3rd Grade MP3 Campus

School Data is open on the first of each month for parent reviews. These are due by the 5th. We hope the cut and paste grade level newsletter will be helpful to supplement your remote learning plan reviews. Thank you for submitting in a timely manner and if you need help, please reach out to your SLPC.

Topics: data collection and graphing, flexible thinking with numbers, estimation, place value

Activities: This month we wrapped up our first big idea which was using data to solve problems. We explored Venn diagrams, bar graphs, data tables, and several other representations of data, decided on how to create a graph that would accurately display a given set of data, and collected data on car color in the parking lot which will be made into a digital graph with a small group in Mrs. Montgomery's tech class when they start learning about Google Sheets. Students continued to work on solving Mashup Math problems which are elementary level algebra problem sets, the class has gotten very good at finding where to start and how to work through the different challenges. Our new math unit centers on various aspects of place value. We have tackled how to represent a number in standard form, word form, expanded form, and we have solved several different riddles and problems that required us to use the knowledge of unit conversion as well as place value to figure out numbers. We also have been perfecting our number line skills to help us model when a number gets rounded up or down.

Teacher Tip: Estimation is a skill that adults use on a daily basis, model your thinking out loud for your student when you are choosing a leftover container or deciding whether you should fill up on gas today or tomorrow. Invite them to estimate and then follow up with the answer for everyday tasks like how long the dog food will last at the current rate of consumption or how long will it take to complete their math page for the day. ***Don't forget about your personalized learning path on iReady, the goal is to spend 15 minutes 3 times a week to help close any gaps your student might have as well as presenting grade level material and/or challenges.***

Teacher Info: Mrs. Kurashige, skurashige@meridian.wednet.edu

Topics: planning with a b-m-e chart, character chart, theme, indenting paragraphs, hooks, strong titles, temporal words and phrases, descriptive language, dialogue, dialogue punctuation, dialogue tags, strong endings, Narrative Writing Checklist, revising with a story checklist, “Show, Don’t Tell” description, editing with standard editing marks, spelling strategies

Activities: Students planned their stories (personal narratives) using a beginning-middle-end chart. Each day, we explore an element of personal narrative writing (e.g., hooks, catchy titles, dialogue, transitional words, temporal phrases, strong endings) and work to apply it to our own story. After students complete drafting, they join a Revise Conference where they read their story to a small group. During the Revise Conference, the students get written feedback on what the group members "loved about their piece" and what they would like to "add or change". The students then celebrate and make changes. At this point, most students are wrapping up drafting and many are already using their Revise Conference notes to revise their drafts. Students also enjoyed scoring my story with our Narrative Writing Checklist. They gave me solid feedback and are now using the checklist to improve their stories. We also take time to talk about spelling strategies and students are becoming comfortable using our Word Walls and their personal dictionaries.

Teacher Tip: I hope you will ask your student to share with you the standard editing marks that they have been using in class including how to show that a letter needs to be capitalized, missing punctuation, or that a word has been misspelled.

Teacher Info: Mrs. Giesen, jgiesen@meridian.wednet.edu

Topics: Keyboard Fluency, Google Docs Formatting, Digital Citizenship

Activities: The month of October was spent practicing correct document formatting in Google Docs. Students practiced changing font size, style, colors, using the tab key, changing alignment, and document spacing as they create mystery shapes. We spent one day practicing how to correctly type dialogue, including how to add quotation marks and indenting. These skills were then applied as students typed their short stories for Mrs. Giesen's Language Arts class.

As this month is Digital Literacy Month, we also spent time exploring internet safety and our digital footprint with Mrs. Richardson, our Technology TOSA. Students explored the importance of protecting the information they share online and why it is important not to share personal information. We discussed the dangers of online gaming. Finally, we discussed making healthy media choices in our lives. Links to the materials used in these lessons can be found in the Google Classroom.

Reflection Questions: How should you format a document for Language Arts or other school classes? (Font style, size, color, alignment) Why?

Teacher Info: Mrs. Montgomery, rmontgomery@meridian.wednet.edu

Activities:

Teacher Info: Mrs. Montgomery, rmontgomery@meridian.wednet.edu

Topics: EdBlocks Coding Platform, Angles, Rulers & Measurement, Blocks Learned: Drive Forward, Drive Backwards, Turn Angles, Making Noise, Using the Lights, Obstacle Detection, Line Following, Loops, Scientist Biographies

Activities: My 3rd Graders continue to awe and amaze in Robotics! They jumped into learning to code Eddie with the computer with both feet and can now use the Edblocks coding platform to drive Eddie forward, and backwards. We talked about angles and what turn angles are. They now know what a 90° turn is and how to make Eddie drive one! We performed experiments with Eddie’s speed control learning how much further he could go at each setting. We experimented with his obstacle detection abilities and learned how to make Eddie make a variety of noises and how to use a loop in our coding to save time and improve functionality. I think they are ready to start on the EdTank build when we come back! I’ve also added a very short biography of a famous scientist to every class. Some we have covered so far include: Nikola Tesla, Katherine Johnson, Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, and Marie Curie. Science is for everyone so knowing who some famous scientists are and where they came from and what they did helps inspire the kids.

Teacher Tip: Please make sure that laptops are charged! We need the laptops to code Edison and especially as we start building with the EdCreate Kit space around the chargers for laptops, plus kits, plus kids gets pretty tight!

Teacher Info: Mrs. Clayton - aclayton@meridian.wednet.edu

Topics: Maps & Regions — The Midwest and West

Activities: Our class recently completed our study of the Midwest and West regions of the United States. Students explored each region’s climate, economy, natural resources, landmarks, and local foods, while also discussing how location and weather impact daily life. (For example, I shared about the tornado drills we practiced when I was teaching in the Midwest!) To deepen our understanding, we studied landmarks using 15 comprehension cards featuring famous Midwest sites such as the Badlands, Mount Rushmore, the Henry Ford Museum, and the Gateway Arch. We also explored a PowerPoint presentation highlighting landmarks of the West, including the Golden Gate Bridge, Old Faithful, and several National Parks such as Zion and Bryce Canyon. Our lessons also emphasized major geographical features like the Columbia, Missouri, Colorado, and Mississippi Rivers, as well as the Rocky and Cascade Mountains. Through these studies, students reviewed the difference between natural and political borders and made discoveries about the Continental Divide. This included learning about what creates the Great Divide along the Rockies. To wrap up our West Region study, students enjoyed a West Region facts game and worked in small groups to create colorful West Region posters. Our ongoing Flat Stanley travels have taken us to several states, including Minnesota, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon, and California. Meanwhile, our Great State Race has connected us with schools in Nevada, and we’ve even received emails from classrooms in Texas and New York eager to share about their states, too!

Teacher Tip: A fun addition to our regional studies has been learning about foods that represent each area. The Midwest is known for its “All-American” favorites like hamburgers, corn on the cob, Chicago hot dogs, deep-dish pizza, and BBQ pork sandwiches, while the West is famous for its fresh seafood. Since we can’t do taste testing in class, consider hosting a Midwest or West-themed dinner night at home! If you do, we’d love to see a picture!

Teacher Info: Mrs. Elgersma- gelgersma@meridian.wednet.edu