Third Grade: Road To Responsibility 2012-2013

For the things they had molded into the child Unity I dreamed I stood in a studio And watched two sculptors there. The clay they used was a young child’s mind And they fashioned it with care.   One was a teacher-the tools she used Were books, music, and art The other, a parent, worked with a guiding Hand, And a gentle, loving heart. Day after day, the teacher toiled with touch That was careful, deft and sure. While the parent labored by her side And polished and smoothed it o’er. And when at last their task was done, They were proud of what they had wrought. For the things they had molded into the child Could neither be sold nor bought. And each agreed they would have failed If each had worked alone. For behind the parent stood the school And behind the teacher, the home.

Third Grade Handbook & Hints “On the Road to Responsibility” 2012-2013 Deer Valley Handbook – Please review the guidelines in the handbook regarding Arrival/Dismissal, transportation, and medications. Be sure and send a note following an absence so it may be recorded accurately.   Lunchroom-Menus are on the Deer Valley website. Please talk to your child about food selection. You are always welcome to join us child for lunch. Our class treat day is on Friday. Students are allowed to purchase seconds of daily lunch choices. Please contact the lunchroom and me if you would prefer your child not have this option. If you have any questions regarding your child’s lunch account please contact the cafeteria manager. You can also access your child’s lunch account on the internet at www.paypals.com.

Snack Time – Please send something nutritious for your child at snack time. Some good suggestions include cheese and crackers, breakfast bars, prepared fruit, popcorn and dry cereal. Water is always available in the classroom, but your child can also bring in a water bottle.   Money – Please send any money in an envelope with the child and the teacher’s name. Please identify what the money is for and the exact amount. We are not allowed to make change. I will send Scholastic book orders home throughout the year. If you plan to purchase books, please try to order books online. Our class receives one free book for each online order. Another wonderful option is to pay all fees online. The website is www.myschoolfees.com Communication – Parent teacher communication is essential for your child’s success. A class newsletter will be emailed each Monday. If you need to inform me of anything about your child, please feel free to email or write a note. Birthdays – We have a school wide birthday policy this year. Students’ birthdays will be recognized in the classroom, but parents are not allowed to send in treats.

Field Trips – We will go on four field trips throughout the school year. Permission forms were completed online and we will send dates once they are confirmed. We usually need two chaperones per trip. Also, no younger siblings are allowed to accompany parents on fieldtrips since this would provide a distraction from the supervision of our students. Discipline – First and foremost, I have your child’s best interest at heart at all times! Our classroom follows three simple rules: Be Safe, Be Responsible, Be Respectful. I feel that when students follow these 3 rules in every area of the school day, they are being prepared to become responsible citizens who know that rules are made for their benefit and there are consequences for breaking rules and rewards for following rules. I expect students to be ready to learn at all times. If a students makes a poor choice they will be warned, given time out for reflection, or a parent will be contacted, depending on the individual situation.   Assessment – Our goal is to capture a grade every week/week ½ in each area. Your child will usually bring home a signed paper folder every week. Interim Reports are sent in the middle of each nine weeks. Report cards are sent home every nine weeks. Volunteers – We love having volunteers and appreciate your help. When volunteering, remember to sign in at the office and get a visitor’s pass. If you would like to help in the classroom and are not scheduled, it would be helpful if you could send a note with your child on that morning so we would be expecting you. We want to make the most of your time and assistance.

Third Grade Field Trips Sept. 21:  Oak Mountain Oct. 18: Desoto April 2: Vulcan/Sloss Furnace May 3: Children’s Theatre/Civil Rights Institute   Parents are highly encouraged to pay online and we will be collecting through September 9th.

Grading - Some grades are based on class-work and class participation Grading - Some grades are based on class-work and class participation. Other grades are based on testing which reflect good study habits, memorization, inferential-higher level thinking, and decision-making. Class work is usually not taken as a grade, but can be. The children are learning and practicing through these assignments. Our grading scale is as follows: A 90-100, B 80-89, C 70-79, D 60-69, and F 59 and below. Language Arts will include spelling, writing, and DOL quizzes.   Signed Papers – Papers will be sent home every Monday. Grades for the report card are based on these evaluations. Each year, this seems to be one of the more stressful events for third graders. We review these as a class but your child may have additional questions. So, I suggest you review these with your child. If your child usually does well and doesn’t perform as well on a particular assignment, please explain with work and practice they can always pull up his/her grade. I never share grades of students with other students and I stress to them this is private information even if you do really well. So, please discuss with your child the importance of privacy in this area. After you have reviewed the papers, please sign the paper in the folder. It is your child’s responsibility to return the folder to class by Wednesday.

