Welcome to Our Class!

Mrs. Koch’s Third Grade2013-2014

All About Mrs. Koch

The good, the great, and the ummm… “needs improvement”

All About Third Grade!

How does 3rd Grade compare to 2nd ?• Note taking from the board/ projector.• Self monitoring/ completing

assignments in a timely manner.• Keeping books, folders, and notebooks

organized.• Standardized tests will NOT be read

aloud/ bubble sheets used to answer. • Using higher order thinking skills. • RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY!

MathMath Through the year we will be learning multiplication,

division, algebraic equations, fractions, elapsed time, metric and customary units of measurement, and geometry. The

children will be involved in learning activities which deal with problem solving. Our math program will enable children to

become complex thinkers who are comfortable with all areas of mathematics. It is expected that students coming into third grade know their basic addition and subtraction

facts by memory (without using fingers).

Readers’ WorkshopIn addition to covering numerous grammar and

usage skills, we will teach reading fluency and comprehension through Readers’ Workshop and Guided Reading. There will be a strong focus on

nonfiction literature as we incorporate many Social Studies and Science topics into our whole and small

group reading lessons. A brief mini lesson will be followed by independent reading, guided reading,

and responding to reading. Students will also have the opportunity to work with poetry and drama. Student anthologies will be used as

supplemental texts as needed.

Writers’ Workshop

Throughout the week the children participate in Writer’s Workshop. This is a time when the children are involved in writing stories on topics of their choice and assigned topics. We will learn how to write personal narratives, persuasive writing pieces, informational pieces, as well as responding to literature. Writing skills that are taught through mini lessons are applied and discussed daily. Students will go through the writing process while creating their writing pieces two to three times per quarter.

Handwriting

Our goal in teaching handwriting is legibility. No student texts are available. We will study lowercase cursive writing during the first semester and uppercaseletters during the second semester. PLEASE ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO USE THEIR BEST HANDWRITING ANDONLY CAPITALIZE APPROPRIATE LETTERS.

Spelling Third grade will be focusing on the Greek and Latin word roots, as well as a variety of spelling patterns. There is no student textbook for Word Study, the completion of assigned homework and at home spelling review of no excuse words and root words are recommended.

. Social Studies: Your child will be learning about our Government and its roots, as well as several American Heroes that helped shape our nation into the country it is today. These heroes include Paul Revere, Frederick Douglass, Susan B. Anthony, Mary McLeod Bethune, Franklin Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt, Thurgood Marshall, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Cesar Chavez. We will use the Georgia Weekly Magazines for these concepts. We will also focus on a variety of map skills throughout the year.

Science: Third grade topics for Science come from Earth Science, Physical Science, and Life Science. We will study the regions of Georgia and their inhabitants, how our world changes through heat and erosion, and what makes up our world, such as rocks and soil (We're hoping to have a few hands on activities demonstrated by professional geologists).

Rules, Procedures and Class Cash

Behavior• Verbal warning• Comment in PRIDE PASSPORT/ Natural

consequences (write an apology letter to another child, walk a lap without talking, etc.)/ no payment for good behavior

• Meet with an administrator/ phone call or e-mail home.

• Initial PRIDE PASSPORT next to any behaviors recorded AND on the weekly conduct report on Friday.

• * RETURN PASSPORTS THE NEXT DAY!• NO NEWS IS GOOD NEWS!

Rewards

• SmilesClass Praises

• Cash to shop with on Friday• Mystery Motivators

• Class Cheers

GradesGrading Policies

• Retest will be given if a student scores below a 69

• Percentages• Parent Portal

Grading Scale

• A= 90-100• B= 80-89• C= 74-79• D= 70-73• U= 0-69

Lunch and Birthdays• 11:09-11:34 is our lunchtime• Wait at café for our class• Please observe the lunchroom rules

when you come to visit and sit at the parent table with your child.

• Birthday treats will be eaten at lunch• ICE CREAM WILL BE PREPURCHASED IN

THE MORNING! • NO NUTS FOR SNACK OR TREATS

PLEASE!

This and That* Math Facts and Shoe Tying • Specials – P.E. on Monday!• Change in transportation notes• Class work – In Progress Folder• Study Hall• Bus Lane and dismissal

So what’s the deal with homework?!

Homework- think of it as “overtime”

• A reminder to read nightly will be written in the agenda book daily Monday- Thursday.

• Daily reading is the only “required” homework – choose book and record title...make sure it's JUST RIGHT!

• All other homework (aside from nightly reading) will be due by Friday

• Check homework and sign your child’s assignment notebook daily!

TESTS, TESTS, and yep, more TESTS!!!

Benchmarks CogAt ITBSand (drumroll please…..)

CRCT!!!

What about GIFTED, EIP, iPass and this RAMS time?

Website and Remind 101 http://classjump.com/K/Kochpharr/Click subscribe for updates to have your email placed on the class list. For Remind 101- Text @2210c to (706) 321-

4207• Call the school: (770) 985-0244• Email: apryl_koch@gwinnett.k12.ga.us

• Pharr’s website:

www.gwinnett.k12.ga.us/PharrES

Okay- so what did I miss?Question and answer time!

“If you have ever watched an artist constructing with bits of cold stone a beautiful living picture, you know that he works faithfully and carefully on the pattern from the wrong side. And while he is working every variation, every tint that is a little too dull is apparent to him as his picture grows, but he works on and on. And even when he finishes at last and looks down at the completed pattern, he is not discouraged to see here a little crevice and there a little roughness, an open seam here, a tiny patch there where the bit of marble was too small. Now he pours his cement over it and smoothes it into every seam, and with faith he puts his work to dry. The next day the pattern is turned and the perfect whole is given to view, needing only the polishing of a loving hand to make it ready to slip in place. So we should work faithfully on our pattern, cement it together with ourselves, and polish it with human kindness; and lo, the work slips into place a seemingly perfect whole.”

- Sarah B. Askew, U.S. librarian. The Place, the Man and the Book (1916).