I use the paper below to check over each child's paper. The check marks mean they got that part of the word correct. Once they miss two or more in one column, that means that is the spelling patterns they need help with. It begins with initial and final consonants sounds, goes to short and long vowels, digraphs (sh, wh, ch), blends (mp, fl, tr, etc.) and then on to inflected endings, syllable junctures, and finally suffixes and bases or roots. This paper gives me so much information about what students know and what would be best to focus on. If your child's weekly words seem easy, it may mean he/she is memorizing the words instead of understanding the spelling pattern. Your child needs to be able to transfer their knowledge of spelling patterns to their written work, not just on weekly tests. This inventory shows me what patterns your child has internalized and which ones are still a struggle.
Students are then grouped with other students who are weak in the same spelling patterns.
Did you ever wonder how your child was placed in a group for word study (spelling)? Today, students took their spelling inventory. They take this every 8 weeks to show me what spelling patterns they may need help with and which ones they have already mastered. The words start out easy with the word "bed" and get more difficult by ending with the word "opposition." Students know to just do their best and I also warn them not to give up on a word because it sounds difficult. They get points for getting chunks of the words correct. For example, if they spell the word "float" as "flote" they would still get credit for the "fl" and the "t," but it shows me that they may need help with long vowel spelling patterns.
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We had a fabulous morning getting cozy and sharing books and snacks with friends. During our morning together, I read aloud Tale of Despereaux. Students also buddy read and, of course, read to themselves. They did a wonderful job getting lost in their books! Ty (with Wolfie) is our superhero this week. He could be seen in the hallway with his cape flowing behind him! Elizabeth was last week's superhero of the week. The one wrong that Elizabeth wanted to make right was to make sure every child has a family. What a hero!! This week we focused on the characters in our books that we are reading during reading workshop time. We have been using sticky notes to record when our characters show us a trait, when they change, and when we make a prediction of what they are going to do and how they are going to do something. Students meet with a partner to discuss their characters. We have some good thinkers! We have been discussing all year the proper use of quotation marks and commas to show when someone is speaking. We often correct errors when we edit our paragraphs every Wednesday and Thursday. This week, however, in place of spelling words we have really gotten deeper into studying quotation marks and how they are used. In third grade, students also have to know when to use a comma in a quote. We read our second book today about the use of commas and quotation marks. It is coming home today and has the rules for quotation mark use and a fun bingo game your child can complete on the back. A quotation mark assessment will be given on Thursday, so if you get a chance, please go over the booklet with your child. Thanks for your help!
Let me know if any books you order are a present for your child. I will make sure he/she doesn't know! If you would like to order online, please use the code FLZP8. The books in the book order are quality literature and are a very reasonable price. Your order will also earn us free books for our classroom. Thank you!
We have been practicing finding main idea and details of a non-fiction paragraph. Often, the main idea is the first or last sentence of a paragraph, bust sometimes the main idea is unstated and the reader has to put the details together to figure out the main idea. The main idea is what the whole paragraph is about and the details support that main idea and are more specific. We discussed the importance of authors using main ideas and details to help organize the book or article. Without this organization, the text would skip around all over the place and be very difficult to follow!
Students first read a nonfiction level L article about national parks. The article was a lower reading level so students didn't have to struggle with the words and were free to think of the content as they tried to figure out the main idea of the last section- Many Activities.
I am so proud of the students for a job well done in leading conferences. It was wonderful to hear the students talk about their reading levels and the goals they made for themselves and how they plan on reaching their goals. I loved hearing the conversations they had with their parents about their behavior and social aspects of school. The parents asked very good questions. Way to go kids! |
Mrs. Ellis's Class
Learning & laughing our way through third grade. Archives
June 2020
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