April 10th
Reading – In reading workshop, the students have been reading selections and answering multiple-choice questions so they are familiar with the
MCAS testing format. They practiced answering open response questions about a reading passage by using strategies to understand what the
question is asking, going back in to the reading selection to find important details, and organizing their written answer. As we worked on these
passages, the students came to realize that they were using the same skills that we use on daily basis during reading and writing workshop! I
tried to take the stress out of the whole MCAS process! Hopefully it wasn’t too stressful at home!
The students continue to work in book groups on specific reading strategies. The strategies that we are working on are ones that I am
hoping the students will begin to use independently as they read. The Thinkmarks that the students write each night are a great indication for
me about whether or not the students are beginning to use these strategies independently. We want the students to begin to ask themselves
questions about the text that are not directly answered in the reading and independently problem solve new vocabulary. These kinds of
questions force the students to make inferences, predict, summarize, analyze, and make conclusions. Here are a few probing questions you can
ask your child as you are reading with them.
o What kinds of feelings does the character go through in this part of the story? How do you know?
o What clues are helping you to make predictions about future events?
o Why do you think the character is acting this way? What does it tell you about their personality?
o At the end of a book, inquire about the author’s message. What do you think the author is trying to tell us in this book?

Writing – In writing workshop we began thinking of ideas for our Realistic Fiction writing unit. We gather ideas for fiction stories, the same way
we do for narrative writing – we look to the stories of our own lives. Then, we use our imagination to make them into exciting stories! Some of
the ways that we used to help us think of story ideas were looking back to old entries from our narrative stories, observing the world around us,
thinking about the stories we wish existed in the world, and thinking of issues that are important to us. After thinking of some ideas, we looked
at some entries and thought about how each one could grow in to a fiction story by using your imagination. Groups of students came up with
their own version of how each story would go! It was great practice for the students to do this activity as a group before they went off to look at
their own story ideas to develop. The students have chosen their story idea and began to develop a character. They made a list of physical
characteristics and personality traits to help us get to know their character in depth. Next, the students created a Story Mountain to show how
their character struggles through a problem and gets to a point where they can’t take it anymore, and have to find a solution to the problem. The
story mountain is a fantastic way to get the students to map out their story before they begin. This gives them some guidance and structure to
keep their story going in the right direction. Each of the squares on the story mountain represent a “Scene” or chapter in their story. Once the
story mountain is complete, the students begin to develop each scene. Each scene includes a beginning, middle, and an end clearly shows how
the character is struggling. This story takes place over a longer period of time than the narrative story, so the setting may change from scene to
scene. The students are working on making sure their scenes display vibrant settings and that they are showing what is happening in the story
rather than telling.

Math – In Math, the students completes a unit entitled “Stories, Tables, and Graphs.” In this unit the students develop ideas about patterns,
sequences, and functions. This unit focused on using tables and graphs to represent change. The students learned about situations that involve
change and ways to mathematically describe and represent the changes that are happening. The tables and graphs represent how one quantity
changes in relation to the other. First, we looked at temperature change over time in different places around the world. Students learned about
making and reading line graphs that show a relationship between two variables. On the line graphs, the students had to refer to the scales on
the horizontal and vertical axes in order to figure out the value of each point. One of the central ideas is learning how to see the graph as a
whole and being able to make statements about the change over time.
Next, the students were introduced to a fictional planet in which children receive a certain number of Magic Marbles each day. Students
organized the data on a table and examined the relationship between the columns to uncover a rule that explains the relationship between the
two variables. Some of the situations the students were faced with involved a constant rate of change. For example, one child who starts with a
smaller number of marbles than the other, but accrues marbles at a higher rate.
The students also worked on constructing, describing, and extending number sequences with constant increments. They had to identify the
unit of a repeating pattern and use that to help them find out the color of other cubes in the pattern. For example, if I know the pattern is red,
blue, green, then I can use that to help me find out what 29th cube color would be without having to build the pattern with cubes.
Recently, the students began a new unit on fractions called “Finding Fair Shares.” In this unit, students investigate the meaning of fractions
and the ways they can be represented. The students began by dividing rectangles into equal pieces and discussed how to prove that each piece
was equal. The students make sets of fractions that represent common fractions (1/2, ¼, 1/3, 1/6, 1/8). Next the students worked on
combining fractions to make a whole and figuring out how to solve problems in which they find the fraction of a group. Students also solved
problems about people sharing more than one brownie, and comparing equivalent fractions.

Sound – The students have been learning many new things about sound by conducting experiments. They learned how to match sounds to
objects by dropping objects into a drop chamber. Each object has properties like metal or plastic that help us recognize their sound and be able
to discriminate it from other sounds. Nxt, we did experiments to see how sound travels through air, solids, and water. The students were able to
conclude that sounds are louder when it is heard through a solid and a liquid rather than through air. We learned that sounds are caused by
vibrations and the level of sound from high to low is called pitch. We looked at the shape of sound waves and the students were able to see that
the pitch is determined by the frequency of the waves and the amplitude is shown in the height of the wave. We were able to take a look at the
inside of the ear and how it works. They saw a diagram and a model and learned about the function of each part. Ask your child about how
sound gets from the sound source to your brain! Tom Wahle came to talk with the kids about sound! The students learned so much from him!!

Upcoming Events –
April 20th – 24th – April Vacation
May 7th – Art Appreciation
May 14th and 15th – Math MCAS testing for 3rd Grade
Last week in May – Boston Trip – This will be scheduled very soon, so I will let you know the exact date ASAP
June 12th – Ponding Trip
June 23rd – Last Day for Students