Every week your child will read an anchor text as well as a paired text. The anchor text is used to work on fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary skills and strategies. The paired text may be similar in theme and or genre. This text will reinforce vocabulary usage. Student understanding of the anchor text and vocabulary will be assessed on Fridays.

Students will also work on grammar and spelling throughout the week. Assigned spelling words will be assessed on Fridays.

MSTEP Prep

On Friday, third graders will bring home 10 M-STEP vocabulary words to study at home and an extra credit crossword puzzle. If students complete and return the extra credit crossword puzzle, they will earn 1 extra credit point on the quiz. On Fridays, the students will be quizzed on these words. When your child earns 80% or better on Friday’s quiz, he/she will earn a charm for his/her M-STEP charm necklace. Students will be quizzed on Friday, March 6th. Don’t forget… I have practice set up in SpellingCity to help students practice their MSTEP words throughout the week. Please utilize this resource at home.

Weekly Reading

Every Friday, your child is assigned reading material for the week. This assignment will be in the form of an electronic article using ReadWorks. Login info is in your child’s planner. Your child is required to read and answer questions that are Common Core based. Similar questions will appear on the M-STEP. The electronic submission is due by the following Thursday. All short answer questions MUST be answered in complete sentences and contain proper punctuation in order to earn credit. If your child doesn’t submit or return the reading homework by Thursday, he/she will miss out on valuable skill practice, and it will be noted as a missing assignment in Parent Connect. It is imperative that students complete the assigned articles and questions on time. After a certain date, the article will no longer be available in the student’s ReadWorks account for late submission.

ReadWorks Article: Famous Inventors – Alexander Graham Bell: You Rang? due 3/5/2020

Encourage your child to use the following steps to complete the assignment:

1. Read the article noting any unknown words.
2. Explore vocabulary section or use a dictionary to define the words.
3. Read through the questions.
4. Listen to the text aloud using the audio option available stopping to note any possible answers to the questions.
5. Answer the questions using evidence in the text and note it in the text where possible.
6. Reread until all other questions are answered.
7. Double check to make sure all answers are completed and reasonable.

Congratulations!!

Hard work pays off. These students studied all week and earned a charm for their necklaces by scoring 80% on their MSTEP Vocabulary Quiz. Way to go! I hope to see more students receive a reward for their efforts next week. I hope all students are creating flash cards at home to use as a study tool. I also have practice activities set up in SpellingCity that students are able to use.

Environmental Interpretive Center

The third grade classes will be taking a field trip to the University of Michigan-Dearborn Environmental Interpretive Center. Due to scheduling, each class will be going on this trip separately. Our class is scheduled to go on Monday, March 2nd. We will leave Arno at 8:45, and return to Arno around 11:20 to be back in time for lunch. It is very important that you arrive to school on time.

We will be learning how to identify different types of trees, how to tap syrup from maple trees, and engaging in activities related to this experience. This field trip does require a hike through the woods, so please send your child to school with winter snow boots, winter coat, hats, gloves, and scarves.

Thank you to the following individuals that have volunteered to chaperone: Mrs. Brown (car), Mr. Curtis (bus?), Ms. Heivilin (bus),  Mrs. Martinez (car), Mrs. McNeal (bus), Mr. Neimann (car), Mrs. Puchala (car), Mrs. Rivett (bus), Mrs. Shepherd (bus), and Mr. Sisson (bus).

Chaperones:If you are riding the bus, please arrive at Arno by 8:30. If you are driving yourself and meeting us at University of Michigan-Dearborn’s Environmental Interpretive Center, please meet us there at 9:00. Below is a map to help direct you to parking and our final destination.

EIC Directions

March is Reading Month