Math-
Students will focus on addition and subtraction of whole numbers, emphasizing problem-solving strategies and computational skills.
In Second Grade, children used shortcuts, fact families, Fact Triangles, and games to help them learn basic addition and subtraction facts. Such devices will continue to be used in third grade. Knowledge of the basic facts and their extensions is important. Knowing that 6 + 8 = 14, for example, makes it easy to solve such problems as 56 + 8 = ? and 60 + 80 = ? Later, knowing that 5 × 6 = 30 will make it easy to solve 5 × 60 = ?, 50 × 60 = ?, and so on.
Children will learn new methods for solving addition and subtraction problems. Students are encouraged to choose from any of these methods or to invent their own computation methods. When children create—and share—their own ways of doing operations instead of simply learning one method, they begin to realize that any problem can be solved in more than one way. They are more willing and able to take risks, think logically, and reason analytically.
Students have already learned to sign in their Skills Navigator accounts to work on individualized missions. Please encourage your child to have a homework routine to work on Skills Nav. 10 to 15 minutes a day.
LanguageArts-
Students have worked very hard to establish strong reading routines and are now using newly introduced strategies to read and understand more complicated text. Our current reading unit is focused on realistic fiction where students are able to look closely at plot development and use of language. Students at this stage are beginning to monitor their own understanding. The major learning goals for this unit include:
- Make a mental movie to imagine story elements.
- Predict what the main character will do, say and think.
- Explain my predictions with text evidence.
- Infer character traits, not just feelings.
- Use knowledge of the character to understand the character’s decisions.
- After finishing the book, summarize the story and its elements.
- Explain the lesson learned by the main character.
In each of the four classrooms, students are now beginning to learn routines for word work activities, which includes spelling, grammar and vocabulary development. Although a great deal of these activities are completed within the school day, please be advised that occasionally they may have homework to help practice their assigned work.
In writing, the students are working to tell small moment stories, or personal narratives, that include a strong lead, descriptive language and convey a message. As you saw at Back to School Night, students have been revising, editing and publishing these stories on our class bulletin boards. They will continue to develop more stories, and look forward to more sharing!
Social Studies:
Students have begun exploring stories of immigration through our shared reading of historical fiction. We are reading stories together and analyzing the reasons behind why people move or have moved in the past. Students are exploring the + positive and - negative factors that influence the changing of countries. Here is some of the new vocabulary being introduced over the next few weeks. Please begin sharing your stories with your child and use this new vocabulary in your conversations at home.
- Push Factors
The bad or difficult things that “push” you out of your country.
+ Pull Factors
The good or positive opportunities that “pull” or attract you to a new place.
- Risks
The chance or possibility that things may be difficult in a new place.
- Challenges
The things that ARE difficult once living in a new place.
+ Rewards
The good things that happen once living in a new place.
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