This week in Room 207...

Reading Objectives:

• Nonfiction readers will learn how to identify the main idea and supporting details in their texts.
• Readers will record the main ideas and supporting details using boxes and bullets.
• Readers will be able to teach other about their reading and learning using their boxes and bullets.

Math Objectives:

• Mathematicians will continue to explore the concept of multiplication.  
• Mathematicians will practice solving word problems with skip counting.
• Mathematicians will practice writing equations for multiplication problems.

Project Objectives:

• Community members will learn about the branches of local government.
• Community members will learn about ways that citizens contribute to the community.

Writing Objectives:

• Writers will continue to write on about their topics.
• Writers will organize and reorganize their writing into categories creating a table of contents.
• Writers will use boxes and bullets to organize information in their writing.

We Are Experts!

Third grade writers are learning the art of informational writing. Writers are beginning to think about how they are "experts" in a variety of topics.  Students made expert lists this week.  Boy are we experts on all kinds of topics - soccer, tap dancing, tree climbing, origami, annoying our little brothers - the lists go on and on.  Be sure to ask your child about their expert list!

Nonfiction Readers Read with Power!

Nonfiction readers are learning how to read nonfiction texts with power.  Readers have discussed what it means to read nonfiction text.  We understand that nonfiction text is teaching us and that it is our job to be learning from the text.  We discussed this and decided that to read with power and learn from text we must:

• Open our mental file on the text topic and think about what we already know
• Be sit up and pay attention kind of readers
• Use text features like headings, captions, and pictures
• Connect the pictures and captions with what we have read in the text
• Think about what we are reading while we are reading it
• React to our reading and learning

Check out these pictures of partners reading with power!

This week in Room 207...

Reading Objectives:

• Nonfiction readers will learn how to read texts with power.
• Nonfiction readers will learn how to identify the main idea and supporting details in their texts.
• Readers will become experts about the books they read and will be able to teach others.

Math Objectives:

• Mathematicians will continue to explore the concept of multiplication.  
• Mathematicians will practice solving word problems with skip counting.
• Mathematicians will practice writing equations for multiplication problems.

Project Objectives:

• Community members will learn why communities have rules and laws.
• Community members will learn about the branches of local government.

Writing Objectives:

• Writers will begin to think about how they are “experts” in a variety of topics.
• Writers will teach their expert topic to another student.
• Writers will write long about their topic.
• Writers will organize their writing into categories creating a table of contents.

Carrboro School Grounds Workday

Come one, come all to help beautify our grounds!  Gardeners of all ages and experience levels are welcome.

We will be spreading mulch, weeding, and planting.  High school students can earn service learning hours by participating in this event.

When: Saturday, October 19th from 9am - 2 pm

Where: Carrboro Elementary School

Coffee and water will be provided.

Bring your own tools, gloves, and wheelbarrows.

Meet at the main entrance of the school to select your task and grab a coffee or bottle of water.

Contact Eileen Regan (eregan@chccs.k12.nc.us) with any questions. 

Thank you for helping our school look great!

Our Upcoming Visit to Orange County Historical Museum

On Thursday, October 17th, the third graders will be heading out to Hillsborough to the Orange County Historical Museum.  We will be touring the museum and learning about the lives of mill workers in Orange County in the late 1800's.  This will help build on what they have been learning about Carrboro's past.  This is a great experience for our third grade researchers.  To learn more about this museum visit this link: http://www.orangenchistory.org/

If you have not signed your child's permission slip, please do so as soon as possible!

This week in Room 207...

Check out this week's objectives!

Reading Objectives:

• Readers will practice retelling a story from the beginning to a partner.
• Readers practice active listening with a partner.
• Readers will practice making notes while they read to help them with their partner talk.

Math Objectives:

• Mathematicians will identify things that come in equal groups.
• Mathematicians will use pictures to show equal groups.

Project Objectives:

• Researchers will compile notes from our field trips.
• Researchers will compare Carrboro past and present.
• Researcher will begin to make plans for their project.

Writing Objectives:

• Writers will develop personal narratives about a small moment in Carrboro/Chapel Hill.
• Writers will learn how to use paragraphing to help tell the story and elaboration to tell more.

Finding a Partner...

Third graders know that everything is better with a friend and reading is no exception. Third grade readers now have reading partners.  These partners will work together to share their thinking about the books they read.  Students are getting to know their partners as readers by conducting a reading interview.  

Here are some of the questions we are asking one another:

• Can we look over your log and talk about how much you are reading at school and home? Are there times when you read more or less? Why do you think that happens?
• When you find books that are just right, what do those books tend to be like? What should I know about the books in your life?
• What are your goals for yourself as a reader? What are you doing to meet them?
• If you think back over your life as a reader, what have the big turning point moments been for you? Can you tell me more about one turning point? How did your reading change during that moment? What did you realize about yourself as a reader?
• Who has helped you as a reader? What did that person do that was helpful?
  
  
  Interviewers are taking notes, learning about their partner, and discovering ways that they can support each other this year.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Writers study author's craft...

