Welcome to Back to School Night

September 19, 2019

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Class 3K

☺ Back to School Night ☺

Welcome third grade parents! Thank you for coming tonight to learn about your child’s third grade experience. I hope that the following information will be helpful!

☺ Brief teacher introduction and philosophy☺ Third grade curriculum☺ Important reminders

* We will have online sign-ups for December parent-teacher conferences through Google Docs. I will send a link to your email address soon.

*If you need to contact me, you can reach me by sending a note with your child in the morning or preferably by email. I check email daily and will do my best to respond to any message within 48 hours. Please keep in mind that urgent messages should be directed to the office so that I may receive them in time.

*Leave a note for your child on the heart!!

*Class information can also be found on my website: Tenafly Website →Maugham School Class Pages. →

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☺ Third Grade Curriculum ☺

☺ Social/Emotional:At this grade level, it is especially important to have a strong focus

on community. Students are encouraged to discuss and solve conflicts and share what is happening in our daily lives. To help establish our classroom community, we begin with our first Social Studies unit, Conflict Resolution.

We emphasize:✓ Mutual respect✓ Complimenting one another✓ Active Listening✓ Increased Independence ✓ Helping Others✓ Cooperation (“win-win”) not competition (“win-lose”)

A Walk Through a School Day in Third Grade

☺ Morning Routine:

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Children learn about responsibilities and take on ownership in the upkeep of their classroom.

✓ Our classroom jobs help us keep track of our responsibilities.✓ Children enter the classroom every morning with their Homework

folders. They empty the contents of this folder into the Finished Work Bin. Any notes, important slips, or homework should be submitted at this time.

✓ They also sign the easel, which always contains the News/Announcements for the day.

✓ Students copy their homework into their planners at the beginning of each day. Please get into the habit of checking these with your child every night.

✓ Please make sure your child is present for the Flag Salute and Patriotic Song every morning at 8:40!

☺ Morning Meeting:Morning Meeting sets the tone and expectations for the day, helping

the children build stronger relationships with each other and a positive classroom community.

✓ Morning Meeting begins with reviewing the news and announcements of the day.

✓ We continue to greet neighbors in the meeting area and having “Share Time” where students are encouraged to share something that is happening in their lives or something important to them. Each child will share based on a cycle according to his or her number in the classroom. Children are responsible for remembering his or her share day.

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✓ The share is usually followed by an activity, with the purpose of strengthening classroom community.

✓ The class then briefly discusses the schedule for the day and what is expected.

☺ Reader’s Workshop:✓ This year we will utilize the SchoolWide Literacy Program ✓ Units of Study: Launching Reading Workshop, Fiction & Non-Fiction ✓ Students learn both the tools and strategies to develop stamina to

read chapter books and utilize the skills needed to become fluent readers. We want the students to love reading!

✓ Keep in mind: The ability to decode words is different from truly understanding a text.

✓ Throughout the year, students will be reading and responding to texts both individually and in small groups. They are cultivating the ability to think more critically and respond to literature in a meaningful way.

✓ Reader’s Workshop encompasses mini-lessons, independent reading time, individual conferring, and class read-alouds.

✓ Your child should also be reading as frequency as possible at home each night. An appropriate amount of time for this age group is about 25-30 minutes.

✓ Check in with your child! They should be independently reading smoothly and able to tell you what their book is about.

✓ We will focus on using evidence from a text to support our opinions about what we read.

✓ Read, read and read some more books!

☺ Word Study:✓ We will continue to use a computer based program, Wordly Wise

3000. ✓ We will complete all of the activities during school time.

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✓ Students will complete pre-tests, various comprehension activities, and post-tests for each unit of study over the course of one week.

✓ Not only should students be able to explain a word’s meaning, they should also be able to use the word correctly.

✓ I will be able to login and view student progress.

☺ Writer’s Workshop: ✓ Units of Study: How Writers Work/Persuasive Essay, Literary Non-

Fiction, Author Study Patricia Polacco & Biography ✓ Children are introduced to the “Writer’s Notebook” as a tool for

writing. It is a place for them to gather thoughts, ideas, emotions, and memories.

✓ We are all authors- the children and the teacher.✓ From these collected entries, the children will learn about different

“writing craft” strategies to help elaborate and revise their writing into finished pieces.

✓ The children will learn about the Writing Process and move through it on their way to publishing their work.

✓ The class will look critically at authors of exceptional and authentic books and learn techniques to apply in their own writing to make it come to life.

✓ Grammar and phonics skills will be incorporated into mini-lessons to further enhance student writing.

✓ We emphasize teacher-student conferences in order to focus on the needs of each child individually.

✓ Proofread, proofread, proofread- an independent skill we hope to develop this year!

☺ Math✓ Units of Study: Math Tools, Time & Multiplication, Number Stories &

Arrays, Operations, Measurement & Geometry, Fractions & Multiplication Strategies, Division, and Multi-Digit Operations

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✓ Our Everyday Mathematics Program is a spiral curriculum, which means that students revisit concepts throughout the entire school year.

✓ We work as a whole class, in small groups, and with math partners. Children are encouraged to take risks and share different ways to solve a math problem.

✓ Third graders are learning the importance of checking over their work and learning from their mistakes.

✓ Playing math games related to a math concept helps the children review basic math skills.

✓ Understanding basic facts and learning them with automaticity helps students in all areas of mathematics and in the future! We use quizzes when learning multiplication to help students solidify their basic facts. We also have district-wide automaticity quizzes in addition, subtraction and multiplication in November, March and June. Keep working on fast facts at home.

