Field Trips and Guest Speakers!

This Thursday, April 28th is our Field Trip to the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. Third, fourth and fifth graders are looking forward to performing with the Oregon Symphony!

All third grade classes are going to the Oregon Zoo on Thursday, May 12th.
The cost is $4.00 per student and $4.00 per Chaperone. Please let us know if you are able to chaperone. We would appreciate having you there!

Students are busy researching animals and creating a slide show on "Google Slides." Students will prepare a speech about an animal while using the slide show as a visual resource. Students will also write a research paper about an animal.

Mrs. Long and her class would like to THANK Lily's father and Wild Life Biologist, Mr. Goldberg, for preparing a wonderful presentation about animals that live in the Pacific Northwest. We learned a great deal about the animals that live in our local forests.

Bats!

Wolf 

Great Horned Owl

Thank you, Mr. Goldberg! We loved your presentation!

What We're Learning This Week:

Reading-
Mrs. Long's class and Ms. Moran's class are starting animal research in preparation for our Oregon Zoo Field Trip on May 12th.
Mrs. Rauch/Buckner's class is working on studying Portland history in preparation for the Downtown Field Trip tomorrow (April 14th.)
*Mrs. Long's class and Ms. Moran's class are going Downtown on May 26th.

Math-
We are studying graphing (bar graphs and pictographs.)

Language-
We have been studying a Health unit on Saying No to Drinking, Drugs, and Alcohol.  Students have been learning what is harmful and helpful for our bodies and the steps to take when someone offers them something harmful:
1. Say "No!" with body and words
2. Give a reason if they want
3. Go to a safe place
4. Tell a trusted adult
We're also practicing using quotation marks in writing, using words other than "said," and adding adverbs.  For example: "I won't do that," Austin yelled loudly!

Smarter Balanced Testing-
Last week we finished the English Language Arts section.
This week we have a break from testing.
Next week we will start the English Language Arts Performance Task (similar to our district writing assessment on Dental Health.)
Then we will have a week off.
Starting 5/02 we will do Math.
Then we will have a week off.
Starting 5/06 we will do the Math Performance Task.
Then we are finished with testing!

State Testing Begins on Monday

The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) begins on Monday for third graders. Students will begin taking the English Language Assessment (ELA) Computerized Adaptive Test (CAT) this week. Just a reminder that classes will test at the following times: 

Mrs. Buckner & Mrs. Rauch's class will test from 9:10-10:10

Ms. Moran's class will test from 10:15-11:15

Mrs. Long's class will test from 12:10-1:10

On Testing Day

Please make sure your child gets a good night's sleep and eats a healthy breakfast. Doing both of these things will ensure that your child is working at a full capacity.

Remain Positive

Staying calm will help your child stay calm. If she gets nervous or has anxiety about the test, help her practice some relaxation techniques that she can try once she's taking the test. (Narang, 2008).

http://www.smarterbalanced.org/parents/

SBAC Practice

Your student has done both the math and reading practice tests at least one time during their computer lab. 
If you would like to see the practice test and provide your child with additional practice, please visit the SBAC website: http://www.smarterbalanced.org/parents/

Oregon Symphony Field Trip

The Oregon Symphony Field Trip is coming up on April 28th! 
On April 28th, all third, fourth, and fifth graders will travel by school bus to the Arlene Schnizter Concert Hall in downtown Portland. Permission slips were sent out last week and we are allowed to take two chaperones per class. If you would like to chaperone, please indicate this on your student's permission slip and the first two parents to reply will be able to attend. 
If you haven't gotten a chance to sign the permission slip, it would be most appreciated if you could do so as soon as possible. 
Thank you!

Happy Spring!

Thank you Parents, Guardians and Third Graders for attending your conference! It's important for students to celebrate their successes and also identify areas for growth. It was especially exciting to see so many students meet their third grade goals and to review the progress that's been made this year! Thank you for being an integral partner in your child's education.

The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) for third graders will begin on Monday, April 4th. The English Language Arts (ELA) portion will take place in April, while the Math assessment will take place in May.  Students will test during one hour sessions in the computer lab. Please make sure your child is at school and well rested during the testing dates. (See calendar above).

SBAC Schedule for Third Grade

Mrs. Buckner & Mrs. Rauch's class will test from 9:10-10:10

Ms. Moran's class will test from 10:15-11:15

Mrs. Long's class will test from 12:10-1:10

Earl Boyles will be holding a Spirit Assembly on Friday, April 1st in the gym at 2:15. March's character trait is "Work Ethic" and students of the month will be awarded their certificates. 
Thank you!

This spring, third graders will be conducting a research project on an animal of their choice.

We will spend the next few weeks exploring strategies to identify equivalent fractions.  (3.NF.3)

March

Remember to set your clocks ahead one hour!

Conferences are coming up! We look forward to meeting with you and your child on Wednesday or Thursday, March 16th and 17th. Conference times were sent home in last week's Wednesday folders.

Mrs. Rauch/Buckner's Class

Mrs. Long's Class

Ms. Moran's Class

Reading: Students recently read, compared and contrasted two historical novels. (Standard RL3.9)

It's 1885, and New York City is alive with excitement: the Statue of Liberty is arriving from France! Lily decides to make and sell Lady Liberty crowns in order to raise money to pay for the pedestal for Miss Liberty.

The whole city of New York is blanketed by snow (The Great Blizzard of 1888). But it's the final day of the spelling bee, and snow or no snow, Anna has to get to school. It's not as easy as she expected!

              

         Third graders especially enjoyed making the "Liberty Crowns" from the novel, Lily and Miss Liberty.

Math: Identifying Fractions!

(Standards NF.1, NF.2, NF.3)

NF. 2: I can understand and identify fractions on a number line.

NF.1: I can explain fractions as a part of a whole.

NF.3: I can identify equivalent fractions on a number line.

Writing

Write to Explain: Introduce topic, use facts and definitions to develop points, use linking words and phrases, and provide a concluding statement. (Standard W 3.2)

Students wrote two informational essays. The first essay detailed the three states of matter, and the second essay featured dental health. Students watched a video, read two articles, took notes, and used the information in their essays. During conferences, students will share their final drafts with you!

3rd Grade Happenings

Students reading articles from "Time for Kids" online.

"Time for Kids" was funded through a Donors Choose (http://www.donorschoose.org/) project.

The local Rotary Club recently visited and donated dictionaries to all third graders.

Students learned that dictionaries contain more than just word definitions. They also found maps, state facts, a list of presidents, and even the longest word in the English language!

Each student received their own personal dictionary to take home. Some chose to keep them in their desks while others took them home right away.

The School Community Oral Health Program visited each classroom and explained how cavities form...

...how to brush properly...

...and how much sugar one bottle of soda contains. Yikes!
Each student received a new toothbrush (check your child's backpack). 

Celebrating friendship at our Friendship/Valentine Party

 Thank you, families, for all the lovely treats and sweet messages!

Valentine's Day/Friendship Party

All three 3rd grade classes are having a Valentine's Day/Friendship Party on Thursday, February 11th from 1:30-2:30.

Information (and how many students are in each class) will be going home in Wednesday Folders today!  

A few basics:

We will be playing board games together, if your student has a board game from home they would like to bring in and play with their classmates, that would be great!

If they choose to bring a treat it needs to be store-bought and individually wrapped.

They will only be allowed 2 treats at school, the rest will be sent home with them.