December 1

Upcoming Dates/Reminders:

• December 5 (Monday)- We will be having a writing celebration from 2:15-3:00.  If you would like to volunteer to come and help with this, please sign up via the link at the top of the blog.
• December 13 (Wednesday)- Gingerbread houses.  You don't want to miss this!  There is a link for volunteering and a link for candy donations at the top of the blog
• December 21 (Thursday) from 2:15-3:00- Class Christmas Party.  Is anyone (or a small group of you) willing to plan a small Christmas party for our class?  It would involve a simple game or craft and a light snack.  I would greatly appreciate the help!  Let me know if you are interested.  
• Christmas Giving- Instead of a student gift exchange, Pine Ridge collects baby items for Positive Options.  These items will be collected during the month of December and then given to the organization at a special chapel on December 20 at 10:00.  A purple paper came home with the needs that positive options has requested.
• December 25-January 7- No School for winter break.

Curriculum Highlights:

Bible: This week we began looking at the stories of Isaac and Rebekah as well as the birth of their twin sons, Jacob and Esau.  We see how God continues to be faithful to the promises He has made to His people and how his covenant plan is being carried out.  We are also busy memorizing Luke 2:6-20.  

Praying over a friend as we start our day

Math:  We have wrapped up learning about measurement and liquid volume and are moving on to elapsed time.  I have started at the very beginning with telling time to the hour, half hour, quarter hours, and 5 minute interval.  Students now need to tell time to the minute and we will begin elapsed time in story problems next week.

Literacy:  We are busy reading our second or third books in our book club series.  Everyone loves meeting with their small group and has excellent discussion.  We have wrapped up our personal narratives and we are excited about our writing celebration on Monday afternoon!  We are beginning a personal essay.  This week we looked at different essays and determined the big idea and supporting evidence in these writings. 

Finding the big idea and supporting evidence in an essay

Social Studies:  We had very little time for this subject this week due to swimming lessons but we did continue to create a book to review the different natural and human characteristics in Michigan.  We also talked about natural resources in Michigan and looked several of them up on Google Earth.  

MUSIC NOTE FROM MRS. BOER - Third Graders begin learning recorders second semester (January 22) in music class. The cost of a new recorder is $5. You can pick one up in the office for a Christmas stocking stuffer or you can wait until the New Year to purchase one. Some of you may have a hand-me-down somewhere in your home that you can seek out in preparation for second semester.

Have a great weekend!

Lynae