Welcome to 3 rd Grade Open House Mrs. Wolf’s Class

A little about Me!. I am from St. Louis, grew up in Columbia, IL, and my children went through the Parkway School District. I am married and my husband Keith and I have a daughter Ashley who is 27, was married in October of 2010 in Disney World, and presently lives in Atlanta, Georgia. She is expecting a baby boy in December. My son Adam is 24 and lives in St. Louis. He is a waiter at P.F. Changs and attends college at Meramac. We also have a cocker spaniel named Sadie.. I received a Bachelor’s degree from SIUE and a Master’s degree from Lindenwood University.. This is my 28 th year of teaching. I taught kindergarten and 2 nd grade in Northwest R-1 School District. This is my fourteenth year at Oak Brook. I previously taught 3 rd, 4 th, and 2 nd grades. I enjoy sports, especially Cardinal baseball, spending time with friends, shopping, and traveling. My husband owns a Harley Davidson motorcycle and we often take frequent trips with close friends.

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 –Honesty –Self Control –Empathy –Resilience –Patience –Respect –Perseverance –Responsibility –Kindness –Integrity Buddy Classes

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 in- class assignments. Students should be reading books at home for at least 20 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 (2D unit and 3D 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 the folder 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 during the weeks of April 30 th -May 9 th. 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. 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 at least 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 should 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. Unhealthy snacks should be held until lunch. Birthday Treats are welcome, but must be store bought Also, we have 22 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 at or by phone at I’m so excited about this school year!