Week of 10/27

Odds and Ends:

Zoo Field Trip: A special thanks to Mrs. Kenyeri, Mrs. McCarthy, Mrs.Gasmen, Mrs. Edie, and Mrs. Zervas for chaperoning our field trip to the zoo on Tuesday. We had a great day watching the gorillas and many other animals as we made connections with what we have been learning in ELA and science. Please enjoy the pictures:

Getting ready to go into Tropic World

Comparing our hands to that of a gorilla. 

Filling out our ethograms

A silverback, just like Ivan! 

The mother feeding the baby kale. 

Mother and baby! 

* Fall Conferences: It has been great to meet with some parents this week. I am looking forward to conferences next week. Please contact me if you haven't selected a time slot yet! Thank you!

*Halloween Parade and Party: Our Halloween classroom party will be Fri. 10/31. The parade will be from 1:15-1:30, with the party following afterwards. Your child may bring a costume to school Fri (no weapons or violent costumes, please). They will be changing into their costume for the party. Please make sure your child can get into the costume on their own and that they can wear the costume over their clothes. Thank you for your help!

UPCOMING EVENTS:

*Mon. 10/27: Reading: Pumpkins Due

*Thurs. 10/30: Spelling: Test

* Fri. 10/31: Happy Halloween
Reading: October Reading Calendars due
Halloween Party and Parade

A LOOK AT NEXT WEEK:

*Reading: Your child's character pumpkin is due Mon. 10/27. This is a pumpkin decorated to look like a character from the good fit book your child chose and has been recording in their pumpkin reading log. We will work on writing our character "commercial" about our pumpkins and will be proudly displaying them in the IMC pumpkin patch!

Also, your child's October reading calendar is due Fri. 10/31. They will receive a new reading calendar for November this week.

*English: We are busy working on our argumentative and descriptive haunted house paragraphs. We will finish them up next week. We are also working on building our academic vocabulary with word of the day. We are on week 3.

*Spelling: We will have a spook-tacular spelling week with some Halloween words. Due to Halloween, homework and the test will be on Thursday. There is no pretest for this week's words.

*Social Studies: We began our unit on communities as we study the history of Downers Grove. Your child will learn about the founder, Pierce Downer, and its first inhabitants, the Potowatomi Indians.

*Science: We will begin our ch. 9 unit on the water cycle next week.

*Math: We are busy adding greater numbers as we learn to regroup and show our work with models (base 10 blocks) and using an expanded algorithm (where we break apart the number by hundreds, tens, and ones and get 3 smaller sums and then add them together for the final, total sum). We will continue ch. 3 next week as we look at subtraction, too. Keep practicing facts at home...timed tests for a grade will be announced soon!

Have a great weekend!
Mrs. Olsen

Week of 10/20

Odds and Ends

*Zoo Field Trip: We will be taking our trip to Brookfield Zoo on Tues. 10/21. Don't forget to pack your child a DISPOSABLE sack lunch and dress for the weather! We are really looking forward to seeing the gorillas (like Ivan) and other animals that we have been learning about in reading and science.

*Conferences: I am looking forward to meeting with each of you at this year's fall conferences. If you have not signed up yet, please use the link that was emailed to you to pick a time and date to meet and discuss your child's progress thus far in 3rd grade. 

UPCOMING EVENTS: 

*Tues. 10/21: Field Trip to Brookfield Zoo

*Fri. 10/24: Spelling: List 8 Test

Word of the Day Graded Review

A LOOK AT NEXT WEEK :

*Reading: We will continue to practice using our reading voices and our thinking voices as we read The One and Only Ivan and other stories about people standing up for what they believe in. 

We will also build our academic vocabulary as we work on a new vocabulary word every day. Look for your child's "placemat" with their dinner plate words on them. We call them dinner plate words because the idea is for them to share and discuss these new words with you at dinner! We will add a new word every day this week and a graded review will take place on Fri. We did a sample graded review this week in class...check your child's binder to see what to expect. 

*English: We will work on descriptive and argumentative writing as we work on our haunted house writing. 

*Spelling: We will work on list 8 this week. The homework will be due Thurs. and the test will be Fri. 

*Social Studies: We will begin our unit on Downers Grove as we learn about communities and why people formed them. We will begin with the history of Downers Grove. 

*Science: Our next unit will be ch. 9: The Water Cycle...coming soon!!

