Back To School Night 2013-2014

1. Back To School Night 2013-2014 Mrs. Brown’s Third Grade Bird Brains

2. A Bit About Mrs. Brown • Graduate of The College of New Jersey (2006) • Double major in Elementary Education and Psychology • Attending Holy Family University for Masters in the Reading Specialist Program along with certification in Special Education

3. THIRD GRADE CURRICULUM

4. MATH

5. My Math • Built Around the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) • Organized around Essential Questions for focused content • Sequenced instruction to ensure student success • Written to explicitly address the new CCSS • Focuses on the Standards of Mathematical Practice • Multiple experiences to build conceptual understanding • Modeling, reasoning, and productive disposition activities • Real-world problem-solving examples required for success.

6. My Math (continued) • Digital Tools • Chapter videos • Virtual tutors – great for “at home” support • Animations • All resources and materials available online under child’s account. • Virtual manipulatives – offer anytime, anywhere access to modeling tools such as base ten blocks, money, counting cubes, attribute blocks, calendar, balance, and more. • Assignments for individuals, group, or whole classes • Downloadable math apps to build fluency in computation skills and strategies • (Games run on iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch) • Multiple ways to ensure success for every student • Hands on lessons – introduces key concepts through concrete modeling with manipulatives. • My Learning Station – Center activities, problem solving cards and game boards offer differentiation and practice. • Real World Problem Solving Readers – fun ways to apply problem solving strategies.

7. Math – Chapters of Study • Place Value • Addition • Subtraction • Understand Multiplication • Understand Division • Multiplication and Division Patterns • Apply Multiplication and Division • Properties and Equations • Fractions • Measurement • Represent and Interpret Data • Perimeter and Area • Geometry

8. The Common Core! New math standards (grades 3-5) with a focus on traditional approaches (standard algorithms) for solving problems. Website: http://www.corestandards.org The link above details all the information regarding the new Common Core State Standards.

9. LANGUAGE ARTS(Reading, Writing, Spelling, Vocabulary) • 3rd year of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt “Journeys” • Comprehensive literacy program • Aligned to Common Core State Standards • 5 units; 5 lessons (weeks) per unit • Each unit focuses on a “Big Idea,” and each lesson in a unit focuses on an “Essential Question” related to the unit’s “Big Idea” • 1 end of year unit (not included in the 5 mentioned above) • Tests every Friday on weekly lesson (whole group story)

10. Each day starts out with a whole group instruction Teacher Read Aloud Guided Reading instruction each day after whole group lesson (differentiated) Literacy related centers each day during guided reading instruction (differentiated) Online!!! https://www-k6.thinkcentral.com/ePC/start.do Language Arts: Reading Components of the Program • Listening comprehension • Group and individual response options • Teacher modeling • Extensions • Fluency & decoding • Shared story • Comprehension instruction (skills & strategies) • EX) understanding characters, compare/contrast, sequencing, inferring, making connections retelling, summarizing, etc.

11. Language Arts: Writing & Grammar Components of the Program • Daily whole group grammar lesson • EX) subjects & predicates, kinds of sentences, sentence fragments & run-ons, common and proper nouns, plural nouns, pronouns, commas in a series, writing quotations, adjectives, types of verbs, etc. • Daily whole group writing lesson • Each unit focuses on specific form/genre of writing • Each unit composed of 3 short pieces and 1 long piece • Each writing piece focuses on different traits, writing skills, and strategies

12. Language Arts: Writing & Grammar Components of the Program • Unit 1: NARRATIVE writing • Descriptive paragraph, friendly letter, personal narrative paragraph, personal narrative (longer story) • Unit 2: EXPOSITORY writing (Types of written response) • Response paragraph, compare/ contrast paragraph, summary paragraph, response to literature (longer piece) • Unit 3: Poems and Autobiography • Descriptive paragraph, humorous poem, narrative poem, autobiography • Unit 4: PERSUASIVE writing • Persuasive letter, opinion paragraph, problem/solution paragraph, persuasive essay (longer piece) • Unit 5: SPECULATIVE writing • Fictional narrative paragraph, descriptive paragraph, dialogue piece, fictional narrative (longer piece) • Unit 6: Writing to INFORM • Compare/contrast paragraph, problem/solution paragraph, “How To” writing, research report (longer piece)

13. Language Arts: Spelling & Phonics Components of the Program • 18 words per week that go along with the whole group texts • 14 basic words, 2, review words, 2 challenge words • Daily whole group spelling lessons • V-C-e spellings; prefixes and suffixes; double consonants, etc. • Daily whole group phonics lessons • EX) long and short vowels; words with “air” “ear” and “are”; double “o”, compound words, etc.

