Classwork
READING
It's all about penguins in our classroom as the read aloud Mr. Popper's Penguins has sparked our interest and "snowballed" into a cross-curricular unit!
We are becoming familiar with the research process as we search for information about the penguin of our choice on the computer. After compiling facts on index cards, color coding and organizing them by sub-topic, and rewriting the facts in paragraph form, the information will be displayed on an information cube, along with an illustration of our penguin.
Using picture books, we have been identifying elements of a narrative, and discussing how each element drives a story.
Next week, after finishing Mr. Popper's Penguins, we will be using the theme of "unusual pets" to write our own stories, making sure to include each of the necessary elements: characters, setting, problem, events (plot), solution, ending (denouement).
Because we have been working so hard, I also plan to treat the students to a viewing of the modern version of Mr. Popper's Penguins starring Jim Carrey. We will compare and contrast the book and the movie, taking note of the details from the original book that have been updated in order to hold the interest of children today . Did you know that the book Mr. Popper's Penguins was written in 1938?!
***Just For Fun***
Check out the site below for some fun games to play.
http://www.popperspenguins.com/penguinwintergames/
Please consider signing your child up for the third grade after school book club led by Mr. Saurez. This time around, the students will be reading The BFG by Roald Dahl.
Although our study of the civil rights movement has ended, it's always fun to watch our outstanding performance of Martin Luther King; A Man With a Dream.
Spelling
Writing
Prompt:
The Best Snow Day Ever
Unique pet stories
Math
If your child is not seeing multiplication facts in his or her sleep, they are not practicing them enough! Here are some interactive games and activities that will help them memorize their facts.
http://multiplication.com/interactive_games.htm
http://gamequarium.com/multiplication.html
http://www.arcademicskillbuilders.com/
http://www.mathblaster.com/free-game.aspx?pid=googpd&cid=online%20multiplication%20games
I have discovered a free web site that will test each child on their multiplication facts and produce a report indicating which facts they answered correctly, which they answered incorrectly, and which facts took them too long to recall. The site will then generate practice worksheets including only those facts that the student needs to work on. Feel free to check it out and use it at home to help your child study more effectively.
www.mathfactgenius.com
This week we have been making good use of our hard-earned proficiency with multiplication facts by finding the area and perimeter of squares and rectangles. The web site below provides some fun practice.
www.mathplaygroud.com
type "area and perimeter" in the search bar.
