Weekly Update 9/30/13

Wow, almost October and already wrapping up two units! Volcanoes is the final story in our Communications Arts unit and this is the final week of our Math unit. We will be reviewing and assessing over the next two weeks to see what students have learned.

Communication Arts
Story: Volcanoes
Spelling: suffixes: wr, kn, mb, gn--> http://www.spellingcity.com/cmsenecal/
Vocab: beneath, burried, chimney, earthquakes, fireworks, force, trembles, volcanoes
Comprehension: Main Idea and Details, Non-Fiction Text Features
Check out this video on the eruption of Mt. Saint Helens. Wow!







Writing: Narratives
We are reading Sarah Plain and Tall to learn about the style of narrative writing.





Math
Unit 1: Place Value and Multi-Digit Addition and Subtraction
Click here to practice place value!

Social Studies
Montana Landforms and Natural Resources
Click here to look at maps and read about Montana Landforms

Mark Your Calendar
9/30/13 No school for students, you lucky ducks!
10/2/13 Picture Day! Send in forms or order online.

Love,
Ms. Senecal

Weekly Update 9/23/13

3 Questions to Ask Your Third Grader
1) What types of questions did we talk about in reading? Example: Author and Me
2) What are 3 items they included in their store for math?
3) What land form do many rivers start in?

Communication Arts
Story: Symphony of Whales
Spelling: suffixes: ly, ful, ness, less--> http://www.spellingcity.com/cmsenecal/
Vocab: anxiously, bay, blizzards, channel, chipped, melody, supplies, surrounded, symphony
Comprehension: Cause and Effect
Watch this video about trapped whales that is similar to our story.

Writing: Letters*
*Pen pal letters will be sent to Richmond, Virginia this week!

Math
Unit 1: Place Value and Multi-Digit Addition and Subtraction
Click here to practice place value!

Social Studies
Montana Landforms and Natural Resources
Click here to look at maps and read about Montana Landforms

Mark Your Calendar
9/23/13 Flagship Begins
9/24/13 MAP Testing
9/26/13 Hawthorne Family Picnic
9/30/13 No School for Students

Love,
Ms. Senecal

Weekly Update 9.16.13

Thank you to all families who came to Open House and squeezed into our hot classroom. It was great to meet so many of you!

3 Questions to Ask Your Third Grader
1) What is a synonym for cuddle?
2) What are the three addition strategies called? Hint: Show All Totals
3) What are 3 examples of land forms?














Communication Arts
Story: Night Letters
Spelling: /j/ and /k/--> http://www.spellingcity.com/cmsenecal/
Vocab: blade, budding, dew, fireflies, flutter, notepad, patch, nectar, scratchy
Comprehension: Ask and Answer Questions
Click here to learn about animal tracks and signs!





Writing: Letters*
*We are going to write letters to pen pals in Richmond, Virginia.

Math
Unit 1: Place Value and Multi-Digit Addition and Subtraction
Click here to practice place value!

Social Studies
Montana Landforms and Natural Resources
Click here to look at maps and read about Montana Landforms

Ms. Senecal enjoying Montana land forms
at Cracker Lake in Glacier National Park.

Mark Your Calendar
9/17/13 MAP Testing
9/20/13 Author Visit
Theron Humphrey, the author of Maddie on Things, will visit Hawthorne Hawks on Friday! Students can purchase a book for $10.00
9/23/13 Flagship Begins
9/26/13 Hawthorne Family Picnic 

Love,
Ms. Senecal

Weekly Update 9.9.13

Open House will be Tuesday, September 10 at 6:30 PM. I will have a short 15 minute presentation beginning at 6:45 PM. I look forward to seeing you there!

3 Questions to Ask Your Third Grader
1) Cause: It rained all afternoon. Effect: ________________?
2) How much is 3 hundred boxes, 2 ten sticks and 6 ones?
3) When is open house?


Communication Arts
Story: Penguin Chick
Spelling: Syllables V/CV and VC/V--> http://www.spellingcity.com/cmsenecal/
Vocab: hatch, pecks, snuggles, preen, flippers, frozen, cuddles
Comprehension: Main Idea and Details and Information Text Features
Click here to learn more about penguins!
Writing: Letters


Math
Unit 1: Place Value and Multi-Digit Addition and Subtraction
Click here to practice place value!

Social Studies
Montana Landforms and Natural Resources

Mark Your Calendar
9/9/13 Art
9/10/13 Open House at 6:30
9/11/13  DIBELS 

Love,
Ms. Senecal

Weekly Update 9/2/13

Looking Back on Summer Memories

Wow, what a wonderful, whirlwind first week! Last week, our third graders showed me they remembered Hawthorne Elementary expectations and were ready to learn. I look forward to continue getting to know your third graders, practicing routines, and digging into curriculum.

3 Questions to Ask Your Third Grader
1) What are the 4 Hawthorne Hawk expectations?
2) How do you fill someone's bucket?
3) Line Behavior: Eyes are forward, lips are sealed, hands are ________.

Communication Arts
Story: The Gardener
Spelling: Contractions --> http://www.spellingcity.com/cmsenecal/
Vocab: beauty, blooming, bulbs, doze, humor, recognizing, showers, sprouting
Comprehension: Cause and Effect
Click here to learn more about gardening!

Math
Unit 1: Place Value and Multi-Digit Addition and Subtraction
Click here to practice place value!

Science/Social Studies
Classroom Community Building

Mark Your Calendar
9/2/13 Labor Day - No School
9/5/13 Happy Birthday Ruby
9/10/13 Open House
9/11/13 - 9/12/13 DIBELS 

Love,
Ms. Senecal

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