SPELLING BEE PARTICIPANTS

CONGRATULATIONS to Onycka, Rachel, Tessa, John, Becca, and Michaela for qualifying for the Third Grade Spelling Bee on Friday, May 15, 2009.

Each third grade classroom had its own individual spelling bee to determine the participants. The top five (in our case -6, due to a tie) were chosen to move on to the grade level bee.

The spelling bee will be held at 1:30 p.m. in the group instruction room. Parents, family, and friends of the participants are invited to attend. HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

THIS WEEK'S SPELLING WORDS (MAY 11-15)

WORDS WITH SILENT LETTERS

wrong
wrinkle
known
knock
knife
comb
limb
crumb
palm
folk
calf
whole
height
daylight
frightening

CHALLENGE
bitter
crystal
kingdom
gripped
vanished

SUMMER BIRTHDAYS

Summer birthdays will be celebrated during the last two weeks of school. Students may choose an"unbirthday" date to celebrate their special day. Just send in a note with your child to let me know the date he/she has chosen, and that day will be "reserved" for him/her.

MULTIPLICATION FACT CHALLENGE

Congratulations to Tessa and John for being the first students to complete our Multiplication Fact Challenge! Thank you for all of your hard work practicing your facts. WELL DONE!

THIS WEEK'S SPELLING WORDS (MAY 4-8)

dinner
summer
center
fiddle
handle
stumble
favor
motor
sailor
signal
metal
cellar
collar
travel
barrel

4SIGHT TESTS - WEEK OF MAY 4 - 8

We will be taking our last round of 4Sight tests this week, in reading and math. We will be testing on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday.

ACADEMICS (April 27 - MAY 4)

READING
We read the Time for Kids selection, Pure Power, and learned about using solar energy and windmills to help save our natural resources, and cut down on pollution. Did you know that our entire country could get all the power it needs from the wind that blows through North Dakota, South Dakota, and Texas?

We are still finishing up our "Wacky Weather" report pictures. The children are having fun illustrating their weather with all kinds of materials; fabric, buttons, food, cotton balls, straws...just to name a few. We hope to have these done and on display SOON!

ENGLISH
Our study of pronouns continues; subject, object, and possessive. It's getting a little tricky knowing when to use: its-it's/ your-you're/ there-their-they're, but we keep working at it!

MATH
We are in the middle of our geometry chapter, and have learned about points, lines (parallel-perpendicular-intersecting), line segments, rays, and angles (acute-right-obtuse). Other topics to come include polygons, perimeter, area, and volume.

Our MATH FACT CHALLENGE is closing in on the finish line. John, Tessa, and Michaela have completed the task! Many others are closing in fast! Please be sure that your son/daughter continues to practice his/her multiplication flashcards daily (even if they've met the challenge), as this is a key component of fourth grade math, and is also a graded activity.

SOCIAL STUDIES
Our study of Jamestown continues, and will culminate with making a model of Jamestown Settlement! Check the links a few entries down for some online Jamestown adventures!

SCIENCE
The students had fun working in groups, and creating "something" from the treasures they brought in, that were going to be thrown away in the trash. These treasures were reused, and turned into robots, a helicopter, boats, and all sorts of creative things! It was fun to watch them work cooperatively and let their imaginations go wild!