Grade 3

Third graders are decking the halls this first week of Advent.  They are working hard in reading to identify the characters, setting, problem, solution and theme of fiction texts.  We also are discussing and reading about the main idea in an article called How to Spot a Hero.  Students also wrote about their everyday hero.  Lastly, students are continuing to explore character traits in the BFG through their feelings, actions, speaking and thinking. Students are understanding the importance of character analysis using text evidence.  Character analysis helps us with comprehending the story.  Students use FAST character traits to describe their character.  They use adjectives to describe what characters are like.  In Math, students are multiplying by 0 and 1.  Next week, they will make flash cards in school and learn 2s and 4s.   In Science students are using the engineering design process to solve problems, address a challenge or improve technology with magnets.

What are PEACEMAKERS?  These are monthly conversations 3rd graders are having about bullying. This occurs on Mondays at 12:30, and is led by Mrs Catherine Dahlgren.  If you would like a recap, here are our lesson synopses.

September – Our first conversation centered on friendship and respect. We discussed what makes a good friend and we revisited the St John recess policy of “Can’t say can’t play”. We also talked about what it means to be a good sport and how this applies to friendship. We read Nobody! By Erin Frankel.

October – Our second conversation revolved around tolerance – what it is, what it
looks and feels like and why it is an important value to practice. We read The
Sandwich Swap by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah.

November – This month’s topic was bullying (ask your student what the 4 criteria are). We discussed how bullies get their power, the difference between bullying and being mean, and what is our responsibility to stand up to bullying. We read Marlene, Queen of Mean by Jane Lynch.

 Congratulations to the Star Student of the Week:  Lila Exnicios

We have earned 50 Poms! Stay tuned for our party date.

Books we connected to our learning:

The BFG by Roald Dahl, Merry Christmas Curious George by Margret and H.L. Rey, Courdoroy and A Pocket for Courdoroy by Don Freeman

Upcoming Dates:

Monday, December 9 – Mass @ 9am Immaculate Conception — WEAR DRESS UNIFORM  —

Tuesday, December 10 – 3rd grade Hour of Code with MS Buddies

Monday, December 16 – Reconciliation Prayer 9-9:30. (School Uniform)

Wednesday, December 18 – Reconciliation for 3rd graders  (School Uniform)

3rd-5th Christmas Program Tuesday, December 17 @ 7pm. (DRESS ATTIRE TBD)

Friday, December 20 – Half Day of School

What a fun week! Third graders did such a great job with the Grandparents’ Day Celebration.  They are looking forward to leading the All-School Thanksgiving Mass on Monday with their 6th grade buddies. We are still hoping to collect Comfort Kits from our students.  Here is the link that explains what should be included in the kit.  A special thanks goes out to our awesome Parent Led Art volunteers Mrs. Wellnitz and Mrs. Wade.  We loved having you in our classroom today!

Earthquake/Disaster Comfort Kits

This week students wrote letters to their Unbound friend who lives in Honduras.  The purpose of the letter was to introduce ourselves and make a connection.  In Religion this week, students studied the Multiplication of the Loaves and completed Fruit of the Spirit Rock painting.  In Reading this week, students completed reading Chapter 2 & 3 of The BFG by Roald Dahl.  Students are understanding the importance of character analysis using text evidence.  Character analysis helps us with comprehending the story.  Students are using FAST character traits to describe their character.  They were using adjectives to describe what characters are like.  Students read non-fiction texts during Read to Achieve time.  In Math, students were multiplying using the number line strategy.    In Science students learned about how scientists such as Thomas Edison used the engineering design process to solve problems and improve technology.

What are PEACEMAKERS?  These are monthly conversations 3rd graders are having about bullying. This occurs on Mondays at 12:30, and is led by Mrs Catherine Dahlgren.  If you would like a recap, here are our lesson synopses.

September – Our first conversation centered on friendship and respect. We discussed what makes a good friend and we revisited the St John recess policy of “Can’t say can’t play”. We also talked about what it means to be a good sport and how this applies to friendship. We read Nobody! By Erin Frankel.

