Welcome Third Grade Open House The purpose of

Welcome! Third Grade Open House

The purpose of tonight’s presentation is to: • introduce you to the requirements of third grade. • introduce you to the routines and procedures of our classroom. • establish an open line of communication between school and home. • answer any questions you may have.

“What makes 3 rd grade so different? ” • transition from learning to reading to learn • more sophisticated vocabulary • math has moved beyond computation and one step word problems to higher order thinking, multi-step word problems • faster instructional pace and increased rigor • students must demonstrate a significant increase in their level of individual responsibility • students are expected to focus their attention for longer periods of time

“What makes 3 rd grade so different? ” • students must take ownership for their own learning • students are expected to communicate their learning both verbally and in writing • increase in the number of assessments the students are required to take The students and I continue to answer this question on a daily basis.

Grading • Students receive percentage grades in: • Math • 60% Tests • 40% Classwork • Integrated Language Arts • 60% Comprehension Tests • 30% Vocabulary Tests • 10% Classwork • • Science – Social Studies (combined grades) Third grade is a year when students are expected to demonstrate a significant amount of personal responsibility. • Students are not allowed to take incomplete classwork home to be completed as homework. Students are responsible for completing all assignments within the allotted time frame. • An incomplete assignment is recorded as 0%-F until the assignment is completed. • Parents can access student grades online.

Grading • Graded papers are sent home in the Take Home Tuesday folder (red folder) each week. • Please set aside time to review the graded assignments with your student. Correct any incorrect problems and discuss why they were incorrect. These do not need to be returned to school. • Assignments completed in class as a guided lesson will not have a grade. • Low grades should be viewed as an opportunity for discussion and remediation. Discuss why the student did not score well.

Important Note • Due to the mandatory retention policy for third grade students, I keep the original copy of all reading assessments in a file until the end of the school year. • The assessment grades are recorded online, but if you would like to see the actual assessments we can schedule a time to review them together.

How you help your 3 rd grade student • Nightly reading should be a partnership between the student and adult. • Review graded papers that are sent home in the Take Home Tuesday folder. • Have high expectations (academic and behavioral) and provide the support and encouragement needed to successfully meet those expectations. • Remain flexible and understand that transitioning to third grade is a continuously changing process.

Homework • The weekly Homework Contract is meant to be a study guide for students and a resource for parents. • Students are expected to turn in homework assignments the day after they are assigned (or earlier). • Students turn in the signed Homework Contract on Friday. • In addition to nightly homework assignments, students are expected to study for tests (spelling, social studies, science, etc. ). Students will be provided with a study guide and/or flashcards. The date of the test will be included on the Homework Contract. • Homework is recorded as either complete or incomplete. • Students that complete 100% of their homework for the week earn the opportunity to roll for prizes on the Homeworkopoly board.

Schedule 7: 00 7: 30 Drop Off 7: 23 First Bell 7: 30 Tardy Bell 7: 30 8: 30 Math 8: 30 8: 45 S. P. A 8: 45 10: 1 5 English Language Arts 10: 15 10: 4 5 Lunch 10: 45 11: 0 5 Recess 11: 05 11: 3 0 Science / Social Studies 11: 30 12: 0 0 Intervention 12: 00 12: 2 0 Science / Social Studies 12: 20 1: 00 Special Area 1: 00 1: 25 English Language Arts Important Note Although it is not mandatory, it is extremely important that students arrive as close to 7: 00 a. m. as possible. Between 7: 00 – 7: 30 students: • tear out math book pages and prepare for the day • work on Reflex Math – math fact fluency program. • receive remediation for any skills they are struggling with.

Attendance • Being at school, on time every day is crucial in third grade. • Missing even one lesson in any subject may cause a student to fall behind. • Most concepts and skills we will be learning are built upon previous lessons and information. It is very difficult for a student to learn and master concepts when he/she is missing key pieces of information necessary for future learning. • School Board Policy change: • Three late to school check-ins and/or early check-outs will equate to the student receiving (1) unexcused absence for truancy purposes.

Assessments • A variety of assessments are given throughout the year. These assessments help to guide instruction and monitor student progress. Unify Assessments – Reading, Math, and Science • Test A—Friday, September 1 -Friday, September 22 (Grades k-5) • Test B—Monday, January 8 -Friday, January 26 • Test C—Two testing windows K-2 - Monday, April 23 -Friday, May 11 Math/Reading 3 -5 - Monday, April 30 -Friday, May 18 i-Ready Reading and Math Assessments • 3 times per year STAR Reading Assessment • 4 times per year FSA - Florida Standards Assessment 3 rd Grade English Language Arts 3 rd Grade Math (computer based) (paper based) April 9 – 13 April 16 – May 11 (specific dates will be provided in the near future - these dates are windows of time)

Thank you for coming.