| Wonderful Writing!
The mighty pen can and has changed history! Writing is a powerful and exciting way to express thoughts and feelings. This year we will be developing our writing skills using our
Scott Foresman-
Pearson Language Arts/Reading program, Process Writing program, and Empowering Writers program. Students gain an enthusiasm for writing because of a feeling of success. Third graders are frequently amazed at their finished products when they learn to apply the writing "tricks and secrets" of the professionals! Along with narrative and expository writing, we will dabble with poetry. This is usually a low risk writing experience that allows reluctant writers to have a rewarding encounter with paper and pencil. Many of our writings will be accompanied by fun and exciting art projects used as illustrations. At the end of the year, a magazine with collections of our best writing pieces will be "published" and each family will receive a copy. Check this web site often for student work throughout the year. As an additional reading incentive, students may fill out a brightly colored star for every five books they read. These stars are attached to a bulletin board. As a class, we will try to read 100 books by December 1. If we meet this goal, Scholastic Books will donate 100 books to needy children. | Nightly Reading is Critical for Academic Success
How does one become a better student? It's easy! Nightly reading is a wonderful lifelong habit and has been shown by many different educational studies to be a major factor in a student's academic success. Reading provides opportunities for vocabulary growth and continued learning. Ideally, reading should be enjoyable and hassle free but even if your child is not a willing participant it is important to set aside at least 15-20 minutes a night for reading time. Additionally, I encourage parents to read aloud to their children. This is a wonderful chance to spend some quality time together and it also provides a positive reading role model. The time you invest now will pay off ten fold in your child's future. I hope you will take the time to read the article "Why Nightly Reading?" on this web site. |
