• Please sign up for a fall and a spring
Parent-Teacher conference. Kindly reserve the evening times for working parents.
• Add your email address to the class list.
• If you are interested in chaperoning a trip, please sign up to be entered in the lottery.
• Respond to your child’s letter.

• Positive, risk-free learning environment
• Want students to feel supported and appropriately challenged
• Goals for Students
Behavior expectations: Be kind! Work hard!
Build responsibility / independence
Learn to set goals and achieve them
Practice “Habits of Mind”
Understand that mistakes are part of learning
• Home and school work as a team!
Send in a note or call if you have a question or concern

rd
• Big jump!
• Support at home! (Please!)
• Classwork and Homework
– Not all work is graded, but is reviewed
– Students usually check themselves
– Checked Work folders
• Content Area Tests
– Emphasis not on grade, but what student needs to work on
– Sign and return

• Teachers College workshop model
• Literacy CAFÉ
• Common Core Learning Standards
• Developing critical thinking skills
• Reading many different genres
• Build fluency and comprehension
• Develop vocabulary!
• We need your help!
• Reading levels –> M-P
• Time spent reading Just Right Books!
• Complete reading logs

How Readers at Each Band Would Comprehend The Wizard of Oz
K, L,and M
Readers
N, O, P & Q
Readers
R, S, and T
Readers
Dorothy is friendly. The problem is she gets taken to Oz by a tornado. It gets solved when she uses her magic shoes to get home.
All of the above and…
I noticed that the characters all said one thing but acted in a different way, For example, the Scarecrow said he was not smart but he always finds a way to solve their problems. I also noticed that Dorothy had to solve many little problems before she could solve her big problem of getting home.
All of the above and…
I noticed that the setting seemed like a character, too. Let me explain…
All of the above and…discuss theme and symbolism.
U, V, and W
Readers
X,Y, and Z
Readers
All of the above and… The Wizard of Oz is a satire of the
Depression / Dust Bowl era in American history. Let me compare that to another satire called Gulliver’s Travels.

– Collecting seed ideas
– Drafting
– Revising & Editing
– Publishing
– Sharing

Months
September/October
October/ November
November/December
Third Grade TC Units of Study 2015-2016
Reading Writing
Unit 1: Building a Reading Life
Unit 2: Reading to Learn: Grasping Main
Ideas and Text Structures
Unit 1: Crafting True Stories (Personal
Narrative)
Unit 2: The Art of Information Writing
Unit 3: Character Studies Unit 3: 3rd Grade Literary Essay
December/ January
February
March
April/May
May/June
Unit 4: Research Clubs: Elephants,
Penguins, and Frogs, Oh My!
Unit 5: Social Issues Book Clubs
Unit 6: Test Preparation
Unit 7: Biography Book Clubs
Unit 8: Mystery Book Clubs
Unit 4: Changing the World: Persuasive
Speeches, Petitions, and Editorials
Unit 5: Test Preparation
Unit 6: Information Writing: Reading,
Research, and Writing in the Content
Areas
Unit 7: Once Upon a Time: Adapting and
Writing Fairy Tales

Math
 Piloting new math programs in the district–Go Math!
 Emphasizes understanding, computational fluency, and real life applications
 Workbook for classwork and homework
 Numerous online resources, including videos
 5 E’s: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate
 Repertoire of different strategies and algorithms
 Concepts to cover this year include: multiplication/ rectangular arrays and area, division, fractions

Math
Students need to practice their skills at home, too!
• Time-telling and elapsed time
• Money skills
• Addition and subtraction facts
• Multiplication and division facts (later in the year)

Units of Study
– 5 concepts (geography, history, economy, government, and culture)
– Map skills and landforms
– Countries Around the World
Units of Study
– Measuring Matter
– Water
– Living Earth
– Departmentalization with Mrs. Wise

• Purpose: To reinforce and maintain skills learned in class; foster a sense of responsibility
• Law of Diminishing Returns:
– The tendency for a continuing application of effort or skill toward a particular project or goal to decline in effectiveness after a certain level of result has been achieved.
• Given Monday – Thursday nights
• Reading and log every night, including weekends and vacations
Time increases throughout the year
• Usually math, reading, and maybe writing or word study
• Parents supervise and may assist, but please write a quick note at the top if the assignment was particularly difficult.
• Effort – Content and Appearance
• Complete missed homework in library during recess

• Set a daily time and place (routine)
• Quiet place with few distractions
• Have necessary supplies (sharpened pencils, post-its, looseleaf paper)
• Pack backpack as soon as homework is completed
• Offer support and praise, but do not complete the homework for your child

 Brookville Outdoor Educational Center
 Friday, October 23 rd
 4 chaperones per class
 Free!
 Japanese Drumming at the Tilles Center
 Friday, January 29 th
 2 chaperones per class
 Cost: Approximately $20

• Teachers College Reading Assessments
• NWEA
• COGAT Practice Test (September 25 th )
• COGAT Test (September 28-30)
• New York State ELA Test (April 5-7)
• New York State Math Test (April 13-15)
• Content area tests will be announced in advance

• Communication
– Note in Boomerang folder or email
– Email:
• jharrington@hewlett-woodmere.net
• swise@hewlett-woodmere.net
– Dismissal notes CANNOT BE EMAILED! Please write a note in your child’s folder or call the office in an emergency.
• Snack – Please send a healthy snack!
– Allergies! We are a nut-free class!
• Lunch
– Please send money in a sealed envelope labeled with the child’s name.
– Send with child – avoid drop-offs please
• Birthdays
– Celebrated once per month; coordinated by class moms

– Ms. Almonte and Ms. Amitrano
– Order online at any time!
– Link on my teacher page

Remember…
• Please sign up for a Parent-Teacher conference. Kindly reserve the evening times for working parents.
• Sign the list if you are interested in chaperoning a trip.
• Add your email to the class list if you are interested in doing so.
• Respond to your child’s letter.