Mrs. Ondis
Grade 3
Class Update
January 20, 2010
Math: This week our class will be starting a new math unit called Up and Down
the Number Line. In this unit your child will start to work with positive
and negative numbers. Most of the work is introduced through games, some of
which involves imaginary trips in an elevator going up and down a
skyscraper. Here is a sample problem: I got on the elevator at some floor in
my building. I moved up two floors then down three floors and I ended up on
the fifth floor. What floor did I start on?
Reading: The class continues to work on jobs for our literature circles. The
first week the students were “word watchers” looking for words that they did
not know. The students worked in small groups on dictionary skills using
guide words to assist them with this job. Last week the students
were “imaginative illustrators” drawing the mental pictures that came to mind
while reading. This week the students were “question creators” and developed
questions to ask their classmates from the story that was read aloud.
Science: Last week the students completed a number of experiments with
water. They looked at how water reacts on different types of paper: wax,
foil, drawing, and paper towels. This week the students will conduct an
experiment to learn about surface tension using a penny and three types of
water: plain, salty and soapy.
Social Studies: As a class we continue to discuss the postcards that arrive
and add them to our class map. Students each have their own recording sheet
where they are marking the state, capital and number of postcards we have
received.
Biography Book News:
Attached to this letter is the order form for the biography book that I will
send away for the first week of February. Please feel free to come in and
look at previous books created by different classes. The order forms are due
next Wednesday, 1/27/10.
General Updates
Many students have been forgetting to bring in snacks. We have snack at
9:30am each morning and I am depleted of all additional snacks and the nurse
is running low as well. Please remember to pack your child a snack daily,
they are actually starving around 9:30.
We will not have spelling this week. Instead, the students are reviewing
previous rules that have been covered in spelling.
Important Dates and Reminders
January 21-22 Third Grade Used Book Sale (bring in $ to purchase books)
January 27 Book orders due (Biography Book)
February 12 February Recess begins 2:20
