The New Year is not so new now! Especially when January disappears as fast as it did!!! It is just incredible how fast these winter days fly by. Each day is getting brighter and a little longer longer.....and each day, our students are shining brighter and and a little taller! Wonderful things are happening in Grade 3.
Religion and Family Life
In Religion, we are exploring the teaching of Jesus and how it is relates to our own personal lives. We also focus on prayer and reflection in our daily lives.
The Grade 3's are very fortunate to be able to participate in a wonderful rosary making activity in our classrooms. A group of ladies from the St. Patrick's Church CWL will be coming to Grade 3 on Friday, March 2nd to teach the children about the rosary and they will also help the children make their own rosary. A letter outlining all of the details was sent home on Monday January 29th. We are in need of volunteers to assist the children. Thank you in advance if you are able to help out.
We will begin Lent on February 14th. with our school-wide Ash Wednesday Liturgy. Please watch out for news about St. Luke's special Lent charity this year. We will certainly be talking about it in class. Our classrooms will reflect the teachings and lessons of this most important season: prayer, alms giving, and fasting.
In Religion, we are exploring the teaching of Jesus and how it is relates to our own personal lives. We also focus on prayer and reflection in our daily lives.
The Grade 3's are very fortunate to be able to participate in a wonderful rosary making activity in our classrooms. A group of ladies from the St. Patrick's Church CWL will be coming to Grade 3 on Friday, March 2nd to teach the children about the rosary and they will also help the children make their own rosary. A letter outlining all of the details was sent home on Monday January 29th. We are in need of volunteers to assist the children. Thank you in advance if you are able to help out.
We will begin Lent on February 14th. with our school-wide Ash Wednesday Liturgy. Please watch out for news about St. Luke's special Lent charity this year. We will certainly be talking about it in class. Our classrooms will reflect the teachings and lessons of this most important season: prayer, alms giving, and fasting.
In English, we continue to hone our reading and writing skills. We are focusing on the Writing Traits of Word Choice (using striking phrases and very specific words) and Sentence Fluency (sentences sound “sweet” to your ears). That means when we write, we are working on creating great sentences that will entertain our readers and will create crystal clear pictures. We have just finished up a very fun persuasive writing project. The boys and girls wrote a persuasive letter to J. J. Clarke (weather man at CJOH) regarding best season (summer or winter). Be on the look out for this assignment to come home......your child will be trying to persuade you too!
In reading, there has been a big focus on carefully reading the questions posed, answering very precisely, and proving your thinking. The students are learning that you can prove your thinking in two ways: the words of the author and the pictures created by the illustrator (direct text references) and our own thinking (connections, reasoning, personal experience). So, when answering a question, students need to think: Where will I find the answer? In the words or pictures? In my head? In a combination of the two?
Please take a look at the Home Learning Link. You will see that the reading comprehension activities support what is mentioned above. Please help your child practice answering the questions thoroughly and with evidence and examples.
In reading, there has been a big focus on carefully reading the questions posed, answering very precisely, and proving your thinking. The students are learning that you can prove your thinking in two ways: the words of the author and the pictures created by the illustrator (direct text references) and our own thinking (connections, reasoning, personal experience). So, when answering a question, students need to think: Where will I find the answer? In the words or pictures? In my head? In a combination of the two?
Please take a look at the Home Learning Link. You will see that the reading comprehension activities support what is mentioned above. Please help your child practice answering the questions thoroughly and with evidence and examples.
In Math the major focus this past month of January has been exploring money. The students have worked hard to solve story problems, make change, and exchange coins.
The story problems pushed the children to really look for key words and important information and to master regrouping to the hundreds.
At the same time, we have been looking at and practicing with a variety of different addition and subtraction strategies. The repeated addition naturally leads us to our next units of Multiplication/Division and the exploration of growing and shrinking Number Patterns. We will do a lot of problem solving to reinforce the link between multiplication and division. The ultimate goal is to develop automatic retrieval of math facts, but it is critical to develop conceptual understanding of these operations. All fact retrieval is worked on through games and patterning (e.g. if we can count by 2's, we know the 2 times table!). We will also talk about doubling and halving, and using partial products to solve multiplication problems (e.g. 32X7 = 30X7 + 2X7 = 210 + 14 = 224).
The story problems pushed the children to really look for key words and important information and to master regrouping to the hundreds.
At the same time, we have been looking at and practicing with a variety of different addition and subtraction strategies. The repeated addition naturally leads us to our next units of Multiplication/Division and the exploration of growing and shrinking Number Patterns. We will do a lot of problem solving to reinforce the link between multiplication and division. The ultimate goal is to develop automatic retrieval of math facts, but it is critical to develop conceptual understanding of these operations. All fact retrieval is worked on through games and patterning (e.g. if we can count by 2's, we know the 2 times table!). We will also talk about doubling and halving, and using partial products to solve multiplication problems (e.g. 32X7 = 30X7 + 2X7 = 210 + 14 = 224).
Physical Education and Health
February brings outdoor winter games (when the weather is not too frigid) and fun in the snow. Also, we are focusing on team sports and good sportsmanship. We will also tie the winter Olympics into our games. GO TEAM CANADA!!!
Home Learning Link:
Keep up all the great work on the Home Learning Link. This is a great chance for you to see just how your child is doing and provides you with a great opportunity to improve, edit, and discuss the work together. Please remind your child to do only their best work and to maintain the standards set at school.
Keep up all the great work on the Home Learning Link. This is a great chance for you to see just how your child is doing and provides you with a great opportunity to improve, edit, and discuss the work together. Please remind your child to do only their best work and to maintain the standards set at school.
1 Library books are due back each Monday.
2. Please ensure your child has spare mittens and socks in their backpack so they can change if necessary.
3. Please remember to sign your child's agenda each night.
4. Thursday, February 1st: FSL letter will be sent home. Please check your child's backpack for the letter that will contain important information regarding your child's French learning options for Grade 4.
5. Thursday, February 1st: National Sweater Day: Wear a warm sweater the heat will be turned down a couple of degrees.
6. Wednesday, February 7th: National Winter Walk To School Day
5. Ash Wednesday Liturgy @ 10:45am on Thursday, February 14th.
6. Report Cards will be sent home on Tuesday, February 13th.
7. Rosary Making Workshop for Grade Three students (Friday, March 2nd am only).
8. Please refrain from sending markers to school with your child.........a pack of crayons, pencil crayons, or twistables is all that is needed.
Thank you for your continued support.
D. Milne
2. Please ensure your child has spare mittens and socks in their backpack so they can change if necessary.
3. Please remember to sign your child's agenda each night.
4. Thursday, February 1st: FSL letter will be sent home. Please check your child's backpack for the letter that will contain important information regarding your child's French learning options for Grade 4.
5. Thursday, February 1st: National Sweater Day: Wear a warm sweater the heat will be turned down a couple of degrees.
6. Wednesday, February 7th: National Winter Walk To School Day
5. Ash Wednesday Liturgy @ 10:45am on Thursday, February 14th.
6. Report Cards will be sent home on Tuesday, February 13th.
7. Rosary Making Workshop for Grade Three students (Friday, March 2nd am only).
8. Please refrain from sending markers to school with your child.........a pack of crayons, pencil crayons, or twistables is all that is needed.
Thank you for your continued support.
D. Milne
