Totally Tubular Third Grade
Rockin’ 2015-2016
Hello Third Grade Parents!
 Let’s meet the
Team
Maria Williams
Meredyth Hale
Stephanie Smyth
Jennifer Sewell
Thank you for taking your time to listen and read about
third grade.
Save the Date:
What: Math and Literacy
Night
When: September 22
6:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m.
Where: Third Grade Hall
Spend the evening learning
ways to support your kiddos
at home and get some
helpful resources. Learn
more about the TEKS and
strategies used in
class.
Math
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Place Value (composing and
Decomposing numbers)
Multi-Digit Addition and Subtraction
with re-grouping
Properties of Addition/Subtraction
Measurement
Tables and Graphs
Financial Literacy
Multiplication and Division
Rounding
Geometry
Fractions
 Multi-step problem solving
everyday in everyday
situations
Real World application
and problem solving will be
embedded into each unit of
study!
Please help your child with quick recall of
facts with games and flashcards daily
Reading Strategies
As 1st and 2nd graders, students have been learning to read. As 3rd graders, students are reading to
learn. This year we are focusing on strategies that good readers use to strategically understand
the text they read. The following strategies will be introduced and practice through out the year.
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Choosing books
Making connections
Inferring/Drawing Conclusions
Synthesizing / Evaluating
Visualizing
Questioning
Determining Importance
Main Idea
Plot
Characterization
 Poetry
Independent Reading…
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Students will be given reading goals according to their
strengths, interests, and areas of growth.
Along with their nightly goal of 20 minutes of
uninterrupted reading, students will be given independent
reading time in the classroom to work towards their
individual reading goals.
Students will be assessed on:
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successful implementation of reading strategies
progress towards independent reading goals
reading response activities
special projects
reading *blog and journal entries
Since we are striving to achieve individual reading goals, it
is imperative that your child come prepared. Students
should bring their “just right” (library) book home
each night and bring it back to school
the next day.
Electronic Reading Devices
In an effort to increase technology use inside and outside the
classroom, students will be allowed to use electronic readers at school
when independently reading in the classroom or the library.
Examples of acceptable electronic readers are:
Kindles, Kindle Fires, Nooks, I-Pads, I-Touches, and Zooms.
Before children are allowed to use their device in class, they must
bring a signed agreement sheet located on the Bolin Library Website.
Electronic readers will then be used at the discretion of the
classroom teacher and will be left in their backpack outside of the
scheduled reading time.
A student will only be given one warning after an
infraction of the agreed upon rule. Upon a second infraction,
they will lose the privilege of bringing their device to school.
Writing
 Writing is a district wide concentration for
our students this year.
 Your child will be writing daily across the
curriculum as well as specifically assigned
writing genres.
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Personal Narratives
Research
Persuasive Writing
Responses to Literature
Letter Writing
 Most grades will come from rubrics and
responses to literary elements and inclass projects through out the year.
SPELLING
We are currently devising a new
spelling/phonics program that will help
children unlock the sometimes tricky
“English Language Code” in the majority
of our written language words. The
focus of the rule will allow children to
apply the rule to new words outside of
the “traditional list words” and to be
used and assessed in their daily work and
projects.
Science
 Scientific Method/Experiments
 Scientific Process Skills
 Matter and Energy
 Ecosystems and Habitats
 Slow and Fast Changes to
Earth’s surfaces
 Solar System
 Forces and Motion
 Hands-on learning
 Interactive Journals
Social Studies
 Citizenship
 Historical figures who made
positive changes in our
communities
Our Community and Beyond
Comparing our community and
traditions with other communities
around our world.
Geography-
 Mapping Skills
 Landforms
Economics
Our Natural Resources
Benchmarks and Standardized Tests
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DRA and iStation and Math BOY and
Pearson Placement test
 (September – October2)
Benchmarks (November 9-13)
STAAR simulation (February 22 and 23)
STAAR Test
 Math (May 9)
 Reading (May 10)
The STAAR is our state assessment.. The STAAR is a rigorous
assessment with problem solving and multi-step applications . Our
daily instruction will reflect this change while we continue to monitor
and assure foundational skills to support their deeper thinking.
Discipline
 Positive Rewards
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Power Hour
Notes sent home/Emails
Praise
Class Rewards
Class Dojo Points (point store)
 Consequences
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First Offense - Verbal Warning
Second Offense- 10 minutes out of recess- walking the perimeter
Third Offense – No Recess/Think Sheet to be signed and returned
Fourth Offense – Office Referral
Severe Clause - Any extreme disruptive action may cause
the student to be immediately removed to the Principal’s Office.
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Please review the Student Code of Conduct and the Student Handbook located on the AISD
Homepage under the Parent link on the tool bar.
Power Hour
Our Power Hour is one source of positive
reinforcement for our students.
Students who have no more than 2
behavior infractions for the week, and
have all class work and homework
completed will participate in Power
Hour.
Items Needed for Power Hour:
Play Doh, Board Games, Water Color
Paints, Plastic Table Cloths, Legos
Daily
Homework
Communication Folders/Binders
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Black Binder
 Blazer Folder (Tuesdays)
 Agendas– please check nightly
Reading:
Students are required to read nightly for 20 min. We
encourage oral reading at least once a week. Please
encourage your child to use their time wisely…it would
be advisable to read their “just right” books. Please
record the minutes your child reads nightly on their log.
Math:
 Study Math Facts
 Play your math games
 Use your flash cards
 Check Bolin links for fun internet math games
 Required Daily Math Story Problem
Communication Between Home and
School
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Go Home Binders/Folders
WEBSITE
Weekly Newsletters (on Website) and/or Email updates
Conferences (We will begin scheduling parent conferences after our
beginning of the year benchmark)
 Phone calls, notes
 Email is the best way to contact us during school
hours.
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maria_williams@allenisd.org
meredyth_hale@allenisd.org
stephanie_smyth@allenisd.org
jennifer_sewell@allenisd.org
URGENT Reminder:
Please call before 2:00 if there are changes on how your
child is going home. Leave a message with Mrs. Dade and
she will get that message to us ASAP! Without
written/verbal permission, transportation changes
will not be made.
Thank You!
 Remind your child to bring a water bottle and
a sweater/jacket for class each day.
 Please check the Third Grade website
often. We look forward to working with
you!