Welcome to Third Grades Sneak Peak

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Welcome toThird Grades Sneak Peak!
August 2008

• Mrs. Berg
• Mrs. Smith
• Mrs. Swan

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Were proud ofHoward Elementary, Home of the
Husky!
August 2008
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Dear Parents,Welcome! We hope youre ready to
enter the wonderful world of third grade! Were
looking forward to working with you so that your
child can have a successful year!
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Take some time to learn more about third
grade
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In order to improve your childs reading, your
child will be taking a running records assessment
three times a year fall, winter, and
end-of-year.
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What is a running record?A running record is an
assessment to determine the difficulty level of
the text students are reading and assists
teachers in accurately matching students to
instructional level materials.
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Agenda Notebooks

• Parents should sign and return agenda books each
  day.
• Students will write daily assignments in their
  notebooks.
• Expect a classroom assignment each day.
• Dont forget to check the behavior log section in
  the agenda book.

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Homework

• Purpose Our purpose for homework is to establish
  habits for learning. Regular assignments will be
  given so that students begin to take
  responsibility for writing down assignments,
  getting materials home, completing work,
  returning homework to school, and turning work in
  on time.

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Friday Folders

• Review student work sent home in the Friday
  folder.
• Discuss and review work with your child.
• Sign and return the Friday folder to school
  promptly.

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Classroom Behavior

• Check the agendas behavior log daily.
• Students will be able to earn rewards in the form
  of tickets that they can use to buy things at our
  auctions or to buy reward coupons.
• Third grade classes will be having an auction
  each semester. Students will be able to use
  their reward tickets to purchase items at the
  auction.

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TRIBES

• Howard is a TRIBES school. TRIBES is a program
  that promotes a positive, caring community of
  learners, where all members of the school
  community are encouraged to work co-operatively
  with each other.
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• There are four TRIBES AGREEMENTS
• Mutual Respect     
• Appreciation/No Put-Downs   
• Attentive Listening   
• The Right to Pass     

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Classroom Rules

• Follow directions the first time they are given.
• Keep hands, feet, and objects to yourself.
• Give appreciations, not put-downs.
• Respect self, others, and staff.
• Do your personal best.

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Consequences

• All students start out with green. If a
  student chooses to break a rule
• 1st time verbal warning
• 2nd time (yellow) - loss of one recess
• 3rd time (red) - loss of recess or activity and a
  note in the students agenda sent home to be
  signed

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Spelling

• List of spelling words introduced at the
  beginning of the week
• List sent home to be studied
• List combination of high-frequency words and
  phonics-based words
• Sentence dictation and cloze story test on Friday

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Math

• Our district has just adopted the Houghton
  Mifflin Math Expressions series. Youll find
  several helpful online resources. Check out
  Math Expressions.
• Youll also find parent resources thatll give
  math background for each unit. Youll also find
  student resources that include eManipulatives, an
  eGlossary, and eGames at http//www.eduplace.com/
  kids/mthexp/g3/index.html.

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Science

• 1st quarter Well be investigating Rocks and
  Minerals while using the Einstein kit. And as a
  culminating activity, well go on a geological
  field trip!
• 2nd quarter Students will be learning about
  systems of the Human Body with an emphasis on the
  skeletal and muscular systems.
• 3rd quarter Students will do online research as
  we learn about the Solar System.
• 4th quarter Students will be involved in
  hands-on experiments as we study Plants. Well
  also go on a field trip to the Green Bay
  Botanical Garden!

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Social Studies

• 1st quarter Geography
  Students will be involved in a letter
  writing activity to learn about schools from
  different states!
• 2nd quarter National Holidays, Voting, Laws
  Students will vote for our next president!
• 3rd quarter Communities and Immigration
  Well do a re-enactment
  of the Ellis Island immigration experience!
• 4th quarter Producers, Consumers, Banks Well
  tour a neighborhood bank!

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Independent Reading

• At-home expectations Students should read 20
  minutes a day
• At-school Students will be doing independent
  reading daily, especially during guided reading
  time.
• Students will be participating in reading
  incentive programs throughout the year.

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Reading

• Our reading program contains leveled readers at
  below level, on-level, and advanced levels of
  reading difficulty. Online readers may also be
  available.
• Check out the resources for parents at
• http//www.harcourtschool.com/storytown/

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Guided Reading Instruction

• Students will be taking running record
  assessments to determine guided reading
  levels/groups.
• Students will be able to practice reading skills
  at an appropriate instructional level when in a
  guided reading group.
• Small group guided reading groups will be
  flexible.

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Shared Reading Whole Group Instruction

• Well be using two Harcourt Storytown anthology
  books which are at grade level.
• Books should be covered at home for protection.
• Vocabulary A list of robust vocabulary words
  will be regularly sent home to practice.

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Cursive

• Zaner-Bloser style
• Lowercase letters 1st quarter
• Uppercase letters 2nd quarter
• Writing sentences 3rd quarter
• Writing paragraphs 4th quarter

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Technology

• Students will be focusing on
• proper keyboarding skills via Typing Pal
• guided Internet research projects
• PowerPoint and Microsoft Word projects using
  spell checker
• Windows Movie Maker

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6-Trait Writing

• Students writing will focus on
• Organization
• Word Choice
• Ideas
• Fluency
• Voice
• Conventions (grammar)

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Dear Parents,

• Thanks for taking the time to read this
  PowerPoint!! Together we can make a difference!
• Third Grade Teachers,
• Mrs. Berg, Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Swan