Mount Saint Mary Academy 3rd Grade Family Letter

Friday, March 22, 2019

 

Social Studies:    Students have brought home a second copy of their Country Project today, which includes research, works cited, outline, written report, oral report with introduction, power point, Tri-fold poster, 3D model, food and a costume!  We are super excited.  All students have picked a country and have started their research.  Those students who have finished their research have begun writing out their bibliography and are starting their outlines. Research and writing will be done in school.  The students have some creative, fun, ideas for their tri-fold poster project. Please don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions or concerns. The third grade fair is scheduled for Friday, May 3, 2019.

Big Ideas Math:   This week we finished Chapter 9, Multiples and Problem Solving in Big Ideas Modeling Real Life Volume 2.   We started Chapter 10 on understanding fractions. At the end of the chapter, students should be able to name equal parts, identify a unit fraction and write a fraction in number and in words. On days when students have completed their homework, they should continue to study their multiplication tables for fluency.  Students know 0, 1, 2, 5, and 10.  Some of them know 3, and 4.  They also need to memorize 6, 7, 8, and 9 by the end of this school year.  Once memorized, students can work on some of the performance tasks, word problems, and estimating from volume 1 workbook, which should be at home.

 

Science Fusion:

Unit 5 Lesson 1 What are some Landforms?

Objectives:

  • Define and explain the term landform
  • Identify various landforms: mountains, hills, valleys, and plains
  • Compare different landforms
  • Describe the main features of core, mantle and cru:

 

Egg citing news the chicken eggs came on 3/21   Fingers crossed hatch day will be April 11th.

 

Religion:

Chapter 11 test on Wednesday March 27th

 

Please consider donating to our Great Gatsby Gala Auction:  Flyers went home today.

 

Mount Saint Mary Academy 3rd Grade Family Letter

Friday, March 15, 2019

 

Social Studies:    The third grade fair is scheduled for Friday, May 3, 2019.  We will also have an Ellis Island Immigration Simulation either at the end of May or beginning of June.  Students picked a country to research and present. Students started researching information in the classroom on our one to one devices.  They are encouraged to bring in any other resources including book or magazines from home or their town library. This Country Fair project will include research, works cited, outline, written report, oral report with introduction, power point, Tri-fold poster, 3D model, food and a costume!  We are super excited.  Please don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions or concerns.

Big Ideas Math: This week we started Chapter 9, Multiples and Problem Solving in Big Ideas Modeling Real Life Volume 2.   We reviewed multiple ways of multiplying by 10, including number lines and place values. Next week the students will be tested on Chapter 9 on Tuesday or Wednesday, dependent upon their understanding as shown by a practice test.  This afternoon, we practiced our multiplication fluency, while watching math videos from School House Rock.

 

Did you know that each homework and practice page in Big Ideas Math has a QR code to link students and parents to lesson pages for at-home practice? Parents have access to lesson pages and online interactive supports. This QR code is in the inside of the green house.

 

Week of 3/18/19

Religion: Chapter 12 God Calls Us to Holiness

Catechist Goals:

  • To identify ways of following God’s call to love and serve Him

Science Fusion:

Unit 4 Lesson 5

How Do Environmental Changes Affect Living Things?

Objectives:

  • Explain that ecosystems are fragile and that environmental changes can negatively impact living things
  • Explain that natural events such as fire, erosion, drought and flood can affect habitats and living things
  • Explain that sometimes these events are caused by humans
  • Explain that people can also cause pollution of air, water and land habitats
  • Explain what people can do to conserve habitats and help plants and animals survive

 

Mount Saint Mary Academy 3rd Grade Family Letter

Friday, March 8, 2019

 

Social Studies:  We finished reading stories about Ellis Island and started to work on our Country Fair Project.  The third grade fair is scheduled for Friday, May 3, 2019.  We will also have an Ellis Island Immigration Simulation either at the end of May or beginning of June.  A packet of information will be coming home soon.

 

 

Big Ideas Math: This week we finished subtracting three-digit numbers.  Students took the chapter 8 test on adding and subtracting multi-digit numbers. It should be in their school to home folders.  Congratulations on completing Big Ideas Math volume 1.  Students should have brought this first volume home.  Some of the areas we did not complete are on estimating and word problems.  Completing these pages, along with practicing multiplication facts for fluency, is a great way for students to continue to build on their math skills at home.

 

We started Chapter 9, Multiples and Problem Solving.  This chapter has 5 lessons.  Did you know that each homework and practice page in Big Ideas Math has a QR code to link students and parents to lesson pages for at-home practice? Parents have access to lesson pages and online interactive supports. This QR code is in the inside of the green house.

 

Science Fusion

What is a Food Chain? P. 167-178

TEST 3/12

Need to know for test:

  • All food chains start with a producer such as a plant
  • Know prey and predator
  • Producer and consumer
  • The food chain is moving the sun’s energy from one thing to another

Unit 4 Lesson 4

Is a digital lab

 

Religion:

Chapter 11 The Parish is Our Home

This chapter is teaching us how people in our parish help each other, types of ministries in the parish and how they can help in the parish.

