Please find your child’s desk and make yourself comfortable. We will begin promptly at 7:30pm.

1. Welcome to Third Grade Curriculum Night Please find your child’s desk and make yourself comfortable. We will begin promptly at 7:30pm. While you are waiting, please use the yellow half-sheet of stationery at your child’s desk to write him/her a note. Please leave the note on your child’s desk. Thanks! Mrs. Elliott

2. Purpose Of Our Meeting • Tonight we will cover classroom expectations and the third grade curriculum. • If you need to speak to me about your child, please call me or contact me to schedule a conference. Thank you!

3. How to get in touch with me: • Voicemail: 440-349-7757, ext. 5818 • Check messages before and after school • If calling about a bus change or pick-up change, please call the office directly instead of leaving me a voicemail 440-349-6225 • Email: jmelliott@solonboe.org • Check email once a day • Fall Conference: • Please complete a schedule form and return to me as soon as possible. I will send a confirmation letter to you once all conferences are scheduled. • Additional Conferences: • As needed, please call or email to schedule a time to meet

4. Family Information System www.solonschools.org Schools Lewis Janet Elliott • The Family Information System is a vital parent-teacher link. On my classroom website, you will find: • Calendar: • Upcoming assessments • Holidays • Field trips • Homework • Special events • Class News and Photos • I Can Statements for all units of study • Useful website links that can support your child’s learning • Email access to the teacher

5. Behavior Expectations Rules: • Follow directions • Keep hands, feet, and objects to yourself. • Teasing and name-calling are not permitted. • Be prepared and on time with supplies, assignments, & homework Consequences: • Blue Card = Reminder • Yellow Card = Write behavior log entry • Red Card = Note or phone call home • Severe Behavior = Principal Rewards: • Positive notes and phone calls • Classroom money for monthly prize shop • Whole-class parties for earning 30 marbles

6. Homework • Daily Log inside home folder is used for recording behavior, assignments, and reminders • Check website for assignments • Current math, science, and social studies units posted on the webpage calendar – refer to corresponding I Can Statements • Homework packets go home on Monday and are to be returned on the following Monday • Homework packets will include nightly reading, time playing First in Math and assignments that support classroom learning To help reinforce positive study habits at home: • Please sign your child’s Daily Log sheet inside the home folder at the end of the week. • Science & Social Studies materials will come home one week prior to an assessment. • Review unit tests that are sent home with your child. Sign and return the next school day.

7. Daily Log Parent Signature _____________________________________________________

8. Birthdays • You are welcome to send in birthday treats on your child’s birthday. • We do have a NUT ALLERGY – please no foods with nuts! • If your child has a summer birthday, feel free to send in a birthday treat for his/her half-birthday or un-birthday. • If your child has a food allergy, please let me know.

9. Ohio Achievement Tests:Grade 3 • Reading Test: October 6 & April 26 • Math Test: April 27 • Results shared with parents once they are received (usually 2 months following test). • Regardless of test results, all students will continue to receive focused instruction appropriate to their needs. • Students who do not pass the reading test in the fall will receive intensive instruction that targets areas of weakness. • Students who do not pass the reading test in the spring will qualify for the summer reading program.

10. Solon Language Arts Philosophy The Solon Language Arts philosophy reflects that of the Ohio Department of Education which believes “…that the knowledge and skills defined in Ohio academic content standards are within the reach of all students. Students, however, develop at different rates. All children learn and experience success given time and opportunity, but the degree to which the standards are met and the time it takes to reach the standards will vary from student to student” (Ohio K-12 Language Arts Content Standards, p. 25). Another shared commitment with the State exists in the fact that Solon is committed to using “research-based” best practices to foster language development in the most appropriate and meaningful ways possible. Current research that influences instruction in the Solon City Schools is summarized by the Ohio Department of Education in the following categories: • Differentiation • Direct Strategy Instruction • Grouping • Student choice • Assessment and Feedback • Guided Practice • Time for Independent Practice • Intervention and Working with Diverse Learners

