Welcome to Rooom 7’s Curriculum Night

1. Welcome to Rooom 7’sCurriculum Night Mr. Elms

2. Philosophy of Education • Build a community of respectful learners - Cooperatively and respectfully working both in groups and individually. - Respectful of themselves, each other, materials and property. • Where school and family is working together to support student learning • The ultimate goal being to inspire the students to be life long learners and embrace knowledge.

3. A TYPICAL DAY… Specialist Schedule

4. Bennett Bucks: Students have an opportunity to earn "Bennett Bucks" each day by being at school on time, coming prepared, completing homework, coming in from recess on time, and behaving appropriately. This "money" will be kept in their pencil pouches in their binders and may later be redeemed for school supplies, auctions, and market days. Please check and sign your child's responsibility charts weekly so you can see how they are doing in class. Binders: Your student's binder is full of crucial information. You can check their assignment calendar for homework and upcoming events, and find homework papers and papers we will need each day and throughout the week in there. But PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE don't remove your student's work from the binder. They need it daily! PLEASE remove any papers from the “take home” section at the end of the week. Binders should go home with your student each night, and come back to school each morning. Life in Third Grade

5. Homework: This year students should have math homework every night but not over the weekend. Reading homework at the beginning of the year is 20 minutes each night. Weekly and monthly homework projects will come home throughout the year, please check the cover sheet for each of these projects. Birthdays: If you wish to bring in treats for the class on your child's birthday, please check with the teacher several days ahead of time. PLEASE no desserts which have to be cut unless you come and serve! Napkins really help out - they don’t need to be fancy, but we only have school paper towels. Also, please do not pass out birthday invitations at school unless your child is inviting the whole class. Feelings get hurt and instruction time is lost. Life in Third Grade

6. Your Vacation Plans… • Please note, that if you plan on taking your child out of school for more than 3 days at any one time, your child should bring a journal to write in daily, several books to read, and one of their math practice workbooks • Please do not ask your teacher to pull together supplemental work for when you are on vacation. Often times, daily assignments can change.

7. Dress: We do have a covered area here at Bennett and children do go out for both recesses. Please help your child choose appropriate clothes for school according to the activities and the weather. Layers are great! Sneakers are a MUST on PE day. Toys: Please leave Gameboys, game cards, personal stereos, toy cars, dolls, Beanie Babies, and cell phones at home. It is a tragedy if they are lost and can be very distracting. Toys will be confiscated and may be returned to the parent after school hours. Life in Third Grade

8. Responsibility Charts • Each student has a responsibilities chart in the front part of his/her binder. • During the week, students earn stamps for being on time, bringing their materials to school, being responsible in class, turning in homework, and returning from recess on time. • If your child has a blank space or a circle with a question mark in it, that means he/she did not complete the task or behavior for that day. An ‘X’ in a space means it was not possible to receive a stamp for that section. • Parents please look over that days section with your child each night if possible, each weekend is a must. Parents should sign the forms and students should turn them in each Monday. This is to ensure a connection between home and school and will give you information about how your child is doing in school each day. Thanks very much !

9. Parent Notification In the classroom, many behavior issues can be resolved through motivating and rewarding students who make good choices. Students in 3rd grade are expected to be kind, safe, responsible and respectful. Occasionally it is necessary to have further corrective measures for students who choose to make inappropriate decisions. In this wonderful world of email, that is usually the quickest and most direct way for me to inform you of a problem that day, and generally the quickest way for me to answer any questions you have as well. Should the need arise to schedule a parent/teacher conference, that would be done at your earliest convenience either before or after school.

10. Balanced Literacy Block • Whole Group - Read Aloud/Write Aloud - Shared Reading/Shared Interactive Writing • Small Group - Guided Reading/Guided Writing • Individual -Independent Reading/Independent Writing

11. Literacy Components

12. Literacy Components

13. Literacy Components Oral Language: Oral language takes place in the classroom in a variety of ways: Students participate in small group and large group discussions (i.e. Current Events, Learning Centers, Literature Groups, and Sharing). Students learn and utilize active listening skills. They will practice communicating their ideas clearly and effectively to an audience throughout the year.

