Upcoming Dates
STAAR Information
STAAR test time is just around the corner! The math STAAR date for 3rd graders is Tuesday, May 10 and the reading STAAR date for 3rd graders is Wednesday, May 11. These are the only 2 STAAR tests 3rd graders take. They will take these tests on their iPad; results will be sent to you during the summertime. There is no mandatory retention of 3rd graders who don’t pass the STAAR test.
Since the beginning of the year, all third graders have been learning all the math and reading concepts they will need. What we have begun recently and will continue until STAAR time are things like test taking strategies, practicing word problems without having the teacher’s help, and strengthening our stamina for independent work.
STAAR days are strange and different days for 3rd graders: 1) they’ve never taken a STAAR test before, 2) the entire building is quiet because 3rd-5th graders are testing at the same time, 3) the schedule of the day is different than usual 4) furniture is rearranged, so seats are in different spots, and 5) math and reading material on the walls has been taken down or covered up. In addition to test-taking strategies like what to do if I don’t know the answer and pay attention to what the question is asking, we will also prepare students for all the ways the day will be different than a normal day. Your child means much much more to us than his or her STAAR score, and we don’t think any 3rd grader should feel stress about these days; we have watched them all year long and understand that the STAAR scores are just one data point. However, we want them to be prepared for what the day is like and how to take a long test so that they will come to school on May 10 and 11 feeling ready to rock! Please let us know if you have any questions about 3rd grade STAAR.
*iPads - Please remember to send your child's iPad each day to school fully charged.
*Headphones - Please check with your child that they have working headphones/earbuds at school. Learners have many times where they are watching a video or can listen to directions and/or books and apps that need audio. Thank you so much for your help with this!
*Headphones - Please check with your child that they have working headphones/earbuds at school. Learners have many times where they are watching a video or can listen to directions and/or books and apps that need audio. Thank you so much for your help with this!
Math
This week, we will tackle elapsed time! There are 3 kinds of elapsed time telling, and we will spend a day teaching each one and then 2 days practicing this life skill. First way, easiest way: they give us the start time and the end time of the activity or event, and we have to figure out how much time passed (elapsed) between the two. 2nd way, medium easy: they give us the start time of the activity or event, tell us how much time elapsed, and we have to figure out the ending time. 3rd way, a touch tricky: they give us the ending time of the activity/event, and we have to work our way backwards and figure out the starting time of the activity/event. We will use time number lines, timelines if you will, to track all these minutes, and your smart kiddo will get it in no time. Finally, sometimes 3rd graders are required to look at an analog clock and tell the time (2nd grade skill) as a first step in the elapsed time problem, which adds another fun layer.
Science
In Science this coming week we will dive into Food Chains. We will look at how living organisms depend on one another and what happens if a food chain is disrupted.
Reading/Writing
Social Studies
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