11. Reading Workshop Mini-Lesson - Daily, brief, powerful, whole group demonstrations about how reading works or how readers work. Example: Using context clues to determine the meaning of unknown words. Independent Reading – daily, silent, sustained reading from a self-selected text. Students are expected to read “just right” books from a variety of genres, stay on task, and analyze their thinking by completing a daily reading log and quarterly reflection. Guided Reading - groups are flexible and fluid. Students are grouped according to needs and appropriate focus. Teacher role: • Teacher meets with small groups. Teachers select a text and focus based upon data, provide a text introduction for students, and provide descriptive feedback to students across the guided reading lesson. Student role: • After having read chunks of the text, students meet with the teacher and share their thinking and reflect on their success with the reading topic. Students participate in an active discussion which incorporates comprehension, questioning, and higher-order thinking skills.

12. Finding The "Just-Right" Book • Easy Books: Help children to read more smoothly and are fun to read aloud or silently. • A favorite book that has been read multiple times is an easy book. • Your child knows, can understand, and read almost every word. • Your child reads the book easily and smoothly. • Just-Right Books: Just-right books help children learn the most as they provide just enough challenge. The child should be able to figure out most of the words and understand what is going on in the text. • Your child is interested in the book. • Your child can tell you what is happening in the story. • Your child has to occasionally reread parts of the text to understand it. • There may be a few words on the page that your child needs help reading. • Most reading is smooth-only occasionally choppy. • Hard Books: Hard books can do more harm than good. If your child selects a book that is too difficult for him/her to read suggest reading later or read it to him/her. • Your child is interested in this book. • Your child is confused about what is happening. • Your child has difficulty understanding the book even after reading passages. • Your child needs a lot of help to read this book. • Five-Finger Rule: As your child reads, have him/her count unknown words. If there are five or more unknown words on a page, the book is too hard for your child.

13. Excerpt from Report Card Guidelines for Reading (3 or proficient level on the rubric) Fluency • Occasional teacher support necessary to: Demonstrate mostly fluent and phrased reading, with an adequate reading rate and with attention to most punctuation; Read with expression that demonstrates comprehension Acquisition of Vocabulary • Occasional teacher support necessary to: Determine the meaning of unknown words and phrases by using a variety of context clues Reading Process • Occasional teacher support necessary to: Use strategies such as predicting, inferring, and summarizing; Compare and contrast information between texts; Self-monitor and adjust to comprehend a variety of text Informational Text • Occasional teacher support necessary to: Use non-fiction text features/structures to locate and comprehend information; Use main/central ideas and supporting details to summarize text Literary Text • Occasional teacher support necessary to: Describe the characters using thoughts, words and actions of a character; Describe the setting of the selection; Identify the main incidents of plot sequence, including the problem and solution; Identify the theme Written Response to Reading • Occasional teacher support necessary to: Use graphic organizers to demonstrate comprehension; Answer literal, inferential, and evaluative questions to demonstrate comprehension; Write responses to reading that includes a simple interpretation of a literary work and supports judgments with specific references to the text

14. Word Study Mini-lesson– Teacherpresents whole group demonstrations about spelling strategies. Example: Visualizing—write the word several ways to see what “looks right” Word Study Groups - Teachers assist children in socially constructing spelling generalizations. Children respond to teacher questions/directions by completing sorts, tasks, looking at writing, completing assessments, or engaging in spelling activities. Application to Independent Writing - Teacher is primarily focused upon working through writing content and conventions. When spelling is a convention focus, past spelling generalizations are reinforced. Children look through their writing for evidence of spelling transfer or to reflect on feature knowledge already studied. How can parents help their children with spelling? • Encourage your child to reread his/her work. Have your child identify words that do not look correct. This is the first step to better spelling. Encourage your child to apply the spelling patterns he/she knows. • Help your child review or learn our list of sight words. These words do not necessarily fit into any spelling pattern, but are extremely important in daily writing. Children will be expected to spell these words correctly in their writing. • Help your child with his/her word study homework. Some word cards that come home will be highlighted. Although your child will only be tested on the highlighted words, I will be looking for transfer of the general spelling pattern in your child’s writing.

