Curriculum
In room 232, we're currently learning....
Word Work & Spelling
I refer to our spelling program as “word work”. Our main goal is not to memorize some words for a spelling test on Friday. Our loftier goal is to help students develop an understanding of the English language. This understanding will help students become better readers and writers. Students will study words that focus on a sound, spelling pattern, derivative, or rule.
Here is what you need to know to help your child succeed:
High-frequency words (word wall words)- These words will be displayed on a word wall in the classroom and a personal word wall chart. Students will be held accountable for spelling word wall words correctly on all assignments. There are five critical goals for our word wall instruction:
Here is what you need to know to help your child succeed:
High-frequency words (word wall words)- These words will be displayed on a word wall in the classroom and a personal word wall chart. Students will be held accountable for spelling word wall words correctly on all assignments. There are five critical goals for our word wall instruction:
- Teach students the correct spelling for high-frequency, often irregularly spelled words.
- Improve the students’ ability to decode texts.
- Teach students to recognize spelling patterns and common exceptions to those patterns.
- To encourage students to apply their word knowledge while reading and writing.
Reading
Our folktale study will begin as we begin the third quarter. Students will learn the basic characteristics of what makes a folktale a folktale, identify the theme, and summarize various folktales. This study will also incorporate Junior Great Books, which your child already began last quarter!
Here is some general information about folktales:
A folktale is a story or legend handed down from generation to generation usually by oral retelling. Folktales often explain something that happens in nature or convey a certain truth about life.
- The beginning of the story may start with "Once upon a time . . . " or a similar phrase.
- Magic events, characters, and objects are part of the story
- One character is someone of royalty (king, queen, prince, princess, etc.)
- One character is wicked.
- One character is good.
- Goodness is rewarded in the story.
- Certain numbers like three and seven are in the story (three eggs, seven sisters, etc.)
- The story may end with ". . .they lived happily ever after."
Science
Current Science Theme: Crime Lab Chemistry
Students will study fingerprints as part of our Crime Lab Chemistry unit in science. Students learn that all fingerprints are unique, but they do fall into specific categories (loop, whorl, arch, and mixed). Students will study and categorize a series of fingerprints. They will also practice identifying fingerprints using their own hands. Students will later use this knowledge to solve a mystery.
This unit also covers chromatography. Chromatography is a technique used for seperating mixtures. In all variatinos of chromatography, a substance is placed onto or into a medium and then a solvent is passed through the treated medium. As the solvent passes through the test substance, some of the substance may be attracted to the solvent and follow it up the medium. Different types of molecules are transported different distances, causing them to separate. Chromatography is used in crime labs to separate components of "clue" substances, such as ink or otehr mixtures. Chromatograms of these clue substances are then compared with those of suspected sources. Students will be conducting experiments in chromatography as part of our Crime Lab Chemistry Unit. In our first activity, paper will be the medium, water the solvent, and color markers the test substance. Students will eventually apply the skills learned in our experiments to solve a mystery.
We will apply our newly learned detective skills to a real-life, hands-on writing mystery. Our secret penpal activity is coming up in writing!
Students will study fingerprints as part of our Crime Lab Chemistry unit in science. Students learn that all fingerprints are unique, but they do fall into specific categories (loop, whorl, arch, and mixed). Students will study and categorize a series of fingerprints. They will also practice identifying fingerprints using their own hands. Students will later use this knowledge to solve a mystery.
This unit also covers chromatography. Chromatography is a technique used for seperating mixtures. In all variatinos of chromatography, a substance is placed onto or into a medium and then a solvent is passed through the treated medium. As the solvent passes through the test substance, some of the substance may be attracted to the solvent and follow it up the medium. Different types of molecules are transported different distances, causing them to separate. Chromatography is used in crime labs to separate components of "clue" substances, such as ink or otehr mixtures. Chromatograms of these clue substances are then compared with those of suspected sources. Students will be conducting experiments in chromatography as part of our Crime Lab Chemistry Unit. In our first activity, paper will be the medium, water the solvent, and color markers the test substance. Students will eventually apply the skills learned in our experiments to solve a mystery.
