Third Grade News
The 2nd Six Week's
What We Are Learning!
Reading
The skill of inferring is a skill we do all day long, similar to “reading” people or “reading” a situation. If it has been snowing outside and some cars have snow on them and some cars do not, we infer that those without snow have been parked in the garage. Inferring is not only about reading expressions, tones and body language, it is about “reading” text, often said as, “reading between the lines” where the answers are not explicitly stated.
Predicting is related to inferring, but we predict events, actions or outcomes that can be checked or confirmed as correct or incorrect by reading on or reading to the end of the story. I’ve heard it said that predicting is like thinking ahead but inferring is about looking back and reflecting about what has already been read. Predicting is like this, you are reading along, you stop and ask, “What will happen next?” Inferring is like this, you are reading along, you stop and ask, “I wonder what the author meant?”
Inferences are more open-ended and often uncheckable meaning that the reader is unable to truly know if an inference is correct. When students read, think and make an inference about text they have just read, they must use their schema, and prior knowledge and cross-check it with clues and evidence from the text.
When students use the strategy of inferring, they are making meaning of the text. They are adding pieces that are not explicitly there, often sharing personal opinions and forming interpretations. As children begin to make inferences out loud, they must be recognized for doing so and be told all day long, “You just made an inference!” When asking a student simple recall questions, some children feel like they are answering wrong if they don’t use words that are exactly in the text, when they are actually using inferring. Another way, I explain it kids is like this, something happens on one page of the book and then you turn the page and ask what just happened, as if somebody ripped out the middle page and you must decide what happened.
Here are some sentence stems that you can use when reading with your child:
· When you infer, you might say:
· I think that...because...
· Maybe it means...because...
· My clues from the text are...my schema
· is...so I infer that...
· It could mean...because...
· Based on this passage, the reader can infer that [a character is]….
· From the dialogue in the story, the reader can conclude that….
· Based on the passage, which statement is probably true?
· Based on [something one character says to another character], the reader can infer
that…
· Based on the last sentence of the story, you can tell that…..
· Which statement is an inference that can be made based on the passage?
· Based on this non-fiction passage, the reader can reasonably conclude that…
· Based on paragraph # ____, you can tell that…
· Which of the following statements can the reader infer from paragraph # ____?
· Based on the passage, you can make the inference that…
· Which of the following statements can be inferred from the passage?
Good books to read to your child to practice inferring are:
· Something Beautiful
· Stellaluna
· Big Al
· The Royal Bee
· Tight Times
· Tuesday
· How Many Days to America
· Two Bad Ants
· No, David!
· The Memory String
· Sarah, Plain, and Tall
· Because of Winn Dixie
· Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude
· The Mouse and the Motorcycle
· Don’t Let Pigeon Stay Up Late!
· Cows Can’t Fly
· Miss Nelson is Missing
Writing
Students will be writing personal narrative. They will choose a story from their life to write about. It can be a special memory or experience they will never forget.
Math
In the 2nd six weeks your student will be learning how to represent and solve single and multi-step addition and subtraction word problems within 1,000. The strategies used for computations will be based on place value, properties of operations, and the relationship between addition and subtraction. The methods for representation will include pictorial models, number lines, and equations.
Third grade students will be applying basic addition and subtraction facts as they solve more complex problems. Students will develop an understanding of the meanings of addition and subtraction of whole numbers by using models and problem solving. They will compare solution strategies to gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between addition and subtraction.
You can help your child in several ways.
Ask your child, “How is addition different from subtraction?”
“Can you show me how addition looks on a number line/equation/strip diagram?”
“Can you show me how subtraction looks on a number line/equation/strip diagram?”
Encourage your child to practice his/her math facts at home. This will be critical to his/her success with fluently solving complex problems.
Explore and discuss the key terms in the box below.
Important Math Vocabulary
Addend - a number that is added to another
Sum - the result of adding two or more addends together
Addend + Addend = Sum
Difference - the result of subtracting one number from another.
Science
Social Studies
School Spirit Days
Every Friday is School Spirit Day! To show school spirit, students can wear a Paloma Creek t-shirt, such as, their field day t-shirt or they can simply wear the school colors. Classes will be given points for each student and teacher who is showing school pride in our school. A spirit stick will be awarded to the hallway showing the most pride!
Important Dates!
October 2nd- Wear Blue to recognize Bully Prevention
October 12th- Early Release at 12 pmOctober 13th and 16th- No School - Teacher Workday
October 18th- Fall Picture Day
October 20th - Falcon Festival
October 23rd-27th- Red Ribbon Week (more info to come)
Istation and Imagine Math
Lunch Money
Please send lunch money in a envelope or baggie with your child's name, teacher, and how much is in the baggie or you can pay online.