8:00-9:00      Class 1

9:00-10:00    Class 2

10:00-11:00  Class 3

11:10-11:40  LUNCH

11:40-12:00- Recess/Tutorials

12:00-1:00     Intervention/Enrichment

1:00- 2:00-     PE/Electives

2:00-2:45-      AR

2:45- 3:00      Science/Social Studies

We are glad to have your child in third grade this year.  This is to help answer questions you may have concerning schedules, grades, conduct, and communication.

3rd Grade

Academic Expectations

Your child will be taught by all three third grade teachers.  Mrs. Isbel teaches reading. Mrs. Moon will teach writing and spelling.  Math will be taught by Mrs. Marshall. Accelerated Reading, Handwriting, Science, and Social Studies will be taught by your child’s homeroom teacher. 

Spelling

The weekly spelling list consists of approximately 20 words each week.  There will be a test over the words on Friday.

Math

Students will have math homework every day except Friday.  Even students that finish their work in class will be expected to take the assignment home so that it can be checked and corrected before being turned in to the teacher.  Homework will count 40%, tests 50%, and quizzes will count 10% of the 6 weeks math grade. One fact test each six week will count as a regular test grade.

Reading

Students reading homework will consist of reading 1 book each night and be ready to test on it when they get to school the next morning. They will also have literary vocabulary words to study and be ready to test on each week.

Accelerated Reader

Forty-five minutes of class time each day is dedicated to AR.  During this time your child will be reading and testing on AR books.  Your child is expected to read 1 book every night and be ready to test on that book when they walk into class the next morning.  They should also take a test on another book during class. One of our end of year awards is 100 points.  If your child is doing this assignment each night, they will achieve this award.  We encourage each student to take 2 tests a day so that they can work towards the 100 point reward trip in January and the 200 point trip in May.  To do this they will need to get an average of 33 points a 6 weeks.  Please encourage your child to work to earn this special trip.

Homework

An assignment sheet is filled out by the student each day.  Please take time to look over your child’s assignments and initial it at the bottom each night.  They will need to keep all assignments and work in this folder and return with it each day.  Homework will consist of reading an AR book, math assignment, and studying spelling and reading vocabulary words.

Absences

When students return to school after being absent expect for them to have make up work to be completed. This work will be due within three days of their absence.  They will also need to make up AR and in class instruction during recess/tutorial time. It is important that your child be at school each day. We begin working immediately after entering the classroom and don’t stop until the final bell rings. New skills are taught every day!

Conduct

Each third grader is given five good behavior “tokens” at the beginning of every week.  You will see the tokens at the bottom of your child’s weekly assignment sheet.  Students who have had good behavior will be rewarded with a free Friday Snack Bar item. Tokens will be marked off for breaking classroom rules and for not being prepared for class. Excessive or chronic misbehavior will be addressed by the principal.

End of Year Awards

Third graders have the chance to earn several end of year awards.  Awards are given for UIL participation, 100 AR points, six flags ticket for reading, perfect attendance, and for running a marathon during PE.  The three students with the highest AR point totals will be recognized.  These are the only awards that will be recognized at the end of year assembly.  Please encourage your child to work hard to earn an award.   

Online Information

You have access to your child’s grades and AR testing. There are also subject specific programs for reading and math. Information on each of these things will be coming home with your child soon. We will also be using ClassDojo to keep you informed about things that are happening in third grade throughout the year.

Teacher Conference

The third grade teacher conference is each day from 1:15-2:00.  Please call to schedule a conference if you have any questions or concerns. 

UIL

Third graders can try out for UIL spelling, storytelling, ready writing, music memory, and chess.  Please encourage your child to try out for these contests. Information about each contest will be going home soon.

 Reading Vocabulary Words
1.  Characters – the people or animals that the story is about.

2.  Setting- When and where the story takes place.

3.  Problem – What went wrong in the story. 

4.  Solution- How the problem is solved.

5.  Events- What is happening in the story.

6.  Plot-  The main events in the story.

7.  Genre- They type of story you are reading.

8. Fiction- A story that is based on imaginary events and
     characters. 

9.  Non-fiction- True passage that gives facts and information.
10.  Antonyms- Words that have the opposite meaning.
11.  Infer- To draw conclusions about something not directly stated.
12.  Compare- Tell how things are alike.
13.  Contrast - Tell how things are different.
14.  Cause- The reason why something happens.
15.  Effect - What happens as a result.
16.  Base word - The word before anything is added to it.
17.  Prefix - A word part that comes at the beginning of a base word.
18.  Suffix- A word part added to the end of a word.
19.  Sequencing- The order in which things happen.
20.  Synonyms - Words that have the same meaning.
21.  Character Traits- The way a character in the story acts, their personality.
22.  Theme- The message or lesson in the story.
23.  Predict- To anticipate what might happen in the future.
24.  Text Feature- Parts of a text such as titles, headings, special styles of type.
25.  Biography- A story written about another person's life. 
26.  Autobiography- A story about a person's life, written by that person.
27.  Main Idea- Tells what the text is mostly about.  The most important part.
28.  Fact- Something that can be proven true or false. 
29.  Opinion- How someone thinks or feels about something.
30.  Inform- Written to give facts or information about a topic.
31.  Entertain- Written to give enjoyment or amusement.
32.  Author's Purpose- The reason why an author writes a story or passage.
33.  Persuade- Written to get the reader to believe something.
34. Poetry- A type of literature that expresses ideas, feelings, or tells a story in a specific form, usually using stanzas.

35.  Poet- A person who writes a poem.

36.  Stanza- A group of lines in a poem.

37.  Rhyme- Words that have the same ending sound.

38.  Rhythm- The beat or repetition of sound which creates a pattern in poems.

39.  Simile- Comparing two unlike things using the words like or as.                   

40.  Metaphor- Comparing two unlike things WITHOUT using like or as.                

41.  Alliteration- Repeating the same beginning sound in more than one word.          

42. Onomatopoeia- Words that sound like the action they are referring to, sound effect words. 

43.  Personification- Giving non-human objects, human qualities. Hint:  The object acts like a person.

44. Bio Poem- A poem written about someone.

45. Summary- Giving the most important parts of a passage in a shorter way.

46. Narrative poem- A poem that tells a story. 

47. Point of View- The view from which the story is told.

48. Characteristics- A feature or quality that helps to describe someone or something.

49.  Imagery- Forming pictures in the mind.

50.  Sensory language- Describing something using your five senses.

Renaissance Learning-AR parent portal

https://hosted237.renlearn.com/229259/HomeConnect/

Istation

http://www.istation.com/

Dreambox

https://play.dreambox.com/login/kbp3/quap

Prodigy

https://www.prodigygame.com/

Quizlet

http://quizlet.com/