History: The Thirteen Colonies

Math: Multiplication and Division Facts plus supplemental

Religion: Chapter 28

English: Writing a Research Report

Spelling: Unit 36 Review

Writing Exercise: Research Report

Literature: Farmer Boy

History: The Thirteen Colonies

Math: Fractions - reducing, adding, subtracting, and facts

Religion: Chapter 27 cont.

English: Writing Instructions cont.

Spelling: Unit 35

Writing Exercise: Writing instructions for ...

Literature: Farmer Boy cont.

Spring Gala - Thursday 6:30 pm

History: The Thirteen Colonies

Math: Review and Supplemental

Religion: Chapter 27

English: Writing Instructions

Spelling: Unit 34

Writing Exercise: Compare and Contrast

Literature: Farmer Boy

History: The Thirteen Colonies

Math: Review and Supplemental

Religion: Chapter 26

English: Developing a plot and writing a play

Spelling: Unit 33

Writing Exercise: Writing a play

Literature: Farmer Boy

A full week of school, I actually look forward to the full weeks - the kids do much better with a regular "routine". We're nearing the end of our math curriculum for the year, but this allows us to do supplemental exercises to better prepare the students for fourth grade. So, don't be surprised next week to see some different workdsheets. Our other classes on are on track to carry us through the end of the year.

Math: Lessons 134-135 and review

Religion: Chapter 25

Science: Chapter 14 - Heat, Light, and Sound

English: Unit 8 - Writing a Story

Spelling: Unit 32

Writing Exercise: Writing a story with a "moral".

Standarized Testing is over! Most of the kids did very well; although we won't get the results for several weeks. As a teacher I sometimes cringe when I walk around and see the answers that kids are putting down - (how many times did we go over ... ?). Some of that can be chalked up to being nervous about their first formal testing; some of it is simply "rushing" to get done. I will go over the test results and answer any questions that parents have - when the results become available.

This week:

Spelling: Unit 31: 19 - 23# schedule, dessert, waiter, narrative,
personal
Religion: Chapter 24

Math: Lessons 131 - 133 Assessment quiz Thursday

History: Exploration of North America

English: Writing a Friendly Letter

Memorize poem for Spring Program - "Autumn" by Helen Keller

Ready or not! Standardized Tests are here!

This week we will be testing for at least the first 3 days; there will be some specials worked in as much as possible. We try to reserve Thursday and Friday for "make-up" due to illnesses. As a result, there is no homework this week, but there is "school work" - work that should be completed at school. The children should also continue to practice their poem for the spring program.

Spelling: Unit 30 Review (in school)

No writing Exercise this week;

Math - review skills

Thursday: Practice for spring program.

Good Luck on your tests!
Mr. Zink

Welcome back!

This week we will be preparing for our standardized testing next week by taking "practice" ones. Although we want the students to do well on their tests, this should not be a high stress situation. 3rd grade is where we start our standardized testing at HFA; so this will be new experience for most. I tell the students that they won't be graded, but in essence - the "teacher" and the pedagogy employed will. The students will take two separate tests - one measures "aptitude" and one measures "performance". The results are then cross referenced are the students are then rated as
"high", "moderate", or "low". I will give further information, if necessary, when we get our results. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at anytime.

This week we will be covering:

Spelling - Unit 29

Religion - Chapter 23

Math - Lessons 126 - 130

Science - Chapter 13

Writing exercise - Personal Narrative
1. It must be true.
2. Who will be your "audience"?
3. What is your "purpose?

I just wanted to share a little follow-up to our tepee exercise. I had the students do a quick journal entry on the activity. They could write about the things they liked and disliked while constructing the tepees. It was very interesting to read what the students reactions were, although the papers were a bit more candid than the class discussion. We talked about how important it was to get along and to work "together". It was eye opening to see how differently kids view a shared event. Some didn't like it at all; while other loved it. One wants to do it again next year in 4th grade, and another says 3rd grade shouldn't do it anymore. Life teaches us many lessons, and one of the hardest is learning how to work together to accomplish something as part of a group.

Spelling - Unit 28

No writing exercise this week

Religion: Easter prep and Holy Week

Math: Lessons 124 - 126

History: Finish unit on "The Earliest Americans"

Last week we made our tepees, and as usual it was a bit more of a struggle for the boys than for the girls. If you walk into the classroom you can see both tepees (please feel free to do so), which are very different from one another. One is much larger and decorated inside and out. One is a little crooked with several "patches". There were a few tears shed, and even with that - I still intend on utilizing the exercise again. The purpose is to have the kids figure how to work things out, and they did it - with a little stress.
I hope and pray that everyone has a blessed and joyful Easter!