Third Grade

September 5, 2014/10 Elul, 5774

Gev. Lansing
Tele: 414-254-6720
Email: jlansing@mjds.org













READING
We have already begun to explore our third grade reading series, Journeys.
While individual assessments were being completed, the rest of the class
investigated the different parts of the series. We learned what is included in our text book and workbook.
We also enjoyed the first story at home and looked at it more critically in class. We have also been studying
subjects and predicates this week. Next week, we will be splitting our class into two smaller groups so that
Gev. Gleischman and I can work with the students individually. Both classes will be covering the same
stories from our series, but the children might be reading different extra books at their personal instructional
level. Our story for next week is called The Trial of Cardigan Jones. It is a silly mystery story that makes us look
thoughtfully at the characters; we will also make predictions and inferences to draw conclusions. We will
also explore different kinds of sentences and write personal letters.

MATH
We are well into the first unit of our Math Expressions series. The first two units set the stage for learning all the
basic multiplication and division facts. We will also explore various ways to represent the facts and learn
how important it is to label our answers. Our math Word Wall is growing daily! Please help your child by
practicing the fact sheets as they come home. Any blue sheets you receive are for home practice and DO
NOT need to be returned to school. To tailor instruction to the students' needs, Gev. Gleischman is working
with one group, and I am working with another.

SCIENCE
We have been enjoying our sense boxes and discussing how we can tell what something is using only one
sense. We have also been working on adding sense descriptions to make our writing more vivid and
interesting to the reader. For example, instead of saying, "There was popcorn on the counter," we might
write, "There was a large, warm bowl of buttery smelling popcorn on the wooden counter."

YAHADUT (JEWISH STUDIES) WITH GEV. ALTMAN-SHAFER
We began the year in Jewish Studies learning about how the Torah is different from other types of books.
Ask your children about it. This week we reviewed the stories in Parshat B'raysheet and Parshat Noach (the
first two Torah portions). Next week, we will begin reading actual text from the Torah in our study of Parshat
Lech Lecha, which includes the stories of Avraham. I am really enjoying getting to know the third graders!
Please feel free to contact me with any questions and concerns (taltman-shafer@mjds.org). Shabbat
Shalom!

MUSIC
Music class this year will be a combination of secular and Judaic music. Geverets Wendy Lambert and
Wendy Cohen will be teaching together. We are all excited to try something new in the music room.

CALENDAR
Sept. 9: Picture Day
Sept. 11: Lower School Orientation: 7 p.m.
Sept. 24: Erev Rosh Hashanah: Noon dismissal
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Sept. 25-26: Rosh Hashanah: No school
Oct. 3: Erev Yom Kippur: Noon dismissal
Oct. 8: Erev Sukkot: 2 p.m. dismissal
Oct. 9-10: Sukkot: No school
Oct. 15: Erev Shmini Atzeret: 2 p.m. dismissal
Oct. 16: Shmini Atzeret: No school
Oct. 17: Simchat Torah: No school

NOTES
Please remember the MJDS dress code when helping your child get ready in the morning! Shoulders need
to be covered, shorts/skirts need to be closer to the knee than the hip, shoes must have a back strap and if
leggings are worn, the top worn with them must completely cover your child's tush.

We're off to a great start in third grade. Shabbat Shalom!

Gev. Jody Lansing