1. Welcome! 3 rd Grade Curriculum Night

2. Start Time Our doors open at 7:20 each morning. Students may eat breakfast or report directly to classrooms. Instruction begins promptly at 7:45. Students arriving to the classroom after 7:45 will be asked to check in at the office and be marked tardy for that day.

3. Daily Schedule 7:45-10:15 Am Block 10:15-10:45 Lunch 10:45-11:15 Recess 11:15-11:45 PM Block (1 st half) 11:45-12:40 Specials 12:40-2:40 PM Block (2 nd half) 2:40-2:45 Dismissal

4. Class Web Pages Please check out our class web pages for updates and important information. www.nisdtx.org Select Peterson Elementary Select Staff pages Click on teacher’s name or team

5. Take Home Folders Take Home folders will go home each Tuesday with graded work and important notes from the school. Please take out any papers each day. Please send these folders back each day.

6. Report Cards Progress reports and report cards will be electronic this year unless other arrangements have been made. Please make sure to update your e-mail address and other information with the district.

7. Home Access Center Online Grade book You are able to check your child’s grades 24/7 Set up username and password then you can receive e-mails and alerts

8. Behavior Expectations Conduct and effort will be noted on behavior charts in student’s take- home folders as needed. Parent/Guardian signature required weekly for all students.

9. Homework Read 20 minutes nightly Spelling words weekly Practice math facts nightly Occasional math assignments given as a review of skills taught

10. Departmentalized Your child has two teachers this year! Mrs. Burwell teaches Language Arts and Social Studies Mrs. Nichols teaches Math and Science

11. 3 rd Grade Expectations 3 rd grade is VERY different from 2 nd grade Much higher expectations Adjustment period for students

12. Language Arts

13. Reading Writing Spelling Social Studies

14. Reading Instruction authentic readers class book clubs workshop model (opening, work period, closing) 30-40 minutes daily of independent reading time to build stamina Instruction is individualized per student need DRA (Diagnostic Reading Assessment) BOY, MOY, EOY looking for independent level of “Just Right” book large group, small group, one-on-one instruction We will goal set according to Reading Strategies: Comprehension Accuracy Fluency Extending Vocabulary

15. Writing Instruction authentic writers that can express themselves clearly workshop model (opening, work period, closing) 30 minutes daily of independent writing time to build stamina Multiple Writing Genre Studies Instruction is individualized per student need: Writing Diagnostic BOY and EOY scored with 12 Stage Writing Rubric (3 rd grade EOY expectations Stages 7-10) large group, small group, one-on-one instruction We will goal set according to Writing Strategies: Ideas Organization Word Choice/Voice Conventions

16. Spelling Individualized per student need 3 levels of weekly word lists for differentiation based on difficulty of words and amount of words per week Words given on Monday – test following Friday Students will take a pre-test on Monday to determine which list they will need to study for the week. It is the student’s responsibility to remember which list to study, it is too difficult for me to keep up with 46 students when the lists they need to study change on a weekly basis. Very little, if any time allotted in class for study- we will sometime use some of the words to practice word study and how the words are used.

17. Integrated Social Studies 3 rd Grade Big Idea integrated into Reading Workshop via literature/textbook (if applicable): Map Skills Work (this is where a majority of the focus will be this year) People work together and independently to contribute to their community.  People move from one community to another to improve their lives.  People work together to shape their community.  Individuals shape their community.  Change impacts citizens individually and as a community.

18. Math & Science

19. Math Math Investigations: Workshop model (opening, work period, closing) explore problems in depth find more than one way of solving many of the problems they encounter reason mathematically and develop problem-solving strategies explain their mathematical thinking and reasoning represent their thinking using models, diagrams, and graphs. prove their ideas to others develop fluency - efficiency, accuracy, and flexibility - with mathematics. develop proficiency with arithmetic work in a variety of groupings - whole class, individually, in pairs, and in small groups

20. Math First 30 days/Problem Solving- In the first 30 days of the school year we will be following the NISD Math curriculum. The purpose of First 30 Days is to build and establish Math expectations for problem solving and collaboration. The purpose of this is to deepen student understanding and engagement in mathematical understanding. Students are expected to explain their thinking verbally and in writing.

21. Fact Fluency-  15 minutes daily practice  Goal setting  Addition/Subtraction facts ( 2 nd grade EOY goal was 30 addition/subtraction problems in 2 minutes )  Multiplication facts with numbers 0-12 ( 3 rd grade EOY goal is 30 multiplication problems in 2 minutes )  Math Facts practice pages on website Math

22. Science Science Inquiry- The Inquiry Learning model takes advantage of students’ natural curiosity. It requires well-developed questioning skills. It helps students to develop strategies and processes for collecting and evaluating information. Students are given topics and then allowed to explore. 2 nd annual science “Night of no Limits” scheduled in the Spring

23. Grading Policy 60% Formative 40% Summative Missed Work: Students have 2 days to make up work for each day missed Progress Reports every 3 weeks Report Cards every 6 weeks

24. STAAR Dates 2014 3rd Grade ReadingApril 23rd MathApril 22nd 4 th Grade ReadingApril 23rd WritingApril 1 st and 2nd MathApril 22nd 5 th Grade ReadingApril 2nd MathApril 1st ScienceApril 23rd

25. Volunteer Information Meeting The 2013-14 volunteer information meeting will be held in the library from 7:15-7:30. All those interested in volunteering this year are encouraged to attend! -bulletin boards -support in classrooms -special projects -gathering/organizing supplies Thank you for coming! We appreciate your support!

26. Thank you for coming! We appreciate your support!