WELCOME TO
3RD GRADE PARENT NIGHT
Mrs. Werner Room 11
Mrs. Prestel Room 14
Mrs. Bass Room 21
A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR CHILD’S
TEACHER, MRS. PRESTEL
This will be my 18th year of teaching.
(Wow time sure does fly by!)
 Started career at Middleton Middle School 6-8th
grades, taught there for 9 years.
 Took a year off to be home with her new baby.
Then accepted a job-share 5th grade position at
Joplin Elementary 8 years ago.
 Decided 2 years ago to teach full-time.
 Married for almost 13 years, 2 children both
attend Joplin. (1st grade and 4th grade)
 Please contact me through e-mail first and use
my school website to gather valuable
information.

We’d love to have your help this year.
Please sign up outside your child’s
teacher’s classroom. We couldn’t do it
without you! Thanks!
HOMEWORK
•A homework sheet will be sent home on Mondays, and it will be due back on
Friday of the same week. However, there will be no assigned homework
beyond reading and math facts on three day weeks.
•Homework will focus on reading fluency, spelling practice, and additional
math computation skills.
•On the back of every homework sheet there will be a one minute timed
reading. Please do this on Monday and again on Tuesday. Additionally,
please have your child read aloud from a book at their level.
•Feel free to use the ideas in the homework packet that will sent home next
week. spellingcity.com and xtramath.org are great places to help.
•A homework grade will be recorded each week. (M or N on the report card)
•Additionally, your child’s teacher may need to send unfinished class work
home to be completed and returned to school.
STANDARDS-BASED REPORT CARDS
Meridian School District uses a standards-based
report cards for elementary schools.
 Science, Math, Music & PE have been on this
format for a few years.
 Language Arts (Reading, Writing, Spelling) and
Social Studies are the new reporting topics.
 It is a rubric scale of 1 through 4.

1 is below basic
 2 is basic
 3 at grade level
 4 above grade level

READING
Within our reading program we will teach grade level curriculum as
well as differentiated material that will expand your child’s reading
skills. Areas of emphasis include, but are not limited to:
Literal comprehension
Interpretive comprehension
Vocabulary
Fluency
Gathering Information
Nonfiction
Phonics
Novel reading
Author’s mood and purpose
Predicting
Persuading
Summarizing
Topic/Main Idea/Details
Analyzing
Story Elements
FLUENCY
Idaho Reading Fluency 3rd Grade Goals
Fall
77
Winter
96
Spring
110
LANGUAGE ARTS
HTTP://WWW.MERIDIANSCHOOLS.ORG/STAFF/DISTRICTCURRICULUM/ELEMENTARYSCHOOL/3/LANGUAGE%20ARTS/FORMS/ALLITE
MS.ASPX
The language component of our curriculum covers:
 Parts of speech
 Sentence structure
 Types of sentences
 Complete sentences
 Capitalization
 Punctuation
 Grammar
 Phonic
 Figurative Language
 Phonemic awareness
 Prefix/Suffix meanings
 Multiple Meaning Words
 Dictionary Skills
WRITING
Your students will have many opportunities
throughout the year to practice writing for
different purposes. The following are some
examples of types of writing students may
be doing in third grade.
Narrative
Informative
Paragraphs
Descriptive
Note taking
Process writing
Journaling
Autobiographies
Research papers
Poetry
Editing
Persuasive/argumentative
SPELLING
• A spelling pretest will be given at the beginning of each week.
Based on the pretest, students will be assigned a list.
• Spelling tests will be given on the last day of the week.
• Your child will be spelling test words in isolation and in sentence
dictation.
•Words Their Way is our new spelling program. When studying the
words at home, please group them and study the word families and
the rules for adding endings onto the base words.
• Spelling practice will be a part of your child’s 30 minutes of
homework each night.
• Spelling homework will include a writing activity that needs to be
completed and returned to school in Thursday Folder.
MATH
As of this year, our math instruction has been aligned
to match the National Common Core Standards.
As a result of these changes, students throughout the
district will be taught the same instructional concepts
within the same trimester.
Third grade has three Big Ideas that are tied to other
instructional concepts. This helps students develop a
deeper understanding of math concepts and their
interrelationship.
Unit 1 Big Idea: Multiplication and Division Computation
Students understand the meanings of multiplication and division of whole numbers through the use of representations,
such as equal-sized groups, arrays, area models and number lines for multiplication, and repeated subtraction, partitioning
and sharing for division. They use properties of addition and multiplication (identity, zero, commutative, associative &
distributive) to multiply whole numbers and apply increasingly sophisticated strategies to solve contextual problems.
Through their work with multiple strategies, students relate multiplication and division as inverse operations. By the end of
the unit the students should fluently multiply and divide within 100.
RT4
Dimensional Measurement Relationships
Students understand that rectangular arrays
can be decomposed into identical rows or into
identical columns. By decomposing
rectangles into rectangular arrays of squares,
students connect area to multiplication and
justify using multiplication to determine the
area of a rectangle.
Number Systems
Addition and Subtraction Computation
Students extend their understanding of
place value to multi-digit numbers in
various situations, including
understanding how place value relates to
addition, subtraction, multiplication, and
division. They compose and decompose
numbers in multiple ways, such as 3420
= 3420 ones, 3 thousands + 4 hundreds
+ 2 tens, 342 tens, etc.
Students continue to develop their understanding
of addition and subtraction of multi-digit whole
numbers including building their facility with mental
arithmetic (e.g., 250 + 600 or 203-199) and by
using computational estimation to judge the
reasonableness of results. They select and apply
appropriate methods to estimate sums and
differences or calculate them mentally depending
on the context and numbers involved. They apply
their understanding of repeated addition and/or
subtraction to multiplication and division.
RT 1 & 2
RT 3
RT 6
Algebraic Symbolism and Evaluation
Students continue to develop an understanding
of an unknown quantity represented as a
symbol such as a box or picture, and solving for
that unknown in computation situations
including multiplication and division. They
continue to develop an understanding of
equality around the equal sign (=) and generate
equivalent equations in computation situations
including multiplication and division. Students
continue to develop their understanding of
patterns by describing and extending them.
Their work with multiplication and division
strategies should involve analysis of the
patterns that exist within these operations.
Students work with various models such as
number lines, ratio tables and arrays, and
should embed the analysis of the patterns that
exist.
RT 7
Unit 2: Number Relationships and Representations
PSa) Use models to demonstrate an understanding of multiplication of whole numbers up to 10 x 10, including contextual
situations (e.g., number line, arrays, ratio table)
PSb) Use models to demonstrate an understanding of division of numbers related to the 10 x 10 multiplication facts
PSc) Fluently* multiply and divide within 100 (1 digit facts from memory by the end of 3rd grade)
PSd) Apply properties of operations as strategies to multiply and divide (students need not use formal terms for these
properties)
Grade 3 expectations limited to denominators 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8
RT 1&2
Algebraic Thinking
Geometry
Measurement Systems
PSa) Recognize, describe and extend patterns involving
fractions
PSa) Partition shapes into parts with equal
areas and express the area of each part
as a unit fraction of the whole.
PSb) Represent equivalent fractions in an equation (4/8
= 2/4 = 1/2)
PSa) Generate measurement data by
measuring lengths using rulers
marked with halves and fourths of an
inch.
RT 8
RT 7
RT 5
Unit 3: Dimensional Measurement Relationships
PSa) Measure area by counting the unit squares and relate area to the operations of multiplication and division.
PSb) Multiply side lengths (whole number) to find the area of rectangles.
RT 6
PSc) Solve real world and mathematical problems involving the perimeter of polygons.
Multiplication and Division Computation
Addition and Subtraction
Computation
PSa) Use models to demonstrate an understanding of multiplication of
whole numbers up to 10 x 10, including contextual situations (e.g., arrays,
area model.
RT 4
PSa) Choose, combine and apply
strategies for answering multi-digit
addition and subtraction problems,
including contextual situations (e.g.,
find the perimeter.
Measurement Systems
PSa) Select and use appropriate metric units and tools
to measure liquid volume and weight.
RT 3
PSb) Tell and write time to the nearest minute and
measure time intervals in minutes.
Algebraic Thinking
PSb) Represent contextual problems that involve perimeter and or
area as a number equation using symbols (e.g., box or picture to
represent the unknown side length of geometric figure).
PSc) Solve missing number equations (e.g., perimeter and area
problems).
PSd) Generate equivalent equations (e.g., if two different rectangles
have the same perimeter of 36, what could their side lengths be?
9+9+6+6 = 30 =10+10+5+5).
RT 7
RT 5
Geometric Figures
PSa) Recognize area as an attribute of a plane figure, understand
the concept of area measure and explain why area is measured in
square units.
PSd) Classify 2D shapes according to their properties and
develop definitions for classes of shapes (e.g., quadrilaterals,
polygons, rhombuses).
RT 8
HARVARD EDLABS MATH PILOT PROGRAM
FOR 3RD GRADE CLASSROOMS
This is a mathematics project that will focus on
student achievement in data-driven instruction.
(This project is part of a larger initiative that is
being called "Build a Better Teacher".)
 The math program our students will utilize is
called the Khan academy.
 5 iPOD Touch units per classroom.
 Parent welcome packets will be arriving in a
couple of weeks with more information.
 What a great opportunity for our students!

