Parent Information
Grade 3
Roberta Locke
Sunnyside Elementary
2070 Co. Rd H
New Brighton, MN 55112
651-621-7671
[email protected]
Class Information
Snacks
Students are welcome to bring a healthy snack for the afternoon. Students may have water bottles at school to help maintain good hydration and brain function. Water bottles will be left by the sink. If learning is interrupted I will take charge of the water bottle.
Field Trips
Field trips are still in the planning phase. Watch for details on each field trip to come.
Discipline
Students are expected to follow the Sunnyside School rules as explained in the school handbook. Sunnyside is focusing on respect, responsibility and safety with school wide behavior expectations. We will discuss expectations for behavior in our classroom and other areas of the school..
Classroom Expectations
Listen carefully
Follow directions- the first time
Work quietly
Respect school and personal property
Work and play safely
Communication
I will send home a weekly yellow communication sheet. This sheet should go home each day for parent signature. Each morning, I will check it for notes from home.
Communication between home and school is a vital part of the learning process and I appreciate any questions or concerns that you may have. E-mail is the best way to reach me at school:
[email protected] or 651-621-7671.
I will also use e-mail to communicate with you. If I do not have your e-mail address please let me know so I can add it to my list.
I am also updating our class web-site. Watch for more to come.
Grading
Traditional report cards will be sent home in January and in June. Synergy is an electronic grade book that can be viewed online in early October. This is a good way to check in on your student’s progress.
Homework
Homework will be given as needed. Homework should be purposeful, at the appropriate difficulty level, and be done independently (unless otherwise stated). Homework could include: independent reading, introducing new content, practicing a skill/ process, or providing an opportunity for a student to deepen their knowledge. Math homework will be sent 2-3 times a week. Nightly family activities are valued.
Conferences
We will begin the year with our Welcoming Conferences. This is a chance for parents to share items that they feel are important for teachers to know. However, please feel free to contact me at any time to discuss academic needs of your student.
Additional conferences or opportunities to visit the classroom will be held in the winter and spring.
Testing
Third graders will be asked to take many tests this year. These tests help to give us a better picture of your child’s progress. Some of these tests will include district formative assessments, the NWEA or MAP test and lastly, the statewide Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCA).
Book Orders
Please make checks out the book companies. Please do not send cash.
Birthdays
Due to many food allergies, the district has asked that no food be provided for birthdays. Students are welcome to read a book to the class, bring in a special item to share, donate a book/game to the classroom, or bring in a non food item to share.
Curriculum Information
Math
We follow the Everyday Math program adopted by the district. It spirals through the various strands, or areas of math following the National Math Standards. We utilize a student reference book, math journal, and home-link sheets on a regular basis. Games that reinforce math concepts and make it fun to learn are another important component. Students will be grouped by ability level for math. This lets us focus on specific learning needs and better pace the curriculum for everyone.
Social Studies
Our work toward the social studies outcomes covers the five areas of social studies: citizenship, geography, economics, culture, and history. We also collect postcards to enrich our geography skills. Please have friends and family send postcards to:
Roberta Locke/Sunnyside Elem
2070 Co. Rd H
New Brighton, MN 55112
Science/Health
Science is done mainly with the science specialist, although units covering structures of life will be done with the FOSS (Full Option Science System) kits. We will also cover the district’s Second Step Health Curriculum during our unit studies time this fall.
Reading
Students in 3rd grade continue to develop strategies to use language efficiently and effectively. Students learn to become strategic readers by identifying the elements of a story. They read expository material for specific information. Study skills include note taking, using reference materials, interpreting graphs and diagrams, and test-taking skills. Vocabulary development continues to include phonetic and decoding skills with an emphasis on strategies for expanding their vocabulary during all areas of study. Word analysis strategies include: homonyms, antonyms, synonyms, analogies, multiple meaning and compound words.
Reading comprehension skills taught include: understanding fiction and nonfiction reading selections, identifying main ideas, sequencing events, recalling details, making predictions, drawing inferences, and understanding cause-and-effect relationships. Students learn strategies to aid comprehension, accuracy, fluency and expand vocabulary during reading time.
Handwriting
We’ll start the year with a quick review of printing, then focus on cursive writing as an on-going part of our year.
Writing
Most of our writing instruction will follow the writing workshop format. Mini lessons are used to present concepts, then students work at their writing independently with help from the teacher and peers to draft, revise, edit, and publish their writing. We will cover the four basic types of writing during the year: descriptive, narrative, problem solving, and clarification.
Word Study
Word study includes spelling, vocabulary, and proper language usage. These skills are integrated with the rest of the curriculum. Spelling lists are developed using a spelling rule or pattern based. Students will practice these word patterns and rules at school and home. There will be no weekly spelling tests.
Third Grade Schedule
2019-2020
8:20 Bell Rings
8:35 Morning Work
8:40-9:00 Morning Meeting
9:00-9:55 W.I.N Time
10:00-10:50 Literacy
10:40-11:25 Recess/Lunch/Restroom
11:30-11:55 Literacy
12:00-12:55 Specialist
12:55-1:00 Restroom Break
1:00-2:10 Math
2:10-2:20 Break
2:20-3:00 Unit
3:00-3:10 Closure
3:15 Dismissal