<img src="http://jack.cuipblogs.net/files/2009/03/motown1.jpg" alt="null" />Dear Parents/Guardians,

I hope I am typing in the correct space. Mr. Mayer, Max's dad, as well as Russ, our University of Chicago techie master, tried to show me how to add pictures on the blog in 45 minutes or less; (lunch). Please, if anyone has any pictures for our blog of MoTown, please send them so we can all enjoy them on the blog.

I am asking that any child that hasn't had their entry for 204 Open Doors submitted to Mr. Mayer by now, to please ask someone at home to type their reflections of their MoTown experience. Mr. Mayer will be publishing our last edition of the newsletter this week.

LANGUAGE ARTS:

We are currently reading a short realistic fiction story, Scraps of Time: 1960. I have asked that each child bring in the cost of the book, $5.00 if possible. We are reading this wonderful story of a grandmother sharing her experiences of growing up in segregated Tennessee during the Civil Rights Movement. I will be selected spelling words, comprehension strategies and other literary elements relevant to understanding rich literature.

This week we will explore character development in stories. Author's develop their characters through dialogue, their characters actions, and how others respond or relate to their characters. This helps to develop rich and interesting characters. It is my hope that this will help children to create characters for their Young Author's books as well as future writing that goes beyond a description of the physical features of their characters, but engages the reader in a character whose actions, dialogue, and reactions from others add to the development of a well thought out plot.

Ask your child to share with you what we have learned related to how authors develop their plot, i.e. characters, setting, problem, main events, climax, solution of problem and the conclusion of the story.

Grammar:

Suffixes: ful, ness: We will look for words in "Scraps of Time: 1960 that have a suffix of full; less; ness. The students will select words from the book and these will be what our spelling words are based on this week.

Cursive: We will continue to practice cursive now that ISAT is over

Math:

We will moving rather quickly through our first journal. We are honing in on place-value, though I am finding most of the children are proficient with place-value and are capable of reading and writing large numbers.

I think it is very important that the children know their basic math facts before they go on to fourth grade. Please continue to support your child's efforts in learning their multiplication facts. I am finding that most of them are making progress in learning their facts. Some however are still struggling to recall in particular the six through nine facts. Without automatic recall of these facts, division is virtually impossible without a calulator.

 

Social Studies:

We will continue with the third grade curriculum that includes an exploration of Illinois with a focus on Chicago. We will be preparing for the third grade play that features the past and present of Chicago. We will be working with Ms. Andreas, a choreographer who has worked with the third grade classes for a few years now. She is wonderful and is intergral to the well received third grade performance every year.

We will also continue to work in Map Essentials, our third grade Social Studies book. This week we will learn about the world's hemispheres.

SCIENCE:

We will begin to explore earth materials. Our first exploration will include examining "mock rocks." These made up rocks will allow the children to explore and observe the natural materials rocks are made from in our envirnoment.

Thanks to Mr. Mayer for this MoTown pic.