3rd Grade Peek at the Week December 5th, 2011

Dear Parents,
Please take a look at this week's highlights:

Vocabulary/Spelling: Unit 15 due tomorrow in textbook. Vocabulary Quiz on Thursday. Spelling Test on Friday.  Please note that this routine will change as we finish the textbook. We will begin to do dictionary skills using the words in the PSIA list possibly next month.

Reading: We are covering the following reading skills this week using the Essential Skills for Reading Success supplementary book to learn practical reading skills applied to all of the other subjects:
a) Identifying Sequence
b) Analyzing Language and Vocabulary
c) Analyzing Plot, Characters, Setting
d) Recognizing Cause and Effect


English: Chapter 10 Test on Possessive Nouns tomorrow. We had a whole class review today with sample sentences directly from the test. Study pg. 460 for the test.

Math: As we continue to drill math facts in multiplication and division, we are now learning multiplication with carrying. We used our Thinking Maps (Flow Map) to breakdown the multiple steps of multiplying larger numbers as well as sample problems from our ALEKS curriculum in the Smartboard. We will continue our progress in Math. Be on the lookout for a paper test on multiplication with larger numbers in the next couple of weeks.

Religion: We continue to cover topics over God's plan of salvation. From the Creation story to the Incarnation and Redemption, we will discuss how we can live our lives with the simplicity of loving God.

Notes/Reminder:
1. Toy Drive is this Thursday, December 8th. Please bring a new toy as an offering.
2. Early Dismissal on Friday, December 9th.
3. Last week's "Already the Best, Uplift The Rest" classroom guest speaker drew in a much larger crowd than our regular classroom audience. Brother Pio Maria from the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal spoke to all 3rd - 8th graders in the Parish Hall about his faith and devotion to God. Brother Pio Maria shared with us about embracing the simplicity of loving God. He shared his views on taking vows of the Franciscan life in a way that effectively challenges the worldly values in every age. The spiritual values that unite the friars are a personal commitment to Jesus Christ, and we were most truly blessed to have him share a life much different from ours. Best of all, the kids loved him and thought he was very funny! He was most definitely an uplifting speaker.