Week of April 15th-19th

Reading Camp

Letters for Reading Camp went home on Thursday. We would appreciate your help if at all possible. We will be in need of tents, canopies, and/or volunteers.  If you only have a half day to volunteer, feel free to split the day with another parent. We can help with that if you can't find anyone to share the day with. Please return the bottom portion of the slip as soon as possible. 

End of Year Testing

The window for 3rd grade testing begins on April 29th. Your child will participate in the M-Step Reading and Math Assessments for the first time this year. This is an online assessment. We will review how to use the tools for the test at school. It would be beneficial for you to check them out at home as well. In addition, to M-Step, your child will take the end of the year NWEA test.

There are two distinct differences between these tests. The M-Step assesses your child on skills that were taught during 3rd grade and before. This assessment will give you a good indication how your child is doing with grade level material in reading and math and the results will be compared to other Michigan schools and students. Again, this test only covers concepts up through the 3rd grade. The NWEA test is an adaptive test. This means that your child is given different types of questions to determine his/her level of knowledge in the area of reading and math. As your child answers questions correctly, the answers will become more in-depth and of a higher skill level. The results of this test will show you how your child is performing in the areas of reading and math and will compare them nationally to other students.

While it is important to keep students relaxed and stress-free about these tests, we also want them to put forth their best effort. In the classroom, we will be discussing strategies for keeping yourself calm during testing as well as having perseverance and grit when things feel tough. Reinforcing these ideas at home will benefit your child during these testing sessions.

Calling All Colors

All third grade classes will participate in their 2nd session of Calling All Colors this month. The dates are as follows:

Knuth: April 22nd

Deis: April 25th

Covert: April 15th

Next Week's Schedule:

Monday: C Day
Tuesday: D Day
Wednesday: E Day
Thursday: F Day
Friday: A Day

Upcoming Events:

April 22: Knuth to Calling All Colors

April 24: 1-hour Late Start

April 25: Deis to Calling All Colors 

               PTO at noon
May 6: Charlton Park
May 10th: Track Meet at Upton

What we've been up to:

Reading: We have been working on cause and effect and making connection during reading. We just completed a Reader's Theater and were able to perform in various classrooms in our building. 

Word Study:  We will continue to practice words that end in -ed and -ing. Our next test will be Thursday, April 25th. 

Math: Our focus will be on fractions this unit. Students will be identifying and representing fractions on a number line and comparing them. 

Science: Will will begin our discussion on Animals Through Time. 
Social Studies: As we continue with Michigan history, we will learn about key people that helped us to become a state as well as the process that led us from a territory to a state.

Writing: Our informational books have been submitted. Please join us at the technology festival on Friday, May 10th to celebrate their hard work! The festival will be from 6:00-7:30 at the high school.