Welcome to Third Grade Tawanka Elementary School Mrs

Welcome to Third Grade! Tawanka Elementary School Mrs. Holly Davis Mrs. Beth Mc. Ginty Mrs. Monica Millevoi Mrs. Christine Sylvester Mrs. Danni Tryon Mr. James Wyatt

A Day in the life of a third grader in B-203…. • 9: 10 -9: 20 – Arrival/Unpack/T. C. O. B. • 9: 25 -10: 10 – Specials • 10: 10 – 11: 10 – Math (*11: 10 quick healthy snack) • 11: 10 – 12: 40 – Reading/Vocabulary • 12: 40 – 1: 10 – RECESS / 1: 10 – 1: 40 - LUNCH • 1: 40 – 2: 00 – Writing (Response to Literature) • 2: 00 – 2: 40 – Power Time • 2: 40 – 3: 30 – Science/Social Studies • 3: 30 – 3: 35 – Pack-Up / Dismissal

K. N. I. G. H. T. S Binder (Keeping Necessary Information & Goals for Terrific Students) The KNIGHTS binder is a 3 -ring binder that teaches students responsibility, organization, and independence. It comprises the following sections: - Agenda - Reading Log - Math section - Worldwide Resources

Homework • Homework should come home every night EXCEPT on FRIDAY’s. • Homework is checked for completion the following day of school and rewarded with a quarter stamp if ALL is complete including parent initial/signature in assignment book and reading/math logs. • Reading homework is assigned Monday through Friday. Students are to read for at least 15 minutes each night and complete the information required on their Reading Log and Think Mark sheet. This includes date, parent initials, title, author, and genre of book, as well as pages/chapters read, and completion of Think Mark. Reading logs and Think Marks are kept in the plastic sleeve of your child’s K. N. I. G. H. T. S. binders. • Math Fluency Drills & Math Daily Four Questions are given Monday through Thursday. Math in Focus homework is ONLY assigned when teacher believes students are ready to practice on their own.

Specialist Schedule Day 1 Library Day 4 Art Day 2 Gym Day 3 Music Day 5 Computer

3 rd Grade Reading Program Good Habits, Great Readers (GR, GH) is a program that is divided into 7 units that reflect the identified habits and attitudes of proficient readers. In this structure, the teacher acts as the expert reader to scaffold the instruction helping students accomplish a reading strategy, skill, or behavior. The seven units of study are: 1. Great readers see themselves as readers. 2. Great readers make sense of text. 3. Great readers use what they know. 4. Great readers understand how stories work. 5. Great readers read to learn. 6. Great readers monitor and organize ideas and information. 7. Great readers think critically about what they read.

Junior Great Books JGB is a program that brings high-quality literature and student-centered discussion to our classroom while providing a superb framework for practicing reading comprehension, critical thinking, and writing It allows our students to see themselves as successful learners and thinkers as they develop their cognitive, social, and emotional intelligence.

Class Novels

Reading A – Z books are used for homework every two weeks. Students will be required to read one printed Reading AZ book every two- weeks. In addition, students are to complete the Bi-Weekly Reading packet that is sent home every two weeks with their Reading A-Z book. Students will take a book quiz as a culminating activity for each Reading A-Z book read throughout the year. http: //www. raz-kids. com/main/Login

Reading (continued) Do you have the C. R. A. F. T. of a good reader? Having the C. R. A. F. T. of a good reader includes COMPREHENSION, RESPONSE TO TEXT, ACCURACY, FLUENCY, and TEXT ELEMENTS. A reader is said to have the CRAFT when he/she has expertise, knowledge, and proficiency in ALL aspects of reading. (Refer to the pink CRAFT Reading Strategies handout for how you can help your child continue to work on their reading “craft” at home) Close Reading A close reading is a careful and purposeful reading. Well actually, it's rereading. This type of reading places pays close attention to individual words, syntax, and the order in which sentences and ideas unfold as one reads.

Steps and Codes for Close Reading

Notice and Note Signposts • https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=6 SRq. Zk 7 Wk. BI

Vocabulary Sadlier – Vocabulary Workshop is an engaging multimedia program with a systematic approach to direct vocabulary instruction. Its blend of print and multimedia components helps to enrich and support instruction for all learners. These components include online practice, games, and quizzes. You can access the multimedia components by logging onto: http: //www. sadlieroxford. com/vocabularyworkshop. cfm

GRAMMAR WORKSHOP – explicitly teaches the conventions of standard English to help students communicate their written ideas with clarity and correctness. The online, interactive practice, and quizzes help students to reinforce the conventions of standard English. The simple, systematic three-step lessons on grammar, usage, and mechanics make learning and teaching quick and easy.

