IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW



IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW

Contact Information:

• kelly-dighero@scusd.edu

• dighero.

• Scholastic Code: HHVTC

Homework Policy

Your student is provided with an assignment sheet weekly. This is where your child records the daily homework. At the end of each day (Friday’s excluded), as a class we write down and discuss all the assignments for the day. After completing the homework each evening, PLEASE review the assignments with your student, check completed assignments off the list, and see that all work is inside his or her backpack.

Should assignments not be completed on time, a homework slip is given to the student the following morning. All late assignments must be turned in the next day with a signed homework slip. Each student is given an “Elephant” once a month, which can be used to not receive consequences for a missed assignment. However, missing assignments must be completed regardless. Students who turn in all homework for the week on time will be rewarded on Fridays.

Calendar and Newsletter

At the beginning of each month, a calendar with important due dates and events, as well as the detailed Newsletter, will be brought home by each student. Please read the letter with your student, make a note of important events and notices, and post the calendar in a visual space. Daily assignments will not be included on the calendar since they sometimes vary. Included in these packets will be book reports, book orders, and other major assignments.

Friday Envelopes

Nearly every Friday, students will bring home a Friday envelope containing student work and important notices. Please review these papers with your student and return the envelope on Monday with a parent signature on the front. On occasion, I will ask for certain items, such as tests, to be returned with a parent signature.

Weekend Homework

Weekend homework will be limited to Friday folders, large projects, and math assignments if the provided class time is not used wisely by your student.

Reading Log

Each day (Monday through Thursday), it is expected that your student read a minimum of 20 minutes of grade-level appropriate material as part of his or her homework. A reading log will be filled out each night, and on Thursday nights, please sign the log to confirm that your student has completed the reading.

In addition to the reading, students will be choosing a Reading Log Activity to respond to each night. We have been learning about responding thoughtfully to literature in class. The students have learned to use RACERS, which stands for restate the question, answer the question, cite text evidence, explain the evidence, and summarize your information. I have been modeling this for the students, and will continue to do so throughout the year. Each morning, Tuesday through Friday, students will share their responses during AIR time (Accountable Independent Reading time). Building fluency is essential to a child’s comprehension, and to ensure this, it is suggested that students practice reading orally to an adult as well.

Book Reports

Nearly each month, students will be required to read a grade level appropriate book and complete a book report assignment. This assignment will usually be included in the monthly packet. The first book report, the Memory String, is due on Wednesday, September 26th. This assignment was included in the monthly packet that went home the first day of school.

Poetry

Once a month, students will be required to recite a poem with a designated amount of lines. This month, we will begin with six lines (at least 3 words per line), starting the recitals on Tuesday, September 18th. Be sure that your student prepares for this well in advance, memorizing the lines, and reciting with a clear, audible voice, using plenty of expression and eye contact. Also, be sure your student brings the book of poetry, a printout, or a hand written copy of the poem on the day of recital. Please refer to the monthly calendar to determine the day of your student’s recital.

Language Arts

As you know, a few years back we shifted from the California State Standards to Common Core. Along with that has come a shift in the previously taught curriculum, and the district has adopted a new curriculum, Benchmark Advance. The focus on reading and writing remain at the center of the program. It is vital that we teach our students to be independent readers, confident writers, and critical thinkers. To achieve this with a well-balanced, enriched curriculum, we will be pulling from multiple sources, digging deep into texts, reading across several genres, responding to texts in multiple ways, reading and writing daily, including detailed, step by step writing instruction. In addition to Benchmark Advance, the third grade classrooms will be implementing various novel studies throughout the year.

Spelling

Students will receive a weekly spelling list. Each Monday, students will take a pretest. The pretest will help students know whether the work will be on grade-level words or on challenge words. The Friday post-test will also include three teacher chosen words. The spelling is broken into three areas: 1) self-selected words, 2) pattern & rule words, and 3) Greek & Latin roots. During the week, students will choose from an activity menu for a total of three points. It is required that at least twice a month, “at least eight sentences” is one of their activity choices. Students will be given class time to work on spelling. However, students who either do not use their time wisely or work at their own pace, may need to complete it for homework on Wednesday nights. Contracts are due on Thursdays. 20% of the spelling grade comes from spelling work and tests; 80% comes from spelling in their daily written work.