October – Our second conversation revolved around tolerance – what it is, what it
looks and feels like and why it is an important value to practice. We read The
Sandwich Swap by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah.

November – This month’s topic was bullying (ask your student what the 4 criteria are). We discussed how bullies get their power, the difference between bullying and being mean, and what is our responsibility to stand up to bullying. We read Marlene, Queen of Mean by Jane Lynch.

Quote of the week:  “Remember the past with gratitude. Live the present with enthusiasm. Look forward to the future with confidence.” –St. John Paul II

Food Drive + Helping the Homeless was a huge success! Thank you to all who participated.

Congratulations to the Star Student of the Week:  Jack Longton

We have earned 45 Positive Poms! 5 more to go.

Books connected to our Student Learning Expectations:

• The BFG by Roald Dahl
• The Very Impatient Caterpillar by Ross Burach

• Please email with any questions @ ctraywick@st-johnschool.org

A Look Ahead to Next Week

Homework:  Bring in Comfort Kits & Read 20 minutes each night.

Library:   Please return any overdue library books so students can continue to check out and enjoy new books.

Math: Students will create an Array of Sunshine and review all three multiplication strategies.

Science: We will explore different types of machines and how they help us in our daily lives.  Did you know that machines that Egyptians developed are still being used today?

Language Arts:  Students will continue the Book Study on The BFG by Roald Dahl and write a letter of gratitude to God.

Upcoming Events:

Happy Birthday to You!  — Mae – November 11th  — Mia – November 30th

Monday, November 25 – WEAR DRESS UNIFORM  8:30am – 3rd & 6th Grade Mass GENEROSITY

Tuesday, November 26 – Walk to the Post Office to mail our Unbound student the letters we wrote!

Wednesday to Friday November 27, 28, 29 – Thanksgiving Break

Thursday, December 12 – 3rd Grade Christmas Program

Hello 3rd Grade Families!  I am so grateful for this time I am spending with our awesome 3rd graders!  We would love to have parents join us for our second 3rd grade class mass next week on Wednesday, 11/20!  Parents we are hoping to collect the student Comfort Kits before we go home for Thanksgiving Break.  Here is the link that explains what should be included in the kit.

Earthquake/Disaster Comfort Kits

This week students wrote letters to Mrs. O’Leary.  The purpose was to practice the art of persuasion…sharing an idea about how we can improve our school.   In Religion this week, students studied the Wedding at Cana where Jesus turned the water into wine.  In Reading this week, students completed reading Chapter 1 & 2 of The BFG by Roald Dahl.  Students are understanding the importance of character analysis using text evidence.  Character analysis helps us better understand the story.  Students are using FAST character traits to describe their character.  They were using adjectives to describe what characters are like through their feelings, actions, sayings and thinking.  Also students were reading non-fiction texts during Read to Achieve time related to the topic of forces and motions.  In Math, students were multiplying using the array strategy and created beautiful City Arrays.  They also played “I Spy” arrays in the classroom.  In Science, students described different types of forces as balanced or unbalanced and they explored different types of friction.  In Art, students completed a beautiful line design to share for Grandparents’ Day.  In Library, students were learning about elements of a story.

This quote of the week is from one of my favorite authors, and her birthday happens to be in NOVEMBER…
“A book, too, can be a star, explosive material, capable of stirring up fresh life endlessly, a living fire to lighten the darkness, leading out into the expanding universe.”
– Madeleine L’Engle

Food Drive + Helping the Homeless was a huge success! Thank you to all who participated.

Congratulations to the Star Student of the Week:  Zakayo Kithene

We have earned 40 Positive Poms! 10 more to go.

Books connected to our Student Learning Expectations:

• The BFG by Roald Dahl
• I Wanna Iguana by Karen Kaufman

*More on the Roald Dahl’s books here…https://www.roalddahl.com/home/kids

Please email with any questions @ ctraywick@st-johnschool.org

A Look Ahead to Next Week

Homework:  Bring in Comfort Kits, Permission form signed for the 11/26 Walk to the Post Office Class Field Trip. Read 20 minutes each night.