Writing Workshop Grade 3 Units of Study UNIT 1 - HOW WRITERS WORK TEXT TYPE: NARRATIVE/OPINION UNIT 4 - BIOGRAPHY TEXT TYPE – OPINION UNIT 2 - AUTHOR STUDY - PATRICIA POLACCO TEXT TYPE: INFORMATIONAL UNIT 5 – GRAMMAR UNIT 3 - LITERARY NONFICTION TEXT TYPE: INFORMATIONAL

Math In Focus Curriculum • • • Chapter 1 – Place Value with Numbers up to 10, 000 Chapter 2 - Mental Math and Estimation Chapter 3 - Addition up to 10, 000 Chapter 4 - Subtraction up to 10, 000 Chapter 5 - Using Bar Models: Addition and Subtraction Chapter 6 - Multiplication Tables of 6, 7, 8, and 9 Chapter 7 - Multiplication Chapter 8 - Division Chapter 9 - Using Bar Models: Multiplication and Division Chapter 10 - Money • • • Chapter 11 - Metric Length, Mass, and Volume Chapter 12 - Real World Problems: Measurement Chapter 13 - Bar Graphs and Line Plots Chapter 14 - Fractions Chapter 15 - Customary Length, Weight, and Capacity Chapter 16 - Time and Temperature Chapter 17 - Angles and Lines Chapter 18 - Two - Dimensional Shapes Chapter 19 - Area and Perimeter

Math Fluency It is very important for students to learn their basic math facts so that they become BOTH automatic and fluent. Students should be able to give an answer within two seconds. According to brain research, when a child knows facts fluently, he/she will be able to concentrate on learning new and more difficult math concepts because the math facts are in his/her long term memory. What we have learned from our new program is that before a child can learn their facts… 1 st Marking Period: 50 problems in 3 minutes (Addition & Subtraction) 2 nd Marking Period: 50 problems in 3 minutes (Addition & Subtraction) 3 rd Marking Period: 50 problems in 3 minutes (Addition & Subtraction) 30 problems in 2 minutes (1, 2, 5, and 9 Multiplication Tables) 4 th Marking Period 50 problems in 3 minutes 30 problems in 2 minutes (ALL Multiplication Tables)

Calendar Math is a unique addition to our Singapore Math program. It is done each morning and entails previewing, reviewing and practicing key math concepts such as place value, measurement, money, time, and much more. The program is unique in that it is not taught in the traditional method. The students sit together as a class in a more informal environment and talk about the concepts. This format encourages higher level thinking and deeper discussions as a class, which allows the students to become truly engaged and to think about math on a whole different level.

Math (continued) Online Resources Think Central You may access ALL 3 rd grade Math in Focus materials through the Think Central website. These materials include our textbooks, our workbook, parent videos, and virtual manipulatives. These manipulatives are very similar to the concrete manipulatives we use in class. You can access Think Central by going to www. thinkcentral. com and then entering the username (first initial, last name) and password (mathisfun) that was sent home on the neon orange sheet in the K. N. I. G. H. T. S. binder. IXL Students are encouraged to access First in Math at home. First in Math makes math lessons fun and interactive, so children build their level of confidence and begin to have a sense of accomplishment. To access First in Math at home, go to https: //IXL. com. Once you get onto the website, all your child will need to do is enter their username and password which was sent home on the neon orange sheet in their K. N. I. G. H. T. S. binder.

Social Studies Alive - Our Community and Beyond The Social Studies Alive approach focuses on a more student centered, activity based classroom, where students receive a series of instructional practices that allow students of all abilities to experience key social studies concepts. You may access the online component of History Alive by going to http: //www. teachtci. com/. Your child’s username is first initial last name and their password is ssisfun. The chapters of study for this school year are: • • Chapter 1 - Where in the World is Our Community? Chapter 2 - Where in the U. S. A. is Our Community? Chapter 3 - What is the Geography of Our Community? Chapter 4 - How do People Become Part of Our Country? Chapter 5 - What Makes Our Community Diverse? Chapter 6 - How Do People Improve Their Communities? Chapter 7 - How Are People Around the World Alike and Different? • • Chapter 8 - How Does Our Economy Work? Chapter 9 - How Does Global Trade Affect Our Community? Chapter 10 - What Are the Public Services in Our Community? Chapter 11 - Who Works at City Hall? Chapter 12 - How Do We Have a Voice in Our Community? Chapter 13 - Whose Planet Is It, Anyway? Chapter 14 - How Can We Help the Global Community?

