Welcome to Third Grade!

1. Welcome to Third Grade! Back to School Night 2013-2014

2. Sneak Peak of Our Week: Daily Schedule 8:00-9:45 Morning Work/Math 9:45-10:00 Track Time/Snacks 10:00-11:50 Reading/Language Arts 11:50-12:15 Lunch 12:15-12:40 Study Hall/DEAR 12:40-1:00 Recess 1:00-2:00 Science/Social Studies 2:00-3:00 Special 3:10 Dismissal Specials Schedule Monday: Art Tuesday: Music/PE Wednesday: Music/Spanish Thursday: Spanish/Library Friday: PE

3. What should you expect in third grade?

4. Your little ones are growing up!  • Third grade is a transitional year: no longer primary, not quite upper elementary • Goals we’re working toward: • Increased independence • Problem solving skills • Responsibility • Organization

5. Classroom Management School-wide: ROAR tickets Individual Reinforcement: Earn ROAR tickets, can also lose them Classroom Reinforcement: Earn Marbles, Table Points Corinth Dragons: Respectful On Task Act Safely Responsible

6. Homework Folders • Students will take their folders to and from school every day. • Monday night they will get a homework packet for the upcoming week. • Students should also be reading each night on top of their nightly work. • Please monitor your child’s homework.

7. Homework Sheet/ Newsletter Important Dates Nightly Homework Assignments Overview of our studies Spelling List

8. Book Logs • Students should record each book they read at home on their reading log • Reading logs will be turned in at the end of each quarter • Please help your child pick appropriate books for their reading level. Avoid picture books. • End of Quarter Celebration for students who meet the reading goal.

9. Testing DIBELS • Assesses reading fluency and retell • Fall, Winter, and Spring MAP Test (Measures of Academic Progress) • Reading and Math • Fall: everyone, Winter and Spring: optional Kansas Assessments • Reading and Math • In the Spring, following Spring Break

10. What will we be studying?

11. Math enVision Curriculum Daily Math (computation and concepts) • Topics Covered • Place Value • Addition/Subtraction • Multiplication/Division • Geometric Shapes • Fractions • Time • Measurement • Problem Solving *Changes in math- We will have increased focus on the process of the problems not just the answers: How? Why? Explain to me…

12. Rocket Math New Facts • Automatic recall of basic facts is crucial as we get into more challenging math skills • Multiplication begins the first week of October in our math curriculum! • 3-4 new facts per level • Please take a few minutes each night to review new math facts Practice Quiz

13. Reading/Language Arts/Spelling • All part of our new Wonders Curriculum! • Target comprehension skill each week in reading • Weekly assessment tests student’s use of the target comprehension skill • Emphasis on finding evidence in the text • Spelling is part of the program – tests are on Thursday

14. Science Units of Study • Scientific Process • Plants • Animals • Rocks/Minerals • Water Cycle • Health/Digestive System *open book tests

15. Social Studies Units of Study • Communities/Government • Geography/Map Components • Washington D.C. • Economics • Kansas City *open book tests

16. Technology Your kids love technology and so do we  • They are learning keyboarding skills • Access to enVision Website • Access to Wonders Website • Student Remotes in the classroom • iPad minis(Thanks PTA!) • Web Back Pack

17. What kind of long term projects are there?

18. Book Reports Biography • One per quarter • Guidelines will be sent home a month before the due date • Each report will cover a different genre • Oral presentations accompany each project encouraging students to develop speaking skills. Poetry Mystery

19. Mini Society • 4th quarter during economics unit • Students create a society within the classroom • Students earn society money during the quarter • The finale of mini society is a market day where students buy and sell goods using their society’s money

20. Kansas City • We need your help! • We’re looking for families interested in visiting a historical site in Kansas City • Choose a site to visit, take a few pictures with your child, and fill out a short questionnaire about the site • Have pictures and information to the classroom before December 1 • Sign-ups can be found in the hall

21. Other Things to Know…

22. Snacks/Birthdays • Lunch is at 11:50 so we will have a snack time during track time. Please send a healthy snack. (NO NUTS) • We love to celebrate birthdays. Please make sure treats are easy to serve and contain no nuts.

23. Grades • We will switch to letter grades during fourth quarter (A, B, C…) • We will not send mid-quarter grades home until fourth quarter when letter grades start. • Most of the time we will review/correct graded work in class. I will let you know if I would like something corrected at home.

24. Star Student • Send 8-10 pictures • Send digital if possible, hard copies are fine too • Send to ChastainStarStudent@gmail.com • Students present pictures on Friday • Also responsible for estimation jar for the week

25. District Privacy • E-mail is the easiest way to reach me, but I will not be able to discuss student grades or provide details about your child’s progress through e-mail. In those situations I will reply to you to set up a time to talk in person.

26. Don’t Forget to Sign-Up! Sign-ups in the hallway • Conferences • Room Parents • Class Parties • Kansas City Historical Sites

27. Kara ChastainPhone:(913)993-2928 e-mail: crchasta@smsd.orgThanks for coming!