April 22, 2015

Upcoming dates:

• Reading Minutes due Monday
• Word Work Test on Friday
• Wednesday- Outdoor Discovery Center.  We will be out of the school from 9-2:30 that day.  Please send your child with a brown bag lunch with their name on it, good walking shoes, and appropriate dress for the weather.
• May 11 (Wednesday)- Dismissal at 11:30 for Tulip Time
• May 12 (Thursday)- Half day of class.  Students remain at school for lunch (brown bag sent from home)  and then head to the parade route by bus.  We will be marching in the tulip time parade in the afternoon.  I will send home a line-up of the kids for the parade as the date approaches.

What we have been up to in 3rd Grade:

Bible:  We focused on the tabernacle this week.  To make it real to the kids, Mrs. DeZwaan and I set up the dimensions out on the school yard and then assigned each child to a tribe.  We talked about why the organization of the tabernacle was important and then we read the verses on how the Israelites packed up the tabernacle and traveled to a new location.  As a class, we practiced marching in our tribes as well.  I am sorry that I didn't have my camera on me for photos of this, but I was busy measuring the tabernacle and blowing the trumpet to get kids marching.  :)
We also had Keith Blystra come from the High School and explain more about the tabernacle to the kids.  He did a wonderful job of explaining how God was like a neighbor moving into the Israelite neighborhood.  God's door is always open and the light is always on....just waiting for us to come and spend time with Him.

Math:  We wrapped up our unit on two step story problems this week.  This was a tough unit for many and I was proud of how hard the kids worked.  We took Thursday and Friday to do some logic problems, play some math review games, and do a few fun challenge activities with small groups.  On Monday we will start polygons, perimeter, and area.

Reading: We have finished our first book (or two for some groups) in our mystery book club and will be moving on to the next one in the series.  Continue encouraging your child to read for our upcoming all-star game as well.

Writing:  This week we chose a big idea that we feel strongly about (ex: reach to do the impossible) and created our opinion statements as well as ideas from our own lives to support these statements.

Science:  We have had a fun week doing experiments with light.  This week we learned that light travels in a straight line.  We also played with mirrors and flash lights and learned that we are able to change the direction of light.

Blessings,
Lynae