Weekly Update #12: November 6 - November 10

Announcements:

• Progress Report Cards: We are half way through the 2nd nine week grading period. I will finalize grades for progress report cards this weekend. This is only a progress report. Note: As we progress through this year and prepare the students for STAAR, our curriculum will become more challenging and there will be higher expectations on academic work. We move at a very steady pace in third grade. You can help your child by keeping an eye on your child's progress by checking Home Access (with your child) every week (if not twice a week) and going through your child's Thursday folder (looking at graded work). This will help you determine what concepts and skills your child needs to continue to practice at home. 
• Cup Stacking: The kids loved learning how to cup stack. Cup stacking is a fun, challenging competition and activity for kids of all ages. Here's the video on how to cup stack that your child may want to watch Cup Stacking Video Is your child wanting their own cup stacking set? Get gift idea!  Click here for more information on how to purchase your own set. 
• PTA Direct Donation Drive: Our poster on the wall shows only ONE soccer ball for Mrs. Lilleboe's class. Please consider making a monetary donation to our amazing Elsa England PTA so that we can get some soccer balls on our class poster. All 100% of your money goes right back into Elsa England, its wonderful academic programs and awesome technology for our school. Without this money our kids will not get academic activities and technology like Math Superstars, Author Visits, New IPads, etc. Click HERE to make that donation today!
• Home Access Center: Check weekly to stay up to date on your child's academic progress. Link to Home Access Center.​   
• Bluebonnet Book Program: Our class's goal for each student to read 5 books! The Bluebonnet Program goes until mid-January so we have plenty of time to read, read, read. So, let's get to it!
  Bluebonnet Book List 2017 - 2018 http://www.txla.org/new-tba-list-released
  Mrs. Lilleboe's Bluebonnet Book Wish List http://a.co/j39aDD1

Upcoming Events:​​​​.​ ​​​​​​​​​​​

• November 10 - Spelling Test (students should be studying at home), Veteran's Day assembly  and Nonfiction Text Feature Quiz
• November 13 - Book Fair Preview Day (kids make their wish list)
• November 14 - Third Grade Field Trip (please dress nice) & Book Fair  
• November 15 - Holiday Lunch, Book Fair, International Children's Festival Night (5:30pm - 8:00pm)
• November 17 - International Children's Assembly 
• November 18 - 26th is Thanksgiving Break
• November 28 - Science DCA Test (Forces and Magnetism) 

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​What's Been Happening In Class?  

• Writing: We started our new unit: Expository writing and informational research.  The kids spent time learning how to research for information using a few of our online library resources (Britannica, World Book, Culture Grams, Info Bits). 
• Reading: Poetry - Our new unit is Nonfiction Reading (Informational Text). We identified and defined many nonfiction text features (glossary, index, heading, table of contents, photograph, captions, graphs, charts, diagram/labels, etc) exploring various nonfiction books and completing a nonfiction text feature flip book. We also took time to begin researching our International Children's Festival country...England! This research is done with a partner. The kids will create Google Drawings next week displaying all their information they collected on the country of England. 
• Math: Our next unit is Fractions.  We reviewed some basic fraction vocabulary (numerator, denominator, whole, equal parts). We learned how to represent fractions in a Fraction Area Model, Fraction Set Model, and Fraction Pie Model. Next week will make comparisons between fractions (which fraction show the bigger portion), Fractions on a Number Line, and adding fractions of the same denominator. 
• Science: We started our new unit on Forces and Magnetism. We are using Project Lead the Way activities for most of this unit which provide the kids with many hands-on activities working with a partner or in a small group. This week we wrapped up our module on Flight. We learned about the 4 forces when it comes to flight (thrust, drag, lift and weight). We applied what we learned about these forces in a project involving designing and building a glider to travel a certain distance. We began our last PLTW module on simple machines this week.  We have built a wheel & axle, inclined plane, lever and pulley. We will wrap this module up hopefully by the end of the week. Our test will be on November 28.
• Social Studies: We researched and read various nonfiction material about our 3 branches of government. We used a variety of sources (Brain Pop videos, handouts and the My World Book textbook) to find specific information on the Executive, Judicial and Legislative branches. 
• Enrichment: We are in our 2nd round of enrichment groups. Check with your child to find out what enrichment group they are in this time!