Homework – Homework and a will be sent home every Monday and will be due back to school on Thursday. Reading Logs will also be sent home each Monday and due back each Friday. Your child will be responsible for copying assignments in the agenda daily. Homework should take no more than 40 minutes. Students will have no written homework on Wednesdays and weekends. However, I may ask the students on Wednesday evenings to prepare for any test or assignments that need to be completed. They will need to review their spelling words as well. Spelling tests are Thursday and DOL and DOM tests are every Friday. ******Special Note – Most Third Graders cannot be sent to their room to do their homework. We have to guide and show them how to study. I will give them guidance and hints in class. They should be able to complete most written assignments independently. Please allow students to try assignments on their own. If they ask for help, be more of a guide rather than solving the problem for them. One of our goals for our third grade students is to be independent thinkers and learners.

  Mrs. Baker’s Schedule   Morning Work – 7:45 – 8:15 Reading/Writing/Grammar/Spelling – 8:15 – 10:15 Snack – 10:15 – 10:30 Specials – 10:30 – 11:10 (Mon.–Art, Tues.-Music, Thurs.-Character Ed., Fri.-Library) Math – 11:10 – 12:10 Lunch – 12:10 – 12:38 Recess – 12:40– 1:10 Social Science – 1:15 – 1:45 Pack- Up - 1:45 – 2:00 Intervention – 2:00 – 2:30(Silent Reading)  

Reading –We incorporate Reading Workshop, Reading Response Log and the use of library books into our daily schedule. My goal is for your child to develop a LOVE for reading if they do not already have one. Therefore, I will use many different approaches and types of genres to do what is best and help your child individually.  Please make it a priority to set aside three or four times a week to have your child read (if not daily)! Also, set aside time to read to your child. You can read books that your child is not yet capable of reading. This is an excellent way to increase your child’s vocabulary. Ask your child questions about the story or article and discuss words the child might not understand. This is one of the best ways to encourage your child to be a life long learner and to be successful.

Reading Grade Criteria Third Grade 2010-2011 The reading grade will be determined using the following criteria: 50% - Instructional Reading level (see chart) based on individual reading conferences and notes from reading workshop and running records *These levels are based on the Hoover City Elementary Schools Instructional Level Expectations for Reading (adapted from Fountas and Pinnell).  •             The “A” levels are defined as “Exceeds Expectations”.  •             The B levels are defined as “Meets Expectations”.  •             The C level is defined as “Approaches Expectations, needs short-term intervention.”  •             The D and F levels are defined as “Does Not Meet Expectations:  Needs Intensive Intervention.” 10% - homework 40% - In class reading assignments

Subject 1st Nine Weeks 2nd Nine Weeks 3rd Nine Weeks 4th Nine Weeks Reading 98=Level N and above 88= Level M 78= Level L 68= Level K 58= Level J and below 98= Level P and above 88= Level O 78=Level N 68= Level M 58= Level L and below 98= Level Q and above 88= Level P 78= Level O 68= Level N 58= Level M and below 98= Level R and above 88= Level Q 78= Level P 68= Level O 58= Level N and below

Hoover City Elementary Schools Instructional Level Expectations for Reading Grade August/Sept. January April/May   K Below A B+ C+ B C A 1 D+ H+ J+ G I F H Below B Below F Below H 2 M+ N+ L M Below K Below L 3 P+ Q+ O P N Below N Below O 4 S+ T+ R S Q Below Q Below R KEY Exceeds Expectations Meets Expectations Approaches Expectations: Needs Short-Term Intervention Does Not Meet Expectations: Needs Intensive Intervention 2

Writing- Third grade is a big writing year Writing- Third grade is a big writing year. We will write regularly in their Writer’s Notebook. Please know that the students will work on most of their writing assignments at school. This will ensure that the student is writing and revising his or her work. We will publish throughout the school year. Math - Various sources are integrated including Investigations, number talks, Calendar Math, and math Games. Students will be exploring number sense and problem solving in a variety of ways. They will take a weekly test on Friday based on their DOM. Language/Word Study – I will combine the use of the English Book, Daily Oral Language (DOL), Word Study and writing. It is important to help the children gain and apply grammar rules along with practice and application. I hope to see the application of these rules transfer into their writing.  

Social Studies/Science – The children will be evaluated on participation, their notebook, and understanding of content. Social Studies and Science are combined into Social Sciences and are reflected as one grade on the report card. Make-up work – If your child is going to be absent more than one day, please notify the office as soon as possible if you would like to pick up assignments. I will try to have these available by the end of the day.   Conferences – There is a scheduled conference day in October. However, I am always available. If you would like to schedule an additional meeting, you may do so by emailing me. My address is cbaker@hoover.k12.al.us

Welcome to 3rd Grade!