15. Writing Workshop Mini-lesson Daily, brief, powerful, whole group demonstrations about how writing works. Independent Writing Students write on self-selected topics or teacher-directed topics. Students maintain a writing folder and/or writer’s notebook. Guided Small Group Instruction Teacher meets with small groups of students to teach or re-teach about some aspect of writing that represents a common need for the group. Children apply the concept into their own writing. Conferencing Teacher confers with students to give descriptive feedback on one aspect of writing and/or to collect data. Students are expected to act on this feedback to improve some aspect of their writing. Partner Sharing Students listen to writing and offer feedback to support our focus.

16. Writing Genres of StudyGrade 3 Expository: The student understands that the purpose of expository writing is to describe, explain, instruct, retell/recount, or to explore or maintain relationships with others. Examples: • All about… • Letter of request… • Memoir… • Informational report… Narrative: The student understands that a story gives an account (fictional or personal narrative) of a sequence of events. Generally, the beginning introduces the setting and characters and sometimes introduces the problem; the middle further develops the problem; the end provides closure for the reader. Writers use descriptive words to add interest and details for more clarification. Examples: • Realistic Fiction: problem & solution story • Realistic Fiction: focus on story elements • Porquoi Tale (a tale of how or why)

17. Sample RubricGoal for 3rd Grade Writers: 3 or Proficient

18. Handwriting • Students will review all printed and cursive letters throughout the year. • Please refer to the cursive strokes included in your packet. • Students are not required to write in cursive in journals, on tests, etc. • Students are expected to write neatly, whether printing or using cursive. Writing neatly includes using proper letter formation and spacing.

19. Math Patterns, relations, and functions Example: Extend multiplicative and growing patterns, and describe the pattern or rule in words. 2, 4, 8, 16, ____ Numbers and number relations Example: Identify and generate equivalent forms of whole numbers;e.g.,36, 30 + 6, 9 x 4, 46-10, number of inches in a yard. Geometry Example: Analyze and describe properties of two and three dimensional objects using terms such as vertex, edge, angle, side and face.

20. Math Algebra Example: Represent problem situations using equations (e.g., 5 + n =7) and inequalities (e.g., m + 2 < 5) and solve. Measurement Example: Measure weight, length, and volume (capacity) to the nearest ½ or ¼ unit by using appropriate metric and customary units. Estimation and mental computation Example: Demonstrate fluency in multiplication facts through 10 and corresponding division facts. Data analysis and probability Examples: Analyze and interpret information on a timeline. Conduct a simple experiment or simulation of a simple event, record the results in a chart, table or graph, and use the results to draw conclusions about the likelihood of possible outcomes.

21. Math I Can Statements • Each unit has a set of “I Can” statements, which align to specific state indicators in math, only written in child-friendly terms. • I Can Statements identify all the concepts and skills that students should be able to do by the end of the unit. • Unit 1 - Sampling and Classifying • I Can Statements • I can draw conclusions based on the information from a table or graph. • I can make predictions based on the information from a table or graph. • I can match a set of data to a specific graph.D6I can translate a set of data • between a chart, a table or a graph. • I can find the mode of a set of data and explain what it means.

22. How can I help my child in math this year? • Once you receive information on First in Math, our online math program, please make sure your child is playing on a daily basis. Your child’s username and password will be inside his/her home folder. *The focus this year will be on increasing speed while solving problems. • Tell time and count money together. Ask real-world questions such as: “What time is it? What time will it be in 15 minutes?” “How much time before soccer practice begins?” “How much change should we get after we buy these pencils?” “How much more money do you need before you can buy ....?” • Check over math homework together. • Check over math assessments together. • Let the teacher know if there is a concept that is particularly difficult for your child.

23. Science Units • Rocks & Soil • Nutrition • Forces & Motion • Animal Adaptations & Environments

24. Rocks & Soil Unit Summary: • Rocks and soil have distinct properties. The properties of rocks help scientists identify what type of rock they are and how they are formed. The properties of soil help scientists identify the composition of the soil. All living things are dependent on rocks and soil. Big Idea: • Rocks and soil are important because they are interconnected to Earth’s living things and its history.

