Weekly Update #13: November 13 - November 17

Announcements:

• Progress Report Cards: These went home on Thursday. Final grades for the second nine week grading period will be finalized by Dec. 20th. 
• Book Fair: The Book Fair was a huge success!  The library brought in over $16,000. Thank you to Aditri's parents for buying a book from my wish list at the book fair.  They got our classroom another bluebonnet book! 
• Bluebonnet Book Program: Our class's goal for each student is 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
• Home Access Center: Check weekly to stay up to date on your child's academic progress. Link to Home Access Center.​   

Upcoming Events:​​​​.​ ​​​​​​​​​​​​​

• November 18 - 26th is Thanksgiving Break
• November 27 - New spelling lists given out. 
• November 28 - Science DCA Test (Forces and Magnetism)
• November 29 - Author Visit - Don Tate 
• December 8 - Spelling Test
• December 9 - Last call for December Scholastic Book Orders!
• December 15 or 18 - Math Unit DCA Test (Fractions and Multiplication/Division)
• December 20 - Last day to turn in any assignment for 2nd nine week grading period
• December 21 - 3rd Grade Winter Party @ 1:30pm 
• December 22 - No School Day for students (teacher work day)
• December 23 - January 8  Winter Break

​
​What's Been Happening In Class?  

• Writing: We started our new unit: Expository writing and informational research.  The kids spent time  researching information on the country of England using a few of our online library resources (Britannica, World Book, Culture Grams, Info Bits). Then, students created a Google Drawing displaying information about the country of England (these are displayed in our classroom). 
• Reading: Our current unit is Informational Text (nonfiction reading). We learned about main idea and supporting details by completing a fun ice cream cone activity. Then we read nonfiction passages identifying the main idea and supporting details using a Scholastic News magazine.  
• Math: We are deep into our Fraction unit.  We reviewed how to represent fractions in a Fraction Area Model, Fraction Set Model, and Fraction Pie Model. This week our main focus was to read and understand fractions on a number line using our new fraction vocabulary: Proper fraction, Mixed fraction and Improper Fraction. Next week will make comparisons between fractions (which fraction shows the bigger portion) and adding fractions of the same denominator. There is no unit test for Fractions, it will be combined into the next DCA with Multiplication/Division. 
• Science:  We are almost done with our last PLTW module on simple machines.  We built a wheel & axle, inclined plane, lever and pulley. Then, we created a compound machine in an effort to rescue a "tiger from a moat". The pictures are below.  They were all successful in rescuing the tiger!  Our test will be on November 28.
• Social Studies: We researched our country of England and had attended a short presentation on England Wednesday morning. 
• Enrichment: No enrichment groups this week due to an assembly.