Overview of Third Grade
Mrs. Spencer’s Class
Reading
Author Studies/Genre Studies...We frequently focus on a particular author or genre of literature.
DEAR (Drop Everything And Read)...Students read silently while I conference with children and assist with book selections.
Junior Great Books...Shared Inquiry lessons involve reading
a story and then answering interpretive questions. There is also a great deal of class discussion and critical thinking involved.
Reader’s Theater...Groups are given plays to read for an audience. This helps with fluency and expression.
Guided Reading Centers... Children rotate through listening, independent, and teacher directed activities.
Read Aloud...I read to the children each day. By reading to them, I’m modeling my love of reading and introducing them to authors and literature they may not yet be able to read independently.
Nightly Reading...Children should read either silently or aloud independently each night for 10 to 20 minutes. Reading records are turned in at the end of each month. This independent reading should not replace parents reading aloud to their child. Therefore, the log also provides an optional space on the back for parents to record the
titles they are reading to their child. I use this information to have conversations with the children about books and to make a home-school reading link. Parents should sign their child’s log before they turn it in to me. Each week children will be given a reading passage with questions to complete along with poetry power to increase fluency for homework. These two activities can be done and recorded as nightly reading time on the log.
Writing
Daily Writing...Our writing begins with a mini-lesson and frequently a book is shared. The children write for an extended period of time on self-selected topics or ones that I assign. We end our session with a share session.
Spelling...Children in grades 2-4 will be learning words based on a list of most commonly used words in writing. Spelling units will focus on word study strategies like phonics, word origins, spelling rules, usage, proofreading, etc. There will be one homelink in each unit. Each child will have a list of words to learn. In third grade there are 55 priority words to learn and spell correctly in their daily writing.
For each full week, an optional spelling/vocabulary challenge will be given. Students will be given optional challenge assessments on Friday.
Cursive...The children continue to work on the lower-case skills learned in 2nd grade. Capital letters will also be introduced.
Math
Everyday Math...Each math session begins with math reflexes and a warm up. This warm up lasts about five minutes and reviews skills that require automaticity. After warming up, there is usually a math message. This message is a springboard into our lesson. After learning about a new concept through a hands-on approach, students participate in a guided practice activity. At times they do this independently, other times they work on it in pairs or as a whole group. Children then do an independent math box that reviews concepts they have learned about in previous lessons. Students then do some type of fact practice. They usually play a math game. A homelink is assigned after each lesson to reinforce concepts at home and give parents an idea of what their child has
learned in math class that day. Students should spend no more than ten positive math minutes on the homelink. Parents need to correct each homelink before their child brings it back to school. Answers to all homelinks appear in the family newsletter that comes home in the beginning of each unit. We will also have periodic Exploration Days. This will be a day when three or more new concepts are introduced.
Fact Practice... Acquiring fluency and accuracy with basic math facts helps children become more confident and effective mathematicians. Therefore, one way students will be learning math facts will be through the Mastering Math Facts program. This approach gives children individual goals to work toward as they master their math facts. Nightly fact practice of about five minutes can be expected with MMF. Students will also use fact triangles along with many math games to work on their math fact fluency.
Math Board...Students review essential learnings and increase their math power each day by answering questions in regards to time, money, and computation on the math board.
Discovery Math...Students will receive a Discovery Math page each Friday which will be due the following Friday. This is an optional enrichment activity.
Theme
There are seven basic social studies/science themes we will be studying. If you have any resources or expertise in the following areas, please contact me:
Insects, Geology, Geography, The Moon, Light, Economics, and Salt Marsh
Homework
Weekly homework will consist of nightly reading (poetry power and reading passage work included), spelling practice, MMF, and Everyday Math Homelinks. Periodically, the children will have to complete other projects or assignments. The two optional weekly homework assignments will be Discovery Math and the vocabulary challenge.
Please check your child’s “Take Home” folder each night. In it you will find any homework and notes sent home. We fill these folders together every day and the children should show them to you each night. They need to bring them back each day.
Friday Folders
Each child has a Friday folder. If a homework assignment is not turned in on time, I will make a note in the folder on the calendar inside. Also, I will make a note about any behavior issue that needs to be brought to your attention. If the folders are not signed, I’ll put in a sticker on the calendar. Every Friday, the folder will come home. To give you insight on academic progress, you’ll find some daily work samples inside the folder. Finally, at the bottom of the calendar, you will find a place to write in questions or comments about the week. It is my hope that on Friday, or sometime over the weekend, you and your child will look over the contents of the folder and you will put your initials on the calendar so I know
this has taken place. On Monday, I check the folders and respond in writing, by phone, or e-mail if there are any parent questions or concerns written inside. This folder has really helped keep the lines of communication open between home and school.
Conferences
There will be three conferences this year. One will take place in the fall. There will also be a winter and spring conference. At the fall conference, student work and progress will be shared. During the winter and spring conferences, student work, progress, and your child’s continua will be shared. Students attend the fall and spring conference.
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