Welcome to Third Grade

A Place Where We Think, Imagine and

Explore!

Who is Miss Johnson?

Truman State UniversityBachelor of Arts in Classics—2004

Truman State UniversityMaster of Arts in Education--2006

Truths (Beliefs)

Every child has the capacity to learn. (Einstein)

Students will gain the greatest benefit in an environment in which they feel safe and accepted.

Making choices is an integral part of learning.

School-Wide Character Education Values

Character Education is an integral part of our learning environment—Meramec Five

Students will identify what it will look like and sound like to practice the Meramec Five

Behavior Expectations

Respect greatest virtue– Respect self– Respect the building– Respect others

“You can do anything in this class as long as it doesn’t cause a problem for you or someone else”

Choices– Love and Logic, Jim Fay

What Does This Mean to You?

Phone Call or Email Setting Goals

Daily Schedule

Please look inside your packet. Rotating Days

– Adjusts to insure that all students get an equal amount of time in specialist classes

Brain Research (Degree of Focus) Recommend arriving by 8:25

Class Meetings

Character education Focus on Meramec 5 Teach strategies for solving

problems Sharing Games for building community

Curriculum

Subject areas Expectations How you can help

Social Studies

Foundation for fourth grade social studies

Communities—Through a global lens– What are some similarities and

differences between international communities?

– What are some of the different types of landforms? How do they effect communities?

– How do international businesses effect communities?

Science

FOSS Curriculum– Scientific process

Physics of Sound (taught in the classroom)

Water and Measurement Sun, Moon and Stars

Mathematics

Everyday Math Cluster Grouping

– Share children across the grade level

Family letters Fact Fluency

– FASTT Math– Flash cards at home

Mathematics Algorithms

Partial Sums—addition Trade First—subtraction

Writer’s Workshop

Workshop Six Traits of Writing and Lucy Calkins

Units of Study Genre Sharing Vocabulary Grammar skills Spelling Promote story telling at home

Spelling

Reader’s Workshop Making Meaning

– Teaching reading strategies through read-aloud and think-aloud

– Helps to build a cooperative communityListening and responding

Guided Reading/Literacy Circles– Based on assessment tools such as the

SRI and DRA– Focus on specific strategies to help

students – Share students across the grade level

Read nightly

Planners

Fill out planners at the beginning of the day– Check planners for parent signature

and notes in the morning – Write notes as needed throughout the

day– Daily home-school communication

Go over homework assignment– Parents sign nightly

Homework

Homework—30 minutes – Math Practice—Home Links– Reading for 15 minutes nightly– Spelling Practice (5 day weeks)

Optional Weekend Work– FASTT Math Practice Sheet– Flash Cards– EDM Games Online– Visit Website for additional work

Regular Communication Third Grade Bi-Weekly Newsletter

– Emailed Friday– Information about upcoming units– Grade Level Events– Fieldtrips– Schedule changes

Daily Planner– Preferred Communication—comment

section– Assignments

Website

Communication: Student Progress

Assessments – Everyday Math Tests and Profile

Sheets– Science and Social Studies Tests– Published Writing – FASTT Math Progress Grid

Homework– Assessed returned within the week– Responsibility & effort

Communication

Email & Phone– Checked once daily– Respond within 24 hours– I prefer email– Call the office for urgent matters

Changes in how students get picked up

Website for updates Conferences Report Cards

Class Volunteers (VIP)

Fieldtrips Class projects Assistance with Class Library

Extracurricular Events

I love supporting the our kiddos outside the classroom too… Please share their event schedules with me!

Reminders…

Conference Sign-up in the libraryBirthday treats: Please give advanced

notice

Read your packet carefullyFeel free to use the paper to write a

letter telling your child what you learned about Third Grade

Two SculptorsTwo Sculptors

Thank you for your partnership! Working together will make all the difference!

Thank you for your partnership! Working together will make all the difference!