Third Grade Syllabus
Mrs. Marshall and Mrs. Philpot
2014-2015
Southside Elementary School
Welcome to 3rd grade! We have been working hard to provide a rich learning environment for your child. The third grade
teachers expect every student to put forth 100% effort. We encourage and expect our students to become actively
involved in the classroom and to become active participants in their educational experience. Your child will be working
on developing reading and writing skills, mathematics computation strategies, science concepts, social studies concepts,
and problem solving skills. The purpose of this syllabus is to help answer commonly asked questions and to take a brief
glance at the areas we will be studying this school year.
Communication:
The creation of an open, consistent line of communication between home and school is important to your child’s
academic success. We want you to feel comfortable talking with us about any issues or ideas. There are various ways we
can communicate this year.
Take Home Communication Folders
Please look for this folder to come home with your child every week. One side of the folder will be labeled “Keep
at Home” and the other side “Return to School.” This folder will contain some of your child’s work and
communication from our classroom and the school. It is important that you review all of the information in the
folder since many forms and permission slips will be included. Students will also bring home a planner. Third
graders are expected to use the planner to write down responsibilities for the week. This process holds the
students accountable and guides them towards becoming independent learners. Feel free to write a short note
as the need arises.
Bi-Weekly Newsletters
A bi-weekly newsletter will be sent home and it will be posted on our blogs on the school website. The
newsletter will keep you updated on what your child is learning and current happenings around the school.
Report Cards
Report card will be sent home at the end of each nine weeks.
Grading Scale:
100-92 A
83-91 B
74-82 C
65-73 D
below-64 F
Homework Policy
The homework policy is as follows:
Twenty minutes of reading will be assigned nightly, since research has proven this to be the most successful predictor of
school success. The reading can include being read to, shared reading, and independent reading. Students will be
encouraged to select books of their choice to increase their interest in reading.
A list of suggested activities will be sent home with each student by the month. Ideas listed will offer bonding and high
interest time between child and parent and provide meaningful, age-appropriate skill practice.
Occasional projects will be assigned that are specific to the third grade and the students will be given several days’
notice and will be provided ample opportunities to complete it successfully.
Parents may request special assignments from their child’s teacher if that is their wish.
Spring Test:
Students will be assessed in the spring with a test called the KPREP. Your child will be assessed in TWO areas. They will
be assessed in reading and math.
3rd Grade Academic Areas:
Reading:
Mrs. Marshall will be teaching all third graders reading this year. Your child will be spending a large amount of time in
their school day building and enhancing their foundational skills for reading development, comprehension, and fluency.
Reading is a key component to the success of any education, and we want to implement as much reading instruction
into as many academic areas as possible. We believe that all students can gain the skills to become good readers and
learn to love reading by reading books that they love. The curriculum is designed to meet the Common Core learning
standards in the areas of reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Students will build habits and develop strategies that
proficient readers use on a daily basis that build on comprehension, accuracy, fluency and expanding student
vocabulary. We will focus our reading instruction mainly in small group lessons (some whole group lessons will be
necessary) focusing on strategy groups based on individual student needs. Students will have a vast variety of books to
choose from. Third graders will gain experience in a variety of fictional and informational texts while freshening their
speaking and listening skills. Students will be required to reflect BOTH orally and in written expression about their
literary experiences in relation to what they have read.
Homework:
Students will be required to read a minimum of 20 minutes per night. As he/she reads, you can check your
child’s understanding by asking him/her questions about the book or asking for a summary of the section they
have read.
Math:
Mrs. Philpot will be teaching all third graders math this year. Your child will be learning math concepts in new and
exciting ways. Please encourage your child to use these new techniques. They will lead to a deeper understanding of
number sense and problem solving skills. It is always easier to use the paper-pencil way to solve mathematical
reasoning but our goal is not only to create number sense but to create better problem solvers! We will begin the year
with a review of basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division skills. Then we will develop a greater
understanding of the place value system, learn about estimation, factors, multiples, multi-digit multiplication and
division, modeling with multiplication and division, real world multiplication and division applications, geometry, and
fractions!
Grammar/Spelling/Writing
Through the use of a variety of writing activities, students will be given ample opportunities to draft, revise, proofread,
and create final copies of writing pieces. In third grade we will spend a large amount of time on mastering the
mechanics of how students write and developing a sense of the writing process so that students feel confident, and can
revise their writing proficiently. The mechanics of writing will be taught by Mrs. Marshall and Mrs. Philpot and will focus
exclusively on punctuation, grammar, capitalization, sentence/paragraph structure, and parts of speech. Writing pieces
will be created in science. Our third graders will be learning so many new and exciting vocabulary words that relate to
various subject areas. Being able to spell and understand these words is extremely important and critical to producing
clear and creative writing pieces.
Science:
Mrs. Marshall and Mrs. Philpot will be teaching Science to homerooms this year. Science in 3rd grade focuses on
providing students with the opportunity to learn age-appropriate concepts in life, earth, and physical science. Third
graders will begin the year by taking part in various activities following the steps of the scientific method. The scientific
method will be a focus of our learning. Throughout the year students we will be observing, measuring, recording,
questioning, identifying, and drawing conclusions. Students will be provided with hands-on learning experiences to
explore the lesson concepts. Through their explorations, students develop an understanding and become able to apply
the components of the scientific method. Students will learn important science concepts and develop the ability to think
critically by actively constructing ideas through their own inquires, investigations, and analyses. Lessons will be linked
with other curriculum areas- reading, math, and writing. A science notebook will be kept throughout the year by each
student. Vocabulary quizzes will be given in addition to unit assessments.
In closing, we look forward to a positive partnership with you this school year. Let us continue to keep the
lines of communication flowing openly. We are always available to answer your questions and hear your
comments, concerns, and special needs of your child.
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Mrs. Mary Marshall
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Mrs. Emily Philpot