Weekly Update: February 6 - February 10

Announcements:​

• Valentine's Day Party  We are in need of supplies and volunteers for the 3rd grade party. Please check out the Signup Genius Please have your child bring in supplies on Monday!!! 
• Valentine's Box and Cards/Treats: Students should create a Valentine's Box and 22 cards/treats for our Valentine's Day party. Check out this flier for more information.  This homework activity is due by Tuesday, February 14th. ​
• Economics Fair Product Ideas:  Students should have received a "yellow" Economic Fair Product Sheet in their Thursday (blue) folder. Please complete the top portion with your child (choosing a product and describing the product) and sign the bottom of the sheet. Product Ideas Link Students should return the "yellow" sheet by Monday, February 13 for teacher approval BEFORE starting to make any of the products. 
• Economics Fair Parent Volunteers:  We are in need of some parent volunteers to help prepare for the Economics Fair. Please check out the Signup Genius and sign up if you are able to come volunteer during the week of February 21 - 23. 
• Become a PTA Member: Our school needs parents like you to sign up for PTA. Critical learning tools, field trips, and resources are paid for by our wonderful PTA, but that means we need you!  Please, become a PTA member today. England PTA website
• Home Access Center: Please, check weekly to stay up to date on your child's academic progress. Link to Home Access Center.  Continue to discuss with your child the importance of listening to directions, staying focused on school work and doing his/her personal best on all assignments. Remember, if a student earns below a 70% on any assignment or test, the student can make corrections to earn a possible passing grade (70%) per school district policy. 

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​Upcoming Events:​​​​.​ ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

• Feb 13 - STAAR Reading Interim (practice for the "real" test)
• Feb 13 - Science Unit Test "Weather, Soil and Earth's Forces - Earthquakes, Volcanoes, Landslides"
• Feb 13 - Economics Fair Project idea must be approved by Mrs. Lilleboe (last day to get approval)
• Feb 13 or 14 - Bring Valentine's Day box and cards to school for classmates
• Feb 14 - Valentine's Day Party (Grade level party) - Volunteers needed. Signup Genius Link
• Feb 15 - Spring Picture Day
• Feb 17 - STAAR Math Interim (practice for the "real" test)
• Feb 20 - NO School (teacher work day)
• Feb 21 - 23  Parent volunteers for Economics Fair preparations Signup Genius Link

**STAAR Testing Day (real one) - April 18 and May 2

What are we learning?  
Writing: We started our new unit on Monday - Informational (nonfiction). Students will first write a piece on something they feel they are an expert on (swimming is the best sport, dogs are the best pets, etc). Then, we'll begin our research project (Project Based Learning Project) on ways we can help conserve our natural resources and protect our environment. 

Reading:  Our next unit is: Author's purpose and message.  Students will be able to:

• The learner will read across genres, explain the author’s purpose or message in a text, and analyze the author’s choices of text structure, print, graphic features, and language, in order to explain how these choices influence meaning. (3.10ACDG)
• The learner will use comprehension skills (evaluating details to determine key ideas and synthesizing to create new understandings) and response skills to deepen their understanding of a text as they consider the author's purpose and craft across a variety of genres. (3.7CDE, 3.6BGH)
• The learner will interact with and react to ideas in texts they read, respond to what they read, and compose clear, well-developed, evidence-based, and organized informational essays that demonstrate their thinking about a text. (3.7BC, 3.12B)

​Math: 

• ​Swyers and Lilleboe Students: We are currently in our Financial Literacy unit.​
  • Focus TEKS: 
  • 3.4C determine the value of a collection of coins and bills; –
  • 3.9 Personal financial literacy. The student applies mathematical process standards to manage one’s financial resources effectively for lifetime financial security. The student is expected to:
    • 3.9A explain the connection between human capital/labor and income; 
    • 3.9B describe the relationship between the availability or scarcity of resources and how that impacts cost; 
    • 3.9C identify the costs and benefits of planned and unplanned spending decisions;
    • 3.9D explain that credit is used when wants or needs exceed the ability to pay and that it is the borrower’s responsibility to pay it back to the lender, usually with interest;
    • 3.9E list reasons to save and explain the benefit of a savings plan, including for college; 
    • 3.9F identify decisions involving income, spending, saving, credit, and charitable giving. 
  • 4.10  Personal financial literacy. The student applies mathematical process standards to manage one’s financial resources effectively for lifetime financial security. The student is expected to:
    • 4.10A  distinguish between fixed and variable expenses; – Supporting RC4
    • 4.10B  calculate profit in a given situation; – Supporting RC4
    • 4.10C  compare the advantages and disadvantages of various savings options; – Not Tested
    • 4.10D  describe how to allocate a weekly allowance among spending; saving, including for college; and sharing; and – Not Tested
  • 4.10E  describe the basic purpose of financial institutions, including keeping money safe, borrowing money, and lending. – Supporting RC4
• Bae/Jones/McKenzie students: Math unit - More Multiplication and Division. Students will be able to:​
  • Determine the total number of objects when equally-sized groups of objects are combined or arranged in arrays
  • ​Represent multiplication facts by using a variety of approaches such as equal-sized groups and arrays
  • Represent and solve one- and two-step multiplication and division problems within 100 using strip diagrams and equations
  • Describe a multiplication expression as a comparison such as 3 x 24 represents 3 times as much as 24 
  • Recall facts to multiply up to 10 by 10 with automaticity, and recall corresponding division facts
  • Determine if a number is even or odd using divisibility rules
  • Solve one-step problems involving multiplication and division within 100 using strategies based on objects, pictorial models, including arrays, area models, and equal group

Science: We have started our next unit "Weather, Soils and Earth's Forces". This week we wrapped up the "weather" portion of this unit with a quiz and a writing response. We are currently  studying some of Earth's forces (volcanoes, landslides and earthquakes) and how these are rapid changes that take place on the Earth's surface. Our test is on Monday, February 13. 

Social Studies: We will learn about how humans adapt to their living environment depending on where they live (cold region, hot desert area, on an island, etc) and begin our economics (financial literacy) unit as well.  We also spent some time learning more about civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr. The economics (financial literacy) unit will stretch into March as we prepare for our Economics Fair on March 8th. ​