Today was fabulous! The third graders are really getting into the swing of things. :) This morning, after we completed our usual morning work, the students completed an "in house" reading assessment. It allows me to get a snapshot view of your child's reading abilities.

In math, we talked about estimation when purchasing items. We looked at a sale poster together and discussed how to decide what we could and could not buy with a set amount of money. In pairs the students played "store" and recorded purchases, total cost, and change given. (Journal page 20)

This afternoon, we held rotations. The children visited a site called Critter Cam. Here, they were encouraged to explore the deep ocean, locating various creatures. While reading about giant squids, manta rays, and the like, students completed a worksheet which they will finish tomorrow.

In small groups, we discussed our first rubric for note taking. The class has been reading about the ocean in our book Sea Monsters. We've been discussing how to locate important information when reading non-fiction, how to put what we understand in simple, "caveman speak" notes, and how illustrations can help us to remember information. The rubric is their guide on how to earn the grade they desire, so today we worked on completing all the required pieces for their note taking guide.

We've also been practicing our poems for our next Web 2.0 project. Continue to encourage your child to read their poem aloud and with enthusiasm. I'm anxious to see how it will turn out!