Welcome to our 3 rd Grade Back to School Night

1. Welcome to our 3rd Grade Back to School Night Thanks for coming!

2. Communication Arts Goal: To make meaning out of print Reading Writing Phonics/S-p-e-l-l-i-n-g

3. Components of Balanced Literacy • Whole group instruction • Shared reading • Small group instruction (guided reading groups) • Project Read • Independent reading

4. 1. Whole Group Instruction • Comprehension strategies • Decoding (phonics) • Project Read • Vocabulary

5. 2. Shared Reading • Teacher and students share the text

6. 3. Small Group Instruction • Guided reading groups • Flexible groupings • Skills, Interests, and Needs

7. 4. Project Read • Focus is on letters and sounds • All First and Second Graders have had Project Read • Third Grade continues to reinforce and extend skills

8. 5. Independent Reading • Occurs daily • Students select books • Provides opportunities to use strategies

9. Assessments • Continual assessment guides instruction • Teacher observation • 4-Sight • Standardized test given four times a year • Allows teachers to gain a snapshot of the student progress through the year • Preparation for PSSAs • STAR • Computer program that monitors student’s ability to use words in context • DIBELS • Assesses oral reading fluency • Core Phonics • Assesses phonetic skills

10. Narrative/Informational Writing • Modeled Writing • Shared Writing • Guided Writing • Independent Writing

11. 1. Modeled Writing • Teacher models what good writers think about and do during writing.

12. 2. Shared Writing • Teacher and students work collaboratively • Focus is on writing skills and strategies

13. 3. Guided Writing • Teacher serves as coach • Student has opportunities to practice skills and strategies

14. 4. Independent Writing • Ultimate goal for writing instruction • Student selects topic

15. Assessments • Teacher observation • Writing prompts (monthly and district) • Narrative/Informational are aligned with instruction

16. Math • Continuation of mathematical concepts learned in K, 1, 2 • Curriculum spirals: concepts are introduced and revisited throughout the year • Family letters help explain the unit’s topics and terms • Some concepts are introduced differently than the way we learned them. Referring to the family letter will help you reinforce how concepts are being taught in the classroom.

17. Mathematics Continued… • Key features of our Everyday Mathematics program include: • Problem solving in everyday situations • Developing readiness through hands-on activities • Establishing links between past experiences and exploration of new concepts • Sharing ideas through discussion • Cooperative learning through partner and small group activities • Practice through games

18. Math Centers • Day 6 • In place of Social Studies/Science lesson • Remediation/Enrichment • Small Groups – defined skills

19. Rocket Math • Purpose is to increase speed and accuracy in math facts • Will improve students’ ability to learn and retain higher order math skills • Goal for Third Graders is to master all addition and subtraction facts • Some children may advance to other operations • Rocket Math will begin November 3rd • The first 9 weeks of school are spent focusing on building fact power strategies

20. Social Studies • Units of study include: • Pennsylvania • Communities • Local and National Government • History • Economy

21. Science • Units include: • Earth Materials • Life Cycles • Sound

22. Ways to help your Third grader • Homework • About 30 minutes per day • Reinforce the skills taught in school • Math homelinks • Phonics/Spelling • Math Facts • Read 10 to 20 minutes • Communication • E-mail • Voice mail • Handwritten notes

23. Let’s have a great year!