This week in third grade was busy. We finished our chapter on place value and tested on Friday. This year we are trying something a little different to make sure all students have mastered the material taught before moving on into our next unit of study. For each math chapter we have specific learning standards and we have set learning targets that the students need to master in order to successfully master the standard. For example in chapter 1 our standard says that all third graders will be able to round numbers through 1,000 to the nearest 10 and 100. In order to accomplish this goal students must have an understanding of the following concepts (learning targets). 1. Students must be able to identify, read, and write the place and value of any given number. 2. Students must be able to compare and order numbers according to their place value. 3. Students can successfully round to the nearest 10 and 100. When students test I will go back and look at each learning target and if your child scored under an 80% on any area on the test, then they will join in a group to reteach that area. Students who have mastered the material will be in a group that enriches what they have already learned. Students who have passed with an 80% or higher, but may have missed a few on the test will join a group that reinforces the learned skills. Each of the third grade teachers will take one of the groups and we will switch classes so each of the students gets what he or she may need. We call this rotation WIN (What I Need). After a couple of days reteaching, we will administer a 2nd assessment to those who didn't master the material. The higher of the two scores will be entered in the gradebook. If a child is still struggling with a concept, we will continue to review during our guided math time within our own classrooms. You will see a small piece of paper attached to your child's tests when they come home with the learning targets and how the fared on both tests.
In reading this week we continued to work on developing our stamina for our Daily 5 activities that the students complete during guided reading time. The class has practiced reading to self, working on words (spelling), work on writing, and this week we learned the expectations for read to someone. This class aced it! I have some pictures showing the first couple of days of read to someone. They did a super job reading quietly and focusing on their reading...which is our goal, that all students become better readers!
I look forward to meeting your families this Friday on Grandparents Day! Have a wonderful Labor Day and please be safe.
Mrs. Miller