Library:   Please return any overdue library books so our readers can continue to check out and enjoy new books.

Math: Students will continue learning multiplication strategies.  Next week, we will focus on multiplying with a number line.   Students will create an Array of Sunshine!

Science: We will continue our science unit on FORCES.

Language Arts:  Students will continue the Book Study on The BFG by Roald Dahl and write a friendly letter to our Unbound student named Jose.

Upcoming Events:

Happy Birthday to You!  

Mae – November 11th  — Mia – November 30th

Tuesday, November 19 – SAVE THE DATE for St. John Families Help the Homeless, A Night of Education and Service, Egan Hall, 6:30-8pm

Wednesday, November 20 – School Make-up Portrait Day   8:30am – 3rd Grade Class Mass! Parents we hope you will join us!

Thursday, November 21 – Grandparents’ Day — NO Hot Lunch & DRESS UNIFORM

Monday, November 25 – 8:30am will be 3rd & 6th Grade Mass GENEROSITY

Wednesday – Friday November 27, 28, 29 – Thanksgiving Break

Hello 3rd Grade Families!  Thank you for all of your support in making this an awesome week!  I am looking forward to seeing some of you and your children tomorrow, Friday 11/8 at conferences! Remember, next week, we will not have school on Monday, 11/11 – Happy Veteran’s Day!  We aim to collect all student Comfort Kits before we have Thanksgiving Break.

Students delivered their 6th grade buddy letters this week, and we also wrote thank you letters to 8th graders.  The purpose of this letter was to thank them for all of their hard work in putting on an amazingly fun Halloween Carnival! In Reading this week, students began reading The BFG by Roald Dahl with a partner.   In Social Studies, students discussed the meaning of Veteran’s Day and how we can celebrate.   Also, students presented more Native American projects to their classmates. In Math, students were multiplying using the repeated addition strategy as well and drawing equal groups to represent a multiplication sentence.  In Science, students identified pushes and pulls in an outdoor lab and learned about how weak and strong forces can produce different motion/results.

Food Drive + Helping the Homeless are happening right now!  We have collection boxes in our room. Thank you to all who have participated.

Congratulations to the Star Student of the Week:  Sophie Kane-Yi

We have earned 25 Positive Poms!  25 more to go.

Books connected to our Student Learning Expectations:

The BFG by Roald Dahl  

More on the Roald Dahl’s books here…https://www.roalddahl.com/home/kids

Please email with any questions @ ctraywick@st-johnschool.org

A Look Ahead to Next Week: 11/4

Homework:  Bring in Comfort Kits, Permission form signed for the 11/26 Walk to the Post Office Class Field Trip. Math Multiplication HW due Tuesday 11/12. Read 20 minutes each night and complete daily practice on Homework planner Tues-Thrs.

Library:   Please return any overdue library books so our readers can continue to check out and enjoy new books.

Math: Students will continue learning multiplication strategies.  Next week, we will focus on solving multiplication through arrays.  We will also be able to arrange equal groups in ROWS and COLUMNS.  Students will create a city array!

Science: We will continue our science unit on FORCES.

Language Arts:  Students will continue the Book Study on The BFG by Roald Dahl.  They will also have Read to Achieve time.

Upcoming Events:

Happy Birthday to You!   Mae – November 11th & Mia – November 30th

Friday, November 8 – School not in session Student/Parent/Teacher Conferences, 8:00am-3:00pm

Monday, November 11 – School not in session, Veterans Day

Tuesday, November 19 – SAVE THE DATE
St. John Families Help the Homeless, A Night of Education and Service, Egan Hall, 6:30-8pm

Wednesday, November 20 – School Make-up Portrait Day and 8:30am will be our Class Mass! Parents we hope you will join us.

Thursday, November 21 – Grandparents’ Day —— NO Hot Lunch &                                            DRESS UNIFORM

Monday, November 25 – 8:30am will be 3rd & 6th Grade Mass GENEROSITY

Wednesday – Friday November 27, 28, 29 – Thanksgiving Break