue to talk about the skeletal system. Students will need to know placement of bones and names of bones.  Please make sure your child is studying for the test on Friday. Study guides are coming home today. J

Math: This week we will begin working on adding multi-digit numbers. We will learn several strategies for adding, and then students will be able to choose which strategy works best for them.

Dates to Remember:

Mon. Oct. 12- No School

Book Fair- All Week in the library J

Tues. Oct. 13- Visit Book Fair in Library

Tues. Oct. 13- Conferences 4-8pm

Wed. Oct. 14- Google Hangout for Global Read Aloud

Thurs. Oct. 16- Conference 4-8pm

Thurs./Fri. Oct. 15/16- Book Fair Purchase days (if you have not bought books already). **Send money if your child will purchase books during the school day.

Newsletter--Week of 10/5

News from 3P

Week of: October 5, 2015

Reading and Language Arts: This week we will continue to focus on point of view. We will be reading a story and discussing our OWN point of view versus the authors (characters) point of view. We are also beginning to work on Making Inferences during reading. **Students should be reading at least 20 minutes for homework every night!

Grammar: The focus this week will be singular and plural nouns.  

Writing: This week in writing, students will begin to learn how to be a student editor. We will be starting the writers’ workshop process. This week, students will finish writing an opinion paper on why they are the Pick of the Patch. Within this paper, we will be focusing on linking words, adjectives and conventions (grammar, capitalization, and punctuation).

Science: This week we will begin talking about the skeletal system. Students will need to know placement of bones and names of bones. Since it’s the Halloween season, make sure to quiz your child throughout the week on the bones they know with the skeleton décor that’s around the area. J

Math: This week we will be working on place value and rounding. Students will be using the idea of estimating in order to help with rounding.

Dates to Remember:

Wed. Oct. 7- Walk to School Day

Newsletter--Week of 9/28

News from 3P

Week of: September 28, 2015

Reading and Language Arts: This week will be our final week of fairy tales. Students will be reading and watching a few versions of The Three Little Pigs. With each version, we will be looking at the story elements, theme and point of view. **Students should be reading at least 20 minutes for homework every night!

Grammar: We will continue to work on common and proper nouns. We will be working on making connections between the two types of nouns and sorting which are common and which are proper.

Writing: This week in writing, student will be writing another opinion piece. They will be describing why they are the “Pick of the Patch!” Make sure to stop by the 3^rd grade hallway during conferences to see why you should choose your child from the third grade patch!

Social Studies: This week we will be reviewing and testing over pioneers. Study guides are coming home today. Pioneer quilt square projects are due on Wednesday of this week. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Math: This week we will be testing over 10’s, 3’s, 0’s and 1’s. We will then be switching groups for our next unit. Up next….Place Value. J

Dates to Remember:

Tues. Sept. 29-Math Unit Test (10’s, 3’s, 0’s and 1’s)

Wed. Sept. 30-Pioneer Quilt Project Due

Fri. Oct. 2-Pioneer Test

Array Cities in 3T Math

For the past few weeks we have been studying different multiplication factors and learning new strategies to solve multiplication equations. One strategy is to use an array. Mrs. Thurston's math class used arrays to make buildings for Array City. A few students in our class wrote a little bit about the project.

By: Patrick

I really liked the project. I like building arrays in math class. Math is my favorite subject. I also liked going around the room and seeing everyone’s arrays. I really liked how the arrays were the windows, and I liked how we got to solve our math equations.

By: Molly

In third grade at math class we did our array cities and all the kids got to named them. We all got to go around the room and do the array math problems. Mrs. Thurston put us in groups and we all worked very hard. For buildings you can make any building as long as it is an array. You can make schools, sky scrapers, and apartments. I love array cities!

By: Aimee and Beth (Aimee's mom)

In order to build an array city, you must first cut out the buildings. Each building has windows and doors. The building from a line which makes up a street. When we make an array city, we make each building a separate color and all the windows are the same. We cut out the buildings, windows and doors out of the construction paper and use glue to attach the windows and doors to each building.

Field Trip to Danada Farm

By: Addy

Our third grade class went on a field trip to Danada Farm! It was a great field trip. We got there and we went on a hay ride.

We went to the corn field and saw a woman dressed in old fashioned clothes.

She was picking apples. She told us a big story about how she got here. She told us how to survive if we were settlers. Then we went to more corn fields and this time we got to see soy beans and take some home. Last, we came back from the hay ride and went in the barn. We got to see two horses. The first horse's name was Nick. We got to see Nick paint!!

He is a very messy painter. He painted on a canvas. The next horse was named Captain. We got to learn how to groom Captain and we got to pet him too!

Then it was time to go. We loaded up the bus and drove back to the school.

Newsletter--Week of 9/21

News from 3P

Week of: September 21, 2015

Reading and Language Arts: This week we will continue to work with fairy tales and Point of View. Students will be reading stories and highlighting the character’s point of view on their own. We will also continue to focus on making connections: text to text, text to self, text to world. Students should be reading at least 25 minutes for homework every night!

Grammar: The focus this week will be nouns: common and proper nouns. Students will continue to make connections with these types of nouns (for example: school and Lowell Elementary School). From here, we will be moving on to look at singular and plural nouns.

Writing: We will continue to work on opinion writing. This week the prompt will be as follows: Do you enjoy the fall season? Why or why not? Use your reasons and evidence to prove your opinion.

Social Studies: This week we will be discussing work life and a child’s life during pioneer times. Students will also be assigned a Pioneer quilt project towards the end of the week. Look for that to be coming home.

Math: This week we will continue with multiplication/division. We will focus on the distributive property and will also touch on multiplication of 1’s and 0’s. Please make sure to continue to help your child with multiples of 3.

Dates to Remember:

Tues. Sept. 22- Picture Day

Wed. Sept. 23- Field Trip to Danada Farm

Wed. Sept. 23- Lowell Spirit Wear Day and Cook’s Night Out at Chipotle-come to dine out and help your school earn some $$$ J

Thurs. Sept. 24- Laps for Lowell-Lowellpalooza during PE times

Fri. Sept. 26- No School