Third Grade Families

August 28, 2013

Hello Third Grade Families,

Welcome to third grade! My name is Chrissy Senecal and I am thrilled to be your child’s teacher. It is sure to be a year of learning and adventure!

Third grade is a very important year. Your child will become an explorer, a mathematician, and an author! I would love to start the year by becoming a partner with you in your child’s education. We will spend a lot of time during the first few weeks of school getting to know each other, building a community, and practicing classroom and school expectations.

Please help your child have a successful year by checking their homework folder and assignment log every evening. This folder includes:

ü Assignment Log – write down reading minutes and initial daily*

ü Spelling List and Menu – follow weekly schedule*

ü Math Homework – complete daily

ü Classroom Schedule and Contact Information

ü Lined Paper – parent and teacher communication

ü Math Dictionary – help with math homework

* will be collected each Friday

We will begin this homework schedule during the second week of school. Please complete the beginning of the year paperwork on the “right back to school” side and return in your child’s homework folder as soon as possible.

I look forward to meeting you. We will have a wonderful year!

Love,

Ms. Senecal

Welcome to Third Grade!

August 5, 2013

Dearest Third Grader,                         

Welcome to third grade! My name is Ms. Senecal and I am thrilled to be your teacher. It is sure to be a year of learning and adventure!

I can’t wait to meet you, but let me tell you a few things about myself. I grew up in Upstate New York (not the big city) and had fantastic teachers which made me want to be one. After college, I spent a year living on the Mississippi River, rebuilding houses in New Orleans, and digging trail in Illinois. Before I came to Montana, I taught fourth graders in Virginia. I love to hike, travel, and read.

Third grade is a very important year. You will become an explorer, a mathematician, and an author! Are you ready?

Supplies

·        1 package of #2 pencils sharpened

·        2 pink erasers

·        1 pencil pouch or box

·        2 yellow highlighters

·        4 wide-ruled composition notebooks

·        4 folders with pockets (1 each - blue, green, yellow, and one of choice)

·        1 set of crayons, markers, or sharpened colored pencils (your choice)

·        1 pair of scissors

·        2 glue sticks

·        1 bottle of liquid glue

·        1 pack of 2” X 2” yellow post it notes

·        1 old, clean sock for a whiteboard eraser

·        1 backpack

·        1 water bottle

Please label your backpack, water bottle, and scissors with your name. Sharpening pencils and colored pencils, as well as taking supplies out of packaging, are time savers. Please stick to the list as closely as possible.

Love,

Ms. Senecal

Weekly Update 6/3/13

This is it! Friday is our last day of school. Just a couple of reminders. Swimming lessons got off to a great start today! Students were put in groups and practiced everything from diving to boat safety. What a blast! Please keep sending your students in their swim suits through Thursday with a towel and dry clothes to change into.

Mark Your Calendar!
Monday, June 3 - Thursday, June 6: Swim Lessons at the YMCA
Wednesday, June 5: Field Day for Grades 3-5 1:00 - 3:00
Friday, June 7: Half Day - Last Day of School

Love,
Ms. Senecal

Weekly Update 5/27/13

Happy Memorial Day! On this day, we honor the men and women who have died while serving our country. Also, thank you to all who are serving and have served.

In a number of days, our third graders will be fourth graders! The school year is winding down. We are finished with our reading, spelling, math, social studies, and science curriculum. We will be spending the last two weeks completing biography reports, practicing cursive, and making third grade memories.

Mark Your Calendar!
Friday, 5/31/13 - Grandma Ann's Last Day
Monday, 6/3/13 - Thursday, 6/6/13 YMCA Swimming. Please send your student dressed in his/her bathing suit each morning.
Wednesday, 6/5/13 - Field Day, Grades 3- 5, 1:00 - 3:00
Friday, 6/7/13 - Last Day of School - Half Day

Weekly Update 5/20/13

Communication Arts:
Story: Two Bad Ants
Genre: Animal Fantasy
Comprehension: Theme
Spelling: multisyllabic words
http://www.spellingcity.com/cmsenecal/

Writing:
Cursive Handwriting
Biography

Math:
Unit 14: Directions and Locations

Science:

Nutrition

Mark Your Calendar!

Monday, 5/20/13 Last Day of Afterschool SuccessMaker

Tuesday, 5/21/13 Nutrition Lesson

Monday, 5/27/13 Happy Memorial Day - No School

Tuesday, 5/28/13 Big Sky Science Lesson

Monday - Thursday, 6/3/13 - 6/6/13 Swim Lessons at the YMCA 9:30 - 11:30

Wednesday, 6/5/13 Field Day 1:00 - 3:00

Friday, 6/7/13 Last Day of School - Half Day

*During our last week of school, we are going to the YMCA for swim lessons. Although the permission slip says $16, the cost has been generously covered by the YMCA and Hawthorne School. These four days of lessons will be FREE! Please send in the permission slips ASAP.

Love,
Ms. Senecal

Weekly Update 5/13/13

Happy Mother's Day to all of the wonderful caretakers that support the students in our class. Mothers come in many forms, and I am thankful that you share your sweet students with me every day. A special shout out to my mom and sister in New York who are both amazing mothers!

My mom, sister, nephew, and me outside of my grandmother's house.

Communication Arts:
Story: Talking Walls
Genre: Photo Essay
Comprehension: Non-Fiction Text Features
Spelling: tion, sion, ture
http://www.spellingcity.com/cmsenecal/
Writing: Biography

Math:
Unit 12: 3D Figures

Social Studies:
Salish Tribe of Montana
*Families, wait until you these awesome books. Students worked hard to compare and contrast Salish traditions with their own traditions for each month. They are FANTASTIC!

Science:

Nutrition

Mark Your Calendar!

Tuesday, 5/14/13 Nutrition Lesson

Thursday, 5/16/13 Early Out

Friday, 5/17/13 YMCA Swimming Lessons Permission Slip due*

*During our last week of school, we are going to the YMCA for swim lessons. Although the permission slip says $16, the cost has been generously covered by the YMCA and Hawthorne School. These four days of lessons will be FREE! Please send in the permission slips ASAP.

Love,
Ms. Senecal

Weekly Update 5/6/13

Yay Spring! This week is Walk 'N Roll Week. Students are encouraged to walk or ride to school. A flyer went home Friday showing safe routes. There will be a bike rodeo on Thursday. Yeehaw! 

Communication Arts:
Story: Happy Birthday, Mr. Kang
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Comprehension: Cause and Effect
Spelling: schwa sound
http://www.spellingcity.com/cmsenecal/

Math:
Unit 12: 3D Figures

Social Studies:
Salish Tribe of Montana

Science:

Nutrition

Mark Your Calendar!

Monday, 5/6/13 Big Sky Science Lesson

Tuesday, 5/7/13 Math MAP Test, Nutrition Lesson, and Midterms Reports

Wednesday, 5/8/13 DIBELS

Thursday, 5/9/13 Last day of Flagship and Bike Rodeo!

Sunday, 5/12/13 Happy Mother's Day!

Love,
Ms. Senecal