NEWSLETTER WEEK 49

Dear 3rd Grade Parents,

December is here and so many fun activities and events are awaiting ahead of us. The last two weeks have been rather busy and exciting. In IPC, our students have been involved in slightly more complicated investigations. They have used their prior knowledge to change the brightness of a bulb by using fair testing as a way to investigate. Students are developing their skills to  predict and draw conclusions. We produced rather amazing results, which they recorded and enjoyed sharing with their friends. They have also been learning about parallel circuits, they are learning  how to work out a parallel circuit so that if one of the component fails the other one can still function.

Measurement has been an enjoyable unit that has given us the opportunity to explore Maths in a fun way. This week, in Ms Cruz's math class, students participated in a relay race to see which team could have saved the most water while transferring the water from one container to the other. Here, students were required  to measure accurately, compare and order liquids.

Last week our students took part in a reading assessment (Developmental Reading Assessment- DRA-) They all worked hard to complete this assessment: Well done 3rd Graders!

Today, we had our Class Assembly. 3rd Graders presented our New Learner Profile Word, which is 'Caring'. We read a beautiful story that we all wrote together and sang a song. Our students' enthusiasm and positive energy filled up our auditorium creating a great atmosphere.
Awards were given to great 'Thinkers'. It was very difficult to choose 4 students since every single student in Grade 3 is an amazing thinker.  Despite the difficulties, we decided on 4 students: Aswitha, Luca, Lina and Bonnie.

Our Students' Council representatives have voted one more year to celebrate the FUN PJ Day, today we had a great cozy time wearing our pyjamas.

Over the next two weeks.

In Language we are going to act out a performance to 1st Graders. Our language students have been assigned a part from 'The Strongest One' story we read last week. Please help your child to rehearse their part at home. Students are learning to project their voices and be expressive.

Next week, Friday the 10th of December, we are all going to have a Nobel Lunch. The auditorium is going  to be nicely set up for the occasion, hence we are asking all our students to come to School dressed up 'for the occasion'.

'An hour of coding',  some of our IT teachers are going to be teaching our students  about computers and coding.

Thursday the 18th: Winter Concert for parents at 14.00pm at S:t Johannes Church, Johannesgatan 21. You are all welcome!

Tomten is coming to town! On the 19th of December Tomten will be popping in and out of our classrooms handing out nice presents to our children. Please, we would appreciate it if you leave a small present for your child down in Reception before the 15th. Thank you for your collaboration.

Classroom party on the 19th too. The party will take place in Room 22 and Room 21 at 10.00 till 12.00. Students will be asked to 'make a present to their 'secret' friend. Further details regarding this matter will be sent in a separate note soon.


Have a lovely weekend. Thank you very much for all your support and warmth!

Mrs. Kinch, Ms. Cruz and Mrs. D'Andrea-Nordin

Have a look at some of our 3rd Grade Mathematicians:

Pictures of Ms. Cruz's Math group measuring to the nearest milliliter

 Pictures of Mrs. Kinch's Math group measuring with measuring cups and scales

 Pictures of Ms Cruz's Math group measuring, comparing and ordering liquids

Pictures of 3rd Graders performing our 'Caring Assembly'. The audience asked for an encore!

Newsletter week 47

Dear 3rd Grade Parents:
Although Sweden is set for having the darkest November on record (http://www.thelocal.se/20141116/sweden-heads-for-darkest-november-on-record) we have been lighting up our classrooms with our new unit Bright Sparks! Students have investigated how to make a lightbulb work using a few components and then we have added a switch and drawn conclusions about electricity from that. We have a lot of interested scientists in our class and many of them have asked whether they can take the components (wires, battery, lightbulb, switch) home to test further but unfortunately this is not possible. Maybe a possible gift idea for a later date... Students have been drawing out circuits using component symbols and have been able to explain what is going on in specific circuits. It is very impressive. We have also investigated what materials are insulators and conductors.

In Math we are working on our unit: measurement. Telling time and elapsed time is something all children can practice with an adult so make sure to connect their schoolwork at home too. In terms of measuring ml, l, g and kg, have your child help with cooking and baking at home so they can understand the differences between the symbols. Today in Mrs Kinch's math group we made some delicious Chocolate Chip cookies! Here is the recipe if anyone would like to try to make them at home: http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/christines-chocolate-chip-cookies/4606/

This week we have been raising money for our Nepal Project. The Krona battle was a way for our students to do some extra chores and read some extra books so that they could bring in money for our Krona container. The 5th graders raised the most however everyone should take the time and reflect on the great effort we put in and how this is truly helping the students in Nepal. Well done 3rd graders for all your efforts. We are so proud of you!

Next week, we will be testing our children on their reading abilities by doing a DRA test on them. This developmental reading assessment helps us compare how they have progressed from the beginning of this term until now. The DRA tests will take place on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday so please have your child in on time so that we can be right on schedule.

Thank you for being such a supportive group of parents. Have a lovely weekend.

Ms Cruz, Mrs Kinch and Mrs D'Andrea- Nordin

ps: Click on Mrs Larsson's link on the right and check out the heading Static Electricity Fun. You'll see some funny pictures of our 3rd graders.

Upcoming Events

Nov. 25-27 - DRA tests (8:40-10:00 each day)
Dec. 5 - Primary Assembly - Grade 3 caring - All in auditorium
Dec. 5 - pajama day
Dec. 10 - Nobel Lunch - Children will be asked to dress up nicely
Dec. 18 - winter concert for parents
Dec. 19 - primary end of term assembly

Photos below:

As part of Movember (creating awareness about prostate cancer) children have been doing a 

Gro-vember, here is the result of a beautiful water cress moustache!

Mrs Kinch's group during the first investigation in Bright Sparks- how can you light up the bulb?

