Dear Parents/Guardians,

We are working on everything! We are working on our script for the <em>Chicago </em>play to be performed in June. We will be attending the <em>Smart Art Museum</em> on May 21, 2010 at 11:oo a.m. <em>The Smart Art Museum</em> is  filled with art that reflects unknown as well as known  artist who contribute to and inspire the creative side of all of us. As always we must have one parent for every ten students. Currently we have three parent volunteers. This is enough chaperones however if you'd like to walk over to the <em>Smart Art Musuem</em> with us, you are more than welcome.

Please make sure your child returns their permission trip for the <em>Chicago Trolley</em> field trip scheduled for May 28, 2010 between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Your child will need to bring a lunch as we will eat outside, (weather permitting), in Grant Park. The cost of the trip is $13.00 per student.  This trip is a part of our study of Chicago and will include historic landmarks of our great, windy city!

This week we will be working on the following:

LANGUAGE ARTS:

We will be working on our scripts for the upcoming <em>Chicago</em> play. We will continue to work collaboratively to write our scripts and begin to learn our lines . The entire third grade will present a snapshot  of Chicago's past and present. Our skit, (Room 204),  will be a spin off of the fantasty, <em>The Wizard of Oz.</em>  We will practicing our best performance skills. This includes speaking loudly, clearly and with expression. Language Arts is not limited to just reading various genres,  but incorporates the performing arts as well. What better way is there for children to appreciate literature but to understand how dialogue, behavior and actions of the characters helps to engage the reader or audience. I always love watching the children perform and becoming aware of their many talents. 

We have completed our unit on<em> Business</em>. In small groups, we developed a business plan for a kid's business based on the nonfiction selection in OpenCourt,<em> Kids Business.</em> We created a poster for our advertisement as well as created a commerical for our business that we videotaped. I hope to show the videotape on our blog for you to see.

I have been giving the students reading assessments to determine approximately their current reading level. I like to do this to help the children to understand what their "just right" level is in reading at this time. It's also a good way to prepare them for the next school year. Fourth grade requires even more independence amd self-discipline than third grade. This will include student awareness of books that are not only interesting, but also increase their exposure to various literary genres.

MATH: We will complete Unit 8 this week. The focus of this unit was on fractions. We will review for the unit test on Tuesday and take the unit test on Wednesday.

We have had fun designing our idea of a perfect playground, classroom or bedroom as a part of Unit 8's concecpt of fractions as well as geometric concepts explored in the past. Using a sheet of grid paper,  in groups we designed a theme based space using mathematical concepts that include area, perimeter, and fraction of problems. We had to work collaboratively with members of our design teams to come up with ideas that were acceptable to everyone within our design teams. I consider this activity as an instructional strategy that includes the chance for students to collaborate on real world experiences and that hopefully engage them in creative  situations to be solved collaboratively.  Surprisingly, they often acted very much like we do!!!(:)

SOCIAL STUDIES:

We will continue to explore our city in the<em> Chicago </em>books. We have learned about Chicago's past and we are now discussing our present.

We will be making a <em>Chicago </em>brochure or postcard that includes facts about our great city that would inspire people to want to visit the "windy city." <em><strong>Question: " Where would you prefer to be? In Chicago right now or Miamia ?  Just thought I'd ask.</strong></em>

We are practicing for the <em>Chicago </em>play with one of our parents who is an accomplished dancer. Ms. August Tey works with our third graders every Tuesday and Thursday choregraphing parts for the play. Please remind your child to be focused and cooperative during these sessions as it is quite a feat for Ms. August to work with each third grade classroom back to back.  The students have been informed that their involvement is a part of their   Social Studies as well as Language Arts grade this quarter. Participation and cooperation matter!

SCIENCE:

Crayfish! Our unit on<em> Structures of Life</em> include observing live crayfish in our artifical habitats, e.g plastic tub containers with cat food for supplement. Honestly, I have been tempted to bring in tartar sauce for a crab boil, but I thought we'd learn a lot more about animal behavior by just watching the crayfish interact within this envirnoment. Our third graders love this unit as they observe and learn about animal adaption during this unit. At the end of this unit, I will ask for volunteers to take the remaining live crayfish home. I will send a permission slip home with the students if you give consent for your child to own and care for a crayfish.

<em><strong>HAVE                 A                   GREAT                            WEEK!</strong></em>