14. Language Arts: Vocabulary Components of the Program • Each lesson (5 lessons per unit) has different Target Vocabulary Words • Introduced on the first day of the lesson • Target Vocabulary tested at end of cycle • Target Vocabulary is learned and used in context • Activities throughout cycle to work with the Target Vocabulary • Target Vocabulary appears in read alouds and in the whole group shared text • Vocabulary strategies are taught during each lesson • EX) Context clues; suffixes; categorizing and classifying words; dictionary skills, synonyms and antonyms, homophones and homonyms, etc. • ***Each lesson in each unit (again, 5 lessons per unit) contains instruction focusing on research skills, media literacy, and listening/speaking skills

15. Language Arts: Assessment Components of the Program • Weekly Tests • Tests comprehension, phonics, vocabulary, and grammar • Unit Tests (at the end of 5 lessons/weeks) • Tests skills and strategies from the unit • Weekly Spelling Tests • Includes words from cycle’s word list and a dictation portion • Benchmark assessments • Running records • Leveled practice • Writing prompts and daily edits • Diagnostic assessment (beginning of year and ongoing) • Comprehensive Screening Analysis (beginning of year) • Fluency assessments • Teacher observation in guided reading groups • Independent literacy related work • Completed writing pieces (long and short)

16. Math Benchmark - 3xs per yearComprehensive Screening Assessment (reading, writing, phonics, grammar) - 2xs per yearScience Assessment - 2xs per yearRunning Records - 3xs per year Tracking Progress

17. SCIENCE AND SOCIAL STUDIES

18. Social Studies • Curriculum: • Social Studies Alive • Teacher’s Curriculum Institute • TCI Approach: • Standards Based Content • Preview Assignment • Multiple Intelligence Teaching Strategies • Considerate Text • Graphically Organized Reading Notes • Processing Assignment • Multiple Intelligences Assessment • Theory Based-Active Instruction Occurs 3x per cycle

19. Where in the World is Our Community? Where in the United States is Our Community? What is the Geography of Our Community? How Do People Become A Part of Our Country? What Makes Our Community Diverse? How Do People Improve Their Communities? How Are We Alike Around the World? How Does Our Economy Work? How Does Global Trade Affect Our Community? What Are the Public Services in Our Community? Who Works At City Hall? Whose Planet Is It Anyway? How Can We Help The Global Community? Social Studies (continued…)

20. Science • Instruction occurs in classroom and in the Science Lab • Inquiry Based - Units of Study: • Sun, Moon and Stars (in class) • Chemical Tests (in class) • Structures of Life (in lab) Occurs 3x per cycle in classroom Lab will start in the spring

21. Important 3B Information

22. MY WEBSITE • A great way to stay informed! • www.mansfieldschool.com • Classrooms; 3rd Grade; 3 Brown • Homework • Weekly word lists and vocab • Access to • Genesis Gradebook • Think Central (Journeys) • My Math (online games, fact practice, assignments, etc. • Upcoming Events • Links • What’s Happening This Week in Journeys?! • Scholastic ordering info. • Special schedule • Links to other helpful online “games” • Other important information

23. Daily Schedule Arrival Morning Math (rigorous Common Core) Morning Meeting Spelling (and phonics), Math, Writing (and grammar) Reading - whole group Reading - small group (guided reading and literature centers) Social Studies/Science/Health Cursive (2X per cycle) RTI (3X per cycle) **Differentiated Centers for early finishers**

24. Homework Policy • MTES: 10 minutes X grade level per night (excluding independent reading) • Students are responsible for own HW • Not allowed to come back after school hours to get something “left behind” • Encourage independence and responsibility • Students should pack their OWN backpacks • Sign assignment pad each night • Section on report card for HW

25. Grading • Grading Scale (based on percentages) 90-100: A 80-89: B 70-79: C 63-69: D Below 63: F • Various assignments within each subject area are weighted differently to assure that students’ grades come from more than just tests and participation • ONLINE GRADING!!!

26. Communication With Me! • Email: sbrown@mansfieldschool.com • Phone: 298-2037 ext: 5217 • Notes: Please write on a separate sheet of paper so I can place it in child’s file, respond to it, or send to office if needed. • Friday Folders • Assignment Pads

27. Absences • Number of days absent = number of days to complete work • Sickness: can send absent work home with neighbor or you can pick it up at school • Policy of vacations during school Birthdays School policy – no snacks or treats to be distributed for birthdays We do recognize birthdays by giving students a certificate, pencils, etc. If you would like to “send in a treat” for your child’s birthday, donating a book to our classroom library in honor of your child’s birthday would be an acceptable treat for the class 

28. Classroom Discipline & Rewards • Individual: • Bird Brains • Whole Class • Points • 3 Strikes You’re Out Google Chromebooks!!!

29. THE END! • Thank you for coming! We look forward to spending the year with you and your children! • Don’t Forget To: • Write a note to you child, sign up for December Conferences, AND take folder on your child’s desk home with you!