News for the College Bound Third Graders of Miss Strohl’s
Class
April
News and Notes
April 2016
It is hard to imagine that we are nearly three quarters of the way
through the year. We are only about a month and a half away from our
first SOL test. The next few weeks will be very intense as we have a lot
of information to cover and review before we begin testing. We
appreciate anything you can do to help support your child through the
next few weeks.
We will be moving into our plants and soils unit in Science – our last unit
of the year and our Explorers unit – our final Social Studies unit of the
year.
In math, we will be studying finishing up with time and
measurement.
Third Quarter Report Cards will go home on April 17th. Please make
sure to sign the slip at the bottom of the last report card page and
return it with the envelope.
We will be doing some third grade review assessments this month on the
computers to help prepare for SOL’s. These tests are intended for the
use of your child’s teacher in planning future instruction or remediation
lessons as well as preparing students to take SOL assessments online.
They consist of questions based on content studied throughout the
year so we know what we need to spend our time reviewing. They will
also prepare students for the technology enhanced questions that they
will encounter in their testing. I have been weaving in these types of
assessments all year to give students repeated experiences to ensure
that the SOL tests seem familiar to them. They are not assessments the
students can study for, but are a measurement of how well students
have learned content taught thus far. They also provide an opportunity
to practice test taking strategies in a testing environment.
After completing instruction in our final units this month, we will begin
reviewing for SOL’s. You will see class assignments that revisit topics
covered throughout the year. Please support your child in completing
these reviews and help them review at home with old vocabulary from
our science and social studies units or practicing math problems.
Dreambox and Reflex offer good opportunities for students to review
math concepts at their level. Review activities can be turned into games
like a match game or bingo. Our SOL’s will be taken online this year.
Please remind your child to continue completing homework assignments
as they are important practice for the work being completed in class.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
Thank you,
Miss Bekah Strohl
Academic Notes
In April, we will be studying the following:
Reading:
-Comprehension Strategies
-Predicting
-Sequencing
-Summarizing
-Making Inferences
-Writing story
summaries/retelling
-Reading Fluency
Writing:
-4-Square Writing Strategies
-Cursive
-Editing Strategies
Math:
- Time Test – April 7th
- Measurement Test – April 26th
Science:
- Animals Test – April 14th
- Plants and Soils Test – May 12th
Social Studies:
- Explorers test – April 27th
Important Reminders
As you may remember, third grade postponed our
field trip to the Smithsonian museum in DC
earlier this year. It has been rescheduled for May
11th. Our second field trip will also occur in May.
Look for more information coming home about
these two trips later this month.
Upcoming Events
April 7th –
Science Fair/Invention Convention—6:30
April 14th –
End of 3rd Quarter
April 15th—
Teacher Work Day
April 22nd—
Comet Walk
April 26th—
Volunteer Luncheon—11:30
April 27th –
Report Cards Go Home
Miss Strohl’s Notes
This month we will work on our Animal projects
and spring PBL project in the computer lab.
As a reminder, to help students prepare for
classroom assessments, talk with them about their
vocabulary and have them use their words in
context to explain how what we are studying
relates to their world. This will help to ensure that
they not only understand the words but can apply
them to extension questions.
April Vocabulary
Math
Analog
Digital
Calendar
Leap year
Social Studies
Christopher
Columbus
Juan Ponce de
Leon
Jacques Cartier
Christopher
Newport
Jamestown
Plymouth
Pilgrims
St. Augustine
Quebec
Explorer
Science
Plants
Roots
Stem
Leaves
Decade
Cells
Century
Simple plants
Fahrenheit
Seed
Degrees
Germinate
Thermometer
Seedling
Celsius
Seed coat
Yards
Photosynthesis
Feet
Science con’t
Chlorophyll
Producer
Inches
Soil
Consumer
Miles
Humus
Herbivore
Centimeters
Topsoil
Interact
Decimeters
Subsoil
Predator
Meters
Bedrock
Inherit
Kilometers
Clay
Fossil
Millimeters
Loam
Trait
Ounces
Resource
Fish
Pounds
Conservation
Hibernate
Grams
Strip cropping
Migrate
Kilograms
Contour plowing
Scales
Prey
Milliliters
Carnivore
Liters
Energy Pyramid
Omnivore
Reptile
Gallons
Food web
Camouflage
Quarts
Decomposer
Instinct
Pints
Food chain
Mimicry
Cups
****All content vocabulary for Science and Social Studies
for this year is available on my webpage in the Content Area
Study Materials Section.
Comments? Questions? Concerns?
School Phone: (571) 434-3260
April Tip
During all breaks, it is important
to have your child read and
spend time reviewing concepts
so they stay fresh and focused
for their return to school.
Rebekah.Strohl@lcps.org
Email Reminder
Please don’t use email for emergencies or last minute
dismissal changes. I don’t always get these messages before
the end of the school day. Please call the school instead so
these messages are received and handled in time.