Welcome to Back to School Night

Can you find the Back to School Night Quiz that your

child completed?

Once you have, read and respond to the letters they wrote!

Purpose of Back to School

• Give a general overview of the 3rd grade curriculum and class procedures

• If you have any specific questions about your child’s progress, I’d be happy to set up a conference with you.

• Packet on desk gives philosophy and goals of third grade and other important information.

Daily Schedule

• Arrival is at 8:55• We begin our day with Morning Meeting from 9:15-

9:35. • We have 1st period special each day and on Monday we

begin our afternoon with computers. The schedule is posted by the door and will not change through the year.

• Our morning consists of Reading, Word Study, and Social Studies/Science.

• Our afternoon consists of Math, Reading Workshop and Writing Workshop

• We have a working snack in the afternoon.• Recess begins at 11:37 followed by lunch at 12:17.• Dismissal is at 3:40

Purpose of Morning Meeting

• Sets a tone for respectful learning and establishes a climate of trust

• Motivates children by developing a sense of belonging and having fun

• Repetition of respectful interaction and enables some extraordinary moments

• Merges social, emotional, and intellectual learning

Components of Morning Meeting

1- Greeting

2- Sharing

3- Group Activity

4- Morning Message

Math

This year will be an exciting and meaningful year for all students in math. As we begin another year of the Everyday Math program, students will continue to build upon math concepts that they learned last year through a “spiral” approach. Hands on learning and connections to their world will make math meaningful. Game activities will be introduced to reinforce these concepts. We need and encourage your involvement with this program. Basic fact practice is still very integral to your child’s growth in math and will be incorporated into our daily lessons through the Rocket Math program. Please continue to practice facts at home through flash cards, games and mental math.

ScienceA hands on/ inquiry based approach is used.

Units of Study for the Year

Rocks and Minerals

Plant Growth

Water

Social Studies

Units of Study for the Year

The Constitution

Maps and Globes- continents, oceans, navigating and creating maps and comparing different types

New Jersey- The history, people, geography, symbols and government

Colonial Times – Our nation’s early settler’s way of life

Handwriting

• Cursive– Review of lowercase letters– Learn uppercase and connecting letters– Practice as homework– They should also be learning how to read

cursive.

Language Arts

• Grammar – punctuation, sentences, subjects and predicates, nouns, verbs, adjectives

• Writing – A large component of our writing program will be Writer’s Workshop. During that time they will collect, develop, revise, and edit such pieces as personal narratives, essays, fiction stories and poetry

• Graded for written organization, details, vocabulary usage, grammar, and spelling. We also look at how they are using strategies taught throughout the writing process.

Writing Workshop

• Third Grade students learn to write daily through varied activities.

• In Writer's Workshop, Third Grade students are exposed to the organization and thought required to create a story or write about a favorite topic and develop it into an understandable narrative with a voice and focus.

Reading

Our reading program is Balanced Literacy through:

• Shared Reading• Guided Reading• Reader’s Workshop• Read Alouds • Skills- reading strategies, story elements,

comprehension, vocabulary, and fluency

Reading Log

• Students must read at least 5 days a week for at least 30 minutes a day at home in addition to our SSR (Silent Sustained Reading).

• They should read a variety of books/periodicals.• Our goal is to make them life long readers.• They may borrow books from our classroom library and 2

books each week from our school library.• Independent Reading logs go home monthly for students to

record their at home reading. Parents are asked to initial each at home entry.

Spelling

• Small group spelling lists through Word Study• Allows us to focus on where each child is developmentally

and create a word list based on their individual word knowledge

• Word Study Notebooks will go home for some activities.• Word Study Contract homework is completed on separate

sheets of paper and turned in on Fridays.• New words will be introduced each week. They will be

sorted and recorded into Word Study Notebooks. • Students will be assessed on sorting and spelling their words.

Word Wall words and content words will be included on some assessments.

Homework

• Homework is a part of your child’s education.• Expect homework daily. Weekends may include a longer range project

assignment.• If there is no specific math assignment, practice basic facts or have your child

go on First In Math.• The Student Reference Book for math will go home nightly. Please use this

as a tool to show examples of what was discussed in class and reference for homework.

• Please sign your child’s agenda nightly. The agenda is a communication tool.

• If there are special circumstances that prevent your child from completing their homework please write a note on their homework or separate piece of paper, or e-mail me.

• During the first 20 minutes of recess, any incomplete/ forgotten homework or class work will be worked on

• If your child takes more that 40 minutes to do homework, please let me know.

Report Cards and Grading

• Report Cards will be distributed in October, March, and June.

• Students will receive a check +, check, or a check – for classwork.

• Conferences are held in the fall (mandatory) and spring.

Returning Work

• Graded/corrected/ checked work will be sent home usually on Friday.

• Homework with a check can stay at home.

• Please sign and return any graded assessments.

• Please take the time to review your child’s work and my comments.

Student Expectations

• They should take pride in their work.

• Students should always use their time wisely.

• Be responsible for being prepared each day.

Absences

• Upon return student should have note• For each day absent student will have a day to

complete missed assignments• For a long term leave, please request a leave of

absence form.• No work will be given prior to a vacation.

Birthdays in the Classroom

• If a birthday falls on a weekend, let me know which side of the weekend you would like to celebrate.

• You may provide or organize a short game or craft, provide edible treat (we currently have 19 students), or join us to read a favorite book to the class.

• Birthday celebrations go from 3:15-3:35• If you choose to provide an edible treat, it needs to

be purchased through our food service company. Refer to district website for choices and contacts.

How to contact me…

• By note• Email: fleischhacker@robbinsville.k12.nj.us

johngoodst@robbinsvillemercer.k12.nj.us • I check phone regularly check my messages. If

you have an emergency please call main office.

There are two things you can give your child…

Give them roots,

and give them wings!

Please don’t forget to sign up for for volunteering if you are

available.

Thank you for coming and

have a great evening!