Another busy and productive day...

In math we began our review of subtraction with regrouping by modeling two digit subtraction problems using base ten blocks. We practiced regrouping by trading 1 tens stick for ten ones and concentrated on noticing that we didn't change the value of the number just the way we are showing the number. For example, 71 is usually shown (or thought of) as 7 tens and 1 one but if we regroup we are showing 71 as 6 tens and 11 ones...yet the value remains the same. If you child says he/she has no math homework...he/she is right!

We got a lot done during our reading/language arts block, thanks to the help of Mrs. Bonvillian. After reading the realistic fiction text, Thunder Cake, by Patricia Pollaco, the students worked on identifying the story elements (setting, when and where, characters, problem and solution) in the book and identifying the parts of a news article and the parts of a magazine, while I was able to continue the QRI reading assessment.

This afternoon we will visit the computer lab and explore the third grade web site. We will also begin to use fingerprints to solve a crime and, hopefully, begin a new book by Andrew Clements...we didn't get to that yesterday!