 

Mount Saint Mary Academy 3rd Grade Family Letter

Friday, February 15, 2019

Happy Day before February Vacation.  Hope you all have a fun, restful week!  Mrs. Reynolds, SRA. Galindo and Mrs. Segal

 

Social Studies:  We continued  learning about immigration by reading both an information text book titled, “National Geographic Kids Ellis Island,” and from a short story “Dreaming of America; an Ellis Island Story.” The week after vacation, we will finish reading stories about Ellis Island and start to work on our Country Fair Project.  The third grade fair is scheduled for Friday, May 3, 2019.  We will also have an Ellis Island Immigration Simulation either at the end of May or beginning of June.

 

Big Ideas Math: This week we continued to practice by subtracting three-digit numbers.  We also learned how to use inverse operations to check answers when finding the sum or difference.  The week after vacation we will review Chapter 8.  Your child may want to review the Chapter 8 vocabulary words including Addition Property of Zero, Associative Property of Addition, Commutative Property of Addition an inverse operations.  Students will take a practice test and a test on adding and subtracting multi-digit numbers.

 

Science Fusion:

Unit 4 lesson 3 What is a Food Chain?  Objectives:

  • Define and explain the term Food Chain. Explain that energy moves up the food chain.
  • Explain that all food chains are made up of producers, consumers and decomposers.
  • Explain that some animals are herbivores, some are carnivores and some are omnivores.
  • Explain the relationship between predator and prey.

Religion:   Chapter 11 The Parish in our Homes

Catechist Goals:

  • To explain that we all belong to a parish
  • To introduce ministries in which people serve the parish
  • To explore the ways in which the parish worships together
  • To examine the ways in which the parish cares for others

Computers: All students receive a Gmail account here at the Mount and we begin using them in third grade.  We talk about email etiquette and different things you can do with email and why we use email.  We also review internet safety.  When students begin creating posters and flyers and writing research papers will have the opportunity to email them to me, a parent, or to a friend for critique or editing.  In the older grades, students will start to use google docs and google classroom as well.

 

Please know that the children's safety is HIGH priority in our classroom and at Mount Saint Mary Academy; internet safety is discussed regularly.

 

 

Mount Saint Mary Academy 3rd Grade Family Letter

Friday, February 15, 2019

Happy Day after Valentine’s Day.  Thank you all for thinking of us on this day of love and kindness.  We feel Blessed to be able to work with your children every day. They are amazing!!!  All our love, Mrs. Reynolds, SRA. Galindo and Mrs. Segal

 

Social Studies:  This week we continued to talk about our family trees!  Thank you againf or your family talks at home!  We will continued  learning about immigration by reading both an information text book titled, “National Geographic Kids Ellis Island,” and from a short story “Dreaming of America; an Ellis Island Story.” Next week we will complete both books.  Reminder that books reports are due next week.  They may be written in pen or typed.

 

 

Big Ideas Math: This week we started Big Ideas Chapter 8 on understanding addition and subtraction properties.  We practiced using a number line to find a sum, and using partial sums to find a sum.  Next week we will use a number line to find differences using count back and count on strategies to subtract on a number line.  We will continue to practice by subtracting three-digit numbers.

 

Religion: On Feb 19, 20 and 21 the Third Grade through Sixth Grade will be watching the movie Godspell.  The movie is rated G.

Here is a summary of the movie:

A modern-day version of the gospels, opening with John the Baptist calling a desperate group of young New Yorkers from their workaday lives to follow and learn from Jesus. They form a roving acting troupe that enacts the parables through song and dance, comedy, and mime. Jesus' ministry ends with a Last Supper, his Crucifixion in a junkyard, and, the following morning, his body being carried aloft by his apostles back into the world of the living on the streets of New York.

Science Fusion: This week the students have been working in small groups to design an ecosystem that the picked.  The drawings will be out in the hall across from 4th grade.  Next week, we have a virtual lab on What is an Ecosystem?

 

 

Reminder that Intent to Return Forms are due.  Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns regarding the 2019-2020 school year.

 

Mount Saint Mary Academy 3rd Grade Family Letter

Friday, February 8, 2019

We happily welcome Jethro Bonser to our classroom!!

 

Social Studies:  This week we had a lot fun talking about our family trees!  Thank you so much for the many family generation conversations you had at home!  We finished reading the Immigration Chapter in “Our Community” social studies text book, chapter titled “Immigrants Help Build a Nation.”  We will continue  learning about immigration reading an information text book titled, “National Geographic Kids Ellis Island,” and from a short story “Dreaming of America; an Ellis Island Story.”

 

 

Big Ideas Math: We are finished Chapter 6 on understanding area.    Remember that your students can practice their Multiplication Facts any time using a deck of cards, flash cards, or the following computer sites:  Big Ideas Math, Kahn Academy, or Multiplication.com.  The learning target for our next chapter, chapter 8, is to understand addition and subtraction properties.  Next week we will practice using a number line to find a sum, using mental math to find a sum, and using partial sums to find a sum.

 

Technology Update from Mrs. Joyce:  In the MSMA Technology Lab, third grade students have learned how to create files, organize documents, sort documents in Excel and align documents in Excel!!

 

Science Fusion:

Test on Monday Feb 11 on Unit 4 Lesson 1.

The rest of the week we will be drawing our own ecosystems in small groups of 2-3 people.

 

Religion

Chapter 10 The Church Prays

Students will learn about Jesus teaching us to pray, different types of prays and when we can pray.

