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Room 20 Handbook
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Welcome to Mrs. Miller’s Third grade Class!
We have a lot of great things happening in our classroom throughout the year so I thought I’d communicate this information to you:
WEBPAGE—Our class webpage is located at http://www.myteacherpages.com/webpages/miller20 Soon, it will be updated with information, a calendar, pictures of your children (but only those who yes to internet on the photo release). I will not put any names with the student’s photos.
MY EMAIL ADDRESS: is st_dmiller@smfcsd.org --I check it several times a day and I tend to get messages quicker on my email than through my voicemail.
SUPPLIES- Please check with your child regularly for replenishing school supplies. Your child will need colored pencils, crayons, glue and pencils/erasers on a regular basis. It really helps if supplies are labeled with a permanent marker.
BIRTHDAYS- Please refrain from sending in class treats for your child’s birthday. There are other options which are healthier…you may consider donating a book to the school library in your child’s name or passing out fun erasers, pencils, etc. to each classmate.
CURRICULUM;
READING/LANGUAGE ARTS: : Our district is currently implementing a Reading series by Harcourt Brace. This series is full of activities involving reading, grammar, spelling and writing and correlates with the State Standards. Your children will be reading various types of real, authentic literature in the student sourcebooks. For every story, there are three levels of “mini” books, which have the same theme and vocabulary from the story. Several times throughout the year, we will be participating in “literature circles” reading and doing activities with chapter books and tradebooks. We will also be utilizing Practice book pages in which we will be doing activities using vocabulary words, various types of reading skills and strategies, grammar and spelling practice. After each of the six units in our Reading/Language Arts program, the students will be taking a "Common Assessment Test" that is set up similar to the Ohio Achievement Test.
* Take Home Reading Log!
In a few weeks, your child will be starting to bring home books a week from our classroom library. This book will be accompanied by a short assignment form to be completed when the book is finished. Help us to reach our classroom reading goal by the 100th day of school! More information coming soon…
VOCABULARY WORDS: Each week words with definitions will be introduced with our new story and sent home for extra practice for the quiz on Friday. Your child does not need to learn the spelling of the word but does need to recognize the definition. I will be giving sentences in which the students will need to write the correct word. Please practice these words throughout the week for about 5 minutes a session.
PHONICS: We will be incorporating a multi-sensory approach into our phonemic awareness lessons.
SPELLING- Weekly words will be in the newsletter for the next week. They will also be listed on my webpage. Tests will be on Fridays.
WRITING-
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MATH- Our Math series is called Investigations. The students became familiar with the program in first and second grade. We have various units (listed on the report card) that the students will be learning. Our math curriculum is ties closely to the State Standards. Students will be expected to explain their processes in words, pictures and or numbers. We will be communicating our thoughts daily.
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SCIENCE- Our units of study are Animals, Nutrition, Rocks and Minerals, Force and Motion/Simple Machines
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HEALTH- Units of study are the Skeletal, Muscular and Digestive Systems and Nutrition.
We will be completing this unit at Kent State University in the AT&T classroom.
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SOCIAL STUDIES- Units of study are Citizenship, Geography (Maps), Government with emphasis on our local government, Cultures, Economics, and Stow History.
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ACHIEVEMENT TEST/PRACTICE: The Third Grade Reading Achievement will be given October 1st and again in May. The Math Achievement Test will be given in May. We will continue to practice and discuss test questions, the various formats and what correct answers should look like throughout the school year.
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COMMUNICATION FOLDERS- Folders will be coming home every day and NEED to be returned the following day. In the communication folder you will find the daily reading sheet, study buddy page and the Responsibility Sheet. There are two pockets inside the folder: Return to School pocket and Keep At Home. The “Keep at Home” papers are yours to keep.
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RESPONSIBILITY SHEETS- - - These daily sheets are part of my behavior plan and daily communication with you. Each child is given a green, yellow and red cube. If the student breaks a classroom rule, I will take the green cube away and write a comment to you on the responsibility sheet so you are aware of your child’s behavior. The student will move into yellow zone and lose one recess. If the student continues the behavior(s), he/she will lose several recesses and a phone call / email will come to you. If your child keeps the green card, the box at the top of the column will be colored green. Please initial the paper everyday and make sure it is returned to school in the maroon communication folder. At school, if your child has a green card 4/5 days, he/she will get to roll the dice for a coupon on Friday. They will have several “rewards” they can land on for appropriate behavior. (i.e.: pencils, erasers, palm time, skip homework coupon, etc.)
