1. Welcome Families!
Every morning as your child arrives, they have “Morning Work” to complete. Your “Evening Work” is:
1. Find your child’s seat. Take a peek at his/her desk
2. Sign up for a Parent-Teacher Conference on the counter
3. Sign the movie permission sheets on the counter.
4. Sign up to bring goodies for a celebration on the cabinet (if you wish).
5. Read your child's letter to you and write your child a brief note on the paper provided.
6. Write me a note if there is anything you would like to
discuss at another time. I am available most days from
8:45-9:10 and from 2:00-2:25.
Thank you for coming! Linda

2. Welcome Families! Open House 2017-2018
Linda Sinforoso

3. Music – B & D PE – A, C,& E Art –F
Our Schedule
Specials
Music – B & D PE – A, C,& E Art –F
Enrichment B, E
Morning Work
Morning Meeting
Reading
Writing
Social Studies/Science
Lunch/Recess
Word Work/Spanish
Math
Special
Snack/Afternoon Meeting
Read Aloud

4. When We Arrive
Morning Work is independent work that reviews skills students have previously learned. When I return morning work after grading, if a section is marked “fix or finish”, I expect the students
will complete that work.

5. Morning Meeting
We begin each day with a greeting, sharing, and a cooperative activity. Social stories, math games, and vocabulary games can be a part of morning meeting.

6. Cooperative Activities
We work together to solve problems, like Saving Fred.

7. Math Our focus: Place Value Addition & Subtraction Multiplication &
Division
Fractions
Measurement
Area & Perimeter
Geometry
Investigating
Math
Materials

8. Reader’s Workshop
Reader’s Workshop is made up of several components including shared, independent, and guided reading.
Shared Reading: We read a shared text and discuss various comprehension strategies. Shared picture books and Storyworks Jr.
play an important part in our shared
reading activities. We analyze the text
using our strategies and schema.

9. Independent Reading
Children read books of their choice (independently, with a partner or in a small group).
For now I have been meeting with individual students to assess their reading.
We discuss book selection, strategies for choosing a book, picking a book with a partner to facilitate discussion of literature.
As students read they are responsible for locating vocabulary words, answering comprehension questions, responding to what they read, and making connections to their own lives.

10. Guided Reading
Small Group or Guided Reading will occur weekly for some students, more often/daily for others.
Students read a pre-selected text with me that is
at their instructional level.
Students read a text of their choice but work on understanding a comprehension strategy.
We discuss strategies for comprehension, explore vocabulary, improve fluency, and decode unfamiliar text.

11. Writer’s Workshop
The students begin the year by writing in their journals about people, events, or places that interest them or are important to them.
They are also writing drafts of personal narratives in their journals.
Mini-lessons introduce them to techniques and strategies writers use to gather ideas and write well.
We are about to begin writing small seed
stories that flow like a movie, not a
summary of an event. This is hard
work!

12. Types of Writing
Throughout the year the class will experience many types of writing, including:
Personal narrative
On demand writing (to a prompt)
Persuasive
Poetry
Fiction
Expository/Report

13. Social Studies
Will often be integrated with ELA. Topics explored include:
Our Community: Rights & Responsibilities
Indigenous People
Geography
Cultural Diversity
Globalization
Global Trade

14. Science Topics explored include: Weather & Climate Lifecycles & Traits
Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
Forces & Interactions

15. State Tests
3rd grade takes NYS assessments in the Spring in ELA, & math.
We will be preparing for the tests throughout the year by working on our normal daily
math, reading and writing activities.

16. Homework Weekly assignments: Read daily, response due Friday
Math review sheet due Friday
Work Work – menu of activities – starting soon
Occasional projects
Please let me know if your child id having difficulty with an assignment
Independent reading – as many minutes as students (and parents) wish is a good goal. It is SO IMPORTANT to read daily!!!!
Homework is checked for completion and understanding.
Homework that is not done will be made up at snack time Check the web for assignments! You can always print a copy at home.

17. Grades
I grade holistically, looking at everything your child demonstrates in class including, but not limited to: projects, tests, quizzes, exit tickets, collected classwork, homework, effort, participation, collaboration, etc.
I will give both percentage grades (90, 100, 75) and rubric grades (1,2,3,4) on assignments. You will also see checks, stars, or smiles on work that was looked at.
Grades on Report Card:
4 – Above grade level – On grade level
2 – Approaching grade level – below grade level

18. Assessments
The night or so before a test the students will bring home a review sheet. The review questions mirror what will be on the test. They will be set up similarly…only the wording/numbers will change!
Make sure you go over the review with your child to help them prepare for the test.
Quizzes will not always have a review
sheet

19. Celebrations
Please feel free (if you wish) to send in a treat to celebrate your child’s birthday. Please make whole class treats peanut/nut free.
I will hold small celebrations around the holidays as well.
There are sign-up sheets for celebrations on the counter.
There is also a sign up sheet for a snack donation. I usually keep pretzels or cereal in the class for students who forget their snack.
I appreciate your help!

20. Other Stuff
Our Val Kill/ FDR Museum trip to learn about Eleanor Roosevelt and her work with Children’s Rights is scheduled for 10/24. Students will need a bag lunch.
Other possible trips in 3rd grade: Mohonk, Trevor Zoo
Parent Teacher Conferences are:
Thurs. evening, Nov. 30
Fri. morning & afternoon, Dec. 1
Please sign up for a time slot tonight.
I look forward to a wonderful year of working
with you and your child!

21. Thank You for coming!