 

 

Reminder that Intent to Return Forms are due.  Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns regarding the 2019-2020 school year.  Scholarship Applicants are due Friday, February 15, 2019.  Ask your students about our Winter Fest Activities!  We had a blast!!

 

Mount Saint Mary Academy 3rd Grade Family Letter

Friday, February 1, 2019

Social Studies:  This week we started our Immigration Unit by talking about our Family Trees.  Students were asked to have conversations with family members to complete their family tree.  The family tree worksheet is due Monday.

 

We will continue studying Immigration using “Our Community” social studies text book, chapter titled “Immigrants Help Build a Nation.”  We will also take notes, learning about immigration from a video documentary, an information text book titled, “National Geographic Kids Ellis Island,” and from a short story “Dreaming of America; an Ellis Island Story.”

 

 

Big Ideas Math: We are finishing Chapter 6 on understanding area.    Students will review early next week before taking the Chapter test.  Students should continue to work on multiplication fluency using flashcards or the computer.  The websites that we are encouraging our students to use are BigIdeasMath, Kahn Academy, and Multiplication.com.

 

Science Fusion:

Unit 4 Ecosystems and Interactions

Big Idea: All living, once-living, and nonliving things interact in an ecosystem.  All living things need energy to survive and grow.

Lesson 1: What are Ecosystems?

Lesson 2: What’s in Ecosystems?

Lesson 3: What is a Food Chain?

Lesson 4: What are some Food Chains?

Lesson 5: How Do Environmental Changes Affect Living Things?

 

Religion

Chapter 9 The Church Teaches Us

Catechist Goal:

  • To teach that the Church is the Body of Christ and the People of God

Reminder that Intent to Return Forms are due.  Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns regarding the 2019-2020 school year.

 

Mount Saint Mary Academy 3rd Grade Family Letter

Friday, January 25, 2019

Social Studies:  We are finishing our “Native American Unit” and transitioning to the “Immigrant Unit, by reading “A River Ran Wild by Lynne Cherry.”  This is a story of restoration and renewal.  We are learning how modern day descendants of European immigrants and Nashua Native Americans were able to combat pollution and restore the beauty of the Nashua River and its environment.  Thousands of years ago, Chief Weewa and his people built a village around a river they named, “Nash-a-way,” river with the pebbled bottom. This story invites readers to think about two critical concerns of the Sisters of Mercy including immigration and earth.  It has us each consider our personal impact on the environment and what we can do to make a difference…all in a New Hampshire setting.  The following week will start our Immigration Unit by completing Family Tree Posters.

 

Big Ideas Math: We began Chapter 6 on understanding area.    Students counted the number of unit squares covering a shape and learned how to tell the area of a shape in square units.

 

Next week we will use multiplication to find the area of a rectangle and use the Distributive Property to find the area of a rectangle, by breaking apart a rectangle into two smaller rectangles.

 

Science Fusion:

Unit 3 Lesson 6 What Are Behavioral Adaptations?

Objectives:

  • Define and explain the meaning of the word hibernate
  • Define and explain the meaning of the word migrate
  • Explain the differences between the words instinctive and learned behaviors

Vocabulary:

  • Behavior
  • Instinct
  • Learned behavior
  • Migrate
  • Hibernate

Religion

Chapter 9 The Church Teaches Us

Catechist Goal:

  • To teach that the Church is the Body of Christ and the People of God

Reminder that next week is National Catholic School’s Week.  Check Constant Contact for more details.

 

Mount Saint Mary Academy 3rd Grade Family Letter

Friday, January 18, 2019

Social Studies:  This week, we completed our group PBL STEM (Science/SS, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Challenge, using the Maker Space, located next to the computer lab.  Next week we will complete our “Native American Unit.” The following week will start our Immigration Unit by completing Family Tree Posters.

 

 

Math: We finished Big Ideas Math, chapter 5 on multiplication patterns and fluency.    Students also started logging on to Big Ideas Math, and using on-line components to increase fluency.  Other sites to use at home include Khan Academy and multiplication.com.

 

Next week we will begin chapter 6 which introduces the concept of area measurement.  Students will identify areas of a shape, explain how to find the area of a shape, compare the area of one shape to another and find the total area of a shape.

 

 

Science Fusion:  Unit 3 Lesson 4 What Are Structural Adaptations?

QUIZ: Wednesday, January 23rd

Vocabulary for the lesson

  • Adaptation
  • Camouflage
  • Mimicry

Religion:  We are finishing up Chapter 8.  There will be an open book test next week. Mrs. Reynolds will send out an email when she knows the date of quiz.

Key terms:

  • Bishops
  • Pope
  • Dioceses
  • Marks of the Church

Reminder that we have a field trip on Tuesday to the Grappone Conference Center where our students will perform four songs!  Dress uniforms are required.  All permission slips have been handed in on time.  Enjoy the Pats game and the snow!!

 

Mount Saint Mary Academy 3rd Grade Family Letter

Friday, January 4, 2019

Social Studies:  This week, we continued our group STEM (Science/SS, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Challenge, using the Maker Space, located next to the computer lab.  Using a similar design process outlined in our Science Fusion Program, students reflected on what went well with their first shelter and what did not go well.  Students have created a new design for an improved shelter.  Next week we will gather additional supplies.  We hope to test the new and improved shelters during the second week in January.

