1. W ELCOME TO 3 RD G RADE P ARENT N IGHT Mrs. Brown Mrs. Lydon Mrs. Northup Mrs. Johnson Mr. Lazechko

2. M RS. L YDON ’ S W EBSITE Please refer to my website for fixed information like web resources, calendars, and more. I will archive past newsletters here for your reference. The easiest way to find my website is through the district’s site http://www.westada.org/

3. I’d love to have your help this year. If you haven’t already done so, please sign up at the table in the hallway. We couldn’t do it without you! Thanks!

4. H OMEWORK Homework Policies and Procedures Students are encouraged to do ten minutes of homework per grade level per night. This means third grade students should be working on homework for 30 minutes per night. My homework policy includes: 1. Spelling practice Monday – Thursday nights. We are using the spelling list that goes along with the reading text book. Students will bring a list and log home Mondays. The log is due Fridays (or last day of week). 2. Students are asked to read for at least 15 minutes five time per week. Currently, reading logs go home Mondays and are due the following Monday (or first day of the week) but for October-March there will be a monthly calendar due at the end of the month. myOnReader.com and MobyMax are additional resources for students to use to complete their reading logs. 3. Math will be practiced via the web based program MobyMax. Students are asked to complete three lessons per week but are encouraged to do more. The lessons take approximately 20 minutes. 4. Additional worksheets may be sent home as the need arises. Students will write “homework” on the worksheet as appropriate.

5. W HY WEB BASED PROGRAMS AND HOW DO WE GET STARTED ? Parent letters regarding the online programs used in my class will be sent home as they become available. These letters will guide you through the login process of programs (myOn Reader, MobyMax, Spellingcity.com, Discovery Education to name a few). The advantage of these programs are: 1. Students are offered practice at their specific academic level, allowing them to truly do their homework with independence. 2. Students are offered practice beyond the traditional paper and pencil status quo, offering them opportunities for greater academic growth.

6. S TANDARDS -B ASED R EPORT C ARDS West Ada School District uses standards-based report cards for elementary schools. It is a scale of 1 through 4. 1 is below basic 2 is basic 3 at grade level 4 above grade level Report cards can be viewed and printed using PowerSchool.

7. R EADING Within our reading program we will teach grade level curriculum as well as differentiated material that will expand your child’s reading skills. Areas of emphasis include, but are not limited to: Literal comprehensionPredicting Interpretive comprehensionPersuading VocabularySummarizing FluencyTopic/Main Idea/Details Gathering InformationAnalyzing NonfictionStory Elements Phonics Novel reading Author’s mood and purpose Reading Focus Groups will begin September 20 th.

8. F LUENCY Idaho Reading Fluency 3 rd Grade Goals Fall77 Winter96 Spring110

9. L ANGUAGE A RTS L ANGUAGE A RTS HTTP :// WWW. MERIDIANSCHOOLS. ORG /S TAFF /D ISTRICT C URRICULUM /E LEMENTARY S CHOOL /3/L ANGUAGE %20A RTS /F ORMS /A LL I TEMS. ASPX The language component of our curriculum covers:  Parts of speech  Sentence structure  Types of sentences  Complete sentences  Capitalization  Punctuation  Grammar  Phonics  Figurative Language  Phonemic awareness  Prefix/Suffix meanings  Multiple Meaning Words  Dictionary Skills

10. W RITING Your students will have many opportunities throughout the year to practice writing for different purposes. The following are some examples of types of writing students may be doing in third grade. NarrativeJournaling Informative Autobiographies OpinionResearch papers Descriptive Poetry Note takingEditing Process writingPersuasive/argumentative Paragraphs

11. S PELLING A spelling list will be given at the beginning of each week. Spelling tests will be given on the last day of the week. Your child will be spelling test words in isolation and in sentence dictation. Spelling practice will be a part of your child’s homework each night. Spelling homework will include a task sheet that needs to be filled out by you and your child and returned each Friday (or the last day of the school week). Spellingcity.com is an online program we use for practice and test taking. The letters explaining this program went home last week. This website may also be used to practice vocabulary.

12. M ATH Our math instruction has been aligned to match the National Common Core Standards. As a result of these changes, students throughout the district will be taught the same instructional concepts within the same trimester. Third grade has three Big Ideas that are tied to other instructional concepts. This helps students develop a deeper understanding of math concepts and their interrelationship.

