Welcome to Back to School Night!

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Mrs. Langford2018-19

Third Grade Curriculum ☺ ☺

Social/Emotional:☺

At this grade level, it is especially important to have a strong focus on community. Students are encouraged to discuss and solve conflicts and share what is happening in our daily personal lives. To help establish our classroom community, we begin with our first Social Studies unit, Conflict Resolution.

We emphasize:✓ Mutual respect✓ Increased Independence✓ Complimenting one another✓ Active Listening✓ Helping Others

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✓ Cooperation (“win-win”) not competition (“win-lose”)

A Walk Through a School Day in 3rd Grade

Morning Routine☺ :Children learn about responsibilities and take on

ownership in the upkeep of their classroom. ✓ Our class jobs help us keep track of our responsibilities.✓ Children enter the classroom every morning with their

Homework folders. They empty the contents of the homework folder into the Finished Work Bin. Any notes, important slips, or homework should be submitted at this time.

✓ Please make sure your child is present for the Flag Salute and patriotic song at 8:40 every morning!

✓ Students copy their homework into their planners at the beginning of every day. Please get into the habit of checking these with your child every night!

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☺ Morning Meeting:Morning Meeting sets the tone and expectations for

the day and helps the children build stronger relationships with each other and a positive classroom community.

✓ Morning Meeting begins with “Share Time,” where students are encouraged to share something that is happening in their lives. We create a share schedule together and children are responsible for remembering their day.

✓ The share is sometimes followed by an activity, with the purpose of strengthening classroom community.

✓ The class then briefly discusses the schedule for the day and the question of the day, if applicable.

☺ Reader’s Workshop:✓ We will continue to utilize the SchoolWide Literacy

program.✓ Units of Study: Launching Reading Workshop, Fiction, and

Non-Fiction✓ Students learn both the tools and strategies to develop

stamina to read chapter books and utilize the skills

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needed to become fluent readers. We want the students to LOVE reading!

✓ Keep in mind: The ability to decode words is different from truly understanding a text.

✓ Throughout the year, students will be reading and responding to texts both individually and in small groups. They are cultivating the ability to think more critically about and respond to literature in a meaningful way.

✓ Reader’s Workshop encompasses mini-lessons, independent reading time, individual conferring, and class read-alouds.

✓ Your child should also be reading as frequently as possible at home each night. An appropriate amount of time for this age group is about 25-30 minutes.

✓ Check in with your child! They should be independently reading smoothly and able to tell you what their book is about.

✓ We will focus on using evidence from a text to support our opinions about what we’ve read.

☺ Word Study:✓ We will continue to use Wordly Wise 3000. ✓ We will complete all of the activities during school time.

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✓ Students will complete pre-tests, various comprehension activities, and post-tests for each unit of study over the course of one week.

✓ Not only should students be able to explain a word’s meaning, they should also be able to use the word correctly.

✓ I will be able to login and view student progress.

☺ Writer’s Workshop✓ Units of Study: How Writers Work/Persuasive Essay,

Literary Non-Fiction, Patricia Polacco Author Study, & Biography

✓ We are all authors-the children and the teacher.✓ Children are introduced to the “Writer’s Notebook” as a

tool for writing. It is a place to gather thoughts, emotions, observations, ideas, and memories that are important to us.

✓ From these collected entries, the children will learn about different “writing craft” strategies to help elaborate and revise their writing into finished pieces.

✓ The children will learn about the Writing Process and move through it on their way to publishing their work.

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✓ The class will look critically at authors of exceptional and authentic books and learn techniques to apply.

✓ Grammar and phonics skills will be incorporated into mini-lessons to further enhance student writing.

✓ We emphasize teacher-student conferences in order to focus on the needs of each child individually.

✓ “When a writer thinks they’re done, their work has just begun!”

✓ Proofread, proofread, proofread- An independent skill we hope to develop this year!

☺ Math✓ Units of Study: Math Tools, Time, & Multiplication,

Number Stories & Arrays, Operations, Measurement & Geometry, Fractions & Multiplication Strategies, Division, and Multi-Digit Operations

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✓ Our Everyday Mathematics Program is a spiral curriculum, which means that students re-encounter concepts throughout the entire school year.

✓ We work as a whole class, in small groups, and with math partners. Children are encouraged to take risks and share different ways to solve a math problem.

✓ Third graders are learning the importance of checking over their work and learning from their mistakes.

✓ Playing math games related to a math concept helps the children review basic math skills.

✓ Understanding basic facts and learning them with automaticity helps students in all areas of mathematics and in the future! We use quizzes when learning multiplication to help students solidify their basic facts. We also have district-wide automaticity quizzes in addition, subtraction, and multiplication in November, March, and June. Keep working on fast facts at home!