Math

Two years ago, the third grade team adopted Eureka Math, previously known as Engage New York. This is a Common Core centered program that is known to be better aligned with the CAASPP exam given at the end of the year and offers a tremendous amount of resources to the students. Students will be introduced to a new lesson most days of the week, followed by extensive in class practice. To ensure additional practice, for each lesson there will be a homework assignment pulled from the students’ homework booklets.

In addition to the offered curriculum, the third grade team will be supplementing with extra practice and extended skills in an effort to best prepare the students for fourth grade, the CAASPP test, and the anticipated math content in the years to come. On my website, you will find a link to the site containing all the needed resources for Eureka, including detailed tutorials and homework assignments.

Math facts will also be practiced Monday through Thursday by the students at a website called MobyMax. You can also find a link to this site on my web page. To login to their accounts, students will type in their first name, hyphen, last name (all lower case) for the username, and birth date (month, day, year) for the password (see the sample below). If a student does not have access to a computer at home, please let me know ASAP and I will arrange accommodations. This is not an optional assignment, and homework consequences will apply to students who do not do their daily practice.

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Science, Social Studies, and Geography

Science, Social Studies, and Geography will be incorporated into the core curriculum as well as supplemented with the texts and student activities. To further enrich our science program, all classrooms at Phoebe Hearst participate in a school-wide STEM activity each month. To help instill a better concept of the globe, students will be given geography questions which will be answered together in class, giving us the opportunity to explore the map together. Students will be required to study for geography tests, for which they will be notified a week in advance. Flashcards will be provided to aid with the studying process.

“Time for Kids”

Nearly once a week, the class will receive a “Time for Kids”, containing interesting, current news. This is a very enjoyable and engaging way to get the kids interested in current media and worldly issues and events. To help cut parent costs, Mrs. Butterfield’s class and our class will be sharing articles this year. Attached is an envelope to collect the $3 donation, which can be turned in tonight or with your student later this week.

Book Orders

Every month, students will receive book orders along with their newsletter and calendar. To place orders, please visit this site: , and use my access code, HHVTC. More choices are available online, and you may order from any available online flyers. I will place the final order one week from distributing the orders. September book orders have been attached to this document. During the month of September, teachers receive 10,000 extra bonus points for large orders, so if you only order one month the entire year, this would be the month to do it.

Behavior

Maintaining an organized, well-managed classroom is the key to a successful learning environment. Students are expected to follow the classroom and school rules and to treat peers, teachers, the principal, and adults with the utmost respect. Students who display good behavior will continually be rewarded. Good behavior merits tickets earned to use in auctions or for special privileges, minutes towards P.A.T (Preferred Activity Time), or group points to be used for prizes.

In turn, there will be strict consequences for students who misbehave. As for classroom consequences, I use a card-pulling system, in which appropriate penalties apply to particular behaviors. Although most bad behaviors will be reprimanded inside the classroom, parents will be informed when the behavior merits such consequences with a behavior slip, a phone call home, an email, or all of the above. However, my personal philosophy is that students respond best to positive disciplining, and I strive to keep the energy in the classroom cheerful.

Ways to Help

- Inform me if your child does not seem to understand a concept or project.

- Invite me to your child’s events. A positive relationship is very important part of the education process.

- Check your child’s homework folder.

- Be a member of the PTO.

- Sign up to help – (see the volunteer list)

- On Amazon, check out Room 20’s Wish List and Book List

- Order books from Scholastic

- Limit electronic devices before bedtime & lights off by 8:30.

Thanks for coming! I hope I have answered any questions you may have about your student’s experience in the third grade. I am looking forward to a fun and adventurous year.

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