Third Grade - A Very Special Year Ms. Levy

A Year of Independence This year your child begins to take more responsibility for his/her learning. This is a year for you to begin to step back and allow your child to become a little more independent. He or she should begin packing their own backpack. Let your child learn about responsibility.

Dont Panic! We have a lot of routines that may seem overwhelming at first, but after a few weeks it all flows smoothly. If you have a question feel free to contact me. Remember – its only third grade – not life or death!

Communication Newsletter –Will send via and post on website. Assignment notebook –Please sign each night. Parent Folder –Please take out student papers, sign folder & return. Classroom website – Go to the district website, Click on Wilmot Elementary, Click on staff and Webpages, Scroll down to Levy, Karen, click on website.

How to Contact Me By Preferred method as I have many more opportunities to check than phone. However, do not rely on or phone to communicate emergency changes in dismissal or travel plans for your child, as I may not see or hear the message in time. By phone (847) ext. 4130

Reading/Language Arts Whole group and small group instruction Spelling- focus on patterns & word work Grammar- embedded in the program Reading Logs- sent home on Friday and due the following Friday. Writing – mini lessons that focus on specific skills, writing binder/portfolio

Independent Reading Heres an I received from my son while he was away at college: do u remember the books about the kids who build the space ship with their crazy neighbor and then travel to some other planet? quiero comprarlos ** The best readers read for pleasure!

Reading Log The Reading Log will come home every Friday. Your child will record the number of minutes he or she reads each week. Students are expected to read at least 20 minutes each night and record their minutes on the chart. Reading on the weekend is optional, but can be recorded. The reading log is due on Fridays with a signature from a parent. We have a Reading Log Lotto every Friday. For every 100 minutes a child reads he or she gets to fill in one square on the lotto board. (Max. of 3 squares.)

Author Studies Every 2 or 3 weeks we will focus on a different childrens author. The main reason is to introduce the students to different genres, authors, and to generate more interest in reading. There will be a secret mission about the author each time we start a new author. The students will have a sticker chart and the opportunity to earn more lira by reading chapter books, especially those by the featured author. You will be given a list of these authors and the names of some of the books they have written to help you with selecting books to check out or purchase for your child.

Math Our math program is Bridges. In addition, we take a daily facts test. The students move at their own pace. Goal for the year is to learn the multiplication tables. Students begin with 100 problems in five minutes. After completing all the tests (100% correct) in 5 minutes, they start over with only 4 minutes. This is typically one of the favorite activities for the students. They chart their progress and earn rewards as they reach certain milestones.

Social Studies Social Studies Alive Emphasis on hands-on activities Covers all 5 strands of social studies: geography, political, economic, history, and culture. States, capitals, and abbreviations

Science New Curriculum – Scott Foresman Five Areas covered: Life Science, Human Body, Physical Science, Earth Science, and Space Science.

Other Subjects Technology Classroom computers Mini laptops Promethean Board Spanish Two and a half times a week Second Step Social-Emotional Curriculum

Optional Challenge Activities Math Mysteries – sent home on Fridays Secret Missions – posted on Fridays on the website Challenge Packets - states crosswords and word searches

Homework Mon-Thurs: Language Arts, math, and reading log Students write the assignments in their assignment notebook. Parents should sign the assignment notebook at night. Assignments are posted on the website.

Homework Hints Establish a routine. Find a quiet place in the home with no distractions. Dont argue with your child over homework! Allow them to learn to be responsible and dont make excuses for them when they have to experience the consequences of lost, not done, dog ate it, never got it, etc.

Absences Leave a message with the office. You may send an . Work that can be made up with be put in your childs mailbox for them to take home when they return. If your child is sick, keep them at home. –Please do not tell them they can go to the nurse or call home to get them out the door, as their focus that day will be going home or to the nurse.

Rewards and Consequences Homework Club Levy Lire- Auction Special Treat Oops Sheet Remember Papers Think Paper

Oops Sheets If your child does not turn in a homework assignment, he/she will be given an Oops sheet. They will bring this sheet home to you and you will need to sign it. Please do not bring in forgotten homework for your child! Remember, they are learning to be responsible for themselves.

Homework Club The Homework Club is a way to reward students on a monthly basis for bringing in their homework. At the end of each month all students who did not get more than two oops sheet will be in the Homework Club. The students who earn this reward will get to stay in the classroom and eat their lunch at their desk and watch a movie.

Levy Lire The students will earn Levy Lira for turning in homework, doing optional extra credit (Math Mystery & Secret Mission), Reading Log Lotto, and math facts tests. They can also lose money for things like for breaking class rules. At the end of each grading period we have an auction where students can spend their lira.

Student Checkbook Each student has his or her own checkbook in which they record their lira. Students write the date, reason for deposit or withdrawal, the amount, and the new total. You will see these sheets come home in the Monday folder. Please go over them with your child and discuss how they are earning or losing money.

Auctions We have 3 auctions throughout the year usually around the time that report cards come out. We need 3-4 parent volunteers to sponsor each auction. The sponsors collect as many items as they can for the auction. They usually ask for donations from everyone. The items can be anything a third grader would like to have: books, games, toys, candy, stuffed animals, school supplies, balls, etc. All parents are invited to attend the auction which are usually at the end of the day on a Friday.

Tallies/Discipline One of the main ways children lose lira is by getting tallies. Tallies are given for talking out of turn, or other minor classroom rule infractions. If your child receives 5 or more tallies in one day, he or she will fill out a think paper. One of the favorite classroom jobs is the Tally Clipboard. This person keeps track of the tallies given throughout the day.

Bathroom Policy As a class we take a restroom break about once an hour. This works out to 6-7 times per day. If your child needs to use the bathroom during instructional time, he or she will lose 5 minutes of their free time. This insures that the need to use the bathroom is a real one and not an excuse to get out of work, or explore the hallways.

Think Paper This is a discipline form your child will bring home if they receive 5 or more tallies in one day, or if there is a larger problem. Please sign and return the form. It has three questions on it that the students must answer. 1.What did you do? 2.What should you have done? 3.What will you do in the future?

Birthdays On your childs birthday, or half birthday, the office announces the birthday and the child chooses a birthday book. There will not be any major celebrations and no treats are to be sent in!

Book Orders The students love picking out and getting books from the book orders! Please make the checks payable to the Book Company Scholastic! You only need to make out one check. All the orders go to the same company.

Volunteer Opportunities Come into the classroom for special projects Field Trips Class Parties Pick up and pay for memory book photos Sign up at the back table!

Questions?