 

 

 

Math: We finished Big Ideas Math, chapter 4.  The learning target was to learn division facts and strategies.  Students did a great job on the assessment!!!  They are also showing their comprehension of reading word problems with real life application.  Next week, we will begin Chapter 5, where we will learn to understand patterns in multiplication.

 

 

Religion:  Chapter 8 The Church Has Four Marks

Catechist Goal

To highlight that Jesus chose the Apostles to lead the Church

 

Science Fusion

Unit 3 Lesson 2 Test Tuesday, January 8th

This is on life cycles of animals

Unit 3 Lesson 3 is a lab. How Do Living Things Change? This lab will be done over two weeks because students will be measuring the growth of their seed into a plant.

 

Happy Happy New Year.  Thank you for being a part of our Mount Saint Mary Academy Family!  Targeted Instruction starts next week, adding reading and spelling as alternatives to math instruction.  We will be using technology to assist us in individualized instruction!

 

Have a wonderful weekend!

Mount Saint Mary Academy 3rd Grade Family Letter

Friday, December 14, 2018

Social Studies:  This week, we worked in groups on our STEM (Science/SS, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Challenge, using the Maker Space, located next to the computer lab.  In cooperative groups, students have designed Northeastern Native American shelters, using only natural resources.  This week both groups completed the foundation/floor of their shelter and have started to build the structure and walls.  The group challenge is to build a shelter with two doors that keeps out wind (small fan) and lets out smoke.  I will be testing their projects to see if their 5 figures fit in their shelter, allow a flame to be lit (birthday candle lit by Mrs. Segal), and let smoke escape.  Next week we hope to complete our shelters and test them to see if they meet the challenge above.

 

Math: Big Ideas Math, chapter 4 learning target is to understand division strategies.  Students continue to show their understanding of the words dividend, divisor and quotient.  They divided numbers by 2, 5, 10, 3, 4, 6,7, 8, 9. Next week, students will divide by 0, 1, and then continue to practice division using a strategy that makes sense to them. Yesterday, we spoke about memorizing multiplication facts.  If children finishes their homework during class, they should continue memorizing multiplication facts for 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 9 for fluency.  Flash cards and Kahn Academy are two options to consider for practice.  In addition, although we will not take the Chapter 4 summative assessment until after vacation, you may have your child complete Cumulative practice on page s 217-220.  There is also a STEAM Performance Task on page 221.  I will correct both after vacation if you choose to have your child complete this.

 

Religion: 

In class we just finished Chapter 5.  We will begin Chapter 6 after the New Year.  We will be working on some projects.  We have also been practicing for the Mount Saint Mary Academy Christmas Pageant and are looking forward to sharing this event with all of our families.

 

Science Fusion:

Unit 3 Lesson 1 What Are Some Plants Life Cycles?

  • Define the term life cycle and explain that different plants have different life cycles
  • Explain that in flowering plant, flowers help the plant reproduce
  • Explain that in flowering plants, seeds are held in fruit: in coniferous plants the seeds are in the cone
  • Explain that pollination must occur for flowering plants to produce seeds
  • Describe the way seeds can dispersed
  • Explain that plants do not always reproduce through seeds

Hope to see many of you on Wednesday evening for our Mount Saint Mary Academy Christmas Pageant at 6:00 p.m. and Friday for the Second Annual MSMA Faculty showing of the Grinch.  Friday, December 21, 2018 at 10:00 in our auditorium.  Thank you to the many folks who donated to Toys for Tots.  Please visit our web site for pictures!!  Mercy Blessings.

Mount Saint Mary Academy 3rd Grade Family Letter

Friday, December 7, 2018

Social Studies:  This week students finished their class project on our Mount Saint Mary Academy Community and presented it to the school during today’s Friday Family Meeting.  A video of their presentation is posted on our Friends of Face Book page.

 

Next week, we will continue working on our STEM (Science/SS, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Challenge, using the Maker Space, located next to the computer lab.  In cooperative groups, students have designed Northeastern Native American shelters, using only natural resources.  The group challenge is to build a shelter with two doors that keeps out wind (small fan) and lets out smoke.  I will be testing their projects to see if their 5 figures fit in their shelter, allow a flame to be lit (birthday candle lit by Mrs. Segal), and let smoke escape.

 

Math:  I am very proud of each third grade student for their high academic achievement on the chapter 3 test, understanding multiplication facts and strategies. Students should continue to practice fluency in multiplication.  Both Big Ideas Math and Kahn Academy have free on line multiplication exercises.

 

Big Ideas Math, chapter 4 learning target is to understand division strategies.  Students have been introduced to the definitions of dividend, divisor and quotient.  Their reaction this week to division is that it is “easy” compared to learning multiplication.  J Next week we will be dividing numbers by 2, 5, and 10.

 

Religion: 

Chapter 5 We Learn About the Early Church

Catechist Goals

To describe how the Apostles led the early Church

To present that the disciples of Jesus shared the Good News

To explore the way the followers of Jesus stood up for their faith

To highlight saints as examples of holiness

 

 

Science Fusion:  Unit 2 test is Tuesday, December 11th.  The test will be an open book test but no quizzes or notes just the book.

Unit 3: Plants and Animals

Essential Questions:

L1 What are some plant life cycles?

L2 What are some animal life cycles?

L3 How do living things change?

L4 What are structural adaptations?

L5 How can we model a physical adaptation?

L6 What are behavioral adaptations?