*Math: We spent the last few days close reading math word problems to highlight key words that tell us if we need to add or subtract and get an exact answer or an estimated answer. We are working on show our work using PAL (Problem, answer, label). We will continue practicing this in ch. 3 as we work on more addition and subtraction. Please continue to practice using xtramath.org and flashcards at home. Thank you for your continued support as we build life long math skills. 

Have a great fall weekend!

Mrs. Olsen 

Week of 10/14

 Odds and Ends: 

* Conferences: Fall conferences are coming soon! An email containing a link to a sign up genius has been sent to your email. Please check it for a time and date. Please feel free to email me if you have any questions or concerns. I am looking forward to meeting with all of you!

UPCOMING EVENTS: 

*Mon. 10/13: No School

*Wed. 10/15: Math: Ch 2 Test
Social Studies: Hemisphere Quiz

*Fri. 10/17: Science: Ch. 4 Test

A LOOK AT NEXT WEEK: 

*Reading: We will work on reading more texts about animals as we talk about standing up for what you believe in. We will work on close reading non fiction text.

*English: We will continue to work on descriptive and argumentative writing.

*Spelling: Due to the shortened week, we will not have spelling this week. We will be learning about vocabulary through a Word of the Day.

*Science: We will focus on the last lesson in chapter 4. The test will be on Fri. 10/17. Here are the students with their amazing pet rocks and ecosystems!

*Social Studies: We will be finishing up our maps unit with a hemisphere quiz on Wed. 10/15. We will begin our unit on Downers Grove soon.

*Math: We will be finishing up ch. 2 in math. The test is scheduled for Wed. 10/15. Please continue to practice your math facts each night!

t, long weekend!
Mrs. Olsen

Week of 10/5

Odds and Ends: 

*Zoo Field Trip: A permission slip was sent home with your child about the upcoming field trip to Brookfield Zoo on Tues. 10/21. Please sign and return the slip by Wed. 10/8. There is no cost to the trip!

* Picture Day is coming up! Next Wed. 10/8 is picture day. Please return the order form (if interested in ordering) on or before Wed. All students will take a picture whether you are ordering or not.

*Book Fair: If you are interested in volunteering at our upcoming book fair on 10/16, please use this link:
​
To sign up, go to:
www.SignUpGenius.com/go/20F044AA9A622A13-prairieview1/12780975

UPCOMING EVENTS: 

* Wed. 10/8: Picture Day
Permission Slips Due

*Fri. 10/10: Early Dismissal Day
Spelling: List 7 Test

A LOOK AT NEXT WEEK: 

*Reading: We are busy learning about figurative language such as similes and metaphors that helps the text come alive as we read The One and Only Ivan. We are practicing close reading and inferring about character traits as we read.

Also, an October reading calendar was sent home. Please note we changed the due date to 10/31 rather than 11/3 (since we are actually not in school 11/3!) Thank you!

*English: We will begin a descriptive writing unit as we write some argumentative papers about haunted houses!

*Spelling: We will work on list 7. There will be homework due Thurs and a test on Fri.

*Social Studies: We are learning about hemispheres, the equator, and the prime meridian. A study guide and quiz will be announced soon. Check your child's assignment notebook and binder for more information.

*Science: The students are creatively putting together their pet rock and ecosystem.  They look amazing! We worked on a student made rubric to ensure each project was done the best as it could be! We will write a short informational piece to explain our creature and where it is found. We will continue to work on ch. 4 lesson 3 and 4 next week.

*Math: We are working on ch. 2 as we practice addition and subtraction. Please practice these facts every night to help your child build automaticity and fluency  in facts.  Today we went to the computer lab and they learned about xtramath.org. This is a free website and a great way to practice math facts. I encourage you to check it out and use it at home!

Have a great week!
Mrs. Olsen

Week of 9/29

Odds and Ends:

*Thank you to the families who brought in items for our Johnny Appleseed celebration! A special thank you the McCarthy, Reynolds, Crowley, and Edie family for the juice, spoons, bowls, and cups!  It was a perfect day!

UPCOMING EVENTS:

* Mon. 9/29: Scholastic Book Orders Due

* Wed. 10/1: Reading: September reading calendar due

*Fri. 10/3: Spelling: List 6 test

A LOOK AT NEXT WEEK:

*Reading: We are really enjoying reading the book The One and Only Ivan. Ask your child about this amazing book based on a true story. We will continue to close read this text and do various non fiction reading, writing, and discussions surrounding this story.

*English: We will work on a writing unit, teaching students the organization of a 5 paragraph essay.

* Spelling: We will work on list 6. The pretest will be Monday, homework is due Thursday, and the test will be on Friday. Keep up the great work in spelling!

