General Third Grade Information
In third grade we work closely together as a team. We meet and plan almost daily to share best practices and coordinate lessons and homework. We share the same teaching philosophy and enjoy working together to best meet the needs of our third grade students.
Curriculum:
Our curriculum is based on the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. These frameworks provide teachers, students and families with a clear set of expectations for what students should know and are expected to do at the end of each year. You can explore some of the expectations for math, reading and science here. search.doe.mass.edu/?q=third%20grade%20standards
Reading:
Third grade is a very crucial year for your child. Up until this point, your child has learned some basics of reading, writing, and spelling. Your child has been “learning to read”, but now will be expected to “read to learn”. This year reading will take on a major importance, as all third graders will take MCAS reading and math assessments. Our daily work in Reading and Writing Workshop will help prepare students for these assessments and help to develop students' reading and writing skills. We will be working to help students develop a "reading life" where they read books at their level every day at home and at school.
Math:
Students are expected to have already mastered basic addition and subtraction facts, as we will be expecting the students to learn and master basic multiplication facts and related division facts by the end of the school year. It is important to review math facts daily with your child in order to see growth and progress. Students will be tested on a weekly basis. They are expected to study math facts each night. Math fact fluency is the foundation for all math concepts. Other topics in math that your child will be exposed to are area, perimeter, fractions, geometry, graphing, measurement, elapsed time and problem solving.
Writing:
This year students will develop their ability to write for different purposes. Students will write narrative pieces, opinion essays, and research reports. In addition, students will strengthen their written responses to reading, citing evidence from texts.
Social Studies:
Some of the topics your child will be learning in social studies are colonial life
in Massachusetts, the Revolutionary War, geography and early settlements. Additionally, some topics the students will learn in science include weather, life science, engineering and the scientific method.
Science, Technology and Engineering:
Students will learn all about life cycles of plants and animals, weather, heredity, fossils, and magnetism. They will also draw or build models to show possible solutions to problems.
Character:
Character development is an essential component of our daily routine. We foster a community in which students and staff conduct themselves with character. The traits that are highlighted each month at the Gibbons are integrated in our class culture and lessons on a daily basis in a variety of ways. The 10 traits we focus on at the Gibbons are compassion, respect, responsibility, honesty/integrity, perseverance,
Homework Policy:
Why is homework assigned?
We believe that homework is an essential part of the learning process. It reinforces previously taught skills and prepares students for upcoming lessons. Homework helps to teach students responsibility and helps to develop positive study habits as well as a reading life.
When will homework be assigned?
Students will typically have homework Monday through Thursday. All assignments are copied daily into a homework agenda book that has been provided by the PTA. (Thank you PTA!) Assignments are due the next day unless otherwise stated, and are expected to be completed to your child’s best ability. Homework that is not done to the best of your child’s ability will be sent home to be redone.
How long should homework take my child to complete?
Assignments should take about 30 minutes to complete. This includes studying math facts. Suggestion: Car rides are a great time of day to practice for busy families. Students can study their flashcards and parents can quiz students on their facts. Math facts quizzes will be given twice a week.
What do you do if your child forgets to hand in or complete an assignment?
We expect the students to be responsible for bringing in and handing in their homework on time. However, if your child forgets his or her homework, it must be passed in the following day. The goal is to promote responsibility and independence in third grade, as these are critical life skills. We are confident that by working together we can help your child form a positive attitude about homework.
Should I help my child on his or her homework?
Parents are encouraged to check their child's homework each day. Homework allows for extra time to practice and develop skills. Checking the homework allows for you to see the work that your child is doing in school and provides an opportunity for you to check to see if your child understands that skill or concept. Some children will need to continue to practice certain skills at home, even though the concept changes. The pace in third grade is fast and some students will need more practice with certain concepts. Third graders typically need the support of a parent to help them to achieve mastery of concepts and routines.
Assignments must be done neatly in pencil. Pen is not allowed on homework.
Is homework graded?
Homework is graded on the report card each term. 0-1 assignments missed in a term will earn an M-Mastered on the report card. 2-3 missed assignments will earn a P-Progressing. Students who miss 4 or more assignments will earn a B-Beginning on their report card.
We thank you in advance for your support in helping to develop strong work habits.
Agendas:
This is your child’s first year with an agenda. It will serve as an important tool to help keep your child’s assignments organized. It is also a quick and easy way to communicate with one another. We check and initial the agendas on a daily basis and ask that you do the same.
In order for you to be aware of the classes' assignments and that your child has completed them, we ask that you also initial your child’s agenda each night. If a parent's initials are not present we will place an X on the page and ask you to sign it when the agenda comes back home again. A sticker will be rewarded each day that your initials are present in the agenda, representing that you have reviewed the assignments together with your child.
Homework is graded on the report card. We do keep a record of homework and multiple missed assignments will affect your child's homework grade on the report card. You will see that any missing homework will be highlighted or circled in the agenda and a parent signature is required. This routine ensures that you have been made aware of any missing assignments. When an assignment is missing, it is expected that it will be made up and returned the following day. We thank you in advance for your support in this area.
Snack:
We would like to remind you that we will have a quick snack each morning while we work. We encourage students to bring a healthy snack that can be eaten in about ten minutes. Milk can be purchased on a monthly basis. If you have paid on-line for milk, please let us know. The children will also have lunch and recess from 12:00- 12:45 each day.
Birthdays:
No food, other than snack or lunch, is allowed in the classroom for celebrations of any kind.
C.O.R.I. Forms:
Please be advised that C.O.R.I. forms must be submitted on a yearly basis. Fingerprinting is now mandatory in order to chaperone field trips. We suggest that you complete these requirements as soon as possible.
