Monday, September 10

Our beginning of year assessments are completed and this week third graders will begin to learn the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for third grade.  We will begin in our basal reading series, Treasures, by reading the selection, First Day Jitters.  In this story students will analyze the story structure by identifying the characters, plot, and setting. 

When we read, we often recognize common elements of a story that include plot, character, setting, and theme. We use these elements to help us infer what will happen next. As readers, when we identify and understand these elements, we store this information to help us remember and comprehend what the story is about.

Literary elements work together to form the story and make it interesting. We learn literary elements separately, but we combine them when reading to give us a better understanding of the story. It is important that children specifically look for these elements as they first learn them. It is through exposure and practice that readers become good at using these elements to comprehend text.

There are ways to help your child with this strategy while reading at home.  When reading a story with your child, discuss the character. Begin by asking your child who or what the story is about.  They have learned this is “stopping to check for understanding.”  After determining the character, see if your child is able to tell you where and when the story occurs. Ask your child how they were able to determine the setting? Did he/she use pictures, words, or infer to establish the setting? Continue to read the selection and discuss with your child important events that occur in the story. Ask your child what the problem is in the story and how the problem was solved. Conclude the story by talking about the theme of the story. The theme is the underlying message, or meaning, of the story. Encourage your child to use what they know about the characters, setting, and plot to help determine the theme.

On Monday, your child will have a list of spelling words in their Bath Bee folder and a selection of activities to choose from for spelling practice.  Please make sure to provide time for them to practice daily.  This will help bring success and confidence for the spelling test, given each Friday, and help while writing.  They can also go to http://www.spellingcity.com/clwood/ (a link is on the blog) to find additional fun ways to practice spelling words.  This week’s words have short vowels and are found under Unit 1, Week 1 at spellingcity.com.

In math, we will begin daily lessons in GOMath looking at number patterns and estimating sums.  Chapter 1, Addition and Subtraction Within 1,000, teaches students how to add and subtract whole numbers and decide if an answer is reasonable.  They will learn the Commutative Property of Addition, Identity Property of Addition, and Associative Property of Addition, as well as rounding, estimating, and compatible numbers. Chapter 1 is packed with new learning!