Welcome!

3rd Grade CurriculumNight

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.

Daily Schedule7:45-10:15            Am Block10:15-10:45           Lunch10:45-11:15           Recess11:15-11:45          PM Block (1st half)11:45-12:40           Specials12:40-2:40            PM Block (2nd half)2:40-2:45           Dismissal

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

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.

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.

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

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.

Homework• Read 20 minutes

nightly• Spelling words weekly• Practice math facts

nightly• Occasional math

assignments given as a review of skills taught

Departmentalized• Your child has two teachers this year!

• Mrs. Burwell teaches Language Arts and Social Studies

• Mrs. Nichols teaches Math and Science

3rd Grade Expectations• 3rd grade is VERY

different from 2nd grade

• Much higher expectations

• Adjustment period for students

Language Arts

Language Arts

• Reading• Writing• Spelling• Social Studies

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

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(3rd grade EOY expectations Stages 7-10)

• large group, small group, one-on-one instructionWe will goal set according to Writing Strategies:

• Ideas• Organization• Word Choice/Voice• Conventions

SpellingIndividualized 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.

Integrated Social Studies

3rd 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.

Math & Science

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

MathFirst 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.

Fact Fluency- 15 minutes daily practiceGoal settingAddition/Subtraction facts (2nd grade EOY goal was 30

addition/subtraction problems in 2 minutes)Multiplication facts with numbers 0-12 (3rd grade EOY

goal is 30 multiplication problems in 2 minutes)Math Facts practice pages on website

Math

ScienceScience 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.

2nd annual science “Night of no Limits” scheduled in the Spring

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

STAAR Dates 20143rd Grade

Reading April 23rdMath April 22nd

4th GradeReading April 23rdWriting April 1st and 2ndMath April 22nd

5th GradeReading April 2ndMath April 1stScience April 23rd

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!

Thank you for coming!

We appreciate your support!