SCIENCE
HTTP://WWW.MERIDIANSCHOOLS.ORG/STAFF/DISTRICTCURRICULUM/ELEMENTARYSCHOOL/3/SCIENCE/FORMS/ALLITEMS.ASPX
Four science units will be taught:
 Reason for the Seasons
 Living Things in their Environment
 Force and Motion
 States of Matter
SOCIAL STUDIES
HTTP://WWW.MERIDIANSCHOOLS.ORG/STAFF/DISTRICTCURRICULUM/ELEMENTARYSCHOOL/3/SOCIAL%20STUDIES/FORMS/ALLITE
MS.ASPX
Our Social Studies curriculum is developed around the concept
of working together in a community. We will learn about:
Where/Why communities are started
Types of communities
How communities change over time
Community Structure
People in communities
Community leaders/Laws
Goods and services
Supply and Demand
Geography/Landforms/Maps/Directions
OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION






A healthy snack at recess helps a student focus during the
day.
We have several nut allergies in third grade. Please take
this into consideration when sending snacks or providing
treats for classroom celebrations.
We are fortunate to have new paint. Last year we had new
carpet installed. Please only send clear water for your child
to drink in class.
Thank you to everyone who has paid their child’s activity
fee. This $18 pays for Weekly Reader and assemblies.
As a cost saving measure, third grade has chosen not to
purchase planners this year.
In third grade, students will participate in several district
and state tests. These include; IRI, MAP, Universal
Screeners, and ISAT.
IN CONCLUSION
Please know that all 3rd grade teachers have an
open-door policy.
 Feel free to ask us questions and let us know if you
need help with your child. If we don’t know the
answer, we will seek out the information.
 General philosophy:



3rd Graders work very hard at school all day. They are
learning academics and good study behaviors, including
being responsible for themselves.
The goal is to hold the child accountable in a Love and
Logic approach. Your child’s teacher will use methods to
motivate them. Your child may make mistakes, forget
items, etc. That is a part of learning. It’s okay to make
mistakes as long as we learn from them!