 

Hope to see many of you at tonight’s Second Annual Polar Express Night!  Mercy Blessings.

 

Mount Saint Mary Academy 3rd Grade Family Letter

Friday, November 30, 2018

Social Studies:  In the past few weeks, students completed individual Mount Saint Mary Academy Packets, while learning more about our mission, core values and critical concerns.  The students collaboratively worked on a third grade packet which they will be presenting at the December 7, 2018 Friday Family Meeting at 1:45.  I will try to have a faculty member video this presentation on our Friends of Mount Saint Mary Academy Facebook for those folks who are not able to attend.  One of our Mercy Core Values is “Global Issues,” and one of the Mercy Critical Concerns is “Earth.”  We read “Brother Eagle, Sister Sky,” by Chief Seattle and completed a Venn diagram to transition from our Mount Saint Mary Academy Community to Native American Communities.

 

We started our second unit on Native Americans by comparing and contrasting the lessons we have learned from the Sisters of Mercy and Native Americans in order to adapt, use and care for our environment.  We will be completing a STEM (Science/SS, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Challenge, using the Maker Space, located next to our computer lab.  Third graders will use the Design Process they learned in Science class, through Science Fusion, with Mrs. Reynolds, to design a Northeastern Native American shelter , using only natural resources.

 

Math:  We completed chapter 3.  The chapter learning target was to understand multiplication strategies.  Students are able to define a product, find the product of two numbers, make a plan to solve a problem and then to solve the problem. Students have been taught multiple strategies to multiply.  Building fluency and automaticity is an ongoing process which we will work on throughout the school year.  We have practiced multiplication facts for 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9.  The Chapter 3 Test will be on Tuesday, December 4, 2018.  Yesterday, student took a practice test.  It should be in their School/Home folders to use to prepare for the test.  Students were asked to correct the problems that were not correct and to study multiplication facts for fluency.

 

Science Fusion:

Quiz Unit 2 Lesson 3 How are Technology and Society Related? On December 5th

Objectives

Define and explain the term technology

Discuss how technology has changed through time

Explain how technology has affected society

Explain how society has affected technology

Unit 2 Lesson 4 is a virtual lab

Unit 2 end of unit test Tuesday, December 11th use quizzes to help study.  This will be an open book test but no notes or quizzes.

 

Religion

Chapter 5 We Learn About the Early Church

Catechist Goals

To describe how the Apostles led the early Church

To present that the disciples of Jesus shared the Good News

To explore the way the followers of Jesus stood up for their faith

To highlight saints as examples of holiness

 

Hope to see many of you at next Friday’s Second Annual Polar Express Night!  Mercy Blessings.

 

Mount Saint Mary Academy 3rd Grade Parent Letter

 

Tuesday, November 2oth

I wish you and your families a happy, safe, and blessed Thanksgiving.  I was very proud of each third grader during today's Thanksgiving Prayer Service.  It is an honor to be both the third grade teacher and principal of Mount Saint Mary Academy.  May God bless you and your family.

Mercy Blessings,

Kate Segal

Mount Saint Mary Academy 3rd Grade Parent Letter

Monday, November 12, 2018

 

Social Studies:  We were very proud to share our individual and class Mount Saint Mary Academy community foldables with our Grandfriends.  We had a wonderful time taking pictures with our Grandfriends, in front of the flags of the different countries where our families are from that we created for the bulletin boards in the hallway.  Thank you so very much for sharing your families with us.  I was a very proud teacher when our students recited the Mount Saint Mary Academy Mission Statement to their Grandfriends.  Our Grandfriends were very proud of the children for practicing cursive for their signatures.  After we complete our class Mount Saint Mary Academy Project, we will start a STEM Challenge.  (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), to kick off our unit on Native Americans.  As a class, we will design a Colonial-era northeastern Native American shelter using only natural resources.

Math:  We continued to study multiplication strategies.  We have been practicing multiplication facts for 0, 1, 2, 5, and 10.  We also practiced multiplication facts for 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8.  Thank you to all of the third graders who helped me use the I-Pad and screen to practice our multiplication facts.  We used Big Ideas Math program video to sing and dance to multiplication facts and then practiced with “School House Rock,” multiples of 3 and 5 that some of you may remember from television in the 70’s and 80’s.  The students asked to show their Grandfriends these video’s and we enjoyed watching them build their multiplication fluency.

Science Fusion: We are continuing with Unit 2 Lesson 1 How Do Engineers Use the Design Process? 

Objectives:

  • Describe the purpose of the design process
  • Describe the steps of the design process

 

Religion:  Chapter 4

  • Open Book test on Tuesday Nov 13th

We will be talking about what we are thankful for and how to show appreciation.  We will be watching a video of the first Christmas which leads into our next chapter.

 

Literacy Block, grammar and writing: Updates will be given at parent/teacher conferences on November 15th.

Thank you for sharing your families with us to welcome Grandfriends and honor our Veterans this past Friday, November 9, 2018.  Thank you so much for supporting our Book Fair and encouraging your children to read, read, and read!  Every day I feel blessed to be a member of our Mount Saint Mary Academy Family!  Thank you.

