Weekly Update 11/30/18

The students have been learning how to subtract two-digit numbers with regrouping. We will continue with Chapter 4 next week, focusing on lessons 5-9. In centers, students are reviewing how to create numbers in model form using base ten blocks. Several students are also working on creating books about animals that include facts about their size and weight. They are having to conduct research and write the weights in standard, expanded, and model form.

Our reading lessons have been focused on finding text evidence in both the words and the pictures. Students must be able to find evidence that helps support their answers to questions about the books they read. The children are practicing re-reading and highlighting the text evidence in the passage.

In writing, the most of the children have finished their first opinion letters about books. This letter focused on a book with a great character. As students finish, they are recorded themselves read their letters to make a digital book recommendations through Seesaw. Make sure to take a listen to the reasons and examples they gave about why they love their books. Now, students are beginning their second letters and expanding upon what they have learned. They are choosing a new book and will be writing about three reasons they like the book. Reasons can include favorite parts, the title, the pictures, or even a lesson they learned. 

Our current social studies unit is about economics in our community. The children have been learning about producers, consumers, goods, and services. We have also discussed the different types of transportation needed to move goods to different places. Some activities have included matching service job titles to their descriptions, brainstorming goods they purchase with their families, and putting production steps in order for a farm that grows melons and ships them to grocery stores. The kids were even able to use what they have learned in reading to add captions to the steps. We have watched videos of different goods being produced in factories, like Crayola Crayons and Airheads candy.

We will be working on a Market Days assessment project for our economics unit over the next few weeks. Students will be working in teams to design and produce goods. The goods will then be "sold" to third grade consumers. Follow the blog to see our progress as we get the project underway. A list of production supplies was sent home in your child's green folder. If you can donate any of these supplies, please send them in with your child. Thank you in advance for any donations!