Here we go a-viking!

December has arrived and brought us to the land of the Vikings! With just 3 weeks until Winter Break, this unit is pretty quick but a lot of fun! We have 2 special events coming up, too. Here's what you'll need to know:

Viking Learning Objectives
By the end of our Core Knowledge unit, your student should be able to demonstrate mastery of the following content:

• Scandinavia is a region north of Europe, which includes Norway, Finland, and Sweden. Vikings were also found in Iceland, Sweden (they found it!) and other parts of Europe. 
• Vikings were well known as traders, raiders, and sailors. They were less-known but highly skilled in other ways, too- farmers, ship builders, fishermen, and metal-working are some examples.
• Eric the Red founded Greenland. His son Leif Ericson (Eric's son) explored west of Greenland and is credited with being the first European to reach North America.
• Vikings had a polytheistic religion (they need to know there were many gods and goddesses), with Odin as the chief god. Others included Frigga, Thor, Loki, Balder and Hodor, Tyr, Sif, Frey, Freya, and Hel. 
• Yggdrasil, the World Tree, contained 9 worlds- Asgard, Alfheim, Midgard, Vidavellir, Vanaheim, Muspelheim, Jotunheim, Svartalheim, and Niflheim. Various elves, dwarves, giants, gods, and humans lived in these worlds. Asgard and Midgard were connected by a rainbow bridge, named Bitfrost.
• Vikings loved poetry and storytelling! They wrote sagas, which were long stories written down to relate myths and legends, or to retell important historical events. Vikings wrote with a rune alphabet (the futhark). 
• We will read numerous myths as well as the famous folktale, "The Husband Who Was to Mind the House." 

After reading myths and discussing the characters and settings of Viking tales, students will create their own Viking myths. We will continue working on the Narrative story format, which includes the following Common Core Objectives:

• 3.w.3 I can write a narrative text.
• 3.w.3a  I can introduce readers to a situation and character and organize events in a story.
• 3.w.3b  I can use dialogue and good descriptions to develop characters and events in a story.  (use of quotation marks)
• 3.w.3c  I can use words and phrases to show the order of events. (use of transition words)
• 3.w.3d  I can write a conclusion

Upcoming Events!

• The December Scholastic Book order went home today. Orders can be done online (preferred) or sent in. They are due next Thursday at 8:00. Our order should arrive by the 16th and make wonderful holiday gifts! Please let me know if you do NOT want books sent home with your student :)
• Our Fall Core Knowledge Showcase is on Wednesday, December 18th at 6:30 pm. Students should arrive by 6:15 and come to the classroom. 
• We end our unit with a Viking Yule Feast on Thursday, December 19th at 2:00pm.  Yule is a traditional Norse mid-winter celebration to mark the midpoint of winter (solstice) and the coming of spring. Families are invited to attend and bring a dish to share. More details coming in the next week or so!
• There is no at-home project for this unit. Our end of unit assessment will be on Thursday, 12/19 before the feast. The final draft, with illustration, of the Viking myth is due on Tuesday, December 17th. (most work to be done in class)

Fall MAP assessments are finally done! Your child's scores will be in their Portfolio, to be sent home this coming Monday (12/9). If you still have it at home, please send it in on Thursday so that it can be updated!

Finally, I will have a substitute, Mrs. Barrett, for two afternoons next week (noon-3:30 on Monday and Wednesday) so that  I can travel to Washington to watch my children's school  holiday concerts. She has been in our building before and I'm confident that life in 3rd grade will carry on just fine in my absence :) 

Thank you, and have a wonderful evening!

Mrs. Gausman