 

Mount Saint Mary Academy 3rd Grade Parent Letter

Monday, November 5, 2018

 

Social Studies:  This week we continued to work on our Mount Saint Mary Academy community foldables.  A few third graders found two mistakes in our laminated mission statements.  Every third grader enjoyed using Ben’s “tracing tool,” and traced Mount Saint Mary Academy logo and/or the new logo of our Eagle mascot.  Students are working on completing the insides of their foldables with things that they love about Mount Saint Mary Academy.

 

Math:  We started chapter 3.  The chapter learning target is to understand multiplication strategies.  By the end of the chapter, students will be able to define a product, find the product of two numbers, make a plan to solve a problem and then to solve the problem. Students are taught multiple strategies to multiply.  It is interesting to watch different students choose different approaches.  Building fluency and automaticity is an ongoing process which we will work on throughout the school year.  We have practiced multiplication facts for 0, 1, 2, 5, and 10.  We will continue to work on 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8.

 

Parent/Teacher Conferences:  Next week we have Parent/Teacher conferences on Thursday, November 15, 2018.  Tomorrow afternoon, at our staff meeting we will send out an email for you to sign up for conferences with Signup Genius. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to ask.

 

Thanks to our faculty and families for an incredible Mount Saint Mary Academy Annual Christmas Craft Fair.  We do not have a final count for the money which will be used to support scholarships, however I am confident that we made twice as much as last year’s total of around $1,000.00.   I was extremely proud of our third graders for working diligently on their comic books and book marks.  The students worked on this throughout the first trimester, with very little adult direction.  I know you must be as proud of them as I am!!

 

Friday, November 9th is both Grandfriends’ Day and our Tribute to Veteran’s at 1:30.  I hope you can join us.  Special guests for our Veteran Tribute include our Grandfriends, Veteran Roy who is 103 years old, other veterans, and our Bishop.  We are waiting to hear back from Governor Sununu, who came to our tribute last year.  It would be wonderful to see him again.

 

Mount Saint Mary Academy 3rd Grade Parent Letter

Friday, October 26, 2018

Religion:  Chapter 4

  • Jesus promises to send the Holy Spirit
  • The Holy Spirit comes to the disciples
  • The Church beings on Pentecost
  • The early Church grows

Science Fusion

Unit 1 Test on Nov 1st

Unit 2 The Engineering Process

Lesson 1 How do Engineers Use the Design Process?

Objectives:

  • Describe the purpose of the design process
  • Describe the steps of the design process

Social Studies:  This week we worked on our Mount Saint Mary Academy community foldables.  The front and back covers of individual student foldables are complete.  We also practiced writing our names in cursive so we could sign our names to the class foldable.  We had fun working on “Girls & Boys Comics,” writing and illustrating comics and creating bookmarks.  We discussed how much they should be sold for and used math arrays to find out how much money we might make at the Craft Fair.

Literacy:  Monday through Wednesday, students continued to read their novels in literacy block.  Thursday and Friday they had writing and grammar.  Our report cards in grades 3-5 will reflect this change in instruction.  Changes is the report will be explained at Parent-Teacher Conferences.

Math:  We finished chapter 2 this week.  Please check your child’s home to school folder for Chapter 2 Assessment.  Next week we will start Chapter 3, “More Multiplication Facts and Strategies.”  Big Ideas Math provides multiple opportunities for enrichment and relearning.  Please don’t hesitate to ask for more information!

Thanks to our faculty and families for our fabulous Literacy Character Parade! We saw many main characters today including Curious George, Tom Sawyer, Madeline, Winnie-the-Poo, Little Red Riding Hood, the Big Bad Wolf, and the Wood Cutter, Thing 1 and Thing 2, Harry Potter and Hermione, Peter Pan, unicorns, princesses and Super Heroes.  We are already looking forward to next year. Pictures will be posted on Facebook and Principal’s Blog.

 

 

Mount Saint Mary Academy 3rd Grade Parent Letter

Friday, October 19, 2018

 

Science: We are finishing up Lesson 5 How Do Scientists Use Data? There will be a quiz on 10/23. On Oct. 24 we will do a virtual lab and then spend until Nov 1 reviewing Unit 1.  Nov 1 we will have an open book, open notes Unit test of Unit 1.  Have the students start reviewing the previous quizzes.

Religion:  Chapter 3 is Christ Will Come Again.

In this chapter, the students will learn about the Last Judgment and that Jesus taught us to love others.

Key terms in chapter are second coming, Heaven and Last Judgment

Open book Quiz Thur. Oct 25

Big Ideas Math:  This week we started to learn how to use the Distributive Property with addition to multiply.  It was very challenging, so next week, we will continue to practice this new skill. Also, today your child received a username and temporary password for Big Ideas Math on a strip of paper taped to the front inside cover of their assignment book.  On the strip of paper, the third column is the username and the last column is the temporary password.  You are free to remove the strip of paper at home.  It is taped there so it does not get lost in transit.  To log on you need to go to www.bigideasmath.com.  The site contains lots of resources.  Unfortunately, the site will not be available to use on October 20th.

Social Studies:  This week we continued to learn about our Mount Saint Mary Academy community and the history of the Sisters of Mercy.  We created individual foldables which when done will include our Mount Saint Mary Academy logo and mascot logo.  It will also include our mission statement, Sisters of Mercy’s Critical Concerns, and also the Core Values of Mercy.  Next week will cooperate with one another to complete a bigger class foldable for our school community.

