Classroom Update

Good Morning!  It was nice to meet and see so many parents at interviews last week.  I also had the opportunity to catch up with some parents over the phone.  We will continue to work together and communicate to support your children in their learning.  What learning is  currently happening in our grade 3 classroom?

Math

We are wrapping up Patterning and Algebra this week and moving on to Measurement (beginning with time).  We have explored describing, extending and creating a variety of numeric and geometric patterns.  In Algebra, we are working towards demonstrating an understanding of equality between pairs of expressions using addition and subtraction.  To support your child at home, continue to assist them with their homework and have them explain their problem solving strategies to you. (16 + 8 = 11 + ?)

Language

We have finished descriptive writing and we are now letter writing.  Together we developed an anchor chart to assist us with understanding the letter writing format.  Our task this week is to write a letter to someone who found our missing backpack.  In that letter we want to thank them for finding it as well as explain why it is so important.  

In reading, we continue to enjoy our read aloud, Fenway and Hattie and the activities that accompany it.  We have explored inferencing and using our schema to understand the text and make predictions.  We continue to develop success criteria for EQAO reading responses
and we are using the written feedback provided by our teacher to improve our responses.  

Science

We are about to wrap up our Soil unit and move on to Forces.  Before we do that, students are busy researching an animal that lives in the soil around us.  In the next few weeks, students will use this research to design a poster that will be presented to the class.  All research and work must be completed in the classroom.  Students are asked to bring in a sheet of bristol board to complete the task.  

Religion

We are tying in our learning skills and WITS with our gospel values this fall.  We have discussed respect and the importance of treating others the way that we expect to be treated.  We continue to build on these ideas as well as discuss the character traits of Jesus.

Gym

The focus for this term has been cooperative games.  We share our gym time with Mrs. Zulpo/Juneau's class and students have worked on demonstrating collaboration, leadership and sportsmanship in our games.  

Dance

We are working on a Christmas dance for our show in December.  We look forward to having parents come and see our grade three friends perform!

Art

We have explored the elements of design and we are putting these to the test in recreating Van Gogh's Starry Night.  Students are currently working on their final draft.  We have some budding young artists in our class!