Dear Third Grade Families,

Our first full week of May has gone by in a flash! We’ve had two rehearsals for our NYC Play, numerous math lessons, a strong focus on research writing (or information writing), book clubs and social studies.

Math:
We have talked about many topics this week, some of which we will be going more in depth with next week. For fractions, we looked more closely at equivalent fractions AND how to make a whole by using pattern blocks. Specifically using the red trapezoid, the blue rhombus/parallelogram, and the green triangle. The goal was to find as many combinations of shapes to create the shape of a yellow hexagon. We found seven different methods:
* 6 triangles
* 3 rhombuses
* 2 trapezoids
* 4 triangles and 1 rhombus
* 3 triangles and 1 trapezoid
* 2 triangles and 2 rhombuses
* 1 triangle, 1 rhombus and 1 trapezoid
Through this, we discussed equivalent fractions (3 triangles is equal to 1 trapezoid, or 3/6 is equal to 1/2). We also looked into adding fractions to create a whole number.

We then took a quick dip into talking about area and perimeter, which will be re-looked at next Thursday. Each day, we looked at the same seven objects from our classroom, such as the SMARTBoard, a piece of paper, our desks, and a notebook. We then had to find the perimeter, by measuring the outside of the rectangular shape and adding the four sides together. For finding the area, we learned that we only needed to find TWO sides of the rectangle — two adjacent sides — and then we could multiply them together to find the area. If you look closely, finding the area is VERY similar to solving an array!

Writing:
After weeks of reading their biographies, students have delved into the research part of their information writing. They are taking notes about their important figure, be it about life when they were younger, firsts or innovations, ways they changed people’s perspectives or “fun facts.” After the ERBs, next week, we will begin turning these notes into a narrative. This will turn each of our writers into biography writers!

Book Club:
Students are halfway through with their books this week! Some groups have really risen in their abilities to independently discuss what was read. They ask one another questions, and are requiring text evidence as proof for ideas or opinions. So much growth in just a few weeks!

Dismissal Fun:

Students have been having more fun with geoblocks during dismissal and making some fabulous creations!

Conversations Starters:

• Social Studies — did you have anyone immigrate to the United States through Ellis Island?
• Writing — what is a fact that most people do not know about your important person?
• Math — How would you draw a trapezoid?

Dates to know about:

• Thursday, May 17 → Brooklyn Bridge Trip for the orange group
• Monday May 21 → Shavout (no school)
• Wednesday, May 23 → Ellis Island Trip for the orange group
• Monday, May 28 → Memorial Day (no school)
• Wednesday, May 31 → Ellis Island Trip for the purple group

Shabbat shalom!

Hilary and Talia

Judaics with Aliza

This week, third graders have been working on learning the rest of their Amidah brachot before they add these prayers to their Siddurim in Tefilla. We are nearing the end of this unit, and the school year as well! Our Jewish Hero of the Week was Anne Frank, and next week we will be focusing on the upcoming holiday of Shavuot. Shabbat Shalom!

Hebrew with Ilana

This week the third grade learned and worked on the legend of “King David and the frog”. They had vocabulary, practiced writing sentences and had a quiz. Also they finish their written project  about “After School” and you can see it on the hallway board. Next week we will work on a new song “Elihim Natan Bematana”.