Third grade writers studied a mentor text, Come On, Rain! by Karen Hesse.

We worked in partnerships to find examples of powerful language that really pulled us in as readers. We looked for parts that helped us start the mental movies in our minds.  We starred these meaningful parts of the text and wrote about what made them powerful.

We found poetic language, great leads, sensory details, action sequences that helped us make mental movies, and much, much more.  We made a list of all the powerful parts and decided that we would try to use some of these same techniques in our own writing! Here are a few examples of our work.
  

Text - And that's when I see it coming, clouds rolling in, gray clouds, bunched and bulging under a purple sky.
"We like this part because it sounds really good and it's fun to say."

Text - Come on, rain!  I say squinting into the endless heat.
"I like how they say come on rain as in it hasn't rained for a long time."

Text - Not a sign of my friends Liz or Rosemary, not a peep from my pal Jackie-Joyce.
"We like how it said 'not a peep' from Jackie Joyce instead of  'no words' from Jackie Joyce."

Text - Come on, rain!  I say squinting into the endless heat.
"It (the lead) pulls me into the story because it tells us it a place that hasn't had rain in awhile."

Text - "Come on, rain!" I say squinting into the endless heat.
"I like it cause I can imagine what it's like in that heat."

Text - Three weeks and not a drop.
"Me and my partner like it because it said how many weeks it has not rained"

This week in Room 207...

Check out this week's objectives...

Reading Objectives

• Readers will learn how to work with a reading partner.
• Readers will practice thinking over stories with a reading partner.
• Reader will practice talking over their stories with a reading partner.

Math Objectives

• Mathematicians will fluently subtract using a variety of strategies.
• Mathematicians will solve word problems using what they know about subtraction.

Project Objectives

• Researchers will continue taking walking field trips around Carrboro to various historic sites.
• Researchers will take notes about what they learn and will take photos of what they see.

Writing Objectives

• Writers will examine their own writing and revise by further developing the most important part of the story.
• Writers will learn how to use paragraphing to help tell the story and elaboration to tell more.

Visiting Carrboro Graded School

Last week, third grade researchers visited the old Carrboro Graded School which is now Town Hall. Students learned that this school had not one, not two, but eight grades!  They also learned that class sizes could reach as high as 45 students per class and that the principal also taught 8th grade.  Students also learned about the beginnings of their school building back in 1958.  We are learning about Carrboro's history and thinking about how things have changed over time.

Introducing a Book to A Friend!

       

Third grade readers thought about the books that they love - books that are special.  We decided not to keep these books a secret, but to create a buzz about them and share them with our classmates.  Each reader chose a favorite book and wrote a recommendation for it.  We will create a wall of recommendations that we can use as a resource next time we are looking for our new favorite book. 

       

Rehearsing Leads

Third graders looked at leads from different texts and examined the many ways that authors can pull readers into their stories.  After studying these different leads, third grade writers chose one of their stories and rewrote the lead in two or three different ways.  Finally, authors chose the lead they felt worked best with their story.  Third grade writers work hard and make tough decisions!

Learning about Mill Houses

Today third grade researchers traveled back 100 years to learn about Carrboro's own mill houses.  We took notes listening for important dates and interesting information. Researchers drew sketches and recorded questions for further research.

This Week in Room 207...

Check out this week's objectives!

Reading Objectives:

• Readers will learn strategies to use when the encounter new or unknown vocabulary words in their reading.
• Readers will learn how to work with a reading partner.
• Readers will practice thinking over stories with partners.

Math Objectives:

• Mathematicians will fluently add using a variety of strategies.
• Mathematicians will solve word problems using what they know about rounding and addition.

Project Objectives:

• Researchers will take walking field trips around Carrboro to learn about local historic sites.
• Researchers will take notes about what they learn and will take photos of what they see.

Writing Objectives:

• Writers will learn how to rehearse their stories and try out different leads.
• Writers will revise by studying an author’s craft, naming it, and trying it in their own writing.
• Writers will examine their own writing and revise by further developing the most important part of the story.

Writers Reflect, Make Improvements, and Receive Feedback

Third grader writers have been working hard at writing real true stories.  They have been working at using a storyteller's voice and being sure to tell the story bit by bit.

This week we looked back at our best stories and used our writing checklist to reflect on what is going well and where we can make improvements.

Later we went back to our drafts to revise and improve.  

This is the narrative checklist that 3rd grade writers are using.

 Writers are also receiving feedback from one another during our share sessions and in teacher conferences.

In our sharing sessions, students elect to share completed or in process pieces with the group.  Students ask questions of the writer and share compliments ("I like how you described the ice cream cone..." or "I could really hear you yelling at your little brother in your dialogue!").

In our conferences, the teacher shares a compliment with the student to reaffirm what the writer is doing well.  ("I really like the way you ended this story.  It was funny and surprising.  This will really stick with the reader and a lot of writers like to end stories like this.")

