Mrs. Unger’s Classroom Newsletter
Rosa Lee Carter
Elementary
Ashburn, VA
March 1st, 2016
Issue 7
General Comments
It is hard to believe we are more than half way through the school year. Despite
the cold weather and many missed school days and delays, we are working diligently to
maintain a steady pace of learning with our curriculum schedule. Please remember
attendance is critical this time of year. We want to build confidence in our learners and
class participation is a great way to stay connected to learning. Children do this when
they ask questions and make connections to lessons. Each day, it is helpful to try and
discuss at least two topics that pertain to school with your child. This home to school
connection is so important!
SOL Reviews
I am including a variety of SOL review sites in the website section. Please make sure
to select only third review activities. While we will not have a social studies or science
SOL test in May, we will have end of the year county assessments that will include
these subject areas.
Multiplication and Division Facts
Although our multiplication unit has passed, we still use those skills daily. It is
important that they students are continuing to practice their times tables! Don’t
forget that we are still working on completing our multiplication gumballs. Keep up
the hard work!
One To the World
We have started our One to the World project. The students are working on learning
about different species of animals that are on the endangered lists. We will be looking
for ways that we can teach others about their struggles, and what humans can do to
help! We have also put together a donation group through the World Wildlife
Foundation. The link can be found at
http://wwf.worldwildlife.org/site/TR/WWFInTheClassroom/PandaNation?team_id=57078&pg=team&fr_id=1406
On April 13th, we will be taking a third grade field trip to the National Zoo. There, we
will be sharing our research and ideas with the zoo staff through brochures, flyers and
other handouts the children are creating here at school. I hope your child is enjoying
reading and learning more about their endangered animal! I know that they will feel
proud of themselves for making a difference in this world. We will be sending home
letters and information about this field trip home in early April. Parent chaperones will
be requested when the letters are sent home. I will take as many parents as we have
room on the buses, so at this time I do not know how many will be able to come. Please
look for more information about this later.
Unger, pg. 2
Read Across American Celebration
In honor of Read across America day and Dr. Seuss’s birthday, we will be having a
special book reading and sharing time during the day tomorrow, March 2 nd. Have your
child think of their favorite book. If this book is at home, have them bring it in to
school with them. We will be giving a brief book talk about it. Students should be
prepared to show the book (if they have it, or a picture printout of the cover), give a
very brief overview of what the book is about, then tell us why they like it. Again, this
will be a 1-2 minute sharing so nothing formal needs to be prepared. I am looking
forward to sharing my book!
Calendar of Events
March 1st: PTO Meeting CANCELED!
March 2nd: Read Across American Celebration
March 11th: Family STEM Night March 21st -25th: Spring
Break
Tip of the Month:
When reviewing homework with your child, ask them to explain a few problems to you.
Ask questions such as,

What strategy did you use to solve that problem? What made you pick that one?
Do you know others? What is the key information in the question? How do you
know?
We always want to see what the children are thinking and then help guide them from
what they already know. If a strategy is working, go with it! If the strategy is giving
them the wrong answers, then try teaching a new strategy. You just might have a way
that they never thought of!
Remiders to Students…
classroom
Remiders to Parents…
Reminders:
Monday, Tuesday, and Fridays.
Wednesdays
(name labeled inside) in case it is chilly at recess or in the
daily. The
snack should
Include utensils if needed, I do not provide any. Please only send water to drink in the
classroom, no juice or milk.
in the morning if there
will be a change for dismissal for your child I do not always have access to my emails
throughout the day.
what genre it is.
Unger, pg. 3
This Months’s Topics
Math:
 Measurement
o Using a ruler to measure inches, feet, centimeters
 Probability
o Likely, unlikely, more likely, less likely, certain, impossible
o Making organized lists
o Fair vs. unfair
o Determining probable amounts

Time and Temperature
o telling time to the nearest minute using digital and analog clocks
o elapsed time
Social Studies:
 Economics
o producers/consumers
o goods and services
o natural, capital and human resources
 Explorers
o Columbus, Ponce De Leon, Cartier and Newport
-describe accomplishments
-identify reasons for exploring and results and
o information gained from travels
o locate regions explored
 locate the countries of Spain, England, and France on a map
Language Arts:
 fairy tale writing

writing a complete paragraph with all necessary components

using a variety transition words within a paragraph

synonyms and antonyms

combining sentences and revising fragments

using correct grammar, capitalization, punctuation and spelling
Review Websites
Prefixes/Suffixes/Roots
This website has TONS of games and activities
http://www.aasd.k12.wi.us/staff/boldtkatherine/readingfun36/readingfun_prefixessuffixesroots.htm
Fractions
http://www.aaamath.com/fra.html
http://www.visualfractions.com/
http://www.kidsolr.com/math/fractions.html
http://www.coolmath.com/prealgebra/01-fractions/index.html
Economics
http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/economics/makingabudget1.ht
m (this one may have some ads at the top, please monitor)
http://federalreserveeducation.org/resources/games/fedmatch/ economics
matching game
http://www.kidseconposters.com/econsongs.html
(posters and songs)
http://www.richkidsmartkid.com/minigames/ (economics games)
SOL REVIEWS
SOL PASS
www.solpass.org Username: RLC
Social studies reviews and games by SOL
http://star.spsk12.net/socialscience/ss_03.htm
Science Review activities by SOL
http://star.spsk12.net/science/science_03.htm
Math Review activities by SOL
http://star.spsk12.net/math/math_03.htm
English review activities by SOL
http://star.spsk12.net/english/english_03.htm
Practice online SOL tests
http://mytestbook.com/
http://education.jlab.org/solquiz/index.html
Science and Math SOL Review
http://education.jlab.org/solquiz/
WONDERFUL science practice tests and reviews
http://www.richmond.k12.va.us/schools/munford/scifiles.html
State of VA review Resources
http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/teacher_direct/sol_library/index.shtml
All types of activities (reading, math, social studies, science)- reinforce skills
http://www.internet4classrooms.com/skills_3rd_original.htm
http://www.rockingham.k12.va.us/resources/elementary/soltechintegration.htm
http://www.internet4classrooms.com/grade_level_help.htm
http://www.quia.com/pages/sol3.html (games and sample tests)
http://www.iq.poquoson.org/studygradelevel3.html#socialst