Dear Third Grade Families,

Spring is starting to come, as the weather gets warmer. We want to thank everyone for their patience in re-rescheduling our Brooklyn Bridge trip. We hope to have that in our books VERY soon!

Math

In math, we have come to the end of our bar modeling unit. This strategy for reading word problems carefully and organizing information can be successful for some students, though we know it is not the best strategy for all. During the week, we discussed the positives of drawing a picture to represent the word problem, be it a bar model or drawing equal groups. For instance, if the two-step problem says “There are 36 slices of pizza. Julie and her mother eat 9 slices. The remaining slices are divided equally among 9 children. How many slices does each child get?,” it could help students to start off by drawing 36 slices of pizza and crossing out (or coloring in) 9 slices. This way, a student can visualize the remaining slices that need to be put into equal groups. Other methods we reviewed, to support us in solving multiplication/division equations, are the skip counting and break apart strategies.

 

Social Studies

This week in Social Studies, we talked about symbols. There are symbols all around us, everyday. Some students brought up stop signs or lights, and the purpose of those. A few brought up flags, and both half groups were then able to describe what the symbols in the United States Flag represent. Students also know that an eagle is an important symbol for America, and some were surprised to hear that this symbols comes from European flags made centuries ago! They notice bathroom symbols, one-way signs and street signs. They recognize that colors have meaning in our world. Some discussed symbols they notice in New York City, such as it being called “The Big Apple,” or structures such as the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building. From this discussion, students then went off in their table groups to investigate the symbols that could be found in the New York City flag. We saw: beavers; a windmill; a Lenape tribesman; a European sailor; an eagle; the year 1625; “Sigillum Civitatis Novi Eboraci” (which translates to “The Seal of the City of New York”); barrels; and a laurel.

 

Later in the week, we started our exploration of the Statue of Liberty, and the symbols on the structure itself. From a list about what we already know about the statue, students discussed:

• It was a gift from France
• It is green and HUGE
• It represents freedom and liberty
• There are a LOT of steps (168 from Lady Liberty’s feet to her crown, to be exact)
• There’s a famous poem carved on it, written by a woman named Emma
• You can climb to the crown AND the torch (which was then changed to just the crown, and that no one has been able to climb to the torch in many years)
• Used to be silver/bronze, but because of the weather it turned green (another student clarified that the metal is made of copper)
• She holds a torch in one hand and book/tablet in another
• It’s a landmark because a LOT of people know about it
• Each of her feet are 25 feet long
• When the statue of liberty came, it didn’t come with the pedestal — WE had to pay for it!

Students then went off into table groups to look at close up pictures of different aspects of the Statue of Liberty — specifically her clothing, tablet, crown and feet. In groups, students discussed the symbolic nature of each section of what she wears or holds. As well, we learned some Roman numerals, by figuring out what MDCCLXXVI means!

With eight weeks left of school, we are excited for all we have left to learn this year — especially our upcoming topics of fractions, biography writing and late 19th/early 20th century immigration.

 

Conversation Starters:

• Social Studies
  • What is the importance of Lady Liberty’s crown?
  • What makes the Statue of Liberty important? Why was it an innovation, or new idea, of the time?
  • What are are her feet? Why was it important for Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi (the sculptor) to include them?
• Math
  • Create a word problem together → can your student solve it?
• Reading/Writing
  • Who are you studying for your biography unit?

 

Dates to remember:

• Tuesday, April 24 → Delet P’tucha
• Thursday, May 3 → Lag B’Omer
• Friday, May 4 → Kesher Day (Special Person Day)
• Monday May 21 → Shavout (no school)
• Wednesday, May 23 → Ellis Island Trip for the orange group
• Monday, May 28 → Memorial Day (no school)
• Wednesday, May 31 → Ellis Island Trip for the purple group

Shabbat Shalom,
Hilary and Talia

Hebrew with Ilana

This week the third grade worked in their new work book “After School”. We read short stories about what Tamar does after school. They had new vocabulary and  the conversation was saying at least four sentences what they do after school. Next week on Tuesday they will have a quiz. 

Judaics with Aliza

This week in Judaics, the third grade learned about the fate of the city of Sedom. We discussed the idea of punishing many people, and whether or not  such a harsh punishment was earned judging by what the text tells us about their behavior. We also had a wonderful time yesterday celebrating Yom Ha’atzmaut. The Judaics classroom was transformed into the mountain city of Tzfat, home of the famed Artists’ Colony. Third graders helped decorate the room with their own Judaics-themed artwork, framed in the shade of blue famously found on the railings, doors, and windows of Tzfat. We also recreated the Tzfat candle factory by making our own beeswax Havdalah candles with the second grade. Shabbat Shalom!

Art with Iviva

Students are continuing to design their own toys and products, turning detailed sketches into cardboard and paper mâché models, sewn and stuffed toys and pillows, or “advertising” posters. The process includes internet research, feedback from classmates, multiple sketches, and manipulation of materials into sculpture.