SHANNON
PARK
ELEMENTARY
Parent
Information
Handbook
Grade
3
2010‐2011
September 2010
Dear Parents,
The third grade teachers would like to take this opportunity
to welcome your family to a new school year at Shannon Park
Elementary.
The purpose of this booklet is to describe the third grade
educational program at Shannon Park and to answer some of
the more commonly asked questions. We hope this will be
informative, but we invite you to call if you have any other
questions. We believe the education of your child is a
tremendous responsibility and is achieved best in partnership
between parents, teachers, and students.
We consider it a high calling to be teachers, and we hope this
will be a great year for your child. We are prepared to
challenge each student with a year of learning and personal
growth. It is our desire that each student reaches his/her full
potential. We’re looking forward to a successful year for all of
us.
Sincerely,
The Third Grade Teachers
SHANNON PARK
PHILOSOPHY
We believe that academic achievement begins with positive selfesteem, self-responsibility, and self-discipline. Our vision is to provide
opportunities that encourage and foster feelings of self-worth and
educational achievement, with a focus on the needs of the whole child. We
will promote the shared responsibility of learners, parents, staff, and
community in nurturing students to fulfill their unique potential.
MISSION
“TEAMING FOR GROWTH”
SHANNON PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
EXPECTATIONS
Strive for your best achievement.
Students are urged to try hard to do their best in all school endeavors. Students
will be supported and encouraged to reach their goals. By putting forth maximum
effort to meet the social, academic, and physical challenges that school offers,
each child will continue a lifelong quest of reaching his or her full potential.
Be responsible for your own learning.
Students are expected to come to school prepared with the proper materials and
with a positive attitude. By getting organized and ready for the responsibilities of
the school day, each child will be supported to achieve optimal learning in their
own personal development.
Be cooperative.
Students are expected to work together with staff and peers to provide a positive
learning environment. Students will be encouraged to realize they contribute in a
significant way. By developing cooperative skills, each child will strengthen his
or her motivation to cooperate and learn.
Treat others and property with respect.
Students are encouraged to demonstrate self-control and display empathy when
relating to others. Students will also respect and take care of personal and school
property. Each child will be supported in his or her effort to feel capable of
working toward this expectation. Meeting these goals will maintain a caring, safe,
and aesthetically pleasing environment.
SHANNON PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
RULES
Be kind to others
Being kind to others involves recognizing and showing understanding of other’s
feelings. Being kind to others involves using self-control, negotiating in an
honest, cooperative manner and apologizing when necessary. Being kind verbally
and physically will promote positive feelings to make learning fun and fair.
Be safe
Students learn best in a physically safe environment. Being safe involves using
self-control and following rules. Unsafe behaviors will be redirected to promote
safe and positive alternatives.
Listen
Students are expected to listen and pay attention to staff and students. Appropriate
listening involves looking at the speaker, being quiet, thinking about what is being
said, and taking turns talking.
Follow directives
The students will listen to and comply with the requests of a person in authority.
Following directives involves listening carefully, asking questions, and repeating
instructions if necessary.
Use time wisely
Students will develop age appropriate skills reflecting good time management
during structured and independent activities. Students will check to be sure they
have finished all assigned work and choose an activity that will allow others to
remain on task.
Third Grade
Note About School Supplies
We’ve noticed that it’s easy for students to mistakenly grab any notebook to do
their writing assignment, or math journaling, or science journaling, and so forth.
Then when it’s time to find that assignment to either finish it, revise it or study it,
the students are paging through each notebook in their desk looking for it, even
though we give the students labels for each notebook.
We decided to borrow a tip from the RMS teachers and ask the students to
color coordinate their main subject folders and their notebooks.
We are requesting that your child buy four folders and four notebooks in
these colors: red, yellow, green, and blue.
Students will need 2 additional folders and 1 other notebook, and these can
be of any color or design of their choosing. We will supply the labels for each
student.