We will apply our newly learned detective skills to a real-life, hands-on writing mystery. Our secret penpal activity is coming up in writing!
Social Studies
See information about the Wax Museum project. Click here to learn more now.
Writing
Mystery Pen Pals
Each student in our class has been assigned a mystery pen pal from Ms. McGee's class. Ms. Crabtree's students are assigned a mystery penpal in our class. Students are applying what they know about ideas, organization, voice, and word choice to their letters. Each letter they write provides clues to their identities.
Students will then write and illustrate a Wanted Poster during writing. The poster will depict your child’s suspect that they have been gathering clues about while reading the pen pal letters.
At the end of this project, we will have a reveal “party” in which students discover the identities of their pen pals.
Each student in our class has been assigned a mystery pen pal from Ms. McGee's class. Ms. Crabtree's students are assigned a mystery penpal in our class. Students are applying what they know about ideas, organization, voice, and word choice to their letters. Each letter they write provides clues to their identities.
Students will then write and illustrate a Wanted Poster during writing. The poster will depict your child’s suspect that they have been gathering clues about while reading the pen pal letters.
At the end of this project, we will have a reveal “party” in which students discover the identities of their pen pals.
Miss Kurant's Math Group
Unit 4 Geometry
Students will...
-identify, describe, and classify common three-dimensional geometric objects (including cube, rectangular prism, pyramid, prism, sphere, cone, cylinder) and relate them to their two-dimensional counterparts (square, rectangle, triangle, circle)
-identify, describe, and classify polygons, including pentagons, hexagons, and octagons
-draw geometric figures using tools and technology
-construct with blocks a solid to match a given picture or model
-identify right angles in geometric figures or in the environment
-determine whether angles found in geometric figures or in the environment are greater than, equal to, or less than a right angle
-identify, describe, and represent symmetry and congruency of geometric figures and real-world objects
-describe and represent slides, flips, and turns using pictures and simple objects
- recognize a three-dimensional object from different perspectives
Above Grade Level Objectives:
-identify, classify, and sketch acute, right, and obtuse angles and relate them to real-world examples
-use manipulatives, pictorial representations, and appropriate vocabulary (sides, angles, edges, vertices, and faces) to identify and describe the attributes of solid figures
-draw circles, triangles, and quadrilaterals, given their dimensions
-identify parallelism and perpendicularity of geometric figures and real-world objects
-identify, draw, label, and describe points, lines, line segments, and rays
-identify and describe transformations: translations (slides), reflections (flips), and rotations (turns).
Students will...
-identify, describe, and classify common three-dimensional geometric objects (including cube, rectangular prism, pyramid, prism, sphere, cone, cylinder) and relate them to their two-dimensional counterparts (square, rectangle, triangle, circle)
-identify, describe, and classify polygons, including pentagons, hexagons, and octagons
-draw geometric figures using tools and technology
-construct with blocks a solid to match a given picture or model
-identify right angles in geometric figures or in the environment
-determine whether angles found in geometric figures or in the environment are greater than, equal to, or less than a right angle
-identify, describe, and represent symmetry and congruency of geometric figures and real-world objects
-describe and represent slides, flips, and turns using pictures and simple objects
- recognize a three-dimensional object from different perspectives
Above Grade Level Objectives:
-identify, classify, and sketch acute, right, and obtuse angles and relate them to real-world examples
-use manipulatives, pictorial representations, and appropriate vocabulary (sides, angles, edges, vertices, and faces) to identify and describe the attributes of solid figures
-draw circles, triangles, and quadrilaterals, given their dimensions
-identify parallelism and perpendicularity of geometric figures and real-world objects
-identify, draw, label, and describe points, lines, line segments, and rays
-identify and describe transformations: translations (slides), reflections (flips), and rotations (turns).
Handwriting
Students will begin learning cursive in third grade!
Specials Schedule
Art with Ms. Konar – Mondays at 1:15
Music with Ms. Brownstein– Tuesdays at 1:15
Physical Education with Mr. Hogan – Fridays at 1:15
Music with Ms. Brownstein– Tuesdays at 1:15
Physical Education with Mr. Hogan – Fridays at 1:15