Around the World with Mrs. Martell

Wednesday afternoon Mrs. Martell took 221 on a trip around the world. We learned that a landmark is a special place that is man made (like Fenway Park) and a landform is also a special place, but it is formed by nature (like The Grand Canyon). Using Google Earth, we traveled to each continent to see different landforms and landmarks. Ask your third grader what they remember about our trip.

You can check out Google Earth with your third grader at home! Happy traveling!

Photo Retake Day

REMINDER:  School Photo Re-Take Day is scheduled for Tommorrow-

TUESDAY, 11/27/12

PHOTO Re-Take Day is for:

Students who were absent on our September 13 photo day

 or for those who want a photo "re-take."

Please inform your child's teacher if he/she will be having a photo taken.

 Any questions, about payment, orders and photos? please call Lifetouch at: 508-946-0777.

Pico Ferme Nada

We played a great game at Morning Meeting that you can play at home. It's called "Pico, Ferme, Nada." One player thinks of a three digit number (although you can play with as many digits as you'd like). The other player(s) try to guess what the number is. The player who chooses the number tells the guessers if they are right using the words pico, ferme, nada.

Pico means that the digit is in the number and it's in the right place.
Ferme means that the digit is in the number, but it's in a different place (therefore having a different value).
Nada means that the digit is not in the number at all.

For example, the person thinking of the number comes up with 784. They don't tell the other players. The other players start guessing. Perhaps they guess 743.

7 is pico because it's in the right place.
4 is ferme because it's in the number, but in the wrong place.
3 is nada because it's not in the number at all.

The players then use their reasoning skills to make a new guess.

I know this sounds a little complicated, but the kids know how to play. Let them teach you! It's lots of fun. :o)

Thanksgiving

Each year Room 221 and I spend the morning before Thanksgiving exploring a wonderful website. Due to scheduling, we were note able to spend time on it today, but I wanted to share it with you in case you and your child are interested.

 Do you want to know the truths and myths about Thanksgiving? Plymouth Plantation has created a website to teach you the truth about Pilgrims and Native Americans. So much of what we know is based on ONE letter about "the first Thanksgiving" written by a Pilgrim in 1621. The children can learn that this primary source gives us some answers, but also leaves historians with many questions. Let your third grader learn about it at:

http://www.plimoth.org/education/olc/index_js2.html

The Room 221 community discussed what Thanksgiving means to different people. Although I encouraged children to celebrate and enjoy their own traditions with family, I also asked them to pause and remember that not all people celebrate Thanksgiving. Some families who are relatively new to this country do not choose to celebrate the holiday. In addition, many Native Americans don't choose to celebrate Thanksgiving because they consider it a Day of Mourning.

Whatever you choose to do tomorrow, I hope you enjoy time with your family.

Publishing

Each third grade author is publishing their first personal narrative. The children have been working hard to include many qualities of effective writing in their work. Ask your child if he/she has been:

*Writing a little seed story (NOT a watermelon topic)
*Including true, exact details from the movie they have made in their mind
*Beginning with a hook - perhaps using setting, action or dialogue

This is hard writing work and certainly not all children are in the same place in their progress. My biggest goal for writers at this point in third grade is that their writing is (mostly) clear, it makes sense and that the writers are intentional. When I say intentional, I mean that third grade writers are working to be reflective and think about what they can do to make their writing the best it can be.

Yesterday, we began the process of editing. When I refer to editing, I mean checking the mechanics of writing - capitals, punctuation, spelling. Correct writing mechanics makes the writing easier to read.

I can't wait to share their writing at our conference! :o)Melanie

Subtraction with Regrouping

This week we tackled subtraction in math. More specifically, we worked on subtraction with regrouping. For those of you as old as I am, you may know it as subtraction with borrowing. It's really the same thing. But instead of calling it "borrowing" from the tens column, we "regroup" a ten, into the ones column as ten ones.

Subtraction with regrouping can be tricky for many children. Click here to see a video that your third grade can watch to help review the concept.

Ask your child how they know whether to regroup or not!

Please let me know if you have any questions, comments of concerns.

:o)Melanie

New Dictionaries

Thank you so much to the Needham Rotary Club! This morning each student received his/her very own dictionary - inscribed with their name. The looks on the children's faces were priceless. Each child was truly excited. They can't wait to share them with you. We love words! :o)

Retelling

This week we focused on retelling. Retelling is when you tell a story again. You have to include the title, the names of the characters, the setting, and the events. Mrs. Sullivan read us "Pigs Make Me Sneeze" by Mo Willems. We retold it to our partner. We retold it as if our partner had never heard the story before. We focus on retelling because it shows if we understand the book and helps others understand. Ask your third grader to retell the story to you at home!


                 by Room 221 writers

Synonyms

A synonym is a word that means the same or almost the same. For example, mad is a synonym for angry. Third graders learned about synonyms this week at morning meeting. You can ask your child to name some for you.

You can have lots of fun with synonyms in the car or at home. You might play "I'm thinking of a Word" and use synonyms for clues.

I'm thinking of a word that is a synonym for smart. Do you know what it is?

Parent Conferences - Please Read!

Technology is taking over! Hopefully using "Doodle" to sign up for conferences will simplify the process!

1. Click here to schedule your parent conference. Please note that I am attempting to schedule most of my conferences on Friday, November 30. However, if you are unable to schedule something that day, I would be happy to accommodate you in any way I can. Just email me separately.

2. You do not need to enter an email and password so skip the login. A
calendar will appear with times on November 30. Each time slot will have a select
button underneath. Find a time that works for you and select the
button underneath. You can only sign up for one time slot. In the row next to
your select button is a location for you to type your child's name. Then click SAVE.

3. You will receive a confirmation message. Click the return
to poll link to view your entry on the calendar.

4. You should see your name and OK in green. No one can select your slot
now that it has been entered.

DELETING OR EDITING A SELECTION
1. If you’d like to change your originally selected date, click the Delete an entry
link under Functions at the bottom of the webpage.

2. Click on the red X and choose the option: Yes, delete. Then Return to poll
to schedule a new date or time using the directions above.

I look forward to meeting with you!

Money

Who doesn't love money? :o) These third graders certainly do! Friday we began a quick review of counting change. The following is a list of things I encourage mathematicians to practice and remember:

*The name and value of each coin

*When counting coins they should generally begin with the largest value. Then look to get to a "10" (the numbers you say when you count by tens).

For example, if I have 2 quarters, 2 dimes, a nickel and 3 pennies, I will start with the quarters - $.50. Then I will continue counting with the dimes - $.60, $.70. (Counting tens is easiest.) Next I will count the nickel - $.75 and finally the pennies - $.71, $.72, $.73.

However, if I have 1 quarter, 2 dimes a nickel and 3 pennies, I will start with the quarter - $.25, but then jump to the nickel - $.30 because I want to get to tens as quick as I can. Then I would continue on with my dimes and my pennies.

*The value of groups of quarters - 2 quarters = $.50, 3 quarters = $.75, 4 quarters = $1.00.

We learned a new "Trading Game!" Look for the directions in your third grader's folder on Wednesday. 

Field Trip Reminder

We are very excited about our field trip to Wheelock Family Theatre on Wednesday! We will be leaving Eliot at 9:15 so we can enjoy the show at 10:00.  Please be sure your child comes to school on time.

Children should pack a lunch from home on Wednesday.  We will be eating lunch when we return to school at 1:15, so the cafeteria will not be available to us. 

We will eat snack at the theatre during intermission. Please be sure your child packs a large, healthy snack to eat because we will be eating lunch much later than usual.