25. Nutrition Unit Overview: • Nutrition directly affects a person’s physical and mental health. Using the food pyramid, people can create a healthy, balanced diet. It is important to understand the relationship between exercise and calories. Experiments conducted with nutrition will be expected. Scientific observations should be recorded and communicated accurately. Through technology, the career of a nutritionist will be expected. Big Idea: • Understanding that nutrition makes a difference in our health and lifestyle.

26. Forces & Motion Unit Summary • An object’s position can be described by locating it relative to another object or the background. An object’s motion can be traced and measured depending on its position over time. Gravity, magnetism and collision are forces that affect an object’s motion. When an object experiences a force such as a push or pull, changes can be predicted. Big Idea • Forces directly affect objects and their motion.

27. Animal Adaptations & Environments Unit Summary • Animals have different life cycles that can be compared and contrasted. Animals have a variety of structures and functions that can be related to survival. Changes in animals’ habitats positively or negatively affect their survival. Big Ideas • Animals have different life cycles. They adapt in a number of ways in order to survive in their changing environments.

28. Social Studies Units of Study Solon History & People in Societies (Culture) Geography Local Government Economics

29. Solon History & Culture Unit Overview • The focus will be a historic and cultural study of the local community over time. Using multiple sources, students will analyze perspectives, practices and products of different cultures. They will draw logical conclusions to evaluate the impact of their commonality and diversity within local settings. Students read and interpret pictographs and bar graphs to communicate information. Big Ideas • People have different cultural practices which should be appreciated and respected. • People cause changes in their community, the effects can be positive or negative. • Tools are available to help locate information and solve problems.

30. Geography Unit Overview Students use knowledge of geographic locations, patterns, and processes to show the interrelationship between the environment and human activity over time. Students use maps as tools to learn about physical and human features. The Greater Cleveland area has landforms (e.g., rivers, Lake Erie) climate (e.g., 4 seasons), vegetation (e.g., corn, apples, trees), population (e.g., rural, urban, suburban) and economic characteristics (e.g., the types of jobs). Big Ideas • Tools are available to help locate information and solve problems.

31. Local Government Unit Overview: • Students use knowledge of the purposes, structures, and processes of political systems at the local level to understand that people create systems of government as structures of power and authority to provide order, maintain stability and promote general welfare. • Students use knowledge of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship in order to examine and evaluate civic ideals and to participate in community life and the American democratic system. • Students collect information from multiple sources. Students communicate this information using appropriate social studies terminology in oral, written or multimedia form and apply what they learned to societal issues simulated or real-world settings.

32. Economics Unit Overview: Students use economic reasoning skills and knowledge of major economic concepts, issues and systems in order to make informed choices as producers, consumers, savers, investors, workers, and citizens in an interdependent world.

34. Technology Across the Curriculum 3rd Grade Technology Standards Include: • Basic operations and computer awareness • Example: opening & closing programs • Document design (word processing) • Example: editing text with copy & paste • Data analysis (spreadsheet) • Example: creating a graph using the chart wizard • Multi-media design • Example: creating a Power Point presentation • Communications & information literacy (search engines) • Example: performing an advanced search using Google or Yahoo

35. Specials • Physical Education – Miss D’Amato Day of the Week: Monday • Media / Library – Mrs. Ebert Day of the Week: Tuesday • Art – Mr. Nyerges Day of the Week: Wednesday • Music – Mrs. Kleman Day of the Week: Thursday • Friday is a rotating schedule. Please refer to your child’s rotating schedule sheet in his/her home folder.

36. Volunteer Opportunities All sign-up sheets are on the reading table in the back of the classroom. • Send in a monthly treat or “test candy” • Sign up if you have an area of expertise to supplement the curriculum

37. Reminders • Please write a note to your child and leave it on or inside his/her desk. • Complete forms for PTA and return as soon as possible. • Complete conference forms and return as soon as possible. • Visit the book fair tonight-proceeds benefit the classroom.

38. We are a team! • Together, we can make this a positive, successful year for your child! • Please do not hesitate to contact me with questions or concerns.

39. PTA & Room Coordinators’ Announcements

40. Thank you for coming tonight! I look forward to seeing each of you at our fall conference.