Curriculum:
Our curriculum is based on the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. These frameworks provide teachers, students and families with a clear set of expectations for what students should know and are expected to do at the end of each year. You can explore some of the expectations for math, reading and science here. search.doe.mass.edu/?q=third%20grade%20standards
Reading:
Third grade is a very crucial year for your child. Up until this point, your child has learned some basics of reading, writing, and spelling. Your child has been “learning to read”, but now will be expected to “read to learn”. This year reading will take on a major importance, as all third graders will take MCAS reading and math assessments. Our daily work in Reading and Writing Workshop will help prepare students for these assessments and help to develop students' reading and writing skills. We will be working to help students develop a "reading life" where they read books at their level every day at home and at school.
Math:
Students are expected to have already mastered basic addition and subtraction facts, as we will be expecting the students to learn and master basic multiplication facts and related division facts by the end of the school year. It is important to review math facts daily with your child in order to see growth and progress. Students will be tested on a weekly basis. They are expected to study math facts each night. Math fact fluency is the foundation for all math concepts. Other topics in math that your child will be exposed to are area, perimeter, fractions, geometry, graphing, measurement, elapsed time and problem solving.
Writing:
This year students will develop their ability to write for different purposes. Students will write narrative pieces, opinion essays, and research reports. In addition, students will strengthen their written responses to reading, citing evidence from texts.
Social Studies:
Some of the topics your child will be learning in social studies are colonial life
in Massachusetts, the Revolutionary War, geography and early settlements. Additionally, some topics the students will learn in science include weather, life science, engineering and the scientific method.
Science, Technology and Engineering:
Students will learn all about life cycles of plants and animals, weather, heredity, fossils, and magnetism. They will also draw or build models to show possible solutions to problems.
Character:
Character development is an essential component of our daily routine. We foster a community in which students and staff conduct themselves with character. The traits that are highlighted each month at the Gibbons are integrated in our class culture and lessons on a daily basis in a variety of ways. The 10 traits we focus on at the Gibbons are compassion, respect, responsibility, honesty/integrity, perseverance,
Homework Policy:
Why is homework assigned?
We believe that homework is an essential part of the learning process. It reinforces previously taught skills and prepares students for upcoming lessons. Homework helps to teach students responsibility and helps to develop positive study habits as well as a reading life.
When will homework be assigned?
Students will typically have homework Monday through Thursday. All assignments are copied daily into a homework agenda book that has been provided by the PTA. (Thank you PTA!) Assignments are due the next day unless otherwise stated, and are expected to be completed to your child’s best ability. Homework that is not done to the best of your child’s ability will be sent home to be redone.
How long should homework take my child to complete?
Assignments should take about 30 minutes to complete. This includes studying math facts. Suggestion: Car rides are a great time of day to practice for busy families. Students can study their flashcards and parents can quiz students on their facts. Math facts quizzes will be given twice a week.
What do you do if your child forgets to hand in or complete an assignment?
We expect the students to be responsible for bringing in and handing in their homework on time. However, if your child forgets his or her homework, it must be passed in the following day. The goal is to promote responsibility and independence in third grade, as these are critical life skills. We are confident that by working together we can help your child form a positive attitude about homework.
Should I help my child on his or her homework?
Parents are encouraged to check their child's homework each day. Homework allows for extra time to practice and develop skills. Checking the homework allows for you to see the work that your child is doing in school and provides an opportunity for you to check to see if your child understands that skill or concept. Some children will need to continue to practice certain skills at home, even though the concept changes. The pace in third grade is fast and some students will need more practice with certain concepts. Third graders typically need the support of a parent to help them to achieve mastery of concepts and routines.
Assignments must be done neatly in pencil. Pen is not allowed on homework.
Is homework graded?
Homework is graded on the report card each term. 0-1 assignments missed in a term will earn an M-Mastered on the report card. 2-3 missed assignments will earn a P-Progressing. Students who miss 4 or more assignments will earn a B-Beginning on their report card.
We thank you in advance for your support in helping to develop strong work habits.
Agendas:
This is your child’s first year with an agenda. It will serve as an important tool to help keep your child’s assignments organized. It is also a quick and easy way to communicate with one another. We check and initial the agendas on a daily basis and ask that you do the same.
In order for you to be aware of the classes' assignments and that your child has completed them, we ask that you also initial your child’s agenda each night. If a parent's initials are not present we will place an X on the page and ask you to sign it when the agenda comes back home again. A sticker will be rewarded each day that your initials are present in the agenda, representing that you have reviewed the assignments together with your child.
Homework is graded on the report card. We do keep a record of homework and multiple missed assignments will affect your child's homework grade on the report card. You will see that any missing homework will be highlighted or circled in the agenda and a parent signature is required. This routine ensures that you have been made aware of any missing assignments. When an assignment is missing, it is expected that it will be made up and returned the following day. We thank you in advance for your support in this area.
Snack:
We would like to remind you that we will have a quick snack each morning while we work. We encourage students to bring a healthy snack that can be eaten in about ten minutes. Milk can be purchased on a monthly basis. If you have paid on-line for milk, please let us know. The children will also have lunch and recess from 12:00- 12:45 each day.
Birthdays:
No food, other than snack or lunch, is allowed in the classroom for celebrations of any kind.
C.O.R.I. Forms:
Please be advised that C.O.R.I. forms must be submitted on a yearly basis. Fingerprinting is now mandatory in order to chaperone field trips. We suggest that you complete these requirements as soon as possible.