1. Crandall Chronicle December 2012
Classroom News from 3-1
I hope you all had a wonderful Right before Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving break (It seems break, the students filled our
so long ago now.) filled with class pillar with 200 smiley faces
delicious food and fun times (earned each week for keeping
with family and friends. Thank all 6 pillars). They voted on a
you all so much for meeting class reward and decided to
with me at your child’s have a movie party with
conference. I really enjoyed popcorn and pajamas. This,
sharing all of the successes combined with our Solars Award
that the students have had so Ceremony, made for a very
far in third grade. special end to the 3rd trimester!
Please continue to thank the friends and family members who
send postcards to our class. We recently counted 112
postcards from 32 different states and 17 international
destinations! The students really enjoy learning about the
states and locating them on the map.
Visit our class website to see which states
we still need postcards from!
In this issue:
http://ccrandall3.blogspot.com/p/race-across-states.html
Reading 1
Reading Cont. 2 What We’re Studying
Writing 2
Reading
Science 3
Math 3 During the week before and determining an author’s
Cursive 3 Thanksgiving Break, we purpose for writing. They
completed the second unit of carefully decided if the author
Web Updates 4
our Treasures Literacy was trying to inform,
Reminders 4
Program. Throughout this persuade, or entertain us. We
Dates/Events 4 unit, the students practiced continued to work on using
Student reading comprehension context clues to find the
Challenge 5 strategies that include meaning of a word with
generating questions, multiple meanings. The
summarizing, identifying text students were introduced to
as fantasy or reality, poems and poetry features like
identifying facts and opinions, alliteration and repetition.

2. PAGE 2 OF 5
Reading Continued
We began our reading unit with a to nonfiction, biographies, and
focus on the genre of fantasy. A autobiographies.
purpose for reading was set for the As your child continues to read at
students, and they had to identify home, please engage in a
parts of the story that were conversation about what he or she
completely fantasy and those that has read. This will help the children to
were realistic. Our focus then turned think more critically of the book.
Writing The second part they were looking for
The students have been hard at work was an area that they thought might
on their writing. During the weeks be lacking focus or showing details.
before Thanksgiving break, the Their job was to then add more
students were working on writing sentences or modify their already
personal narratives for our WEX written sentences to use the writing
(Writers’ Express) writing program. skills they had been practicing in
They selected one of their pieces they class.
had written this year that they wanted The next step in the writing process
to expand upon and improve. The involved the students editing their
students began the revision phase of own work. They whispered their piece
the writing process. Each student was of writing to themselves so that they
responsible for reading through their could listen for missing or extra
journal entry and finding at least two words. They also double-checked for
parts that they thought they could capital letters and correct punctuation.
improve. Since the students self-edited their
The first part they were looking for pieces and they checked for spelling
was an example of something they on their own, you may notice that
thought they did very well. This could some words are spelled incorrectly in
have been a section in which they their final published pieces. Our focus
effectively focused on a single during writing was on their ideas, so
moment or an area where they felt correct spelling was not required for
that they included exceptionally good this piece unless they were our
details that show the reader exactly monthly writing words. I encourage
what they were thinking. They wrote students to take risks with their word
two or three (or even more) choice, which results in them using
sentences continuing to demonstrate more challenging or exciting words
these wonderful writing skills. they may not be familiar with spelling.

3. PAGE 3 OF 5
Social Studies culminating activity, the students will be
taking an imaginary train ride through
In social studies, we began our Midwest
the Midwest. As we pass through each
Unit right after Thanksgiving break. The
state, the students who studied that
students have been reading about the
particular state will share important
land in the Midwest and will be learning
information with their classmates through
about the types of transportation that has
a previously recorded podcast. The
been used throughout its history. We will
students will learn about each state’s
also learn about the people of the
natural resources, state symbols,
Midwest and its economy.
manufacturing and agricultural products,
Each student selected a state from the important tourist sights, and other
Midwest that they are interested in interesting facts.
learning more about, and they began
The students are responsible for learning
researching their states in class. At the the states and capitals for the Midwest
end of this unit, the students will have a region and will be tested on them before
scrapbook containing all of the winter break. They need to be able to
information that they learned while on match states with their capitals and
locate the states on a blank map.
our “journey” through the Midwest. As a
Math Cursive
We completed our fourth math unit The students have been working
before break. The students were extremely hard on their lowercase
excited about learning new cursive letters. Our cursive packets
multiplication math facts and are nearly complete. Once students
practicing their multiplication and have finished their lowercase
division skills. The students learned letters, they will move on to the
new vocabulary (factor, product, capital cursive letters. They are
dividend, divisor, and quotient) to working hard to make sure they
describe the numbers that they are are forming each of the letters
multiplying or dividing. We will correctly. I am very pleased with
continue to use this vocabulary daily the time and effort they are putting
during our math lessons. The class has into making their cursive
been practicing multiplication and handwriting neat.
division in number stories through the
use of workbooks, hands-on activities,
and games. Please continue to have
your child practice his or her math
facts daily! We are currently practicing
writing and reading large and small
numbers.

4. PAGE 4 OF 5
Class Website Updates!
Visit our class website and check out these recently added items:
Class Pet Adventures
Frozen Clock Graphing Activity
Calculating Grandpa’s Age in Minutes and Seconds!
Race Across the States
Everyday Math Parent Letters (offers homework help) are posted
under the Everyday Math section on the “Learning Links” page.
www.ccrandall3.blogspot.com
MONTHLY REMINDERS
* Remember to send your child to school with
appropriate clothing for outdoor recess. As the
days get colder, this may include hats, mittens,
winter coats, and warm pants. If your child wants
to play in the snow, he or she must be wearing
snow pants and boots.
* Please continue to encourage your child to practice
his or her math facts nightly. Remember, there are
many different math games on our class website!
IMPORTANT DATES & UPCOMING EVENTS
December 21st – Spirit Day (Pajama Day)
December 24 – January 4 – Winter Vacation (NO SCHOOL)

5. PAGE 5 OF 5
Student Challenge
This month’s challenge: Create a timeline showing the years
that each of the Midwest states became a state and joined
the United States of America.
You will need to do a little research to find out what years
each of the 12 states became a state and an interesting
fact about each one. You may use the internet, books at
the library, encyclopedias, or any other resources that
might be helpful. (The state quarters have the dates!)
Next, draw a neat timeline using a ruler or yardstick.
Fill in the dates, the names of the states, their capital
cities, and an interesting fact about each Midwest state.
Turn in your neatly completed timeline before winter break!
Don’t forget that names of cities & states need capital letters.
The Midwest states include: The capitals include:
Illinois Missouri Bismarck
Indiana Nebraska Columbus
Iowa North Dakota Des Moines
Kansas Ohio Indianapolis
Michigan South Dakota Jefferson City
Minnesota Wisconsin Lansing
Lincoln
! Madison
Pierre
Springfield
St. Paul
Topeka
Don’t forget to keep practicing your Midwest states and capitals!