✓ Problem-solving is an important component of our math curriculum and helps encourage critical thinking skills.

✓ Please sign and return all math tests!

☺ Social Studies

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✓ Units of Study: Conflict Resolution, Exploration, and Colonial America

✓ Conflict Resolution - Students have begun exploring conflict resolution strategies. Students work to find win-win solutions when faced with a problem and become more independent in solving conflicts.

✓ Exploration - We will study the European explorers and others who made significant discoveries throughout the world. Students also learn map skills and geography.

✓ Colonial America - The class will investigate the similarities and differences between Colonial life and our lives today.

☺ Science✓ Units of Study: Weather, Solar System, and Food Chains

& Webs✓ All of the units employ a hands-on, guided discovery

method of learning.✓ The students use the Scientific method to generate

hypotheses, perform experiments, collect and analyze data, and draw conclusions based on their scientific evidence.

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☺ Homework ✓ Students will receive nightly homework and will write

down assignments in their planners. ✓ Please practice reading directions with your child at

home.✓ Unless otherwise noted, homework is due back at school

the next day. Please help your child organize their homework and mail each night until they can do it independently.

✓ Homework serves to enhance and reiterate instruction. Students should not struggle with their homework. If questions arise, students are encouraged to try it themselves, ask you for help, and then ask me the next day in school when we review it to make sure they understand.

✓ Homework should always be written in complete sentences and may need to be re-done if directions are not followed.

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Third Grade FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions

How much should I help my child with homework? Third grade students should be able to complete their homework independently; however, I have no problems if you provide assistance to your child if they are having difficulty. Either way, your child should try a difficult task on their own, then ask you for help, and then ask me if they are having trouble with an assignment.

What is the PARCC state testing? Should I be worried?All third graders across New Jersey will take the PARCC assessments in literacy and mathematics in May. They will be taken on the Chromebooks. We do our best to help them do their best!

How can we celebrate birthdays?As I’ve already communicated with you, we will celebrate birthdays as a class once per month by doing a special activity. Please

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distribute birthday invitations outside of school to avoid hurt feelings.

Does my child need to bring their own snack?Yes! Remember, healthy snacks help the kids do their best thinking! We have snack each morning this year.

How do you differentiate learning? Can my child be challenged?Differentiation is embedded into all areas of our curriculum-from writing to mathematics. There are many opportunities for challenge work and optional projects for homework. Dr. Bianchi is an excellent resource for us, as she often helps provide challenge work and programs. We work hard to make sure your child is being challenged appropriately!

How do you integrate technology into the curriculum?We do many projects throughout the year involving technology and have our very own set of Chromebooks to facilitate. I have a Google classroom that the kids will frequently visit for activities and assignments during class time and we will use Google Docs, Slides, and Forms for various activities throughout the year. There are numerous apps available like Typing Club and Xtra Math to use during technology time.

How are parents selected to attend field trips?

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Since many parents show interest in accompanying our class on field trips, the only fair way to select chaperones is to choose randomly. I will contact you if you are selected to attend. Please keep in mind that should you be selected, you will be responsible for a small group of children for the entire length of the field trip. For some of our trips, the groups are separated and you would not necessarily be with your child’s teacher. Also, it is not permitted to purchase anything for your child or other children while on a trip. This includes lunch, snacks, and souvenirs. Chaperones are also required to ride with the students on the bus.

Do we order from Scholastic? Scholastic forms are sent home on Mondays in the beginning of the month and are due back to school on Fridays. Please include checks only, no cash. Checks should be made out to “Scholastic Book Clubs.” Our online ordering code is: H96G8.

How do I know what’s going on in 3L?Coming soon, the students will create newsletters outlining all of the important happenings in our classroom. They take turns writing the newsletters so we can keep you well informed!

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Reminders for 3L

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✓ Please watch absences and tardiness. Consistency is important!

✓ Please sign and return all tests.✓ Get your child in the habit of proofreading their

work and making corrections.✓ Spend time reading with your child. Books are

great gifts! ✓ Try to pack a healthy (and peanut-free) snack

for your child. It will help them do their best thinking!

✓ Please review the homework folders with your children. You will find important information and due dates in your child’s planner. Class updates can also be found on my website.

✓ Please know that you can always contact me should you have any questions or concerns!

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Thank you for coming tonight! I hope that some of the topics I covered were helpful to you. I am looking forward to an exciting and educational year together!

16Thank you for coming tonight! I hope that some of the topics I covered were helpful to you. I am looking forward to an exciting and educational year together.-Mrs. Langford