1. Information for Parents about 3 rd Grade Mrs. Lamberson Room 100 rachellamberson@hotmail.com 309-346-3182 Check out our webpage at: www.rankin98.org

2. Mrs. Lamberson Teaching kids is definitely my passion. I will do anything I can to help your child learn this year. Please contact me if you need ANYTHING, even if it is not school related. I will do my best to make this year a fantastic one for you and your child!

3. Homework Policies Students will bring home an assignment sheet nightly that tells what we did in class that day, the homework they have and what is due the next day. If students do not turn in homework, they will redo it at recess that day. Students will receive a redo on a paper if they receive a D or an F. They need to fix their mistakes and turn it in for half credit. I believe that family time is important. Your child should not have a lot of homework at night. If your child is coming home with lots of homework, it means that they are choosing not to work on it during class when time has been given.

4. Spelling New spelling lists will be sent home on Fridays! Students will have 10 words from our spelling book and 5 words that I have chosen for them. If the students gets a 100 on the pre-test on Monday they do not have to take it again on Friday. If they don’t get a 100 on Monday, they must re-take the test on Friday and that will be their final grade! It is very important that students study the list at home in addition to the class time we will spend on these words. After we are done with the list for the week students are expected to spell them correctly the rest of the year. If I see a student is misspelling a word frequently I will add it to their list again.

5. Illinois State Achievement Tests (ISAT) Students will be taking a test over the 3 rd grade curriculum in Math, Reading and writing in the Spring. These tests are very important and we will be preparing for them the entire year. Check out this website for more information: http://www.isbe.net/assessment/isat.htm

6. Behavior Rewards –Students can earn dollars if they are caught being good –$25 = Bat Boy (Teacher’s Servant) –$50 = Concession Stand Prize –$75 = Soda in Class –$100 = Sit with a friend –If the class has no strikes the whole week ………Popcorn Party! With money saved we have an END OF THE YEAR AUCTION!!! Students get 3 chances a day: –1st Strike - Verbal Warning –2nd Strike – 10 min of recess –3rd Strike – All Recess, discussion with me, and note home Students start new each day!!

7. Cursive We will be practicing our cursive letters weekly until Christmas. After Christmas all work is REQUIRED to be in cursive.

8. Reading! Students are required to either read 2-3 AR books each grading period OR participate in the book-it program. The Book-It program is through pizza hut and students can earn free pizzas for reading! (begins in October) The AR program is where a student reads an AR book, takes a short test on the book and earns points to spend at the AR store at the end of the year! I encourage all 3 rd graders to begin reading chapter books. Please take some time to read with your child each night! The best way for kids to become better readers is to read with them 15 minutes a day…….that’s it!!! A great parent tip: turn on the closed captioning on your TV. It helps kids become better readers!!!!

9. What Can YOU Do To Help Your Child? Please check red take home folder nightly. Read through the assignment sheet and make sure student has completed all homework. Help your students learn to be organized and responsible by having them tell you what they need to do for homework and just check to make sure it is done and in the right place in their folder. Read with your child EVERY DAY!!! Encourage your child to write in cursive at home. Maybe even write letters to relatives throughout the year. Practice basic math facts – addition, subtraction, multiplication and division! Ask your child about school everyday!!!