Mr. Conger’s Newsletter
For the month of March
Math
Currently we are learning about fractions as a part of a whole or a set. I was pleased with our scores on Chapter 13 related to perimeter and area. We will be working on specific areas that we need to have done before the AIR Math Assessment coming up in April. During this month we will learn about fractions, data/probability, and measurement. I have passed out the most recent STAR Math Scores for you to see. During conferences I used the same data to show parents how their child was progressing. Pay careful attention to the graph. There are two lines that show your child’s scores compared to the average third grader. Your child’s growth line has several points along it and the average third grader’s line ends with a star at the end of it. If your child’s line is above the starred line, he is achieving above benchmark, if it is below he is working below the benchmark. It is important that your child’s line is increasing each time we take our STAR Math test. As you know we use this data to show progress throughout the year. I would like to take time tests twice per week. I will send home tests the day that they are given, for you to review and to see what facts to work on at home. I would like to increase the time your child spends on monthly math practice to 50 minutes a week. Focus frontrowed.com work on fractions and geometry.
Science
We are currently learning about plants and their characteristics. During the month of March we will be learning about plants and their adaptations for survival. Soon we will be preparing our outside gardens to produce fruits and vegetables over the summer. Our class will learn about how to enrich the soil, prepare the soil for planting, area of the gardens, the theme for this year’s crops, etc. Students are enjoying our science lessons that are web-based. We watch videos, complete a lab, and assess our knowledge during each week. Ask your child about what plants eat animals and how you can grow something without soil.
A copy of this newsletter and the homework calendar can be found on my teacher webpage. If you need another copy, please visit my website. You can find my page by going to and clicking on teacher pages.
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