_
Classroom Information
Grade 3 Curriculum
Reading
We will explore a variety of genres this year and build comprehension skills during Reader’s Workshop.
Reader’s Workshop has 3 components:
1. Teacher Read Aloud/Mini lesson
2. Guided Reading/Independent Reading
3. Closing Meeting
Teacher Read Aloud/Mini Lesson: I choose a story to read aloud to the whole class. As I read, I will give a mini lesson that models a specific strategy that good readers use. Students are actively listening and taking notes on these strategies.
Guided Reading: I will take a small group of students who need the same type of instruction and work on a particular skill with them.
Independent Reading: While I am working in a guided reading group, students are independently reading books at their level. This is the time when they are practicing using the strategies I taught during the mini lessons. After reading, they will either write about their reading, record their thinking on sticky notes, or discuss their book with a classmate.
Closing Meeting: We will gather as a whole group so that students can share what strategies they used or any reflections/new understandings they had during their reading.
Writing
We will write about a great many things this year. Our Writer’s Notebooks become a very important and special part of our lives. I encourage kids to bring things to school to put in their Writer’s Notebooks (tickets, maps, photos, etc.) A typical writing lesson includes a mini-lesson, independent writing, and time for students to share their work. Units include personal narratives, non-fiction, poetry, fiction, and opinion paragraphs. At the end of each unit, a final product will be published, and a celebration will take place.
Spelling
Students will continue to use the Words Their Way program. The main benefit of Words Their Way is that it allows each child to work at their appropriate instructional level.
Students will be given spelling inventories at the beginning, middle and end of the year to help guide me in placing each student into a group of words. From this point, students will begin working with a different group of words each week. Words will be introduced each Friday in class. Word work in our classroom will include sorting our words into categories, and noticing similarities and differences between words that sound alike.
Students will continue to have weekly spelling checks. Spell checks will be on Fridays. For each spelling check, I will ask the students to spell a random group of 10 of their words for the week. They will also be given 2 bonus words that follow the rule or sound of the week. The main purpose of these spelling checks will be to help guide each student’s instruction, versus memorization of words.
Handwriting
One of the highlights of 3rd grade is learning to write in cursive!! Throughout the year, the students will learn how to write each letter. When all the letters are learned, they can learn to properly write their names in cursive!
Math
The Plymouth Public School’s math curriculum is called Everyday Math. It is a program based on the spiral method of learning. The basic concept of the program is to expose children to a wide range of math concepts and build knowledge in all math strands at an early age. The 3rd grade content includes:
· Linear Measurement and Area
· Multiplication and Division
· Place Value
· Geometry
· Fractions
Go to the link below to view grade level standards:
http://everydaymath.uchicago.edu/parents/3rd-grade/goals/
It is available online at:
connected.mcgraw-hill.com/connected/login.do
Social Studies
This year Social Studies will focus on our home state of Massachusetts. The units we will cover this year are as follows:
· Massachusetts Our Home
· Wampanoag, Pilgrims, and the First Thanksgiving
· Puritans
· Causes of the Revolutionary War
· Famous Massachusetts Citizens
Science
Our Science Units cover the following content:
· Earth and Space Science: Solar System, Minerals and Weather
· Life Science: Plants, Animals, and their Environments
· Physical Science: States of Matter, Energy, and Magnets
· Technology and Engineering: Simple and Complex Machines
Other Information:
Standardized Tests
Students will take the PARCC in Math and Language Arts this year. It will be given in March and April. We will work on effective test taking strategies and prep throughout the school year.
Conferences:
Conferences will be held in December and again in March. There will be a sign up sheet at Open House. If you would like a conference at any time during the year, you can email me at [email protected] to schedule one.
Reading
We will explore a variety of genres this year and build comprehension skills during Reader’s Workshop.
Reader’s Workshop has 3 components:
1. Teacher Read Aloud/Mini lesson
2. Guided Reading/Independent Reading
3. Closing Meeting
Teacher Read Aloud/Mini Lesson: I choose a story to read aloud to the whole class. As I read, I will give a mini lesson that models a specific strategy that good readers use. Students are actively listening and taking notes on these strategies.
Guided Reading: I will take a small group of students who need the same type of instruction and work on a particular skill with them.
Independent Reading: While I am working in a guided reading group, students are independently reading books at their level. This is the time when they are practicing using the strategies I taught during the mini lessons. After reading, they will either write about their reading, record their thinking on sticky notes, or discuss their book with a classmate.
Closing Meeting: We will gather as a whole group so that students can share what strategies they used or any reflections/new understandings they had during their reading.
Writing
We will write about a great many things this year. Our Writer’s Notebooks become a very important and special part of our lives. I encourage kids to bring things to school to put in their Writer’s Notebooks (tickets, maps, photos, etc.) A typical writing lesson includes a mini-lesson, independent writing, and time for students to share their work. Units include personal narratives, non-fiction, poetry, fiction, and opinion paragraphs. At the end of each unit, a final product will be published, and a celebration will take place.
Spelling
Students will continue to use the Words Their Way program. The main benefit of Words Their Way is that it allows each child to work at their appropriate instructional level.
Students will be given spelling inventories at the beginning, middle and end of the year to help guide me in placing each student into a group of words. From this point, students will begin working with a different group of words each week. Words will be introduced each Friday in class. Word work in our classroom will include sorting our words into categories, and noticing similarities and differences between words that sound alike.
Students will continue to have weekly spelling checks. Spell checks will be on Fridays. For each spelling check, I will ask the students to spell a random group of 10 of their words for the week. They will also be given 2 bonus words that follow the rule or sound of the week. The main purpose of these spelling checks will be to help guide each student’s instruction, versus memorization of words.
Handwriting
One of the highlights of 3rd grade is learning to write in cursive!! Throughout the year, the students will learn how to write each letter. When all the letters are learned, they can learn to properly write their names in cursive!
Math
The Plymouth Public School’s math curriculum is called Everyday Math. It is a program based on the spiral method of learning. The basic concept of the program is to expose children to a wide range of math concepts and build knowledge in all math strands at an early age. The 3rd grade content includes:
· Linear Measurement and Area
· Multiplication and Division
· Place Value
· Geometry
· Fractions
Go to the link below to view grade level standards:
http://everydaymath.uchicago.edu/parents/3rd-grade/goals/
It is available online at:
connected.mcgraw-hill.com/connected/login.do
Social Studies
This year Social Studies will focus on our home state of Massachusetts. The units we will cover this year are as follows:
· Massachusetts Our Home
· Wampanoag, Pilgrims, and the First Thanksgiving
· Puritans
· Causes of the Revolutionary War
· Famous Massachusetts Citizens
Science
Our Science Units cover the following content:
· Earth and Space Science: Solar System, Minerals and Weather
· Life Science: Plants, Animals, and their Environments
· Physical Science: States of Matter, Energy, and Magnets
· Technology and Engineering: Simple and Complex Machines
Other Information:
Standardized Tests
Students will take the PARCC in Math and Language Arts this year. It will be given in March and April. We will work on effective test taking strategies and prep throughout the school year.
Conferences:
Conferences will be held in December and again in March. There will be a sign up sheet at Open House. If you would like a conference at any time during the year, you can email me at [email protected] to schedule one.