Summative Assessments, Library Re-organization and Division!

It has been a very eventful week of learning in 3P. Reaching back to the previous week however, the boys and girls in both grade 3 classes came together to share their learning in the G3-5 PYP Assembly. As we were coming to the end of our Unit of Inquiry (UOI), the students wanted to share their research for How We Organize Ourselves. Their developing research skills were very evident to the grade fours and fives. I was proud teacher as I watched each and every student discuss their work. It was a great warm up for their summative assessment this week, where the students presented their full research projects to their grade three friends. Being able to articulate their ideas and research concisely is not an easy task for grade three students but I was very pleased with their efforts and results. The students took the time to thoughtfully evaluate their peer's presentations, and offered respectful and constructive feedback.

Despite our focus on their research and summative assessments, we managed to do some other learning tasks. In math this week, our focus was division--notably understanding that dividing sets into equal groups, and understanding what it looks like as a "division sentence", and how division is actually reverse multiplication. The boys and girls are understanding that there is more to multiplication and division than memorizing tables. "Mr. Shawn, multiplication is the opposite of doing division."

This week we also found some time to reorganize our class library as a learning activity. Understanding literature genres is not such an easys task. Our non-fiction section of the library has so many groups; from subjects such as transportation to countries and culture, to space and animals/zoology. Likewise, our fiction section now has books sorted by both author and series, to large picture books and chapter books. Finally, as recognition of the importance of multilingualism and home language, we now have a leveled reader section, and even a basket of books in other languages than English. We have also built a pretty comprehensive reference section, including dictionaries, thesauruses, atlases, a math reference series, and some encyclopedias to support their research. While we are not yet finished our library reorganization, the students certainly have greater understanding of the variety of genres.

In language this week students continued in their word study and writing groups. Our common writing focus this week was on persuasive writing.

This week we were finally able to decorate their "discussion jars." Next week, they will bring their jars home with a bunch of questions in them. The idea is that the questions will have some provocative discussion starters for students to ponder with their families, perhaps over the dinner table. Our new Unit of Inquiry, an investigation into Where We Are in Place and Time, begins in earnest next week. The questions will be related to our UOIs.


Four important pieces of information:

1) Next Friday, November 23, grade three will go on a field trip to the State Museum of History.  Permission forms and additional logistical information will go home on Monday.

2) On Thursday afternoon (November 22nd) is a half day due to American Thanksgiving. Students are to be picked up at 11:30 on this day.

3) On Wednesday morning there is a book sale in the MPR. Books vary in price from 60,000 to 200,000 cym.

4) I have been asked to post this information about Dita's birthday: Dita is turning 9 and she would like to invite all her classmates to her Birthday Party. Date and time: Sunday, November 25, 2017 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Place: I fly - trampoline center, 41/6 Mirabad Street, Tashkent RSVP: michaela@pospisilovi.eu or +998 90 359 83 46 Please come in sportwear. Invitations were sent home with your child.

I am sorry for the long post. Have a great week ahead. Be sure to see the pictures below! Mr Shawn and Ms Olga