K-5 Prevention Program Too Good for Drugs - Provides facts about alcohol, tobacco and other drugs—facts that help kids set goals and make good decisions that contribute to their health and well-being. Program lessons and activities give kids skills for managing emotions, communicating effectively, making positive friendships, countering social influences, analyzing media messages and refusing peer pressure. Too Good for Violence - Teaches strong character-based skills, attitudes and behaviors which in turn helps kids develop skills for conflict resolution, anger management, respect for self and others. It also teaches effective communication. The combination of these skills helps promote their social-emotional intelligence. Program lessons and activities help kids realize that as individuals and as a group, they are too good for bullying and violence, as they gain skills for, and confidence in their ability to interact cooperatively and peacefully.

Science FOSS is an inquiry-based Science program which capitalizes on children’s naturally inquisitive nature. Students will guide their own learning through discovery, questions, and hands-on experimentation. The FOSS system is comprised of a series of kits that will teach 3 Science modules. Module 1: Structures of Life From seeds to Bess beetles and everything in between! Module 2: Earth Materials Properties of rocks and minerals with specific examples Module 3: Physics of Sound Discriminating between sounds; sounds as different vibrations; sound travel Module 4: Measurement ~ Metric & Customary ~Please note there is no Science textbook. However, each student will have a Science notebook.

“Show Me the Money” Classroom Management System The 3 rd grade team utilizes, “Show Me the Money” as our grade level classroom management system. Students have the opportunity to be rewarded with a coin stamp two times throughout the school day, once in the morning when I check their homework and then again at the end of the day when each student evaluates his/her behavior. To earn a quarter for homework, students have to have ALL of the previous night’s homework assignments completed as well as have assignment book, reading and math log initialed. Failure to miss one assignment or have one initial missing means no money earned for homework that evening. For behavior, each student starts the day with a quarter and has the opportunity to earn the full quarter’s value at the end of each day. We have four check-ins throughout the school day (before special, after lunch, after break, and at dismissal) where each student has to reflect on their own behavior and decide whether they have earned the quarter or not. Students, who feel they haven’t, record it in their monthly calendar located in the plastic sleeve of their K. N. I. G. H. T. S binder. Students are then

Standards Based Grading Standards-based grading ensures that each student’s grade is an accurate indicator of what that student knows and is able to do. All instructional activities in a standards-based classroom are derived from specific learning targets. After presenting new concepts and skills, the teacher designs formative assessments that provide opportunities for practice and feedback, and then summative assessments to measure whether students have reached the learning targets. Academic grades are based solely on these summative assessments. Other factors, such as organization, participation, work completion, and behavior, while essential for student success, are not included in the academic grade; doing so would mean that the academic grade would no longer be an accurate indicator of student achievement. The Four-Level Grading Scale: Instead of receiving points or percentages for each assessment, each student will earn a score that is based upon previously communicated expectations (learning targets). For these assessments, a four-level scale correlates to the following grades and descriptors: 4 = Advanced: Demonstrates advanced knowledge and application of the essential academic standards 3 = Proficient: Demonstrates proficient knowledge and application of the essential academic standards 2 = Needs Improvement: Demonstrates developing knowledge and application of the essential academic standards compromised by a few missing concepts 1 = Minimal Understanding: Demonstrates minimal knowledge and application of the essential academic significantly compromised by missing concepts

State & District Assessment Calendar 2016 -2017 State/ District CDT District DRA District Math District PSSA (ELA) State PSSA (MATH) State Writing District Beginning Middle of End of of Year October January 17 th-28 th 3 rd-27 th September 1 st-9 th September Date to be 1 st-9 th determined November 14 th - ? April 3 rd -7 th April 24 th 28 th February May 15 th 6 th -10 th -31 st

Communication • E-mail is the fastest way to get in touch with me: » jwyatt@neshaminy. k 12. pa. us • Absence Notes • Please include note for each absence. Not in student AGENDA book – office needs a copy. • Vacations need to be approved by the office BEFORE the trip. • Change in Transportation • Notes are needed for ALL changes in transportation. • Parents will need to wait outside until their child exits the building when walkers/pick-ups are called.

• Please feel free to browse around our rooms and enjoy the student work in the common area. Thanks so much for coming! ~Mr. James Wyatt