|
Helpful Tips for a Successful 3rd Grade Year!!!!!!
Spelling- On Mondays the students will be given a pretest. There are usually about 15 words on their lists. I also add 5 extra words from the story of the week. They will bring home a list of their spelling words on Monday, which should remain in their homework folder all week, as well as a list that will be written into their planner. On Fridays we will take their final spelling test.
Language Arts/Reading- We have six themes in our reading series. In each theme there are approximately three to four stories as well as a genre focus to incorporate. Our goal is to read one story a week. Along with the story we work on spelling, vocabulary, grammar, comprehension, the genre for that theme, and the learning targets set for third grade. On top of reading in the classroom the students will have a reading log that they will need to fill out every week and turn in the following Monday for a grade. READ! READ! READ!
Writer’s Workshop- Soon, the children will choose their own topics and write stories. They should be able to have a fully published paper about every two weeks. Please ask your child what they are writing about, it may spark some new ideas! As soon as their story has been published they are required to bring it home and share it with you. I would ask for you to fill out and sign the comment page and send it back the next day.
S.S.R./Snack- The children will have Silent Sustained Reading everyday, along with snack. They are allowed to bring reading material from home, pick from my reading books, or choose the book they checked out in library that week. It is also important that your child has a snack during this time. We go to lunch last and their snack will only help add fuel to their brains. (SSR in the class does not count for that days reading log entry).
Lunch- Please be sure your child has cold lunch or lunch money. If your child can’t reach you during the day because you are a working parent, try putting lunch money in their back pack, just in case of an emergency. Checks are acceptable. Please see the menu for pre-paid prices.
Math- Your child will most likely have homework everyday. It will typically be the Homelink assignment that co-insides with the lesson that day. You may want your child to bring home their Math workbooks everyday so you can look it over together. You can really help your child by making sure they know their basic addition and subtraction facts. The better they know those, the easier multiplication and division will be!
S.S./Science- We alternate Social Studies and Science. The emphasis for third grade S.S. is learning about the history of Spokane. In Science, we study three units: geology, electricity, and energy/matter.
Planners- Every day your child will write the days activities down in their planner. Each child was provided with one at the beginning of the year. We keep them in the front of our binders. The assignments are written on the overhead and they have to copy them onto their own planner. I have a master calendar that the students should check if they miss a day to see what needs to be caught up on. Please look over their planner nightly and initial in the yellow strip under the appropriate day. Participation points will be given daily for a parent signature. This will help us all stay informed of what is happening and keep us on track. These planners will help your child with their organization, and preparation for the year to come.
Friday Folders- Every Friday the Ponderosa Friday Folder will come home with papers from that week. Please go through these papers and return any that need be. The folder should come back empty or with the needed papers the next Monday morning.
Reward System- I give whole group rewards and individual rewards. I have a Star Student chart to monitor individual behavior and a marble jar to help with whole class behavior. I record the children’s individual behavior daily. If I find that I have to talk to your child several times, I will send a yellow discipline slip home that needs to be signed by you and sent back the next day.
Monday- Music 9:40
Tuesday- PE 9:40, Library 11:00
Wednesday- Music 9:40
Thursday- LATE START 10:05
Friday- PE 9:40
If you have any questions, please feel free to call or write.
Mrs. Colyar
Ponderosa Elementary
228-4481
mcolyar@cvsd.org
Students Rights and Responibilities
|