Then the teacher offers a suggestion that could help improve this piece and future pieces of writing. ("I think if you added dialogue to your story, it would really help the reader feel like he was right there with you when your dad was teaching you to float on your back.")
 

A student narrative with some feedback from the group on a sticky note.

Stories Hold the Universe Together

Third graders in Ms. Gutierrez's homeroom were learning about personal narratives from a master today - our own expert and author Ms. Bremer.  She prompted the students to think about where we hear stories.

The student responses were thoughtful.  Students reported that they hear stories in the books we read, during our project time, in our music, from our imaginations, when listening to advertisements, and even in our dreams while we sleep.

Ms. Bremer talked to us about personal narrative and shared her experience writing a memoir.  She showed the students that many times we find our stories in our moments of discovery - the times when we discover something about ourselves, others, or the world.

Next the students set to work creating "The first time I ..." narratives.  Students worked to keep their pencils moving and words flowing.  Afterwards, students shared their narratives with the group and received feedback.    

Khalil introduces our writing expert (and his mom) Ms. Bremer.

Lucky for us, Ms. Bremer will be back next Friday to work with Ms. Moorman's homeroom!

Using a Storyteller's Voice!

Writers are learning to use a storyteller's voice when they write!  We have been thinking about the difference between writing a summary of something that has happened and writing a story about something that has happened.  

We are getting really good at spotting the differences between summaries and stories.  
Here are some of the things we include when we are telling a story:

• descriptions of actions
• dialogue
• sensory descriptions (sounds, sights, smells, tastes)
• descriptions of images around the storyteller

Our third grade writers are doing a great job making their readers feel like they are right there in the story by including these elements in their writing!

Information about Bus Passes

What is a bus pass?

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools offers students who are having a play date with a bus rider, the convenience of getting a bus pass.  This allows a student who typically does not ride that particular bus the opportunity to do so in order to go home with a friend for a play date.  In order for us to obtain a bus pass for your child, we will need a note from both parents acknowledging the play date and transportation arrangements.    

That being said...

Every year the transportation department does not allow us to issue bus passes until October. There are a couple of reasons for this.  First, they want bus drivers to be familiar with the students and their stops.  Secondly, they want to make sure that every student that rides the bus during the year has a seat. If any bus is full, we can not issue bus passes for the rest of the year unless transportation tell us otherwise.  

If you have any questions, please contact me!

This week in Room 207...

Check out this week's objectives!

Reading Objectives:

• Readers will learn strategies to use when their book gets confusing.
• Readers will learn how to welcome books in their lives.
• Readers will learn how to make a book recommendation to others.

Math Objectives:

• Mathematicians will learn strategies to round to the nearest hundred.
• Mathematicians will add and subtract using rounding.

Project Objectives:

• Students will locate and map their homes and community locations.
• Students will make different types of graphs using survey information about Carrboro.

Writing Objectives:

• Writers will learn how to use a storyteller’s voice rather than writing summaries.
• Writers will learn how to reflect on their writing to consider what is going well and what needs work.
• Writers will learn how to do some editing as they go.

The Hard Parts of Writing!

The students became the writing teachers today as we talked about the hard parts of writing.  We made a list of challenges that we face when writing.

Then students worked in small groups to come up with a few suggestions that they would give to writers who were facing these challenges.  We compiled all of the suggestions and made charts and posted them in the room.  Now we can use our suggestions whenever we get stuck!

Students are writing long and strong.  We are enjoying everyone's real, true stories!

  

Writers are learning strategies so they can write real true stories!

Third graders are working hard at writing real, true stories.  Sometimes we have stories to tell, but when we don't we use strategies to get our ideas flowing!

Here are two of the strategies students can look to when they get stuck.

Students are writing long and strong - trying to write at least one page a day.  They are working to tell their story from beginning to end by making a movie in their mind of what happened first, next, and after that.  Third graders are also bringing their story to life using dialogue and description.

Here are some examples of long, strong writing from our notebooks today.

                          

                     

This week in Room 207...

Bring a Guest to Lunch Day will be held in our school cafeteria on Tuesday, September 17th. Moms, uncles, aunts, friends, dads, grandmas, or just that special person can come eat lunch with their favorite Carrboro Cub.  Our lunch period is from 12:30-1:00!  See you in the cafeteria!

Check out some of this week's objectives!

Also, Picture Day is on Wednesday, September 18th! This is the only picture day we will have this year, so dress in your best color and smile, smile, smile!

Reading Objectives:

• Readers will learn how to read stronger and longer.
• Readers will learn strategies that they can use when the text gets confusing.

Math Objectives:

• Mathematicians will learn strategies for rounding numbers.
• Mathematicians will learn how to use a number line to round numbers.
• Mathematicians will find mystery numbers using a number line.

Project Objectives:

• Students will write short paragraphs to explain their origin story.
• Students will understand the relationship of Carrboro to the region, the state, the country, and the world.
• Students will locate and map their homes and other community locations.

Writing Objectives:

• Writers will learn strategies they can use to generate story ideas.
• Writers will learn how to use a storyteller’s voice rather than writing summaries.