GUIDELINES FOR BEHAVIOR: Remember to show: 1. Respect
2. Caring 2. Responsibility 4. Fairness 5. Trustworthiness 6. Good Citizenship (All traits of good character!)
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CLASSROOM RULES-
1. Be Respectful - Say or do nothing that will hurt or offend another person. Use appropriate language at all times. Keep hands, feet and objects to yourself.
2. Be Responsible - Have all books, materials and assignments here at school, completed on time. Be where you are supposed to be, when you are supposed to be there.
3. Listen and Follow Directions the first time they are given . Be Curious - Ask questions when you don't understand something! Participation is not an option. It is an expectation.
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STUDY BUDDY- We try to complete this almost every day so you are able to get an overview of what we accomplished that day. Use this as a springboard for daily discussion with your child about school.
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FOLDERS- Papers will be coming home in the blue communication folder everyday.
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TECHNOLOGY
IBOOKS- Our class is considered a “Model Ibook Classroom” which means we have a cart of 15 ibook laptops. We use these computers constantly to research on the internet, make PowerPoint presentations, imovies, etc. We are a very technological classroom! We also have a digital camera, digital movie camera and various other technology tools.
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SNACKS- We will be partaking in snacktime every day around 10:00. If your child would like to have a snack at that time, he/she will need to bring one in. There are restrictions: They will be eating snack during worktime and the snacks need to be nutritious. Chips, cookies, candy or anything liquid will not be permitted. Also nothing that needs a spoon. (Basically, a nutritious finger food)
WATER- Your child is permitted to bring a water bottle, especially during these hot, humid days. Please send in a coaster or a tube sock to eliminate puddles on the desks!
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VOLUNTEERS in the classroom- In the back of the packet, I have sign up sheet for parent volunteers. I utilize volunteers to help practice math facts, math games, reading aloud, helping students who may be having trouble, etc.
HOMEWORK- I would like your child to read at least 15 minutes everyday. In the blue take home folder, there is a Home Reading Log where your child will be able to write the title of the book he/she read and write a short summary or reflection. He/she also needs to write how long he/she read and have a parent initial it. Other homework includes practicing math facts, practice spelling and vocabulary words, or specific homework pages in Math. These pages are a review or extension of what we covered in class. I will send home more specific information for Math units of study periodically to assist you in understanding the new program. Look for that information on gold paper. We will also be doing a few long-term projects in Science and Social Studies throughout the year.
Parental Role
What role should a parent play in helping their children with homework? A publication from the Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI, 1996) suggests four ways form parents to help a child with homework: 1. Show that you think homework is important by providing a consistent time and place for it. Help your student to concentrate by turning off the television, banning personal phone calls, and setting a good example by reading and writing yourself. Make sure our student has any needed supplies and access to reference materials. 2. Check over the work your child is doing, offering help or monitoring when needed. Know what the teacher expects and monitor more closely if your child is having problems completing the work. 3. Provide guidance and encouragement. Your job is not to do the work but to help in ways your child needs. Talking about an assignment may help the student work through it. Teach ways for a child to divide a large assignment into manageable parts. Look for work that you can praise. 4. Discuss your child’s homework difficulties with the teacher. Work together with the teacher to resolve problems and work out a plan to improve homework completion. Check to see if the plan is helping. ***Please remember homework is an extension or review of a lesson to be completed outside of school fro reinforcement of that day or week’s learning. Homework will not consist of “new” concepts. Homework is the responsibility of the student. Encouraging a positive attitude and atmosphere for homework completion is essential in helping your child bridge the learning that takes place in school to home. It is very important that students realize that learning takes place all of the time in all different places- not just in “school.”
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CLASSROOM VOLUNTEER SIGN UP
Please return this form if you would like to volunteer in our classroom. I will set up a schedule as soon as we have settled into a routine.
Please let me know the day of the week and an approximate time and I will try to work with your schedule. I schedule for one hour time slots. Volunteers fit best in our morning schedule....
Monday a.m.____________p.m. ___________
Tuesday a.m.___________ p.m.___________
Wednesday a.m. _________p.m. ___________
Thursday a.m. __________p.m. ___________
Friday a.m. ___________p.m.____________
Ms. Deb Miller
Stow Munroe Falls Schools
Fishcreek Elementary
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