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2012 parent survival handbook amber bryant-woods susd#30 7/31/2012

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table of contents classroom web site b.e.e notebooks communication conferences class schedule common core standards reading accelerated reader language arts spelling mathematics social studies science homework 100 homework club classroom rules birthdays scholastic book orders grading appointments absences snacks water bottles technology 3 3 3 3 4 4 5 6 6 7 7 8 9 10 11 11 12 12 12 12 13 13

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classroom web site i believe that communication between parents students and teachers is very important you will find our classroom web site filled with valuable information for parents and students i update the site each week typically friday afternoon so the information you are reading will be up-to-date i must admit i am proud of our site and its contents so be sure to check it out our site contains monthly newsletters homework assignments a calendar of events our curriculum helpful sites to reinforce grade level skills individual student writing projects our supply list schedule and much more be sure to bookmark our site for quick access https sites.google.com/a/sahuarita.net/woods-3rd-grade/home b.e.e notebooks bring everything everydayorganization is one of the key elements to being a successful student to help students become more organized we will be using b.e.e notebooks this year you will need to purchase this in addition to the items on the supply list this notebook should a 1 clearview binder they can usually be purchased for a couple of dollars at any office supply store or local general discount store each notebook contains the student agenda study materials independent reading logs and other important information it contains a communication section for parents and teachers please check the notebook each night the notebook is to be brought to school each day and it is the student s responsibility to be sure it is maintained more information is included inside the notebook itself we will implement the notebook fully the 2nd week of school communication a good communication tool is e-mail i check my email at least once a day it is a convenient way to get quick feedback on questions or comments for more serious concerns please call me at school so that we can talk or set up an appointment my email address is abryant@sahuarita.net the office number is 625-3502 conferences

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we will hold conferences twice during the year october 21-22 and mar 24-25 i will send home a conference schedule if you would like to set up an additional conference any time during the school year please contact me to set up an appointment class schedule mrs woods tentative class schedule from-to 7:30-8:15 8:20-8:55 9:00-10:15 10:15-10:35 10:40-11:20 11:25-11:50 11:55-1:00 1:05-1:25 1:25-2:05 monday bell work specials math spelling lunch ssr ar literacy recess tuesday bell work specials math spelling lunch ssr ar literacy recess wednesday bell work specials math spelling lunch ssr ar literacy early release thursday bell work specials math spelling lunch ssr ar literacy recess friday bell work specials math spelling lunch ssr ar literacy recess science science early release social studies social studies clean up dismissal clean up dismissal clean up dismissal science science social studies social studies clean up dismissal clean up dismissal 2:05-2:15 common core standards many states across the united stated have adopted the common core standards as what they believe every child should learn and know at each grade level arizona is one of those states this year implementation of the common core standards has begun and will continue until the standards are fully implemented in every grade level by the year 2014 some standards that we are currently teaching may change or be moved to another grade level during this implementation process you can review the common core standards for your child s grade level by visiting the state website at http www.ade.az.gov/standards/commoncorestandards/default.asp

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reading our goal for third graders in reading is that they continue to learn to enjoy reading as a life-long endeavor and realize how it affects all areas of their lives we strive to help students become more independent in their reading and in their work study skills we stress that students should utilize their reading skills in other academic areas as well as in reading for enjoyment using a literature enriched reading program we can provide opportunities to integrate listening speaking reading and writing which has a positive effect on comprehension and promotes enjoyable reading experiences the following are the anchor standards for which all reading standards are based key ideas and details 1 read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text 2 determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development summarize the key supporting details and ideas 3 analyze how and why individuals events and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text craft and structure 4 interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text including determining technical connotative and figurative meanings and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone 5 analyze the structure of texts including how specific sentences paragraphs and larger portions of the text e.g a section chapter scene or stanza relate to each other and the whole 6 assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text integration of knowledge and ideas 7 integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats including visually and quantitatively as well as in words 8 delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.

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9 analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take range of reading and level of text complexity 10 read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently accelerated reader accelerated reader® is a computer-based program that tests reading comprehension each book has been analyzed and a reading level has been assigned to it goals are set for each student based on his or her reading level to encourage not only quantity but quality reading students will be required to read books on their independent reading level and take tests passing at an average of 85 or above at the end of each quarter the students will receive a grade based on the amount of their goal met this grade is worth 25 of the total reading grade reading should be fun and by giving our students the tools to find books they re interested in we re one step closer to the overall goal of our accelerated reader® program instilling a lifelong passion for reading reading is a basic skill important to every other field of study accelerated reader® is one way we hope to encourage students to read students who fail to meet minimum requirements in reaching their ar goals may not be able to participate in activities language arts english is taught in conjunction with our other subjects the function of the program is to encourage students to better express themselves in speaking and writing objectives use correct punctuation and capitalization identity simple nouns and verbs in simple sentences and be aware of other parts of speech produce complete sentences of different types statements questions commands and exclamatory reinforce differentiating between complete sentences phrases and run-on sentences using commas and connecting words reinforce use of synonyms antonyms and homophones.