14. Science The best way for students to appreciate the scientific enterprise, learn important scientific concepts, and develop the ability to think well is to actively construct ideas through their own inquiries, investigations, and analyses. The Bellevue School District implements science kits created by FOSS (Full Option Science System). Each kit has been created to engage students in these scientific processes as they explore the natural world around them. The lessons provide opportunities for all students to be actively involved, and experiments and demonstrations are developed for a wide range of learning styles, interests and ability levels. This year we will be studying: Measurement Human Body Earth Materials

15. Math Expressions Math Expressions Philosophy: • Math Expressions incorporates the best practices of both traditional and reform mathematics curricula. The program strikes a balance between promoting children’s natural solution methods and introducing effective procedures. Building on Children’s Knowledge: • Research has demonstrated that premature instruction in formalized procedures can lead to mechanical, unthinking behavior, established procedures for solving problems are not introduced until students have developed a solid conceptual foundation. Children begin by using their own knowledge to solve problems and then are introduced to research-based accessible methods.

16. Math Expressions Program Components: • Quick Practice • Drawn Models • Language Development • Homework • Remembering Activities • Student Leaders • Math Talk (Solve-Explain-Question-Justify) • Student Pairs • Whole Class • Small Groups

17. Math Expression Units: • Place Value and Multi-Digit Addition and Subtraction • Lines, Line Segments, and Quadrilaterals • Addition and Subtraction Word Problems • Figures, Angles, and Triangles • Using Addition and Subtraction (rounding, estimating, comparing, using money, tables • Multiplication and Division • Area and Perimeter • Time • Exploring Fractions, Decimals, Probability, Division with Remainders • Three Dimensional Figures • Measurement • Directions and Locations

18. Social Studies Students will delve into current events, study maps and globes, learn about communities, the United States, and different cultures; their heritage and celebrations. They will use literature, classroom materials and a children’s magazine called “Time for Kids” (TFK). TFK is a great magazine created specifically for third graders, and is a wonderful way for students to become interested and involved with issues around the world. We will also be using the new curriculum unit Social Studies Alive! – Our Community and Beyond.

19. Homework Homework Comparison ChartEffective Non- Effective Nightly reading – New Skills just right books Busy Work Projects Worksheets Extension activities Too Easy Choice Too hard Test preparation – Lengthy Individualized

20. Homework continued • Reading is consistently noted as having the most positive impact on student success • Self selected materials are the best • Individualized reading • At least 10 minutes per grade level

21. 3rd Grade Supplies List 1 large box of “quart-size” Ziplock bags 1 tissue box 1 large container of “Clorox disinfectant wipes” 1 pump bottle of “Purell” hand sanitizer and if you haven’t already… please have the correct size binder and a divider package (available in the office) Thank You !!

22. Fall Conferences • Conferences will be held starting in November. • Siblings will be scheduled on the same day, back-to-back. • We will send out reminders as the dates approach. • We will conference on a variety of dates and times – both before and after school.

23. Book Orders! • One Check to “Scholastic” • Earns points for books for classroom • Gifting Idea

24. Volunteers in the Classroom • Gardener: Plant and take care of the planter that PTSA bought for each classroom, outside our classroom door. Anytime you want  • Banker: Come in on Mondays and pay students based on their signed responsibility charts. Quick and painless. • Scanner/Website: We have tons of materials that need to be scanned in for use in the classroom, and I would love to put pictures of classroom activities and student work up on the website this year. Could be any day. • Math: Getting materials ready for special activities. Creating power points for daily use. Working with small groups. • Field Trips: This year we will not receive any BSF grants so our field trip schedule is still in process. However, we love parent support on every field trip. • Special Events: Helpers: Come to the special event and help out as needed… see event list and dates below. The more the merrier! Coordinators: Help to plan each special event with the teacher, then organize materials, parents, etc. Could be one or two per event.

25. Dates to Remember ! • Pillow Making Wednesday, October 1st • Walk-A-Thon Friday, October 3rd • Picture Day Tuesday, October 28th • Pumpkin Carving Night Wednesday, October 29th • **Thanksgiving Feast Wednesday, November 26th • **Cultures Celebration Tuesday, December 23rd • Valentine’s Party Friday, February 13th • Family Science Night in March