November December 2 - 6, 2013

Lifeskill or Life-long Guideline of the week: Problem Solving

Math rd 3 - This week in math we are continuing our unit on multiplication and division. We will be analyzing word problems to determine whether the problem is asking us to multiply or divide. In third grade with division, students are expected to use models to solve division problems and use number sentences to record the solutions. This week, we will all be praticing our multiplication facts and taking those facts during our mad minutes. Please help your child be successful by making sure they study the fact they ear on each night for at least 5 minutes. *There are many games and apps online that help make practicing multiplication facts fun! Please encourage your child to study their facts each night, as they will need to know their facts in order to be successful with double digit multiplication as well as long division, and eventually algebra. 4 - Students will continue to work on multiplication this year. We will be discussing multiplication ladders, which are very helpful in recalling facts if they are not memorized. Students will also be practicing the magic zero rule in addition to learning a strategy of solving more complicated multiplication problems with clusters. For example, knowing that 12x6 is the same as 6x6 + 6x6 or that solving 12x8 can be though of as 10x8 and 2x8 combined. *Ask your child to share the Magic Zero trick with you. You will be amazed at the numbers your child can now multiply only knowing simple multiplication facts. Your child needs to have the multiplication facts through 12x12 memorized. Please work with your child on memorizing these facts, as it is important he or she can recall the facts quickly.
th

Feeling Batty! We are studying bats in reading and science this week. In reading, we are reading a variety of books about bats. We are studying the authors purpose (to persuade, inform, or entertain) as well as genres, in this case, fantasy fiction, informational / nonfiction, poetry, and realistic fiction. As we learn about bats, we will also be analyzing the text and features, then recording our clues to figure out the authors purpose, as well as the genre of each book. In science, we are studying structural and behavioral adaptations, life cycles, inherited traits / learned behaviors, and food webs / chains through learning about bats. *Ask your child about the adaptations bats have, and how this structure or behavior helps the bat survive. Important Notes and Events! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 12/3 - 3/4 Reading Benchmark 12/5 - 3/4 Math Benchmark 12/10 - 4 Science Benchmark & 3 to Nutcracker Ballet 12/11 - 4 Writing Benchmark 12/13 - Inner Space Cavern Field Trip 12/17 4 & 5 Grade Winter Music Performance at Hope Chapel, 6:30pm 12/18 - Walking Trip to Nursing & Retirement Center 12/19 - Winter Cookie Party/Authors Chair, 1:00-2:30 12/23/13 01/06/14 Winter Break, Return to School on 01/07/14
*Please visit our wiki page for information about our class: http://mahlstadtsvrcek23class.wikispaces.com/ * Please check the calendar online every week as dates do change. http://mahlstadtsvrcek23class.wikispaces.com/Calendar
th th th th rd

We Are Thankful We are thankful for so many things and people in our lives, and our next writing project focusus on the idea of being thankful for both our wants and needs. Through self reflection and sharing of thoughts and ideas, students have been brainstorming, as well as drafting ideas of what they are thankful for and why. Through the writing process, students will be creating and publishing Thankful Books, which they will share with you at our Winter Celebration Authors Chair on December 19th, from 1:002:30.

! !