Dear Parents,
Welcome to Third Grade! We are looking forward to working with your child to make this year a great experience. Please remember that attendance and promptness are very important to keep your child caught up in their learning. The following is a summary of what we do in our classroom. Please refer to it as necessary throughout the year.
Reading : Each week we will read at least one story from our reading book. Students will be asked to take their book home and read it out loud to someone. Please be sure to sign the post-it-note when completed. We will also be working on comprehension, phonics, and many other reading strategies.
Spelling: Each week a spelling sentence list will be sent home in a take-home folder. Monday we copy these exact sentences. If your child does not complete this in class, it will be sent home as homework. We will be doing different activities using the spelling sentences throughout the week. Our test is on Friday. The test is full sentences. Neatness, capital letters, punctuation, and of course how the word is spelled will be graded. Parents please know that this does get easier for the students over time.
Math: At first we will be reviewing easy addition and subtraction facts. We also keep a math journal and will be using many manipulative-based activities. Word problems are a major part of learning useful everyday math. Please encourage your child to do the thinking for themselves with pictures or drawings. Sometimes just reading the problem over for them is helpful on your part.
Cursive: We will be practicing good printing practices with spacing and neatness before we move on to cursive. Cursive will be taught one letter at a time using a unique numbering system. Please don't allow your child to practice any letter until the letter has been fully taught in school. It is difficult to correct problems from learning letters incorrectly.
Homework: Your child has been given a Red Take-Home Folder. This is to be taken home and brought back to school each day! Our work for the day will be in this folder for you to check or for your child to finish for the next day. Please get in the habit of looking at your child's daily work as this validates their hard work and encourages them to do their best. It also prevents your child from getting behind in their schoolwork.
AT HOME READING : We cannot stress enough how important reading at home is to your child's reading development. We recommend that your child read at least one hundred minutes a week. (20 minutes a night) Our school-wide Hooked on Books reading program form will be sent home for you to keep track. It is always a great thing to visit the Library regularly and get a fresh set of books to keep your child interested in reading.
DAY PLANNERS: Your child has been given a Day Planner. This is to be taken home and brought back to school on a daily basis. Please remember to check and sign your child's day planner each day. This will keep you informed on upcoming events and special assignments that are due.
Supplies: Everything your child will need has been provided. Please do not allow your child to bring toys, gum or candy to distract their learning. Toys that are a distraction in class will be taken away from students and not returned unless a parent comes in to get it. Treats are always welcome as long as there are enough for the whole class and are individually wrapped. Please do not send Bubble Pops as gum is not allowed at school. Boxes of Kleenex are always a nice welcome.
Adopted Navajo Elders: Each year our class adopts a Navajo family, Betty and Henry James. They are a traditional Navajo family that live on the Navajo Reservation in Tuba City , Arizona . Throughout the year we collect items and money to send them food and things they need. Students will be writing letters and experiencing the Navajo culture through the eyes of this Navajo family. More information will be sent home at a later date. Find out more about this program from their website: www.anelder.org .
Discipline Policy: Students are expected to follow our class procedures and will be given points for positive behavior. We will be using a color card system. Misbehavior will result in a card being pulled with the following consequences.
Green card : good choices throughout the day
Yellow card : miss 5 minutes of recess
Red card: Too many bad choices. Miss all recess. Behavior notification and call home to parents.
Other consequences could also be:
Perimeter: miss 15 minutes of P.E.
Australia : student removed from team to work alone and a Behavior Notification sent home.
Respect for everyone is encouraged and rewarded. No bullying or put downs allowed! Our class will discuss good behavior and write our class procedures together on the first day of school.
We are interested in your child and would like to make this year the best ever. Please if your child comes home with a concern about something that is happening at school, call the teacher and let's work it out together. I am truly excited for your child to succeed in Third Grade. We are all in this together.
Thanks for your help!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Garvin
And Third Grade Team
