1. Welcome! Thank you for coming to Back to School Night!
Please find your child’s desk and begin the worksheet. We will begin the presentation shortly

2. Welcome to Veterans Elementary School Back to School Night 2010-2011
The Third Grade Team
Mrs. Grady-Johnson
Ms. Borowiecki
Ms. Jackson
Mrs. Welch
Ms. Marc
Mrs. Lane
Mr. Callaghan
Mrs. Wagner

3. Reading
Reading follows the Howard County Essential Curriculum. The main focus in third grade is on comprehension strategies and written responses, especially Brief Constructed Responses (BCRs).
We will be using a combination of trade books, the Treasures series, novels, and magazines to provide instruction at your child’s level.

4. Reading
Reading will be taught in your child’s homeroom class. The homeroom classes are heterogeneously grouped, but within homerooms, students are placed in flexible reading groups to match their instructional level. Most homeroom classes have three flexible reading groups.

5. Math
Students were assessed and placed into math classes according to their math skills and needs. Within each classroom, there will be opportunities for flexible grouping, technology activities, and cooperative learning experiences to enhance the Howard County Mathematics Curriculum.
The Howard County Public School System has created a collection of SMART pages that can be accessed at
More information will be shared by your child’s math teacher at the second session.

6. Writing Your child will practice writing for many different purposes,
including :
writing to inform
writing to express personal ideas
writing to persuade.
Your child will write in a variety of formats, such as stories, letters, poems, and reports. The goal is for students to go through the writing process approximately once per week. We will also work on cursive writing throughout the year.

7. Writing
The “secrets” to being a good writer will be presented to your child through the 6+1 Traits of Writing Model.
Ideas
Organization
Word Choice
Sentence Fluency
Voice
Conventions
Presentation
For more information about the Traits, including tips for parents, please visit

8. Social Studies
Your children will broaden their awareness of our local and global communities through our four Social Studies units:
Geography Political Science
History Economics
Social Studies lessons will be presented through interactive activities that include role-playing, creating products, and in-depth discussions. The lessons will allow your child to see connections between classroom activities, past history, and their lives today. Many lessons include problem-solving group work to teach the skills necessary to work together in small groups both in the classroom and later in life.

9. Science
We will study Earth and Space Science, Physical Science, and Life and Environmental Science this year in third grade.
Our units include:
Weather
Experimentation
Heat, Light, and Sound
Plants and Trees
Science is taught through inquiry-based lessons that will engage your child through hands-on learning experiences. Your child will use observations and questioning skills to solve problems. Science also provides another opportunity for your child to productively work in a small group.

10. Health
This year our Health units will include Social and Emotional Health, Safety, First Aid and Injury Prevention, and Tobacco, Alcohol, and other Drugs.
All material will be presented in an age-appropriate manner that promotes overall safety and wellness.

11. Homework
Nightly homework is assigned as a means for students to practice skills and strategies they have learned in school. It is also a way to build a connection between home and school. In third grade, students should be able to complete most of their homework independently, but you can work together in the sense of encouragement and aid when needed.

12. Spelling
We use the Words Their Way word study program for spelling. Students will focus on learning various spelling patterns that they can apply to their everyday schoolwork, rather than memorizing a set list of words each week.
As in reading and math, students were assessed and placed into spelling groups at their instructional level. The spelling inventory is given three times a year, and students will move spelling groups as needed. Weekly spelling tests are given as well.
Spelling homework is assigned Thursday to Thursday. Tests are given on Thursdays.

13. Math Homework
Your child’s math teacher will send math homework home Monday through Thursday evenings. The math homework will directly reinforce concepts that have been taught in class. Your child should be comfortable with the concepts, therefore, if you see that your child is struggling with a particular concept or strategy, please send a note to his or her math teacher. Math homework should be sent back to school each day.

14. Reading and Writing Homework
Your child will be learning about various reading comprehension strategies and grammar skills this year. To practice these skills and strategies, he or she will be assigned weekly reading and writing homework. It will be sent home on Mondays and will be due on Fridays.

15. Nightly Reading Homework
All students are expected to read for at least 20 minutes each night. Students are encouraged to read aloud to family members to practice fluency, and discuss text as a way to reinforce comprehension skills. Please initial your child’s reading calendar each night to indicate that this reading expectation has taken place. The reading calendar is located in the front of your student’s agenda book.

16. Grading
Our students are now moving away from the primary grading scale, (I, W, N) and will be receiving letter grades for the first time. Students will receive grades in the following areas:
Math (Concepts and Problem Solving)
Reading
Writing
Language Mechanics
Spelling
Science
Social Studies
Health
Related Arts (P.E., Art, Music, Media)

17. Kristie

18. Grading
All grades will be a combination of class work and assessments. All third grade teachers will use the following grading scale:   
90-100% = A (Outstanding)
80-89% = B (High Level)
70-79% = C (Satisfactory Level)
60-69% = D (Low Level)
50-59% = E (Failure)

19. MSA
Students will be taking the Maryland School Assessment in March. Students will be assessed in reading and math.
The MSA contains a combination of selected response (multiple choice) and Brief Constructed Responses (short, written answers). Students will be working on activities throughout the year to help them successfully meet the state standards.
The State Department of Education has created a website containing standards, practice activities, and sample test questions. Visit for more information on MSA.

20. Website
Please visit the VES 3rd Grade Website to find more information about news & events, spelling, math, and more. The 3rd Grade Website can be found by visiting:
‘Team Pages’  ‘Third Grade’
The address for the page is
You can bookmark the team page, but be sure to check the VES Homepage for important dates and information.