WELCOME TO SHAFER

ELEMENTARY

3rd Grade Curriculum Night

2015-2016

MR. & MRS. SHAFER

LANGUAGE ARTS

Your child will be taught Reading and Writing

using a balanced literacy approach. This includes:

read aloud, shared reading, guided reading,

independent reading, shared writing, and

independent writing.

The structure for this will be built around a

Reading Workshop and Writing Workshop.

WORD WORK

The goal of word study is to enhance a student’s

reading ability, written language, and vocabulary

skills. Teaching spelling through word study enables

students to not only be able to spell words but to

apply and transfer spelling skills to reading and

writing, which requires more complex thinking and

understanding.

LANGUAGE ARTS

Big Ideas for 3rd Grade

Narrative Study Expository Text

Narrative Writing Expository Research

Drama/Fables/Myths/ Legends

Assessment as a Genre

Literary Nonfiction Persuasion

Writing About Reading On Going Word Study

Poetry

SOCIAL STUDIES

Students will be creating an interactive notebook

to encourage and reinforce their knowledge,

concepts, and skills.Big Ideas for 3rd Grade

Classroom Community Economics & Entrepreneurs

Map Skills Communities (past and present)

Landforms Innovators

Government & Elections Space Pioneers

Early American History Celebrating Cultures

MATH

Guided Math (students grouped based on data and

student needs to extend or enrich). Students who are not

being pulled for small group at that time are doing

differentiated math stations, fact fluency or menus.Big Ideas for 3rd Grade

Place Value Graphing & Probability

Addition & Subtraction Measurement

Multiplication & Division

Geometry

Money Fractions

FACT FLUENCY

Homework (computer games, apps, flash cards,

plus parent resources will be sent home also)

One graded assessment at the end of each 9

weeks.

The goal is to complete 25 facts in 1 minute 40

seconds.

SCIENCE

Students will experience hands on exploration to

extend and enrich knowledge and vocabulary.

Big Ideas for 3rd Grade

Health Earth

Body Systems Organisms & Environment

Physical Properties Solar System

Force, Motion, & Energy

STAAR INFORMATION

Math STAAR May 9, 2016

Reading STAAR May 10, 2016STAAR are 4 hour timed tests that assess

students knowledge.

PLANNER/TRACKER

Homework information will be written in the

planner daily, along with reminders and important

information.

This is seen as a valuable tool in daily

communication between home and school, so please

check your child’s planner/tracker daily for

information.

BIRTHDAYS

We look forward to helping your child celebrate their special day

with their classmates. This will take place at the end of lunch.

We ask that the treat be something that is individually wrapped

and/or separated (i.e. cupcakes, cookies, donuts) and store bought.

Please send with your child to the nurse’s office to be approved in

the morning.

Check in with your child’s homeroom teacher to schedule a day to

bring in birthday treats.

COMMUNICATION

We believe that communication between home and

school is a vital part of children’s educational success. We

look forward to working with you as a team. • Friday Weekly Email• Daily Folder • Expectation Card• Planner• Website

EXPECTATION CARD

The Expectation Card is used as a means of communicating with

parents/guardians about behaviors which need improvement.

Teachers will record misbehavior(s) on the school wide

Expectation Card. The card will go home in the Daily Folder each

day. A mark will be given if the card is not signed and returned

the next day.

Detentions will be assigned as a consequence when a student

receives 7 marks or 5 tardy days.

CONFERENCES

We look forward to meeting with each family to

discuss your child’s accomplishments, strengths, and

overall progress.

We will send home emails for conference signups.

You may request a conference with your child’s

teacher at any time during the year by contacting

them.

DISMISSAL

Dismissal is at 3:40 p.m. Early dismissal is at

12:40.

All changes in transportation must be in

writing and received by the office before 3:00.

Emails are not accepted.

Biker/Walkers will not be released if we are

having severe weather at 3:35.

HOMEWORKEach night students are asked to read 20 minutes and track it in

order to help build their reading stamina.

On Monday, a reading passage that matches our reading program

and is correlated to STAAR will be assigned. Students are asked to

show their “work” and the passage will be due Friday morning.

On Monday, a Math assignment will be given and expected to be

worked on nightly and turned in completed Friday morning.

On Monday, a Writing/Word Work assignment will be given and will

be turned in complete Thursday morning.

Homework is due at 8:20 am. Homework delivered to the office after

that, is considered late.

MONEY

All money needs to be sent in an envelope that is

labeled with your child’s name, student ID #, the

homeroom teacher’s name, and what the money is

for (i.e. lunch money, spirit wear, etc.).

NURSE

Please inform Mrs. Sosa (our wonderful nurse) of

any special needs your child has.

State law prohibits teachers from giving

medications to students at school. All medicines

(including cough drops) must be sent to the clinic

and administered by the nurse with written

permission from the parent. All medications must be

in the original container for the nurse to dispense to

the student.

GRADES

Students will be assessed on 4 grading periods that

are each approximately 9 weeks long.

Parents are encouraged keep up to date with their

child’s progress using the Home Access Center.

Parents can see grades, assignments, and test

scores. More information can be found at katyisd.org

under the parent tab.

RETEACH/RETEST POLICY

Major Test (x2) concepts will be retaught if a child

scores below 70%. The child will have the

opportunity to retest 1 week later. The scores from

both tests will be averaged together. The final grade

for the retest will be the average of the 2 grades and

it will not exceed 70%.

SNACKS

Students will have snack time at 10:00 a.m. each day.

We ask that students bring snacks that are healthy and can

be eaten easily. Some examples include fruit, carrot sticks,

granola bars, pretzels, goldfish, etc. Snacks that will not be

permitted include chips, candy, cookies, etc.

Students may bring water bottles to school each day. Please

make sure it is labeled with your child’s name. To reduce spills,

we ask that the water bottles have sports lids or flip tops.

WE HOPE YOU’VE ENJOYED THIS PRESENTATION!

WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO A SHINING YEAR WITH YOUR SILVER

KNIGHT!