GRADE THREE SUPPLIES FOR 2010-11
1 pkg. # 2 pencils (yellow)- bring sharpened
6 pocket folders (1 ea/red/yellow/blue/green/purple + 1 choice)
4 spiral notebooks wide-lined (red, yellow, green, blue)
ink pen for correcting
large glue stick
erasers
crayons
1 yellow highlighter
1 box facial tissues to share
non-marking soled tennis shoes-NO slip on
markers set/8
black, fine tip flair marker
whiteboard eraser or tube sock
whiteboard dry erase markers
colored pencils
ruler
scissors
Please LABEL all supplies
Reading
Some components of the reading workshop include independent reading, guided
reading, read aloud, shared reading and literature circles. We will also provide
many opportunities for children to read for pleasure in the classroom. In addition,
we read to the children daily and try to convey the value of reading as a lifelong
skill.
Writing
Teachers will be using the writing workshop model focusing on personal
narratives, essays, and fiction using the Lucy Calkin’s Unit of Study.
Word Study
Word Study includes spelling, cursive, phonics, language and vocabulary
development.
Handwriting
Zaner Bloser
Both lower and uppercase cursive letters are introduced. Concepts covered
include letter shapes, spacing, slant and line quality. Students are provided with a
consumable text to ensure first hand practice.
Art
Art will be taught by an art specialist.
Math
The elementary school mathematics curriculum is based on the Minnesota
Academic Standards in Mathematics. The curriculum builds students’
mathematical understanding, skill and proficiency at each grade level within the
strands of number and operations, algebra, geometry, measurement, data
analysis and probability.
Science
Third grade science concentrates on a hands-on learning approach. The
students work in cooperative groups to investigate, observe and record data.
Topics covered include:
Magnets and Electricity, Structures of Life,
Measurement, Earth Materials (rocks and minerals), and Space.
Social Studies
Grade three social studies broadens students’ awareness about the local and
global communities in which they live. They learn the basics of geography in
order to locate communities on a globe. They learn about different cultures and
public service roles.
The material to support the third grade social studies curriculum are titles: Social
Studies Alive! Our Community and Beyond and are published by Teachers’
Curriculum Institute (TCI).
Health
We use a text entitled Your Health from Harcourt, Inc.
Computer
The students will be involved in a 50 minute computer experience each cycle. A
variety of programs will be used to reinforce the different curriculum areas. They
will also continue keyboarding as well as word processing.
BOOK ORDERS
We will be doing book orders this year. Generally, they arrive
around once a month. Please send book orders with a check
made out to the book company in an envelope with your child’s
name on it. Thank you.
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Party Dates for the 2010-11 School Year
Fall Party:
Thursday, October 28
Winter Party:
Wednesday, December 22
Valentine Party:
Monday, February 14
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BIRTHDAY TREATS
Effective this year, district policy is that students are not to bring birthday treats of
any kind.
SNACK
We encourage the students to bring a healthy snack to be eaten mid-morning.
LUNCH PROGRAM
2010-2011 School Lunch Prices
Student Full Price Lunch
$ 2.05
Milk
$ .40
Adult Lunch
$ 3.25
Prepayments will be accepted daily at school. Prepayments can also be mailed directly
to the Food Services Office. If sending a check, please write the student’s full name
and lunch identification number on it.
NO CHARGES FOR SCHOOL LUNCH OR MILK WILL BE ALLOWED. Students with
no lunch credits will be offered a cheese sandwich only. Please keep track of your
child’s lunch credits. Your account balance can be checked by calling your school
cafeteria or the Food Service Office at 683-6958. Applications for free and reduced
priced meals are available at your school office or at the Food Services Office.
Dear Parents,
We look forward to working with your child this year.
We feel good communication between home and
school is very important.
If we can be of help at any time, please call, send a
note, or contact us by e-mail.
Sincerely,
The Third Grade Teachers