Dear Third Grade Parents,

Thank you for helping to make this year's Catholic Schools' Week a great success.  We have an amazing Catholic School Community here at SMA and this week we truly did shine brightly.  I am so blessed and proud to be a part of this family.  Thank you for all of the love and support you give to the Third Grade Class.

Please be sure to check this week's Curriculum Update below.  It should be a fairly quiet week in comparison to last week.

Curriculum Update for the Week of  February 2, 2015:

Religion:  Chapter 12 Quiz on Monday;  Begin chapter 13, the Church celebrates the Sacraments of Initiation, Holy Orders and Healing

Math:  Review subtraction and regrouping (borrowing) across zeros;  Quick Quiz on Wednesday- subtraction;  relate addition and subtraction; addition and subtraction practice; solve word problems; Quick quiz Friday on subtraction and addition

Reading:  Whole Group:  Read and discuss "City Critters";  Complete comprehension activities for "City Critters";  Guided Reading:  Meet in guided reading groups to read and discuss group novels

Science:  Continue Chapter 6- how we describe the features of the Earth's surface; earthquakes and volcanos; Begin Chapter 7- Stars and light; types of stars

Social Studies:  Finish chapter 6- the story of a community; Begin chapter 7- The Capital- rules, laws, and community government

Language Arts:  Unit 18 Spelling Test on Friday- words with the /j/ sound;  Vocabulary Workshop:  Continue unit 3 synonyms and antonyms; completing the sentence; Grammar: verbs/contractions: their, there and they're; your and you're;  Writing:  Continue "If I Were A Superhero..."

Art:  compose pictures combining observation and imagination; distinguish between foreground, middle ground and background; demonstrate knowledge of perspective through size and overlapping; demonstrate a controlled use of watercolor;  Students will need to bring in a small stuffed animal- beanie babies

Music:  Continue to study how to read and play music on the recorder

Thank you to Mrs. Koresaar for helping the third graders to create the Queen of Hearts' guards from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.  They turned out very well.  Thank you so much, Mrs. Koresaar!

Have a wonderful weekend Third Grade Families!!!!  Thank you for all you do to help make Stella Maris Academy the best school in San Diego.  Take care and God bless!!!

Sincerely,
Ms. Griffin
Your Third Grade Teacher