 Once they figured it out they were able to do a role play showing open and closed circuits! It was very entertaining!

 In Ms Cruz math group, students presented their own word problems to the the rest of the class

They also did experiments on how time passes 

 In Ms Cruz language group, students brainstormed ideas for the Class Assembly Caring Story

Newsletter Week 45

Dear parents,

The clocks have changed and we are moving into the cold part of the year. To brighten the mood we are taking the opportunity to raise awareness of men’s health issues by getting involved in Movember! Some of the staff have put together a team of moustache-growers while the students have been getting involved by growing their own little moustaches out of cress! If you would like to find out more about Movember or perhaps make a donation to our team for a great cause click the link:

http://se.movember.com/team/1666057

This week we began our new IPC unit, Bright Sparks! For our entry point we had an awesome disco with spinning lights and a smoke machine. The assessable skill for this unit is: Be able to carry out simple investigations

It would be beneficial if you could discuss the following rubric with your child in order to aid their understanding of what we want them to learn.

I’m getting used to it My teacher gives me some ideas at the beginning. I can think of one way to collect evidence, but this is a bit difficult to do. I’m getting better I can work on my own at the beginning. My teacher says that my ideas for collecting evidence are pretty good. He/she gives me a little help at the end to make my ideas work properly. I’m really getting it I can work on my own and think of two or three ways to collect evidence. When I talk about my ideas with my teacher he/she says that I couldn’t do any better.

It has also been Silent reading this week. The students have enjoyed being able to get comfortable and relax with a good book for 30 minutes each day.

At the Primary Assembly today awards were presented to outstanding Communicators. The awards went to Felicia and Isabelle in 3v and Arram and Elliott in 3c. Grade 5 presented our next Learner profile word which is Thinker.

Please don’t forget that on Thursday November 13^th school finishes for students at 12.45 due to a Professional Development afternoon for teachers.

Finally, Miss Valentina Cruz (v.cruz@intsch.se) joined up with 3v at the start of this week having returned from parental leave with her daughter. She has been getting to know the students and will gradually assume full responsibility for class 3v in time for Mr Gordon’s departure on his own parental leave on November 14^th. Mr Gordon wishes to thank all the parents for their wonderful support over the last 3 months and is sure all students in third grade will continue to impress with their exemplary behavior and fantastic attitude towards learning.

Have a lovely weekend,

Mr Gordon, Mrs Kinch, Miss Cruz and Mrs D’Andrea-Nordin

                                                

                                                   Picture of our Entry Point to Bright Sparks- Our Disco

UN Day

Newsletter Week 42

Dear Readers:

Our Chocolate Unit has been truly rewarding with seeing how chocolate is made, making ice chocolate in Science (click on the Science Blog link to get an update), to working on numerous geography tasks that have shown us where cacao trees grow and who the main importers are. During crafts we also made collages showing different geographical features. We are doing our final assessment in class. We are assessing a geography skill which is: Students are able to use secondary sources to obtain geographical information. Below is the rubric we are using and the one we have shown our students.

I’m getting used to it	I’m getting better	I’m really getting it
I can find out some geographical information but I need some help from my teacher or a friend to work out how to do this.	I can find different information from at least two different places. I can say where I found the information so other people will know where to look. My teacher helps me to look at sources I wouldn’t normally use.	I can find out information by myself and I can use at least three different sources. I look carefully at all the sources to check that the information I find in one source is also shown in another source.

Last week, we were paired with our buddies. 3C have buddies in KC and 3V have buddies in KV. We worked with some leaf crafts, played some games and got to know each other a little better. We really enjoy seeing our buddies. Some of our students are paired with another student that speaks the same language.  That same week we also enjoyed a morning out in Humlegården where we went orienteering. We were lucky with the Autumn weather! Students enjoyed reading the maps and figuring out the mystery word.

It is always a pleasure to meet parents during Parent Teacher Student conferences. It is nice to touch base and talk about your child's social and emotional performance as well as their academic one. We hope that our student's have understood the goals they should be striving towards and encourage you to keep us informed of their progress at home as well.

Week 43 is a busy week. It is Spirit week at SIS. The primary school has their dress up day on Tuesday the 21st. Students can come dressed up as anything they want. 3rd grade will have their Halloween party the last two periods that day and you are more than welcome to pop in and help out. Our class parents have put up a sign up sheet in the corridor between our 2 classrooms for snacks and crafts.

Wednesday the 22nd is a half PD day for teachers so school ends at 12.45. Please pick up your child after break.

Friday the 24th is the UN Day parade. The whole of SIS will parade around the park outside in their national dress or colours that represent their country. There will be an assembly with performances, that you are welcome to attend. Scroll down further to read the UN Day Parade invitation that the 4th graders are hosting.

Warmest regards,
Mrs Kinch, Mr Gordon and Mrs D'Andrea-Nordin

Upcoming events                        

Oct 22 – Half day for students. Dismissal at 12.45

Oct 24 – UN Day

Oct 25 – Nov 2 – Autumn break, no school

Photos below of a few 3C students with their buddies

United Nations Day

Assembly

 Friday 24th October

To celebrate the United Nations Day,

the Primary classes are planning to take part in a Parade of Nations. Our student body along with faculty members will parade around the perimeter of Johanneskyrkan’s Park in national groups.  The procession starts at 9:00am and will be followed by a Primary School Assembly in the gym at approximately 10:15.  All parents are welcome to take part in the parade and Primary parents are welcome to watch their children perform afterwards at the assembly in the gym.

The students are encouraged to wear the National Dress from their country or something that represents their country (eg. football shirt, hockey shirt, t-shirt with the colours of their country).

If students need assistance with their costumes, parents can

go to classrooms at 8:30.

Thank you and Welcome

 from the

Primary School Teachers