Literacy:  Ask your student what he or she is reading in “Lit. Block.”  Discussions this week included character development and details, as well as the opening events of the just right reading level novel.  Grammar and writing blocks are on Thursday and Friday mornings.

Our Mount Saint Mary Academy Family Portraits from

the Princess, Prince, Parent Party are amazing!  More on sale for $2.00 in the lobby.

Thanks to all of our third grade families for the Happy Birthday wishes, gifts, flowers, and food.  I only cried twice…well maybe three times. I am truly blessed.

 

Mount Saint Mary Academy 3rd Grade Parent Letter

Friday, October 12, 2018

Science Fusion

Unit 1 Lesson 5 How Do Scientist Use Data?

Objectives:

  • Describe various ways scientists record and display data in order to communicate results
  • Communicate results with other groups and explain any differences
  • Explain that data are evidence that can be used to explain a conclusion

Religion:

Students just finished chapter 2.  Chapter 3 is Christ Will Come Again.

In this chapter, the students will learn about the Last Judgment and that Jesus taught us to love others.

Key terms in chapter are: second coming, Heaven and Last Judgment

Big Ideas Math:  This week we continued to learn about Multiplication Facts and Strategies.  We multiplied by 2 and 5.  Next week we will multiply by 10, 0 and 1.  Big Ideas Math will continue to add more resources at BigIdeasMath.com.  Now available through Easy Access Parent Resources, you will find information about the common core state standards for mathematics, the same standards on which the NWEA Measures of Academy Progress are aligned.  There is information on a new app, created by Ron Larson, called “My Dear Aunt Sally,” for fun ways to review math grades 2-8.  You can also sing along with Newton and Descartes as they review math by grade levels.  We will let you know as more resources are made available.

Social Studies:  This week we continued to learn about our communities.  Some of the communities we discussed were New Hampshire, Manchester, Bedford, Londonderry, Goffstown, Mount Saint Mary Academy, and our classroom.  We created “foldables” of our communities and presented them in class.  Next week we will learn more about our Mount Saint Mary Academy community and the history of the Sisters of Mercy.  We will cooperate with one another to complete a class foldable on our school community.

Literacy:  All students in grades 3-6 have started reading a group novel.  Discussion will include main character, setting, plot, conflict, and solution.  Vocabulary words are picked from each novel.  Grammar and writing will continue to be taught by grade level. Third graders are writing sentences and then, using a picture, adding details to their sentences.

Hope to see you at tonight’s Princess, Prince, Parent Party.  I am looking forward to seeing all of our Mount Saint Mary Academy Family Portraits!

 

Mount Saint Mary Academy 3rd Grade Parent Letter

Friday, October 5, 2018

Religion:  We are using Sadler’s “We Believe,” program.  This week we learned that Jesus teaches about the gift of faith and helps us to live in our faith.  He teaches us about God’s love.  We also used technology to sing and dance to songs about Jesus.

Literacy Block:  Today is the last day for our first Literacy Blocks.  Students continued to practice comprehension and writing skills.  The next literacy block starts next week.  We will continue to focus on reading fiction and nonfiction on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. On Thursdays and Fridays, students will be grouped by their grade level to focus specifically on grade level English/Language Art standards, with grammar on Thursdays and writing on Fridays.

Science Fusion with Mrs. Reynolds: 

The scientists of 3rd grade are finishing up Unit 1 lesson 3. How Scientists use Tools.

The quiz will be Wednesday, October 10th covering pages 17-28 in their books. Unit 1

Lesson 4 How You Can Measure Length? Objectives are

  • Identify which tools should be used to make a specific measurements
  • Compare and contrast observations and measurements from different teams

There is a virtual lab with this lesson that the students will do.

 

Big Ideas Math:  This week we completed Chapter 1 in Big Ideas Math on Understanding Multiplication and Division.  We used equal groups, number lines and arrays to multiply, practice multiplication, and start division.  All third grade students should be proud of their ability to demonstrate the learning targets for this chapter.  Tests should have been brought home in the School/Home folder. The next chapter is titled Multiplication Facts and Strategies.  During this chapter, we will multiply by 2, 5, 10, 0 and 1.

Social Studies:  This week we learned how to read a Social Studies text book by previewing, asking, reading and reviewing.  When students preview, they look at the title and highlighted words to find important people, places, and terms.  Students then ask themselves questions about what they think they might learn.  After students read, and sometimes reread, they are able to answer their own questions.  We used diagrams to help us take notes on the main ideas and details of a story.  We also discussed our communities, including Mount Saint Mary Academy, the towns where we are from, the state of New Hampshire, and the United States of America.  We sang, “The Star-Spangled Banner.”  Next week we will continue to learn about our communities.

Have a wonderful, long weekend with your families.

 

Mount Saint Mary Academy 3rd Grade Parent Letter

Thursday, September 27, 2018

Religion:  Jesus loves us and we can show that we love others by being kind

Literacy Block:  Next week we will have finished NWEA Measures of Academic Progress in Reading.  Friday will be our last day in the current Literacy Blocks.  Using these assessments, along with our observations from the past month, we will be creating new literacy groups.  The next Literacy Block will start on October 5, 2018 and continue for 6-8 weeks. Groups continued to work on reading, writing, speaking, listening and vocabulary acquisition and use.

Science Fusion with Mrs. Reynolds: 

This week students learned how a scientist would use a model for an experiment.  They made paper airplanes and made a hypothesis on how to make it fly farther.  Ways that were tried were added weight, changed paper and made bigger wings.

