Happy New Year!  I hope everyone had a happy and relaxing break!

Spelling words (/dr/, /fr/, /pr/, /tr/):  drum, frying, price, train, track

Academic words:  predict, multiplication, author, lumber, frequency

Reading Bags will continue to come home every TUESDAY.  Please have your child read the book throughout the week and complete the assignment.  Unless otherwise stated, the assignment is to answer the 3 questions at the back of the book.  Students need to copy the question, then answer the question in a complete sentence.  Students must put their name on the paper along with a title (which is the title of the book).  The past assignments have been missing lots of important information and several students have not been turning in their bags on time.  Please make sure the Reading Bag is returned every MONDAY, so I have time to collect the old books and distribute new books.

We are currently starting Unit 5 in Math on place value up to 7 digits.  Students should continue to practice their multiplication facts because we will revisit multiplication in Unit 7.  By the end of third grade, students are expected to have mastered multiplication up to 10×10.

The Snow School Christmas sing along is Friday, December 19th at 2:30 in the gym. Children are encouraged to wear an “ugly” Christmas sweater or dress in holiday colors of red and green.

The Unit 4 Math Test will be on Friday, December 19th.  We will complete a study guide together in class on Thursday.  Here is a list of the concepts that will be on the test:

* Solving a story problem by filling in a multiplication/division diagram and writing a number model to show the answer.

*Identifying arrays that match a given number model.

*Using words, numbers and/or pictures to solve a story problem which involves dividing objects into equal groups.

*Identifying a number model that matches a story problem.

*Drawing a model to show the student’s work to solve a story problem of dividing objects into equal groups, then explaining how they came up with the answer using words.

*Find the missing number in a given multiplication or division number model.

*Write two factors that are multiplied together to get a given product (answer).

*Write a story problem to match a given multiplication number model.

*Use <,>, or = to compare two multiplication number models.

*Write a number model to match a given array.

*Explain why two given multiplication number models give the same product.

*Write a fact family for a given set of numbers.

*Find the missing number in a fact family and be able to explain how you found the answer.

Spelling words (/gr/, /cr/, /br/ patterns):  grapes, cried, grow, bring, brain

Academic words:  pioneer, sound waves, factors, product, believe

Friday, December 19th is our Holiday Party.  Thank you to those families that already signed up for treats to bring in for the class.  There are still a few slots available.  We will do our Holiday Gift Exchange on Friday too.  If your child wishes to participate, bring in a wrapped gift that costs around $5.00.  Buy a gift for a boy if your child is a boy, or a gift for a girl if your child is a girl.  If you choose not to participate, your child will not receive a gift that day.  This is a fun activity and the kids always like buying for other people!

We are in need of newspaper advertisements for a holiday activity this Friday.  If you have any extra ads (Target, ToysRUs, Walmart, ect.) that could be donated for this activity, please send them to school by Friday morning.

The Unit 4 Math Test will be Friday, December 19th.  We will be completing a study guide together in class on Thursday.  You will find a list of concepts that will be on the test on another post on this blog.

Reading Bags will go home on Tuesday.  Since we will be off for vacation until January 5th, students will need to turn in their Reading Bags on Friday, December 19th.  This week it will be a short passage to read and answer some questions along with the skill of cause and effect that we have been practicing in class.

Friday, December 12th is Hat Day.  The PBIS committee is asking students to donate $1.00 to wear a hat to school tomorrow.  The money will be used for future PBIS parties and prizes to add to students’ lanyards.

Here is a copy of the study guide that is coming home today for the quiz on Monday, December 15th.

S.S. quiz on the French and the British in the Great Lakes Region

Monday, December 15th

Students will be quizzed on the following information:

*The main reason the French began to build a lot of forts was to protect themselves against the British who were interested in the fur trade.

*The city of Detroit began as a French fort.

*The French and the British fought a war because they both wanted to control the fur trade.

*After France lost the war with Britain, Britain took over Michigan and the fur trade.

*There were a LOT of conflicts between the British and the American Indians.

Cause (Why?)

France lost the war with Britain.

OR                                      (possible causes)

Britain beat France in a war.

Event

The British take control of Michigan.

Effect (What happened?)

Britain took control of the fur trade.

OR

Native American attacked British forts.                     (possible effects)

OR

Conflicts grew between American Indians and the British.

Spelling words (/oi/ and /oy/ sound):  annoy, royal, joint, boy, appoint

Academic words:  paragraph, purpose, array, pitch, culture

Tomorrow is the Secret Santa shop.  Our class will shop from 9:00-9:30 a.m.  Please make sure to send money with your child to school if they are going to shop for presents.

Wednesday, December 10th is a Late Start day.  The first bell will ring at 9:35 a.m.  Breakfast will NOT be served in the classroom.  Students may go to the cafeteria at 9:00 for breakfast.

Happy Grams are coming to a classroom near you!  Send a message of friendship, appreciation or fun to your friends, teachers or your child.  They will be sold in the school lobby, December 8th-December 12th from 3:35 to 3:45.  The cost is $1.00 a message.  A special surprise will be included with the message.  Please make sure you know the name and the teacher of the person you are sending it to.  Deliveries will be on Wednesday, December 17th.  Please support our PBIS fundraiser.

We will have a small Holiday Party on Friday, December 19th.  I will put a sign up sheet outside our classroom later this week for families to donate treats for the class.

Attention Snow School Students, Parents and Staff:

Happy Grams are coming to a classroom near you!  Send a message of friendship, appreciation or fun to your friends, teachers or your child.  They will be sold in the school lobby, December 8^th – December 12^th from 3:35 to 3:45.  The cost is $1.00 a message.  A special surprise will be included with the message.  Please make sure you know the name and the teacher of the person you are sending it to.  Deliveries will be on Wednesday, December 17^th.  Please support our PBIS fundraiser.

Thanks!

PBIS Committee

Study Guide for S.S. quiz on Tuesday, December 9^th

Students need to know the following information that we have discussed in class:

*The main reason the French explorers came to the Great lakes region was because they were trying to sail to China to get silk and spices.

*The French wanted to trade with American Indians for beaver fur because there was a scarcity of beavers in France and people there wanted beaver hats.

*The American Indians agreed to trade with the French because they wanted to trade for goods that the French had.

*The fur trade between the French and American Indians began about 400 years ago.

*Besides French traders and explorers, French missionaries also came to Michigan. (We will discuss this on Monday.)

**Students will need to put events in order of which they happened of why and what happened when the French came to the Great Lakes Region…  French explorers were looking for a sailing route to China to find silks and spices.  These explorers found North America by accident and began to explore the Great Lakes region.  They did not find a route to China.  However, they did find the region was rich in fur-bearing animals (beavers).  A fur trade began between the Indians of the Great Lakes region and the French.  Soon, the British also became interested in the fur trade.

Our class will visit the Holiday Shop next Tuesday, December 9th from 9:00-9:30 a.m.  Please send money to school with your child if they plan on shopping that day.