*Science: We will continue to work on ch. 4, focusing on ecosystems. We will be making a pet rock and an ecosystem for our pet in class this week.

*Social Studies: We will focus on hemispheres in our maps skills unit.

*Math: We will begin ch. 2 in math, which focuses on addition and subtraction properties, fact families, and mental math.

Have a great weekend together and enjoy the beautiful fall weather!
Mrs. Olsen

Week of 9/22

Odds and Ends: 

*Early Dismissal: Thurs. 9/25 students will be dismissed at 11:00.

*Magazine Drive: Please remember to turn in any forms on the turn in days listed in your magazine packet.

*Box Tops: We are collecting box tops in our classroom. Please send them in anytime! Thank you!

UPCOMING EVENTS: 

*Mon. 9/22: Social Studies: Continent/Ocean Quiz

*Wed. 9/24: Math: Ch1 test

*Thurs. 9/25: Early Dismissal

*Fri. 9/26: Happy Birthday, Johnny Appleseed!
Spelling: List 5 Test
English: Ch. 1 test

A LOOK AT NEXT WEEK:

 *Reading: We will focus on our essential question of how we can stand up for what we believe in as we read The One and Only Ivan. Here is a trailer of the book we watched to get excited about reading this fantastic book!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtPdqV2crQ0

We will work on finding text evidence to answer questions and practice close reading of text.  We will also celebrate Johnny Appleseed's birthday on Fri. 9/26. A note was sent home about supplies we will need. Please remember to send a peeled, cored, and sliced apple to school on Fri. 9/26 to use to make homemade applesauce in class! YUM!

*English: We will wrap up ch. 1 as we review what subject and predicates are and how to fix run on sentences. A study guide was sent home with your child this week. The test will be on Fri. 9/26.

* Spelling: We will work on List 5 this week. We will have a pretest Monday. 2 homework assignment will be due by Thurs. The test will be Friday.

*Social Studies: Our continent and ocean quiz will be on Mon. 9/22. We will work in cooperative groups to research WOW facts about continents and present them to the class. We will begin our study of hemispheres.

*Science: We began ch 4 as we learn about ecosystems. We will connect our learning in science to our discussions in reading as we read about Ivan, a silverback gorilla.

*Math: We are working hard on rounding to the nearest 10 and 100. A study guide was sent home this week. Your child will also bring home their textbook to study from. They can keep their textbook at home until the day of the test (Wed. 9/24).

Have a beautiful weekend together!
Mrs. Olsen

Week of 9/15-9/19

Odds and Ends

* Please send your child with a sweatshirt or light jacket to school on chilly days. They have been going out for PE and recess. Thank you!

*Intramural Games: Please be sure to check your child's binder MONDAY for a note that will be sent home regarding intramural games.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

*Sat. 9/13: Center Cass District 66 Community Day!

* Tues. 9/16: Magazine Drive Kick Off Assembly

*Wed. 9/17: Band Assembly

*Fri. 9/19: Spelling test List 4

A LOOK AT NEXT WEEK:

*Reading: We will continue to explore our theme of standing up for what you believe in. We read the story Teammates about Jackie Robinson and Recess Queen and had great discussions on how difficult but important it is to stand up for what you believe is right. We will continue to explore this theme as we practice close reading.

*English: We will focus on subject and predicates this week in ch. 1.  The ch. 1 test is tentatively scheduled for Fri. 9/26. A study guide and review packet will be sent home before the test.

*Spelling: We will work on list 4 this week. Your child will take the pretest Mon. 2 homework assignments will be given (due Thurs) and the test will be on Friday

*Science: We will begin ch. 4 on habitats and ecosystems.

* Social Studies: We will continue our maps unit as we learn about the continents and oceans. A graded review will be on Mon. 9/22. Your child will need to know the location of the continents and oceans. They received a study sheet today. You can find it in their social studies folder in their binder.

*Math: We began to switch for math class this week. Please ask your child who they have for math and be sure to check that teacher's blog for math updates for your child's math class. I have enjoyed getting to know my math students. We began ch.1 as we worked with place value and writing numbers in standard, expanded, and word form. We will continue working with number lines and rounding numbers next week.

Have a beautiful weekend together!
Mrs. Olsen

Week of 9/8-9/12

Odds and Ends: 

*Thank you for attending this year's Curriculum Night. It was so great to you all as we discussed this years agenda full of learning! I am looking forward to a great year together.

*MAPs testing: Students took their MAPs tests this week in math and reading. We will be looking closely at their data in the upcoming weeks.

