Weekly Learning Targets and Important Information

THIS WEEK'S IMPORTANT INFORMATION

REMINDERS
WINTER PARTY - A giant THANK YOU goes out to our room parents for an amazing Winter Party. Fun was had by all! 

PHOTOGRAPHER- We are still in need of a class photographer for the yearbook! Please let me know if you are interested in this position. :)

LEARNING TARGETS
READING
This week in reading, we will be reading a variety of short, nonfiction texts. 

Specific learning targets :
*identifying text structures (description, chronological order, compare and contrast, problem and solution, and cause and effect) within a text
*using text structures to determine importance and state the main idea
*writing nonfiction summaries


WRITING
The students are continuing with their fanfiction piece, which is a sequel to the book The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats. They will type their final copies and create a book with illustrations to enhance their writing. Next week, our class will be sharing these stories with another first grade class. The students are SO excited about this!

Specific learning targets:
*choosing words that are specific and clear to convey meaning
*incorporating strong verbs and descriptive adjectives to make a piece more interesting and descriptive
*using figurative language to make writing more creative
*using appropriate punctuation when writing dialogue


MATH
We finished Topic 8 before break, which focuses on using strategies and properties to add and subtract mentally. We will review on Wednesday and take our assessment on Thursday. A completed and graded assessment review (looks a little different than the usual one) will be sent home on Wednesday night if you would like to review with your child. The students will be taking the Topic 9 pretest on Friday.

Specific learning targets:
*solving real-world problems using properties of addition and subtraction
*rounding numbers and estimating sums and differences


SCIENCE
Third grade has finished our social studies for the year, and we are starting science this week. Our third grade science is designed to foster critical thinking with hands-on learning and inquiry-based exploration in students, while also helping them connect scientific ideas to the real world. 

Specific learning targets:
*understanding what science is and the role scientists play
*encouraging curiosity and questioning to drive scientific inquiry
*using evidence to develop explanations for scientific phenomena and to design solutions