✓ Problem-solving is an important component of our math curriculum and helps encourage critical thinking skills.

✓ Please sign and return all math Assessments & Cumulative Assessments. Every even unit has a Cumulative Assessment which reviews all the skills in the prior two units.

☺ Social Studies✓ Units of Study: Conflict Resolution, Exploration, and Colonial America ✓ Conflict Resolution - Students have begun exploring conflict and conflict

resolution strategies. Students work to find win-win solutions when faced with a problem and become more independent in solving conflicts.

✓ Exploration - We will study the European explorers and others who made significant discoveries throughout the world. Students also learn map skills and geography.

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✓ Colonial America - The class will investigate the similarities and differences between Colonial life and our lives today.

☺ Science ✓ Units of Study: Weather & Climate, Motion & Forces, and Ecosystems,

Life Cycles & Traits ✓ All of the units employ a hands-on, guided discovery method of

learning.✓ The students use the Scientific method to generate hypotheses,

perform experiments, collect and analyze data, and draw conclusions based on their scientific evidence.

☺ Homework ✓ Students will receive nightly homework and will write down

assignments in their planners. ✓ Please practice reading directions with your child at home. ✓ Unless otherwise noted, homework is due back at school the next

day. Please help your child organize their homework and mail each night until they can do it independently.

✓ Homework serves to enhance and reiterate instruction. Students should not struggle with their homework. If questions arise, students are encouraged to try it themselves, ask you for help, and then ask me the next day in school when we review it to make sure they understand.

✓ Homework should always be written in complete sentences and may need to be redone if directions are not followed.

✓ Always keep Math Homelinks so that your child can study these pages for Unit Assessments and Cumulative Assessments.

☺ Special Events ✓ Field Trips: TBD… be on the lookout ✓ Thanksgiving Feast Wednesday, November 27th

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✓ Third Grade Picnic – June ✓ Colonial Fair – June

Save the Date: Our class play will be on

Tuesday, November 26th at 9:00 A.M.

Third Grade FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions

How much should I help my child with homework? Third grade students should be able to complete their homework independently; however, I have no problems if you provide assistance to your child if they are having difficulty. Either way, your child should try a difficult task on their own, then ask you for help and then ask me if they are having trouble with an assignment. What is the NJSLA state testing? Should I be worried?All third graders across New Jersey take the NJSLA assessments in literacy and mathematics in May. These tests will be taken on the Chromebooks. We do our best to help them do their best!

Does my child need to bring their own snack?

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Yes! Remember, healthy and nut-free snacks help the kids do their best thinking! The students will eat a snack in the afternoon this year.

How do you differentiate learning? Can my child be challenged?Differentiation is embedded into all areas of our curriculum-from writing to mathematics. There are many opportunities for challenge work and optional projects for homework. Dr. Bianchi is an excellent resource for us, as she often helps provide challenge work and programs. We work hard to make sure your child is being challenged appropriately!

How do you integrate technology into the curriculum?We do many projects throughout the year involving technology and have our very own set of Chromebooks to facilitate. I have a Google classroom that the kids will frequently visit for activities and assignments during class time. We will use Google Docs, Slides and Forms for various activities throughout the year. There are numerous apps available like Typing Club and Xtra Math to use during technology time. We will also use a new resource, Nearpod, an interactive and collaborative learning tool for use in the classroom. We also use EPIC, which is an online library which tracks student progress.

How are parents selected to attend field trips?Since many parents show interest in accompanying our class on field trips, the only fair way to select chaperones is to choose randomly. I will contact you if you are selected to attend. Please keep in mind that should you be selected, you will be responsible for a small group of children for the entire length of the field trip. For some of our trips, the groups are separated and you would not necessarily be with your child’s teacher. Also, it is not permitted to purchase anything for your child or other children while on a

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trip. This includes lunch, snacks, and souvenirs. Chaperones are also required to ride with the students on the bus.

How do I know what is going on in 3K?Coming soon!! The students will create newsletters outlining all of the important happenings in our classroom. They take turns writing these newsletters so we can keep you well informed.

How can I help my child this year? Third Grade is a year to build independence! This year you can work on giving your child multi-step directions once at home and see how much they can accomplish on their own. Also encourage your child to read, read and read each and every day.

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Reminders for 3K

Birthdays: As I’ve already communicated with you, we will celebrate birthdays as a class once per month by doing a special activity. **If you have invitations to distribute to a birthday party, please distribute them outside of school. This will avoid any hurt feelings.

Scholastic Book club: Book Club forms are passed out every month. Please do not feel that you have to order, but many parents have found that these book clubs offer great books at discount prices. If you do order, please make Checks only payable to Scholastic Book Club and return the form by the due date written on the attached note.

News and Announcements: ✓ Please watch absences and tardiness. ✓ Please sign and return tests.✓ Get your child in the habit of proofreading their work and making

corrections.✓ Spend time reading with your child. Books are great gifts! ✓ Try to pack a healthy and nut-free snack for your child. It will help

them do their best thinking! ✓ Please review the homework folders and planners with your children.

You will find important information and due dates in your child’s planner. Class updates can also be found on my website.

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✓ Please know that you can always contact me should you have any questions or concerns!

✓ Direct Release: If your child is on the “Direct Release” list, this means they MUST be picked up directly by you at the end of the day. If they have permission to walk away from me, you must switch them to “Independent Release” on the Elementary Dismissal Form in the Parent Portal. If you choose to make the switch, please inform me.

Thank you for coming tonight! I hope that some of the topics I covered were helpful to you. I am looking forward to an

exciting and educational year together.-Mrs. Keomurjian

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