13. Unit 1 Big Idea: Multiplication and Division Computation Students understand the meanings of multiplication and division of whole numbers through the use of representations, such as equal-sized groups, arrays, area models and number lines for multiplication, and repeated subtraction, partitioning and sharing for division. They use properties of addition and multiplication (identity, zero, commutative, associative & distributive) to multiply whole numbers and apply increasingly sophisticated strategies to solve contextual problems. Through their work with multiple strategies, students relate multiplication and division as inverse operations. By the end of the unit the students should fluently multiply and divide within 100. RT4 Addition and Subtraction Computation Students continue to develop their understanding of addition and subtraction of multi-digit whole numbers including building their facility with mental arithmetic (e.g., 250 + 600 or 203-199) and by using computational estimation to judge the reasonableness of results. They select and apply appropriate methods to estimate sums and differences or calculate them mentally depending on the context and numbers involved. They apply their understanding of repeated addition and/or subtraction to multiplication and division. RT 3 Algebraic Symbolism and Evaluation Students continue to develop an understanding of an unknown quantity represented as a symbol such as a box or picture, and solving for that unknown in computation situations including multiplication and division. They continue to develop an understanding of equality around the equal sign (=) and generate equivalent equations in computation situations including multiplication and division. Students continue to develop their understanding of patterns by describing and extending them. Their work with multiplication and division strategies should involve analysis of the patterns that exist within these operations. Students work with various models such as number lines, ratio tables and arrays, and should embed the analysis of the patterns that exist. RT 7 Number Systems Students extend their understanding of place value to multi-digit numbers in various situations, including understanding how place value relates to addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. They compose and decompose numbers in multiple ways, such as 3420 = 3420 ones, 3 thousands + 4 hundreds + 2 tens, 342 tens, etc. RT 1 & 2 Dimensional Measurement Relationships Students understand that rectangular arrays can be decomposed into identical rows or into identical columns. By decomposing rectangles into rectangular arrays of squares, students connect area to multiplication and justify using multiplication to determine the area of a rectangle. RT 6

14. Unit 2: Number Relationships and Representations PSa) Use models to demonstrate an understanding of multiplication of whole numbers up to 10 x 10, including contextual situations (e.g., number line, arrays, ratio table) PSb) Use models to demonstrate an understanding of division of numbers related to the 10 x 10 multiplication facts PSc) Fluently* multiply and divide within 100 (1 digit facts from memory by the end of 3 rd grade) PSd) Apply properties of operations as strategies to multiply and divide (students need not use formal terms for these properties) Grade 3 expectations limited to denominators 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8 RT 1&2 Measurement Systems PSa) Generate measurement data by measuring lengths using rulers marked with halves and fourths of an inch. RT 5 Algebraic Thinking PSa) Recognize, describe and extend patterns involving fractions PSb) Represent equivalent fractions in an equation (4/8 = 2/4 = 1/2) RT 7 Geometry PSa) Partition shapes into parts with equal areas and express the area of each part as a unit fraction of the whole. RT 8

15. Unit 3: Dimensional Measurement Relationships PSa) Measure area by counting the unit squares and relate area to the operations of multiplication and division. PSb) Multiply side lengths (whole number) to find the area of rectangles. PSc) Solve real world and mathematical problems involving the perimeter of polygons. RT 6 Measurement Systems PSa) Select and use appropriate metric units and tools to measure liquid volume and weight. PSb) Tell and write time to the nearest minute and measure time intervals in minutes. RT 5 Algebraic Thinking PSb) Represent contextual problems that involve perimeter and or area as a number equation using symbols (e.g., box or picture to represent the unknown side length of geometric figure). PSc) Solve missing number equations (e.g., perimeter and area problems). PSd) Generate equivalent equations (e.g., if two different rectangles have the same perimeter of 36, what could their side lengths be? 9+9+6+6 = 30 =10+10+5+5). RT 7 Addition and Subtraction Computation PSa) Choose, combine and apply strategies for answering multi-digit addition and subtraction problems, including contextual situations (e.g., find the perimeter. RT 3 Geometric Figures PSa) Recognize area as an attribute of a plane figure, understand the concept of area measure and explain why area is measured in square units. PSd) Classify 2D shapes according to their properties and develop definitions for classes of shapes (e.g., quadrilaterals, polygons, rhombuses). RT 8 Multiplication and Division Computation PSa) Use models to demonstrate an understanding of multiplication of whole numbers up to 10 x 10, including contextual situations (e.g., arrays, area model. RT 4

16. S CIENCE S CIENCE HTTP :// WWW. MERIDIANSCHOOLS. ORG /S TAFF /D ISTRICT C URRICULUM /E LEMENTARY S CHOOL /3/S CIENCE /F ORMS /A LL I TEMS. ASPX Four science units will be taught:  Reason for the Seasons  Living Things in their Environment  Force and Motion  States of Matter

17. S OCIAL S TUDIES S OCIAL S TUDIES HTTP :// WWW. MERIDIANSCHOOLS. ORG /S TAFF /D ISTRICT C URRICULUM /E LEMENTARY S CHOOL /3/S OCIAL %20S TUDIES /F ORMS /A LL I TE MS. ASPX Our Social Studies curriculum is developed around the concept of working together in a community. We will learn about:  Where/Why communities are started  Types of communities  How communities change over time  Community Structure  People in communities  Community leaders/Laws  Goods and services  Supply and Demand  Geography/Landforms/Maps/Directions

18. O THER I MPORTANT I NFORMATION A healthy snack at recess helps a student focus during the day. If sugar or high fructose corn syrup are listed in the first three ingredients, this is not considered a healthy snack. We have several nut allergies in third grade. Please take this into consideration when sending snacks or providing treats for classroom celebrations. In third grade, students will participate in several district and state tests. These include; IRI, Universal Screeners, and ISAT.

19. I N C ONCLUSION Please know that all 3 rd grade teachers have an open-door policy. Feel free to ask us questions and let us know if you need help with your child. If we don’t know the answer, we will seek out the information. General philosophy: 3 rd Graders work very hard at school all day. They are learning academics and good study behaviors, including being responsible for themselves. The goal is to hold the child accountable in a Love and Logic approach. I will use methods to motivate them. Your child may make mistakes, forget items, etc. That is a part of learning. It’s okay to make mistakes as long as we learn from them!