Welcome to 3 rd Grade Open House Miss

Welcome to 3 rd Grade Open House Miss Ives’s Class

A little about Me! • I am from St. Louis, grew up in Chesterfield, and went through the Rockwood School District. • I received a Bachelor’s degree from Mizzou and a Master’s degree from Lindenwood University. • This is my 4 th year of teaching. • I live in a condo in Brentwood. • I have 2 younger sisters. One is a 6 th grade teacher and the other is student teaching at Bellerive in Parkway.

My Sister’s Wedding

Conference Sign Up • Conference Sheets are coming around! Make sure you sign up for a Fall and Spring Conference. • If you are unable to make a time that is listed, let me know and I’ll be sure to work something out!

Third Grade “Firsts” • • • Grades given for the first time Suzuki Assignment Notebooks MAP Testing SMARTgoal Folders

Character Education • • Character is a main focus 10 Character words • Buddy Classes – – – – – Honesty Self Control Empathy Resilience Patience Respect Perseverance Responsibility Kindness Integrity

Reading Curriculum • Balanced literacy approach • Cover 7 units: – – – - Readers Build Good Habits Thinking Strategies Nonfiction Reading Story Elements Determining Importance Synthesizing Dealing with Difficulty

Reading Curriculum Continued • By the end of 3 rd grade, students should be reading at a level P. • The student’s grade is based on individual conferring notes, End of Unit assessments, a reading notebook, teacher observations, and inclass assignments. • Students should be reading books at home for at least 30 minutes EACH night. • Scholastic Book Orders • Pasta House reading incentive

Writing Curriculum • Workshop approach • Cover 7 units: – – – – Writers Build Good Habits Telling Good Stories Writing to a prompt Poetry Personal Narrative Persuasive Essay Nonfiction

Writing Curriculum Continued • The grade is based on End of Unit assessments, conferring notes, class assignments, published pieces, and teacher observations. • Students will publish a writing piece for each unit.

Word Study • There will be NO spelling tests again this year, but there will be spelling check-ins with me. • A base-line assessment will be given for K-3 accountable words. • Any writing throughout the day should have these words spelled correctly. • SMARTgoals will be given based off of words we’re seeing misspelled in class.

Math Curriculum • Students will gain a positive attitude about mathematics, feel competent and confident, realize the value of mathematics, and they will be engaged actively in their learning. • 9 units covered: – – – – – Addition Subtraction Number System Data Analysis Multiplication Division Geometry and measurement (2 D unit and 3 D unit) Fractions and Decimals Patterns, Functions, and Change

Math Curriculum Continued • The grade is based on class work, assessments, and teacher observations.

Science Curriculum • We will use a special science notebook that follows the scientific method throughout the year. • The grade will be based on the notebooks, assessments, in class work, and teacher observations. • Extra Credit given at the end of some units • 4 units covered: – Food Chains – Plant Growth and Development – Force and Motion – Rocks and Minerals

Social Studies Curriculum • The grade is based on work completions, assessments, in class assignments, and teacher observations. • 6 units covered: – Welcome to Social Studies! – What is Geography? – What is Culture? – What is Government? – What is History? – What is Economics?

Study Guides and Assessments • A study guide will go home for science, social studies, and math assessments. We will also send home reading practices for the reading assessments. • We let you and the kids know about a week in advance when the next upcoming assessment will be.

SMARTgoal Folders This year each student will have their own SMARTgoal folder. Based off of what the 3 rd grade students need as a whole, we will make a 3 rd grade SMARTgoal and individual goals for our kids. These will be in multiple subject areas. Detailed notes and instructions will be included in the SMARTgoal folders so that you can help at home. These will be starting in the next few weeks, and most homework will focus around them. This is a great way for us to give each student what he/she needs in many subject areas.

Progress Report Folders • In the middle of each trimester, I will send home a progress report folder. In here, you will see how your child is doing as far as citizenship and study habit grades go. You will also see the letter grade that your child is currently earning in each core subject. (Reading, writing, math, science, and social studies. ) At the bottom, you will see a space for your parent initial, and you’ll have to send this back to school the following day.

The MAP test • MAP testing takes place at the very end of April and beginning of May. • Students will be tested on Communication Arts and Mathematics. • Ongoing MAP activities will take place throughout the year to help prepare students.

Field Trips • We will go to the Botanical Gardens on September 20 th for a science field trip about life cycles. • We will also travel to the Magic House for our Economics unit in Social Studies sometime in the winter or spring.

MAP Practice • We will have MAP Practices at least once a week. (MAP practice is embedded in our curriculum, so we’ll be preparing for the MAP test all year long. ) We will send home a MAP Practice Folder for you to keep at home. When your child brings home a MAP practice activity, we’ll have them add it to the folder so you can help them with those skills at home if you’d like.

Assignment Notebook and Take Home/Homework Folder • Planners should be signed each night by the parents or whoever is taking care of the child. • I will go over homework and planners each afternoon. • Notes and homework will come home in a silver homework/take home folder. • Homework and notes should be returned the next day unless otherwise noted.

Homework Policy • The students in third grade should plan on having 30 minutes of homework time each night. Homework activities will include the following: – Completion of work not finished in class and any other teacher given assignments. – After completion of work your child should read for 20 minutes. This reading practice will help students increase fluency, comprehension, and spelling. • Any homework not completed will be finished at recess time.

Snack and Birthday Treat • ALL snacks must be egg and peanut free. They should also be healthy and easy to eat while working. (I prefer snacks that don’t need a spoon. ) I’ve told the kids that they can drink from a water bottle during snack, but after that, it goes in their backpack and disappears for the rest of the day • Unhealthy snacks should be held until lunch. • Birthday Treats are welcome, but must be store bought and peanut and egg free. Also, we have 23 kids in our class, so make sure you send enough for everyone please.

Behavior Policy • Yellow Behavior Slip- 4 step process for misbehaviors in the classroom – Warning – Time Out with a student written letter home to parents (Sent home for parent signature) – Missed recess with parent contact – Principal Referral – Serious behavior issues would be handled directly by administration

Amelia’s Notebook • Our writing curriculum centers around a 3 rd grade journal. We model these off of the book series Amelia’s Notebook. We’re decorating our book tomorrow, so please help your child find things to decorate it with.

That’s It! • That’s all I have for tonight! If you have any questions, never hesitate to ask! I am available by email, work phone, or cell phone. • I’m so excited about this school year!