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| Students made bookmarks with welcome messages for next year's 3rd graders. Love this one: "Dear ____?, I hope you like third grade. You will be a poet, an author, a writer." Mission Accomplished! |
Summer is here, and thus marks the end of our amazing third
grade adventures. It has truly been a pleasure and an honor to teach your
children this year; they are energetic, funny, honest, fearless, and have an inspiring,
unapologetic love for learning about the world. I will miss them so! Below is my
summer-super-list of ways to keep those brains humming June through August!
Below you will find reading lists, writing ideas, math games, upcoming events,
etc... Do take some time to sit with your child and reflect on their portfolios that came home this week - and celebrate how much your child has grown this year. Also, note that in the post just below this one, I have placed a link to order your own paperback copy of our Wapato Poetry book. Yay!
Many students were bummed that I won't be in the classroom right next door when they are in 4th grade - and requested my email and/or address to keep in touch. Go for it! I love getting letters or emails from former students - and always write back!
Have a wonderful, fun-filled summer!
Fondly,
Asa
Many students were bummed that I won't be in the classroom right next door when they are in 4th grade - and requested my email and/or address to keep in touch. Go for it! I love getting letters or emails from former students - and always write back!
Have a wonderful, fun-filled summer!
Fondly,
Asa
READING AND WRITING
Keeping up with reading and writing skills over the summer
is key to maintaining learning throughout the year — here are some ideas:
Keep a journal: Kids can keep sharp in writing by
keeping a journal, writing about summer activities and more.
Read throughout the day: Offer reading opportunities
morning, noon, and night, with the newspaper, websites, books, magazines, and
more.
Write a comic strip: Develop creativity, writing,
and humor with a fun comic strip.
Read books about summer activities: Before heading to the beach, camping,
or other adventures, pick out a book that discusses the activity.
Email friends and family: Have kids write to friends and
family over email to keep in touch while also keeping up with their writing
practice.
Encourage reading in bed, even if it pushes bedtimes: Allow your children to read in
bed, even allowing them to stay up later as long as they are reading.
Start
a blog:
Create a blog for your child to update over the summer, and share it with
family and friends. KidBlog is what we used in third grade - a great, safe, kid-friendly template.
Read everywhere, read the environment: Read street
signs, billboards, and anything else you can find while you’re on the go this
summer.
Designate a family reading time: Create a time when your whole
family reads, individually or as a group.
Buddy up: Pick out books for your kids to read
together with their friends for fun and a shared experience.
Pick up comic books: Build a renewed interest in
reading with comic books this summer.
Read aloud each day: Even if it’s poolside, listen
to your child read aloud every day.
Summer reading camp: Scholastic offers a Summer
Challenge, a virtual reading camp that engages kids in competitive reading over
the summer.
Most importantly, READ! READ! READ!
Looking for some new good summer reads? Check out this reading list from Green Bean Books.
If you’re in the Portland area I recommend Green Bean Books on NE Alberta or
Powell’s Books. Of course, there is the Scappoose Library , the St. Helens Public Library , and the awesome Multnomah County Library.
Most public libraries have summer reading programs and challenges where kids can win goodies as they log reading hours - check your library to see if you can sign up for one!
Most public libraries have summer reading programs and challenges where kids can win goodies as they log reading hours - check your library to see if you can sign up for one!
Here are some summer reading lists from Scholastic's Summer Reading Challenge (when you get to the page, find the downloadable pdf files for ages
8-10 and 10-12 book lists).
MATH
Try these hands-on experiences to keep math skills sharp:
• Money - practice adding, subtracting, and estimating money
through experiences at the grocery store, lemonade stand, etc.
• Multiplication - use multiplication to calculate the
totals of groups of things; grocery stores, parking lots,
• Measurement - have your child help you with measuring
length, weight, volume of things around the house.
• Time - keep up conversations and practice telling time and
calculating lapsed time
• Fractions - serving up a pizza? Cooking a recipe?
Get your child involved in the fractions!
Free, age-appropriate computer games can help your child
practice basic skills at home. Play with your child the first time to make sure
the game matches your child's interests and abilities. If your child has
trouble focusing, the graphics may be too distracting. Children benefit from
hands-on experiences and interaction with other people, so when you have time,
play board games and talk to your child about the math he or she is doing.
There is no substitute for your interest and involvement!
Here are some great websites with games and activities for
your child to keep sharp with their math:
Basic Addition
Speed
Grid Addition Players select two numbers from a grid that equal the
given sum. Timed game.
Math Lines
The player races to pair numbers that add up to 10. Before your child plays,
review the pairs of numbers that add up to 10. Site contains ads.
Basic Subtraction
Speed
Grid Subtraction Players select two numbers from a grid that equal
the given difference. Timed game.
Larger Addition
Falling Problems A
beat-the-clock game in which the player has to decide whether an addition or
subtraction combination will be less than or greater than 10. In a more challenging
version, the player decides whether an addition or subtraction combination will
be less than or greater than 100. This game is great for developing number
sense and estimation skills.
Larger Subtraction
Falling Problems A
beat-the-clock game in which the player has to decide whether an addition or
subtraction combination will be less than or greater than 10. In a more
challenging version, the player decides whether an addition or subtraction
combination will be less than or greater than 100. This game is great for
developing number sense and estimation skills.
Basic Multiplication
Times Square This
game provides practice with multiplication facts as players race to be the
first to get 4 products in a row on the game board. Use "guest pass"
to enter game list & play against the computer.
Factor Dazzle Players
score points for finding all the factors of target numbers set by their
opponents. Your child may need some support to get started. Use "guest
pass" to enter game list & play against the computer.
Multiplication
Grand Prix Up to 4 players compete in this race car game by entering
basic facts. Students can race one another or play against the computer.
All Basic Facts
Math
Magician Specify facts to practice. Select from addition,
subtraction, multiplication & division. Timed.
Money: Subtraction with Decimal
Numbers
Making
Change The player finds the difference between a price and the
amount of money paid. Then the player shows that change using the fewest coins
and bills possible. Talk to your child about some ways to calculate the amount
of change mentally. For example, can he or she add up from the price to the
amount paid to figure the difference? Site contains ads.
Telling Time
Bang
On Time The time is displayed in words. A player stops the clock when
hands are in the correct position.
Watch
and Learn An extensive list of links to games and activities to
practice telling time.
Fractions
Identifying
Fractions Game Identify which picture of a pizza represents the given
fraction. Use arrow keys to choose the correct pizza. Select from 4 levels of
difficulty. Turn off timer and sound if desired. One or two player game. Site
contains ads.
More Games
The sites below contain some of the best games for elementary math students to play at home. Look through the sites to find other games for your child.
ABCya!
BBC Bitesize (skip money games on this British site)
Calculation Nation (register or use guest pass; for upper elementary & middle grades)
Cyberchase
Johnnie's Math Page
National Library of Virtual Manipulatives
The sites below contain some of the best games for elementary math students to play at home. Look through the sites to find other games for your child.
ABCya!
BBC Bitesize (skip money games on this British site)
Calculation Nation (register or use guest pass; for upper elementary & middle grades)
Cyberchase
Johnnie's Math Page
National Library of Virtual Manipulatives
EVENTS!
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