Week of Oct 1

We are starting a new lesson.  Unit 1 lesson 3 “How Scientists Use Tools”.  Students will learn to…

  • Describe tools that are used to enhance the ability to make observations
  • List possible reasons for differences in measurements between groups
  • Record observations accurately and in appropriate ways

Big Ideas Math:  This week we are finishing Chapter 1 in Big Ideas Math on Understanding Multiplication and Division.  We have used number lines and arrays to multiply, practice multiplication, and start division.  We used division to find the size of equal groups and to find the number of equal groups.  We also used a number line to divide.  Next week, we will finish chapter 1 practice and take the chapter 1 assessment.  Please do not hesitate to e-mail me with questions or concerns about classwork, homework, or assessments.

Social Studies:  This week we finished flags across the world and the United States flag.  We have created two bulletin boards in the hallway to show “Who We Are” and “Where We (our family) Come From.”

Reminders:

  1.  Most of our students completed NWEA Measures of Academic Progress in math.  Third grade students will complete the reading assessment on Wednesday during Technology, with Mrs. Joyce.
  2. Running Club on Wednesday.  Please have your students remind me on Tuesday!!
  3. No school tomorrow, September 28th for Catholic Diocese Formation Day for Faculty.

3rd grade teacher update:  I will continue to teach 3rd grade this school year! I am very excited!! Have a wonderful weekend!

 

Mount Saint Mary Academy 3rd Grade Family Friday Letter

Friday, September 21, 2018

 

Religion:  Sisters of Mercy; preparing for Mercy Day.  Learning about Jesus and his disciples.

Literacy Block:  We started our Literacy Blocks on Monday, September 17th.  Students are reading short stories and learning strategies for reading fluency and comprehension. Remind your children to read for about 15 minutes a day.

Science Fusion with Mrs. Reynolds:  We will start Unit 1 Lesson 2 “How You Use a Model?” In this lesson students will do a digital Virtual Lab. Students will also learn about changes to make their model better. This is a hands-on lesson that students will enjoy.

Big Ideas Math:  The first chapter is focused on understanding multiplication and division.  This week we used number lines and arrays to multiply, practice multiplication, and start division.  We multiplied factors in any order, showing the use of the Commutative Property of Multiplication.  We also used division to find the size of equal groups.  Next week we will use division to find the number of equal groups, use a number line to divide and complete a performance task to show understanding and application of these skills.  We will practice skills in chapter 1 and then complete an assessment.

Social Studies:  We continued to discuss who we are and where our families come from, using a map and globe.  Next week we will be making flags of different countries.

Reminders:

  1. NWEA Measures of Academic Progress will begin on Monday, September 24, 2018.  Students will take math assessment, followed by reading the following week.  The assessments will take place during Technology, with Mrs. Joyce.
  2. Friday, September 28 is Formation Day. Faculty will be learning and praying with teachers and leaders from the Diocese.  Student do not have school.

 

Mount Saint Mary Academy 3rd Grade Parent Letter

Friday, September 14, 2018

 

Religion:  Who is Jesus?  Everyone makes mistakes.

Literacy Block:  We completed our Fountais and Pinnell reading benchmarks.  Literacy blocks will start this Monday, September 17th.  We will start with short stories, using a reading and writing workshop model in which the goal is to teach students strategies for reading and comprehension. Reading and writing are reciprocal processes, one affects the others.  When our students read a lot, they become better writers.  Writing helps to improve reading skills. Word work, including spelling, phonics, and vocabulary, along with grammar will be embedded into our literacy blocks.  Our goal is to foster a love of reading and writing!

Science Fusion with Mrs. Reynolds:  This is our second year using Science Fusion.  This week we started Unit 1, “Investigating Questions.”  We discussed how scientists investigate and ask questions.  There will be a quiz this Thursday on Unit 1, Chapter 1.  We were very excited to already have used the interactive technology included in the Science Fusion program during class this week, and look forward to our many experiments this year, on-line and in the classroom.

Big Ideas Math:  This week we started using Big Ideas Math.  Students brought home their bright green, Big Ideas Math Workbooks to share with their parents.  The first chapter is focused on understanding multiplication and division.  We used equal groups to multiply.  Next week we will use number lines and arrays to multiply, practice multiplication, and start division.

Social Studies:  Today we explored the question, “What is an Immigrant?”  All students are encouraged to discuss their family tree, heritage, traditions, and religions over the week-end to prepare for next week’s discussions.

Reminders:

  1. NWEA Measures of Academic Progress will begin on Monday, September 24, 2018.  Students will take math assessment, followed by reading the following week.  The assessments will take place during Technology, with Mrs. Joyce.
  2. Mount Saint Mary Academy Estate Yard Sale tomorrow, Saturday, September 15, 2018 8:00-1:00.

Principal Segal

Welcome to Third Grade at Mount Saint Mary Academy.

I am excited to be back in the classroom, teaching third grade.  It is an honor and a privilege for me to work directly with our students, teaching literacy, 3rd and 4th grade math, and 3rd grade social studies.

Parents may contact me with any questions or concerns at my e-mail segalk@mtstmary.org.

We are going to have an extraordinary 2018-2019 school year!

Mercy Blessings,

Principal Kate Segal