January - March 2015
Volcanoes! Pele's Peak ***Please see information below regarding 3rd grade writing expectations
We have begun our unit of study focusing on volcanoes and plate tectonics. The unit, Pele's Peak, correlates to the third grade science unit "Rocks and Minerals." Students will learn new vocabulary associated with this branch of science and research a volcano of their choice. They will learn about the birth and life cycle of a volcano. Though volcanoes are the focus of the unit, we will also discuss earthquakes and tsunamis, and how they result from the constant movement of the earth's crust. Below is a list of GCPS AKS introduced and practiced in the unit.
Students will also write a report on a selected volcano. We will write the report at school, and students will design a poster at home to aid in their presentation of the report. Poster due 2-23-15.
Check out these websites:
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/environment/environment-natural-disasters/volcanoes/volcano-eruptions.html
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2014572_2014574_2014585,00.html
http://library.thinkquest.org/03oct/01754/famous_volcanoes.htm
http://www.universetoday.com/31873/famous-volcanoes/
http://en.rian.ru/photolents/20100829/160360722.html
http://www.travelfront.com/names-of-famous-volcanoes/
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/volcano-facts.html
http://www.nicenfunny.com/2011/01/most-10-famous-volcanoes.html
In third grade, writing becomes more complicated. Not only will your child be writing book reports, he will learn to do research papers. Third graders are asked to respond in writing in almost every subject, even math, so they need to know how to write about their thoughts and ideas. Third graders will continue to focus on the parts of speech and how to use them to make their writing more interesting.
Want to know what's "normal"? Students who are working at the standard level at the beginning of third grade should be able to:
- Write about their own ideas
- Pick out nouns and verbs in sentences
- Explain the problem, solution, and main idea in fiction and nonfiction
- Revise their writing to make it clearer
- Read and understand stories, poems, plays, directories, newspapers, charts, and diagrams
- Write different types of sentences
- Communicate in writing
- Use writing to inform others
- Use writing to persuade others
- Identify nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs in a sentence
- Use adjectives to describe things and enhance their writing
- Correctly use conjunctions
- Correctly use common spelling rules
- Identify sentence types
- Write compound sentences
Science
3SC_A2006-2 Demonstrate knowledge of scientific processes and inquiry methods
3SC_A2006-3 Apply computation and estimation skills necessary for analyzing data and following scientific explanations
3SC_A2006-4 Use tools and instruments for observing, measuring and manipulating objects in scientific activities utilizing safe laboratory facilities
3SC_A2006-6 Communicate scientific ideas and activities clearly
3SC_A2006-7 Question scientific claims and arguments effectively
3SC_B2006-8 Investigate the physical attributes of rocks and soils
3SC_B2006-9 Investigate fossils as evidence of organisms that lived long ago
Social Studies
3SS_A2008-1 Use cardinal directions
3SS_A2008-2 Use intermediate directions
3SS_A2008-3 Use a letter/number grid system to determine location
3SS_A2008-4 Compare and contrast the categories of natural, cultural and political features found on maps
3SS_A2008-6 Use a map to explain impact of geography on historical and current events