Math

This week, brave mathematicians started daily work with decimals! This is new and challenging material  but these young scholars took on the challenge with optimism and a great deal of grit! Third Graders used many different hands-on materials to help solidify the concept of decimals. Students learned to use what they know about the familiar concept of money when trying to understand decimals. When thinking about dollars and cents notation, students know that first digit to the right of the decimal point stands for dimes, or tenths of a dollar and the second digit stands for pennies, or hundredths of a dollar. Third graders modeled tenths and hundredths using base-ten blocks. They deepened their understanding by using base-ten blocks and grids to represent decimal and fraction equivalencies. Mathematicians built on their decimal knowledge by exploring decimals in metric units. For this exercise students explored fractions and decimals as parts of a meter and practiced comparing decimals through hundredths. Finally, scholars were introduced to decimals in the thousandths by using another reference from the metric unit, millimeters! Second Graders practiced comparing and ordering decimals using a centimeter/millimeter scale. Each day, these brave scholars gave 100% and they should feel quite proud of themselves!

Writing up a Storm

Third Graders gathered their gumption during this exciting persuasive writing unit and have been busy composing brave and bold opinions! As you know, they even convinced Mr. B and Miss Franci to allow the school a non-uniform day. When writing persuasive letters, petitions, and editorials, these scholars know  that they must be very mindful in knowing who their audiences are. Writers have developed petitions and given surveys to gather public opinion in order to make their writing even more convincing. Third Graders are going back to make revisions in order to make their writing even stronger. We  watched a video of a powerful speech given to The United Nations by a child not much older than them. From this, they learned the power of choosing words that sound right and evoke emotion. This week, writers became their own “job captains” and practiced writing with more independence, using all the powerful writing tools of persuasion that they have gathered in their writing tool belts! Stay tuned for our exciting publishing party coming up on Monday, February 8th at 1:30.

Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.

This week during whole school morning meeting students discussed the legacy and importance of Martin Luther King Jr.  Scholars shared what they knew about the life and achievements of this American civil rights leader that we celebrate on the third Monday in January. They watched a portion of his famous “I Have a Dream” speech and discussed his unique peaceful stance on equal rights. Students discussed the changes to end racial segregation on public transport and for racial equality in the United States that were brought about by this brave man.

Important Dates:

• Monday, January 25th                       Non-Uniform Day (Thank you, Third Grade Writers!)
• Friday, January 29th                          The Art Walk 8:00am-9:00am
• Saturday, February 6th                      Charleston STEM Festival 10:00am-3:00pm
• Monday, February 8th                       Third Grade Publishing Party 1:30
• Friday, February 12th                         Valentine’s Day Concert and Bake Sale
• February 15th & 16th                           February Break