UPCOMING EVENTS: 

*Thurs. 9/11: Social Studies: Directions and Compass Quiz

*Fri. 9/12: Spelling: List 3 Test

A LOOK AT NEXT WEEK: 

*Reading: We will continue to work on our Daily 5 routine. We will work on our first unit in ELA: Stand Up For What You Believe In.

* English: We will begin our first unit, The Sentence (Ch. 1). We will begin by reviewing the different types of sentences and what makes a complete sentence. We will continue to write in our journals as we apply what we learn to our daily writing.

*Spelling: We will focus on list 3 this week. We will take a pretest on Mon. Homework will be assigned Monday and due Thurs. The test will be on Friday. Remember, if your child is in the "challenge" list for the week, they work with 10 challenge words and can be excused from the test on Friday.

*Social Studies: We are learning about the compass rose and directions. A study guide will be sent home today for our quiz on Thurs. 9/11. We will spend the week practicing and reviewing these skills.

*Science: We will begin our first unit on ecosystems and habitats soon!

*Math: We will continue to learn about good mathematical practices in class and practice fact fluency. More information about your student's math class will be coming  soon!

Thanks for checking in! Have a great week!

Mrs. Olsen

Welcome to Third Grade!

Hello.

 Welcome to my classroom blog! 

You can check in here weekly for updates, important dates, and other classroom and school news. We have had an amazing first first days together. The students are getting the classroom routine down and seem like they have been here for weeks already: ) I am really looking forward to a fun and learning filled year!

Third Grade is the BEST! 

ODDS AND ENDS:

* No School Mon. 9/1: Happy Labor Day Weekend! Enjoy summer's last hurrah!

* Curriculum Night: We hope to see you all at this year's curriculum night, Wed. 9/3 at 6:30-7:30 pm. Principal Pagel will be going over some important grade and school level information and then you will have a chance to meet your child's  homeroom teacher and learn more about the upcoming school year.  This event is not for the children to attend. Thank you!

UPCOMING EVENTS: 

*Mon. 9/1: No School

*Wed. 9/3: 
Curriculum Night: 6:30-7:30 pm

*Fri. 9/5: Spelling: List 2 test (we start with list 2)

A LOOK AT NEXT WEEK:

*Reading: We will begin with our Daiy 5 routines. 

*English: We will begin ch. 1: the Sentence. We will have a pretest to assess prior information.  Your child will have a learning contract that will tailor the lessons to his/her knowledge base. We will also begin DOL (Daily Oral Language) as we practice punctuation skills in every day writing. 

* Spelling: We will begin with list 2. We begin each week with a pretest. If your child gets 2 or less wrong, they will be in the challenge list. If they get more than 2 incorrect, they will be in the book group. Both groups have homework for the week that reinforce a common spelling rule.  The test will be on Friday. The students who were in the challenge group can take their pretest grade for their final grade or retake the test to try for 100%. Those in the book group will take the test on Friday for their final grade. A sheet outlining the spelling procedures will be sent home Tues. 

*Social Studies: We will begin our Maps unit, focusing on directions and using a compass rose. 

*Science: We will begin our first unit on habitats and ecosystems soon! 

* Math: We will begin looking at problem solving techniques and addition and subtraction fact practice with our homeroom students this week. More information regarding math classes will be coming soon! 

Add caption

Thanks for visiting my blog. Have a great long weekend!

Mrs. Olsen

Week of 6/9-6/12

Odds and Ends

I hope everyone had a nice week and is having a great Friday! Our 2nd grade pen pals visited today. The third graders have been eager to meet their pen pals and show them around, and they did a fabulous job!

Monday is our bowling trip to Brunswick Zone.  If your child would like, he or she may bring $5-$7 for snacks at the bowling alley. Please have your child bring a sack lunch from home that day. Thank you!

Upcoming Events

6/6: Bowling Trip to Brunswick Zone

6/11: Field Days and Picnic

6/12: Summer!! Last Day of School

A Look at Next Week

Reading: We have begun a short magic unit. Next week we will learn a little more about Houdini and the students will perform their very own magic trick! They know that they need to practice, practice, practice over the weekend!

English: We will be working on various writing prompts. 

Spelling: We are done with spelling!

Social Studies: We are done with social studies. 

Science: We will finish our unit on how animals interact with each other. There will be no final test on this chapter. 

Math: We will finish up our final unit on graphing and data. There will be no test on this chapter. 

Have a good weekend!

Miss Simoncelli