Dear Third Grade Families,
This past week in language arts, the third grade continued with the seven days of Creation according to the Hebrew people. The students read and copied a summary paragraph for each day into their pre-bound main lesson books. The students need to carefully read and copy what is on the board in good handwriting into these books. As we worked, we talked about good pencil grip and good posture as a prerequisite for success. We also reviewed proper letter formation (with letters starting from the top), letter sizing and spacing, and keeping the writing on a horizontal line. As we continue through the school year, paragraphs will become more complex, and the students learn skills to make sure that they copy the text without omissions. Throughout the year, the students will transition from copying given paragraphs to co-authoring paragraphs and independent writing.
While painting the moon for the fourth day of the Hebrew Creation stories, the student experimented for the first time with lifting watercolor pigment from the paper to create a white space. In the garden, the students are learning their animal and gardening chores with Ki Rachel. During their free play, the third graders discovered an old tire left behind from the kindergarten class which they had fun rolling down hills on the trail in our class space. Soon after, they started experimenting with building different ramps and obstacles for the tire from natural items found in the forest. It will be so interesting (and entertaining!) to see what kind of obstacle course they will construct for the tire next!
Please remember to:
Dress in layers for the changing weather.
Send snacks, lunch, and two water bottles each day.
Use sunscreen and bug repellent.
Send practical, rubber-soled indoor shoes to keep at the school. Although we spend most of our time outdoors, good indoor shoes are essential. We do not want to track dirt into the building and at the same time, need shoes on our feet for safety while walking around inside.
Best,
Ki Gaby
