Welcome to Open House Viewmont Elementary School

1. Third Grade August 28, 2012 Welcome to Open HouseViewmont Elementary School

2. Agenda • Welcome and Introduction • A Day in a Third Grade Classroom • Planners / Homework Folder / Reading Log • Expectations / Discipline • Weekly Work Folder • Math / Reading • Social Studies / Science Curriculum • Helpful Educational Websites • Question / Comments

3. A Day in a Third Grade Class

4. Planners, Homework Folders, Reading Log • Your child has a planner to write down their daily assignments. • The planner also serves as an important communication tool for all of us. From time to time I will write a note home and it will be in the planner. • You are more than welcome to write me notes in the planner as I check them every morning when your child arrives. • I write the assignments on the board every afternoon. Your child is responsible for copying them down. • Please sign the planner every night under the column for the current day. • The planner needs to be returned to school DAILY. • Homework comes home in your child’s Homework Binder. We review and check homework first thing. Checked homework will be returned nightly so that you can see how your child is doing. • Your child is responsible to read 20-30 minutes each night and record on their Reading Log. We visit the Library each Monday and there is open checkout each day if they complete the books prior to our next library visit. Students should be able to earn the necessary points each week as required by the 3rd grade team.

5. Expectations • I expect each child to enter our classroom prepared ready to have a great day. • I expect each child to have their homework complete or at least attempted in order to review and check for understanding. • The class rules were generated with everyone’s input and agreement. I expect each child to follow the class rules. • Follow Directions • Speak with good purpose • Take pride in their work • Take pride in classroom appearance • Listen when others are speaking • I expect students to follow the rules of the school including those pertaining to the hallways and cafeteria. These can be found in the Viewmont Student Handbook.

6. Discipline In the event that a student’s behavior disrupts the learning for others the following actions will be taken. • The student is given a verbal warning the first time the behavior occurs. • The second time the behavior occurs, the student’s name is recorded on my clipboard and laps are assigned. • If the behavior continues to occur, the parent is notified by one of three ways: a note in the agenda, a phone call, or an e-mail message. • If necessary, a parent – teacher – student conference is requested. • If the above actions do not have a positive effect on the situation, a referral to the administration is filed. The parent is contacted through the teacher or the referral that is sent home. • Incomplete or missing homework will be completed before free time is given; laps will also be assigned for missing homework- 2 laps per assignment.

7. Homework Homework has a definite place in the educational process. It is an extension of the learning experiences a child has during the instructional day. Homework is designed to help the student achieve classroom and school goal better, but is not used to punish or keep a student busy. Approximately one hour should be spent on homework daily. The homework I give may fit into any of these categories: • Unfinished work- This is work that was not completed in class and is within the student’s capability to finish at home. • Independent practice- This is designed to help strengthen newly taught skills/concepts and is an extension of work that has been introduced in class. • Review- This involves studying and preparing for tests or periodically revisiting previously taught skills. • Research- This is work that involves the use of reference materials. It is often given on an extended time basis. (ex: projects) • Reading- This occurs every day, including weekends, for at least 30 minutes. *A written assignment or project not completed on time does result in a loss of points from the earned grade. *Laps are assigned for missing homework. A consequence of 2 laps walked outside during recess time for each assignment missing.

8. Work Folder • Your child will bring home a Take Home Tuesday Folder every week on Tuesday. • The folder will contain graded assignments and weekly class work. • Handouts / other information will be in the folder for you to keep. • Please review your child’s work, sign the back page stapled to the work, and return the folder and the graded work back to school. • On occasion, you will be asked to sign and return a graded assignment. I appreciate you assistance in this matter. • As always, please feel free to make comments to your child or to me. I do look at these on the return day to see that it is signed.

9. Reading Informational Text (Non-fiction) Traditional Literature Fictional Text Narrative Text / Poetry Writing Informational Writing Responding to Literature Procedural / Persuasive Writing Narrative Writing / Poetry Math Curriculum / Language Arts CurriculumPlease visit our website for more details concerning the 3rd grade Common Core • Number Sense and Numeration • Geometry and Measurement • Patterns and Relationships • Computation and Estimation • Problem Solving

10. Social Studies and Science Curriculum • History of Local and Regional Communities • 5 Themes of Geography • Local Government • Community Participation • Local and Regional Cultures   • Forces and Motion • Matter: Properties and Change • Conservation and Transfer of energy • Earth / Moon / Sun • Human Body Systems • Plant Systems

11. Testing EOG dates: May 2012 Students are tested in: Reading and Math *No EOG re- takes this year