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be able to write a paragraph using correct grammar and related language skills learn how to give speeches talks reports and other oral language skills set up and write a friendly letter and invitation as well as address an envelope learn how to utilize library resources and do research knowledge of different forms of poetry apply the writing process and writing techniques awareness of audience good beginnings/endings prewriting writing revising proofreading produce a final product complete various writing projects we use our creative writing activities and journal writing to practice these skills many of our reading science and social studies assignments give students additional opportunities to utilize skills in this area spelling the focus in spelling is to develop phonemic awareness and learn patterns rules spelling lists are given each monday and posted online each week tests are given on fridays students are required to study at home each night spelling homework is given most nights of the week tests will consist of 15 words 5 challenge words and 3-5 dictated sentences mathematics in 3rd grade instruction will focus on four critical areas 1 developing understanding of multiplication and division and strategies for multiplication and division within 100 2 developing understanding of fractions especially unit fractions fractions with numerator 1 3 developing understanding of the structure of rectangular arrays and of area and 4 describing and analyzing twodimensional shapes 1 students develop an understanding of the meanings of multiplication and division of whole numbers through activities and problems involving equal-sized groups arrays and area models multiplication is finding an unknown product and

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division is finding an unknown factor in these situations for equal-sized group situations division can require finding the unknown number of groups or the unknown group size students use properties of operations to calculate products of whole numbers using increasingly sophisticated strategies based on these properties to solve multiplication and division problems involving single-digit factors by comparing a variety of solution strategies students learn the relationship between multiplication and division 2 students develop an understanding of fractions beginning with unit fractions students view fractions in general as being built out of unit fractions and they use fractions along with visual fraction models to represent parts of a whole students understand that the size of a fractional part is relative to the size of the whole for example 1/2 of the paint in a small bucket could be less paint than 1/3 of the paint in a larger bucket but 1/3 of a ribbon is longer than 1/5 of the same ribbon because when the ribbon is divided into 3 equal parts the parts are longer than when the ribbon is divided into 5 equal parts students are able to use fractions to represent numbers equal to less than and greater than one they solve problems that involve comparing fractions by using visual fraction models and strategies based on noticing equal numerators or denominators 3 students recognize area as an attribute of two-dimensional regions they measure the area of a shape by finding the total number of same-size units of area required to cover the shape without gaps or overlaps a square with sides of unit length being the standard unit for measuring area 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 4 students describe analyze and compare properties of two-dimensional shapes they compare and classify shapes by their sides and angles and connect these with definitions of shapes students also relate their fraction work to geometry by expressing the area of part of a shape as a unit fraction of the whole we will be using the harcourt math series as well as other supplemental materials to maximize student learning you can access the harcourt math website from home http www.harcourtschool.com/menus/math_advantage.html social studies

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third grade history strands introduce the reasons for and effects of the exploration of north america to provide a foundation for further study in fourth and fifth grades the idea of freedom is explored through the study of our nation from the civil war through late 19th and early 20th century immigration the development of cultures and civilizations and their contributions are expanded through the introduction of ancient greece and rome science students will be studying six strands in science strand 1 inquiry process inquiry process establishes the basis for students learning in science students use scientific processes questioning planning and conducting investigations using appropriate tools and techniques to gather data thinking critically and logically about relationships between evidence and explanations and communicating results strand 2 history and nature of science scientific investigation grows from the contributions of many people history and nature of science emphasizes the importance of the inclusion of historical perspectives and the advances that each new development brings to technology and human knowledge this strand focuses on the human aspects of science and the role that scientists play in the development of various cultures strand 3 science in personal and social perspectives science in personal and social perspectives emphasizes developing the ability to design a solution to a problem to understand the relationship between science and technology and the ways people are involved in both students understand the impact of science and technology on human activity and the environment this strand affords students the opportunity to understand their place in the world ­ as living creatures consumers decision makers problem solvers managers and planners strand 4 life science life science expands students biological understanding of life by focusing on the characteristics of living things the diversity of life and how organisms and populations change over time in terms of biological adaptation and genetics this understanding includes the relationship of structures to their functions and life

