Roberts Elementary School
Curriculum Night 2011-2012
WELCOME TO OUR CLASSROOM!
Jessica Gross
 Married to Terry
 Expecting a baby girl in October
 Originally from Buffalo, NY
 Bachelor’s degree from St. Bonaventure University
 Master’s degree from Piedmont College
 Gifted Certified
 9th year of teaching, love third grade!
 Focus will be hands-on learning
 Emphasis on collaboration & cooperation
Reading
 Guided reading groups for practice
 Anthology stories for skill lessons
 Reader’s Workshop (novel studies and reflection)
 Wordly Wise for Vocabulary Development
 Nightly Reading Log and Response
Here’s a correlation between reading and standardized test scores:
Students who read 40 min. per day score in the 90th percentile
Students who read 12 min. per day score in the 50th percentile
Students who read 1.6 min. per day score in the 10th percentile
(Data from a study of 5th graders in 2001)
 Assessment…oral fluency and comprehension
Writing
 Writer’s Workshop
 Grammar &
Conventions are
included in the writing
grade
 DGP (Daily Grammar
Practice)
Spelling
 Rebecca Sitton curriculum
 Words 170 - 335 in AKS booklet
 Words 1-170 are words that your child should ALREADY
know
 5 words introduced weekly and practiced in class
 Homework- Take Home Tasks are nonconventional
 Check words in ALL writing
Math
 Assessments: Chapter tests, Big 20,
Speed drills
 Every child needs multiplication flash
cards, some will also need addition,
subtraction, and division cards to use at
home nightly. Fluency is 100 facts in 5
minutes with 95% accuracy.
 Elapsed time, money, multiplication &
division, word problems, measurement,
fractions & decimals, graphing, geometry
Social Studies
 Map Skills
 US Government
 Economics- forming
our company
 Rights &
Responsibilities
 9 Famous Americans
Science
 Rocks & Soils
 Fossils
 Magnets
 Heat Energy
 Habitats
 Pollution
 Labs and
Experiments
Our Daily Schedule
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8:20-8:50 Morning Work
8:50 Announcements & class cheers
9:00 Math
10:00 Snack & restroom break
10:00 Grammar/Spelling/Writer’s Workshop
11:23-11:53 Lunch
12:00-12:45 Specials
12:55- 1:15 Recess
1:20 Restroom, read aloud
1:30 Reader’s Workshop
2:15 Restroom break
2:20 Science/Social Studies
3:00 Pack up & DEAR time
3:10 Afternoon announcements
3:20 Dismissal
Grading Scale
 A = 90%-100%
 B = 80%-89%
 C = 74%-79%
 D = 70%-73%
 U= 69% and below
 Remember, a “C” is on grade level.
2011-2012 Grading Policy
Unit Tests
 Retake for grades below a 70%
 The higher of the two grades is entered, but not above 70%.
 Spelling tests, Reading story tests, Wordly Wise, and DGP cannot
be retaken.
 The best idea is to study for tests before they are given. 
Class Work and Quizzes
• Actual grade will be recorded, not a 60% as last year.
Benchmarks
• 3 % of report card grade
Reporting Student Progress
 Weekly (Friday Folders)
This is your best source ! Sit down with your
child each week and see where they are,
academically! Ask that they correct & return
work they did poorly on.
 Go-Gwinnett portal (Mid-terms, too)
 Report Cards- should not be a surprise
 Conferences October 3-4 Mon. & Tues.
 Note- red pen is checked by the child
other colors= Mrs. Gross (usually)
3rd Grade Promotion Requirements
 Must adequately master the 3rd
grade standards.
 AKS brochure
 Must pass the reading portion of
the CRCT to continue to 4th grade
Questions?
You may email me anytime at:
Jessica_Gross@gwinnett.k12.ga.us
You may also send a note or
call the front office
and leave a message for me
to call you back.
Before You Leave…
 Please sign page 23 of the Student/Parent
Handbook.
 Visit our Wish List on the front board.
 The computer labs are open, if you’d like to pay for
Field Trips.