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cycles interrelationships of matter and energy in living organisms and the interactions of living organisms with their environment strand 5 physical science physical science affords students the opportunity to increase their understanding of the characteristics of objects and materials they encounter daily students gain an understanding of the nature of matter and energy including their forms the changes they undergo and their interactions by studying objects and the forces that act upon them students develop an understanding of the fundamental laws of motion knowledge of the various ways energy is stored in a system and the processes by which energy is transferred between systems and surroundings strand 6 earth and space science earth and space science provides the foundation for students to develop an understanding of the earth its history composition and formative processes and an understanding of the solar system and the universe students study the regularities of the interrelated systems of the natural world in doing so they develop understandings of the basic laws theories and models that explain the world nses 1995 by studying the earth from both a historical and current time frame students can make informed decisions about issues affecting the planet on which they live homework students will be assigned homework please check the agenda in the b.e.e notebook nightly to make sure all assignments are completed classroom assignments are a student s responsibility if a child is unable to complete an assignment in class it must be completed at home in addition to the assigned homework and returned to school the following day it is the student s responsibility to turn in assignments without reminders please talk with your son or daughter about the importance of completing assignments on time general homework guidelines 1 students will be expected to read 15 minutes every night they are to write down the time and pages read on their reading logs found in the b.e.e notebook parents should initial the log sheet each friday 2 students will be given homework everyday except for friday and the night of a test.

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3 if a student does not complete an assignment during the school day reading or math assignments etc they will need to be completed as well as the regular assigned homework 4 excessively failing to turn in homework assignments will result in loss of recesses field trips fun classroom activities and possibly being assigned to detention 100 homework club students who turn in their homework on time not late everyday for each month will be part of the 100 homework club reading and meeting their accelerated reader goal is considered part of homework at the end of each month these students will get to have a special treat classroom rules in order to provide students with the best educational environment it is important for us to establish certain rules and guidelines for our classroom students are expected to adhere to these rules rewards and consequences are given based on student behavior a color coded behavior chart is utilized in the classroom the chart serves as a visual reminder of behavior in the classroom a green card symbolizes a good day a yellow card serves as a warning a red card denotes missing recess serving lunch detention etc a black card is a referral to the office to speak with the principal expectations we will encourage all to do their personal best we will not laugh or make fun of another person s mistakes we will help one another whenever possible we will practice virtuous living using life principles we will recognize and applaud every effort we will cheer each other to success we will value one another as unique and special individuals we will use good manners saying please and thank you excuse me and we will let others go first it is also expected that students will adhere to all classroom rules turn in class work and homework and maintain their accelerated reader goal percentages.

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failure to do so can result in the loss of certain privileges such as participating in classroom activities field trips and grade level activities birthdays students are welcome to bring a snack to share with the class to celebrate their birthdays snacks will be shared at the end of the day to avoid disrupting any instructional time please try to let me know at least 24 hours in advance so i can make adjustments in my daily plans to incorporate the birthday celebration scholastic book orders book orders will be sent home approximately once each month you are not required to purchase any books but it is an excellent opportunity to buy books that are at your child s reading level and are reasonably priced if you do choose to purchase fill out the order form with the books of your choice and your student s name please make checks out to scholastic you may also complete you order online i will provide additional information with the first book order on how to do this if it is possible please put checks and order form in an envelope with your child s name on it this will help me keep everything straight grading grades are reported several times throughout the year you will receive progress reports approximately halfway through each quarter and report cards at the end of each quarter you may also access your child s grades online at any time through worldbyme if you have not had a chance to set up your account and need help i can offer a parent tutorial one evening during the first month of school accessing your child s grades online can help in ensure communication of current grades or missing work appointments absences please try to schedule all appointments after 2:45p.m this will ensure that your child does not miss any important concepts in class if an absence does occur do to an illness or of another nature your child has one day for each day of absence to complete any missed assignments if you know that you will be gone in advance please let me know as soon as possible so that i may get assignments to your child ahead of time.

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snacks water bottles students are allowed to bring a healthy snack each day for recess or break time crackers pretzels fruit etc are good examples of a healthy snack please do not send candy or other junk food for snacks students will not be allowed to eat these at school water bottles will not be allowed in the classroom the students will have plenty of opportunities to get a drink at the water fountain if your child must have a water bottle it must be kept in their backpack and may only be taken out for a drink during breaks this will alleviate classroom distractions technology teaching should prepare your child for the future your child s future and present is full of technology technology is an integral part of their everyday lives in order to make sure that your child is prepared for the future many learning opportunities in our classroom will be integrated with the use of technology students will be using web 2.0 tools in order to further their learning enrichment activities will be able to be accessed from home it is important that i prepare your child to use technology productively ethically and safely so that they are prepared for their future i will accept some writing reading and spelling assignments from students via email please ask to make sure that it is okay before submitting an assignment in this manner students should attach the assignment as a word document and have the assignment name in the subject heading students may use their parent s personal email address or their own personal email with parent s permission only if your child does not have access to the internet at home please let me know right away so that i can arrange alternatives for them during the school day to access online assignments.

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please return this page to your child s teacher child s name classroom policies yes no i have read and understand the policies outlined within the parent survival guide provided to me by mrs woods computer network and internet usage yes no i grant permission for my child to access the computer network and internet for educational purposes photographs artwork videos and audio materials yes no i grant permission for original works photographs artwork videos and audio materials of my child to be used in classroom websites parent/guardian printed name parent/guardian signature date

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